AN: Okay another chapter :/ Uhm... so beacuse I like making my life difficult, I added more chapters to vol. 2 so instead of 5 left...there's now 9 left...so when I said I'd be done with part 2 before august is out...yeah I lied XD (considering that I'm also starting classes next week so it's going to be even more difficult to finish :/)
Chapter XV.
A Warning Sign
About a day went by from the time the strange monster child had arrived at the temple. It was nearly two o'clock the next morning where Adinya remained awake with Master Kiade, Aleria, and the strange child. The four were sitting inside of the dining hall, where Adinya watched matronly over the child as she inhaled the food that was placed in front of her.
"You don't suppose Jack is right do you?" Kaide asked, placing a glass of water down next to the girl.
"You mean that she's a Shade?" Adinya replied quietly, not taking her eyes off of the girl, "Of course I think he's right? Why wouldn't he be?"
"But miss Adinya!" Aleria exclaimed, "Then why show so much interest in her if she's one of them!"
"What are you guys talking about?" The girl inquired, looking up at the three women with her face covered in food.
"It's nothing you need to worry yourself with," Adinya smiled, placing her hand on the girl's head, "Just silly grown-up talk."
"Okay!" the girl chirped sweetly as she continued eating.
"A child is innocent and retains that innocence regardless if the child is a Shade or not," Adinya stated calmly to Kaide and Aleria, "The better we can retain this child's innocence, the better chance she has of not becoming one of them…"
"But-" Aleria began in protest.
"Yes Master Adinya," Kaide interrupted, bowing before the High Councilwoman, "We will respect you judgment."
"Thank you," Adinya smiled, still looking at the girl, "Slow down little one! You'll make yourself sick."
"Sorry," the little girl replied, smiling at Adinya.
"Do you have a name dear," Kiade asked, looking down at her.
"I don't remember," She replied, looking down at the table, "I don't…remember anything…"
"Tiala," Adinya began, looking at her.
"What?" She replied, staring up at Adinya.
"That's your name," Adinya replied, laughing slightly, "It's Tiala…you told me not too long ago…did you forget so soon?" Tiala said nothing. She simply nodded in response.
"Adinya," Jack shouted, bursting into the hall suddenly. Tiala stared at him as though they had never met before.
"Who's that?" Tiala asked innocently, tugging on Adinya's sleeve.
"That's Jack," Adinya replied, looking down at her with a perplexed look, "You don't remember him either?"
"Nuh-uh," Tiala replied, shaking her head.
"What is it Jack?" Adinya replied, advancing towards him. Her expression was dire.
"There's an easier way," He replied in a whisper, holding Heiba's lexicon up to her face.
"Explain," Adinya replied, crossing her arms.
"You'll have to come with me," Jack replied, casually glancing back at Tiala.
"She doesn't even know her name," Adinya stated, "I doubt she even remembers what she is so it can't hurt to tell me in front of her."
"Fine," Jack growled, slamming the book down on to the long table in the centre of the hall. He thumbed through several hundred pages until he came to a page filled with diagrams and notes scribbled at random in a section towards the back of the book, "Look…" Jack demanded, pointing to a section of the notes, "It talks about something called an Anchorage Totem…"
"An item that keeps the Shade attached to our world," Adinya replied, her eyes scanning the notes, "It seems that Heiba left this little detail out of the equation…"
"It doesn't kill them if we destroy their totem," Jack explained, leaning over the lexicon along with Adinya, "It will just send them back to their world…"
"But that's counterproductive," Adinya sighed, slamming the lexicon shut, and pushing it back towards Jack, "If we send them back Sayuri will just open the portal again and bring whoever we banished back here."
"You weren't reading the notes," Jack replied, smiling confidently, as he opened the book back up, "Right there," Jack began, pointing to a section of notes added to the book, "It clearly states that once an Anchorage Totem is destroyed and a Shade is sent back to their world…they can't come back. Same goes for humans that are in worlds other than their own."
