Kyrie
Chapter Ten: Enter Sandman
"Our war party was decimated by the Dark Ones! You risk us all for the sake of saving a fake copy of our Emperor!"
Caelian was generally considered a blunt man by his fellow Ancients and today he was making no exception to that rule. In the council room with Ojii-sama and the other advisers, he was willing to make his opinion known. "We should get that copy back and hand him over to the Dark Ones!" There was a lull in which nothing could be heard from inside the room, then Caelian raised his voice again. "The life of that fake is suitable sacrifice to spare the rest of us. His fate after we hand him over is no concern of ours."
Outside the room, sitting in a niche in the hallway with her knees pulled close to her chest, was Arella.
She had been listening to what she could overhear of the Council meeting and did not like what she was hearing.
And a dream she had had the night before was troubling her as well. All she could remember was Michel flying towards her, reaching out to her, alternately pleading for and demanding help.
Judging from what she had heard around the castle this morning, she was not the only one to have this dream, and it had resulted in long discussion as to its significance, all possible meanings, and what they ought to do about it. That had probably led to the council meeting taking place right now.
Arella told herself she wasn't deeply worried, Caelian hated things that were different and his bark was worse than his bite. Besides, Ojii-sama wouldn't have sent Michel away just to bring him back and hand him over to the Dark Ones.
Would he? He's under pressure, you know. He has a lot to answer for, and things look bad now that the war party has failed.
Most people would have panicked at a sudden voice in their head, but since all it had done was relate her own thoughts to her, Arella wasn't as worried as she might have been.
I just can't imagine he could do that.
I don't think you're being quite honest with yourself. You are worried. Why?
Because Ojii-sama sent Michel away to protect him, but I know the dark Ones are down on Earth looking for him right now. Arella though, then it finally downed on her what exactly was going on, and she bit her lip. Who am I talking too, anyway? I don't want anything evil living in my head or reading my mind.
Consider me your conscience. I have come to help. Does no one remember what happened when your Emperor fought the Dark Ones?
How should I know? Before Michel-sama, I was the newest person in the castle. I'm the youngest. No one tells me anything.
But surely, there are still ways you can learn, are there not?
And that was when a memory came unbidden to her mind: the library in the castle. "That's it!" She whispered, then she got to her feet and a moment later was flying down the wide hallway.
But she didn't notice that the door to the conference room behind her had opened, and something had come out just in time to see her go flying to the end of the hallway and turn the corner.
"Fuu, fuu, fuu, fuu…"
There had been an air of unease around the Pearl Piari that night when Seira came back and told them what happened. No one questioned it; Seira was not given to exaggerations and if anyone had doubted it, the bruises the ringed Michel's neck backed up her claims.
Taki had set up extra wards that evening and Rina and Kaito had stayed the night (though he was given his own room at Nikora's strict insistence), but when morning dawned, the group remained unmolested.
"Do you really think that our new enemy is so dangerous?" Lucia asked that morning. "It's really scary."
Seira just looked perturbed, no doubt recalling what she had witnessed yesterday.
"We're just going to have to do our best." Rina said.
When Michel woke up that morning, it was to some consternation that he was going to be late. Sure enough, when he went downstairs, the mermaids were already about to leave.
"Give me a moment and I'll be right with you." He said, then noticed the uncomfortable looks on Lucia and Seira's faces. "What is it?"
"Um, we thought that after yesterday maybe you should stay home today." Hanon said.
"Why? I'm fine." And he was fine, bruises and hoarse voice notwithstanding.
It was Rina who finally extricated the group from the mess they were in. "Yes, but it will be easier for us to explain why you're not at school then try and explain why you've come in looking like a victim of abuse."
"Very well." Michel acquiesced after a moment.
There was nothing else to say, really.
Hudrun had gone back his people's ship only long enough to gather two or three more dark creatures, this time small wispy ones.
Not force, but stealth, was his new objective.
He had absolutely no grounds to prove that the man with the white wings was the copy of the Ancient's king, but his instincts had never been wrong about this sort of thing and he was sure that the white-winged man was the creature he had been sent to find.
Of course, there had been the minor complications from yesterday, but that was why he was trying for stealth now. Besides, he had no proof of his beliefs, so it would be better to capture the Ancient, take him back to the King, and let the King sort it out.
