Disclaimer: In no way do I claim any rights to the characters of the Suikoden series. I do not own them, nor did I have any hand in creating them. Please don't sue as I don't have any money and just want to write a fanfic.
Only in Dreams
By: Chibi Nataku
Author's Note: Speech that starts with ' instead of " means mental talking. If a conversation is going on between Yuber and the Rune, it is purely in his mind, and assume that no one else is aware of the conversation, but can see any emotion that is displayed openly by the Rune-bearer.
***This chapter is dedicated to Lady of Genesis, to make up for all the nasty stuff that I did to her dear, sweet Natas***
Chapter 11 - Return of a Good Dream
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yuber sat silently in the darkened room, leaning heavily against the sturdy wood at his back, gaze locked with the small pulsating light in his hand. He had lost all awareness of the flow of time around him, though he did know that it was now night once more. In the darkness, he let his mind play over his actions in regards to Mia and Pesmerga.
He had been so glad to see his lover again, though the surprise of fathering a child did set his mood off a bit. Still, he had forced himself to take hold of the fact that it was unsafe for him to remain with his twin star moving in his shadow. Really, he had no idea that Pesmerga had even heard all of the conversation between himself and Mia, yet as soon as the other Black Knight made his presence known, Yuber knew that their battle was about to begin. Perhaps he had acted much too childishly when bursting into forced laughter and running from the house, but his main concern had been for Mia's safety. Still, he could not deny the pleasurable feeling of nearly crushing Pesmerga beneath his power, which he was still angry about being robbed of.
He smiled slightly as the light shifted colour in his hand, a sign he took to mean the changing emotions of Pesmerga, this time the colour blood red, probably rage. His fingers reached up and brushed the spot on his forehead where his shield symbol had once been, scowling at the feeling of emptiness in that spot. He had never experienced such pain before that moment in time, not even under the harsh guidance of Natas, a feeling that could only be described as one's soul being torn out, ripped to pieces and put back together without the right order to it. He had felt that the only just revenge for the act that Pesmerga had committed against him was to do the same, except refusing to give that soul back after the symbol was sealed. Pesmerga deserved all that he had received, but Yuber smirked as he knew that the other Black Knight's pain was only beginning.
All he needed to do now was to figure out what plan could drive him forward to outwit and outrun his brother. He wanted an advantage that could not be contended with, yet all the same, be hidden from unwanted attention if necessary. Yuber knew that he needed a strong ally, one that was not currently sobbing over the loss of power.
He investigated the Eightfold Rune, his mind poking at the cocoon of webbing that it had built up for itself. It had pretty much refused to speak to him after the fact of losing his symbol to Pesmerga, only muttering incoherently and making the occasional whining noise. He was quickly growing weary of its mood, mostly because it should have been him that was crying and whining over the loss of HIS symbol, his power. He refused though because he had something that would torment Pesmerga until the day that the other Black Knight finally found him, and they settled their little dispute. He had come the quick conclusion that until the Eightfold Rune got over its power-hungry little fetish, it would be a useless ally for him at this point, which forced him to think about any other creature that would be in position to help him off-set the balance between himself and Pesmerga.
His gaze flicked around the darkened room, eyeing the door leading outside to the main part of the inn, then to the mused bed, draped open window, small tables and his own neatly stacked armour. His gaze lingered on the armour, a fond smile pulling at his lips as the small rays of moonlight glinted off its metallic surface, the light seemly sucked into the forever blackness of the metal.
He clasped his hand over the small light, drawing it into his palm as he climbed to his feet, fingers reaching out to brush against the metal of his armour. Quickly, his gaze shifted from the armour to the bed, silently moving to stand next to it, seriously considering climbing beneath the blankets and forgetting about the entire fact that he was now being hunted. Still, he remained silent and still, eyes wandering over bed as if it were his own from when he had been a child.
It wasn't the most extravagant bed in the world, but it fit right into the room in which it had been placed, sturdy and silent. Deep oak bedposts peeked out from beneath the woolen blankets that lay carelessly thrown about on the woolen mattress. Sheets of a dyed deep blue lay rumpled, masked only by the goose down comforter that had an intricate design of swans taking flight cross-stitched across the milky white surface. It was probably one of the most inviting beds that he had ever seen, if only because of the disheveled occupant sleeping soundly, his only real ally.
"...Natas..." Yuber breathed the word softly as he stared down at the former Black Knight. The older man's chest was thoroughly bandaged as well as his neck, the only two places that his blade managed to meet flesh. His friend was clad in only in the black pants that Natas had worn during their fight, long silver hair neatly braided thanks to the healers looking after the older man's wounds. He had never actually seen Natas sleep, but he found the former Black Knight surprisingly peaceful. He was only beginning to get used to the frail looking Natas.
