Chapter 8: Floor 7

Invidia

Before you grieve over what you do not have, look in the mirror and celebrate what you do.

Gallows reached the top of the stairwell, somewhat out of breath. This fact troubled him because, although he was a bigger guy, he still considered himself to be in stellar shape.

"Roka.. The air is a lot thicker up here, why is that?" queried Gallows as he reached blindly out in front of him and touched a smooth, cool, surface.

(Another door… But it feels different.. and..) He moved his hand slowly down to where he thought that the door knob should be and found nothing. (There's no doorknob… How am I going to open this door?)

I think the more oppressive the sin, the heavier your heart gets… And as for the door, has pushing ever occurred to you? You really are helpless….

Gallows smacked his forehead and pushed gently on the door, thankfully, there was no shriek this time as the door eased open and Gallows walked into the next room.

Dim blue light oozed from the sides of the floor and the wall of mirrors blinked tranquilly in the dancing light. Gallows shivered as he walked slowly down the corridor, his heart skipping a beat every time he saw his reflection in the mirrors. Experience had taught him that it was rather unwise to rush through the unknown. But still, had he a choice, and if he knew that he could run without a danger, he would have done so. Gallows stopped short when he saw a set of glowing red eyes up ahead of him. His mind screamed for him to run, while his heart did a frantic dance within his heaving chest.

"Who's there?" came Gallows' voice from his trembling lips.

"Who's there?" repeated voices from the mirrors to either side of him. Gallows jumped back and looked frantically to his left and right, his jagged breath puffing out in ghostly clouds. He directed his attention back in front of him and noted that the red eyes were now gone.

(What is going on? Why am I scared of my own reflection?)

A sharp female laugh from behind him slapped him out of his reverie and he turned around so that he faced the sound, his lungs on fire, a stream of mist flowing from his cold lips.

(That laugh.. it sounds so familiar.. and yet…)

"Gallows, you are so DUMB! No wonder Halle sent you on this journey, she wanted to get rid of you!" laughed the voice, sounding more and more like Virginia every second. Gallows blinked and fought the urge to draw the Zanzir, he didn't want to jump the gun and make things worse. The mirror to his right fogged up and then glowed a little brighter than the room, drawing Gallows' complete attention toward it. Gallows watched in horror as he saw Virginia step up to the other side of the mirror, a wicked smile on her pretty face. For some reason he felt his heart drop to his feet and the ability to speak abandoned him.

"Gallows, you know that things will not work out between us…" she chided, as she turned toward the abyss of reflections and held out her hand longingly, her pink dress flowing softly in an ephemeral breeze. Jet stepped out of the fog behind her and took her hand and walked up next her, scoffing at Gallows the whole time. Gallows felt a tinge of jealousy claw its way though him as he watched the two hold hands.

Gallows clenched his hands into tight fist and bit his lip, causing a thin line of blood to trickle down his chin and onto his chest. He knew in his heart that this was an illusion, but his mind screamed its indifference in an insane screech that seemingly shadowed the reason in his heart.

(Get away from her, you sulky little punk! You don't deserve her! She deserves an angel, not YOU!)

Jet IS an angel of sorts.. He is the key to unlocking Filgaia's fertility..

(Gallows, please listen to me! That's not really them! Virginia would NOT say something like that!)

She loves Jet a lot more… You can tell by the way that she looks at him that she lust after him….

The rest of the argument was drowned out by Gallows' howl of fury as he unsheathed his dagger and slammed the butt of it against the now kissing couple in the mirror. The mirror shattered into sharp little fragments and peppered his working face with glowing shards of cold glass.

Gallows' chest heaved as he sheathed the blade and dropped his arms limply to his side, a tear of agony dripping down his face and mingling with the tiny streams of blood that were issuing from the multiple cuts. He closed his eyes half way and bowed his head shamefully, allowing the tiny droplets of blood to drip soundlessly onto the glittering remains of the mirror.

(Lost…I lost it… "It" won…. My insanity won…..but…) Gallows opened his gleaming eyes all the way and stared at the now shattered mirror, a look of determination staring back at him from the cracked and darkened depths.

