Chapter 12
The Star*
Halloed Dead Man
~ Asgard ~
~ Outside the Temple of Light ~
Alessa was happy she wasn't so cold anymore, not physically. When morning had come, they all had found that the sudden storm had ended, the snow already melting in the long unseen sunshine she had last seen in Fanelia. Hiero, Gatti, and Chesta flew the rest of them out of the ravine not long after this was discovered, in the same manner that had been done the day before, only without their lives at stake.
Physically, she didn't feel cold in this barren area, the snow of the other side replaced by craggy blackened land, as if it were all hardened volcanic rock. It was more the mood of three members of the group, Dilandau, Hiero, and Migel. Unlike the others, they didn't talk about what fear dreams they had been put through. As a matter of fact, after they had started to eat, they hadn't said a single word. Not even to each other, they had shut up completely, all looking pensive and disturbed. Dilandau didn't look so crazed as usual, not even when he'd been looking at the fire. It was if the general was off in another world, one that brought sorrow to his eyes. He didn't look like he would cry, only that he was sad and deep in thoughts, staring out at absolutely nothing.
Migel looked angrier than any of the three, looking at Hiero and sneering, then away after he seemed to realize what he was doing. He looked ready to explode and go on a bloody rampage any moment, but something was holding him back. 'Probably nervous, he's never had to fight a mystical guardian. He has no idea what his opponent is and he's used to analyzing an opponent. This must infuriate to beat all.' She thought.
She had long since forgiven Migel for pawing her, the guy looked to be very suppressed, they all do. He probably got more of a taste of the wonders of women than the others and couldn't stand being denied for a couple years. It wasn't like he raped her, and he'd been beaten up enough by Hiero for his actions. Hiero telepathy scared her in a way, he could poke around a person's mind without them knowing it, finding out everything he wanted in minutes, maybe even seconds. Even if Migel had been a creep, he knew the punishment for it, from both Hiero and Dilandau. She didn't like being defended like some helpless damsel, but she had ruined that argument in nearly killing the group
Her fear nearly cost everyone their lives, she was just glad no one had mentioned it. She still felt guilty. She was shocked even Dilandau wasn't glaring at her because of it, but his mind was still occupied. Hiero was another matter. He was currently leaning against the stone railing of the temple.
He had gone in ahead with only Chesta to inspect the inner sanctum, and found the locks that the fear guardian had mentioned. Each one was a doorway that had holes lining the top bottom and sides, some with poison spikes, electrical walls, fire, acid waterfalls, while the rest had a trap door that led to a pit of darkness, a scythe trap, and poison gas vents. Though the more interesting factor than the traps was that each door had a symbol at the top, each one destined for the angels to don on their foreheads.
He only knew by investigating it with his telepathy and Chesta's divine gift to guide him through. Chesta confessed, much to Hiero's annoyance, that Hiero had poisoned himself on the first trap and had use his magic to heal it. Hiero hadn't said a word, forcing Chesta to relay their findings. Hiero walked off and leaned against the railing, looking lost. He was still staring at the ground, his lips a thin and emotionless line.
Hiero just had this air about him that made Alessa wary of approaching him. He just looked so dark and foreboding, the look she'd seen in R rated movies she snuck into as a child, that of a killer stalking its prey. He was less like Migel, hiding his feelings perfectly, a poised animal lying in wait for the right moment to strike out at anything that got near him. She wished he'd be like he was in Fanelia, a little more open. She missed that Hiero, the one that laughed, the one that didn't hurt, the one she cared for. This current Hiero scared her.
"Lady Alessa?" Alessa started at Guimel's cheeky little voice, turning around after gathering her wits. "Yeah, what's wrong?"
Guimel gave an apologetic smile. "Why don't you talk to him? You have been staring at him for nearly an hour." He said plainly. She blushed slightly, but shoved it away. "Heh, its that noticeable huh?" she replied sheepishly, and the young Slayer nodded with a smile," I wanted to apologize for my….reaction, to his wings, but he looks so….peeved. I'm worried I'll only make him angry if I bother him."
Guimel looked past her at Hiero, who was being approached by Dilandau. The two were talking, but quietly. "I think about now would be the worst time. Wait until after Migel has performed his task, maybe he'll be better. If you dare to interrupt him and Lord Dilandau, you might lose more than you bargained for. Our patron can be most irate when those lower than him speak out of turn."
Alessa smirked, but nodded in defeat. "Yeah, he hasn't had the chance to slap me yet, but he would if he got the chance. He doesn't seem to like me much."
"Lord Dilandau never likes anyone, not even us. Not in the past and nor would he admit it, not until it was too late. He likes us in a certain way, but his own way that he prefers keeping to himself. I've never seen him so open before until Hiero came along. He must really like him to even have casual conversations with him, like this morning." Guimel replied.
