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Chapter 30: The Door
It all happened so fast. There was no sense of time, no scenery, no sound or smell, nothing. The whole world had plunged into darkness. Maybe she was dead, maybe all she did was separate her soul from her body and now she was stuck in limbo. That was until she heard white noise followed by her own heart beat. It was slow but grew louder and louder with every second until it had startled her awake with a soft shorted gasp. Her eyes opened wide, seeing white all around her as she continued to take in breaths as if she had been holding them, little by little regaining a cautious sense of her eerie surroundings.
She was in a white abyss, in nothing but her bare skin while standing in front of a large grey stone door just a few feet away. In the center of her and this door sat a crossed legged figure merely admiring her, with no face. She paled and took a step back only to feel the cold stone of the same looking door standing behind her, large and intimidating. She could see now that the marble and stone was carved and marked with what looked like a diagram branching off of different spectrums all up the front of it until it reached the top. She wasn't entirely sure what it was or what it meant, but it resembled a family tree the way it branched itself out into different words and symbols. It would've been beautiful if it didn't look so ominous looming over her like a tombstone, "So..." Her attention was immediately brought back to the ghostly figure behind her, it now having a big grin on its face as it spoke, "A new comer here to bargain away their soul." The tone was that of a million voices at once, those among it sounding almost her own, but there was a sense of playfulness to his question when he said this. Elise, still trying to understand what was happening, said nothing at first. She merely looked back bewildered, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She didn't trust it, even taking another step back in order to put more distance between her and whatever this was.
When she didn't answer the thing hummed a sigh and shrugged, "Well, if you will not talk, then I guess there's nothing to discuss..." After saying that, it didn't take long for Elise to find her voice, "Who are you?" She asked out right balling her fist as the faded ghostly outline chuckled coolly, and put its arms up ecstatically, "Oh, she speaks! And here I was beginning to think you a mute. Hmm, a good question though, who am I?" With no eyes, and only an eerie smile, it made a sound that resembled a laugh, 'All you have to do is look inside yourself to know that I am a part of you, of all things. Of the one and the all." She didn't understand its meaning, but from what she was gathering, the void, the door, and the mysterious being, it was the next step after death, "A-are you...God?"
"I have many names...So, what brings you here, Little One?" She didn't know what to believe but she was for sure in no state to argue, the only thing she could do was say what she had come here to do, and harden her features in order to get pass the sense of utter fear being stuck at the mercy of this being, "I-I'm here to ask a favor, I guess, if...If it's even possible, I mean."
"Ah, I take it things aren't going well for you considering all that has happened."
"Then you know?" She asked surprised.
"I know everything child, everything that is and will be, although from the looks of it, you were planning to just jump through time and space, without permission." Elise scoffed and crossed her arms defensively, "I didn't even know you existed! How was I suppose to know!" She snapped only to gasp back and nearly fall on her butt when the mist ended up right in her face, the door behind her catching her back as she returned the gaze with shock, "You weren't." It said, "But, I require a payment in order to make this deal."
"A deal? What kind of God are you that you're making deals?"
"According to history, all of them. You want to cross over, right? It's equivalent exchange, save your loved ones from the thing inside of you, destroy the dwarf in the flask the one you call Father, and return to your lover, for a small price." Elise didn't know how he knew such details but never the less, stayed silent only to stare at him with wide eyes, "That doesn't come without a price." It seemed that without much of a choice, and the thought of her friends in her heart, she grimaced in frustration, and sighed, "What do I have to do?"
"Not do...Give."
"What? What does that mean?" It just smiled at her, silent, almost giving her the time to figure it out before it said, "That is for you to decide." He grinned.
"Make sense, please! I'm on the cusp of dying, losing all the people I care about, and all you can do is mock me!" This was the oddest deity she had ever met. Was he really God or this so called Truth? If so, what made him so unusual? What made him want to play these silly games when the little guy is nearly down and out? Maybe this is a trick, it's not God at all...
"Many come here seeking their desires, be it knowledge, power, the next life, or seeing a loved one...Everyone pays a toll. So, choose wisely." What was she to sacrifice? Her mind? Her sight? Maybe her own heart, or limbs...No, there was more to this little riddle of his. Yes, she possibly could give away a part of herself like that, but then, was all this on the door? What did it mean and what was it suppose to possess? "Explain to me. What does this door do exactly?" She turned towards it curiously running her hands over the marbled latin wording closest to her before she shifted back at the outline of what now resembled herself, "Is this just an exit? Or..." As she looked on at Truth with wonder her attention was quick to fall on the door once more, the wording and tree-like structure all too familiar now when she realized her parents had an Alchemy book with a picture just like it. In fact, they were the one and the same, "Is this-, Is this the tree of Alchemy?!"
" Ha ha, All have this door, it is the connection, your great chain to the Alchemy that humans hold so dear. This is where the chain starts and ends." She seemed to understand, but could only stare back at it in awe, scheming and contemplating whether or not this was the solution, spreading her fingers apart and across the perfect carvings. Her eyes followed the branching on after the other until she made up her mind with her friends faces all showing her the way, "All things require sacrifice..." She muttered softly, her hollowed twin merely smiling and nodding, "Is this your final answer? Once you give it up-"
"No. No not this..." She replied harshly, gazing back at the truth before her, "Take the stone, take it from my being and let me through. Please." With a leap of faith she clapped her trembling hands, just as she had seen Edward do many times before, and pressed them hard against the cold marveling of the doors frame, "I don't need it!"