Slowly, Yuber sat down on the side of the bed, smiling when Natas groaned almost angrily and flipped over onto one side, long braid moving across the covers towards him until the locks rested on top of his hands, as if investigating his current state. He bent and leaned over Natas' shoulder to look down into the former Black Knight's sleeping face, pulling back when red eyes flew open and a muffled cry was emitted from the older man. He immediately grabbed the silver-haired man's shoulders when Natas sat up abruptly, steadying the shaking shoulders. The eyes that looked at him were teaming with rage and suspicion.
"Yuber!" Natas protested weakly, surprised at the softness of his own voice. He fell silent, not wanting to speak until he had regained most of his strength so he instead glared at the blonde holding his shoulders.
Yuber chuckled softly at Natas' glare, patting the former Black Knight softly on the back, receiving a small pained grunt. "You should rest. You've been sleeping for more than a week." He used his much greater strength to force the silver-haired man back to the comforter, much too Natas' obvious displeasure. "Stop glaring at me. You are lucky to be alive."
Natas growled angrily, knowing that if he actually had the strength, he would be smashing the blonde in the head a few times. "You were... supposed to kill me." He mumbled, grabbing the front of Yuber's white shirt. He drew the blonde towards himself, their gazes meeting briefly. "You've...changed. Something is different. What... happened?"
Yuber shrugged his shoulders, but he did not pull away from the older man. He slowly explained what events had transpired during Natas' week of sleeping, watching as the emotions ran across the silver-haired man's face as plain as daylight. The normal smirk that probably would have pulled at Natas' lips remained dormant, instead a scowl graced the former Black Knight's elegant features. Still, Yuber gave Natas time to process the information before finally bringing his request into words. "Help me, Natas." Their gazes met equally. "Not as one I rule over, but as my equal. No one will rule you, but I need an ally who I can rely on until I can get back to Mia. I must draw Pesmerga away from her, far away."
Natas sighed heavily, stretching out one shoulder. "Does it know?" He inquired softly.
"No, the Eightfold Rune is oblivious to the fact that you live on. I made sure of it. However, when it does find out and we both know that it will eventually, I dare to think of the temper-tantrum that it will have." Yuber watched Natas nod slowly, reaching out a hand to brush back a stray lock of silver hair, blinking when the tendril wrapped around his hand and refused to let go of him. He found Natas watching the lock as intently as he was. "I think your hair is fond of me." He joked softly.
"It doesn't have intelligence of its own; it is merely reacting in a manner... desirable." Natas looked away from Yuber, ignoring the blonde's soft mocking chuckle at his explanation. He had never felt so vulnerable since his childhood, yet unlike that time so long ago, he found that his vulnerability did not cause him severe discomfort. He knew that Yuber was in no position to hold any flaw in his personality against him. However, despite himself, he knew that the fact that he was still alive was all part of a greater plan that the blonde had secretly devised to off set fate in Yuber's favour. He could immediately tell that Yuber had already began bending Fate's strings around to better the blonde in the long run, and if Yuber needed him to twist Fate against Pesmerga, he would have little choice to contend with the blonde's quickly growing will for chaos and desire to transcend humanity. He nodded slightly to Yuber. "Alright, I will grace you with my presence again, but only because I am in no mood to hear you whine."
Yuber smirked arrogantly, not surprised that Natas attempted to show off his more egotistical side. He slightly tugged at the hair still wrapped around his hand, chuckling when Natas reached up and physically removed the tendril, the silver-haired man throwing it back to wrap around the braid that was now starting to wrap around Yuber's arm. Still, his mood dampened as his gaze flicked over to his armour. "He has armour like me, Natas. I thought that only you and I have that armour."
Natas quirked a silvery eyebrow, slowly moving himself back to lean against the solid oak headboard, letting out a slightly pained sighed. "Indeed." He shifted heavily against the headboard, trying his best to keep the cool wood off of the bare flesh of his shoulders.
"You gave him armour, didn't you?" It was more of a command rather than a question, especially as Natas seemed to shift almost uncomfortably. Yuber growled softly when the silver-haired man nodded, climbing to his feet to pace around the room. "Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because he would have killed you if I had not." Natas watched Yuber stop to stare at him, nodding his head as if to physically confirm his own words. "He has been hunting you for a long time, even before you even knew of what you were. He managed to somehow get into the World of Emptiness, and as the ruler of that place, I confronted him. He demanded that I show him to where you slept, but I am not commanded by anyone, not even the Sword." Natas chuckled softly at the memory of his encounter, smirking when Yuber came to sit down beside him again, obviously intent on listening to his explanation. "I suppose he saw that I would butcher him if he tried anything, so instead he decided to strike a deal with me. I give him Black Knight armour, and he seals the path he took to get into the World of Emptiness. Not much of a deal really, but I was in a good mood that day so I agreed."
Yuber shook his head before brushing stray locks of blonde hair from his face. "How would he have killed me if you could not get past your 'mighty' guard?" He hid his face from the very prominent glare that twisted Natas' features as soon as the statement left his lips. He had to desperately hold in a snicker.
