Draconian Chronicles:
Part Five
Hitomi felt her chest was going to give way, when Folken stopped. "You are a very strong lady, but you can't withstand the magic of the Rhinestone of Death."
Folken backed away, leaving Hitomi breathing hard. The bonds on her wrists that held her up were making her skin bleed. She fought against the pain as best she could, but she knew she would lose sooner or later.
She looked up at Folken, "What is that?" She managed, barely.
Folken turned to face her. "This is actually a nice little trinket. I…managed to get. The same magician who put the curse on the Rhinestone of Life made it. It holds immense power, but I want more. If I have your half of the Rhinestone of Life, my power with be increased ten fold."
Folken stepped forward and brought up the black stone, The Rhinestone of Death. "Ready for another session?" The stone started to glow again and Hitomi knew she would be able to withstand it this time. She looked down and saw the stone inside her started to resonate. Her chest glowed with its pink hue. The pain was unbearable. Where are you Van? Help me.
Van raced towards the door where he felt Hitomi's aura. Two guards guarded it. He'd have to take them out, before they could sound the alarm. He strode up casually and pretended like he was a regular. He started towards the door, but was met with two large double axes blocking his path. "No one shall disturb Lord Folken."
"He summoned me here. I must pass." Van said.
One guard laughed. "I don't think you understand. No one can go through this door. Now we can do this the hard way, or the easy way." The guard patted his axe to emphasize his point. His partner nodded and hefted his axe as well.
Van pretended to think for a moment. "The hard way." Before either could react, Van had his sword out and he gave each guard a new opening to put food in their stomachs. They fell with out so much as a scream and Van used their clothing to whip his sword clean. "Was that supposed to be hard? It seemed easy."
Van approached to door and heard Hitomi screaming. He burst through and saw Hitomi, wings out, hanging somewhat on a weird device. Folken was close to her holding a black stone. "Hitomi!" Van called.
Folken looked up from his work and smiled. Pocketing the stone for a while, Folken greeted his brother. "Ah, little brother. Come to save the damsel in distress?" He taunted.
"Let Hitomi go." Van stated. He didn't want to fight his brother, but his sword was out and ready all the same.
"Really brother, why fight? You can share in the wealth with me. Being the other holder of the Rhinestone of Life, we could have immense power." Folken took out the stone again. "Recognize this?"
Van stared at it in disbelief. It was almost identical to the Rhinestone of Life, but black. "The Rhinestone of Death? But where did you get it?"
"Do you remember that story mother told us about the draconian's friends, the magicians? They made this too. Now I have it."
"That was just a bedtime story mother used to tell us. It's only a legend." Van replied.
Folken shook his finger. "If the Rhinestone of Life exists, like mother said, why not its counterpart? You really want to know how I got it?"
When I went into the forest to sleigh the dragon, and lost, the next person I saw was dear old mother. She came into the forest to try and convince me to come back to Fanelia. She said that it was okay that I didn't succeed and that you would try when you were old enough. At first I wondered how she found me, but then I looked into her hands. She was holding the Rhinestone of Death. I asked her about it, she said it had led her to me. I saw it pulsating and felt it calling me. I fought mother for it, even injured and with one hand I still beat her. That's why she never returned. I took that stone and felt its power within me. I knew that if this were true, then the other one exists.
Van stood in shock. "You…killed mother for power?" He said in disbelief.
Folken scowled. "Is it so hard to believe? She only wanted to bring me back for the people! She wanted me to rule in shame! Just so Fanelia wouldn't suffer. Don't you get it? She didn't care about me! She only cared about you!!!"
Van tried to speak, but no words came out.
Folken took a step forward. "You were always her favorite! Always the one she wanted to succeed!!!"
Van shook his head. "Mother always thought about the people, but she always love us!"
"Loved you!! Not me! It was always Van this or Van that. Never about me! That's why I have no shame for what I did!" Folken rammed his metal arm into a nearby machine, leaving a large dent in it. Folken seemed to calm down and took a deep breath. "But now onto more important things. Do you remember the prophecy mother told along with this story? 'When the evil had discover the stone, it will harness its dark power.'"
