Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any of the characters or other elements (pun intended) portrayed in this story.
"Unmaking the World"
By: Starwin
Episode 6: Allegiances
Part 1: Meanwhile
Matt stood at the top of the stairs that led down into the basement of Elyon Brown's former house. His face was panic stricken. He had just watched four girls drown, unable to do anything to save them. Water had filled the room to the brim only moments ago.
Matt's mind raced in circles as he stared at the dark water, unsure what to do now. But there was hardly even time for him to make a decision; a bright, eerier blue light burned at the water surface. Matt lifted his hand to shield his eyes.
Quickly the surface of the water began to turn and with a roar like a waterfall the room began to empty. Matt watched unable to comprehend what was going on.
In only a short moment it was all over. The water was gone and the light faded away. Matt looked down into the darkness of the basement, unable to even see the floor below, let alone if anyone was down there.
Matt shouted out for the girls, but only his echo answered him. He needed a light. Matt grabbed a nearby lamp and turned the switch, its bright bulb flared to life. Quickly he moved back to the door and held up the lamp.
Matt blinked. It was impossible. The basement wasn't only empty it was spotless. No traces of water, no crack in the floor. It was as if the room had swallowed up everything, girls and all.
Still in awe, Matt descended slowly down the stairs, the light of the lamp filling the room. The girls were gone and all Matt could do was hope they had made it to Elyon safely.
Matt turned to leave and it was then he saw the most disturbing thing of all. How had he not noticed? His mind flashed back to Hay Lin trying to turn on a light, when they had first arrived in the house, and Cornelia hissing at her that there was no electricity.
And there on the stairs, was the short power cord that had been dragging behind the lamp. It hadn't even been plugged in but the light was on all the same. Startled, Matt dropped the lamp with a crash and the light went out.
Moving quickly through the darkness Matt stumbled up the stairs and knocked over a chair as he made his way to the door and pulled it open. He bolted outside, wanting to get away from the house as fast as he could. When he was a block away Matt came to a stop, he was breathing hard and his heart was pounding in his chest… almost like there were two of them…
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
Clouds were still heavy in the sky, blotting out the distant sun and hiding the city below in shadows, as if it were already night. The relentless rain that had been falling all week long had subsided, leaving behind a gloomy echo in the air.
The town was almost devoid of people as if its inhabitants were afraid that stepping outside might cause the storm to restart. However, at Sheffield Institute a small group of children stood boldly under the sullen sky. It was almost Saturday afternoon and there were no classes, or activities to be had in such weather. But all the same, six teens, dressed in black and silver, waited silently in the middle of the muddy field.
They were the Dragon Knights of Rakadin and the threat of rain did not frighten them.
One of the masked teens stepped forward, his eyes sweeping across the desolate grounds of the school. He was sure no one had seen them arrive.
"It's not raining?" Dante asked, looking back at the others behind him. A girl with silver hair and deep black eyes was looking at the clouded sky, her expression unreadable.
"No," said Serenity, her voice betraying a note of uncertainty. "Something has changed... Something is missing…" Serenity closed her eyes as if she were trying to hear a distant sound. Without looking at them she continued to instruct her Dragon Knights, "You will continue to search for the Heart."
"We've search all of Heatherfield," said Hayden as he watched Serenity. "What makes you so sure it ended up here?"
"Because…" explained Serenity calmly, not opening her eyes as she continued to listen to the sound only she seemed to hear, "this is where Will says the Heart is hidden."
"Okay, so where are we going to try looking today?" asked Alex. "We've looked almost everywhere."
"The only places we have not yet looked," said Serenity as she opened her eyes. "The Guardians…"
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
While the four boys each went to hunt down a different Guardian, Serenity and Will continued to try and sense for the Heart. After all there were only four guardians left; so only four Dragon Knights were needed.
Will had been hearing the Heart's distant beat all week long but they had been unable to locate it. Every time they got close, the beat got weak and faded away.
Will stopped walking and let out a heavy sigh.
"It's gone again," said Will, visibly slumping. She and Serenity had been wandering around for the better part of an hour. They had ended up in the middle of Heatherfield park. "It's no good. The feeling keeps fading away, like it doesn't want to be found."
