Chapter 2
Dilandau started awake…what woke him, someone walking past his room? A dream? He scanned the room, but saw nothing amiss by the faint light…light? He sat bold up right with a contained gasp. The form of a woman stood at the foot of his bed, a staff held in one hand, her other hand resting on her hip. She wore clothing of a style he'd never seen before. Her dress was mainly straight and down to just above her feet on which she wore silver coloured sandals. The skirt of her dress was slit up to about mid-thigh and around the base of the dress' skirt and around the top were intricate designs in silver. About her neck, she wore what appeared to be a heavy silver, lapis, and obsidian collar. She wore obsidian armbands inset with silver in different designs on her upper arms and she wore silver or platinum bracelets on her wrists. Her skin was a beautiful golden-bronze, but then Dilandau realized that she seemed to have a short coat of velvety fur. He'd been so taken in by the rest of her that Dilandau had not yet looked into her face. She had dark, just past shoulder length, blue-black hair, entwined with silver and turquoise beads, and even in the dim light he could see that it was sleek and shiny. About her head she wore a platinum coronet inset with obsidian designs. Despite all this, however, Dilandau was startled by the fact that she had the face of a cat…not like the cat-people, but of a house cat. She looked upon him with sparkling jade-green eyes, exactly those of a cat…and the Laicar, which were outlined with white. A pale silver-green aura emanated from her and she looked at Dilandau with an expression he couldn't read. Maybe it was because of her feline features, but more likely, it was the look itself.
"Dilandau Albatou," she said, her voice ethereal, yet clear as a bell, smoky and warm. How the hell did she know his name? "You must be quite proud of yourself, threatening the life on an innocent to gain your own ends…" Her tone said the word she had not spoken…'coward!'
"Who are you?" demanded Dilandau.
"The trusted guide and councillor to the one my beloved avatar, a Bastet, keeps her constant vigil over…"
"Bastet?" The…cat-woman? didn't reply. "Why are you here?…What do you want?"
"I - am here because I wish to be certain you harm neither of the Laicar you now hold here. I am here to be certain you abuse neither Sylvana nor Serene…"
"Why do you care about them?" The woman let out a low chuckle.
"I would have thought it was obvious…Sylvana and Serene are both marked and protected. I watch over Sylvana, my twin sister watches over Serene…and now, I warn you, if you harm either one of them, I promise you here and now, that I will bring all of the wrath of the Havens and the Hells down on your head and the rest of your beloved empire." Dilandau felt his blood begin to boil. How dare she threaten him. Her kind served his!
"I could see that you were punished for speaking to me in the way you just did!" he yelled. The woman's jade orbs flashed, literally, with anger.
"You will watch your tongue or you will lose it," she hissed as the walls of his room all exploded in white-hot flames, and he thought he could hear the loud rumble of thunder and the howl of gales over the roar of the flames. Dilandau began to feel nauseous and he felt chills ripple up and down his spine.
"You be careful how you treat Sylvana or I will make you regret ever setting eyes upon her…and if you even consider harming Serene, I'll make you regret the day you were ever conceived!" She then released Dilandau from her powerful gaze and turned away and walked toward the door, vanishing even before she reached it. The bright, scorching flames vanished like phantoms and the sounds of what seemed to be a raging storm outside ceased. It was as though none of it had ever happened. After several long minutes of sitting in silence, considering, Dilandau finally decided that it had been some sort of waking dream or hallucination and dismissed it. However, the following morning, he discovered that all around the perimeter of his room, his floor was marked with faint, ghostly scorch marks…almost as though it was some sort of unearthly reminder of the cat-woman's warning.