She looked at him, then gripped his arm and tugged him a ways away from the group. "They were talking this morning? Where?" she asked.
"Outside the cave, they must have been the first ones up, or never got to sleep. I heard them leaving the cave so I followed. They were talking about those dream fears you were all subjected to. And you." he said casually, as if it were all perfectly innocent.
"Why me?"
Guimel smirked, not to be cruel, but as if he thought she was being coy. "Lord Dilandau calls you a cursed jinx, you did nearly kill us all. He said that, I don't think it was your fault. How were we to know we were walking on a frozen lake anyway? I guess his mother's gifts handed down to him through blood saved you, Lady Alessa, he saved us all. It must have been horrible though." Guimel commented, shuddering slightly.
Alessa lifted an eyebrow. "What?"
"To see you die, he told Lord Dilandau that first night in the Hot Springs cavern, while we were bathing, about his mother's death. We know his father is dead, we weren't aware she was too. He said he only saw his father die in his visions, and his mother misinterpreted her vision. Hiero said she gave her life away uselessly trying to protect him six years ago. They were only trying to kidnap him and kill her, not the other way around. He hated himself for not warning her. Like he hates himself for not being able to help Lady Celena, but Lord Dilandau understood nothing could be done. It is all Folken's fault. He started this." Guimel explained.
"Oh, I never thought of it that way," she muttered, then looked at the two chatting young men, both of their faces serious," Did they discuss anything else worth hearing?"
Guimel seemed to squirm in his armor, looking more and more like a small child. "Hiero said he saw his mother in his dreams and Lord Dilandau saw his own, when she was being changed into him…."he started, then she made a face that made him stop.
"Oh ick….his mother changed into a guy? You mean like a sex change or something?" she grimaced, holding her mouth.
Guimel looked at her crossly, then shook his head. "You Mystic Moon people are a funny sort. I don't know what a sex change is, but I guess its close, but she was able to change back into herself. It was called fate Alteration, Lord Dilandau was meant to be born through his mother Lady Celena, but just not the perfect soldier Zaibach wanted or wanted to wait to cultivate, so they stole her and changed her into Lord Dilandau. Call it magic and technology really, by the late Emperor's sorcerers, the ones that made all of us be reborn and made us kill our new mothers in the process. Didn't Hiero tell you all this?" he asked.
"No….he only told me his parents were dead and he got separated from friends, that he didn't get out much till his Dragon Slaying task. He doesn't seem to talk too much about the past. Right now he's being very quiet. I wonder if those fear dreams are still bothering him and your….Lord Dilandau." She said, putting a sarcastic emphasis on the 'Lord' part.
Guimel grimaced again, looking a little nervous. "You're going to get killed at the rate you're going. If he heard that, Lord Dilandau would kill you, Hiero or not. You have to show some respect, he won't expect anything less, not even from a Mystic Moon person. He respects no one but himself and…..Oop." Guimel was saying, then stopped and got at attention.
Alessa felt her skin crawl as she took notice of the shadow cast to her left, and another to her right. She didn't say anything and refused to turn around, inwardly slapping herself when she heard Dilandau eerie little chuckling. "Talking about me behind my back, Guimel. You should know better."
"Yes, Lord Dilandau, I was merely telling her to behave around you." Guimel said, his voice serious and attentive. Dilandau shoved Alessa off to the right, directly into Hiero's stiff side. One hand of his steadied her, then fell away, the same second Dilandau slapped Guimel and sent the boy to the ground. "She should know by now, don't you help that little jinx. Now go to Ryuon, he needs help setting up our temporary camp. Move!" Dilandau spat. Guimel bowed his head when he got up and ran off to the dark haired Dragon Slayer. Alessa felt like yelling at Dilandau, but she knew what it would earn her, a broken face. She had no urges to piss him off now, especially not with that twisted look in his eyes.
Dilandau kept his eyes on her, then they moved to Hiero, who stared back blankly. Then his cold garnet eyes stabbed into her again, that sleazy smirk rooting up his pale lips. "Why don't you do something useful for a change and help out? All you've done is sleep, eat, and make trouble."
All thoughts of being nice went out the window at that point, Alessa's face screwing up as she prepared to give the general a thick piece of her mind. "You could ask nicely. She's not a handmaiden, Dilandau. The ice thing wasn't her fault. Even we didn't know what we were walking on other than snow. She's not your concern anyway, Migel is, isn't he?" Hiero interrupted, his hand suddenly wrapped around her elbow.
Dilandau just sneered at the words, still giving Alessa a dirty look. "She's a burden, even if she is the Angel of….Love. I don't want her screwing anything else up, so she either does as I say or we leave her behind." Dilandau spat, one hand thrusting hard on his hip, his eyes narrowing.
Hiero shrugged, then leaned extra close to Alessa's ear, his warm breath tickling her ear and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck. "Best do what he says….neither of us can fight him forever, as much fun as that sounds. Please, for your own sake, go with Guimel and Ryuon. They're better than present company, they won't kill you."