Serenity gently pulled the young redhead around to face her. There was a sadness behind Will's eyes that Serenity couldn't help but feel. Placing a soft hand against Will's forehead Serenity ran her fingers through Will's untidy hair. Will was looking at the ground trying to fight back the tears welling at the sides of her eyes.
"That's not true," said Serenity as she tried to coax Will to look at her.
At first, Serenity's thoughts had only been focused on finishing what her father had started. But over the last month that she had spent with Will, Serenity found that she desired to complete the plan less and less every day. She just wanted to be around Will, to hold her, to make her happy...
And that was the problem, of course. Will wasn't happy. The cause of Will's grief was her lost friends. Serenity had drastically underestimated how powerful their bond had been. The other guardians had been true friends to Will and when Serenity had cut them away, a part of Will seemed to go with them.
"Don't look so sad, Will," said Serenity, kindly. "You make the sky weep for you." Serenity pulled the girl into a reassuring embrace. Will returned the hug, burying her face in Serenity's shoulder.
"I feel so confused," cried Will. "I keep having these dreams about people, friends and family that I never had. They feel so real but when I wake up I feel like there is a hole in my heart." Serenity was glad that Will could not see her smile falter.
"Will…" Serenity whispered. "There's something I have to tell you… something I've been keeping from you…"
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
Hayden stood outside the water guardian's house. There was a strong feeling of magic at this place but even so, Hayden was sure that Irma was not at home. Serenity had taught him and the other Dragon Knights, how to sense for magic, how to listen for the music that it made. And though there was a faint sound of it here, it was barely a lingering echo.
Looking through the magical eye holes of his mask, Hayden made one last sweep of the house. There was nothing, no trace of the Guardian.
Concentrating harder, Hayden listened intently for the other Guardians. He was trying to hear their unique, yet harmonious, song that each inspired. But there was hardly even a remnant of their melodies. All Hayden could hear was the discord that he and his brothers created. The cacophony of the Dragon Knights.
Unlike the Guardians who complemented each others music, Hayden and his brothers each played to their own beat. When taken as a whole the sound was almost unbearable. However, individually, each was moving in its own right.
Serenity was the conductor, the one who brought all of their songs together. The one that tied their magic and brought harmony to their discord.
At first Hayden had resented Serenity for taking away his leadership, for making him no more than her lackey. But now, he hardly even thought about it.
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
Will and Serenity sat next to each other on a bench in the park. Will's eyes were searching the ground, not really seeing it, while her mind tried to comprehend Serenity's words.
"I don't… I don't understand…" said Will, breaking the silence. Serenity did not answer immediately. "You took away my memories?"
"I took away the lies," explained Serenity. "Your life, your family, your friends. It was all an illusion, created to keep you from finding out…" Will looked at Serenity as if she had never seen her before, confused by the silver haired girl's words.
"From finding out," repeated Will. "From finding out what?" Serenity slowly turned her head towards Will.
"I've wanted to tell you—for a long time now—but I didn't think you would be ready to hear the truth." said Serenity. Will's expression hardened. "Until now…
"Will, the Oracle is…" a crack of thunder drown out Serenity's next words and they were lost to all but Will. Will's eyes widened in surprise.
"I… how can that be?" stuttered Will, inching away. Serenity shook her head sadly. "He… he can't…"
"I'm sorry Will but it's the truth," answered Serenity her eyes moving back to Will.
"And my mother… she knew about this?" asked Will angrily. Serenity hesitated, but nodded. "I can't believe it! All this time and she never…"
"Longer then you imagine," said Serenity cutting off Will's rant. "But don't be angry with her. It is the Oracle's fault that things are the way they are." Will stood suddenly, her emotions overtaking her.
"I have to go see my mother…" said Will, her voice bordering on the edge of hysteria.
"Go. I will be here waiting for you," replied Serenity. Will stormed off, headed towards home. Serenity watched Will until she was out of sight, than teleported away.
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
Owin was on the far side of town, down near the ocean. He stood outside Taranee's house. There was no one here and no trace of the fire guardian.
