Disclaimer is on the prologue!!
Author's note: Finally!! Chapter four is through. Anyway, I am SO SORRY!!!! I'm a little color-blind, I think, and Mint's hair was red! I put pink… But just to clear things up from now onwards, Mint's hair will be red, okay? Anyway, I hope you like it.
BTW, Thank you soooooo much to Lyn Chan and Mint7656 for reviewing and giving me my first votes to continue! So here it is, chapter four.
Read and Review please!!!
~~|~~*~~|~~
Chapter four: Entering the Atelier
~~|~~*~~|~~
"Mint! Rue! Wake up! Mint! Rue!"
Mint opened her eyes slowly. Everything was dim and when it all cleared, she saw Klaus looking down worriedly at her. "Mint, are you all right?"
"Huh?" Mint's voice came out in a dizzy gurgle. "What happened?"
"You guys made it!" said Klaus excitedly. "We've gotten to the cavern!"
Mint was but little less delighted. Everything came back to her. The desperate run through the woods, the magic and the fall. Then she remembered. Rue!
"Rue!" she exclaimed. She twisted around, and realized what her position was.
Rue had broken her fall. He'd twisted around in mid-air (don't ask how he did it) and Mint was on top of him, her head using his upper body like a pillow. He was conscious, and he grinned weakly at her. "Hey Mint. I guess we made it," he said feebly.
Mint blushed a brilliant scarlet and sat up. "Rue! Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
"No…not really… I'm okay," he said, sitting up with Klaus' help. "How about you?"
"That monster missed me," she replied with a weak smile. "What was that thing? The atelier's guardian?"
"Probably not," Klaus replied. "Otherwise, it would've gone after you when you came upon the atelier all alone before."
The very thought of Mint all alone in the woods while these creatures roamed the woods was enough to paralyze Rue. He shook his head. "Probably just one of those beasts that roams these woods."
"It was huge, though," said Mint. "But at least we made it into here."
For the first time, the group looked around the cavern.
"Wow…you were right, Mint," said Klaus, looking at all the writings. "This is amazing."
Mint looked around her again. It seemed like no matter how many times she looked at this place, it still amazed her. "It's like a sacred place…"
"It is," said Rue. "I think that this master sorcerer is different… This doesn't look like an ordinary atelier."
"You are right," nodded Klaus. He ran a hand at the writings. "Let's see…" he followed the writings, his brows knitted until he arrived at the end of the wall and to the 'dead end' place that Mint had reffered to.
"Aha!" he exclaimed, straightening up. "Just as I thought!"
"Huh?" Rue looked up as he was touching one of the orbs stuck to the wall. "What do you mean, doctor?"
Klaus pointed to the writings. "According to this, the one with Aeon's light and the other with bright Magic, are the only ones who can enter."
"How?" Mint asked.
"It says so right here," says Klaus, "But I'm not able to understand Aeon language. I'll read it out and see if either of you two understand."
Rue and Mint looked at each other then nodded to Klaus. Klaus turned back to the writings, his fingers running over symbols as he read, "Korete laen dionae iyaso kator erena aso yoti mareca. Tomoli asera hereri meyori eso roen tolema aso reonité. Hereli yenna eroki yemeli ranero janerai."
Rue blinked. "I know. Born of Aeon light, touch the crystals—your power pass and the entrance be told."
Suddenly, Mint said, "Born with Magic bright of blasts which unfold—the doors will open, glows of gold."
The two whirled around to look at her. Her eyes were all dulled out, and she was staring at the writings. Rue asked nervously, "M-Mint? What's—what's wrong?"
Mint seemed to come to. "Huh? What happened? What's the matter?"
"That was what I was going to ask you," Rue replied. "How did you understand the Aeon language?"
"I—I did?" Mint asked, completely bewildered. "Well…I guess I did. I don't know. It just came to me and suddenly I understood."