*******
By the end of the first week, Sylvana thought that she had most of her possessions she kept closest to her…She ran her hand over an ancient leather bound tome, tracing the runes with her fingers each in their turn. It was locked, the key hidden away from all who would ever seek to use the knowledge hidden within its pages, the book itself ensorcelled lest someone attempted to get inside it without the key. It was entitled 'The Mark of Blood,' and was a guide to the path of dark magick. It was the grimoire of Arabella Bloodmoon, a very evil, sadistic and powerful sorceress who had tortured and killed thousands of innocent people only to increase the power of her magic. Sylvana pulled her hand away from the book suddenly as though she'd been burned. She shuddered as though she'd seen or felt something so disturbing it made her ill. She took the book and hid it away in a safe place. Many of the Zaibach soldiers she'd met reminded her of Arabella…They seemed to have utter disregard for any and all life so long as their own ends would be fulfilled…
The Dragon Slayers would be going out today to hunt their so-called dragon. Sylvana knew not whether this dragon was a true dragon or a person they'd named the dragon, but she could feel almost what seemed to be tension and excitement filling the air around her. She had raised quite strong mind shields to block out most of the emotions swirling throughout the Vione, but faint emotions still leaked through a little…She could never erect a shield strong enough because of the power of her empathic gift. She hated this, for the energy that rose up before a battle was strong and it was making her anxious and that in turn caused her to pace relentlessly. Finally, though slowly, she felt the tension in the air begin to ease and she knew that they were finally headed out. She let out a sigh and waited a few minutes before going to stand before her full-length mirror. She was glad Serene was sleeping; she didn't think the small girl ready to view scenes of battle and bloodshed even if she did recall her many past lives. Sylvana raised her arm holding her hand out with her palm facing the slick glass surface. She then spoke in a commanding voice, the incantation she always used to open her view.
"Gateway of realities, separate dark from light. Gateway of truth, grant me clear sight…" It wasn't exactly necessary to speak the incantation, but she was an empath and empaths normally did not need to direct their gifts in this particular way, so she had to use words to focus her gifts of farsight properly. The image in the mirror dimmed until she saw the image of the heavens…darkness flecked with thousands upon millions of tiny glowing pinpricks that were stars. Here she closed her eyes, envisioning the Dragon Slayers in their guymelefs. Her visualization didn't need to be perfectly accurate for her mind to subconsciously recognize the auras of different people and automatically reached out toward them when doing something such as this. It would have been easier by far had Anya been with her, for Anya was her 'bridge' to the Nether Realms where all souls could be sought out…for this was where physical and astral crossed. The mirror glowed with a dim light causing her to open her eyes as the scene unfolded before her:
The Zaibach guymelefs, now cloaked, were headed toward a city she didn't know. They were cloaked, but granted clear sight and because of her ability to see the auras of people when she wished, she alone could see them through her window. She watched as they approached the unsuspecting city and felt her entire body scream for her to do something, anything, if only to save a few innocent lives…but she knew she could do nothing, not yet. The attack came quick and fierce and she sucked in a shaky breath, praying to the Powers to protect the people from this onslaught. Unexpected, unbidden, the vision shifted of its own accord and she felt her eyes widen in surprise…Never had such a thing happened before. Her eyes were now upon a young man, surely no older than she was. He was dressed simply, his raven hair slightly tousled and windblown, all falling in his liquid brown eyes. And yet, despite his simple appearance, she saw he had the aura of strength, the aura of nobility…Was he a prince then? A king? He climbed into a guymelef of his own…He was going out to meet the Slayers! She knew there was something special about him, but she didn't know what. She watched as he engaged in the battle and saw immediately that Dilandau's blood-red guymelef when straight for him. The captain had a personal vendetta with this dark haired warrior it seemed. And then it happened, the ebony-haired youth's guymelef converted into of all things…
"A dragon," Sylvana breathed, now seeing that this dark haired young man was the future of Gaea. Now she prayed to the Powers That Be to protect him against all enemies for she automatically knew in her bones and blood and soul that if he failed, Gaea would be doomed, utterly and completely. The realities that converged here would fragment, Gaea would die and there would be nothing…She now saw it in her own mind's eye, shown to her by the powers and she shuttered violently. And still the battle raged, fires burned and she imagined that she could hear the cries of the innocent, cries of fear, cries of pain. She had to do something…She couldn't let another innocent life be sacrificed in the name of Zaibach's sinister goals. She stretched out her mind and just before she could do anything…
:No, Sylvana!: She started; she knew that voice. :You cannot reach that far, not yet, you're not ready…: She felt the presence of her guide though she couldn't see her. She had to do something…if she lost her life in the process, to be it. :What purpose can you serve if you are dead? You may save the battle, but the war had just begun.: She felt herself clenching and unclenching her hands, her silver nails biting into the tender skin of her palms. Her blood sang with urgency…if she just stood by and watched, hundreds of innocent lives would be lost! She recalled something someone, someone very wise, had told her once…Had it been her Da?