"I wonder why Lance and Alberio would keep that a secret from us," Adinya asked quietly to herself, looking over the pages one more time.
"Well White Shadows can travel inter-dimensionally so they wouldn't need totems," Jack replied, "It must only apply to humans and Shade."
"So if it comes down to us having to travel to their realm," Adinya began, "Must we bring a totem as well?"
"I think so," Jack nodded, "The good thing about this though is that even though the Shade won't be harmed on return…but neither will any of us."
"That's still troublesome," Adinya added, "This means rather than finding a way to simply destroy them, we would have to locate their totem and destroy it instead."
"I thought that you'd be excited about this?" Jack replied, sounding confused, "It's an alternative to wasting another crystallized soul."
"It is," Adinya sighed, "And in theory this should work…but what if the shade don't carry their totems with them?"
"Not likely," Jack replied again smiling confidently as he showed Adinya another section of notes, "an Anchorage Totems has to be something unique to each Shade or human, something that they brought from their world that they wouldn't easily forget what it was. It also says that whether a shade is traveling to this world or a human to theirs, the Anchorage Totem needs to stay with them at all times. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pocket watches, they're all common mediums for becoming a totem."
"That's helpful," Adinya smiled, placing a hand on Jack's shoulder.
"So what's her story?" Jack inquired, looking over towards Tiala.
"She doesn't remember anything," Adinya replied, "Before I brought her here she told me her name, and that was all. But ten minuets ago she couldn't even remember that… I believe that this girl has been through a lot more than meets the eye."
"Still," Jack sighed, "I wouldn't trust her…"
"She's just a child," Adinya replied, turning away from Jack and heading back towards Kiade, Aleria, and Tiala, "Regardless if she's a Shade or not.'
"Hmm…" Jack thought, lifting the lexicon off of the table and taking one more glance at Tiala. It was at that moment he saw a thick metal peg through Tiala's ear. Jack had remembered that when he pursued Tiala, she had nothing with her (literally). He came to the conclusion that that had to be her anchorage totem.
"So she's a Shade?" Kimiko inquired. She and a few of the aspects were sitting around a small dimly lit room in a little used section of the temple.
"That's right," Jack nodded, leaning against one of the walls.
"That's weird," Raimundo added, "I mean, given how Adinya's treating her."
"Yeah," Neviaan nodded, "It was almost like she knew the kid or something… plus given how Jack attacked her-"
"Hey!" Jack exclaimed, "I thought she was an enemy! Besides what the hell was a Shade doing here in the middle of the night! I was suspicious."
"I'm not questioning your motives," Neviaan replied flatly.
"Yeah," Ninamori chimed in, "We all just didn't know that you liked them young!"
"I told you it wasn't what it looked like!" Jack exclaimed, red in the face from either anger or embarrassment. The group then began to laugh as Jack quickly tried to defend himself. All except Tazuna, who looked troubled
"So what should we do about her?" Tazuna began, interrupting the laughter and merriment.
"I don't know," Jack replied, looking down at the ground, "Adinya said she wants us to stay away from her for now…I can't quite figure out why but I have the feeling that Adinya might be protecting her for whatever reason."
"But from who?" Zeiva asked innocently.
"I think the better question is, from what?" Clay replied.
"Sayuri," Wuya stated, "Adinya might want to keep her from joining Sayuri's forces. She could also be protecting her from my Mother. If Heiba figures out that there's a Shade running around that isn't evil, she'll probably want to take it in for experimentation."
"Don't count out the Council either," Tazuna added direly, "Adinya might want to keep the girl safe, but Amaya and Hannibal may not be so obliging to Adinya's wishes this time."
"Hey!" Omi shouted, bursting into the room suddenly. He looked somewhat troubled and a little out of breath.
"Omi?" Jack inquired, looking confused, "What's wrong?"
"You are not going to believe who is here!" Omi exclaimed, looking somewhat troubled.
"Where is she!" Chase exclaimed angrily, pushing Omi aside as he stormed into the room. The old woman known as Marina was standing behind him and the group didn't know whether to ask who the woman was or to ask what Chase was doing back so soon.