"Of course, Of course!" It cheered laughing, "Just try not to resist too much, this will only take a second. " With her palms stuck to the door her eyes fell on the mist like shadow confused by what they meant, and turned from the door to ask, but unfortunately she never got a chance to when she felt nothing but a stroke of pain take the center of her chest where her heart laid. She fell to one knee in excruciation, holding her chest for dear life as she found it hard to breath and she cried out at each stab, falling to her other knee when the sensation became too much to bare. It felt as though something was being ripped from her soul, and she was trying with all her might not to scream. It failed miserably.
"Relax, I almost have it." A red familiar glow illuminated from her body, and very slowly it began to dispel itself, Truth reaching out and holding its hand out as though waiting for rain to fall into it until he balled it into a hard fist. A parasite creature made of stone was pulled out from her vessel with a blood curdling screech, razor sharp teeth, mean glowing red eyes, numerous of them that could paralyze anyone in fear with all the souls it was force to devour, all of the ones with grotesque faces began to cry out again in the spine chilling laughs, and screams that she somehow remembered from when it attempted to eat her back in Resembol. This thing, it horrified her to the very bone, to the point she began to break out into a cold sweat gawking at its disfigured appearance, until it roared out an ugly sound that it caused her to cover her ears even more than before, Elise, attempting to use an ability she no longer had. She put up a hand as if to blow it away, but nothing happened no matter how hard she tried, "Get away! Get away from me!" She shut her eyes tight and doubled over to almost deny that it was in front of her, that this whole thing was just another nightmare.
"Do not fret," Said Truth, "I will handle the rest." She heard what was being said even with her ears covered all the same. The sound of the door behind her creaked and groaned echoing through the emptiness until they were opened wide, a mouth about to swallow her whole. She looked back, darkness was all she saw until an eye ball opened up and a dozen hands stretched out of the darkness, scaring the living day lights out of Elise as they flew passed her to swarm around the mutated stone. She moved out of the way before it had a chance to latch on to her,l only able to watch the strange phenomenon drag into the void, and closed with the sound of the eerie silence taking over again, the door still standing strong and tall.
Elise sat there on the ground panting, shaking, looking back at the outlined image of herself gazing back with that faceless expression once again, "What happens now?" Truth slowly turned its hand counter clockwise, and as if time was slowing down began to smirk again, grinning almost to the point it reached the back of its head sending a chill down the woman's spine, "Now, time to send you on your way." It pressed it's middle finger and thumb together and laughed, "Good luck."
Snap!
Truth snapping its fingers was the last thing she heard before the world turned dark again. To be honest, she would've never known if she was tricked or not, if this was a dream or if her life all together was scripted. None of it would've mattered because there was nothing. But, it wasn't for naught. Elise was still very much alive.
It was hard to breath, and hard to move, yet she was weightless as if she was floating in the air in a deep sleep unable to awaken, like a force too heavy to fight against as she was rocked. The longer she settled, the more she senses took hold, herself becoming colder and wetter. She swayed back and forth, back and forth, with the sound of sloshing and swooshing muffling her ears. Her fingers twitched, her arms and legs slightly moving with each passing second until finally she opened her eyes to shimmering light sparkling through a reflected surface that she could only come to realize...She was under water. Bubbles rised high to the surface while she slipped deeper below the reefs, slowly becoming conscious of the fact that she was drowning. Her eyes blinked, opened wide, and in a frantic motion she swam to the top kicking and flailing her arms until she came crashing to the surface gasping for air. When she reached above the swaying waters she gawking all over in utter shock and confusion. She had been pretty far out, frighteningly far, but she swam for her life. Out there, Elise could see the shore not too far. Her cries and grunts were muffled by the ocean that swooped her up and tumbled her to the bottom of the sea leaving her disorienting. In a weak attempt, Elise tried to swim with the current nearly getting tossed to the ground so hard she was sure she'd drown and die. Luckily, that wasn't to be the case, she found a way to keep herself from going under and swam with the waves towards the shore again and again, beginning to catch herself with each tide until she had finally reached it. She could only be grateful and crawl on her hands and knees coughing up the salty bitter taste of the sea.
She barely had the energy to sit up and fell forward into the sand when she attempted to. It felt like she would never regain it, sucking in every bit of the fresh air into her lungs until she was felt all the minor scraps riding up her legs and arms. Elise looked all around her, not entirely sure how she got there, or how she made her way to the ocean in the first place. Had she been swimming? Maybe sleep walking? No, it was something else, although it was eluding her as to what.
What was she to do now? She was lost, but maybe not. She took in the sun's direction assuming it to be early morning by the way the sun was peaking over the cliffs to behind her, weakly lifting her head out of the sand, and spat out the everlasting taste of salt water before taking a gander at herself, a white night gown covered in sand and soaked through, Her mind was paralyzed wondering how in the world she ever even got there, but no memory prevailed. Nothing from the empty shoreline to the mossy cliffs above. It was just her, alone with the sound of waves crashing against the sand and cliff sides. Speaking of sand, she wiped some of it from her cheeks hissing back when she felt a scrap against her skin and patted her gown of it, beginning to realize this shore was strangely familiar to her...and a light memory confirmed that when she remembered building sand castles along her and strolled the beach to get away from home.
Of course, home. Her place was just up the path and off of a dirt road a couple of miles away, this she knew. It was confirmed when she saw the fencing away from the cliffs just off to the other side. She remembered walking along it, even climbing it attempting to balance only to fall and nearly break her neck, as well as dirty a good outfit.
Ms. Sela, one of the maids thay had found her, wasn't too happy about it.