'Sylvana, the best way for evil to prevail, is for good people like you and I to do nothing…' She felt a clench in her chest.
:If you do something now, before you are ready, you will die, and leave Serene in the hands of the Zaibach. If you do something now, you may save a few hundred lives, but many more will die later during the course of the war and thus you death will come to naught…You must choose the less of two evils…and only you know in your heart which one is right.: Sylvana closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath and released her gathered energy into the otherplanes. Her guide was right…she had to choose the lesser of two evils…She loathed it, but she would have to wait. She drew back from the mirror and waved a hand, banishing the image. She couldn't stand to watch anymore if she could do nothing. At that same moment, there was the soft whisper of feathered wings. She turned toward the balcony to see, perched there, a large bird, it's feathers all seeming to flicker and change colour like flames. False sparks rained down from its long eye-spotted tail feathers. It regarded Sylvana with a large obsidian, gold-pupiled eye, calmly.
"Anya," whispered Sylvana, "you're here, you came…"
:Of course I came. You need me, as loathed as you are to admit it.: The bird warbled as she spoke telepathically to Sylvana. Sylvana made her way over to the balcony and rested her arms on the railing.
"You're right, Anya," she agreed, "I need as many friends as possible in the god forsaken place…"
*******
The casualties were unbelievable, and Sylvana couldn't believe the mess some of the Slayers were in, she was positively appalled. Almost every one of the Slayers who had accompanied Dilandau in the attack were injured…few had escaped unscathed. Sylvana made her way from one to the next, deciding which badly needed her gifts and which didn't. most injuries were minor cuts and bruises, for which she made poultices and bandaged, simple as simple. Broken bones she set and splinted, using only a small amount of healing energy to begin the bones' knitting. She was doing this when Dilandau, looking as though he was furious and barely keeping it contained, approached her.
"What are you doing?" he demanded. Sylvana arched a graceful silver eyebrow at him.
"What you brought me here to do, I believe, if I am not mistaken," she replied and then turned her back to him in dismissal.
*****
What she was brought here to do. Dilandau's anger flared…This was not what he had meant.
"You're a healer…you're supposed to have healing gifts…You're supposed to be using them." Sylvana didn't turn away from the Slayer she was tending.
"Are you telling me how to do my job?" she asked in a flat tone. When Dilandau didn't reply, she finished tending her patient's wounds and thus being done stood and turned to the Slayers' captain. She wiped her hands on a rag and then crossed her arms under her breasts as she gazed steadily at Dilandau with pale eyes.
"I brought you here to make certain my men would always be fit for battle…you will use your gifts -"
"Or what?" Sylvana brushed her long braid, back over her shoulder and tilted her chin up slightly, "you'll kill me? Now is it just me, or would that completely defeat the purpose of bringing me here in the first place?" She let out a low, completely mirthless, chuckle. "I believe I had better make something perfectly clear…I heal in my own way. None of the injuries your Dragon Slayers suffered are life threatening and their wounds will heal with time."
"Time! -"
"Yes, time. One of a healer's most important philosophies is as follows…'A good healer knows when to heal and when to let time heal…' I will not waste my life energy on superficial wounds, Dilandau, no matter how much you threaten me. Now, I'll give you a choice…You let me be and I'll heal…in my own way…or I don't heal at all and you can find yourself a new healer or physician, though I doubt you'll find another with the healing knowledge, healing skills and healing gifts I possess…" Now Dilandau's rage burned white-hot and he opened his mouth to speak, but Sylvana quickly beat him to it.