Natas growled in aggravation, looking away from Yuber snobbishly. "I may be powerful, but I'm not stupid. His skills were unknown to me, and he felt powerful...unlike someone I easily beat down every day he decided to gain consciousness."
Yuber smiled and nodded his head shyly. The silence that fell between them was deep and held as much comfort as could be expected between a former Black Knight and the chaos-driven Shield. Still, Yuber found his mind wandering and took to his feet again, moving to the window to stare out into the sleeping town, a smirk pulling at his features again. "Just you wait Pesmerga. I will make you wish that you were never born from the Darkness. Your soul is mine, and I will revel in your blood and screams for all of eternity. Catch me if you can, my brother."
Natas watched the blonde's back silently, snorting softly at the obvious change in Yuber. To him, the blonde seemed only slightly different, yet to normal mortals, Yuber would be as inhuman as any creature that dared walked among them. He knew that the blonde was beginning to understand the feeling of pure and utter power; it was clear that without Yuber's full power, the blonde was starting to lose control of his human side and now allowed it to slip into the shadows of the past. He remembered a time when the same thoughts had run through his mind.
Yuber let his gaze wander over the small shadows that still patrolled at night, watching every movement intently. Yet, unlike most times in his life, he watched as a predator not an equal. He would never sink down to the level of being human anymore; he refused to be weak. Certainly, he had succumbed to such thoughts in the past, but this feeling was different from the others. Before, the moment had passed him by after a few hours; now he felt disgusted with the fact that he had once thought himself that weak.
"They are so small, aren't they Natas?" Yuber glanced back at the former Black Knight. "Look at them as they toil and waste away their lives with petty squabbles. I doubt they even realize how weak they look from up here, how easily I could crush each one of them if I really wanted to...but, their weakness here bores me." He cocked his head to the side, studying the listless people. "They are not panicking or hiding from death. They are as fragile as a candle wick, their lives easily snuffed out with the right pressure." He lifted a hand, pressing his forefinger and thumb together in the motion of crushing a flame. "I should end their drab existence, shouldn't I?" He looked back at Natas, waiting for a reply.
"Not tonight. Leave them to wallow in weakness a little longer. Tomorrow...tomorrow we will burn this place to the ground and leave no survivors." Natas chuckled at Yuber's childish smile, slowly sliding down to lie on his back again, grunting as he shifted to find comfort on the mattress. "Tomorrow we will leave Pesmerga a present." Natas closed his eyes and attempted sleep again, gasping as he felt Yuber settle down on the bed beside him, yet he refused to comment even as his hair leapt across his bandaged chest to wrap around the blonde's nearest arm. Some days he really cursed his hair.
Yuber watched Natas as he shifted, smiling at how the former Black Knight's hair clung to his arm. He took it as a sign that the silver-haired man was not displeased with his presence and settled in to wait for morning. He noted how warm Natas had become since being removed from power as a Black Knight, yet by no means was the silver-haired man human. Still, being next to Natas made him feel at home again. Slowly he closed his eyes and explored the darkness there, something he had not done in several months.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
'Natas. Natas, wake up you miserable boy. We have work to do so lying beaten on the floor is not helping. Get up, worthless good-for-nothing' The voice in his head was painful, but not as much as his own body which was littered with bruises and gashes. He had been beaten again, this time considerably more roughly than normal. Yet, like all the times before this one, he still forced his swollen eyes open and struggled to his feet, wobbling considerably on his broken foot before finally just clenching his teeth and forcing pressure on the injured appendage. 'Now, that's the Natas I know. Quickly now, boy, wipe the blood from your face and get a move on.' Slowly, he reached up and did as he was instructed, wincing as bruises screamed at him.
He eventually managed to hobble to the stream that was nearby, gazing down at the beaten and horribly blooded boy that stared back at him. He reached up and touched a bruise, feeling tears build up and slid down his cheeks. "I'm...so...ugly."
'Not ugly, dear sweet Natas.' The voice replied softly, mentally drawing him back into a cocoon that he was used to. 'Don't think of your bruises as ugly. They build character, child. Soon we will crush them, but not yet. The time for death draws close.' He pulled from the embrace of the voice and slowly washed his face, wiping away much of blood from his face, yet he felt much too tired to wash his poorly cut hair.
He could never remember a time when the silky voice was not in his mind, yet his caretakers beat him if he ever mentioned it. He could not remember what his mother looked like, but he did remember her singing to him before he had been sold to his current caretakers. Yet, the moment he left his mother, the voice was there, sometimes comforting, others scolding. He had grown used to it being there, much as he had the cruel treatment he endured. To him, it was a normal life, something that he was unable to change until he grew older. Some days he wished that he could just die, while others, he dreamed of a place where he would be happy.