"I will NOT lose again…" stated Gallows, his voice piercing the silence like a gunshot.

"My… aren't we the brave one.." laughed a feminine voice from behind him. Gallows closed his eyes stubbornly and a smile of superiority crossed his now blood caked face.

" Actually, I am brave, thanks for reiterating that." Snickered Gallows as he opened his eyes and turned toward the voice quickly, his eyes glittering with his new found courage.

( There is nothing here…) Thought Gallows when his eyes met with an empty, glowing hallway.

"Why don' t you be brave and show your face?" simpered Gallows as he clenched and unclenched his fist with anticipation. The voice laughed bitingly and the mirror to his left glowed an eerie red and then seemingly melted from the frame, startling Gallows to a certain extent.

Gallows looked down and watched as the puddle of glass shifted and then slowly formed into a slender, nude, woman, her body reflecting every bend and shift of the light.

" My name is Senbō, well met, Gallows, the Fasi Mais…" chortled the crystalline woman in a bell like voice. Gallows took a couple of steps back and glared at her menacingly.

"Senbō! What is the meaning of all of this?!" snarled Gallows, reaching for his Zanzir. Senbō laughed and shook her head from side to side, seemingly amused at Gallows' question.

"I want you to see what you are missing. I want you to LOATHE those bastards that deprive you of the things that you love and desire!" snarled Senbō, her unblinking eyes flaring with red light.

"What I'm missing? What I love and desire? Senbō, I hate to tell you this, but I have what I love and desire waiting for me. There is no need for me to loathe anything or anyone. Do you understand me?" Gallows replied as he dropped his hand cautiously to his side and glared at Senbō.

"But there is so much that you have forgotten! So much that you have pushed back into the recesses of your own heart and soul! Gallows! Remember all of the things that you do not have! Remember and grieve! Grieve for your lost childhood, grieve for Kasinna and your lost love!" cried Senbō passionately, the red of her eyes fading to a soft blue color. Gallows closed his eyes, trying to avoid the woman's gaze. He knew what she was trying to do, and he was not going to allow it.

" I have already fought the demons of my past, so, I have no reason to grieve. Lost love? I'm sorry, but if you think that the images you showed me left a scar on me, you are very wrong. I know where my love lies, and it does not lie within the depths of memory or grief…"

"Then why did you bust the mirror, hm? Don't lie and tell me that it's a custom or something…" giggled Senbō as she shook her head back and forth with disbelief.

"I will not lie and say that it had no effect on me, quite the opposite actually, it had a HUGE effect on me. In fact, it made me so jealous that I couldn't stand it…. However, it took only a moment for me to realize that it was all just a trick… a very UGLY trick. Senbō, I will NOT make the same mistake twice! Come! You know what you and I are fated to do!" spat Gallows as he unsheathed the Zanzir and held it in front of him shakily."

Senbō laughed and melted back into a puddle of liquid glass, causing Gallows' eyes to narrow and his mind to focus. He had a feeling that she was a 'Tsifreh' or a shape-shifting demon and that he had to keep on his toes if he was to defeat her.

The light in the hallway dimmed so that he could only see a couple of feet in to all sides of him, and that made him uneasy.

"You talk big, now let's see if you act as big as you talk!" laughed the Tsifreh in the distance. Gallows lowered the sword to his side and looked around nervously.

"Why not fight me head on? Are you a coward?" spat Gallows, letting his eyes fall on a fleeting red fog that sprung through a mirror to his far right.

"Not at all! I just like to play with my quarry before I devour their soul!" she laughed as she appeared in the mirror directly to left side of him, causing Gallows to stumble to his right.

(I'm breaking the mirrors, she can't get me if she has no way to commute…)

With that, Gallows bellowed loudly and drove the Zanzir into the ground, creating a shock wave similar to the one that he performed against Mammon.

The sound of mirrors breaking reverberated down the hall and the two mirrors beside Gallows exploded and showered him with even more glass and debris. He did not feel pain, nor did he feel the small rivers of life run down his face, all he felt was exhilaration and anger. Senbō laughed with amusement as Gallows pulled the sword from the ground and rested the blade on his shoulder.

