Konnichiwa, minna-san. Thank you for reading
this! Pleased be warned, however that I have very concrete reasons for rating
this R, however to list exactly what that is will give away a critical point in
the story. Don't worry, it shouldn't offend. No yaoi, no lemon, sorry guys; in
later chapters, though. This takes place before the game, Vagrant Story, and
though it contains no solid connection to my first chapter, it is needed for
later chapters. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think by e-mailing me at:
Shizuka_no_Kaze @juno.com. Oh, I almost forgot: / / mean thoughts. // //
mean thoughts from the past. It's less confusing that way. It's not in Olde
English for the same reason as it is not during the Vagrant Story era &
they don't speak that way where they live. ^_^ Best reason I can give. On to
the story!:
Memories
of Blood
BY Naoki Takiyama
When the Voiceless Speak
~Prologue~
The sun setting upon the young city
of Lea Monde only lightened the atmosphere of its inhabitants. The festive
colors seen every night for the past week danced in the air as imported silk,
lanterns and jewelry which only paled in comparison to the citizen's broad
smiles and the children's jubilant laughter.
Tonight
the town celebrated the last festival tribute for Lea Monde's completion before
the ascension of their God.
From the center in the cathedral, a figure outline
was silhouetted by the dancing fire, smiling benevolently at her creation.
/It's been not so long…and yet those beginning memories seem so distant/
Releasing a sigh that clouded the gem faceted wine glass, /It's finished…my
dream…/ A collection of feelings, /finally./
The
beaded doorway rattled and soon slippers were approaching. "Good afternoon,
Mullenkamp. Will you be joining the festivities tonight?"
Giggling
slightly, Mullenkamp waved the hand that held the goblet across her extensive
view, light glinting on the gold, "I've danced for the past five days in the
town square. A priestess does get tired," smiling back at her friend, "Isn't it
beautiful?" breath in amused awe, "I never believed I would be able to finish
it, in this lifetime."
The
purple robed figure nodded respectfully and companionably placed a hand on
Mullenkamp's shoulder. Accepting the gesture, Mullenkamp leaned inward and
placed her head on her friend's shoulder. They stood like that for a while
until the priestess couldn't take the weight of her thoughts in solitary. "I
don't want to leave it… I feel like I can't…It can't leave me…I can't bear the
thought," the sentence trailed off to a whisper, "I want to watch and nurture
it as a mother." Looking almost longingly at the one at her side, guiltily she
let her sight drop to the carved marble under her feet. Raising her head to
stand independently, sashes rustling, Mullenkamp spoke almost regally, "But the
Dark has already chosen you, though, has it not?"
Not
really a question as a cool dictation of fact, Mullenkamp didn't care when the
other failed to show any signs of remorse except for the necessary sympathy, "I
will see that Lea Monde is taken care of, love."
A
glint of annoyance flickered into Mullenkamp's dulled eyes before resuming her
shine of a smile, not really comforted. Faked cheerfulness laced at the edges
of her voice, "I know you will." And diminished her goblet to dust…powers that
would be stripped tomorrow by the Dark. Even discovered in writing upon
scrolls, the "Dark" had been cantankerous toward her innate magick acquired through ancient training of
priesthood. It had preferred a plainer mortal that opposed no threat to its
pure power…
Attention
snapped back to the present by the soft voice, Mullenkamp looked up to her
companion which entertained deep thought, looking past the festivities, past
the sky, into the star and moon, perhaps farther. "It is temperamental;" the
conversation was laid delicately, "you know that first hand, Kilanea. It will
not tolerate any opposing force once it is brought to the Waking. I don't want
to put you in danger, yet at first I will be weak to the Dark's influence."
/You're
worried it will hurt me./ Mullenkamp reflected in bemusement.
Turning
to Mullenkamp, her gaze was drowned in mixed feelings of concern and worry.
Searching the nonchalant face with the flickering light's help, she continued,
"What will you do after I invoke the Dark, Kilanea? It will no longer hold you
in respectable power…"
Smiling
gently, before sweeping her gaze toward the celebrating crowd, Mullenkamp
softly concluded the conservation, "It really is quite simple, Merlose…"
* * *
The city streets were bare, as the citizens were told by their Priestess to hide their eyes behind their doors; their God can blind while being revivified. The second reason was clearer and stirred less fear in the people: their Queen needed peace while she performed the rites.
The
lavish room was bare; the marble echoed with stain glass the incantation of the
world's Nemesis. The otherwise silence that filled the gaps between the
whisperings seemed to suffocate all other forms of life.
Stealth
footfalls hesitated behind a Corinthian column, purpose held the poise, robes
rustling to stillness as the intruding figure surveyed the entranced Queen.
The
room was dark in the throes of shadows. Midnight had held its claim for longer
than what seemed usual, and seemed to wrap in itself, holding its secrets from
the common eye. It washed apprehension and hung it as mystery. Soon it blazed
though, blinding the hiding figure momentarily and Merlose's words had fallen
silent.
The
beam had softened as quickly as it surfaced to a glow, emanating from the
Queen.