The apple fields just beyond would something and every once in a while she'd sneak some from their stalks and eat one on the way to either destination, but since it was very cold this time of year, the fields were barren with little patches of grass and rows of dug up dirt in its place. Her whole body ached almost as if she had fallen somehow, but just found haze and fog in her memory, yet the shakes were even worse as she stumbled through the soft dirt road back with nothing but her arms crossed to keep her warm. By the time she walked halfway the bottom of her feet were covered in mud and stung from the small rocks that had scrapped her feet, making her way up the now rocky path to her house just a little harder.
When Elise finally came upon a big dark mansion, a flicker of imagery gave her confidence to believe this was her home. She could see flashlights, and hear the sound of a name being called. It seemed they were searching for something, or someone, she wasn't sure, but as she followed through the field of jasmines, she suddenly tripped over a loose root sticking up from the ground and fell forward with a curse under her breath. Standing again she attempted to wipe the bits of dirt clinging to her wet gown and continued towards the house until she realized they had been calling-, her. It was her name they were yelling out. She continued to walk up the stone path, taking in the smell of flowers, sea salt water and dirt as she got to the front of the garden's gate she gently pushed it open with a loud creak. Her eyes were glued to the mansion looming over the greenery. It's 16th century renaissance style and dark decor casted a dark shadow waiting to swallow everything around it. How could something that was suppose to make you feel welcome be so terrifying?
Without paying attention, Elise heard loud fast thumping of footsteps approaching from the side of her, and with it being so dark all she could see was a figure running at her, causing her to yell out and throw up her hands until they had come up to stop beside her scaring Elise half to death when they shined the light in her face, "Miss? Thank goodness you're alri-, uh, my goodness...What happen to you?" She couldn't say anything, all she could do was stared back in shock and unsure, until she realized this was one of her father's guards. He usually was the one to watch the gates, but she assumed since she had left, well. It was then he called out to some of the others for assistance after finding her. How long had she been missing? Nothing seemed to make sense, but as the guards surrounded her she slowly regained a little memory of who she was. Elise Knightly, daughter to one of the most prestige scientist and Alchemist in the Capitol. The one thing that always stuck out about her father...was his smile. A grin so wide it showed his golden tooth. Every time he smiled the gold would shine, and it always send a cold shiver down her spine. To this day he'd never been much of a father-figure, neither was her mother. In fact, they were a complete mystery to her, even as she walked back with the aid of two guards and maids who had rushed out of the house to bring her in, all she could do was gaze up at the house's entrance, nervous. Why this place filled her with dread she could not say, but the sensation did not leave even as the helpers brought her to the bathroom and began to undress her, as if she had no control of her own body. She let them take off the gown and covered herself to shield her womanly parts from them. One of them started to dust the sand off her skin with a big bristle brush while the other turned on the shower with steaming hot water. In front of her she could see a long body mirror and in it her reflection: long, tangled raven hair, dirt riddled skin covered in sand and her blue lost and tired eyes staring back. She gazed down at her slender curves all the way to her feet to see she was no taller than five-six in the mirror. "Your shower is ready, Miss. Quickly now before you catch a cold." She slowly turned with hesitation but nodded and attempted to smile before she went in. One of them was about to start assisting in her washing but Elise shook her head and stopped them with a gentle hand, "I-I can do that, thank you." The woman tall and stout nodded her head and smiled back with her lips pinched together as it stretched, "As you wish. Just call if you need anything. Mary will be back with your clothes." Elise bowed her head and waited until she heard the door close to finally take a sigh of relief before washing her face. From head to toe she scrubbed her limbs clean regardless of the stinging she felt on them, she took what little enjoyment out of the moment she had alone, until she noticed an odd marking while washing her arms just on the inside at the junction of her elbow. It was an elegant, yet eerie looking symbol, almost as if it was made of fire, "What is this?" She traced it with her fingers and nearly became breathless when she touched it, "...How did I..." Unfortunately her questions were silenced when a servant had knocked on the door to return with clothes and news of her mother and father arrival to come for her. Elise couldn't help but lift her head and look towards the voice behind the paned glass, "Are you sure?" She asked rinsing her hair slowly as she listened, "Yes ma'am, he says he may be here just in time for your birthday!" It was then she remembered that she hadn't seen her parents in years, since she was seven, so what could be so important that they would have the need to come back to tell her? Well, this was home, wasn't it? Eventually they'd always come back, "I'll prepare for them then. Thank you." She tried to sound optimistic but her brain was still so scattered she felt no joy when she told her that, only uncomfortable and anxious.
"Very good, I've left your clothes on the sink. Enjoy yourself." Elise heard the door close again, and with it her mind began to wonder back to the tattoo again, looking around the light creme walls of the bathroom to adore the golden swirls of roses and daisies outlining the bridging and panels of the walls while vibrant flowers and green shrubs decorated the corner near the window where red curtains covered the massive window pane. When she came out the room was dimly lit by sconce and just off to the side was the door, and a large mirror with a lavish sink. In the silence, all she could do was feel uneasy. It was too quiet, the sounds of the helpers footsteps gently tapping up and down the steps and passing halls.
Elise gazed from the door to her clothing laid out neatly on the sink, looking it over with an appreciation for the attire. It was a vibrant warm teal flare pixie dress that was structured with a hood and arm warmers with thumb holes, as well as black leggings to go with the shaded leather boots. She dried the ends of her hair with a towel, then brushed out the knots from her hair so she could style it with a sided dutch braid. As she was scanning over her appearance, Elise was slowly starting to feel a weird Deja'vu come over her as she leaned into her reflection over looking the scrap on her cheek.