(What is she laughing about? )

"Do you really think that worked to your benefit? You really ARE an idiot!"

"What?!" exclaimed Gallows as he saw a red., hazy, form phase out of the azure darkness and then phase slowly back into it. He brought his sword back over his shoulder and held it loosely to his side.

"You can not beat me! Your journey ends HERE!" laughed Senbō maniacally as the red form materialized slowly in front of him, it's arms outstretched menacingly.

"Augh!" cried Gallows as he stumbled out of its reach, waving the sword somewhat frantically in front of him as he did so. Laughing gleefully, the form phased out right before the tips of its fingers touched Gallows' face.

"Why don't you just submit to your jealousy? It'll save your sanity if you do…" laughed Senbō as the red form appeared to his side.

(Just an illusion… She's trying to ebb away at my sanity.. But, it will not work! I know that "fog" is not Senbō… The true enemy lies at the end of the corridor… Waiting for me ..)

"Leave me ALONE!" snarled Gallows as he swung the Zanzir at the fleeting form.

" Lsja… mios…. MEIES!" snarled the form as it reappeared in front of him and reached a misty hand

through his stomach. Gallows let out a gurgled scream as a fountain of blood poured from his mouth. The mist had yanked a rib from his frame and punctured one of his lungs with it.

"Tnaata... YSARLLD!" coughed Gallows as he fell to his knees, holding his ribs in pain.

"I told you that this was the end! Why did you insist on fighting anyway?" replied Senbō, a hint of compassion intertwined within her harsh words.

"Be..cause…" whispered Gallows, as he coughed up some more blood. "I wanted.. to… see…" He dug the Zanzir into the ground with fleeting strength and looked down the hallway.

The red mist bent its head down and that was when Gallows noticed that it had no face. "Mios…Meies…." Growled the creature, reaching down for the young Baskar's skull.

"N-NO!" Gallows howled, rising to his feet quickly, unmindful of the hellish flames that erupted within his chest. The creature stumbled back in surprise and Gallows screeched words that did not even make sense.

"My, your resolve is strong, I admire that! Gallows, if you can defeat this creature of Envy, then you may stand a chance against me!"

"Fool…"Coughed Gallows, as he straightened himself up, using the sword as a cane.

"I'm not fighting for myself… or for you…." Gallows' eyes glowed red and his body started to shake.

"W-What is going on?" stuttered Senbō as she watched Gallows' eyes leave red tracers as he bowed his head in fury and agony. The Creature of Envy, frightened by its circumstances, backed up even more, its dents widening every second that he watched Gallows.

"Furcifer Nēnia!" bellowed Gallows, lifting the sword to the heavens, swaying a bit as he did.

"Mios…" Before he could finish, a bird composed of shadow energy erupted from the floor and flew straight up and through The Creature of Envy. Gallows smiled a little and fell down hard to his knees, his breath coming in painful and uneven puffs.

"Cma… Uns…" whispered the mist as if slowly fell in half and evaporated.

"You're welcome.." gurgled Gallows as he doubled over and spat out more blood. Gallows laughed a little, wiping the blood from his lips as he straightened up.

"Well, I guess it is just you and I now…" laughed Gallows, letting his fingers flow down the metal pommel and onto the cold floor. He had spent enough time dawdling, now was the time to finish this.

"You think you can beat me?" scoffed Senbō from the down the hall. Gallows smirk spread into a full blown smile and he laughed maniacally.

"I don't THINK I can, I KNOW that I can! Prepare yourself, you cold hearted BITCH!" snarled Gallows as he stood up and raised the sword up horizontally, making it parallel to his scared up abdomen.

"I will not be a push over like Ruberumbra!"

"Nor do I expect you to be.. Heal!" shouted Gallows, taking out Schturdark's Medium with his free hand and holding it shakily above his head.

A feeling of warmth flowed through him and his breath came at normal intervals now.

(The heal spell took care of my lungs.. but… My rib is still broken.. Oh well, I just need to be careful..)

