AN: First of all, please forgive me for taking so long, I didn't mean for it to take so long. :(
Secondly, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed as a guest, I really wish I could thank you in person, but since I can't I do it this way. Right now I have almost 100 reviews and I'm planning on doing something special when I have 100 reviews before the last chapter.
21 Akt ~ Lieder ohne Worte ~
Fakir resumed his research, only now he had a different subject, writing stories. He tried to pick books that held any information about it, but still he found incomplete stories. He remained in de little room in the back of the library and saw no one. Of course he wouldn't just find a book that told him how to make stories into reality, but if he could trace all the tragedies that had happened in Gold Crown town, like Giselle and the boy of the Prodding Bridge, maybe he could discover a way of making the written word real.
Silently he sat there. It was morning and he knew his lessons had started, but he had something more important to do. Duck had been right, if he could do something to help Mytho then he should do it! He had to forget his painful past and use what power he had.
Duck dropped by and started talking to him. "You doing research?" she asked spirited.
"Yes." Fakir replied only and he kept on reading. He knew why she had come. It had been more than a week since he had told her that he would try to write a story. Duck didn't know how little he knew to begin with, she simply didn't understand.
"Oh um, did you write a story about Myoooooh!" Duck's question changed into a startled cry when the door against which she attempted to lean, opened inwards.
"No I haven't written it yet." Fakir said stiffly and with that he wished she would leave. He didn't feel like explaining it all to her.
"Oh that's ok. Then do you want to start on it now? The faster we help Mytho, right?" Duck pressed on, bursting with enthusiasm for this new window of hope, but it was not that simple and Fakir understood that he had to tell her that.
"It's not like everything I write comes true and I don't know if I still have the same power or not." He said.
"I-I'm sure it will be just fine!" Duck said, trying to remain optimistic. "I mean if you wish, 'I want to help Mytho' really hard as you write, this time you will succeed for sure and.."
It would have been better if she stopped there and said nothing else, but Duck always had a neck for blabbering too much. She gasped in realisation of what she just had said.
"I'm sorry Fakir," She said guiltily, "when I said 'this time' I didn't mean the time when your mother and father were, well you see.. I'm sorry."
Fakir heard her leave and looked behind him when she had already disappeared around the corner. 'That idiot.' He thought. He wasn't angry with her for mentioning his past, but she would most likely punish herself for it.
He decided to select five books that seemed most promising and read them outside the school grounds where no one would bother him. He walked up to the counter of the library and placed the pile of books in front of the librarian, a bat, dressed in a school uniform, who hang upside down with the registration cards in his caws. Most likely the boy belonged to the Art division and did this job from time to time for extra credit.
He lowered the cards to look at his costumer. "Mr Fakir from the Ballet division, you wish to check out these five books?" he asked with a snobby accent.
"Yes." Fakir replied simply, but not unfriendly.
"Oh and that book over there." The bat turned his body towards the left and when Fakir followed his gaze he noticed a book on the counter.
"What?" he asked surprised.
"I was asked to give it to you if you came." The bat said.
"To me?"
"Mr Autor from the Music division asked me." The bat explained.
"I don't know him." Fakir said.
"Oh you know what? I thought so." The bat said thoughtfully.
"What is it?" Fakir asked.
"Nothing much, it's strange, but Mr Autor has borrowed all five of these books before."
"What?" Fakir asked and he grabbed the cards to see it for himself, the poor bat was too surprised to let go off them in time and hang on to them in confusion.
'Autor? Who is he?' Fakir wondered as he looked at the list of names. Autor's name was among the names of visitors from weeks back. 'Why would anyone read these exact five books and assign another to me' Fakir thought. 'Did he know something?' he dropped the cards and the bat sat up on the counter, Shaking his head.
"I'm sorry." Fakir said and he left the bat to recover from the shock.
Fakir dropped off his books at home and left for the campus again. He took the sixth book with him, just to make his point for clarification. He entered the Music building, which was much like the Ballet building, with many practise rooms and one ground level and another above it. Fakir climbed the staircase and entered he second room to his left where he could hear a piano playing.