"It was nice arguing with you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more injured to take care of…" With nothing more, Sylvana turned her back on the Dragon Slayer and walked away. Dilandau was struck by how easily she dismissed him, how carelessly she defied him, how bluntly she stated her opinion. He was surprised when she suddenly halted mid-step and turned back toward him, almost as though she'd sensed his thoughts…Maybe she had.
"By the way, I thought I ought to tell you. I saw the battle today…"
'What?' Dilandau couldn't believe what he was hearing. The venomous smile that had been on Sylvana's face quickly vanished to be replaced by an expression completely unreadable.
"Hundreds of innocent people slaughtered…Men, women, children ,murdered. Do you experience some sort of sick pleasure from it? Or do you honestly believe that the ends justify the means when it comes to the hunt of your…dragon?" This was eerie…How the hell could she have seen the battle? Sylvana gave Dilandau no time to recover his wits. She once more turned her back and walked away leaving Dilandau to watch after her as she cast a glance at the last two Dragon Slayers. She said something to them, nodded at their reply and then left, probably headed back to her own quarters.
*******
Serene sat cross-legged on the bed, one of Sylvana's heavy books balanced in her small lap. However, she wasn't actually reading it. She had her elbows resting on the open pages, her chin cupped in her hands. She was only five summers, but even so, she could sense Sylvana's anger…Oh, sure, she suppressed it, she buried it, she hid it behind a mask of calm and serenity, but deep within she seethed with rage as hot as the sun. Serene also sensed that this rage was completely directed at one and only one person…Dilandau. Serene straitened up and closed the book. She slid down off the bed, carrying the heavy book back to the shelf.
'Dilandau…' Serene knew that she was several years Sylvana's junior, but her spirit was about as old as Sylvana's and like Sylvana she remembered nearly every one of her past lives, and she had an ability Sylvana didn't. She could see people for who they truely were. She could see that Dilandau had not always been a cruel, sadistic, murderous tyrant who walked a fine, nearly non-existant, line between sanity and utter madness. She told Sylvana none of this, though. She may have the memories of her many lives, but she was still a small child and it was doubtful that Sylvana would believe her. She'd find a way to make Sylvana see it, she had to…
*******
A vast green field spangled with bright patches of mulitcoloured flowers spread out before him. Dilandau gazed around in some amount of wonder…how had he gotten here? Somehow, he had a feeling that he knew this place, but he couldn't trace it.
"You don't remember do you?" Dilandau started and whirled around to come face to face with a golden haired young woman who appeared to be about his age.
"What do you mean?" he demanded, "who are you?" The girl tilted her head and regarded Dilandau with clear, sparkling blue eyes…Not unlike Serene's he noted.
"You know this place, you know me, you just don't remember." She replied and spread her hands. She was almost talking in riddles. He hated riddles, "but that's not why you're here," she continued.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because you're killing yourself and in that way you're killing me as well…"
"What?" More riddles.
"Every time you spill the blood of an innocent person you kill a part of yourself…You have to stop or not only will you loose your life, you'll loose your soul as well…"
"My soul," Dilandau chuckled and shook his head, "you don't know what you're talking about."
"I do…You already have some people out for your blood…If they ally together…" She shrugged, "Ultimately it's up to you…I'm not in control anymore…"
"What are you talking about?" demanded Dilandau.
"That's not for me to say…You have to remember on your own."
"What?"
"You'll know soon enough…"
Dilandau's eyes shot open and he slowly sat up. He'd never had a dream like that before. He was sure he knew that girl, but he couldn't quite place her. What had she meant…She had seemed to know him so well…he didn't understand. He laid back down and tried to sleep, but something told him that he'd be awake the rest of the night.
