Authors Pre- Notes: Last chapter, Hiccup made some very... Interesting bargains! I'm wondering if he'll continue this streak of impulsiveness... Thank you for the reviews last chapter! I was thinking about this series possibly ending soon, after a bang of course. I'm thinking of making it into a two part series, to break away a little bit from the original story, but not so much where it is an actual new story... Just some food for thought. Holler at me your thoughts!
Raxacoricofallenpatereous - I full heartidly agree... Hiccup, what did you do! :P
Masks of JM and JS - There will always be lies from Hiccup, as he can't let Jack know about the deal he made with Erebus/Pitch. Eris can only see/know what Jack does, so leaving him in the dark is cruel, but nessecary, as Hiccup looks for what he needs to.
MissPurple123 - Yep, Hiccup is very impusilve when he tries to protect his friends. It's even worst because he has to lie about everything, or else things will really get interesting.
..::Song of inspiration - Unkown Solider - Breaking Benjamin::..
The Lasser Glass, from what I had researched on my own, was an elusive, and old artifact.
Old enough, that it could have fallen into the hands of a God. Pitch had said Anya now possessed it, but as I walked the corridors of their mansion, I couldn't find it. Jack, Gene and I left the Orphanage earlier today after we got no reads, from me or the equipment we brought. We decided we would come back again tomorrow, possibly to have a lock down. Ever since, I've been looking for the Lasser Glass, even though I wasn't sure I knew what I was looking for, but I had a decent idea I would know by the feel of it.
My powers were still suppressed, however, some did come back. The moment I felt the bond spark to life, Pitch sent instructions about how to use the little bit of magic I could access to hide the bargains on my skin. He called it a glamour.
The small amount of power was enough to cover my tattoos, at least on my arm. But, I noticed once I stopped concentrating on the flow of power, my skin shifted, revealing the blank ink. So far, I was able to keep my skin from glimmering when I was around people.
I realized sadly, Jack probably could have helped me in my quest for the mirror, but I didn't want to bother him about it. Not unless Anya could help me first. When my search for the mirror came up empty handed, I knew I would have to face her.
I found my way to her room, gently knocking on the door.
"Come in," she said after the second, I slowly peeked through the threshold. Dimitri and her slept in this room, I could tell because of the two armoires.
"I wanted to apologize for how I acted yesterday," I stopped when I was through the door. She was lounging in a seating area by the window, before beckoning me to come over.
"Sit down," she nodded to the seat across from after a moment of me standing awkwardly above her. I obeyed, sitting in the plush arm chair, the matching to her own.
Sapphire eyes pinned me there.
"What did you see?" She set down her book, leaning forward.
I gulped. "It startled me, which is why I acted the way I did. Still, I know there should be no excuse for it." I started fidgeting with my fingers, and I could tell Anya knew I was trying to buy time.
Slowly, I sighed. "It showed me… something. Not only did I come here to help my friend, I came here because I've been trying to find something." I had to invent a way to test the waters, to see if Anya truly knew of the Lasser Glass.
She waited for me to continue, I nodded towards the amulet that seemed to glimmer in my presence. "That amulet is an ancient artifact of many that I'm looking for - the Xephirian Amulet, and I'm guessing your grandmother gave it to you to protect you from a darkness." Seeing as it practically tore through my own dark powers like a shredder.
"She possibly gave it to you to protect you from something that I'm trying to find, something the amulet showed me exists as an heirloom from your family."
"What could you possibly want? We have long lost our family's heirlooms after the war."
There was no more tiptoeing around the subject, I had to say it. Nervously, I breathed out. "I'm looking for the Lasser Glass."
Anya paled, sapphire eyes wide. "Why are you looking for such a thing?" Her voice shook, breaking at the end. "It has to be a lie. No one, besides those I've told, knows about the Lasser Glass - no one." In a heartbeat, her demeanor changed as fear pressed down firmly on her shoulders, while she clutched the amulet.
"That's what I saw." I willed my face to be neutral, "and that's what I'm looking for. Anya, please, if you know where it is, I desperately need it. I'll do anything."
She was breathing heavily, her eyes had gone vacant as she stepped somewhere far, far away. I leaned towards her, there was so much more I needed to say to her, so much more I needed to tell her. "I want to apologize for how I acted yesterday. I told you what you wanted to hear about the amulet, it is something that will protect you if you wear it. As for the mirror, If you can please tell me where I can find it - I just need to know if it even exists."
A tear slid down her cheek, as she clenched her jaw tight, "get. Out."
"Anya -"
"I said GET OUT!" She shot up out of her chair, the same time I did. Tears slid down her pale face, her shoulders rising then falling. Anya grabbed the book she had set aside, throwing it at me. I narrowly dodged, as the hardcover hit me in the side.