She nodded faintly, cringing inside when she saw Dilandau heard what Hiero said. She quickly walked away and heard a loud slap. Then she heard Hiero snickering, then laughing. "You really have a temper. Not bad, you almost broke the skin that time, must be the armor, Dilandau."
As she reached Guimel, she was startled to hear Dilandau's insane laughed fill the air. "You have some brass balls, Hiero. Very strong indeed, not like that wimp father of yours. Lovely."
"Yeah, whatever, let's get Migel ready for his test. The sooner the better. We should be a ways from the coast of Asgard, hopefully even warmer than it is here." Hiero responded, then she heard nothing more. She looked back to see them walk off towards Migel, who was training with his sword with Gatti and Chesta. Dalet was sitting no a rock nearby, polishing his blade and vainly admiring himself in the reflective metal.
"Yeah, now just isn't the right time for anything." She said quietly, helping Ryuon start the fire, pushing his long hair out of the flames reach when it sprung to life.
~ Temple of Light ~
Migel took a deep breath as he walked in, Hiero and Dilandau standing at the doorway behind to watch him go in, and make sure no one else followed. Hiero hadn't teased him one bit the entire day, the king seemed very occupied with his own thoughts, only sharing them with their patron. He cursed silently. 'Who does he think he is? He's just a stupid boy king, not a Dragon Slayer like us. He isn't fit to breath near Lord Dilandau….hell, he isn't fit to breath among normal society. He's a sarcastic little loon.' Migel thought, walking past the first trap doorway, where the poison spikes were supposed to be. He saw green sludge hardened on the holes, probably the poison leaking, and smirked. 'So much for big scary guardians….how worthless, so easily dismantled by us. Hmm, Dragon Slayers can never be defeated, not by parlor tricks. How insulting.' He sniffed, turning his nose up and away from the doorway as he went casually through it. The next door came, then the next and then the next and so on before he reached the last one, the perfectly hidden trap door that led to a dark pit.
It was pushed open slightly, but he could see the brass hinges hanging perilously from the other side, broken and battered. He looked up at the symbol above the doorway, the symbol Hiero said was his, the symbol of light. It was an hourglass on its side, angular really, not rounded. "Well then, I'm glad I hurt something for Lord Dilandau, even if it was some stupid little trap. I hope whatever is in here is worth my time." Migel muttered, stepping over the opening in the floor and plodding on, his boot heals hitting stone the only sound.
It was like that for an hour or so, until Migel saw that symbol of light again, on a strange door. He stopped in front of it, and started to finger the symbol. It did nothing at first, feeling cool and sanded down even through his glove. "What's so special about you? Chesta and Gatti got more action than this…." He muttered, then the symbol flash. He wrenched his hand away and stumbled back a few steps, his hand grabbing the hilt of his sword. It flashed again, and then became a steady dark blue glow, just like his eyes, like Folken's wings.
"Migel Dima Lavariel….the 10th Angel of Light, welcome to your test of faith for Mother Gaia's wish. Are you prepared to risk your life for her and this world?" a dry voice cracked out, its owner unseen. 'Finally, something.' He thought, cracking a smug smile, his eyes wide with excitement.
"Yes, get on with it. Lord Dilandau expects nothing more than perfection. I don't have all day." Migel spat. The voice seemed unbothered by his tone, merely chuckling.
"Then enter, with this advice in mind. One sense lost, the others remain, use common sense to let victory reign. Survive the jungle of terror with this phrase. It will be all that saves you." It chuckled lightly, the door fading away as the false Hiero had within his mind the other night.
He waited a moment, slowly pulling his sword out, then stepped through. A few more steps and he could hear birds chirping, the rustling of trees, then the smell of wet foliage and wildflowers graces his senses. He kept going until he saw light, so brilliant it was near blinding. He kept moving until he stepped into a lush rain forest, one like the ones bio-generated in the atriums of the Zaibach Empire Gardens. He'd been there as a child, his parents and sister had gone there many times, before he was recruited for war. He always liked the place, hiding behind trees and in the shadows of the dark evergreen colored leaves that were nearly as big as he was.
His sister and him loved to hide on their parents then, and this place was the spitting image of the largest of the gardens, the Odin Gardens, where only the richest families could bask in the perfectly disease and filth free forests made from technology.
- Flashback -
"Migel! Circa! Come on now, we have to go meet with the Emperor's committee today. That General Adelfos will be there, now come on. You don't want to be tardy. It's bad manners and the Lavariel family is not tardy." His father was shouting, the man with the thin brown mustache and balding head. His blue eyes seemed to be very tolerant from where young Migel was hiding, his own darker blue eyes watching every movement.