The threesome looked at one another. Rue stared at Mint. "Mint…Are you okay?"
"Ye-es…" Mint nodded slowly. "Really. Why?"
Rue stared at her with concern in his eyes and just shook his head. "N- nothing. I was just worried." He blushed and turned back to Klaus. "So we do that, then?"
Klaus nodded. "Just touch the crystals, Rue, and try to concentrate."
Rue nodded. He tentatively took a step towards the gleaming crystals embedded in the wall and carefully reached out to touch one. The crystal appeared to have sensed him, bcause it suddenly shimmered a different color. Rue pulled his hand back.
"Be careful, Rue," Mint said, gripping her hoops tight.
"I will," he said, glancing back at her with a small smile.
He reached out for the crystals again, and placed a hand on top of one. "Whew…" Nothing had happened as of yet so he placed his other hand on the crystal beside it. "Here goes…" He took a breath and began concentrating his energy.
Mint sucked in her breath. The crystals were soaking up Rue's power! She could see the light around Rue slowly seep into the crystals, which began glowing like two lamps embedded in rock.
Rue gasped as the crystals kept taking up his power, but did not let go. He had a feeling that it wasn't enough yet. The crystals were taking in his power faster now, and with more force, and Rue had to struggle to keep hold.
Finally, he can endure the force of power no longer. There was a brilliant flash of white light and Rue was thrown backwards, crashing right into Mint. They both of them lay sprawled on the ground.
"Rue!" Mint gasped, quickly getting her senses and going close to him. "Rue, are you okay?"
"…I think," he croaked, trying to get up. He was only able to one Mint helped him.
"Mint! Rue!" exclaimed Klaus. "Look at the symbol on the wall!"
They two adventurers looked. The great circular symbol on the wall was moving. The symbols around it were spinning around the central circle rapidly, glowing in a rainbow array of colors. There was a flash of rainbow light as the symbols took a final position, and the wall began to glow.
"Wh-what's happening?" Rue asked when the wall kept glowing but did not change.
"It's the second clue!" Mint exclaimed. "I'm the one with magic, so I'll have to blast the wall."
"Can you do that?" Klaus asked. "That wall is solid rock!"
"Not anymore, I bet," said Mint. She stood up and slowly walked towards the gleaming wall. She reached out to it, but there was a sudden spark of power that made her jump back.
"Mint!" Rue scrambled to her. "Don't touch the wall!"
"All right," said Mint. "I'll blast this thing then."
The hoops began to swirl around her hands, and she released a blast of her magic. It hit the wall, and the imapct made the cavern tremble.
"Not budging, eh?" Mint's eyes glinted and she fired again. And again. And yet again.
At the final blast, the wall burst into blinding golden light. Mint felt herself getting sucked right into the wall. She screamed.
"Mint!" Rue cried, running forward and grabbed hold of her hand.
"Rue! Mint!" called Klaus, taking a step forward.
"No, doctor!" yelled Mint. "You can't go in here! Leave it to us!"
Klaus cannot argue with that. Rue said, "Mint, what's going on?"
"We did, it, that's what!" she called back. "We're going into the atelier!"
And in an explosion of brilliant gold light, the two vanished from the cavern and through the wall.
Mint moaned as she sat up. She shook her head. "Wh-what happened?"
"Well, we got in," said Rue's voice from beside her. She jumped and looked. He was just getting up from his position on the floor.
"Are you hurt?" asked Mint.
"No. Are you?"
"Nope."
There was silence between that both of them, and Mint looked around her. "Hey, where are we?"
"This must be the atelier, then," said Rue as he and Mint got up.
They looked around at the strange yet beautiful atelier. The entrance (where they guessed they were) was a huge room with a dome ceiling. Pillars flanked the walls around them all of them marble and gold. The walls were pure white without a speck of dirt, and it was covered with paintings of strange robed people.
"Who are those?" Mint asked, pointing to the paintings.