Van felt something inside him seem to react to the words. He heard words in his heart and spoke the prophecy. " 'At that time the lady of truth will be called, to become the Angel of Light'" Van said.
" 'She will be hunted down by the darkness, until the Rhinestone of Life is freed.'" Folken went back to Hitomi and took out the Rhinestone of Death. He raised it up to her…
" 'But'!" Van interrupted. " 'When the Angel of Life is threatened, Her Protector, too, will be awakened.'" Van held his sword in front of him and took a step forward. He felt a mysterious aura filled him and he knew he was The Protector.
Folken smiled. He placed the stone back in his clothing, and unsheathed his sword. " 'The Protector will fight the evil,'"
Van nodded. " 'Of whom is his own flesh and blood.'"
Folken took a deep breath and concentrated. Black wings burst forth from his back. "Draconian versus Draconian, blood versus blood."
Van summons his white wings and they come out. "Good versus evil, light versus the dark."
Folken flew and took off towards the top, smashing through the glass roof, showering Van with the glass.
Van ran over to Hitomi and cut her free. Without another word he takes off after Folken.
Van reaches the roof and almost gets his wings clipped by a sword slash. He somehow senses it coming and blocks it in midair. Folken follows him up into the air and a battle ensues.
Folken attacks Van ruthlessly. Parry, block, parry, block. Folken grows tiresome of this game and uses his wing to smack Van in the face. The blow obscures Van's vision for a while and he pulls himself back. Folken then kicks him, sending Van to the ground.
Hitomi reaches the roof, by the stairs, (Cause she doesn't know how to fly well yet.) and sees Van fall. She fears the worst and runs over to the edge of the battle.
Van pushed him self up, but Folken comes and kicks him back down. Van looks around for his sword and finds it not too far away. He reaches for it, but Folken kicks it away. It falls off the side and down the endless abyss.
Folken comes and jams his foot down on Van's head, keeping him at bay. Folken raises his sword. "The Protector will lose, and I will have the rhinestone of Life!" He brings the sword down and…
"No! Lord Van!" Merle came out of nowhere and jumped on Folken's back. She claws at his face and back. Folken reaches back, grabs Merle by the back of the head and throws her off of him.
She goes flying through the air and off the side.
"Merle!" Van cried and whipped his leg out to trip Folken. Folken goes down and it gives Van enough time to get up.
Hitomi runs to the edge and without a second thought, jumps off. Her wings are out, so she tries to direct herself towards Merle.
While diving, something stirs inside Hitomi. She feels stronger, more able. She knows from the prophecy, that she is the Angel of Light. She will complete her mission, and destroy the Rhinestone of Death.
Hitomi gets down to Merle and catches her. She moves her wings and they start to go up. Merle clings onto her and stares at her in disbelief. "You're the Angel of Light?"
Hitomi frowned, "How do you know this?"
Merle pointed at her chest. Hitomi looked down and saw half of a circle with one wing on it. She gasps as it starts to glow a light pink.
They get to the roof, to see Van dodging some kind of energy balls from Folken.
Hitomi runs to Vans side and he stars at her. "You are the Angel of Light."
Hitomi nods. "And you are The Protector." She reaches down and touches Van's chest. On his chest, it starts to glow a light blue and the other half of the circle, along with one wing on the side appears on his chest.
Hitomi turns to Folken. "The Rhinestone of Death must be destroyed. Its dark power is too immense to be in the wrong hands. The fate of Fanelia and all the other kingdoms depends on it."
Van nodded. He, Hitomi and Folken took to the air. This battle would not be one of weapons, but of magic, and now everything depended on who would win.
The final Battle is at hand. Who will win? Will Van and Hitomi have enough strength to destroy the Rhinestone of Death? If so, will they have to destroy Folken as well? Find out in chapter six.