She over looked her face, her complexion, lips, her eyes. Something seemed off. Strange. Suddenly, she thought she had saw her eyes flicker a different color, causing Elise to gasp back startled and taking a step away from the mirror. Had she imagined that? Feeling daring she decided to step up to her reflection again, staring into her eyes as hard as she could to see if it would happen again...but nothing did. Taken back and now a little weary, Elise made her way cautiously to the door, and out into the halls. Her mind still jumbled and her head dizzy from the long morning, maybe it was sleep she needed. She had no clue as to how she managed to get all the way out to the sea, never mind the mark, not even the thought of the stroll seemed to come to mind. It frightened her because what were the odds of it happening again?
All of this was making her paranoid and gravely on edge, so much so she decided to have one of the helpers call a town doctor to check her out. Considering after having no recollection the last day or so, it only made sense to get one. While she waited Elise headed to the dining hall for some breakfast getting nothing more than mainly tea with a dash of milk and honey to calm her nerves, especially with the itching gnawing sensation at the back of her head. The sense was strong causing her to stare at her tea without taking a sip, almost consumed by this nagging sensation screaming at her to move. She gave a frustrated sigh and cupped her face in her hands to blow out air until she felt her bangs fly up and tickle her forehead, "What the hell is going on?" She ran her fingers through the said bangs placing an elbow on the table until she felt reluctant to drink the tea she asked for. It was flavorful and sweet, something she needed in her time of pondering. This was starting to drive her crazy, so in the mean time she looked over to the papers that had been left behind by the butler, just off to the side of the table and in big bold print she could read: Alchemist Sentenced for Murdering Personnel! Curious she opened it wide, and fanned it out to get a better view of the topic. It was for a man named Zolf J. Kimblee titled the White Lotus, who had done exactly that. His talents were, in laymen's terms exploding things, and when he was arrested he refused to say why he had killed them. She assumed that maybe he'd just finally snapped, a lot of Alchemist under pressure do lose themselves at times, and war could amplify that, she knew because her parents had a few friends who were...Eccentric, but the more she studied his mugshot the more she began to wonder otherwise. It was too calm for her liking, as if he had accepted and enjoyed what he did. It sent a shiver down her spine. Elise was never really a fan of Alchemy, maybe it was just because her parents were so obsessed with their work that even as a young child she remembers how much they were always working even at home, always leaving the maids, butlers, tutors and guards to raise her while they were off accomplishing their lives work. So, she stuck to simple things, whether it be music, literature, sports, researching on a wide variety of topics or mere creating things from cloth. As a toddler, Elise would pretend to be a detective and sewed a whole costume just for the occasion, and even grabbed her father's magnifying glass to pretend to be the great Sherlock Holmes. I guess that's how she had gotten the logs to fall on her in the first place. She nearly died that day, and after miraculously surviving she always wondered how she ever made it.
All of a sudden, her heart felt as if it had been struck with a lightening bolt, and with its force it pushed her back tumbling out of the chair with a scream. She collapsed she clenched her chest with a hand, panting, looking around in fright. Her nails scratched into the carpet, to the point she began to ball her fist to hold back another surge of shock. She yelped again, feeling as if some invisible force was holding her down to the floor and was making her see this. Those flashes soon transformed into voices of herself, and others talking as the room tilted to the side.
What am I?
You're Elise, it's who you've always been.
That's not what I'm asking WHAT am I?
I need to know Elise, how much pain can you endure if I were to bind you with a beautiful wild animal? A jaguar...No, a panther will suit you perfectly.
No! Don't leave him alone! Dad? Nngh! Stop! I-, Can't...
You'll be a perfect candidate for this new world we're creating...I just know it.
Whoa. Check out those ears...
Finally she's coming to!
Her own pain filled cry rang through her head like a church bell, an echo reverberating throughout her skull until her eyes screwed shut, crawling on her belly with a weak effort. The pain was too much to bare, so much so she began to whimper and pant unevenly. She dragged herself to the hallway until she couldn't go no further. Then the voices stopped, and so did the clenching in her chest. That gut wrenching sense of fear that she had never felt had stayed imbedded in her like it had happened then and there, but it was for certain that the voice she heard among the many was her father's. She called out for him to stop choking her unable to breath, suffocating as if he was doing it in that very moment. She didn't just imagine that. It was real. The other voices though she didn't know whose they belonged to. They didn't sound familiar. Elise then gazed around with her hair covering most of her view before she sat up as if nothing happened. There was no pain, no voices, just her sitting on the floor, her chair toppled over and the tea set scattered about her. It was then that the butler and some of the servants who had come to see what all the commotion was, "Miss? Are you alright? We heard a crash."
"I...I'm-, I'm not sure. I-, I just need to lay down, that's all. Is the doctor still on his way?" She asked with a quiver in her voice.
"Soon, I promise."
"Okay...Okay..." The butler could see that Elise was distraught, and being empathetic he helped her to her feet and led her to bed, "Come on. Let me help you to your room."
"I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."
"It's alright. We'll find out what it is. Maybe it's just a really bad case of vitamin deficiency. You never know." His optimism was endearing, but something was telling Elise otherwise.
"It'd be nice if that were the case." She replied with a smile, "Let's hope it is." Oh, how she prayed it was, but somehow she knew that this was more than just a mere low vitamin intake. All she had to do was wait for the doctor, and wait she did. By the time he'd arrived she had been sitting up in her bed reading a book. He gently knocked and opened the door with a welcoming smile. A man greying at the sides, maybe in his forties, but none the less handsome in his own right. He wore thick black rigid glasses, and a white coat that made Elise's head hurt every time she looked at it, "Good morning Ms. Knightly, how're we doing? I heard you had quite the morning."