Silently, Owin continued to watch the empty house. He was debating if he wanted to go back to Serenity or not. Hayden, Dante and even Alex… they all seemed to be under her spell. They all took her orders without question. They all thought of her as a friend…
But Owin did not. She was dangerous. Owin had seen what Serenity had done to that boy a few days ago. She had killed him without hesitation or remorse. And she had intended to do the same thing to Matt Olsen.
If the Guardians hadn't shown up when they did, Matt would be just as dead as Uriah. Owin's fist tightened at the thought. His eyes locked on the building in front of him, not actually seeing it.
His friends had not believed him. They would not even hear him out about what he had discovered in Rakadin. All they would hear were Serenity's lies.
Shaking his head, his mind made up, Owin turned to leave… to run away. He would not go back to Serenity. If his friends would not listen to him, then they were no longer his friends. There was nothing more he could do for them and he wouldn't help Serenity kill anyone else.
However, Owin hadn't even taken a step before he was stopped, frozen with fear. Serenity stood watching him, she had not been there a moment ago.
"You resist me more strongly than the others…" said Serenity softly. "Your mind keeps trying to wake up. At first, I thought it was only the Fire Guardian who had halted me in my toils with Will's memories. But now I believe it was you as well…"
Owin felt his breath coming fast and his heart racing out of control. His mind was a jumble and his body would not move. But his anger gave him the strength to speak, the power to yell.
"We're just pawns to you!" shouted Owin. "You don't give a crap about me and the others!" Serenity did not respond, so Owin continued. "We should never have joined you. I don't know what it is you have planned but I want no part of it."
"You made a vow to me," said Serenity coldly, taking a step toward Owin. Owin tried to back away but he could not. He could not run away. He experienced a terrible feeling of déjà vu. Serenity's cold hand reached out and touched the side of his face.
"You're right," said Serenity. "You are just pawns to me. My father believed your predecessors could be loyal and powerful servants. But when Rakadin was sieged by the Oracle, the loyal Dragon Knights did not come to their emperor's aid. They fled like cowards.
"That is what I see in your eyes, Owin," Serenity continued as she moved closer to him so that their faces were mere inches apart. "You are a coward—but a coward that I still need. So, for the moment, you will just have to forget… again…"
Serenity kissed him and Owin's memories and doubts were stolen away.
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
Matt absently looked out the window of the bus, watching the gray buildings race by. He had intended to ride the bus home, but he had not gotten off at his stop. He just sat there, ignoring the people who came and went like ghosts.
The girls had vanished completely, leaving no trace behind and he… he had done magic. He had done magic. How, how was that possible? So many strange things had been happening in his life lately that he shouldn't have been at all surprised by this revelation.
A flash of red against the gray city drew Matt back from his ponderings. He had only seen her for a moment and only as a passing glance, but he was sure that had been Will!
Leaping out of his seat and causing the other passengers around him to jump, Matt raced to the front of the bus.
"Stop the bus!" Matt shouted. The driver looked startled but quickly brought the bus to a screeching halt. Matt raced down the steps, squeezing himself through the doors before they had fully opened.
The sidewalk was empty, save for Matt. His eyes searched desperately for the person he had seen. But there was no one else. He was alone and Will, weather she had been real or imagined, was gone.
Matt walked off, becoming lost in his thoughts once more. He didn't even hear the driver asking him if he was okay. Nor did he see the looks of curiosity on the faces of the other passengers.
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
"Will!" shouted Susan Vandom as she embraced her soaking wet, little girl. Will stood in the hallway, in front of her apartment, dripping wet. Will did not have a key with her, so she had knocked instead. "My god! What happened to you? It's not even raining today!"
"Bus splashed me," mumbled Will absently as she let her mother pull her inside. Susan rushed off to find towels. Will stood in the living room, dripping on the carpet and holding herself uncertainly while her mind raced around in circles.
Susan returned with an armful of towels and looked at her daughter with kind impatience, "Will you are going to catch a cold if you don't take off those wet things!" said Susan, making Will jump as though she had forgotten that her mother was there.
"Mom… Why… Why didn't you tell me?" Asked Will softly, not looking at her mother and tightening her self embrace.
"Tell you what?" asked Susan concerned as she knelt down next to Will preparing to help the girl undress and dry off.