"Chase?" Jack began, breaking the awkward silence in the room, "W-what are you doing back here…I mean not that we mind but-"
"Where's the girl Jack!" Chase exclaimed, seizing Jack by the collar of his shirt, "I received a Message from Adinya she said that she's here now where is she!"
"You mean Tiala?" Jack replied, pushing Chase away from him, "She's with Adinya! We've been ordered not to go near her!"
"Then tell me where Adinya is!" Chase growled, standing uncomfortably close to Jack, "Now!"
"Dining hall!" Jack replied testily, "Geez!" Jack scoffed as Chase stormed out of the room, the old woman in tow.
"What was that about?" Wuya scoffed, chuckling slightly.
"Not sure," Jack replied, still a little shocked and confused, "But I think that kid just became the least of our worries…"
"Who was that woman with him too?" Raimundo asked, "I mean…I thought Chase liked 'em young and pretty not old and hag like…"
"That old woman is Marina of the Deep Mountain," Wuya replied confidently, "She's gifted in the occult and a close friend to Heiba…"
"But what was she doing here with Chase?" Jack replied, turning to face the group.
"We shouldn't trouble ourselves with it right now," Neviaan replied, rising to his feet. He walked to the other side of the room and made his way out the door, "I suggest we let Adinya and Chase take care of this Tiala chick…Shade or not…we've got enough to deal with…so take my advice and go to bed!"
"Where are you going?" Zeiva called, as Jack began to leave the room, following Neviaan.
"I need to think," Jack replied casually, "I'm just going for a walk around the grounds is all…" He concluded, leaving the room.
"Why is it that everything that goes on here is either a conspiracy or a freak show," Ninamori sighed, tossing her back on to the floor.
"That is a good question," Kimiko sighed, staring at the door.
"Wait," Zeiva exclaimed, rising to her feet, "has anyone seen Amy?"
"Things just keep getting weirder and weirder around here don't they?" Jack asked himself, standing upon the ledge of the koi pond.
"Who are you talking to!" Chirped a young girl's voice from behind Jack. Jack turned around quickly and saw the little girl behind him, watching innocently with her violet eyes.
"Nobody," Jack scoffed, turning away from her, "Besides what are you doing out here! Shouldn't you be with Adinya?"
"Oh the nice lady with the yellow hair!" Tiala chirped, leaping on to the ledge of the koi pond beside Jack, "She doesn't even know I left!" Tiala smiled, looking down into the water at the brightly colored fish.
"What are you talking about?" Jack inquired, looking down at the odd little child. But before she answered him, she leapt into the koi pond, splashing about and creating another scene, "Hey! Knock that off!"
"Why?" Tiala asked innocently, lifting something out of the water. She was holding a flailing koi in her hands and she giggled sweetly as she watched the creature gasp for air.
"Hey put that back!" Jack demanded, jumping into the pond after her, "You'll kill it!"
"I'm just playing a game!" Tiala giggled playfully, "I remember watching you and your friends play it all the time!"
"Wha-" Jack thought. And that's when it hit him. Master Kiade used to run the Aspects through drills that tested their patience and focus. I.e. catching a fish with one's bare hands, "You don't remember your name or what you are but you remember something as stupid as that! Besides what were you doing here at the temple!"
"I don't remember," Tiala replied, dropping the fish back into the water, "Stuff is fuzzy…I remember some things…but most of the people I remember don't have faces…"
I'm pretty sure that's not normal for a ten year old, Jack thought. He approached the girl and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't mean to yell at you," Jack stated sincerely with a slight smile, "I was just-"
"Protecting your family!" Tiala smiled warmly, "That's who all these people here are right? You're a big family! And that blonde lady must be your mommy!"
"Sort of," Jack replied, laughing slightly, "But Tiala can I ask you something?"
"Uh huh," Tiala nodded.
"Can you try to remember what you are?" Jack inquired, but the minuet he said those words, a look of horror flooded the girl's face.