"Yes, I'm feeling a little better. I was able to finish off some tea without throwing it everywhere this time." She teased with a nervous titter, "But, I'm still a little anxious, I'm not sure what's really wrong with me."
"Well, why don't I take a look and while we're at it you can tell me all about it, huh?" She nodded to him, and as he asked her to keep her head still while he looked into her eyes with a flashlight she flinched at the quick movements, and flinched away causing the doctor to gaze at her curiously, "I'm sorry, does the light hurt?"
"Y-yeah."
"Forgive me." He said with a mellow voice and his smile just as warm, "Do you remember anything before your trip to the beach?"
"No, I just remember being in the water, but I don't even remember leaving the bed." She said pinching the fabric of the blanket to ease her nerves.
"It's okay, don't stress yourself on the details. Open your mouth and say 'ah'." She wasn't really sure what that had to do with her condition, but he was the doctor, so she did was she was told. His face didn't seem to waver as he checked, and nodded for her to close her mouth, "Well, no unusual normalities there. Let me check your pulse." She undid her hand warmers and pulled up her sleeve while he readied his stethoscope, but as she rolled up her sleeves he stopped her to turn over to the mark, "Where did you get this little beauty?" He asked with intrigued, almost fascination, "Um..." She really had no answer for him. She wasn't sure herself, so she shrugged with a frown. He chuckled softly and put up his hands in defense, "Just curious, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, looks new though." He said it with a smile, but...something in his eyes told her a different story. His lids lowered in suspicion, almost irritation, although maybe it was just her imagination, overthinking from all the excitement.
The cold metal touched her wrist, her arm, her chest and each one left her mouth filling with metallic saliva. She didn't know why, but little by little the presence of this man was overwhelming, almost overbearing, perturbed the more he slid the wretched thing around her skin, "Your blood pressure's a little high." He said with concern, "Could you sit up and turn your back towards me? Yes, just like that." When he lifted her shirt up Elise's hand gripped her blankets tight, "Breath in...and out...Good, once more, In...Out. Perfect." She was relieved to feel the stethoscope leave, and sat back adjusting her shirt while the man wrote down something in a book. Maybe records of patients, "So doc, will I live?"
"Of course, but I do want to check your eyes again. Make sure you're not suffering from any retinal discomfort..." He trailed off as he used the light again to get her attention, "Just follow the light." He swayed it back and forth a couple of times and hummed before using the light to try to check her pupils again, but this caused Elise to grunt and cover her eyes when another flash of a memory came to her, like a photograph in black and white. It was someone leaning over her, hovering over her as if she was laying down, calling out a name. It was so quick and muffled that she could've sworn she heard the name, Kitty in a man's voice.
"I'm sorry. Goodness, it really looks like you might have had some trauma, more than likely hitting your head on your way to the beach. Ah, silly me, I didn't bring everything with me, so I'll make an appointment for you to come by my office tomorrow and get a proper exam."
"Sounds great. Thank you doctor."
"Just get some rest and make sure not to do anything that requires a lot of straining."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind." With that the man left with a bow and headed out the door leaving Ellie once again to herself, gazing out to the buckwheat, pink posies and lavenders all growing just beyond the hedges. It was tranquil in that moment, the wind blowing just so that Elise was close to joining the morning, but she had promised to rest, so with a few fidgets she opened the window and took a deep breath of the fresh air as she closed her eyes and leaned into the pillow. It felt like a gentle touch caressing her face, soothing and serene, almost familiar, like someone was cupping her face and kissing her cheeks, running invisible fingers through her hair. For a moment she believed it to be true turning her face towards the warm and inviting, until she heard that soothing gruff low voice calling that name again Kitty. First it was softly against her ear, chanting over and over again until it yelled at her startling the poor girl to sit up in fright and dash out of the room towards the stairs to catch the doctor before he left. This condition would surely drive her mad, maybe he had some sleeping aid to help her through the night at least.
But, as she descended down the steps she heard someone conversing down below it. It was the doctor, a few of the helpers and the butler, and they all didn't look too pleased. At first she assumed something must've happened and continued to get closer, until she heard, "I'll inform her parents about the mark. We have a few days before they arrive, so do your part."
"Do you think it's related to the accident?" One of them asked.
"Don't fret, I'll contact her father when I find out what the mark means. Until then you all keep up the good work." The once inviting and handsome smile he wore was now replaced with a very eerie expression, a complete change up from the former, "Keep her from leaving anywhere until I return. She may prove more useful than we thought."