He giggled in his head, as ten year olds were prone to when playing jokes on their parents. He adjusted his good clothes, a nice white shirt and dark black pants, his boots into a bit past his lithe ankles. He thought the committee was boring, he wanted to fight, like all his friends in their private school wanted to, to be in the Zaibach army. Rumor had it there was going to be an elite group called the Dragon Slayers, but they had yet to find a soldier worthy enough to become a leader.
He and Circa always had a plan, and back-up plans for when their previous plan nearly got them into trouble, like it was now. He was going to find his precious little sister and get the rights to her dessert. She always got the bigger piece of fruit tart while he got a 'manly' dessert, a lousy tiny helping of breaded pudding. His mother thought it was good for a string boy, but he wanted something sweet and crispy, not breaded and soggy.
He'd lost the last time, but all other times he'd been victorious, because he was quiet, and waited, keeping every sense he had alert. The time he lost, he had giggled too much thinking he had tricked her. She had found him, got her girl cooties all over his face with kisses and shouted to their parents, ending the game too soon, and keeping her dessert. She rubbed it in too, her dark locks swishing about her face, much like his mother's. Circa looked like a smaller twin of their mother, but she and Migel had her dark blue eyes, not the light ones of their father. He saw his mother pass by, her ebony hair swirling perilously about her fancy gown. He felt a little poor about making her wait, but he wanted to get Circa this time, just to rub it in like she rubbed in the fact she won the last time they came here.
Migel stiffened when he heard a twig snap, closing his eyes slightly, perking his ears to the direction of the sound. Then came the soft crunch of grass, a soft breathing and light and familiar tittering. 'Silly little Circa….too confident. Wait for it….This will be perfect.' He thought, waiting a few minutes more before he saw his little sister's long black hair, her creamy pink smile, those dark blue eyes, searching blindly. She had torn her dress, probably why she wasn't totally focused on finding him. He waited a moment, till she put her back to him.
"HAH!" he laughed as he grabbed her up from behind, delighting in the sound of her little wails as he held her up by her tiny waist. "Ah, no fair, Migel. You cheater! MAMA! PAPA!" she yelled, but her struggles ceased as the sounds of rapid footsteps came for them. He set her down quickly, but not quick enough not to be seen by his father, who promptly spanked him for teasing his sister. It didn't matter really, her dessert was his, he won the game again at last, and flashed a triumphant and smug smile at his pouting sister.
- Present -
Those days were long gone, Circa was probably in her late 20's about now, married and with child with a man she was arranged to marry, like most females. He felt a pang of regret that he'd never see his family again, but he'd sworn an oath of solidarity to only the Dragon Slayers and Lord Dilandau, no one else. Family was forsaken, and if ever contacted or seen, the family was destroyed.
"Such a lousy rule, my family never got to see what a proud warrior I became, but a worthy sacrifice to ascend to this point." He told himself, smiling a little as he moved through the brush.
"Such hollow words form a dead man!" a sweet voice crooned, female. He lifted his eyes to it and got a terrible shock. A blinding light came at him full force, hurting them more than he thought possible. He stooped over, holding his sword tightly as he used his free hand to rub at his eyes.
He opened them, then gagged, rubbing at them again to force away the panic he was feeling. 'I'm blind….no….I need my eyes to fight!' he thought frantically, standing up straight and breathing hard as he brought his sword up with both hands.
All he could see was whiteness, not darkness as normal blind people were subjected to. He couldn't see clearly, only white flashing feathery shapes flying at him. His eyes were stunned, for how long he didn't know, but the timing couldn't have been worse. He was defenseless now, his eyes were what he trusted the most, they saw all.
"Now I can't see….how am I supposed to win like this? Oh…. One sense lost, the others remain, use common sense to let victory reign. I have to use my other senses to survive. If this really is like the Odin gardens, he would know his way about, but if not, there could be anything out there, including whatever had robbed him of his sight.
He stayed still, slowing his breathing so he could hear better. The birds had stopped chirping, but he could hear water running, like a waterfall. "In the original gardens, there was an exit behind the falls, then entrance was similar to where I came in….but that's not the way to go. Lord Dilandau will be furious if I come back with nothing to show for my efforts, and blind too. He'll kill me. I just have to listen to the water, use my sword to feel around, sniff for honeysuckle and lilac, that was near the falls back home. Yes….just do that…." He said quietly, hoping the thing that had attacked him wasn't too close and listening.
He started off, banishing the crunching of fresh crass under his boots, the water sounds in front of him. He reached out his foot a bit when the sound got too loud and he was not yet into the right smelling area, and it touches flowing water. 'The stream that flows from it, it will lead me there too, now to make sure I don't fall in.' he thought, kneeling down carefully, then feeling around for the water's edge.
He found it quickly, then stood up and put his sword tip to the edge tracing along it as he walked towards the sounds of flowing water, his free hand outstretched in case a tree of bush was before him.