"About my father," said Will, unable to stop the tremble in her voice. Susan stopped and looked Will in the eyes. The older woman was surprised by the mention of her ex-husband, Tony. The man had tried to exploit Will to get money out of Susan, but that had been years ago.
"What about Tony?" asked Susan confused.
"NO," Will shouted this time. "My real father—the Oracle!" Susan suddenly let go of Will and her eyes widened in disbelief.
"How… how do you know about the Oracle?" demanded Susan, in shock.
"It… It's true then?" stammered Will. She hadn't actually expected her mother to admit it. "The Oracle is my father?" Susan shook her head but not to indicate that Will was wrong.
"Will… he was… a long time ago, another life time ago… When he was another person… when I was another person…" said Susan disjointedly. She calmed herself before continuing. "But he was never a father to you. Not after the things he did. Things I cannot ever forgive him for."
"Things like what happened in Rakadin, right?" Will asked. Susan's eyes got even wider. "I was a Guardian, Mother," Susan continued to shake her head in disbelief. "The Keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar."
"That bastard," Susan spat. "He promised, he swore an oath that he would never…"
"Obviously," added another voice that made both Will and Susan jump. "The Oracle is a liar, among many other things."
"Oh my god…" gasped Susan, visibly shaken from just hearing the voice. "Serenity? I thought… I thought…"
"That I was gone forever?" replied Serenity. She had appeared out the shadows and was walking slowly towards Will. "No, mother. I am not gone. Although, not for lack of trying, on the part of the Oracle."
"Wait," said Will, now incredibly confused as she looked between Serenity and Susan. "What do you mean 'Mother'?" asked Will.
Serenity's eyes drifted back to Will.
"It's not what you think," explained Serenity.
"We're sisters?" asked Will, uncertainly.
"Not sisters," replied Susan. "You're the same person… or rather, two parts of the same person… A long time ago, before Kandrakar, before Rakadin you had a different name. I had a different name. A life time ago I was called Xin Jing and I was Queen of Inndrakin.
"I used all my powers to defy my husband and to divide Inndrakin in two to stop an endless war. But it was not just the Kingdom; it was the people inside it. I sent away all the anger and hate…"
"… or at least that's what you intended," interrupted Serenity. "But that's not what actually happened, was it?"
"No," replied Susan solemnly. "I learned that such things can never be taken out of a person. If a person was a glass and the water inside it their essence, how could you pick and choose one part of that person from the other parts when they are all the same?
"So I did the only thing I could—I separated the two parts of a person. The body and the soul. The soul of every person stayed in Kandrakar while their body was sent to Rakadin.
"The parts I sent away came from all the people of Inndrakin including my first husband, Ori Kull. Myself, and our daughter… Ming Yun. One part of her was you, Will." Susan's eyes flicked to the silver haired girl. "And the other was, Serenity." Will stared uncertainly at her mother her mind almost unable to comprehend what she was saying.
"You are the soul of Ming Yun," continued Susan. "The part that stayed with me in Kandrakar… and Serenity is the body of Ming Yun that was sent with Kull and Elise to Rakadin… along with many others…
"My power was taken from me and like the people who were divided, so where my powers. One part became the Heart and stayed in Kandrakar to ease our troubled souls. While the other part became the Soul and followed our wayward bodies to Rakadin, to guide their broken hearts.
"I thought that once all the anger was gone from Kandrakar that the need for war would stop. But the anger was not gone, it was simply hidden and the fighting did not stop. The Oracle was once more appointed leader and although the anger did not show on his face, I could see it still burned within him.
"The war continued. It was not a battle between good and evil but war of one man fighting with himself. A man divided: Ori Kull.
"He couldn't let go. Neither the Oracle or Kull would stop until they destroyed one another. Such beings cannot co-exist. Finally, it ended on the day the Guardians and the Oracle invaded Rakadin for the last time. To destroy Lord Kull. To destroy the part of the Oracle he did not wish to remember.
"That was the day I took you from Kandrakar, Will. That was the day I vowed never to go back to that life."
"Why didn't you tell me!" cried Will. "Why don't I remember any of this?"