He dreamed a lot really, mostly because he had nothing better to do. He did his mind-numbing chores wordlessly, ate the little food that he was given as quickly as he could, and lay quietly as he was raped at night. Really, dreaming seemed to come naturally to him, mostly because the voice always wanted to talk to him and train him, for what he did not know. At his age, he thought himself a normal child, yet the much older part of his mind grew colder and colder as the days past over. Some day, he vowed that he was travel to the land of dreams and make another life for himself; some day, he would find the little boy who wanted to be his friend. In his dreams, he would play with the other boy while the voice watched over them. Really, the other boy was his only real friend, despite the fact that he only saw the other boy in his own mind, yet the voice assured him that the boy existed and that they would meet someday.
Then, he decided that he didn't want to live here anymore, quite suddenly really. He wanted to meet his friend now. He didn't wish to feel the bitter bite of a slap across his face any longer, nor did he want to be taken against his will.
He simply picked up the dull, rusted axe that leaned next to the hearth, and with strength that he had never carried before, he made the two men pay for every slap, every bruise, every sore muscle. He felt nothing when he butchered them, yet his act screamed of rage and pure hatred. Still, just as silently as he had always been, he removed the wood from the fire and walked away from that chapter of his life.
As he gazed back at the building cabin, a strange smirk pulled at his lips. "I'm free. They can't hurt me. They could never break me because I was stronger than they were. They broke like puppets because I pulled on their strings." He cocked his head to the side, nodding slowly to himself. "Yes, I am the puppet-master, and I will bow down to will of no creature." He giggled childishly, insanely. "Beware my puppets, your master is free!"
He turned and walked down the dirt path, cold smirk twisting his features. He stopped when he heard laughter, his gaze moving to the trees as the ghostly figure of his only friend laughed and weaved in between the trees. Smiling himself, he ran to join his only friend in play, the only thing that he would never rule over. He was an equal with the other boy, always had been. He stopped when the boy stopped and pointed to the ground, gaze moving from the dirt back to the boy in confusion. "What is it? Is something wrong?" He gasped in surprise as his friend started to melt into the ground, slowly at first, but quickly speeding up as the shadows moved to envelop the other boy. "Wait! No, don't leave me! I'm free now so we can be together!"
'Silence, child. Think of this as a small game of hide and seek. He is hiding, and we must seek him out.' The voice whispered softly, fondly stroking the disheveled child's head, forcing attention on it. 'Let us begin our search, wretched boy.'
He clenched his fists against the obvious insult. He was free now, and he would be ruled by nothing, not even the voice. Perhaps he would not over-throw its power just yet, but he would strive to break free of any strings that held him like a puppet. "Everything will be my puppet...."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yuber sat bolt upright, breathing heavily as he gulped in air, shivering at the cold sweat that had built up on his skin. He forced himself to calm down, folding his hand together to stop them from moving. Slowly, he regain his composure, yet he could not help but let his gaze stray to the source of the vivid images. His gaze fixed on the long disheveled braid wrapped around his upper arm and followed it to the body it attached to. "Did you ever manage to end your little game of hide and seek?" He whispered softly, closing his eyes again.
"Why would you ask a question that you already know the answer to?" Natas turned his head and opened his eyes, his gaze locking with the blonde's cool one. "I win." He stated egotistically.
Yuber cocked his head to the side, a little confused. "You won what?"
Natas chuckled softly as he sat up and slowly moved to the end of the bed. "I won our game, Yuber. I found you." He threw a sideways glance at the blonde. "The Eightfold Rune is incapable of lies, yet it can twist the truth as it pleases to ensure the best results. Actually, all of the True Runes can do so. They are the ultimate puppet-masters in the universal game of chess, controlling everything as they see fit so long as balance is kept. They control every creature, rune, and particle." He slowly turned to face Yuber, a saddened smile appearing slowly. "They control even me because I will never escape the strings of Fate. I am still a puppet living under the whims of the True Runes, just another pawn in the Eightfold Rune's scheme to gather chaos in its favour."
"I will break your strings, Natas." Yuber met the blood red eyes of his ally. "When I break from the strings of Fate, I swear to you that your strings will be cut as well because you are my equal, the only equal that I will ever have. Everything else is just a puppet that you and I will control." He smiled when Natas' eyes widened considerably, obviously shocked. He nodded his head as the silver-haired man shook his head at him. He stood up, holding a hand out for his friend, a determined smile pulling at his lips. "Come Natas, solitary equal of the legendary Shield, let us take control of the strings of the puppets in this village."
Natas slowly lifted a hand to Yuber's offered one, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet by the blonde. "Yes, it will be good to play with you again, my friend. It has been so very long." He called his sword to hand, examining the blade carefully before regarding Yuber again. "Are you the holy knight or the sly demon?"
Yuber chuckled softly as he called his own sword to hand, rubbing the blade along Natas' glimmering one. "We are both demons, and Pesmerga is the holy knight out to put an end to our ways. Let us play a game with him."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Interesting, very much so. Sad as it is, I think that next chapter will be the last one for this story. I doubt that I will write another unless a new storyline comes jumping into my head. Oh well. Thanks for reading.