He had bided his time all night. Now the sun was up and the city was on the move, and he was still waiting.
But when your prey was elusive, it was a certainty that you would have to wait for a long time.
Eventually, though, his patience was rewarded when he spied the Ancient, wings outstretched, rising on the air currents and heading over the open ocean.
"Follow him. See where he goes." Hudrun ordered the wispy creatures. "And bring me back a report."
The three dark creatures took off, flying after Michel. Hudrun leaned back against the trunk of the tree he was sitting in and smirked as he looked at the little vial he had brought with him.
If direct attacks wouldn't work, well, there were others ways to reach his goal.
The library in the castle of the Ancients was an enormous, high-ceilinged turret. In the walls, from floor to ceiling, were round cubbyholes that held scrolls. Underneath each compartment was a brief description of the scrolls.
Arella burst into the room and started scanning the descriptions of the scrolls. "No, no…" She flew up higher, looking for the history books. Finally she found a promising looking compartment. "Records of the Emperor's War with the Dark Ones," She read. This must be it.
She pulled the five scrolls that were there out of the compartment, then flew back out the door.
She did not notice as she exited the room that she nearly knocked someone else off course.
"Arella-chan!" Fuku called, but she did not hear him.
The day was already brilliant, but the truth was that every time Michel went out via the window of the balcony there was always a risk that someone would see him take off or land.
This was a bit more a pressing issue now after yesterday's incident in the park, and after a few minutes and with some reluctance, he turned and started heading back to the Piari.
As he did, three tiny black creatures came out and began following him.
Partway back, he became suspicious that something was following him. He swooped around quickly to look behind him, but he couldn't detect anything.
Still suspicious, he summoned his flute and began to play.
The three dark wisps that had been following him found themselves drifting closer to the ground, a feeling akin to sleepiness coming over them. But then all of a sudden the music stopped and the feeling went away.
In the air, Michel was looking at his flute and wondering what on earth he was doing, imagining someone was following him and then trying to stop them with music. Tightening his grip on the instrument, he turned and flew on his way.
The now revived wisps had taken back to the air and followed him all the way back to the Piari.
Then they went back and made their report to Hudrun.
"Very good," The Dark One said with an evil grin. He took out the vial from earlier and gave it to the wisps. "I think you know what to do with this. Wait for a good opportunity, though."
Then the three creatures were gone, and Hudrun settled down to wait again.
Arella closed the door to her room, then closed the door that led to her balcony – most rooms had a balcony – and pulled the sheer curtains closed. She wedged a chair under the handle of the door to the balcony, then raised a hand to the orb in the ceiling. It lit up a moment later, bathing the room.
She dropped into another chair in her room and dropped the scrolls to the floor. After looking through them for a moment, she selected the first one in the series and began to read it.
Several hours later she dropped the last scroll to the floor and closed her burning eyes.
"So that's it." She said to the empty room. Ojii-sama sent Michel away, and Michel is a copy of our Emperor Michel-dono, who was really the only one with enough power to stop the Dark ones.
Yes, that's about the size of it.
So Ojii-sama left Michel-sama powerless down on Earth where the Dark Ones are looking for him and he's the only one now with the power to stop them. Why did he do that?
It's not as though that war was a time anyone wanted to remember. And even then we did not have them attempting to smash in our castle doors and take the Emperor immediately. There was little Ojii-sama could do when they demanded that this time. Leaving Michel with his powers and memories, however, would have most assuredly been helpful.
So … Ojii-sama thought anything that would keep the Dark Ones from taking Michel-sama would help?
I cannot speak to that.
Now what? No one will listen to me if I told them this. No one listens to me now.
What do you think you should do? Now that you know everything you know.
She paused and considered everything she had just learned. I need to go to Earth and help the Mermaid find the rest of the Heart Orbs. As soon as possible.
But there were other things to consider, too. If Michel saw her it would raise too many questions, and she couldn't walk around dressed this way all the time, if the Dark Ones found her it would raise even more questions…
"I know what I'm going to do." She said, then she stood up and headed for the door.
The day had passed quietly at the Pearl Piari.
"Well that's a relief." Hanon said late that afternoon as she followed Rina through the guesthouse. "I was afraid something would have happened while we were at school but it looks like things are okay! So I think the three of us need some time off tonight. We should all go on a date! I talked to Nagisa and Hamasaki and they're available!"