//I
will be its Child, Mullenkamp//
/She
seems at peace, almost as if in a mother's womb/ suddenly a light shot out of
Merlose, in silence, etching a pattern in the air at the cathedral's ceiling.
/The Rood/
//What
do you think?//
A
smirk covered the figure's lips.
/Now!
/ Silver glinted in the perpetual quiet. Dodging from behind the pillar,
running footsteps echoed toward the object of attention. A moment of
hesitation, and the silver glinted once again in the tassels of ebony light
that were surging through the chamber, before making no more reflections of
mock. The plunge fit the surroundings perfectly; it was as if the action held
the voiceless emotions screaming silently.
Merlose's
eyes flew open, making a slow trail to the sudden throbbing in her stomach.
Scarlet trailed to the ground, pooling in graceful spots on the marble.
Raising
her head, the stricken Queen met with a cool façade. Ragged in voice,
"Mullenkamp," the voice mingled with sobs, "A rune blade…Why?"
The
Dark, infantile and vulnerable in the realm of the Waking, began a frenzied
search for a new host. The waste of energy was unnecessary however, as it soon
felt a spell weaving it to it's new vessel's soul.
"Because
this city and title to this power are _mine_. I could not let anyone get in the
way of that, even you." Mullenkamp icily remarked, ignoring Merlose's horrified
expression."Accept your death gracefully. The Dark will send its regards."
Bowing her head slightly, Mullenkamp shoved and threw her off the dagger,
allowing the Queen to fall to the ground in an undignified heap.
Mullenkamp
was soon lurched forward as the Dark began to stream into her, the black
ribbons melding with her being. Turning away from the sight of Merlose's
heaving body, she ignored the tears searing down her face, intertwining with
the splattered crimson. She instead focused on the embracement of the Dark.
/You may have been its child, my dear Merlose, but I am not. It is mine, as is
this city. /
Mullenkamp
had also ignored the other magickal energy that pulsed against her skin, the
soft golden huge that luminated. However, her body did not and as she walked
from the center of the cathedral, she convulsed and fell to the ground as she
trembled with her mistake.
/No!…
I will not die… not now, not ever/
But
the effort to stand was in vain. Tremors soon erupted from beneath the ground,
shattering the stained glass and toppling the proud columns from their posture.
The
pandemonium was not hushed; citizens of Lea Monde heard one scream echo into
the night as two forces fought with one another. Ever-conscious mothers covered
their children's ears as the hugged close to their skirts, and fathers bent
their heads to reassure.
The
night's silence and the city's peace was forever murdered and bled like rain
upon Lea Monde. And each tremor brought one more soul's murmuring prayer to
their ancient god to protect their city from damnation.
~Fins~
Notes
of the author:
Oi!
Tell me that it wasn't –that- horrible.
After revising, it seemed better, but IMO it sucks…*mopes about* I've never
been good at conveying action especially when thoughts are spilling to your pen
too quickly. Ahh! *bangs head against desk* I wanted to write this
though, I was seized by a great idea: this prologue, yet I dislike the way I
portrayed it. It didn't have _any_ grace. I have been stuck on Chapter 1 Part 2
and it's been a month or so since I've posted, so I want to let people know
that I'm alive. I guess it was a filler. But it _is _ critical to later
chapters. I don't know how fast to move along the section that takes place
during the game… It pales in creativity to what I want afterwards… but I dunno,
two cute guys wandering around each other's paths inside an ancient city with
possible…ah, sorry, could be fun though. ~_^
Explaining this chapter, Merlose being there _will _ make sense…, Mullenkamp killing her can make sense now. Just takes a bit o' thought and analysis of Mullenkamp. She didn't necessarily _care _ about the Dark (she already had magick). She cared about her city, as she said, as a mother. She never wanted to leave it, never wanted it to leave her (explains why everything that dies inside Lea Monde is condemned to stay there) and she saw that she could achieve that through immortality, how? by accepting the Dark. It also helps explain the tremors; two magickal forces fighting each other. It also explains why her mentality is a bit… off. However, don't yell at me for two reasons: 1) I love Mullenkamp, she's cool. I'm making a very becoming role for Mullenkamp around Ch. 2. ^_^ 2) As I haven't finished the game yet, if facts aren't in place, I couldn't wait that long. (It takes forever for me to gain the guts to fight each boss. Kali or whoever scared the crap out of me…-hey, you're looking at a person who used to be scared of playing Mario Bros for fear of being eaten by the Daddy Fish. @_@) Eheheh, in short, it's my story and I've had fun weaving together facts and theories with my imagination to create a rather elaborate stage….
But,
I would like to say a very large thank you to EVERYONE that reviewed my last
chapter. Without you, I would never have had the confidence or inspiration to
continue my story.
PS:
for the suited menaces, same disclaimer applies. To see it go to the end of the
When the Voiceless Speak Chapter 1: Section 1. I'm too tired to write it for
you. I'll save you time though, go away. Other than that, hope you enjoyed my
story! You had to have read it to be worried about a disclaimer.