AN: The originality continues! Dun dun duuuuuuuun!


The Seeker Within

Chapter 42- The Mistake

Weak winter sunlight broke the dark horizon, pure rays of light making heavenly pathways through the night sky as the sun began its daily journey once again. Amber eyes, the same colour as the fiery chariot now peeking over the Earth's rim, peered sleepily out the window over the brim of the steaming mug in their owner's hands. Dante sighed, rubbing sleep from his eyes, tired, black bags already beginning to show. The auburn had stayed out till exhaustion had forced him home, searching relentlessly for someone who didn't want to be found.

Loki.

Her name cut through his heart like a knife, bringing back painful memories of all the others he had lost along the way. Yesterday, there had been so many times that he'd thought he'd seen her. A flash of blonde hair, and gleam of azure eyes, a flicker of a cheeky smile. It never was. As Loki herself had written, it was as if she had never existed, save for the faint hint of perfume that lingered in the house.

A knock at the door shocked the russet-haired Seeker from his thoughts, and hope flickered through his tired mind before he had a chance to push it away. Clearing his head and heart, he hurried to the door, opening it to reveal...

Zhalia. He smiled at her, not disappointed in the slightest. The blue-haired Seeker felt her heart jump when he grinned at her, but her cold inner self noted the sadness that lingered in his amber orbs.

"I came to check on how Loki's doing." She said cautiously. There it was again- that flash of pain that was quickly covered up with emptiness. Something had happened. "How is she?"

Dante sighed, gesturing for her to come in before leading the way to the living room. "There's something I need to tell you..."


Half an hour later, Zhalia sighed, nursing the cup of coffee in her hands, as Dante finished his story. "I can't believe that Loki would really do this." He murmured. "But there's nothing in her notes to suggest she'd been forced by anyone."

The mocha-orbed woman narrowed her eyes, thinking. "Something obviously happened to make Loki believe that this was the only way. The only thing that could have happened was that spell the suits used, the one on her neck. Has Guggenheim found anything from the Foundation's researchers yet?"

The auburn shook his head. "Nothing. I haven't heard from him since we came back from Ireland."

Nodding to herself, Zhalia tapped Gareon's amulet around her neck with a finger. "Can you call Solwing out for me?" She asked, an idea beginning to take shape in her mind. Dante gave a small smile.

"Of course." He called over his shoulder as he went to fetch the blue-stoned pendant from where he had left it the night before, silently wondering what she was up to.


An hour later

Gareon glowered at the ground, hating how far away it was. The little lizard was hanging from Solwing's golden claws, using his abilities to keep them hidden from human sight. He muttered under his breath in quiet reptilian growls, hearing faint laughter from his Seeker in reply, which only served to sour his mood even further. The titans were scouring the streets of eastern Venice, flying low over the rooftops with sharp eyes and bated breath. Solwing gave a soft cry as a shadow moved in a doorway, and the green creature tensed in his talons. They both sagged with disappointment when a haggard, old tramp stumbled out of the alleyway, shaking his head clear of foggy sleep before staggering off, bottle in hand.

On the other side of the ancient city, the Seekers weren't having much luck finding what they were seeking. It was truly as if the blonde had disappeared without a trace. Dante was losing hope of ever finding Loki, but every time he thought about giving up, he remembered who she was: a quick, clever mind hidden behind bright, blue eyes; a brave, loyal and fiercely proud girl, whose love for her friends came first before everything, even her own safety. The auburn sighed- the azure-orbed teen would never have given up on him, or anyone else. Now it was his turn not to give up on her.

Zhalia shot a glance at her companion, mocha eyes narrowed and filled with quickly concealed worry. "We should split up." She said at last, to break the suffocating silence. "Cover more ground." Dante frowned, thinking it over before nodding.

"Alright," He said slowly, scanning the surrounding alleyways. "Can you give me your number so I can call you if I find her, or visa versa." Later, the gold-eyed man would look back and congratulate himself on coming up with the perfect excuse to get the blue-haired woman's mobile number, but at the present time, his mind was concerned with another woman, or rather, girl.