Whenever the sword lost the feel of the edge or had it too tight, Migel would kneel back down and see which way the stream was coming from. Then as simply as before, he lay the blade back against the edge and keep moving. It was like this for a few minutes, before the darling scent of honeysuckle and lilac kisses his senses.
He stopped, swiveling his blade in the lagoon the waterfall poured into before it reached the narrow stream. He and Circa swam there sometimes, and the memory of him splashing her and her stealing his underwear when their parents called made him chuckle slightly. He thought more on their childhood together, how happy they had been together,, how much he changed when he left home. He still had to smile, walking about the lagoon slowly, not willing to find out how to swim in heavy armor.
Circa was always such a tease, but he had loved her. He wondered if her children would grow up just like her. He wouldn't know. He'd left home a month after that day they had last gone to the Odin Gardens, left to join Zaibach's army. He was to be trained heavily, and he was already athletic enough for it then. He worked extra hard, but the turning point had come at a specific dinner, the day he met him, Lord Dilandau, when he was twelve.
- Flashback -
Migel had grown since he left his family for the army, but it had made his father and mother proud to see that their name would be among those remembered in texts of their empire. He walked beside General Adelfos, a tall bearded man who ran one of the great Zaibach Demon armies, the Copper Army. He was a direct subordinate, as was Folken Strategos, of Emperor Dornkirk. Migel hadn't met either man, but he was going to meet his leader and Strategos today, he has finally made it to the elite Dragon Slayers' force, he just needed to be at this meeting so his future general could pick and choose. Migel knew nothing about his leader, but neither did anyone else.
All anyone knew was that he had destroyed more dragons than anyone else and had killed several candidates above Migel in his training sessions. Some said he was a monster, other's said he was a spoiled brat, but regardless, Migel would soon call this person his lord and master, so he had to be a good soldier and take it like a man, just like Adelfos said.
The young mystery soldier had no real family, but was put into the care of Strategos and a beast-man servant, whose name escaped him for the moment, immediately after being brought to Zaibach. People said he was the perfect soldier, and the most beautiful child they'd ever seen, but very unlike a child. He always seemed to put fighting over everything else.
Migel didn't care, so long as he was picked. He smiled, proud to be wearing armor of the Dragon Slayers, hoping it wouldn't be torn from him if this young leader rejected him. He wiped the smile off his face the moment they reached the audience chamber of the floating fortress, the Vione it was called. There were many boys his age standing in there, about twenty or so, maybe a bit more.
The general led him in fully, and grunted. "Damn, they aren't here. Those brats are probably doing this on purpose, the nerve of such a young….traitor having more power than me, and dragging my subordinate around like he owned him. The nerve of Strategos," Adelfos muttered, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully and looked at Migel," Go stand with the other candidates. You're on your own now."
Migel nodded and looked towards the group. There were some blondes, one guy with short hair and glasses, some with short hair, long hair, all colors, but every single one of them looked like kids, just like him. Most of them were very handsome, like himself, and it made him smile. 'Perfect force, perfect skills, and perfect faces. I can see this is going to be my kind of force. No idiots or brutes….very nice. But a lot of competition for fair ladies….best I don't go courting with these boys around.' He thought, walking towards them.
The moment he reached them, he heard the door open and looked back, seeing a man in his 20's standing tall in dark cloak, his red eyes staring blandly at them all. He watched the other start to form a line before the throne in this room, three perfect lines, seven young men to a line. Migel got in the second line quickly, next to a boyish looking silvery blonde with stormy blue eyes. He looked a bit too carefree for Migel's taste, the eyes holding smiles.
Migel looked forward and seriously as he stood tightly at attention, only shifting his eyes once to look at the man in the cloak. Someone ran past him, a streak of silver, and it was growling in frustration, the shaking of armor and boots ringing in Migel's ears. Most of these young men only stood a little less than five feet in height, and if he couldn't see the person with the tall red-eyed man, the guy had to be their age and height. 'That's strange, why not someone older….why a kid like us? What's so special about him?' Migel thought.
"This is lovely….most of it anyway. Thank you for bringing the recruits to me at last, General Adelfos." A very childish voice rang out, but it gave Migel chills. It sounded wicked too, evil leaking from each arrogant syllable.
He dared not tilt his head to look, but a boy with long blonde hair did. In an instantly, after a loud smacking sound, the boy smacked into Migel, his cheek bright red as he slid to the floor. Migel kept his eyes forward and kept himself standing, ignoring the groaning boy at his feet. His future leader was right in front of him, his height, his age, and with crimson garnet eyes staring right at him. The young man was deathly pale, but it was perfect, no blemishes, scars, bruises, nothing to indicate he was ever bested or harmed. His silver hair shimmered against the flames that lit the room, his eyes dancing with them as if they were made just for him. Migel just stayed still and at attention, not even breaking a sweat. He wasn't going to give this up, not the chance to be an Elite Dragon Slayer.
