~Elements of the Mind~
6
The light. The vast endless sea of white that was spread before her, she squinted into the horizon but it continued. The feathers rained down, never resting just floating gracefully to her feet where they disappeared into the white. Hitomi kept walking aimlessly in the cloud that was her mind. Her legs felt like lead weights as she walked and they begged her to stop and rest but she trudged on unwilling to surrender yet.
Every turn resembled the last and the wall less maze began to take it toll. Hopelessness and doubt began to take shape in Hitomi's heart as she walked into nothingness. She just wanted to rest, she just wanted this whole ordeal to be over. She tripped over her own heavy feet and began to fall. The ground opened and greeted her with a black abyss. Hitomi closed her eyes and welcome the encroaching darkness.
"Now I can finally be at peace, my pain will stop and my troubled mind will finally put at ease." A smile touched her lips as she waited patiently for death.
"Hitomi!" Her eyes snapped open, someone called her name.
"Hitomi! Take my hand!" the voice, cried once again. Hitomi looked above her, silhouetted against the brilliant light was the image of an angel with its arm outstretched to her. "Take my hand!" It repeated.
"Van…." Hitomi murmured as she extended her arm and grasped extended hand of her savior. As their hands met, darkness became light and light became Van's face.
*******
Aisu and Tsurugi bowed before the Empress.
"What did you wish to see us about Mistress?" Aisu inquired. Nekura looked up, her red eyes shinning in the candlelight and the hint of a smile on her lips.
"Go! Bring the traitor Taishin and his subordinates to me."
"Do you wish for to bring them alive mistress?"
"Do whatever you feel is necessary. I will create the distraction you seize the swords. Now go and please do not fail me, I have high expectation of your magic."
"Understood, we will not fail you." Tsurugi vowed before leaving the room with his sister Aisu. As the sorcerer and sorceresses left the Empress' throne room a wicked smile spread across her face.
"My poor pawns…" she cooed as she crossed her arms over her chest with her palms facing the sky. She began her incantation to the heavens, asking the clouds to lend her their power. Soon energy began to gather in the up turned hand, she then combined the spiraling energy into one orb and raised it to the sky unleashing the spell on the world. "What those poor pawns of mine don't know is that their chance of survival is minimal and that they are more useful to me dead. I pity them really, I pity their trust and loyalty because in the end it will kill them, it will kill them all."
******
"Hitomi!" Van cried out of joy and relief as he hugged her to him, "Are you alright? What happened?"
Hitomi stared blankly at him for a moment before returning his hug, "You saved me!" Van looked at her uncertainly.
"I didn't do anything, you were "dead" according to us."
"No, no!" Hitomi shook her head violently, "You pulled me back to this world right when I was about to give up, you called my name and grabbed my hand."
Van still looked uncertain but before he could protest again Shakaku interrupted, "What did you see Hitomi? Who attacked your mind?"
"I…I don't know…" Hitomi stammered.
"Please can you describe the person? Did you see anyone?" Shakaku pressed. Tears began to gather in Hitomi's eyes and she drew her knees against her chest.
"Yes, I saw someone. It was a woman, she had long black hair that fell to her knees and shining red eyes. Her face was ghastly pale and she wore an odd version of a kimono that was black and red. Her voice was disturbingly calm, almost like she had planned the whole conversation years in advance. She didn't frighten me so such…but her words, horrified me. They were so deliberate and cold…" Hitomi trailed off.
"It's Nekura." Taishin exclaimed. Shakaku nodded. A gust of wind swept threw the trees shaking the branches and scattering leaves to the wind.
" I think we'd best find some shelter, it looks like a storm is rolling in." Van observed. Hitomi's eyes widened and she grabbed her head trying to vainly ward off the vision that had surfaced in her brain. Ice and illusions was all she saw, splinters of ice piercing invisible flesh.
"Hitomi! What is it?"
"I think something is trying to warn me Shakaku, I think something is coming."
Shakaku nodded her head, "Then lets get going!" Everyone made a move to mount their horses when suddenly Van snapped to attention.
"Too late! They're already here!"
"What?" Taishin bellowed.
The wind howled threw the trees in the distance thunder began to rumble in the heavens and lightening split the sky illuminating their surrounding in a blinding white light. That's when they saw her. Crouched in the branch of a tall tree, her silver hair whipping in the wind. She wore a tall black boots and white skintight pants with a long sleeved low cut ice blue shirt. Her shoulder, elbows and knuckles were adorned with shinny silver armor and she clenched a double bladed pike in her right hand.
"Aisu!" Taishin exclaimed.
"That's right Taishin, it's nice that your remember my name you traitorous bastard!" She spat and began to spin her pike. "And you know that the Empress does not tolerate traitors! Now die!" She screamed before assaulting the group with a shower of ice splinters.
Hitomi, Van and Taishin dove for cover, Shakaku however stood were she was. "Shakaku run!" Hitomi cried as the ice came hurling towards her. Shakaku simply smiled before forming a triangle with her fingers and sending a fiery vortex at Aisu. Aisu dodged the flames easily and jumped threw the trees until she stood directly above Shakaku. With a twirl of her pike she leapt off the branch and threw her self at Shakaku. The pike missed her by an inch and as Shakaku turned she drew her own sacred sword swinging it at Aisu cutting the sleeve of her shirt and nicking her flesh.
"Damn you!" Aisu growled and pulled her pike out of the ground. "Dodge this one "Angel"!" She spat before stabbing the earth with her pike and leaping back up into the tree. The ground began to shake violently under the foursome feet. Giant spears of ice began jutting out from the ground threatening to impale Van, Taishin, Shakaku and Hitomi. Unable to run from the sudden attack Hitomi called upon her corner to lifts her friend's off the ground to safety.
Small white wings appeared on their backs and they were gently lifted from the ground to the safety of the trees.
"Who is she?" Hitomi stuttered still unsure of what was going on.
"She is one of the Empress Nekura's servants." Shakaku explained quickly before fending off another barrage of ice splinters.
"But where is he?" Taishin muttered threw clenched teeth.
"Who's he?" Van inquired.
"Her brother Tsurugi. They go every where together."
"Right here." A mysterious voice declared before steel met steel. Although no one could see it Taishin began struggling with an invisible enemy. With a swift kick Taishin was knock out of the tree and Tsurugi jumped down after him.
An invisible hand grabbed Hitomi's leg and began to drag her across the branch and into the tree it's self.
"Help!" She screamed.
"Hitomi!" Van cried as he reached to grab her hand but before he could another invisible force knocked him out of the tree. Ice continued to rain down on them and Shakaku struggled to ward it all off.
"Hitomi, use your sword!" Shakaku shouted.
"I don't have one!" Hitomi screamed back.
"The feather! Use the feather!"
"I don't know how!" She cried.
"Just close your eyes and believe!"
Hitomi had no sooner closed her around the feather when she felt the hilt of the kitana in her hand. Without thinking she pulled the sword out of it's sheath and plunged it into the tree.
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I am really super sorry that I took so long with this chapter everyone! ^_^ I'll try to speed things up in the future! Once again thanks to all who reviewed! Your words are encouraging!
^_~
Chihiro