"Anya -" I said, backing up, and clutching my side when she crumbled to the ground, sobbing. "Anya, let me help you."
When I reached for her, she swiped at me as if she had claws. For a moment, she was staring at me with lethal calm. Her blue eyes flashed dangerously, her lips pulling over her teeth as she snarled, "get out of here, Hiccup."
"I-I don't understand," I breathed. I was so confused at how this turned out so bad - at where this went so wrong.
She gave me a deadly look, daring her to repeat herself. I could only imagine she would hurl another book at me, this time with precision I could never achieve.
I scrambled to the door.
^.^
Jack ran a hand through his hair, as I briefed him on my latest encounter with Anastasia.
"This is going to turn into a mess," he breathed. "Why didn't you just ask me about the Lasser Glass?"
He didn't sound hurt, no, he sounded concerned. As if he knew, asking him would have been less complicated.
"I couldn't," I explained. "The amulet showed me the glass, that it belonged in her household. I just wanted to know where it was. I didn't think she would have reacted like that."
"Why're you looking for it, anyways?" He asked.
Oh no. I couldn't tell him, not when everything was such a mess to begin with. Lies, and more lies - when was I going to start telling the truth? Before I could answer, Jack continued.
"Do you even know anything about the Lasser Glass or, the history of it?" Jack sighed the same time I released the breath in my lungs. Thankfully, he didn't know why. Or he did, but was sparing me the mercy of explaining all of my lies. Slowly, I shook my head to answer his question.
He leaned back on a smooth dresser a few feet away from the bed I was sitting on. "The Lasser Glass was originally crafted by a man to give as a present to his daughter at her wedding. However, upon gazing at herself in it, she felt hideous. The daughter took it to a sorcerer, who tricked her into spelling the mirror. He attached a demon known as an 'elemental' to the mirror, then told her to look again when she was home. When she did, she saw a beautiful woman on the other side. The woman was so fascinated by her reflection, she would constantly gaze at herself as she combed her hair."
"One day, she didn't notice that the comb was actually a knife. She skinned herself to death, and since then, every family that has possessed the mirror has died a gruesome death." Jack's eyes were hard, a feather movement in his jaw as he clenched his teeth.
"Anya has the mirror, though, doesn't she?"
"She doesn't," he said softly, and I waited for him to continue. "I looked into the history of the mirror back in Michigan, finding her maiden name to be the exact same as the family who were the last owners of it - Anastasia parents."
Dryness closed my throat, "are they… did they also die because of the mirror?"
A short nod of confirmation, and the room spun. "I had no idea, I thought…. Oh God, I thought she would know where the mirror was." I practically begged for it. Of course she would have reacted that way, if the mirror was the cause of their deaths.
Jack stared at me with a vacant expression, as if he agreed to my conflicting feelings, before he it blinked away. "To gaze into the mirror, one would have either gone mad, or become broken beyond repair. When Anya's parents owned the Lasser Glass, there was an investigation after their deaths, to which they found her parents witnessed horrible hallucinations. So bad, they could no longer tell what was reality and what wasn't." Jack dropped his gaze to the elegant, wood floors.
He looked like he was about to be sick. The urge to keel over and vmit was strong, my gut flipping. "Her mother died of hemorrhaging from a miscarriage, and her father would only stare at the mirror day in, day out, before one day, he walked right into traffic."
My heart dropped. Anya suffered through that, suffered through having her family torn apart because of the darkness of the mirror. If the Lasser Glass could not be retrieved, at least without such terrible risk… I shut out the thought, clenching my hands at my sides. "That's why Anya was an orphan."
"Anya's grandmother had eventually found her through the foster system, then claimed her. But, her grandmother passed away about a year ago."
I cupped my head in my hands, realizing something he didn't. That's why her grandmother gave her the Xephirian Amulet - it would protect her against the darkness of the glass if she were to ever find it again.
"I had no idea," I trembled, tears stinging my eyes. I wanted to rip out my hair, along with my tongue, I was so frustrated. So frustrated and sad...I can't believe I tried to ask her for the glass when she had such a traumatic story because of it.
Jack said, a little sadly, "I don't think anyone did. Rumours say, she possibly destroyed the glass. It would make sense if the spirit here is trying to use it, though. Anya and Dimitri are tearing down their home, they could see the Lasser Glass as a way to keep Anastasia away from them."
I refused to add further to an already inflated lie. I would rather Eris believe that story than the real one. Instead, I stared at the ground, running through the encounter over, and over again. Anya's face when I told her what I was looking for - it wasn't a look of surprise. It was a look of true, undiluted fear.