(Just so you know, the word "careful" rarely is used in the dictionary of war… Why don't you make a small air pocket between the rib and your lung? Just remember, you don't want to make the air bubble to big, otherwise it will hinder the movement of your lungs…)

Gallows nodded, put Schturdark's Medium away and pulled out Fengalon's.

Gallows felt his spirit be pushed back, not by Roka, but by Rsalis.

(Fengalon! Hear my plea! Aid my friend in this battle!)

A strange feeling in Gallows' gut caused him to nearly drop the Zanzir and laugh loudly.

(That should do it! Gallows, be careful, just disregard what Roka says, he's an idiot..)

"All right.." said Gallows, popping his neck from one side to another.

"I'm waiting for you at the end of the corridor.. Come when you are ready.."

Gallows nodded and proceeded down the hallway at a rather quick pace, he wanted to get this over with.

"Show yourself…" growled Gallows, once again positioning the sword horizontally in front of his stomach.

The space in front of him rippled and then seemingly imploded, startling Gallows a bit.

"I am here… Fight me, Gallows Carradine.." whispered the distortion. Gallows nodded and swung the sword in a wide arch in front of him, temporarily cutting the distortion in two, however, this was a short lived victory as the void just melted back together.

"So tell me, how does it feel to be devoured by envy? To live each day knowing that you are trapped within that void on shallowness?" snarled Gallows as he thrust the sword toward the Voids middle.

"S-Shut UP!" snarled Senbō, causing the void to ripple violently.

"I will NOT! I know that, in the end, envy kills the envious! It doesn't take a scientist to figure THAT out!" spat Gallows as he sheathed the Zanzir.

Fool, what are you DOING?!

Gallows' eyes narrowed and he straightened his back with both pride and confidence.

(I'm bringing out the real Senbō! Don't you see? The void is just a representation of her envy! Envy sucks you in with false hopes! It promises you what you envy the most.. But… In the end…)

"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PUPPET! SHOW YOURSELF, SENBŌ!" and with those words spat, a pale hand reached out from the void and tried to grab Gallows. Gallows handily dodge the hand, unsheathed the Zanzir, and gracefully lobbed off the hand. Senbō screeched and the void flickered.

"How DARE you call me a puppet! YOU FREAK!" The void started to form arms and Gallows nonchalantly cut them and half and took another step forward, feeling the void tug at him hungrily.

"It's true, you are nothing but a puppet and Envy is the Puppet master! Admit, Senbō, you are weak! Come out of that little shell and FIGHT me!" barked Gallows, dodging another arm with irritation and taking another step forward, feeling his hair whip around his face and neck.

"You want to see who I TRULY am?!" spat Senbō as the void slowly flickered and then faded.

"That would be the basic idea…" muttered Gallows with irritation, unsheathing the Zanzir and preparing himself for anything. The glass at his feet slow inched together, fused, and then began to form the same glass woman that Gallows had initially met.

" I am not as fragile as I look…" laughed Senbō mirthfully, holding out her hand in a beckoning manner. "Quite the opposite.. You see, when I died, I was envious of both strength and beauty, so, Simulacrum granted me both of these things. Isn't it wonderful, Gallows? I've acquired all of this with no effort on my part.." She dropped her hand back down to her side, noticing that Gallows was not moved.

"Be that as it may, the fact remains that you took something and cheapened the value of it. I may not be the brightest man, nor do I claim to be. Sure, sometimes I wish that I had Clive's brain or Jet's looks, but then I remember that it would just cheapen who I am… You, Senbō, are living in a world of delusions… and.." Gallows positioned the Zanzir into a thrusting position and smiled menacingly. "It is my job to set you free.. Like it or not.."

Senbō clapped her crystalline hands, causing a sound similar to a glass bell to bounce down the hallway. Gallows' smile faded and Senbō ceased her clapping , a sharp smile carving itself into her face.

"Enough chit chat, Gallows, I am getting bored and it seems to be way past my bedtime.." she brought her arms out in front of her and bent her wrists so that her hands pointed down in almost a perfect right degree angle. Gallows blinked and raised the sword in an uncertain manner.