"Yes sir." By this time Ellie had taken many steps back up the stairs and hid behind the wall to take in what she heard. What did that even mean? More useful for what? To who? She peaked one last time around the corner seeing them disperse and the doctor leaving, but, she wasn't going to let him leave that easily. Impulse got the best of her and, glaring at his backside before the main door closed, in no time walked back to her room with a fast pace. Something was up and she was going to find out what. She hated secrets, especially ones involving her. She rarely ever saw her parents. They never sent any gifts from Central, a letter of sweet words to keep her chin up, it was as if they never really cared at all! But let it be a fall to her death or this and it needs to be reported back as if they can fix it. They couldn't fix anything being hundreds of miles away, so what was the point? Why was she more useful now then before? She wasn't one of their little experiments, and she would see to the answers of why they would really be returning on her eighteenth birthday, when she hadn't seen them in almost twelve years; not counting the one month out of the summer. She packed a small bag, one that was light and spacious enough to carry what she needed. Before leaving she made a makeshift body of herself under her covers and shut out the light to keep it dark as if she was sleeping, then proceeded to use her window to get from the roof to the grounds below. It was day time, but she had the garden near her side of the house so it was easy to jump down and hide deep under the shrubbery. She could already see the man's car and him taking a moment to take in the scene of the flowers on the opposite side of the yard while he was smoking a cigarette. All Elise could see was the back of his head as she made her way around to the back of the car, using shade and the greenery around the place. to hide her until she spotted a roller that had a piece of rope attached to it nearly some bags of fertilizer. She didn't know if it was fate or coincidence but Elise took her chance when she could, yet not before making sure she was cleared. When he threw his cigarette to the dirt she knew she had to take the risk, and ran up with the board with wheels in her hands, hoping the little contraption was sturdy enough to hold her weight. Pumping with adrenaline she got the rope around the bumper, and held on as tight as she could, using her balance and the strength that she had keep herself vigilant as the car drove off the lot and onto the road, the girl going unnoticed. Her heart raced the entire way, making sure to keep her fingers on the board and only sliding them over to keep them away from the speeding ground below. The board was shaking uncontrollably but not matter how much it shook Elise would breathe in and out the entire way. Closing her eyes only every other couple of minutes to keep herself from losing focus, even though a part of her was screaming that this was a horrible idea. But it was worth it, right? She gulped back even though her mouth was completely dry, her eyes tearing up even though she had no intentions of crying, she just...kept going.
His trip back had been just as long as the way to her home, and the whole way she was a complete wreck hoping the wheels wouldn't give, but to her relief, after the last few minutes were up through winding roads, the car had finally come upon a large house that had a huge sign out front that read the name Jackson Ph.D. Family Medical. Obviously he did his business from home, but something about the place seemed, off, like it was too big to be a small little mom and pop's doctor. So, with a small little pocket knife she cut the rope just before he could pull in to his driveway. It gave her time to slow down the roller and hide it away in a bush so no one would see it, or her. From there she made her way up to the house, away from eyes that could see her. If there was one thing she was always good at was being to follow her instincts when it counted, and so she did, following a small little path that was between the cement wall and bushes of red roses crowding it. Elise followed it all the way up to the garage where a small window was open and led right into it. When she noticed this her eyes widened and with light steps she climbed a couple of sturdy boxes to get inside, nearly stumbling in before she caught herself and noticed the car, no one occupying it. Her heart started up again and with a slow steady pace she made her way around the car and in through the only door that led into the house. At first the house just made her uncomfortable in a way that she couldn't put into words, but the further she went in it turns out she began to know what those words were. She was afraid of this house. It wasn't the all out taxidermy, or his achievements and awards for Alchemy or medicine alike all over his walls, it wasn't even the books that covered his hallways from carpet to ceiling. It was the dead silence with the dark ambience that clouded the house. At this point, all Elise could hear was the sound of her own heart beat. Then the soft sounds of scribbling, and a voice talking to someone. She could barely make it out, but the more she passed by each stack of books the louder the voice became, "Hello? It's Klaus. Doing well, but I...have some concerns about your daughter I think you'll find interesting." She came up with each little step closer until she could poke her head around the corner and see her doctor sitting at his desk scribbling down something, "Well, for one when your staff called to tell me she wasn't feeling like herself I didn't expect her to have slept walk all the way to the beach near your home and..." Jackson leaned himself on his desk, elbows and all and lowered his voice, "Have the mark of Talaria. Do you know what this means?!" His voice was restraining with sickening excitement, panting before he took a deep breath, "Yes, give me a few hours, and I'll have an understanding of it...Right...Right, I'll keep that in mind. I'll try to call the train station by the time you get there." With that he'd hung up the line and leaned back looking up at the ceiling as he took a deep breath, but it didn't last long before he jumped out of his seat and began to walk towards where Elise was, causing her to catch her breath and dash behind a stack of books just in time for Jackson to walk around the corner and head for a room with double doors. It must've been his library because when he left the door a jar she could see filled bookshelves inside, but how could you tell when the half of the house was filled with every book imaginable? On the other hand it made for good cover as he walked around parts of the shelves and grabbed book after book, and a binder full of tabs and papers. He then sat them at a desk just in view to where she could peak out at him while he began his research. Elise watched, and waited, every now and again he would leave for a snack or a bathroom break, Elise daring herself to get closer, hiding behind under a desk that was in a corner and covered with another shelf to keep him from discovering her.
Patiently she sat there, and waited and waited until she nearly started nodding off from sitting in the same place for too long, but by early afternoon she was startled by an exclamation, "Eureka!" He said to himself. Elise sat up from her position, ducked down and hiding in the shadows, but from there she could see Jackson's disheveled self beginning to chuckle and rub his face, "I don't know how he did it but...He did!" He paused for a moment to look over the book and his papers before lifting from his seat to stomp towards his office again, keeping Ellie on her toes once again as she hid when he passed by her. She held her breath until his footsteps faded, hearing him picking up papers before she heard the sound of him on the phone. Elise took this chance to come out from her hiding place and continued to look behind her as she approached the research papers and books he had sprawled out around the table. There were different kinds of symbols and letterings ones she found odd and confusing until she saw the one that resembled hers. She picked up the book next to it and began to read what little of it she understood. It all seemed like gibberish, her heart racing as fast as her eyes hitting the pages and the words almost coming too fast to read. She tried steady her breath for the hundredth time it felt, and instead of taking the chance of getting caught, she just grabbed them and stuffed it into her bag, and then began to make her way to the nearest door or window. Lucky for her a window was the safest bet, and with little resistance she slid one of the wide windows open and crawled out, but not without a little trial and error, "What do you mean she's missing!"