Jack didn't say anything else as he pushed off the dresser, walking towards the door. "I'll handle this. Just make sure to tread the topic gently."
When he left, I was alone with my thoughts. My bond was still tender, as I reached out an invisible hand to stroke the glistening wall. I flinched as it flickered, afraid it would be wiped out again. In response, my glamour flickered, showing me the bargain I had made with Pitch.
The bargain that would ensure his help, if I got the Lasser Glass. This mirror though… If I was going to go insane after looking in it, how could I retrieve it? If it put Anya at risk of possibly unravelling, how could I even think about bringing her that kind of pain? Damn Erebus, he probably knew of the potential hazards of the glass, and didn't bother to mention it.
No, it was my fault. I should have made sure there were no loopholes in our deal.
To ease my thoughts, I took a walk to see Zel. Her room was just down the hall on my floor. As I approached Merida's barrier spell, I didn't have a headache. Probably because it had affected my magic, and since it was hardly there, I could tolerate her charms.
When I walked in, I saw a dark figure standing over Zel.
It was a man, his body was hunched over, his spindly arms reaching for her. The demon's mouth was open in a twisted smile, his eyes were pure white.
He was reaching for Zel, and I slammed against my shield trying to shatter the block. I stumbled back from the reverb when the demon moved, in shadow, and mist. The door behind me slammed shut as I lunged to Zel's side.
"Stay away from her!" I shouted. Damnit, damnit, if I had my powers, I would have been able to bring the demon to Pitch. I could have ended it now but -
A sharp pain went straight through my gut, and I fell to the floor, gagging. Hands grabbed my ankles yanking me towards the bed.
"Help!" I screamed, daring to look back as I met a milky gaze from within the shadows of the bed.
"No one is going to help you," that voice was old, ancient.
Invisible claws swiped at my face, and I screamed in terror as I rolled onto my back, clutching the marks on my skin. With no magic, no darkness to aid me, I was truly a lamb to the slaughter.
There was yelling from the other side of the door when those same hands, the ones dragging me, now gripped my neck. I tried to breath, gripping at the invisible force.
They pressed tighter, squeezing harder when I could no longer feel my legs or arms. Pale faces sprung from the ground around us, the same ones from the plane.
This was it, this was the end. They were going to drag me back to the Gates, but this time, I was going to be the one passing through. I waited for the final pain, waited for the life to be snuffed out of me, but the pressure from my neck disappeared, and I gasped for air.
I scrambled up to my knees, pulling myself to Zel's side. Against my magic barrier, I felt Toothless clawing to get free, but I didn't have the energy to summon him. I watched as the ghosts' swarmed around the demon, each one that passed through him left a gaping hole. An ear-screeching howl filled the room, so piercing I thought the glass would shatter.
In the corner of the room, a brightness consumed us. A woman, so beautiful, stepped out from within the light. She had outstretched wings that peeked over her shoulders. The white feathers ruffled from the invisible wind. Her face was serene, yet sharp - her cheek bones high, she seemed to radiate a certain amount of poise, and class. Silver hair glistened in the light she created as she walked over to the demon.
She wore nothing besides the skin she was born in. So Beautiful, yet unreal as her entire body seemed to glisten in the radiant light, as if that, alone, was clothing enough.
From the other side of the room, the demon hissed. "He'll send more of us to find him. No matter what you do, you cannot defeat us."
The Angel said nothing as she lifted a hand towards the demon, a light so blinding spiralled towards him before the mass of shadows and blackness were nothing but dust. The ghost' disappeared the same moment the demon did, the weight of the room lifting. I was still on the floor, on my knees as I clutched Zel's hand. The woman turned to me, lowering her beautiful wings.
"Who are you?" I stared into her eyes with awe, eyes so blue, I suddenly felt like I've seen them somewhere.
She didn't answer me, "the object to which you are looking for has been long taken from this household."
The sharpness in her voice, even through the gentle caress of it, I could tell this was Anya's grandmother. They had the same sharp, cunning stare and features - the same blue eyes.
"Where is it?"
"It is buried beneath the ground, beneath the roots that nobody can see. Yet, the glass can see the sky."
I blinked at the riddle, "please, I need to know where it is."
"There are other artifacts within this property that will see you to protection. Seek them, and you will be guided to the Lasser Glass." The Angel gave me a firm look. "I will only warn you once not to take Anastasia's protection."
A ping of sadness, and guilt hit me. "You gave her that to protect Anya against the Lasser Glass, didn't you?"
Slowly the Angel nodded, then stepped closer to Zel. "Her soul has awakened. You must use your friends to help you - this cannot be done alone."
"But they can't know the truth -"
The brightness lifted, without another sound, the room was quiet, as if she had never been there. Jack broke through the door first, followed by Dimitri. Soon after, Anya, Merida and Gene followed as they stopped just before the bed.