"Because the Oracle has forbidden it," explained Susan. "You too, are immortal, Will. You will live until the last star fades from the sky. But you are also not a full grown woman. You would be forced to live thousands of years as a child. Both the Oracle and I agreed that it was best for you…"
"Best for me? BEST FOR ME!" shouted Will. "Why didn't anyone ask me what I wanted? Why did everyone assume they knew what was best for me?" Serenity closed the distance and hugged Will supportively.
"I'm sorry, Will… I…" Susan tried but Will turned away from her. "I only did what I thought was… was the right thing. You were never supposed to find out about Kandrakar, not like this, not until you were… older… Cornelia was supposed to…"
"I think it's time we leave…" said Serenity, cutting Susan off. Her black, reflectionless eyes fixed on the older woman.
"What are you planning to do now?" Susan asked, watching both Will and Serenity with pained eyes.
"You already know the answer to that…" replied Serenity, she hesitated for a moment but then added softly. "You can come with us…"
"No," said Susan sadly, shaking her head. "That part of my life is gone. I don't deny that I was ever someone else, but that's not who I want to be, anymore…
"It's not who you have to be either… it's not too late to stop," Susan pleaded with Serenity. For a very brief moment the unreadable calm in Serenity's eyes faltered and Susan could see that the young silver haired girl was seriously contemplating just that.
"I know," answered Serenity. "But it's not what I want that matters. This is what I have always been meant to do…" She looked at Will in her arms. "What we have been meant to do."
"I feel the Heart," said Will suddenly, pulling back so that she could look Serenity in the face. "Its stronger than ever before." Without a moments hesitation Serenity teletransported them away.
Susan sank to her knees and cried, knowing that if Will came back she would no longer be Will.
-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --
Matt wandered the streets of Heatherfield aimlessly. The only thing in his mind was a dull buzzing. Matt had lost track of time and direction, he just moved on with no destination in mind.
Absently pressing a hand against his chest Matt tried to feel the second heartbeat again, but he couldn't even feel his own heartbeat, let alone a second one.
A crack of thunder broke Matt's thoughts, finally snapping him out of his stupor. An odd sensation pounded in his chest. He couldn't explain why, but he knew danger was coming.
Matt was about to run as fast as he could. However, there was another flash, like lightning, but no sound of thunder accompanied it. When Matt blinked the brightness away someone stood blocking his path. Matt staggered back, startled, surprised and frightened.
No one had been there a moment ago. Matt was sure he had been completely alone. But now a demon had appeared in front of him. At least that's what Matt thought at first, for it had a monstrous face and large leather wings. But as Matt recovered he could see that its face was only a silver mask and that there was the body of a person attached below it.
"Where are the guardians? Where is the Heart?" a voice asked from behind Matt. A shiver ran down his spine, he knew that voice. Unable to make his whole body turn to face the person who had spoken Matt looked back over his shoulder.
It was the girl! The silver haired girl that had tried to kill him! Serenity! And with her were a small group of armored demons, each wearing a silver mask like the face of a dragon.
Serenity's eyes flicked from side-to-side and two of the people surrounding Matt moved forward, reaching out to grab his arms. Matt reacted without thinking. His hands shot out. A burst of electrical energy erupted from his palms, striking the two boys in the chest.
One was sent flying out into the street where he crashed into a parked car. The frame of the vehicle crumpled like tinfoil around his body. The other boy was thrown through a wooden fence that boarded the edge of the sidewalk.
The Knight that had blocked Matt's path quickly wrapped his arms around Matt in a crushing bear hug. Matt gasped in pain as he felt his life force being sucked from his body.
Suddenly Matt felt a new sensation, like he had been pulled out of the universe. A moment later he popped back into existence a few hundred feet down the street.
"Dante!" Matt heard Serenity yell in the distance as she pointed at Matt. "Stop him!" Matt turned and ran as fast as he could. He ran so fast that when the portal of darkness opened in front of him Matt did not have time to avoid it. He raced through hardly even aware he had.
It was a girl that caught Matt around the neck as he emerged from the portal. Her brown eyes narrowed as she looked through her silver mask.
Matt felt his own eyes widen. "Will?" Matt choked out. Will's grip tightened.