Dilandau started awake…what woke him, someone walking past his room? A dream? He scanned the room, but saw nothing amiss by the faint light…light? He sat bold up right with a contained gasp. The form of a woman stood at the foot of his bed, a staff held in one hand, her other hand resting on her hip. She wore clothing of a style he'd never seen before. Her dress was mainly straight and down to just above her feet on which she wore silver coloured sandals. The skirt of her dress was slit up to about mid-thigh and around the base of the dress' skirt and around the top were intricate designs in silver. About her neck, she wore what appeared to be a heavy silver, lapis, and obsidian collar. She wore obsidian armbands inset with silver in different designs on her upper arms and she wore silver or platinum bracelets on her wrists. Her skin was a beautiful golden-bronze, but then Dilandau realized that she seemed to have a short coat of velvety fur. He'd been so taken in by the rest of her that Dilandau had not yet looked into her face. She had dark, just past shoulder length, blue-black hair, entwined with silver and turquoise beads, and even in the dim light he could see that it was sleek and shiny. About her head she wore a platinum coronet inset with obsidian designs. Despite all this, however, Dilandau was startled by the fact that she had the face of a cat…not like the cat-people, but of a house cat. She looked upon him with sparkling jade-green eyes, exactly those of a cat…and the Laicar, which were outlined with white. A pale silver-green aura emanated from her and she looked at Dilandau with an expression he couldn't read. Maybe it was because of her feline features, but more likely, it was the look itself.
"Dilandau Albatou," she said, her voice ethereal, yet clear as a bell, smoky and warm. How the hell did she know his name? "You must be quite proud of yourself, threatening the life on an innocent to gain your own ends…" Her tone said the word she had not spoken…'coward!'
"Who are you?" demanded Dilandau.
"The trusted guide and councillor to the one my beloved avatar, a Bastet, keeps her constant vigil over…"
"Bastet?" The…cat-woman? didn't reply. "Why are you here?…What do you want?"
"I - am here because I wish to be certain you harm neither of the Laicar you now hold here. I am here to be certain you abuse neither Sylvana nor Serene…"
"Why do you care about them?" The woman let out a low chuckle.
"I would have thought it was obvious…Sylvana and Serene are both marked and protected. I watch over Sylvana, my twin sister watches over Serene…and now, I warn you, if you harm either one of them, I promise you here and now, that I will bring all of the wrath of the Havens and the Hells down on your head and the rest of your beloved empire." Dilandau felt his blood begin to boil. How dare she threaten him. Her kind served his!
"I could see that you were punished for speaking to me in the way you just did!" he yelled. The woman's jade orbs flashed, literally, with anger.
"You will watch your tongue or you will lose it," she hissed as the walls of his room all exploded in white-hot flames, and he thought he could hear the loud rumble of thunder and the howl of gales over the roar of the flames. Dilandau began to feel nauseous and he felt chills ripple up and down his spine.
"You be careful how you treat Sylvana or I will make you regret ever setting eyes upon her…and if you even consider harming Serene, I'll make you regret the day you were ever conceived!" She then released Dilandau from her powerful gaze and turned away and walked toward the door, vanishing even before she reached it. The bright, scorching flames vanished like phantoms and the sounds of what seemed to be a raging storm outside ceased. It was as though none of it had ever happened. After several long minutes of sitting in silence, considering, Dilandau finally decided that it had been some sort of waking dream or hallucination and dismissed it. However, the following morning, he discovered that all around the perimeter of his room, his floor was marked with faint, ghostly scorch marks…almost as though it was some sort of unearthly reminder of the cat-woman's warning.