Only in Dreams
By: Chibi Nataku
Author's Note: Speech that starts with ' instead of " means mental talking. If a conversation is going on between Yuber and the Rune, it is purely in his mind, and assume that no one else is aware of the conversation, but can see any emotion that is displayed openly by the Rune-bearer.
***This chapter is dedicated to Lady of Genesis, to make up for all the nasty stuff that I did to her dear, sweet Natas***
Chapter 11 - Return of a Good Dream
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yuber sat silently in the darkened room, leaning heavily against the sturdy wood at his back, gaze locked with the small pulsating light in his hand. He had lost all awareness of the flow of time around him, though he did know that it was now night once more. In the darkness, he let his mind play over his actions in regards to Mia and Pesmerga.
He had been so glad to see his lover again, though the surprise of fathering a child did set his mood off a bit. Still, he had forced himself to take hold of the fact that it was unsafe for him to remain with his twin star moving in his shadow. Really, he had no idea that Pesmerga had even heard all of the conversation between himself and Mia, yet as soon as the other Black Knight made his presence known, Yuber knew that their battle was about to begin. Perhaps he had acted much too childishly when bursting into forced laughter and running from the house, but his main concern had been for Mia's safety. Still, he could not deny the pleasurable feeling of nearly crushing Pesmerga beneath his power, which he was still angry about being robbed of.
He smiled slightly as the light shifted colour in his hand, a sign he took to mean the changing emotions of Pesmerga, this time the colour blood red, probably rage. His fingers reached up and brushed the spot on his forehead where his shield symbol had once been, scowling at the feeling of emptiness in that spot. He had never experienced such pain before that moment in time, not even under the harsh guidance of Natas, a feeling that could only be described as one's soul being torn out, ripped to pieces and put back together without the right order to it. He had felt that the only just revenge for the act that Pesmerga had committed against him was to do the same, except refusing to give that soul back after the symbol was sealed. Pesmerga deserved all that he had received, but Yuber smirked as he knew that the other Black Knight's pain was only beginning.
All he needed to do now was to figure out what plan could drive him forward to outwit and outrun his brother. He wanted an advantage that could not be contended with, yet all the same, be hidden from unwanted attention if necessary. Yuber knew that he needed a strong ally, one that was not currently sobbing over the loss of power.
He investigated the Eightfold Rune, his mind poking at the cocoon of webbing that it had built up for itself. It had pretty much refused to speak to him after the fact of losing his symbol to Pesmerga, only muttering incoherently and making the occasional whining noise. He was quickly growing weary of its mood, mostly because it should have been him that was crying and whining over the loss of HIS symbol, his power. He refused though because he had something that would torment Pesmerga until the day that the other Black Knight finally found him, and they settled their little dispute. He had come the quick conclusion that until the Eightfold Rune got over its power-hungry little fetish, it would be a useless ally for him at this point, which forced him to think about any other creature that would be in position to help him off-set the balance between himself and Pesmerga.
His gaze flicked around the darkened room, eyeing the door leading outside to the main part of the inn, then to the mused bed, draped open window, small tables and his own neatly stacked armour. His gaze lingered on the armour, a fond smile pulling at his lips as the small rays of moonlight glinted off its metallic surface, the light seemly sucked into the forever blackness of the metal.
He clasped his hand over the small light, drawing it into his palm as he climbed to his feet, fingers reaching out to brush against the metal of his armour. Quickly, his gaze shifted from the armour to the bed, silently moving to stand next to it, seriously considering climbing beneath the blankets and forgetting about the entire fact that he was now being hunted. Still, he remained silent and still, eyes wandering over bed as if it were his own from when he had been a child.
It wasn't the most extravagant bed in the world, but it fit right into the room in which it had been placed, sturdy and silent. Deep oak bedposts peeked out from beneath the woolen blankets that lay carelessly thrown about on the woolen mattress. Sheets of a dyed deep blue lay rumpled, masked only by the goose down comforter that had an intricate design of swans taking flight cross-stitched across the milky white surface. It was probably one of the most inviting beds that he had ever seen, if only because of the disheveled occupant sleeping soundly, his only real ally.
"...Natas..." Yuber breathed the word softly as he stared down at the former Black Knight. The older man's chest was thoroughly bandaged as well as his neck, the only two places that his blade managed to meet flesh. His friend was clad in only in the black pants that Natas had worn during their fight, long silver hair neatly braided thanks to the healers looking after the older man's wounds. He had never actually seen Natas sleep, but he found the former Black Knight surprisingly peaceful. He was only beginning to get used to the frail looking Natas.