"You took my powers!" said Will, coldly. "You took my Heart!"
"I…" Matt tried but his voice was cut off as Will's anger pressed harder on his neck.
Serenity rested a hand on Will wrist. "That is enough, Will." Serenity said. "If you kill him we will not be able to learn what we need to know." For a moment it looked as if Will was going to ignore Serenity and kill Matt anyway, but she let him go.
Matt fell to his knees, coughing. Serenity knelt down and lifted his chin with a gentle finger so that she could look at his face, his eyes. Serenity's own black soulless eyes met with Matt's. It felt like she was looking deep into him, past his eyes, as though trying to see his thoughts.
Matt couldn't move! His body wouldn't react.
"Tell us," whispered Serenity, "where the Guardians have taken the Heart of Kandrakar." Matt's voice was trying to speak, but he forced it down and shook his head, ever so slightly, unwilling to answer. "I see. You think you can still protect them?" Serenity sneered. Even though Matt was cold it was Serenity's touch that made him shiver.
"Perhaps a more powerful incentive 'Will' change your mind," said Serenity. Her eyes flicked to her left, looking back at the Dragon Knight who Matt knew was Will.
"Wh…Wh..ill," begged Matt, his voice coming out in gasps. Will looked at Matt with a cruel, unfeeling gaze. "Let… let her go and I'll tell you where they are!" Matt pleaded. Serenity returned her gaze to Matt.
"No," said Serenity without hesitation. "You shall tell me what I wish to know, where the Guardians are hiding, or I will take from you..." Serenity moved her hand around to the back of Matt's head, grabbing his hair, and pulling him forward so that she could whisper the last part into his ear, "… all of your memories of Will!"
Matt's eyes went wide. "You can't! I'll never forget! No matter what you do to me!" His eyes flicked over towards Will who watched him with anger on her face.
Serenity pulled Matt's head back to face her and kissed him roughly on the lips. Matt was shocked and confused, but quickly his emotions turn to fear as he felt his memories of Will become fuzzy and begin to slip away; like Serenity was sucking them out through his mouth.
Matt pulled free of the kiss, but only because Serenity had let him. She looked a little shocked herself.
"You taste like Will," said Serenity. She licked her lips hungry for more of his memories.
"Meridian," said Matt as he closed his eyes and looked away. "They went to Meridian."
"Good boy," said Serenity. "And for your reward, I will relieve you of the rest of your painful memories." Before Matt could protest, Serenity kissed him again, taking as many memories as she could until at last Matt hung limply in her embrace.
Serenity dropped Matt to the rain soaked ground before standing and facing the others.
"It seems the guardians are seeking help from an old friend," said Serenity. "Bring him with," Serenity's eyes flicked to Matt's unconscious form. "We'll drop him someplace where he can't cause anymore trouble. Then we will go to Meridian and finish this."
End of Part 1: To Be Continued!
Authors Notes:
First up, thank you to all my reviews who reviews last chapter: Taeniaea, XV-Dragon, DayDreamer9, Darev, lost prince, Dai Makai and 2ndChild!
Thank you to all of my readers who continue to read along! I hope you are enjoying the story.
This is a strange chapter, one that caused me a lot of grief actually. Originally it was its own episode block (as you might be able to tell), but after reading it over in the context of the story I found that the purpose for which I had intended it was not working.
This "chapter" was meant to be a break in the action, a pause before the fast passed climatic ending that spans two episodes! (hehe did that get anyone else excited?). However when it was its own episode it was just too long, too much pause.
I kept thinking, "this is great, but where are the others?"
So I dropped a few things… I dropped a lot of things… Alright, I took the first and fourth parts of the episode, grabbed the best parts of those and haphazardly stuffed them in here.
Don't worry you aren't missing out on anything. And it works much better with the story as a chapter instead of an episode anyhow. You get all the exposition in a nice neat little package… albeit a very face paced package that damn near gave me an aneurism from how much information I had to give out at once… but a little package none the less.
If anyone is at all interested there is some additional content in my forums called "Making the World" that talks about some of the ideas that went into making this.
Also, in my updates section I have posted the title for the last episode.
Anyhow…
Starwin out.