Zhalia, sensing an ulterior motive, raised an eyebrow before passing him a small, non-descript mobile, then held out her hand for his. The pair quickly exchanged numbers, something the mocha-orbed Seeker thought she might someday regret, before returning to their search, each going their own separate way.


Not too far away, their flaxen-haired quarry was bitterly wishing that she had thought to bring her amulets with her. All alone and on the run, she could have done with Springer's quick mind, and Freelancer's courage to keep her going, not to mention the protection any one of her four titans would bring. Her mind filled with thoughts of Kipperin, her hand drifted unconsciously to her neck, where the winged creature's pendant would usually hang, needing the comfort the cool steel and stone would bring. Loki managed to stop herself from touching her neck just in time, drawing her hand away from the bright markings that ringed her throat. Not knowing what they were, she thought it best to leave them alone.

With a quiet sigh, the girl stood from the doorway where she had spent the night, looking at the sky for any signs of Solwing. She'd seen the bird yesterday, and had narrowly avoided him several times. A small quirk pulled her lips into a sarcastic smile. She might have guessed that Dante wouldn't listen. The blonde ran a hand through her hair thinking. She'd have to be careful- her auburn mentor was a good Seeker, and to top it off, he was a detective too. As his prey, she'd have to be on her guard at all times.

She couldn't let him find her, couldn't let any of them find her.

Azure eyes wide, Loki froze. Any of them... Cursing, she ran down the alleyway, quickly moving through the streets, ducking and diving through alleyways and hurtling down side-streets, constantly moving. Dante had probably contacted Zhalia by now, and that meant they'd have Gareon searching for her. The little titan would be a big problem if he was here- with his invisibility, she wouldn't be able to see him before it was too late.

Unknown to her, eyes watched her pass from the shadows, a grin of sharp, white teeth flashing in the darkness. The black-haired boy fingered the skull-shaped amulet resting in the hollow of his throat. "Impet, appear." The tiny humanoid quickly formed at his master's side, head cocked at a curious angle, his ears flopping cutely over his devious eyes. The boy looked down, red eyes like evil pits of fire in his gaunt and hollow face. "I need you to carry a message. The Boss will be very interested in this."


As darkness fell on that cold, September day, Dante's phone finally rang, and the auburn picked up, hands shaking with exhaustion and anticipation. Zhalia's voice crackled down the line. "Still no sign of Loki." Gold eyes dimmed, and the man's shoulders sagged with disappointment.

"Same here. Have Gareon and Solwing seen her?" On the other end of the line, the blue-haired woman shook her head.

"They thought they did once, but it wasn't her." Dante sighed, running a hand through his hair as he thought.

"Alright," He said at last, voice dull and hopeless. "We'll meet up back at my house, and start again as soon as it gets light." Another sigh echoed down the line before Zhalia replied.

"Did you ever think that maybe she didn't want to be found?" The russet-haired man froze, similar thoughts that had been preying on his mind all day suddenly rushing forwards, demanding they be heard. Taking his silence as denial, the coffee-eyed Seeker went on. "Did you ever think that, maybe, she got tired of being scared for her life every time she stepped out the front door? Running away may have seemed like the only solution."

Dante tried to interrupt. "Zhalia, please-"

"Give up." The words cut through them both like a knife, but the blue-haired woman knew that it had to be done. "She's not coming back. Not now, not ever."

Never had silence seemed so loud between the pair. The amber-orbed Seeker's voice finally broke it, hoarse with tears and anger. "Don't say that. You can't ask me to give up on her- you know I can't do that."

Zhalia scoffed, glad he couldn't see her face, brushing away tears of her own. She had never hated following her grandfather's orders more than she did now. Dante's heart was as precious to her as her own, and now she was shattering it into little pieces, and grinding it beneath the heel of her boots. "Then go ahead, waste your life for all I care. You'll spend the rest of your life looking for something that you can never find." She hung up before walking away, letting her tears fall freely now that there was no one to see them.