"How did you get Hamasaki's number?" Rina demanded.
Hanon grinned. "I had help." Nagisa had looked it up for her, and she had called to make sure that he had no plans for the evening.
"What are you two doing?" Lucia asked as she came downstairs.
"We were just agreeing that after the last couple of days, we need a day off." Hanon said. "So tonight we should each go out on a date with our boyfriends."
"Go out with Kaito again?" Lucia considered it. Well, she did want to. "But who's going to stay here in case the monsters come back?"
"Taki still has her wards up." Hanon said. "Everything should be fine until we get back."
Lucia considered it, but only for a moment. "Okay! Let's go!"
The three wisps, put together, didn't have enough power between them to alert Taki when they passed through her wards. Lucia, Hanon, and Rina had left; Michel was upstairs, and Nikora and Taki were working downstairs with Seira helping.
The sun had begun to set before the wisps found a way in. And even then, they were at a loss for what to do next. They did not know how to complete the next step of their mission.
At least, not until later that evening.
"Lucia and the others have been out all day." Seira said that evening as she entered the kitchen where Michel was working. "I wonder when they'll be back."
Michel just nodded and stirred the soup in the pan on the stove.
"What are you doing?" Seira asked him.
"Nikora-san asked me to prepare tonight's dinner." He replied, then asked, "Where are the spices kept?"
"Here, I'll show you." Seira said. But the cupboard was empty.
"Lucia must have put them away in the pantry." Seira concluded. "I'll show you where that it, too."
The pair left the kitchen, and as soon as they were gone, the wisps came in. One of them wrapped its ethereal body around the cork on the vial and managed to pull it off. The next wrapped its body around the neck of the bottle and the last helped lift the bottle from underneath. Together they managed to empty the vial into the pot on the stove. Then they heard Seira and Michel coming back and hastily let the vial fall and vanished away to give their report.
When the mermaid and Ancient came back into the kitchen, they had no idea what had just transpired. The appropriate spices were added, and the soup stirred.
"Is it done?" Seira asked.
"I believe so." Michel replied.
"Then let's eat!" Seira went off to find some bowls for the soup while Michel searched through the kitchen drawers for a ladle.
Seira was the first to taste the soup. "It's good!" She assured Michel. Maybe a little salty, but she couldn't really tell.
She took a seat at the kitchen table while Michel went out to take a bowl to both Nikora and Madame Taki.
"I didn't think it was supposed to taste like this." Michel said after his first sip.
"It tastes alright to me." Seira replied. She yawned, then said, "I don't think the others will eat when they get home. They all went on a date."
Michel nodded. "I'll turn the stove off then." No point in keeping it warm for people who weren't coming home to eat.
As soon as he was back in the kitchen, Seira laid her head down on the table. She was asleep a moment later.
Michel returned, sipping his soup. "Seira?" he asked, and then stumbled and had to brace himself against the wall.
The room was starting to blur. His bowl slipped from his hand and crashed to the floor, and a moment later, he collapsed as well.
In the other room, Taki and Nikora had both fallen asleep.
When Madame Taki went to sleep naturally, the wards were created in such a way to keep cycling and therefore, continue to protect the Piari. But this sleep was heavy, deep, and unnatural.
And that was why the wards fell and Hudrun and his two guards were able to walk in through the front door.
"It's not fair that Hamasaki had to go home early." Hanon complained to Rina as the pair approached the Piari.
"He's not even your boyfriend and you're complaining about it?" Rina asked, annoyed.
"Well, Nagisa left right after he did. The four of us should have a moon-watching double date tonight." Hanon said.
"Hamasaki had other plans." Rina told her. Hanon hadn't seemed to hear her.
"Besides, Kaito and Lucia are still out."
That was hardly a surprise and Rina didn't bother to comment.
The Piari came into view, and they both came to a stop.
The door was ajar. Nikora never would have permitted the door to be ajar like that.
And then they both ran up the steps and burst into the building.
It was dark inside, but by the light from the windows they could see Taki and Nikora in the breakfast room, and the princesses rushed over to see what was wrong with them.
"They're both-" Hanon started, then stopped, uncertain of herself.
"Asleep." Rina finished, and for a moment they were both relieved. Then the green mermaid turned to her friend. "Where are Seira and Michael?"