'A guy from the Music division? What's this all about?' he kept on wondering. When he entered the room, he was not at all surprised to find the pompous boy who always sat in the library, playing the piano and he kept on playing while Fakir entered the room. It was a very quick and difficult piece. It sounded somehow demanding and degrading and not at all friendly.
"You're late." The boy said. "It took you eighteen days, seven hours and twenty-four minutes."
"What are you talking about?" Fakir asked annoyed smile. He had no times for games, he wanted facts he could work with.
"That's how long it took from the time you began to research your power and so you noticed me." Autor replied. He finally seized his pinging and stood up to look at Fakir with a smug smile on his face.
"Mr Fakir."
"I take it you're Autor then." Fakir replied coldly. "What is this all about?"
"I assumed you hadn't read it so I set it aside. I think you find it useful for when you start writing your stories."
"Oh really and what do you know?" Fakir asked testily.
Autor grinned. "Everything you've been dying to know." He said.
"What?" Fakir became more and more curious. Who was this boy? What did he know and how did he know? "Who are you?"
"You really are hopeless." The boy sneered and he shook his head. "All that research, all those years and you still don't know anything.
Fakir gritted his teeth, he didn't know how long he could take much more cheek from this guy. "I'm asking you who you are!" he repeated firmly.
"You're as short tempered as everyone says you are, but remember this, brute force has no power over the face of words." Autor said and he walked around the piano to meet Fakir face to face.
"You want Drosselmeyer's power because you're also aware of that truth, yes? The power to make stories into reality, it's splendid! In the books that had their endings stolen by those who wished to stop them from becoming reality, isn't it thrilling?" Autor added with a look of certain insanity.
"You mean they took out the endings to stop them from becoming real?"
"Yes!" Autor said excitedly.
It struck Fakir as quite a blow, all those books he had found, they were all written by Drosselmeyer? That many! He had dreamed the ending of the Ghost Knight's story. This power was truly dangerous and what Autor said next only emphasized that.
"Even though the originals are all sealed away and we can only get a hold on the copies, imagine , a power so great those endings still had to be torn out!"
Fakir closed his eyes to get himself together. He felt shaky and brought his hand to his brow to think. The only way he could help Mytho was through this power since he was useless as a knight. But it was clear now that the power was almost impossible to control without turning it into a tragedy. What if it went wrong?
"If you are serious about obtaining this power, I wouldn't mind helping you," Autor continued, "but you will have to follow my every order and be prepared to die if you should fail."
"What do you mean?!" the door opened and Autor looked up to see a pissed Duck. She marched into the room and went to stand next to Fakir. Fakir felt weary with the heavy information he just had received and Duck's arrival was completely unexpected. How did she even know he was here?
Duck bent forwards towards Autor and yelled at him very provokingly.
"Follow my every order? Be prepared to die?" she repeated out raged. "What the hell are you talking about? Why would he have to do those things huh?"
It was obvious that she hadn't heard the whole conversation and maybe she only heard Autor's last words. She had just barged in to help, without knowing anything.
"I am giving him a warning!" Autor said firmly. "Do not take Drosselmeyer's power lightly. If you use it improperly, people may even die."
Duck straightened up with a gasp and her expression changed. Her eyes were filled with fear and shock and it was clear to Fakir that she had heard more of their conversation that he first had thought. She had met Drosselmeyer in person more than once and the mere mention of his name meant more to her than to anyone else. She alone knew what joy that man found in playing with people's fates. Fakir knew that the mere moment Autor mentioned that people could die, she too had thought about his parents.
"You need to be prepared for that possibility." Autor went on. "If you want out, I won't force you."
"No." Fakir said decisively. "Teach me."
"Fakir!" Duck said worried, but Fakir avoided her eyes, this was the one thing he could do for Mytho.
"A wise decision." Autor said and he turned to leave to mark the end of the conversation. "Come to my house tomorrow, I'll be waiting Fakir."
He had his hands nonchalantly in his pockets and seemed to be confident that he was in control, but Fakir didn't care about that one bit. All he wanted was to protect Mytho.