"Gareon," She called quietly, running a finger softly over the jagged edge of his amulet. "Return." Emerald green surrounded her for a moment before gently fading away, the reptile's coarse growls chattering in her ears.

A soft gasp, quickly followed by a quiet curse reached the woman's ears, and she span, coffee-coloured eyes meeting azure. "Loki?"

The blonde turned and ran, Zhalia close on her heels. "Loki! Wait!" The girl looked back, only long enough to send a Raypulse at a pile of boxes, creating a blockade of smoking wood and charred remains. Cursing, the blue-haired Seeker turned on her heel, calling Gareon and Strix forth. The three wasp-like titans flew straight after the girl, and the green lizard appeared on the wall beside his mistress, crawling at top speed before leaping onto her shoulder. She didn't falter, used to her friend's comings and goings, propelling herself around a corner, and diving out of the way of someone coming the other way, rolling and clambering to her feet before preparing to go again, but a single word stopped her.

"Zhalia?"

Her name, spoken by a familiar voice. Golden eyes staring deep into her own, large, gentle hands helping her to her feet, she had, of all the rotten, wondrous luck, ran straight into Dante.

"I saw her, she ran." The blue-haired woman gasped, sending Gareon ahead to keep the trail fresh. Seeing her companion's amber orbs widen and fill with hope, she knew she didn't need to say who it was she had seen.

"Which way?" The auburn asked in a faltering voice, not daring to believe. Zhalia shot him a grin.

"Just follow Gareon- now, come on!"


The pair raced down the alleyways of Venice, following the reptilian snarls of their unseen guide. Time and time again, they caught a flash of golden hair, and knew they were getting closer.

A bright blur at the corner of Zhalia's eye was the only warning she got before a Raypulse made a blazing trail before her, two more following to turn the air before herself and Dante into a deadly barrier. When the fire had cleared, a group of men, no more than 10 in all, stood at the end of the street, blocking their path as easily as the Raypulse had.

A boy at the front, veiled in shadows and the obvious leader, raised a hand, and two men peeled off from the back. Dante growled with helpless anger, and clenched his hands into glowing Dragonfists. Zhalia stood by his side, eyes narrowed. She didn't recognize any of the team before them, and none of them recognized her, a rare thing. All the Organization suits knew her identity- Klaus's protegé, untouchable, and on a mission that could topple the Foundation once and for all. These people, whoever they were, weren't Organization, and by the way they had attacked them, it wasn't that hard to figure out that they weren't Foundation Seekers either.

Zhalia took a step back from her opponents, and tapped the russet-haired man's hand twice, a Seeker signal- "Get ready to fight." He answered with an imperceptible nod, and the fire around his hands grew brighter, feeding off his protective rage- it was clear that these people were after Loki too. Could these thugs be the reason Loki had left?

Eyes glinting from the darkness, the leader gave a soft laugh. "How cute. They think they can beat us to save their little friend." The thugs gave of low, grunting noises that might have been laughter in a pig, but in humans was just stupidity in a chuckle. The leader, one of the youngest there, clicked his fingers, and the laughter stopped. "Teach them a lesson, boys." White teeth flashed in a cocky grin. "I have a bounty to collect." Silence and movement in the shadows was the only inclination that he had gone.

Dante shifted on his feet, desperate to go after the teen, and the men's attention snapped back to the pair, eyes narrowing in the darkening gloom of the evening. Zhalia drew the auburn back with a gentle hand, having to stand on tip toe to whisper in his ear. "If we keep their attention here, there are less to go after Loki." Golden eyes, amber with anger and fear for the blonde, looked back, and their owner nodded once.

"Then let's keep it here, shall we?" Only a slight tremor in his voice showed how strongly he was fighting the urge to blast these men, these animals, into dust, to destroy them all till what was his was safe. Though he knew Loki would scoff at they way he thought about it, to him she was his, his daughter and friend and teammate all wrapped up into one.