The young man looked at him, smirking smugly. "State your name, boy." The youth said haughtily.
"Migel stood stiffer, keeping his eyes straight ahead at the youth. Migel Lavariel." He said, proud and seriously. The young man smirked, looking him over. "You're in. Go to Strategos by the throne for your room assignment in the Vione. Move!" the young man replied, screaming the last world. Migel bowed quickly and ran to the man his new leader had instructed him to see.
When he got there, he looked back, seeing he was questioning the boy who had been beside him. He heard the youth state his name, Gatti something, then yelled at him to go to Strategos. By the time Gatti had reached the throne, the young silver-haired soldier was moving to the back line, looking at the guy with glasses with unsure eyes.
"Don't mind Dilandau, he's been overly eager to get his own army. General Adelfos created this elite force, and Dilandau outperformed everyone, as always. The boy amazes me, surprising he doesn't kill every single one of you just for fun. Migel was it?" Folken said, his voice a little arrogant, but it seemed his heart wasn't in it. "Don't talk about our leader in such a manner. Just give us our room assignments and be done with it. He is our Lord Dilandau now. I know what the oath says, we fight unto death and die for him. That's why I am here, to be a real soldier, not some….whatever you are." Migel spat quietly, hearing a pair of footsteps coming towards him, Gatti and the now smirking Folken.
"I think you'll get a long fine with my ward. You and Gatti will share a room, its labeled with the number seven. You will spar with each other at first light tomorrow morning. That is a direct order from your commander, Dilandau Albatou, understood?" Folken said, his tone filled with cold amusement. Migel just turned his nose up at him.
"Fine then." Migel replied and he and Gatti stood at attention to Folken and the thrones immediate right, watching with sidelong glances as their new Lord Dilandau went on hitting and picking soldiers, a brunette with shoulder length hair and a sly smile running up now.
- Present -
'He knew my potential, he knew I was perfect for his team. He rarely ever struck me then, or Ryuon and Guimel. Chesta and Gatti were his favorites, his third and second in commands, but he hit them the most. Why couldn't I have been his second in command? Why the hell does he treat Hiero with such respect, more than us now? Why?' he thought, and yelped as he was suddenly soaked with falling water.
He grumbled as he stepped to the left and backed off a bit, away from the cold waterfall. He'd walked right into he was so angry at Hiero. Why did that lunatic and annoying king have to screw him even when he wasn't around.
"Because you're jealous of him. You think he's taking your patron away, Migel." That same sweet voice said, much like a little girl's. Then came the pain upon the back of his leg, like a wild animal had just clawed his leg. He couldn't see, but he was sure the voice was behind him, deathly The exit of this place wasn't far off, but if he moved, whatever was in here with him would strike. The pain was terrible in his leg, making it a real task to stay standing.
He decided to stall, to make her trip up, but he wasn't going to think of why. He emptied his mind quickly and thought of the waterfall, the sounds of the running water and birds chirping, even if they weren't anymore. "Blinding your opponent is a dirty trick, little girl, or whatever the hell you are. What kind of guardian sounds like child? My sister could probably best you." he spat arrogantly, then hushed, hearing her growl.
"Hmmph, some angel you are. Very rude indeed," she said, her voice closer now, but not enough for an quick attack," How's the leg Migel? Does it hurt much, just like last time?"
She giggled, making him feel very ill. It was like Lord Dilandau's giggles, but worse, it was totally immoral, evil, 10 times as bad as even a devil could muster. It made his spine get chills and sweat drip from every pore of his body. He knew what she meant, back in Freid he had injured his leg badly, then the doppelganger killed him. His leg had hurt so much he hadn't been concentrating on his surroundings, his fear of being caught only making it worse.
'No, blot it out, blot it out….ah, yes, the waterfall, the honeysuckle and lilac perfume my sister and I played near….the loud water, flowing like liquid diamond, cool….cool to the touch and breath.' He thought, hearing a confused grunt from the child-thing.
She was so close, so close he could feel her cold breath on his bleeding thigh, but he still didn't move. She had to be right in his hands, close enough to touch. "Doesn't hurt, you worm. I'm a Dragon Slayer, and you're just a shrimpy girl. You are nothing." Migel taunted quietly, listening still and holding his blade's hilt tightly.
"Shrimpy!? I'll show you shrimpy!!" she yelled, growling inhumanly, like a dragon would when it was about to attack. 'Not this time, girlie.' He thought as he spun about, aiming for where the sound had come from, a warm splash of stickiness erupting across him.
He waited a moment, then his eyes began to hurt, making him drop his sword, but his leg hurt too much to try and kneel, to ease the dizziness he felt.