Duck's eyes followed Autor till he was out of sight with concern, then she fixed them upon Fakir.
"Fakir?" she said again, but a little softer.
"How did you get here, Duck?" Fakir asked her.
"Oh um, I thought I saw someone in a black cloak. I had that twice today and so I tried to follow it and ended up here." Duck said and she sounded uncertain when she said it, like she still wondered if it had really happened.
Fakir lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes as concerned as hers.
"Someone in a black cloak?" he repeated.
Duck nodded.
"I once had the feeling I was being watched through a window in the library by a dark figure, but it was gone when I looked up." Fakir said thoughtfully.
"What do you think it means? Is someone watching you, but why?" Duck said surprised.
"I don't know. Maybe we will find that out soon enough. Come on, let's leave."
"Right." Duck agreed and she followed him out. They left the school together, but as they arrived at the girl's dormitory, Duck fell behind and went inside the gate.
"See you tomorrow then." She said brightly and she gave him a quick wave and a smile before she turned and went inside the building.
Fakir had turned around when she had spoken to him and found himself being a little surprised, for a moment he had forgotten Duck lived much closer to the campus than he did. He must have looked pretty stupid and she acted too fast for him to respond, he couldn't even nod.
Fakir hadn't given much thought to what Duck had said, but the following morning he knew why she had said 'see you tomorrow', for just after Fakir had finished his breakfast Charon came in with behind him none other than Duck. She had come to his house to pick him up and go to Autor's house together.
"Fakir you have a visitor." Charon said with a smile.
"Good morning Fakir." Duck said cheerfully.
Fakir stared at her, she just had come to his house all of a sudden, just to accompany him? He certainly hadn't seen that one coming.
"I'm going to mind the shop." Charon informed them and he gave Fakir a nod and Duck a smile.
"Charon." Fakir said before his foster father could leave.
Charon was already heading for the door, but halted and turned. "Yes Fakir"?"
"I could be away for a while, but don't worry. I'll be fine." Fakir said and he smiled comfortingly when he finished.
Charon first looked concerned, but then smiled back. "Off course." He said and he opened the door to the shop, only to meet Uzura. She looked into the room and when she spotted Duck her blue eyes began to sparkle.
"Duck-zura!" she exclaimed and she ran into the room and halted just in front of Duck. Charon saw this as his chance to leave and closed the door behind him.
"Ha-ha, hi Uzura." Duck said smilingly and she bent down so that her eyes met the puppet's.
"What are you doing here-zura?" Uzura asked excitedly.
"Fakir needs to go to someone so that he can help Mytho and I came here to help." Duck explained
"Oh, to help-zura?"
"Yep!" Duck straightened up and smiled to Fakir, who was still speechless. Personally he didn't think she would be able to help him in this case, Autor would send her home right away.
"Are you sure Duck?" he asked her.
"Huh?" Duck looked at him surprised. "Of course I am, Fakir."
"You are leaving-zura?" Uzura asked sadly, but her question wasn't directed at Duck only, she looked at Fakir as well and stared at him. It was quite ridiculous how powerful a stare someone so innocent and small could have.
"I am and I will come back, but for now Charon will keep you company." Fakir said to her patiently.
"No." Uzura said loudly and she looked angry.
Fakir looked at her in surprise, what was wrong with her all of a sudden?
"I am coming too-zura." Uzura said firmly.
"What? Why?" Fakir asked her.
"Because-zura!" Uzura said bluntly. It wasn't an answer and Fakir looked puzzled, but Duck started to laugh and Fakir looked from one to the other. There was something familiar between the two of them. Their logic was completely beyond him and it was impossible to go against it.
"I think she wants to help you too, Fakir." Duck said. "Isn't that nice? Now because of Uzura you won't be alone, there will always be someone who cares for you." She said and she smiled at him.
Fakir supressed a was unbelievable how little Duck thought of herself. Even if Uzura had not been here, she would still be here. Charon had said that Duck cared for him, but didn't she know that herself? Didn't she know that she was the one who was always rushing to his side?