*******
By the end of the first week, Sylvana thought that she had most of her possessions she kept closest to her…She ran her hand over an ancient leather bound tome, tracing the runes with her fingers each in their turn. It was locked, the key hidden away from all who would ever seek to use the knowledge hidden within its pages, the book itself ensorcelled lest someone attempted to get inside it without the key. It was entitled 'The Mark of Blood,' and was a guide to the path of dark magick. It was the grimoire of Arabella Bloodmoon, a very evil, sadistic and powerful sorceress who had tortured and killed thousands of innocent people only to increase the power of her magic. Sylvana pulled her hand away from the book suddenly as though she'd been burned. She shuddered as though she'd seen or felt something so disturbing it made her ill. She took the book and hid it away in a safe place. Many of the Zaibach soldiers she'd met reminded her of Arabella…They seemed to have utter disregard for any and all life so long as their own ends would be fulfilled…
The Dragon Slayers would be going out today to hunt their so-called dragon. Sylvana knew not whether this dragon was a true dragon or a person they'd named the dragon, but she could feel almost what seemed to be tension and excitement filling the air around her. She had raised quite strong mind shields to block out most of the emotions swirling throughout the Vione, but faint emotions still leaked through a little…She could never erect a shield strong enough because of the power of her empathic gift. She hated this, for the energy that rose up before a battle was strong and it was making her anxious and that in turn caused her to pace relentlessly. Finally, though slowly, she felt the tension in the air begin to ease and she knew that they were finally headed out. She let out a sigh and waited a few minutes before going to stand before her full-length mirror. She was glad Serene was sleeping; she didn't think the small girl ready to view scenes of battle and bloodshed even if she did recall her many past lives. Sylvana raised her arm holding her hand out with her palm facing the slick glass surface. She then spoke in a commanding voice, the incantation she always used to open her view.
"Gateway of realities, separate dark from light. Gateway of truth, grant me clear sight…" It wasn't exactly necessary to speak the incantation, but she was an empath and empaths normally did not need to direct their gifts in this particular way, so she had to use words to focus her gifts of farsight properly. The image in the mirror dimmed until she saw the image of the heavens…darkness flecked with thousands upon millions of tiny glowing pinpricks that were stars. Here she closed her eyes, envisioning the Dragon Slayers in their guymelefs. Her visualization didn't need to be perfectly accurate for her mind to subconsciously recognize the auras of different people and automatically reached out toward them when doing something such as this. It would have been easier by far had Anya been with her, for Anya was her 'bridge' to the Nether Realms where all souls could be sought out…for this was where physical and astral crossed. The mirror glowed with a dim light causing her to open her eyes as the scene unfolded before her:
The Zaibach guymelefs, now cloaked, were headed toward a city she didn't know. They were cloaked, but granted clear sight and because of her ability to see the auras of people when she wished, she alone could see them through her window. She watched as they approached the unsuspecting city and felt her entire body scream for her to do something, anything, if only to save a few innocent lives…but she knew she could do nothing, not yet. The attack came quick and fierce and she sucked in a shaky breath, praying to the Powers to protect the people from this onslaught. Unexpected, unbidden, the vision shifted of its own accord and she felt her eyes widen in surprise…Never had such a thing happened before. Her eyes were now upon a young man, surely no older than she was. He was dressed simply, his raven hair slightly tousled and windblown, all falling in his liquid brown eyes. And yet, despite his simple appearance, she saw he had the aura of strength, the aura of nobility…Was he a prince then? A king? He climbed into a guymelef of his own…He was going out to meet the Slayers! She knew there was something special about him, but she didn't know what. She watched as he engaged in the battle and saw immediately that Dilandau's blood-red guymelef when straight for him. The captain had a personal vendetta with this dark haired warrior it seemed. And then it happened, the ebony-haired youth's guymelef converted into of all things…
"A dragon," Sylvana breathed, now seeing that this dark haired young man was the future of Gaea. Now she prayed to the Powers That Be to protect him against all enemies for she automatically knew in her bones and blood and soul that if he failed, Gaea would be doomed, utterly and completely. The realities that converged here would fragment, Gaea would die and there would be nothing…She now saw it in her own mind's eye, shown to her by the powers and she shuttered violently. And still the battle raged, fires burned and she imagined that she could hear the cries of the innocent, cries of fear, cries of pain. She had to do something…She couldn't let another innocent life be sacrificed in the name of Zaibach's sinister goals. She stretched out her mind and just before she could do anything…
:No, Sylvana!: She started; she knew that voice. :You cannot reach that far, not yet, you're not ready…: She felt the presence of her guide though she couldn't see her. She had to do something…if she lost her life in the process, to be it. :What purpose can you serve if you are dead? You may save the battle, but the war had just begun.: She felt herself clenching and unclenching her hands, her silver nails biting into the tender skin of her palms. Her blood sang with urgency…if she just stood by and watched, hundreds of innocent lives would be lost! She recalled something someone, someone very wise, had told her once…Had it been her Da?