The pain slowly dissipated, and he pulled his hands away from his eyes, blinking back the light within the temple. He gasped, and blinked again, an impish smiling gracing his creamy lips. "My eyes, I can SEE!! I WON!!" he yelled, raising his fists to the ceiling, but then his mouth dropped open. The trees were gone that he'd seen coming in. No birds, no water, no waterfall or stream, the smell of flowers now stale air.
With a metallic smell, one he knew, the smell of blood. He looked at his feet, his heart breaking in two when he saw he had killed a little girl, in a way. The head and torso were that of a little girl, a normal human girl, but the rest was of a ratty feather and four-legged bird with blood soaked talons. The girl had a beak instead of a mouth, which was the only bizarre part of her human self. Her head had been cut clean off from the shoulders, the bone marrow leaking out like maroon pudding.
He reached for her, to make sure she was dead, but then her body made a hissing sound and started to bubble and melt on the now stone floor, the sweet grass long gone with the rest of the illusionary foliage. Migel just watched it until it leaked into the crevices of the floor, then just stared, wondering if it was over.
"Angel of Light, you have proven worthy of the sight beyond the light and sensations of Gaia's children. Step through the doorway and place your naked hands upon the altar Receive your power." Said the same voice that had erupted from the door with the Light symbol on it.
He looked to where he'd come in, but it was gone, so he looked back to where the falls had been, and caught sight of a similar door, fading away even as he turned. He shrugged and went for it, limping through the doorway and plucking his gloves off slowly.
When he finally got to the altar, he took note of dark blue light shining upon it, almost the color of his armor. He looked up for its source, but found none. His leg started to throb again, so he gave it a bit of inspection. There was a trail of blood leading from the door he had come through and it was slowly dribbling down his pant leg and the steps to the altar. 'Now or never.' He thought, and put his bare hands upon the symbol-adorned altar.
The last thing he recalled were his screams of pain
~ Outside the Temple of Light ~
Hiero and Dilandau were jogging down the steps to the rumbling temple, dark blue streams of light leaking out of it like crazy. Everyone got their distance, but none more than Guimel and Alessa. Dilandau had put the Dragon Slayer in charge of her before Migel went in, so she wouldn't jinx him. She hated hearing that word, but it was fairly obvious Dilandau hated her. Why, only Dilandau knew. It was probably because he didn't think women made good soldiers, that they only brought disaster to wars for their side. She knew he was crazy about fighting, but obviously too crazy. Even some Earth lunatics in their own battles had women fighting alongside them and never thought twice about it. Perhaps other did, but those in charge didn't seem to care.
Right now, she was running a lot faster than most of them, leaving Guimel in her dust. She finally stopped when the rumbling and cracking noises did. She stopped, but Guimel didn't do so very gracefully, and crashed right into her backside, then Dalet followed, 'accidentally' landed his hand on her rear end.
They were too heavy to push off on her own. Guimel was lighter and easier to get off, and he probably would have if she asked, but with Dalet's extra weight, neither of them stood a good chance of rising unless Dalet got off. He seemed pretty attached until she grabbed his hand and yanked it to her mouth, biting down with all her might.
Dalet yelped and pulled his hand free, toppling backwards. Guimel got off quickly, then helped her up. Dalet was still shaking his hand out, even if it was still gloved, she had made sure to get through it. He was rubbing and favoring it like a lame animal. He cast an incredulous look at her, then went back favoring his wound.
"She's doing it again. She is giving my men ideas by just being around." Dilandau yelled, several feet away from what Alessa could see, but if he could see her, he could see Dalet.
"But Dalet's an asshole, you've already warned him not to touch her, as have I. If he can't get that through his thick skull, he should be neutered like all the other horny animals." Hiero yelled, more to Dalet than Dilandau. Dilandau looked a bit surprised by the statement, and didn't bother to reach out and strike Hiero. He just shrugged and rubbed the back of his silvery hair. Hiero looked very proud by the statement, even cracking a sly smile to top it off. Dalet had paled considerably, ignoring his hand and putting his hands over his groin for protection.
'Idiot….' She thought, shaking her head and lifting it to look at the temple. "Hey! The Temple is gone….!" She yelped. Hiero turned around and made a nod. He ran back to it first, and Dilandau flanked him a few seconds later. Alessa shrugged and followed hoping they could sleep after all this. The weather wasn't very cold here, so what would it hurt to rest after setting up camp, going with Ryuon to search for ponds and trees to get firewood and drinking water. They still had plenty, and some of her sport's bottle which had plenty of water in them, if Guimel and Dalet hadn't raided that too while she was asleep.
AS she drew closer, she saw a figure walking towards them, a figure with dark blue wings, the same color as the Dragon Slayer's armor, but with brown streaks through the feathers, like that of a very large bluebird in a moonlit sky. What shocked her even more was that Migel was attached to them, smiling proudly all the way.
He was also walking very slowly, staggering every other step. She saw why as she got closer, several feet from him as Hiero and Dilandau stopped in front of him. He whole front was covered in blood, now turning a dirty brown from drying, but there was some on his leg that was still red and glistening wet.