"I remember you!" She screamed, pushing Jack away from her, "You're the boy from the bad place!"
"What are you talking about!" Jack exclaimed, seizing the wrist of the girl, "I'm just trying to help you!"
"That what you said last time!" She screamed, clawing at Jack's arm, trying to make him let go of her, "Then you tried to send me back to the bad place!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Jack pleaded.
"NO!" Tiala screamed as she began to glow slightly. In that instant, the courtyard flooded with identical copies of the strange little girl. Before Jack could even think, the clones rushed towards him and leapt on to him, scratching, clawing and biting as they did so.
"Enough!" Chase shouted, entering the courtyard, following Adinya. The Tiala copies ceased their attack and pulled away from Jack, who was concealed behind a bluish shell along with the original Tiala. Chase walked past the copies and towards Jack. Jack let go of Tiala who stared with tears in her eyes at Chase, "Now…can you remember how many copies you created?"
"Y-yeah…" Tiala cried.
"How many?" Chase smiled, keeping his hand on Tiala's shoulder, "you don't have to tell me…just think it." Tiala stood quietly and thought for a moment. And then, one by one, the copies faded. Tiala then fainted, falling into Chase's arms. He then lifted her out of the pond and held her as though she was his own daughter.
"Chase," Jack gasped, "Adinya look…she's a shade! What more proof do you need! We should-"
"Jack I know," Chase sighed, "I know she's a Shade…I know how she got here…I know everything…that's why when Adinya sent me the message, I came back."
"But…" Jack began, confused and disoriented, "But how did you know? "Because," Chase replied, looking down at the girl, "I brought her to this world…"
"Are you sure she's here?" Sasha asked, standing beside Ketsuraku in front of a large white door.
"I believe this is where they're keeping your sister," Ketsuraku replied walking away from Sasha and heading down the hallway.
Just open the door… Sasha thought, What's the worst that can happen?
Sasha pushed the door open ever so slightly. In the first moment, she saw a young girl standing in front of a large mirror, brushing through her long black hair. She was short and pale, with light blue eyes and dressed in a red silk kimono. Sasha was about to rush into the room and wrap her arms around her younger sister, when a flash of light stopped her. When the light dissipated, she saw that Lycoris was gone, and in her place was the Shade that took the form of her twin brother.
"What's going on here!" Sasha exclaimed, bursting into the large white room. However, she soon realized that she was not alone with Fayte. Zetsumei, Yami, Alessa and none other than Sayuri were in the room also.
"I was afraid that you might ask Ketsuraku to bring you here…" Sayuri sighed, placing a hand on her face and shaking her head, "If you would have just been patient Sasha…"
"Where's Lycoris!" Sasha demanded, charging into the room.
"What should we tell her?" Yami cooed darkly, sitting upon the bed across the room as she began to sharpen her lengthy razor-like fingernails.
"Why not just tell her the truth," Zetsumei laughed cynically as he laid down in Yami's lap and pulling Alessa down on to the bed with him.
"Of course," Alessa replied darkly, "You see Sasha…Lycoris has been dead for a long time. I intended to hold your little sister hostage until Chase did what I asked him to, but you know how little kids are…such a pain! Always complaining! So one day, without meaning to, I let your brother Albel into her cell and he accidentally cut her throat…sorry my dear…"
"That just leaves us with our last loose end," Fayte continued darkly, "Now that you know there's no Lycoris…what should we do with you?"
"Get away from me!" Sasha exclaimed, backing away from the group.
"You can relax kid," Zetsumei laughed, keeping his two women close at hand, "I'm sure Sayuri has no intention of killing you yet…"
"No I have different plans for you," Sayuri replied casually. Sasha didn't hesitate, she was about to run away when something struck her hard on the back of the neck, causing her to fall unconscious.
"Thank you Albel," Sayuri replied, lifting Sasha's unconscious head off of the ground by the roots of her hair, "You've proven more useful than your younger sister could have ever been."
"Thank you master," Albel bowed, throwing Sasha over his shoulder.