"I guess the people in the robes are the Aeons," said Rue. "See? The one at the head of the Aeons is Valen."
Rue looked to his right. "But I don't know who those are." He motioned to the paintings on the other aside of the wall.
"Oh, those are sorcerers, I bet," said Mint. "I recognize them from my history books. Strange, those look very much like East Heaven outfits…"
Rue looked around. "They're fighting, it looks like."
"I guess," said Mint. She looked up. "But if they're fighting, who're those two on the ceiling?"
Rue looked up as well and saw an Aeon and a sorcereress standing in the clouds, looking down at the battleground below. They were both holding something bright.
"Maybe they're the strongest or the leaders," said Rue.
"No," Mint shook her head. "Valen is the most powerful Aeon. And he's right here on the wall."
Rue thought for a moment then said, "Well, we haven't the time to ponder this, you know."
"You're right," nodded Mint. "We'd better get to the inside of the atelier soon and find out about the [relic]."
Rue agreed with a nod, and the both of them moved across the room.
"Something's weird," said Mint.
"What is?" Rue asked.
"Why isn't there a guardian? I mean, most magicians' ateliers have guardians."
Rue opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, a rumbling filled the room, and everything shook. The paintings around them seemed to quiver.
"Wh-what's h-happening?" Mint cried. "And earthquake?!"
"You spoke too soon!" Rue replied. "The guardian must be coming!"
"Let's get moving!" Mint cried.
She and Rue tore across the room to get to the great oaken doors that stood on the other end. Halfway there, however, the floor sank a bit, and water came gushing in!
"Aaaagh!" Mint yelled as she slipped and splashed into the ankle-deep water.
Rue grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "Come on!"
Mint nodded but before the both of them could take a step, the gushing of water stopped and the shaking ceased. With a sudden jerk, the floor moved back up, and knocked the two down.
"Ugh…" Rue groaned as he sat up. His eyes widened when he saw what was happening around him. "Uh-oh…"
The water was moving. It was rushing together, as if to create one single entity that was taking shape right before him.
"Oh no!" Rue gasped, reaching out to touch the princess on the ground. But as he did, there was a flash of electricity that ran through his body. He flew backwards, skidding into the now dry floor about six feet from where Mint lay still uconscious.
The water (which seemed alive) took this opportunity. It slinked over to Mint, enveloping her in a quivering liquid tower.
"Mint!!" Rue yelled in horror as he saw Mint being carried by the water, which was turning purple.
Mint was completely inside the water tower. Her eyes popped open, and she found that she could not breath. She choked as she tried to get out, but the water would not let its prisoner free. As her air ran out, Mint reached out for Rue in a silent scream to help her. But Rue was helpless and could not do anything.
Mint fell unconscious.
"Nooo!!" Rue screamed in anguish.
But it was no over yet. The water began siwrling around the fainting princess, and began entering her system. The water kept flowing until Mint was completely taken over by the water.
Soaked from head to foot, Mint stood, with her eyes closed across Rue.
With his heart pounding, Rue sucked in his breath and ran to the princess. "Mint! Mint answer me! Are you okay?"
Suddenly, Mint's eyes flew open, and Rue stopped for a split second when he saw the menacing gleam of evil red eyes.
"Die!!" Mint's voice came out in a watery gurgle. She held out her hands, and with swirling hoops she fried at Rue with her blue magic, which now came as the evil purple water.
Rue cied out as he was hit and he smashed into the wall. Groaning, he struggled to get up as he watcehd the possessed princess.
What am I going to do?! thought Rue in terror. I can't hurt Mint! But she'll kill me if I don't do something now!!
Aha ha ha ha ha! Cliffhanger again… This provides and exciting new twist. Will Rue have to kill Mint now? Or else he dies, and that's no good either. So what will happen?
P.S.
I don't think the other char. are gonna come out after the next chapters… the next will focus on Mint and Rue.