Slowly, Yuber sat down on the side of the bed, smiling when Natas groaned almost angrily and flipped over onto one side, long braid moving across the covers towards him until the locks rested on top of his hands, as if investigating his current state. He bent and leaned over Natas' shoulder to look down into the former Black Knight's sleeping face, pulling back when red eyes flew open and a muffled cry was emitted from the older man. He immediately grabbed the silver-haired man's shoulders when Natas sat up abruptly, steadying the shaking shoulders. The eyes that looked at him were teaming with rage and suspicion.
"Yuber!" Natas protested weakly, surprised at the softness of his own voice. He fell silent, not wanting to speak until he had regained most of his strength so he instead glared at the blonde holding his shoulders.
Yuber chuckled softly at Natas' glare, patting the former Black Knight softly on the back, receiving a small pained grunt. "You should rest. You've been sleeping for more than a week." He used his much greater strength to force the silver-haired man back to the comforter, much too Natas' obvious displeasure. "Stop glaring at me. You are lucky to be alive."
Natas growled angrily, knowing that if he actually had the strength, he would be smashing the blonde in the head a few times. "You were... supposed to kill me." He mumbled, grabbing the front of Yuber's white shirt. He drew the blonde towards himself, their gazes meeting briefly. "You've...changed. Something is different. What... happened?"
Yuber shrugged his shoulders, but he did not pull away from the older man. He slowly explained what events had transpired during Natas' week of sleeping, watching as the emotions ran across the silver-haired man's face as plain as daylight. The normal smirk that probably would have pulled at Natas' lips remained dormant, instead a scowl graced the former Black Knight's elegant features. Still, Yuber gave Natas time to process the information before finally bringing his request into words. "Help me, Natas." Their gazes met equally. "Not as one I rule over, but as my equal. No one will rule you, but I need an ally who I can rely on until I can get back to Mia. I must draw Pesmerga away from her, far away."
Natas sighed heavily, stretching out one shoulder. "Does it know?" He inquired softly.
"No, the Eightfold Rune is oblivious to the fact that you live on. I made sure of it. However, when it does find out and we both know that it will eventually, I dare to think of the temper-tantrum that it will have." Yuber watched Natas nod slowly, reaching out a hand to brush back a stray lock of silver hair, blinking when the tendril wrapped around his hand and refused to let go of him. He found Natas watching the lock as intently as he was. "I think your hair is fond of me." He joked softly.
"It doesn't have intelligence of its own; it is merely reacting in a manner... desirable." Natas looked away from Yuber, ignoring the blonde's soft mocking chuckle at his explanation. He had never felt so vulnerable since his childhood, yet unlike that time so long ago, he found that his vulnerability did not cause him severe discomfort. He knew that Yuber was in no position to hold any flaw in his personality against him. However, despite himself, he knew that the fact that he was still alive was all part of a greater plan that the blonde had secretly devised to off set fate in Yuber's favour. He could immediately tell that Yuber had already began bending Fate's strings around to better the blonde in the long run, and if Yuber needed him to twist Fate against Pesmerga, he would have little choice to contend with the blonde's quickly growing will for chaos and desire to transcend humanity. He nodded slightly to Yuber. "Alright, I will grace you with my presence again, but only because I am in no mood to hear you whine."
Yuber smirked arrogantly, not surprised that Natas attempted to show off his more egotistical side. He slightly tugged at the hair still wrapped around his hand, chuckling when Natas reached up and physically removed the tendril, the silver-haired man throwing it back to wrap around the braid that was now starting to wrap around Yuber's arm. Still, his mood dampened as his gaze flicked over to his armour. "He has armour like me, Natas. I thought that only you and I have that armour."
Natas quirked a silvery eyebrow, slowly moving himself back to lean against the solid oak headboard, letting out a slightly pained sighed. "Indeed." He shifted heavily against the headboard, trying his best to keep the cool wood off of the bare flesh of his shoulders.
"You gave him armour, didn't you?" It was more of a command rather than a question, especially as Natas seemed to shift almost uncomfortably. Yuber growled softly when the silver-haired man nodded, climbing to his feet to pace around the room. "Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because he would have killed you if I had not." Natas watched Yuber stop to stare at him, nodding his head as if to physically confirm his own words. "He has been hunting you for a long time, even before you even knew of what you were. He managed to somehow get into the World of Emptiness, and as the ruler of that place, I confronted him. He demanded that I show him to where you slept, but I am not commanded by anyone, not even the Sword." Natas chuckled softly at the memory of his encounter, smirking when Yuber came to sit down beside him again, obviously intent on listening to his explanation. "I suppose he saw that I would butcher him if he tried anything, so instead he decided to strike a deal with me. I give him Black Knight armour, and he seals the path he took to get into the World of Emptiness. Not much of a deal really, but I was in a good mood that day so I agreed."
Yuber shook his head before brushing stray locks of blonde hair from his face. "How would he have killed me if you could not get past your 'mighty' guard?" He hid his face from the very prominent glare that twisted Natas' features as soon as the statement left his lips. He had to desperately hold in a snicker.