She stopped a few feet from them, watching Hiero force Migel to kneel, then lay on his front. Migel was scowling, but Hiero seemed to be oblivious. "Hmm, nasty? What was it, of lovely Angel of Light?" Hiero chuckled mockingly.
Migel blushed strangely, still looking cross, and muttered something. Hiero smirked and grabbed at Migel's wounded leg. Migel screeched and his wings flapped about, knocking both Dilandau and Hiero over. Hiero was still chuckling, but Dilandau was not. He looked furious, and Migel knew it. The last time Migel had looked that scared was when Hiero had put him in a headlock in the Hot Springs.
"It was a little girl, a little girl's torso on the body of a four legged bird and she had a beak for mouth. " Migel sped out.
Dilandau still looked furious, but when he spoke, she could hear him fighting the urge to laugh. Hiero was holding his own mouth shut, looking away and taking really hard and deep breaths to prevent it. "Migel….that's…..mmph….so excuse….pft….for smacking your leader with your….heh, wings. You're guarding the campsite all night for that, only weaking up one Slayer of choice to make sure you don't fall asleep. Got it? Mmm….hah…." Dilandau was sputtering, looking down as his shoulders were heaving with silent laughter.
"Yes, Lord Dilandau." Migel replied, serious, but Alessa could see in his eyes he was annoyed. "Now that wasn't so hard was it, Migel. Now think your wings away, they are getting in my way," Hiero chuckled," Sounds like a griffin hybrid to me, maybe a harpy. It sounds a little weird, but from the looks of your leg, she must have had only a little fun with you. Heh, I guess you showed her. Now be still."
"I did, she blinded with some kind of magic, and I had to fight her without my sight. Ow! So don't mock me, Fanel. You haven't fought your guardian yet, so don't compare yourself to me." Migel spat, but pulled his wings in gently, a flurry of dark feathers fluttering through the air.
"Compare yourself?" Dilandau uttered, his tone mocking," I haven't fought my guardian yet. Are you DARING to say you are better than me, Migel?"
Migel shook his head. "No, not at all Lord Dilandau. No one is better than you. OW! What the hell are you doing to my leg, Fanel!?" Migel retched.
"Saving your leg, she severed the muscled and some ligaments. You're lucky you didn't fight for hours, I might not have been able to save it, now stay still, this'll hurt," Hiero instructed," Alessa, sit on his back please. I don't want him jerking about."
Alessa nodded, slowly making her way to them and sitting down on Migel's armor. There were holes in the back, probably from his wings, but they were no bigger than a fist. 'I'll go through this too when I become the Angel of Love. I wonder….what it'll be like.' She thought, then looked at Hiero as he placed his hands on Migel's wounds.
He closed his eyes, and let out an airy chant," Oh, blessed and humble hand of God, life and breath of Mother Earth, come before me and show your great compassion and deliver us….RECOVERY!"
The soft white light came from his hands and pulsed through Migel's wounds, the blood pulling back inside him and the skin regenerating from the inside out. She could feel Migel trembling underneath, struggling every urge to yell and thrash in pain. She pushed down harder on him, until his body finally quieted.
Hiero ushered her off, then picked Migel's limp body up in his arms. Migel was awake, but barely. "I thought you healed him, like you did for Gatti and Chesta. Why is he so weak?" Dilandau asked.
Hiero walked past him and Alessa sighing. "I used some Recovery spells on Chesta after I used Resurrection. Recovery is dangerous for fatal wounds and diseased or poisoned wounds. It draws energy from the body being healed, Resurrection draws it from what's close by. I'll need to borrow Dalet and Ryuon for a moment, Migel has lost a lot of blood. Its not going to regenerated properly if I don't give him a boost from them and myself. The Recovery spells was just to stop the bleeding….come now, unless you'd like to bury him this time." Hiero let out matter-of-factly.
Dilandau just gasped, then jogged after him, but Alessa remained, watching them go as a warm breeze blew past her body, the sun that had been so high and bright hours before being blotted out by a few clouds.
"If it hurt Migel that badly, like Chesta too, what chance do I stand against my guardian? I'm not even a soldier like them, but they got hurt. How will I survive….? Will I survive?" she said quietly, her braid lifted a little in the warm breeze, her nervous icy blue eyes watching the retreating back of the men she was with.
To Be Continued….
*The Star card represents Migel's memories filled his hopes of success as well his hope of success in this venture. He holds nothing back and is willing and sees his path clearly even when his sight is stolen, that he must win.
Teaser: Allen, Millerna, Merle and the esteemed Crusade crew are back in action, off to find the missing Val and Myrna! But Folken has dirty plans for them too and will Allen ever apologize to his wife and son? Or will he remain stern in his position? Need you ask? -_^