"Crap, crap, crap!" Her heart leaped into her stomach almost causing her to freeze before she continued to shimmy out of the window and fall onto her feet and hands with a thud, trying to muffle the sound that nearly escaped her before getting up to make a run for it. Everything felt so small then, she didn't know why but a part of her deep down felt slower and weaker than usual but again it always referenced back to the beach.
Well, there was no time to think about it now when she'd just stolen someone else's hard work. What was she even doing? She'd never stolen from anyone and yet this felt so...natural. She heard someone yelling out from behind her causing her to pick up the pace and attempt to leap over the fence. It hurt, she had strained herself but she made it over as man was getting into his car. By the time he had come around to the gate with the car Elise was already making her way down the hillside and across the stream away from the yelling banshee behind her, and from the looks of it, away from home. She couldn't go back now, and she had no idea where she was going, but the papers were all she had to what was happening. What did the people in her home know that she didn't? What was this symbol and why did it appear after she emerged from the ocean? And the grey visions...
Just before another question could plague her, Elise had stepped into the road leading to neighboring homes kilometers from one another but they were there and just ahead of that there was a main road she knew lead to the ferry. Her parents lived in the mountains surrounded by the lakes and rivers around the New Optain region, hidden away from the outside world. If she could reach the ferry, she could at least lose track of Jackson. He was sure to tell her father, and whatever that meant, she knew it meant whatever she had envisioned before. She didn't know how, but she did.
Ferry it is then...She thought bitterly, But...once I'm across the waters, where will I go? I don't know anyone over there... Her heart was heavy but she continued on, sprinting through branches that whipped her thighs and leaves of the low hanging trees that smacked her arms as she hid her face. If she wasn't tired from this morning she was by the time she had found a good pace to keep jogging towards...Well, anywhere but there.
It had to have been nearing late afternoon when she made it to the edge of the open waters, and just her luck the girl was more than a mile away from the ferry, and it hadn't left the dock. There was still a smidge of hope for her to escape, so as Elise caught her breath she quickly splashed some water on her face and attempted to cool her redden cheeks. Why did she feel as though she was a criminal? She did nothing wrong...Except for the stealing of some notes that had to do with her well being. The rest of the people were acting odd as hell. Everything didn't make sense and it was eating her up inside.
On her way to the dock she threw small rocks after another on her way along the ben, gazing around at the pine trees that covered the island and from the distance she could see the rest of the world peaking out, calling to her, in a voice so familiar she felt it in her heart, Just don't change your mind... It was strong, and made her blood race, so much so she placed a hand where her heart laid, beating as if it was about to fly away with wings. It made her cheeks flush and her eyes glaze over as this dreamy sensation came over her,
Ellie...
"Who are you?" She asked in a whisper as her gazed soaked in the scenery like a painting, the voices soon beginning to fade when she closed her eyes, "Why are you calling me?" When none of them answered she felt a sudden fit of frustrated and growled under her breath, "I've been reduced to talking to voices in my head...Great..." She was able to gather her composure when she arrived at the dock. A few cars were already aboard and waiting, others had horse trailers attached to them and other were just standing along the boat waiting for it to depart. Elise stuck her nervous hands in her pockets and patted down her hair before approaching the vendor with the best smile she muster. She even greeted him with a wave, "Hello! One please."
The vendor pushed a few buttons on the register and with a ding, "Five thousand yen." She thanked whatever deity there was that it was a cheap ride, but with Jackson still out there she knew he was on her heels, "So, have you've ever been to West City?"
"West I heard is at odds with Creta still. Big ole war zone, probably wouldn't go there if I were you."
"Thanks for the heads up. I guess everywhere has been touched by the war, huh?"
"Depending on who you talk to...You may find a little relief in South City though." With little else to say he handed her the ticket, "Have a safe trip."
"Thank you." Well the conversation could've gone better, but at least the got her ticket! With it in hand she walked on board with her head covered by her hoody, all the while thinking about the name the man used to address her... Miss. It seemed like nothing, but something in her head had to give. In relief the sound of the loud bellowing ferry's horn went off, signaling it's departure with the boat beneath her slowly taking off from the dock, meanwhile, just as it did Elise noticed a car speeding towards her and the ferry. Her heart sank, almost deathly afraid of imagining the boat having to turn around just for her, but it was too late, even if they yelled till they were blue in the face it would do nothing to turn it around. It was already too far out by the time Klaus had ran to the edge of the waters, he could only watch as it left with the Knightly girl on board, and with it the papers. She could barely make out the etched stress, anger and panic in his featured before he paced himself back to his car screeching off. He was too late to try to stop it. For now, it was a matter of racing against time with Elise having this gut wretching feeling that she would have to keep her guard up where ever she went. Oddly enough for her though her resolve didn't waver, she felt right in what she was doing, almost excited and the more this boat tugged along the waves the more the invisible string pulled her towards this everlasting feeling of belonging just beyond the horizon, and even closer to these memories.
The whole trip she sat on a bench staring out at all the scenery, from the waters to the little islands here and there with their vibrant green and yellow trees. It brought out the late day sky, staring with such contempt that she fell in love with the bright inviting colors as it passed them by, with the sound of the waters splashing against the boat and the birds singing against the sky made it all so perfect. Yet after all the beauty and relief, her attention was brought to her bag that held the papers. She knew she had to look, maybe even have another episode in the process, and that made it all even more scary, intimidating, but with a heavy breath and a ball of fury building up within her core she pulled the bag into her lap and began to read the first few pages. It was by the third page she began to furrow her brows at the words printed before her. She sat up-right, and tilted her head in wonder, "This can't be..." Elise shook her head in denial, but she read on, a weird transition happening in between each word, as if she was transcending:
In older texts this symbol dated back to the ancients. A culture long forgotten believed this to be a sign held by God's messenger to bring messages between heaven and earth. Talaria combined with the fire (assuming to be a phoenix wing) means a soul has been resurrected in order to succeed in fulfilling a 'contract' settled by God and the said soul. In other words there are other possibilities if one is daring enough to see the other side. This has only occurred once in the history of Amestris and the attempt failed. This can not be force with typical alchemy, there is an element in order to exceed it, although the higher ups believe that it can only be through the will of the host and God itself.