Natas growled in aggravation, looking away from Yuber snobbishly. "I may be powerful, but I'm not stupid. His skills were unknown to me, and he felt powerful...unlike someone I easily beat down every day he decided to gain consciousness."
Yuber smiled and nodded his head shyly. The silence that fell between them was deep and held as much comfort as could be expected between a former Black Knight and the chaos-driven Shield. Still, Yuber found his mind wandering and took to his feet again, moving to the window to stare out into the sleeping town, a smirk pulling at his features again. "Just you wait Pesmerga. I will make you wish that you were never born from the Darkness. Your soul is mine, and I will revel in your blood and screams for all of eternity. Catch me if you can, my brother."
Natas watched the blonde's back silently, snorting softly at the obvious change in Yuber. To him, the blonde seemed only slightly different, yet to normal mortals, Yuber would be as inhuman as any creature that dared walked among them. He knew that the blonde was beginning to understand the feeling of pure and utter power; it was clear that without Yuber's full power, the blonde was starting to lose control of his human side and now allowed it to slip into the shadows of the past. He remembered a time when the same thoughts had run through his mind.
Yuber let his gaze wander over the small shadows that still patrolled at night, watching every movement intently. Yet, unlike most times in his life, he watched as a predator not an equal. He would never sink down to the level of being human anymore; he refused to be weak. Certainly, he had succumbed to such thoughts in the past, but this feeling was different from the others. Before, the moment had passed him by after a few hours; now he felt disgusted with the fact that he had once thought himself that weak.
"They are so small, aren't they Natas?" Yuber glanced back at the former Black Knight. "Look at them as they toil and waste away their lives with petty squabbles. I doubt they even realize how weak they look from up here, how easily I could crush each one of them if I really wanted to...but, their weakness here bores me." He cocked his head to the side, studying the listless people. "They are not panicking or hiding from death. They are as fragile as a candle wick, their lives easily snuffed out with the right pressure." He lifted a hand, pressing his forefinger and thumb together in the motion of crushing a flame. "I should end their drab existence, shouldn't I?" He looked back at Natas, waiting for a reply.
"Not tonight. Leave them to wallow in weakness a little longer. Tomorrow...tomorrow we will burn this place to the ground and leave no survivors." Natas chuckled at Yuber's childish smile, slowly sliding down to lie on his back again, grunting as he shifted to find comfort on the mattress. "Tomorrow we will leave Pesmerga a present." Natas closed his eyes and attempted sleep again, gasping as he felt Yuber settle down on the bed beside him, yet he refused to comment even as his hair leapt across his bandaged chest to wrap around the blonde's nearest arm. Some days he really cursed his hair.
Yuber watched Natas as he shifted, smiling at how the former Black Knight's hair clung to his arm. He took it as a sign that the silver-haired man was not displeased with his presence and settled in to wait for morning. He noted how warm Natas had become since being removed from power as a Black Knight, yet by no means was the silver-haired man human. Still, being next to Natas made him feel at home again. Slowly he closed his eyes and explored the darkness there, something he had not done in several months.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
'Natas. Natas, wake up you miserable boy. We have work to do so lying beaten on the floor is not helping. Get up, worthless good-for-nothing' The voice in his head was painful, but not as much as his own body which was littered with bruises and gashes. He had been beaten again, this time considerably more roughly than normal. Yet, like all the times before this one, he still forced his swollen eyes open and struggled to his feet, wobbling considerably on his broken foot before finally just clenching his teeth and forcing pressure on the injured appendage. 'Now, that's the Natas I know. Quickly now, boy, wipe the blood from your face and get a move on.' Slowly, he reached up and did as he was instructed, wincing as bruises screamed at him.
He eventually managed to hobble to the stream that was nearby, gazing down at the beaten and horribly blooded boy that stared back at him. He reached up and touched a bruise, feeling tears build up and slid down his cheeks. "I'm...so...ugly."
'Not ugly, dear sweet Natas.' The voice replied softly, mentally drawing him back into a cocoon that he was used to. 'Don't think of your bruises as ugly. They build character, child. Soon we will crush them, but not yet. The time for death draws close.' He pulled from the embrace of the voice and slowly washed his face, wiping away much of blood from his face, yet he felt much too tired to wash his poorly cut hair.
He could never remember a time when the silky voice was not in his mind, yet his caretakers beat him if he ever mentioned it. He could not remember what his mother looked like, but he did remember her singing to him before he had been sold to his current caretakers. Yet, the moment he left his mother, the voice was there, sometimes comforting, others scolding. He had grown used to it being there, much as he had the cruel treatment he endured. To him, it was a normal life, something that he was unable to change until he grew older. Some days he wished that he could just die, while others, he dreamed of a place where he would be happy.