"Shall we go then?" he asked, deciding to forget about it. He stood up and walked to the door.
"Let's go Uzura." Duck said as if she was taking her little sister to the playground and she walked to the door as well. Fakir opened it for her and stepped back to allow her through first. He had opened the door for her once before , but at that time Duck had been in a hurry to help Mytho and hadn't noticed it. She looked at him in surprise, but then she smiled. Duck smiled quite a lot and she was always kind to Fakir, but there was something different about the smile she gave him that day. Her eyes were soft and warm when she looked into his eyes and her smile reminded him of the way he smiled to her sometimes. It made him feel warm inside and his heart skip a beat.
Then, before he knew it, Duck looked in front of her again and began to walk into the streets and Fakir found himself being stared at by Uzura. He closed the door quickly and began to walk as well with Uzura trotting behind him.
As they walked none of them spoke until Duck broke the silence when they had almost reached their destination.
"Say Fakir, I've been thinking and I decided that I want to help you." She said.
"Huh?" Fakir looked at her in surprise. He didn't understand why she said this now, after all, she was always helping him.
"Well, 'cause that's the only thing I can really do right now. So I'm just going to do whatever I can with all I've got. If there's something I can help you with, tell me no matter what it is. But isn't there something weird about this Autor guy, I wonder if this is really ok." Duck said.
"Weird or not, we have no choice." Fakir replied as he saw the house dooming up ahead of them. Autor was standing outside to mark it. On the piece of paper in the book he had left for Fakir was only a street written down and not the whole address. That way Autor probably hoped to keep the terms in his favour.
"No entourage." Autor remarked coldly as Fakir arrived with Duck at his side.
"What? You mean me, Mr Autor? I'm just.." Duck said uncomfortably.
"I won't repeat myself." Autor cut her off. "Things related to Drosselmeyer are gathered inside this house, it is a holy place." He continued proudly and he turned to the door, only to find Uzura blocking the way.
"Wow, are you the weird Autor-zura?" she asked intrigued. Autor was offended, but wasted no words on her, instead he picked her up at the back of her collar like she was something he wanted to throw away and carried her back to Duck and Fakir who simply watched the little girl and checked simultaneously if she landed on her feet when Autor put her down in front of them.
"People like you two who are unrelated to Drosselmeyer aren't allowed inside. Come Fakir." Autor said bluntly and he walked back to the house, expecting Fakir to follow him without question.
"What? Unrelated?" Duck repeated grumpily.
Fakir couldn't suppress a smile. It was typical her to be offended without knowing anything.
"Please take Uzura and go home." He said to her before he followed Autor inside. Now he had to do it all on his own.
Autor led him through a tunnel-shaped hallway to a room at the end of it. He stepped inside and let the door open for Fakir. The latter stepped into the stocked room and looked around. The space looked cramped because of all the books and writing materials that surrounded the writing desk against the back wall. A large comfortable chair with red cushions was roughly drawn in front of it, as if someone had just been writing behind the desk. Against the wall on the left side of the room stood another desk on which a bottle of ink, two sheets of blanc paper, a feather and a few books lay. Against the right wall stood a couch and from the ceiling hang an elderly chandelier.
"This is Drosselmeyer's study, perfect recreated from the data I gathered." Autor told Fakir proudly while Fakir looked around without any enthusiasm.
"Paper made from ten-year-old reeds, blue and black ink got a seven to three ratio. A feather of a white swan that crossed the sea three times is best for the pen, but for this pen I substituted a duck's feather." Autor finished his boosting with sneer.
Fakir had realised what Autor's plan was, he was hoping to extract Drosselmeyer's writing abilities by copying his methods. Fakir turned around to confront him with this.
"So then..?" he said, but Autor cut him off by throwing a splash of water at him. It drenched Fakir completely. "What was that for?" he said after he wiped his wet hair from his eyes.
"Ritual ablutions. " Autor said casually. They say Drosselmeyer always clenched his body with water before he wrote his stories." He took the towel that lay next to the water tankard that he just had emptied over Fakir's head, but instead of giving it to him to dry his face, Autor crouched to the ground in front of him and wiped the puddle of water on the floor. "Didn't you know?" he asked.
