Chapter 25
Disclaimer: I thought about leaving this story alone for afew days and letting my dear readers suffer a little at the unexpected turn of events that happened last chapter…but I have had a change of heart. So I know it is brief but without further delay…Chapter 25
Sheena raced through the forest lines after being brought here by the duo that belonged to Valemeros, she was skeptical at first of their intention when they first escorted her from her room. She did not know what to think of Valemeros living to his word and freeing her after he gained what he wished. Sheena jumped up to a tree branch and managed to balance herself almost instantly as she glanced behind her where she was running from.
"Next time…warn me before you dash off like that." Cat spoke in a purr as she faded into existence, sitting on the tree branch beside Sheena.
"Hey, it was you that said they were bringing me into the forest to kill me." Sheena snapped in a soft whisper, regaining her breath.
"No, I said that this is how it always happens in the books after the main antagonist has used up the usefulness of their captor." Cat purred lightly while her tail swayed back and forth. "It could have been worse…could have made you his evil bride." Cat teased in a playful manner.
"That is not funny," Sheena snapped, feeding a glare to her feline companion.
"So since we are freed, that means that dum-dum gave in and told the puffy shirt what he wanted to know." Cat pointed out, her green eyes scanning the area. "We are not being followed by the way, I would have heard it." Cat added in.
"That is not important right now," Sheena was quick to reply. 'What is important is that I must get to him.' She thought to herself, her eyes turning up towards the skies.
"Wait a minute, you have been suffering for days over these Exspheres and now they are not important? Human nature is just not worth trying to understand." Cat shook her head lightly.
"Lloyd has his reasons…we just need to find him." Sheena smiled with a light, self-assuring nod.
"You put a lot of faith in lover-boy." Cat purred curiously.
"I do…" Sheena confessed without second thought.
"Why?" Cat could not help but ask.
"Too many reasons to explain, every single one of them more convincing then the next and you need to know him to believe them...just believe me when I say he deserves my faith." Sheena spoke softly with a light smile, remembering when Lloyd never gave up on her even though she had given up on herself.
"I don't have a choice but to believe him…I'm bound to that ring, so whatever you do and where ever you go—I must follow." Cat yawned casually.
A desperate energy coursed through her body coupled with the feel of excitement at being free and allowed to find Lloyd. Sheena first needed to gain her bearing and find out where she was; leaping from branch to branch, the female ninja now sat at the top of the tree so she could figure out just how deep in the forest she was.
Sheena was pleasantly surprised to see that Luin was actually not too far away, feeling a relieved smile come to her face, she knew Lloyd would certainly find her there. Her relief was short lived however as she saw a tornado composed of mana rise into the sky, soon followed by a loud scream of agony that made her heart drop instantly to the bottoms of her feet.
"Lloyd…" Sheena whispered in dread. Her eyes over the trees to determine the quickest route to Luin, grabbing one of the thicker tree branches, Sheena pulled as hard as she could. The branch finally cracked and broke a branch thick enough to count as a two-handed mace. Placing it on her shoulder she turned her gaze towards Luin and jumped down from the trees; landing perfectly on the branch, Sheena dashed through the tree tops as quick as her legs would carry her.
'Lloyd…I'm coming…please hold on!' Sheena's mind screamed, driving her to leap from branch to branch faster.
Using her free hand, Sheena grabbed her sleeve and tore the fabric from her shoulder; the tear already revealed a hidden seal that Sheena had sewn into her purple tunic, grabbing the piece of paper she looked at it with a desperate hope.
'Good…just what I was hoping for.' Sheena's mind voiced before Sheena put the seal between her lips and bit down on it to keep the seal in easy access.
The ground rumbled as the trees rattled violently, actually making Sheena stop to regain her balance as her eyes followed a sudden massive pillar of swirling mana. Her heart beat rapidly as her breath caught in her throat and struck fear deep into her soul; she knew that the pillar of mana was meant for Lloyd and such a massive gathering of concentrated mana meant that Lloyd had little chance of surviving the attack if he was hit by it. If anyone could survive it though, Sheena knew it would be Lloyd and she had to believe that.
'Please…Verius…protect Lloyd.' Sheena pleaded.
Regaining her balance, Sheena dashed along the tree branches once more.
'What would you be willing to do to help him?' Verius asked from deep within Sheena's heart.