Anyway! Please review!!!
Author's note: Finally!! Chapter four is through. Anyway, I am SO SORRY!!!! I'm a little color-blind, I think, and Mint's hair was red! I put pink… But just to clear things up from now onwards, Mint's hair will be red, okay? Anyway, I hope you like it.
BTW, Thank you soooooo much to Lyn Chan and Mint7656 for reviewing and giving me my first votes to continue! So here it is, chapter four.
Read and Review please!!!
~~|~~*~~|~~
Chapter four: Entering the Atelier
~~|~~*~~|~~
"Mint! Rue! Wake up! Mint! Rue!"
Mint opened her eyes slowly. Everything was dim and when it all cleared, she saw Klaus looking down worriedly at her. "Mint, are you all right?"
"Huh?" Mint's voice came out in a dizzy gurgle. "What happened?"
"You guys made it!" said Klaus excitedly. "We've gotten to the cavern!"
Mint was but little less delighted. Everything came back to her. The desperate run through the woods, the magic and the fall. Then she remembered. Rue!
"Rue!" she exclaimed. She twisted around, and realized what her position was.
Rue had broken her fall. He'd twisted around in mid-air (don't ask how he did it) and Mint was on top of him, her head using his upper body like a pillow. He was conscious, and he grinned weakly at her. "Hey Mint. I guess we made it," he said feebly.
Mint blushed a brilliant scarlet and sat up. "Rue! Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
"No…not really… I'm okay," he said, sitting up with Klaus' help. "How about you?"
"That monster missed me," she replied with a weak smile. "What was that thing? The atelier's guardian?"
"Probably not," Klaus replied. "Otherwise, it would've gone after you when you came upon the atelier all alone before."
The very thought of Mint all alone in the woods while these creatures roamed the woods was enough to paralyze Rue. He shook his head. "Probably just one of those beasts that roams these woods."
"It was huge, though," said Mint. "But at least we made it into here."
For the first time, the group looked around the cavern.
"Wow…you were right, Mint," said Klaus, looking at all the writings. "This is amazing."
Mint looked around her again. It seemed like no matter how many times she looked at this place, it still amazed her. "It's like a sacred place…"
"It is," said Rue. "I think that this master sorcerer is different… This doesn't look like an ordinary atelier."
"You are right," nodded Klaus. He ran a hand at the writings. "Let's see…" he followed the writings, his brows knitted until he arrived at the end of the wall and to the 'dead end' place that Mint had reffered to.
"Aha!" he exclaimed, straightening up. "Just as I thought!"
"Huh?" Rue looked up as he was touching one of the orbs stuck to the wall. "What do you mean, doctor?"
Klaus pointed to the writings. "According to this, the one with Aeon's light and the other with bright Magic, are the only ones who can enter."
"How?" Mint asked.
"It says so right here," says Klaus, "But I'm not able to understand Aeon language. I'll read it out and see if either of you two understand."
Rue and Mint looked at each other then nodded to Klaus. Klaus turned back to the writings, his fingers running over symbols as he read, "Korete laen dionae iyaso kator erena aso yoti mareca. Tomoli asera hereri meyori eso roen tolema aso reonité. Hereli yenna eroki yemeli ranero janerai."
Rue blinked. "I know. Born of Aeon light, touch the crystals—your power pass and the entrance be told."
Suddenly, Mint said, "Born with Magic bright of blasts which unfold—the doors will open, glows of gold."
The two whirled around to look at her. Her eyes were all dulled out, and she was staring at the writings. Rue asked nervously, "M-Mint? What's—what's wrong?"
Mint seemed to come to. "Huh? What happened? What's the matter?"
"That was what I was going to ask you," Rue replied. "How did you understand the Aeon language?"
"I—I did?" Mint asked, completely bewildered. "Well…I guess I did. I don't know. It just came to me and suddenly I understood."
The threesome looked at one another. Rue stared at Mint. "Mint…Are you okay?"