"Why should I?" Fakir asked.
"A direct descendent of Drosselmeyer's and this is your level?" Autor said while cleaning the floor.
"A direct descendent of Drosselmeyer?" Fakir whispered in disbelieve and his eyes widened. 'Could that be true?'
"Oh no, you're not going to say you didn't know that either, aren't you?" Autor remarked mockingly and he looked at him with a degrading smile.
"it's a fact about yourself! You really take the cake." He said shaking his head. He then stood up and took a roll from behind the writing desk. He rolled it out on the floor, then turned it over and rolled it back in opposite direction to prevent the edges from lolling inwards while he showed the contents. When he finally flipped it over to the right side, Fakir could see that it was a family tree.
"This is a Drosselmeyer family tree that I drew after my own research." Autor said, then he took the long thin stick that he had taken from the mess behind the desk as well and tapped on the name on top of the tree.
"Look, Drosselmeyer is here," he said and he then tapped along the names under Drosselmeyer's on the right side of the tree and stopped at the fourth generation. "and here you are." Autor moved on to the left side of the tree to find his own connection to Drosselmeyer. "I believe I'm probably connected this way from this branch, but I don't have all the evidence yet."
Fakir didn't listen to him anymore, he found himself in quite a shock. 'I have Drosselmeyer's blood?' he thought stunned. 'Does that mean those books missing their endings were things Drosselmeyer wrote and the fact that I saw one of those endings is. .because I'm meant to complete his work?' Fakir drew in a deep breath to calm himself. 'No, even if I'm his descendent, I'm going to change my fate and I'm going to do it my way!'
"What is it?" Autor asked him, but not out of concern. It was obvious that he took delight in Fakir's ignorance of his knowledge.
"Nothing." Fakir mumbled in reply.
"Now, I'm going to ask you to stay here, on this spot for three days." Autor said. "Think you can handle that?" he added with a sneer.
Fakir closed his eyes in acceptance and let the comment pass.
"Good, you are to empty your clouded mind in that time. I will see you afterwards for the next step."
Autor left Fakir there to stand at the right side of the writing desk for three days. It was hard not to think of anything. Protecting Mytho had always been his main thought and he did this now for that reason. It seemed selfish to think about food or water or rest, but when his body got tired and he felt hungry after standing for hours and his throat began to feel dry, it was almost impossible to band these needs from his mind. And of course as the hours pass his thoughts kept on drifting to Duck and if she was alright. She had her doubts about Autor and maybe she was right, but Fakir wanted to try his best and wanted her to trust him and not to worry. If he succeeded Mytho could go back to his real self and be saved from the Raven's blood. The story would end and he could go back into the story, without having to suffer. Fakir thought this to be his motivation to close his mind, but then a voice in the back of his head asked a thorny question.
'What about Duck?'
It was true, no matter how Fakir looked at it, he couldn't think of a happy ending for her. He didn't know what power Drosselmeyer had over her, but whether she remained a girl or returned to be a duck she would still lose the prince forever and therefore be unhappy. Then the voice said something Fakir had never thought of.
'Unless Mytho decides to take Duck as his princess into the story.'
The thought brought Fakir great sadness. If that was to happen, then she would get what she wanted and be very happy. She would have her happy ending after all and he would never see her again.
In the end Fakir's mind and body accepted his state and he stood there for three days, not thinking of anything, preparing for the next step.
On the fourth morning Autor had just opened the door of the study when a loud banging on the front door called him away again.
"Fakir! Fakir!" it was Duck and she sounded distraught. In the study there were no windows so Fakir had lost all track of time, but now he knew that it had to be nearly midday and that Autor had lengthened his task with a few extra hours.
"Will you be quiet!" Autor hissed when he opened the door.
It was indeed Duck who had been banging on the door and she looked worried. "Um, is Fakir..?" she began hesitatingly and she looked past Autor into the study. There Fakir felt his legs give in and he collapsed on the floor.