'You do not even need to ask…my heart is an open book to you.' Sheena responded while keeping her focus ahead of her.
'Will you share his pain?' Verius asked.
'If it would save him, then yes.' Sheena responded, tears were lining the bottom of her eyes hearing Verius speak like this, like he was predicting Lloyd's demise.
'Then let it be so.' Verius whispered.
Sheena felt a warmth through her body as Verius filled her with mana and she suddenly heart another heartbeat in her head, Lloyd's heart beat…she knew it was his.
'I can only do this once Sheena, then I shall need to regain my strength.' Verius confessed.
Sheena only gave a nod while sprinting along the tree branches, her heart gave a jump when she saw the ruin of Luin through the green leafs. Sheena jumped down to touch to the ground and dashed to the forests edge; the sight she saw horrified her as she came just in time to see the pillar of mana crash down on Lloyd.
Agony instantly paralyzed her body as Sheena dropped the tree branch, her body slammed against the tree closest to her as she grabbed her heart and felt her body become overwhelmed with the sensation that could only be described as shattering to pieces, her body felt like it was suddenly made of glass and someone had just smashed her to pieces. Her organs already started to fail her as blood trickled from the corner of her lips. She could swear she heard the cracking of the bones in her body and her world faded from the welcoming blackness; Sheena fought hard against the release of unconsciousness, she would endure the brutal pain if it meant staying awake.
'Sheena…Sheena…' Verius whispered.
Her world started to blacken, she could do nothing more to fight it. Her eyes started to close as her body became limp.
'Sheena…' she suddenly heard Lloyd whisper in her mind.
Her brown eyes burst open when she heard Lloyd whispering in her mind, letting out a desperate gasp as she shivered in agonized trauma before somehow finding the resolve to push herself back to her feet, picking up the tree branch while doing so.
Sheena's sight was hazed, her body spent and yet she somehow found the resolve and strength to push herself back to her feet. She walked as Valemeros started to walk towards the large boulder where she could only assume Lloyd was. She could die if she was caught but she would rather perish with Lloyd then stand by and watch him die.
'Just…need a little more…strength…' Sheena pleaded to herself.
Sheena dashed out from the forest edges, grabbing the seal from her lips as she placed it against the tree branch while her eyes closed for a moment to focus, the seal reacted by starting to give off a faint glow. Her eyes opened just in time to see Valemeros crumble the boulder and watched as he covered his mouth and turned his head away from the kicked up dust. This would be her only chance, desperation pushed her body to limits she had yet explored as she felt her legs pick up speed; the doorway would only be but a few seconds.
Sheena dropped the tree-branch by the severely damaged Lloyd she saw through the thick dust; kneeling down quickly she slipped her arms around his body and pulled him up from the debris, jumping to the side, Sheena did her best to flee the scene before the dust cleared.
Glancing over her shoulder for a moment, Sheena was relieved to see the tree branch transform into a perfect illusion of Lloyd and lay in wait for Valemeros. It was an ancient trick she was taught by her mentor in Mizuho.
Leaping into the tree line, Sheena disappeared into the bush, cradling Lloyd's body to her own as she held his head to her chest and watched the horrific sight unfold as Valemeros brutally killed who he thought was a wounded Lloyd. Sheena breathed heavily as her muscles cramped.
"Lloyd…" Sheena whispered down at him in a soft, comforting tone.
Sheena looked down at him, bleeding from over a dozen opening on his body, a tear slide down her touch and splashed against Lloyd's head as she lowered her head to his and held him close. Her heart becoming a turbulent storm mixed with dread, relief and sorrow as she held his bleeding body to her.
"It's ok Lloyd…everything is going to be ok…I'm here." Sheena whispered while she tried to calm his heavy breathing caused by the shock his body was going through. "Lloyd…stay with me please…don't leave me now." She whispered lifting her head just enough to look down at him with tear filled eyes. "Lloyd?" she asked helplessly.
She watched as his breathing became shallow, the bleeding was not stopping and there were too many wounds for her to try to stop. Fear took over her heart as she thought that she may have just delayed the inevitable.
"Lloyd…please don't leave me…please…" Sheena pleaded in helpless sorrow, leaning forward again so she could hold him close, whispering into his ear. "I need you…"
The illusion of the slain Lloyd, left in the valley sized crater by Extinction, flickered before turning back into a splintered tree branch—the seal darkened into charred paper.