"Ye-es…" Mint nodded slowly. "Really. Why?"
Rue stared at her with concern in his eyes and just shook his head. "N- nothing. I was just worried." He blushed and turned back to Klaus. "So we do that, then?"
Klaus nodded. "Just touch the crystals, Rue, and try to concentrate."
Rue nodded. He tentatively took a step towards the gleaming crystals embedded in the wall and carefully reached out to touch one. The crystal appeared to have sensed him, bcause it suddenly shimmered a different color. Rue pulled his hand back.
"Be careful, Rue," Mint said, gripping her hoops tight.
"I will," he said, glancing back at her with a small smile.
He reached out for the crystals again, and placed a hand on top of one. "Whew…" Nothing had happened as of yet so he placed his other hand on the crystal beside it. "Here goes…" He took a breath and began concentrating his energy.
Mint sucked in her breath. The crystals were soaking up Rue's power! She could see the light around Rue slowly seep into the crystals, which began glowing like two lamps embedded in rock.
Rue gasped as the crystals kept taking up his power, but did not let go. He had a feeling that it wasn't enough yet. The crystals were taking in his power faster now, and with more force, and Rue had to struggle to keep hold.
Finally, he can endure the force of power no longer. There was a brilliant flash of white light and Rue was thrown backwards, crashing right into Mint. They both of them lay sprawled on the ground.
"Rue!" Mint gasped, quickly getting her senses and going close to him. "Rue, are you okay?"
"…I think," he croaked, trying to get up. He was only able to one Mint helped him.
"Mint! Rue!" exclaimed Klaus. "Look at the symbol on the wall!"
They two adventurers looked. The great circular symbol on the wall was moving. The symbols around it were spinning around the central circle rapidly, glowing in a rainbow array of colors. There was a flash of rainbow light as the symbols took a final position, and the wall began to glow.
"Wh-what's happening?" Rue asked when the wall kept glowing but did not change.
"It's the second clue!" Mint exclaimed. "I'm the one with magic, so I'll have to blast the wall."
"Can you do that?" Klaus asked. "That wall is solid rock!"
"Not anymore, I bet," said Mint. She stood up and slowly walked towards the gleaming wall. She reached out to it, but there was a sudden spark of power that made her jump back.
"Mint!" Rue scrambled to her. "Don't touch the wall!"
"All right," said Mint. "I'll blast this thing then."
The hoops began to swirl around her hands, and she released a blast of her magic. It hit the wall, and the imapct made the cavern tremble.
"Not budging, eh?" Mint's eyes glinted and she fired again. And again. And yet again.
At the final blast, the wall burst into blinding golden light. Mint felt herself getting sucked right into the wall. She screamed.
"Mint!" Rue cried, running forward and grabbed hold of her hand.
"Rue! Mint!" called Klaus, taking a step forward.
"No, doctor!" yelled Mint. "You can't go in here! Leave it to us!"
Klaus cannot argue with that. Rue said, "Mint, what's going on?"
"We did, it, that's what!" she called back. "We're going into the atelier!"
And in an explosion of brilliant gold light, the two vanished from the cavern and through the wall.
Mint moaned as she sat up. She shook her head. "Wh-what happened?"
"Well, we got in," said Rue's voice from beside her. She jumped and looked. He was just getting up from his position on the floor.
"Are you hurt?" asked Mint.
"No. Are you?"
"Nope."
There was silence between that both of them, and Mint looked around her. "Hey, where are we?"
"This must be the atelier, then," said Rue as he and Mint got up.
They looked around at the strange yet beautiful atelier. The entrance (where they guessed they were) was a huge room with a dome ceiling. Pillars flanked the walls around them all of them marble and gold. The walls were pure white without a speck of dirt, and it was covered with paintings of strange robed people.
"Who are those?" Mint asked, pointing to the paintings.