"Fakir hang on!" Duck gasped and she ran into the study and kneeled down to help him. "Hang in there."
"What made you do to him?" Duck snapped at Autor who hadn't moved a muscle to assist anyone.
"Nothing." He replied and sounded almost amused.
"Liar!"
"It's true." Autor said and he walked towards them. "he's been standing there for three days, not eating, not sleeping, nothing."
"Why did you make him do that?" Duck asked outraged.
"To be able to hone his mind this way. If he can't endure this he's a lost cause." Autor replied.
"You know, you're horrible!" Duck growled.
"I'm fine." Fakir whispered weakly to Duck to make her stop yelling. She looked at his tired face and looked unsure.
"Fakir?"
"Then stop lying on the floor and stand!" Autor commanded. "Tonight we test your aptitude, keep going until then."
Fakir's mind was already numb, completely cleared of any need for rest, so what were a few extra hours? But Duck scowled at Autor
"Did something happen?" Fakir asked Duck in a whisper.
Duck turned her head back at him with great sadness and looked at the ground for a moment before looking into his eyes. "Yes, with Mytho and Rue." She said.
Fakir growled, anything with Kraehe couldn't be good. If only she didn't make his state worse.
"No, you got it wrong!" Duck said and her voice trembled heavily.
"Rue, Mytho yelled at her. He questioned her love for him. Mytho is changing more and more now."
Fakir could only nod, he didn't really know what to do with this knowledge.
"Hey you!" Autor said suddenly loudly to draw Duck's attention.
"What?" She snapped back and her voice no longer trembled.
"Come back tonight if you want, but leave for now. You're only a distraction at this point."
Duck looked back to Fakir again who gave her a faint smile. For now it was better if she left.
That evening Autor let Fakir eat something when the church bell began tolling six 'o clock. Shortly after Fakir finished his sober meal, Duck arrived and Autor took them to the garden behind the Art museum.
"Here in Gold Crown Town there's an oak tree that they say the tale spinners used to test their powers a very long time ago." Autor told them as they stood in the quiet garden. It was mainly grass and stones from a vary in shapes and sizes and a few bushes. Not at all impressive.
"If you touch that oak when the bell is just finished tolling midnight, you should be able to hear it's voice if you have the power. That's the proof of your gift. Incidentally I clearly heard the tree make a sound like a fade sigh. Without the power, someone would most likely think it was just the wind."
"So where's the oak tree?" Duck asked as there was clearly no oak tree in sight in the garden.
"You're quite observant. The oak tree was fell long ago. Its roots alone are sleeping beneath this museum and one of the stones through here is the soul entrance through which the tree can be contacted, although even I had some trouble finding out which stone it was." Autor said, but Fakir had no trouble at all to find the right stone. Directly ahead, in the shadow of another stone lay a stone deep in the ground and could easily be overlooked. Fakir could hear it calling out to him. It was similar to what Autor had described, 'like a fade sigh'. Fakir walked towards it without letting Autor finish speaking and kneeled down in front of it.
Autor wasn't offended, he just let out a gasp in amazement. "I'm impressed." He said and he truly meant it. "Just what you'd expect from a direct descendent, I guess I'll give you that."
"Huh?" Duck looked round at Autor in some confusion, she had no idea what he meant. Fakir did, but he let it pass. Autor clearly saw it as something to be proud of, but Fakir just saw it as a truth that could not be helped. For now he hoped he could use it in his advantage.
"That's the soul position though which the tree can be contacted, but be prepared, there're also many who have messed up the contact and got sucked in by the tree, automatically losing their lives." Autor informed them.
"No way!" Duck gasped and she immediately turned back to Fakir. "Fakir, maybe you shouldn't after all." She said doubtingly.
Fakir just had to smirk at her sudden change of mind. She had been the one who pushed him into writing. She had known nothing at the time and just had gotten impatient and now that she got wind of one risk, she was ready to give it all up.
"Weren't you the one who told me to hurry up and write?" he teased.