"They're not out here."
"We've got to find them."
"Do you think this is another attack by the Dark Ones?" Hanon asked.
"I don't know." Rina said. "But we need to find out what happened while we were gone." They both ran out of the room.
A few short minutes before the mermaid arrived, Hudrun had entered the pearl Piari. "Excellent work." He told the wisps with a smirk, and the dark creatures wriggled around for moment, pleased with themselves, before floating away, intent on going back to the ship. "Now," Hudrun told his guards. "Let's get what we've come for."
They found Michel in the kitchen, unconscious. "Perfect." Hudrun gave an evil smile as he reached down and picked up the Ancient, draping him over one arm. "Let us go back and report to our king!"
But as they were leaving, they came face to face with Hanon and Rina, both of whom were standing in front of the doors.
"Green Pearl Voice!"
"Aquamarine Pearl Voice!"
"Put him down." Rina ordered.
Hudrun obliged, dropping Michel to the ground. "This has nothing to do with you, Mermaid Princesses."
"It does have something to do with us." Hanon said. "We promised-"
"Hanon! Don't say anything else to him!" Rina ordered, then looked at the monster in front of her. "Let's go!"
"Pichi Pichi Voice Live Start!
I placed a wish upon a shooting star
To find the seven lights,
The jewel stars who were scattered.
I believe in the bond called fate…"
They sang the song all the way through. "Cool Shower, Pitch! Would you like an encore?"
"You may have won this round," Hudrun growled, still trembling from the effects of their song. "But this isn't over!" Then Piari darkened even more, and when the light returned, the Dark Ones were gone.
There was a long moment of silence, then Hanon spoke again. "This is worse then when we had to fight him." She said, indicating Michel, who was still unconscious and lying on the floor where he'd been dropped.
"Come on." Rina said. "Let's try and find a way to wake them up."
Arella crept down the empty hall of the castle. There was no one around. She had with a bag that tended to clink and rattle; in it were the scrolls from that day, and a quantity of gold she'd stolen from one of the storerooms.
"And where do you think you're going?" A voice behind her demanded. She turned around, expecting to have to lie her way out of the castle, but then she saw who it was.
"Oh, it's just you, Fuu-chan."
"Fuku-chan!"
"Whatever."
"Where are you going?" Fuku demanded.
"I won't tell you."
"You're leaving, aren't you?" Fuku said. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to Earth. I'm going to help the mermaids find the Heart Orbs. I read the history of the Emperor's War with the Dark Ones. And Michel-sama is the only one who can help us now." Arella told him. Her tone dared him to do something about it.
"You can't! It's too risky."
"Just like staying here now that the Dark Ones have come." Arella noted.
"I'm coming with you!"
"Fine." Arella said, grudgingly. The longer she stood around discussing it, the more risk she took of someone seeing her. "But I don't trust you."
"That's no concern to me." Fuku said, but the last word got lost as Arella grabbed him and shoved him into the bag with the scrolls and gold. Then she took off, flying out of the castle and aiming for the Earth.
She re-entered the Earth with no problem, but she came in too quickly and nearly crashed into the ocean before righting herself and zooming along just above, heading back to a city she had visited many times before once the Heart Orbs were scattered.
Her entrance did not go unnoticed.
Hudrun, on his way back to the Dark Ones; ship, noticed a creature with black wings go flying by and wondered who else the Dark King had sent out.
And a purple mermaid, lounging on a rick under the moonlight, noticed her go flying by at a distance.
"How strange." Caren muttered, watching Arella until she was out of sight.
Coco surfaced a moment later. "What is it?"
"I don't know." Caren said. "But I'd like to find out. Has Hippo gone back to Lucia and the others yet?"
"No, I think he's still here." Coco reported.
"Good. Let's give him a message to take back with him."
T.A.R.N.S.: I'm afraid the story is going to get darker form here. We're kind of leaving the more light-hearted chapters behind us. It doesn't help that the new villain here isn't afraid to get mean, either. We'll see how it goes.
To all of my readers in the Midwest U.S., stay warm today! I just check the thermometer at a little after one o'clock, and it read eight below zero (f). Yikes! I've been out in it once today, that wind is biting.
Please review and let me know what you thought! Feedback is loved and appreciated!