"I guess the people in the robes are the Aeons," said Rue. "See? The one at the head of the Aeons is Valen."
Rue looked to his right. "But I don't know who those are." He motioned to the paintings on the other aside of the wall.
"Oh, those are sorcerers, I bet," said Mint. "I recognize them from my history books. Strange, those look very much like East Heaven outfits…"
Rue looked around. "They're fighting, it looks like."
"I guess," said Mint. She looked up. "But if they're fighting, who're those two on the ceiling?"
Rue looked up as well and saw an Aeon and a sorcereress standing in the clouds, looking down at the battleground below. They were both holding something bright.
"Maybe they're the strongest or the leaders," said Rue.
"No," Mint shook her head. "Valen is the most powerful Aeon. And he's right here on the wall."
Rue thought for a moment then said, "Well, we haven't the time to ponder this, you know."
"You're right," nodded Mint. "We'd better get to the inside of the atelier soon and find out about the [relic]."
Rue agreed with a nod, and the both of them moved across the room.
"Something's weird," said Mint.
"What is?" Rue asked.
"Why isn't there a guardian? I mean, most magicians' ateliers have guardians."
Rue opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, a rumbling filled the room, and everything shook. The paintings around them seemed to quiver.
"Wh-what's h-happening?" Mint cried. "And earthquake?!"
"You spoke too soon!" Rue replied. "The guardian must be coming!"
"Let's get moving!" Mint cried.
She and Rue tore across the room to get to the great oaken doors that stood on the other end. Halfway there, however, the floor sank a bit, and water came gushing in!
"Aaaagh!" Mint yelled as she slipped and splashed into the ankle-deep water.
Rue grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "Come on!"
Mint nodded but before the both of them could take a step, the gushing of water stopped and the shaking ceased. With a sudden jerk, the floor moved back up, and knocked the two down.
"Ugh…" Rue groaned as he sat up. His eyes widened when he saw what was happening around him. "Uh-oh…"
The water was moving. It was rushing together, as if to create one single entity that was taking shape right before him.
"Oh no!" Rue gasped, reaching out to touch the princess on the ground. But as he did, there was a flash of electricity that ran through his body. He flew backwards, skidding into the now dry floor about six feet from where Mint lay still uconscious.
The water (which seemed alive) took this opportunity. It slinked over to Mint, enveloping her in a quivering liquid tower.
"Mint!!" Rue yelled in horror as he saw Mint being carried by the water, which was turning purple.
Mint was completely inside the water tower. Her eyes popped open, and she found that she could not breath. She choked as she tried to get out, but the water would not let its prisoner free. As her air ran out, Mint reached out for Rue in a silent scream to help her. But Rue was helpless and could not do anything.
Mint fell unconscious.
"Nooo!!" Rue screamed in anguish.
But it was no over yet. The water began siwrling around the fainting princess, and began entering her system. The water kept flowing until Mint was completely taken over by the water.
Soaked from head to foot, Mint stood, with her eyes closed across Rue.
With his heart pounding, Rue sucked in his breath and ran to the princess. "Mint! Mint answer me! Are you okay?"
Suddenly, Mint's eyes flew open, and Rue stopped for a split second when he saw the menacing gleam of evil red eyes.
"Die!!" Mint's voice came out in a watery gurgle. She held out her hands, and with swirling hoops she fried at Rue with her blue magic, which now came as the evil purple water.
Rue cied out as he was hit and he smashed into the wall. Groaning, he struggled to get up as he watcehd the possessed princess.
What am I going to do?! thought Rue in terror. I can't hurt Mint! But she'll kill me if I don't do something now!!
Aha ha ha ha ha! Cliffhanger again… This provides and exciting new twist. Will Rue have to kill Mint now? Or else he dies, and that's no good either. So what will happen?
P.S.
I don't think the other char. are gonna come out after the next chapters… the next will focus on Mint and Rue.
Anyway! Please review!!!