'Sylvana, the best way for evil to prevail, is for good people like you and I to do nothing…' She felt a clench in her chest.
:If you do something now, before you are ready, you will die, and leave Serene in the hands of the Zaibach. If you do something now, you may save a few hundred lives, but many more will die later during the course of the war and thus you death will come to naught…You must choose the less of two evils…and only you know in your heart which one is right.: Sylvana closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath and released her gathered energy into the otherplanes. Her guide was right…she had to choose the lesser of two evils…She loathed it, but she would have to wait. She drew back from the mirror and waved a hand, banishing the image. She couldn't stand to watch anymore if she could do nothing. At that same moment, there was the soft whisper of feathered wings. She turned toward the balcony to see, perched there, a large bird, it's feathers all seeming to flicker and change colour like flames. False sparks rained down from its long eye-spotted tail feathers. It regarded Sylvana with a large obsidian, gold-pupiled eye, calmly.
"Anya," whispered Sylvana, "you're here, you came…"
:Of course I came. You need me, as loathed as you are to admit it.: The bird warbled as she spoke telepathically to Sylvana. Sylvana made her way over to the balcony and rested her arms on the railing.
"You're right, Anya," she agreed, "I need as many friends as possible in the god forsaken place…"
*******
The casualties were unbelievable, and Sylvana couldn't believe the mess some of the Slayers were in, she was positively appalled. Almost every one of the Slayers who had accompanied Dilandau in the attack were injured…few had escaped unscathed. Sylvana made her way from one to the next, deciding which badly needed her gifts and which didn't. most injuries were minor cuts and bruises, for which she made poultices and bandaged, simple as simple. Broken bones she set and splinted, using only a small amount of healing energy to begin the bones' knitting. She was doing this when Dilandau, looking as though he was furious and barely keeping it contained, approached her.
"What are you doing?" he demanded. Sylvana arched a graceful silver eyebrow at him.
"What you brought me here to do, I believe, if I am not mistaken," she replied and then turned her back to him in dismissal.
*****
What she was brought here to do. Dilandau's anger flared…This was not what he had meant.
"You're a healer…you're supposed to have healing gifts…You're supposed to be using them." Sylvana didn't turn away from the Slayer she was tending.
"Are you telling me how to do my job?" she asked in a flat tone. When Dilandau didn't reply, she finished tending her patient's wounds and thus being done stood and turned to the Slayers' captain. She wiped her hands on a rag and then crossed her arms under her breasts as she gazed steadily at Dilandau with pale eyes.
"I brought you here to make certain my men would always be fit for battle…you will use your gifts -"
"Or what?" Sylvana brushed her long braid, back over her shoulder and tilted her chin up slightly, "you'll kill me? Now is it just me, or would that completely defeat the purpose of bringing me here in the first place?" She let out a low, completely mirthless, chuckle. "I believe I had better make something perfectly clear…I heal in my own way. None of the injuries your Dragon Slayers suffered are life threatening and their wounds will heal with time."
"Time! -"
"Yes, time. One of a healer's most important philosophies is as follows…'A good healer knows when to heal and when to let time heal…' I will not waste my life energy on superficial wounds, Dilandau, no matter how much you threaten me. Now, I'll give you a choice…You let me be and I'll heal…in my own way…or I don't heal at all and you can find yourself a new healer or physician, though I doubt you'll find another with the healing knowledge, healing skills and healing gifts I possess…" Now Dilandau's rage burned white-hot and he opened his mouth to speak, but Sylvana quickly beat him to it.