Mantis style.. Switch to a quicker stance, otherwise she'll take you out with one blow..

Gallows nodded and switched to the quicker, but somewhat less effective position. He threw the sword to his strong hand and threw himself slightly off balance with a series of well timed sways.

"You may actually provide me a CHALLENGE!" with that, she lunged toward him and punched a blade like hand at his chest. With a grunt, Gallows dodged and brought the butt of the Zanzir down hard onto her still moving hand. Senbō snarled and shot her hand back toward her body, only to send her opposite hand toward Gallows throat, which he avoided and countered with short slash to her arm. She screamed as the Zanzir chipped a huge chunk from her shoulder and she started to bleed a clear liquid.

"That's impossible! No one has EVER been able to damage me! What kind of weapon do you wield? Surely it is not of this world!" screamed Senbō she jumped back and aimed a flying quick at Gallows' chest. Gallows blocked her knifed foot with his sword and pushed his body weight forward, causing Senbō to fly backwards and land gracefully back on her feet. Gallows was getting annoyed now, she was actually making him break a sweat..

"My weapon is the Zanzir… " huffed Gallows as he brought the sword up above his head like one would a sledge hammer. Senbō narrowed her eyes and attempted to sweep him off his feet by swinging her semi-tensed shin at his ankle, Gallows laughed, jumped up in the air and brought his full weight down onto her still outstretched leg, successfully breaking it in two and causing her to scream in pain.

"You…you BASTARD!" she huffed as she looked up at him. He had literally broken her leg off, making it nearly impossible for her to get up and fight.

"Listen, I can either kill you… or set you free… Choose one and choose it quickly." Snapped Gallows, resting the Zanzir against her throat. Senbō closed her eyes and Gallows watched as a tear slid down her crystalline face. Gallows' hardened face fell into a look of compassion and he knelt down next to her, wiping the tear from her face gently. This kind act caused the woman to open her eyes and look at Gallows with confusion. Gallows stood up slowly and looked down at her, his eyes still reflecting the compassion that he felt. The broken woman raised herself to her elbows and smiled gently, her tears tracing lines of flesh as they fell.

" You have set me free… It was my curse not to feel sorrow or love.. I was cursed because I envied to many things with a passion.. I was told, that in order to be strong, I must become an unfeeling monster.. and, in order for me to be beautiful I must be made of something that is precious… Gallows.." she laid back down and stared up at the ceiling, her shining body slowly turning into flesh. Gallows respectfully adverted his eyes and looked down at his shoes. Senbō laughed a little and then started to cough, causing Gallows to instinctually look at her. Senbō's once glimmering hair was now solid black and her once crystal clear flesh was now pale and sickly, she was dying and she knew it. Gallows shut his eyes tightly and looked away, not wanting to see her pass away. Senbō, noting the young Baskar's response, laughed once again and threw a piece of glass to catch his attention. Gallows turned around and blinked at her, trying to figure out what she wanted.

"Gallows.. I want to be buried in a dress… But…" she looked around mournfully and closed her eyes. "It appears that I do not have one.. I threw all my clothing away when I convinced my self that I was too beautiful for it."

Gallows thought on this for a moment and then snapped his fingers.

(Rsalis, please ask the Guardian's for a special favor… Make Senbō a dress of diamond…)

(I'll see what I can do. I am sure that it will not be too much trouble.)

It only took a second for the decision to be made. A strong wind blew through the hallway, picking up the shards of diamond glass while avoiding both Gallows and Senbō.

"What is going on? Gallows, where is that wind coming from?"

" What then, is that wind from the door?…" whispered Gallows as he watched the wind weave the now hot pieces of crystal together into a beautiful dress.

"Gallows.. It's beautiful…" she whispered, tears once again running down her face. Gallows simply bowed, draped the dress around her and walked away in silence, listening calmly as she took her last breath.

Here are the translations:

Fasi mais Fated son

Tsifreh shifter (as in shape shifter)

" Lsja...mios...MEIES!" "Leave...in....PEACE!"

"Cma..Uns" "Thank..You"

Furcifer Nenia Gallows Bird Dirge