Zhalia reaching into her thigh-pouch, judging her strength, and warning Gareon and Strix of the dangers to come. She barely stopped herself from jumping with surprise when the air nearby shimmered like heat, and the small lizard jumped onto her shoulder, growling and snarling, snapping at the group opposite and lashing his tail with frustration.

Deafening silence echoed on the cold air, before a loud bang broke it into jagged shards, a high, young scream coating them in black, dark fear. Dante felt his heart lurch, gathering his power, Raypulse hovering on his lips, when he realized something. The scream wasn't Loki- both he had Zhalia had heard it far too often to mistake it for another's. The cry that had filled the air mere moments before was male. The thugs paled, recognizing the voice, and some turned tail and fled, fearing a prey that could take out their strongest fighter in seconds more than they did the punishments that would befall them for desertion.

Footsteps echoed down the side-street, and a waft of autumn breeze brought the salty, damp smell of the canals- and the sickening, sweet stench of burning flesh. The boy that had left before, wild-eyed with pain, black hair mussed, staggered into view, face twisted with madness. "Get her." He ordered his team, low and dangerous, a command to be obeyed. "Get her NOW!" The leader screamed, pointing down the alley-way with what must once have been his hand, now a charred, ruined piece of mangled skin, blood and bone.

Dante felt the blood rush from his face, staring at the mutilated hand with a strange mix of fascination and horror. The Loki he knew could never hurt someone, not like this angry, violent attack, the evidence of which was staring him in the face. Zhalia stayed as she was, having seen much worse in her years as both a Foundation operative, and the Organization's best assassin.

Seeing his men falter, the boy narrowed his eyes, which gleamed like blood in his too pale face. "Scared? Don't be- she's out for the count." He growled. "I'll deal with these Foundation scumbags. Now go collect our bounty, before I take the weight of gold we'll be paid from your miserable flesh. Capiche?" Ruby eyes, pupils slanted like a snake, were filled with a deadly promise as he moved to stand alone before the Huntik pair. The thugs scattered like pigeons, running to find the girl they'd hunted for so long.

As soon as the men were out of sight, the boy met Dante's eyes with a cocky grin. "I'd love to stay and play a while, but I have better things to do. Vale, we'll meet again, and I'll make you pay for what your little daughter," He spat the word, hatred almost like a physical force in his voice. "Did. She's valuable, see, and I doubt I'd get the chance to see her again, where she's going." The boy's smile widened as his gaze fell on the blue-haired woman to his left. "And you, Lady Moon, I shall see very soon. Now, I've got to get going, as I have a meeting to attend."

Zhalia saw him slip a hand into his back pocket as he bowed to them, and opened her mouth to warn Dante, who was sneaking forwards to attack, when the boy called to the titan whose amulet he was now holding, filling the night sky with a hideous, winged snake, whose crimson eyes glinted in an exact match to its Seeker's. "Carry me forth, Shakrit!"

The Foundation operatives backed away, knowing the dragon's master by its name alone. "Wind..." The coffee-eyed double-agent whispered, fear in her eyes as she looked at Dante, the first time he had ever seen that emotion in her beautiful mocha orbs. "Leader of the Blood Spiral..." Gale-force winds blasted them back as the titan took to the air, Wind standing on its scaled head.

"Farewell, doomed ones!" He called to them, as he flew away, cradling his burned hand to his chest to protect it against the air currents, eyes narrowing as he saw something beyond them. "See you soon!"

Feeling hope sink in their hearts, the pair turned around, and found themselves face to face with burning, emerald fires. "I sensed Loki's energy flare." William Casterwill growled in way of an explination as he padded towards them, his footfalls as angry and graceful as a tiger's. "Now, would anyone like to explain to me why they were having a nice conversation with the leader of the group that hunted my family into extinction?"


AN: Yep, you guessed it! In this story, Blood Spiral is a whole different thingy-ma-bob! I love tormenting these guys.

Well done, you guessed it again. It's gonna get a whole lot worse for Dante and the team!