"It was nice arguing with you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more injured to take care of…" With nothing more, Sylvana turned her back on the Dragon Slayer and walked away. Dilandau was struck by how easily she dismissed him, how carelessly she defied him, how bluntly she stated her opinion. He was surprised when she suddenly halted mid-step and turned back toward him, almost as though she'd sensed his thoughts…Maybe she had.
"By the way, I thought I ought to tell you. I saw the battle today…"
'What?' Dilandau couldn't believe what he was hearing. The venomous smile that had been on Sylvana's face quickly vanished to be replaced by an expression completely unreadable.
"Hundreds of innocent people slaughtered…Men, women, children ,murdered. Do you experience some sort of sick pleasure from it? Or do you honestly believe that the ends justify the means when it comes to the hunt of your…dragon?" This was eerie…How the hell could she have seen the battle? Sylvana gave Dilandau no time to recover his wits. She once more turned her back and walked away leaving Dilandau to watch after her as she cast a glance at the last two Dragon Slayers. She said something to them, nodded at their reply and then left, probably headed back to her own quarters.
*******
Serene sat cross-legged on the bed, one of Sylvana's heavy books balanced in her small lap. However, she wasn't actually reading it. She had her elbows resting on the open pages, her chin cupped in her hands. She was only five summers, but even so, she could sense Sylvana's anger…Oh, sure, she suppressed it, she buried it, she hid it behind a mask of calm and serenity, but deep within she seethed with rage as hot as the sun. Serene also sensed that this rage was completely directed at one and only one person…Dilandau. Serene straitened up and closed the book. She slid down off the bed, carrying the heavy book back to the shelf.
'Dilandau…' Serene knew that she was several years Sylvana's junior, but her spirit was about as old as Sylvana's and like Sylvana she remembered nearly every one of her past lives, and she had an ability Sylvana didn't. She could see people for who they truely were. She could see that Dilandau had not always been a cruel, sadistic, murderous tyrant who walked a fine, nearly non-existant, line between sanity and utter madness. She told Sylvana none of this, though. She may have the memories of her many lives, but she was still a small child and it was doubtful that Sylvana would believe her. She'd find a way to make Sylvana see it, she had to…
*******
A vast green field spangled with bright patches of mulitcoloured flowers spread out before him. Dilandau gazed around in some amount of wonder…how had he gotten here? Somehow, he had a feeling that he knew this place, but he couldn't trace it.
"You don't remember do you?" Dilandau started and whirled around to come face to face with a golden haired young woman who appeared to be about his age.
"What do you mean?" he demanded, "who are you?" The girl tilted her head and regarded Dilandau with clear, sparkling blue eyes…Not unlike Serene's he noted.
"You know this place, you know me, you just don't remember." She replied and spread her hands. She was almost talking in riddles. He hated riddles, "but that's not why you're here," she continued.
"Then why am I here?"
"Because you're killing yourself and in that way you're killing me as well…"
"What?" More riddles.
"Every time you spill the blood of an innocent person you kill a part of yourself…You have to stop or not only will you loose your life, you'll loose your soul as well…"
"My soul," Dilandau chuckled and shook his head, "you don't know what you're talking about."
"I do…You already have some people out for your blood…If they ally together…" She shrugged, "Ultimately it's up to you…I'm not in control anymore…"
"What are you talking about?" demanded Dilandau.
"That's not for me to say…You have to remember on your own."
"What?"
"You'll know soon enough…"
Dilandau's eyes shot open and he slowly sat up. He'd never had a dream like that before. He was sure he knew that girl, but he couldn't quite place her. What had she meant…She had seemed to know him so well…he didn't understand. He laid back down and tried to sleep, but something told him that he'd be awake the rest of the night.