"I'm sorry Fakir, I'm sorry!" she cried out and she bent towards him with a guilty expression on her face. "I didn't know it was this big major thing, I didn't know it. I thought it was just writing, but now.."
"Midnight." Autor said nonchalantly, cutting of Duck's pleading like it was about nothing important.
Fakir reached out to the little stone and was already emptying his mind. If he was to be sucked in by the tree then so be it. It would just mean that he failed to protect Mytho and he had to accept it.
"No Fakir stop!" Duck yelled and she wanted to pull Fakir away from the stone, but Autor grabbed her by her shoulders."
"Don't get in the way." He told her.
Fakir closed his eyes and he heard Duck gasp in fear for his life, but she had to understand. If he would to die then he would leave everything to her. Maybe she could save Mytho and ask him to take her with him. As for him, he had nothing more to lose.
He touched the little stone and immediately a heavy shock shot through his body. It went too quick for him to scream and it jerked his eyes open. His soul left his body and he drifted away in a white light. Then a low comforting voice spoke to him.
"What you see cannot be seen, what you can hear, makes no sound." It said.
'Who are you?' Fakir wondered, but he wasn't sure whether he had spoken the question out loud or not.
"Submerge yourself in a bulk of truth that lies far, far away." The voice continued and Fakir could hear the rustling sound of leaves in the wind and as he slowly fell through them he heard something else.
"This sound, a clock?" he said to himself and he could hear his own voice speaking the words. "No, this is… a heartbeat."
Fakir seemed to soar through many places and all the while the voice kept him company, speaking its contradicting riddles.
"Hear the voice which is voiceless and see the shape which is shapeless. Everything is one, one is everything. All stories are spinning to one. The beginning is the end, the end is the beginning."
It all made little sense to Fakir and he tried to understand it while different sceneries flashed past his eyes. In the end he finally floated down to a field and settled down in front of a very broad oak tree and his mind found peace.
"A story is a happy accident, the end a fate for which is meant. Existence is false, truth is nothingness." The oak tree said.
"Yes, you're right," Fakir replied. "I'll go to nothing, in the end becoming one with everything else. I'll watch over everyone in this way and go to the eternal ending." Fakir understood now and he would watch over Kraehe too and judge no longer about her actions, but create a fitting end for everyone.
In agreement the tree let Fakir inside its organic structure and Fakir found himself in a green world of cells
"To those who accept everything, happiness. To those who resist everything, glory." The tree said.
As Fakir listened to it and circled around in a half lying position, he became aware of another voice, a voice that kept calling his name. it was familiar, but Fakir could not remember why. He only knew that the pleading voice made him very sad. With it he felt a warm caring light, but it didn't make the sadness go away.
"Fakir, answer me, let me hear your voice." The voice pleated.
Fakir found himself distracted, he did no longer care for the soothing voice of the oak tree. That person who had spoken was waiting for him. He wanted to go to her. She shouldn't sound so sad. She should smile again, like he knew she always did. Fakir looked up to the light at the top of the tree. He had to leave and tell her not to worry. He had remembered her radiating smile again and knew who she was.
"To those who accept everything, happiness. To those who resist everything, glory." The oak tree said again, but Fakir did no longer listen.
'No, please do not cry. I'm right here.' He thought and he reached out a hand to the top of the tree.
"Duck."
With a sigh of relieve, Fakir felt the wood that had formed around his body disappear and he lowered his tired arms and let himself fall into Princess Tutu's open arms.
"Fakir!" she cried out truly relieved, but as Fakir lay there with his head on her warm chest and he listened to her quick heartbeat that steadily became normal, she spoke again with a voice that shook heavily with emotion. She was crying.
"I'm sorry Fakir." she sobbed. "I couldn't do anything, nothing."
She didn't understand. She did do something. She had pulled him out with her voice and saved him, and for now that was all Fakir wanted her to know.
"I heard a voice." He whispered softly. "it was yours."
AN: (Great sigh) I'm really sorry it took so long, but I'm truly glad with my result. :) Please review and if you have an idea about what I could do when I receive 100 reviews before the end, let me know!