The words started to become jumbled and hard to read, especially when she flipped over the page to find her symbol printed on the paper, but not only that, another page held a ure of a snake eating its own tale. The image caused her to take in a breath and see an image of a man's hand touching her face. The words see the other side stuck out to her, each time the words getting smaller and smaller until the only word that imprinted on her was see...see...see... Elise began to grip her head once again grunting and doubling over almost to the point she dropped the papers, "But why...If this is true...I...I was..." She attempted to look around the boat making sure she wasn't being watched, but found no one. A little relieved she packed away the papers again, paled with sweat padding the back of her neck and forehead as she walked into a nearby bathroom to try and calm herself. She cleaned her face, splashing water everywhere when she combed wet fingers through her hair to ease the sounds and images behind her eyes, "How do I stop it...How do I stop these voices?" She muttered looking to her reflection in the mirror, her eyes sunken in from the lack of sleep and tired from the stressful events with Klaus, everything was showing in her face, "Crap." With a deep sigh she rubbed her face of doubt and took one last look in her reflection before heading out, but just as she was about to, she suddenly remembered the incident with her eyes back at the house, the words see leaving a sense of a sign or something telling her to look. Slowly, and cautiously, Ellie leaned into her reflection once again, and opened her eyes wide into the mirror, looking deep into the irises, and the pupils, something hiding in them. The wider she opened them the more she could hear the word see get louder, and louder until she felt as though she was being pulled into a void. A void of thought and memory, emotions and touches that felt so familiar her eyes started to water until Elise finally remembered something.
A line of memories streamed together against a million voices, all chattering at once until her own voice spoke out,
I could turn back time! Stop my parents from taking me to the Laboratory and warn you of the threat coming for us. She found herself not looking into the mirror but gazing back into a pair of amethyst eyes, a man with dragon like irises that their beauty sent butterflies fluttering uncontrollably through her stomach and her heart racing as it had never did before. This had happened prior back at home but this time it was coming on full force, this man...she could see this mask over his face, like an outer layer over his human body, but the mask was not a mask at all...But his soul. Elise in the moment didn't seem to care, only a sense of love and dedication and devotion ruled her heart, I could stop Collins before ever lays a hand on those girls, save Hakuro, and have our original forms back. There was hope in her voice, almost painful after what she had gone through. What did she go through? I can call the Elric's for help before Father can finish whatever it is he's planning, because at this point it has everything to do with me." In the midst of all these agonizing flashbacks the Elise in current time began to shuffle around in her bag for a pen, grabbing for one of the ripped papers she had stolen in order to write down what she could while attempting to stay conscious as her vision flipped between reality and whatever this was. She couldn't behold the sign like the pages said, could she? "E..."
What if you can't? There was worry in this man's voice, in his eyes, but something else, something sweet and caring.
"L..." What if I don't listen? What if you're killed by the homunculi this time or worse?
"R...I...C...S!" Once you're human again you won't be able to come back if you're killed. I just got you out of one mess, I can't risk losing you again. This memory made her ache, she wanted to say she had never met this man in her life, but the more she gazed back at him, a thousand memories more flooded her head. She yelled out in pain, and collapsed against the sink and then the floor, using the side of the wall to hold her up. It was all too much, Elise slowly feeling as though she was going to overload from how much information was being pumped into her brain with every second, Don't you see? If I don't do this Father will find some way to get a hold of me and he does it's over for us! I want to reverse this, to stop this! He'll kill me and take the power to justify his own means. The next thing she saw herself kissing this man passionately, lovingly, If I go back he'll never be able to see me like he does now. There will be no connection to him and I will try my damnedest to get you to leave Dublith. We can go anywhere. Where ever we want, whenever we want. After all the loose ends...We can leave, away from all of this. Across the ocean where no one can find us.
Elise found herself trying to grasp the pen when she finally wrote down one last name that breathed life into past memories like a domino effect, from Truth, her fall from the sky and into the ocean, her father using the stone, her transformation, the gang, the brothers, everyone involved including the man she had fallen in love with, someone she had made a promise to, Greed~... Elise tried to sit up only to fail and lean into the wall for support each time she made an attempt to lift herself off the floor, pools of sweat would accumulate running down her face once again as if the air around her was humid, tight, and suffocating. She had to get out of there, out of that bathroom. Elise took one last look into her reflection, this time her eyes didn't seem lost and confused, but held a fierce resolute. She knew now what she had to do. South City would have to wait. Her best choice around her father and his minions was to hide under their very noses. She would have to play at their own game of deception and mask herself as some one else.
Everyone around her up until Greed had been working under her parents, for god knows how long, her whole life one big ugly experiment, and nothing more. Yet now times have changed, and she would see to it her promise to her real family was fulfilled.
Next - Chapter 31: Sibby and Cal
Sorry, no Greed in this one but I promise he'll be back soon! Maybe in the next one, or the one after~...You never know! I'll try to update soon though, so until next time, be safe out there! \(·w·)/