Each of them, my friends included, wore the same expression - utter shock as we beheld Zel lift her small hands to my face. I was still kneeling on the ground by her side, yet she reached for me when moments ago, she had been comatose. Gently, so gently, she stroked the cuts on my jaw.
"You came," she breathed, and I touched her hand - so cold, she was freezing to the touch.
"Get some blankets," I ordered no one in particular, but Gene left the room first. Everyone else watched as I stood up slowly, weakly, perching on the edge of the bed to lean over her. I pressed her small hand firmly into my skin, leaning into that touch.
"You shouldn't have come here," Zel sobbed. She pulled her hand away, covering her eyes as she wept. An overwhelming sadness passed over me, similar to that of Anya, as I watched her sob into her hand. Jack and Merida came around to the bed, Gene following suit as he was holding an arm full of blankets.
"Here you go," he said gently as he covered her small frame. His gaze never left her, taking in her beauty, her kindness. Her cheek bones were hallow, her skin a sickly grey color, and her hair was limp around her head. Yet, Gene looked at her as if he saw an angel.
Jack looked up at me, "what happened?"
A wave, like a phantom wind, passed over me when I realized my powers had returned. Fully, unrestrained, they took over. The glamour on my arm was now super charged, I felt no need for concentration on my glamour, as the endless flow of darkness took over - my powers were back.
As I opened my mouth to speak, I was pulled into Zel's thoughts.
He's here, no he can't be here.
Why is here? Why must he come?
The thoughts flowed through her head, one after another. Her heart was a thunderous beat, and she didn't move her hand from her eyes as she wept.
She hadn't expected him to be here. Jack was a possibility, but one she was willing to risk. If she only had one more day, she would have called Jack the moment the message was received after investigating the orphanage. At first, she thought the spirit was a young girl who was curious about her presence. The moment she was approached by the spirit, she was wary, but wanted to believe it was in fact a little girl.
That had been a very bad mistake.
Darkness, so much darkness, and overwhelming despair consumed her. There was a man, she saw him so vividly she thought it was real. She had seen him before, when she had forced Oliver to do a read with her all those years ago. When her conscience was connected to his, she felt the bond between the twins, but didn't dare touch it. It was fascinating to feel the depth of their complex power, she felt the flow of magic from Jack as he carefully watched the exchange between herself and Oliver across the room.
Suddenly, things took a turn for the worst when she was pulled into the darkest parts of his mind. The horrible experiments he endured, she felt. To stop her, Oliver summoned more power to block her out, only it seemed to increase the amount of pain from the experience.
That's when she saw the man, he was the doctor who tortured Oliver and Jack. From their memories, he was called Mengele. She made sure to follow Jack, so she would make sure he didn't do anything rash. However, by the time she made it to the U.K., something had gone wrong. Jack was able to use his magic, even though Oliver was dead. She knew he had done something in order to hunt down that man.
When the demon took over her body, she saw Mengele through its memories. He was the demons master, summoning it to lure a power source to him. A power source such as the anchor. Mengele learnt of the anchor after he tortured it out of Oliver. He had been under the impression that, perhaps if the twins were linked, Jack would be the anchor after his twin died.
He was trying to lure the anchor here.
Trying to lure Jack here.
Yet, Hiccup was the anchor. She understood that the moment he passed through her mind that first time at Elsa's mansion. He tore down her shields as if they were made of paper, then took her to that strange void. She was suppose to forget, but somehow her memories were only blurred. So, to find answers she returned to the states to learn about the possibility of the anchor.
An ache, like a blow to the chest went through her as she continued to weep. The thought of Hiccup being tangled in this mess… The thought that Mengele would take Hiccups life, while he was hunting for Jack, was gut wrenching. It was horrible the kinds of evil deeds such a man was capable of.
According to the demon, while she lay comatose, exploring his evil thoughts, that's exactly what the doctor intended to do - Mengele was going to finish what he started.
It was enough. I had listened enough, learned about enough. I pulled out of Zel's mind, panting, and also weeping.
"You shouldn't have come."
^.^
Authors Notes: Now we finally know if Zel has truly known about the Anchor! The answer is... Yes! Even though in that chapter, she was suppose to forget, somehow, she didn't. I wonder if Hiccup will confide in her about his plans... Or, will he continue to push everyone away?
Will Jack start to put the pieces together about the Lasser Glass? Or, will Hiccup be able to keep him in the dark?
What about the quest for the glass, will Hiccup listen to the Angel, and will he use his friends to help? And, where is Oliver when we need him!
This case only gets more and more interesting :D
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Thank you everyone :)