He dreamed a lot really, mostly because he had nothing better to do. He did his mind-numbing chores wordlessly, ate the little food that he was given as quickly as he could, and lay quietly as he was raped at night. Really, dreaming seemed to come naturally to him, mostly because the voice always wanted to talk to him and train him, for what he did not know. At his age, he thought himself a normal child, yet the much older part of his mind grew colder and colder as the days past over. Some day, he vowed that he was travel to the land of dreams and make another life for himself; some day, he would find the little boy who wanted to be his friend. In his dreams, he would play with the other boy while the voice watched over them. Really, the other boy was his only real friend, despite the fact that he only saw the other boy in his own mind, yet the voice assured him that the boy existed and that they would meet someday.
Then, he decided that he didn't want to live here anymore, quite suddenly really. He wanted to meet his friend now. He didn't wish to feel the bitter bite of a slap across his face any longer, nor did he want to be taken against his will.
He simply picked up the dull, rusted axe that leaned next to the hearth, and with strength that he had never carried before, he made the two men pay for every slap, every bruise, every sore muscle. He felt nothing when he butchered them, yet his act screamed of rage and pure hatred. Still, just as silently as he had always been, he removed the wood from the fire and walked away from that chapter of his life.
As he gazed back at the building cabin, a strange smirk pulled at his lips. "I'm free. They can't hurt me. They could never break me because I was stronger than they were. They broke like puppets because I pulled on their strings." He cocked his head to the side, nodding slowly to himself. "Yes, I am the puppet-master, and I will bow down to will of no creature." He giggled childishly, insanely. "Beware my puppets, your master is free!"
He turned and walked down the dirt path, cold smirk twisting his features. He stopped when he heard laughter, his gaze moving to the trees as the ghostly figure of his only friend laughed and weaved in between the trees. Smiling himself, he ran to join his only friend in play, the only thing that he would never rule over. He was an equal with the other boy, always had been. He stopped when the boy stopped and pointed to the ground, gaze moving from the dirt back to the boy in confusion. "What is it? Is something wrong?" He gasped in surprise as his friend started to melt into the ground, slowly at first, but quickly speeding up as the shadows moved to envelop the other boy. "Wait! No, don't leave me! I'm free now so we can be together!"
'Silence, child. Think of this as a small game of hide and seek. He is hiding, and we must seek him out.' The voice whispered softly, fondly stroking the disheveled child's head, forcing attention on it. 'Let us begin our search, wretched boy.'
He clenched his fists against the obvious insult. He was free now, and he would be ruled by nothing, not even the voice. Perhaps he would not over-throw its power just yet, but he would strive to break free of any strings that held him like a puppet. "Everything will be my puppet...."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yuber sat bolt upright, breathing heavily as he gulped in air, shivering at the cold sweat that had built up on his skin. He forced himself to calm down, folding his hand together to stop them from moving. Slowly, he regain his composure, yet he could not help but let his gaze stray to the source of the vivid images. His gaze fixed on the long disheveled braid wrapped around his upper arm and followed it to the body it attached to. "Did you ever manage to end your little game of hide and seek?" He whispered softly, closing his eyes again.
"Why would you ask a question that you already know the answer to?" Natas turned his head and opened his eyes, his gaze locking with the blonde's cool one. "I win." He stated egotistically.
Yuber cocked his head to the side, a little confused. "You won what?"
Natas chuckled softly as he sat up and slowly moved to the end of the bed. "I won our game, Yuber. I found you." He threw a sideways glance at the blonde. "The Eightfold Rune is incapable of lies, yet it can twist the truth as it pleases to ensure the best results. Actually, all of the True Runes can do so. They are the ultimate puppet-masters in the universal game of chess, controlling everything as they see fit so long as balance is kept. They control every creature, rune, and particle." He slowly turned to face Yuber, a saddened smile appearing slowly. "They control even me because I will never escape the strings of Fate. I am still a puppet living under the whims of the True Runes, just another pawn in the Eightfold Rune's scheme to gather chaos in its favour."
"I will break your strings, Natas." Yuber met the blood red eyes of his ally. "When I break from the strings of Fate, I swear to you that your strings will be cut as well because you are my equal, the only equal that I will ever have. Everything else is just a puppet that you and I will control." He smiled when Natas' eyes widened considerably, obviously shocked. He nodded his head as the silver-haired man shook his head at him. He stood up, holding a hand out for his friend, a determined smile pulling at his lips. "Come Natas, solitary equal of the legendary Shield, let us take control of the strings of the puppets in this village."
Natas slowly lifted a hand to Yuber's offered one, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet by the blonde. "Yes, it will be good to play with you again, my friend. It has been so very long." He called his sword to hand, examining the blade carefully before regarding Yuber again. "Are you the holy knight or the sly demon?"
Yuber chuckled softly as he called his own sword to hand, rubbing the blade along Natas' glimmering one. "We are both demons, and Pesmerga is the holy knight out to put an end to our ways. Let us play a game with him."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Interesting, very much so. Sad as it is, I think that next chapter will be the last one for this story. I doubt that I will write another unless a new storyline comes jumping into my head. Oh well. Thanks for reading.