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~Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's all about the action in this one!~
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The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_Wings
Chapter 11 ~ Separation
~~~Frozen Wilderness~~~
Hitomi couldn't think… couldn't cry for help… She was frozen in fear as she watched the creature before her… Slowly the lumbering beast made his way to her becoming fully visible. The blue eyes… long white fur… purple tongue… sharp fangs… all of it became evident to the seeress sending a instinctual panic down into the very marrow of her existence… Growling the creature lowered its large belly to the snow readying himself to pounce on her…
More than anything Hitomi wanted to run away,… but how could she… This beast would surely overtake her easily seeing that he lived in this environment, probably, all its life. She had never been to any place that was covered in snow before giving her an automatic disadvantage, but another mark against her was the fact that the snow was so high. Perhaps if it had been less than knee deep there would have been the chance of her possible escape, but she was barely able to walk through the drifts let alone run through them. Though the beast had been slow in approaching her Hitomi knew better than to assume the creature was slow. It was a predator and any predator had to be quick to take down its prey. It surely had the experience and the ability to race through this whiteness far faster than she ever could. Above all other facts there was something more significant among the advantages and disadvantages; it was Hitomi's pregnancy. Though she had been able to run on several occasion during her pregnancy it had been times when she had been at her best. At the moment she was still sore and aching from the other night's battle and she could feel her energy was substantial drained;… at least to the point where she didn't have the fuel to run. With the land and weather also working against her there was no way she could escape this brute. Gulping the lump in her throat the seeress eyed the beast before her as its growled menacingly at her. It stood only eight yards away which was close enough for the wolf to attack…
~~~Sian~~~
The green warrior slowly opened her eyes and automatically her body registered the cold atmosphere. Quickly the maiden rose from the snowdrift causing her body to groan in pain. She was still sore from the battle at her village and the one in the sky. Doing her best to ignore the mild anguish that tore at her the guardian got to her feet knocking off the clumps of snow that had formed over her body when she had been unconscious. Looking around at the scenery Sian knew she was alone,… but how?… What had gone wrong?…
Rotating her shoulders to rid them of their stiffness the warrior knew she needed to find her king and queen as soon as possible. She was the royal bodyguard and her main priority was the royal family -- Van and Hitomi. A glimmer of guilt stabbed at her heart as she thought of Nembus and Merle. It hurt to think she was deliberately going to find Van and Hitomi first just because of her duty. Though Van and Hitomi were her friends just like Merle and Nembus it just didn't settle on her soul well. It made her look like that she favored her rulers better than the cat-girl and her fellow guardian. Frowning slightly Sian remembered the oath she had made when taking the position as royal bodyguard: 'Above all else your prime directive is to protect the royal family. Your duty is that alone and you must vow to never stray from that loyalty.'
It had been easy to say the words back then so many years ago, but it was harder to carry out the oath. Though the oath had been longer with other rules and duties she had been bound to the prime directive. It was the main law or role of the guardians' duties and could not be bent, broken, or changed by the other laws given to the bodyguards. Yes, there were several rules that might conflict with the prime directive, but if this was so one had to follow the prime directive over the other conflicting rule. It was the law to the royal bodyguards and if one was to stray from such they were to be publicly stripped of their title and have their identity revealed before the crowd. It was a very harsh dishonor. From the beginning of the royal bodyguards none had been punished especially in such a way. They were either too loyal or too afraid to do otherwise.
The thick cloak Sian now wore seemed to do nothing against the cold and Sian swiftly drew the hood over her head as her other hand grabbed the fluttering robe so that it curled up around her body. With each step her body ached and moaned in torturous pain, but Sian was trained in overlooking physical tortures and thus she merely overlooked her discomfort. Of course if the pain ever got too bad even her training wouldn't have helped her. Forcing herself to continue the guardian with the freezing cold biting at her body began to trod through the endless snow looking for her comrades…
~~~Merle~~~
The young cat-girl dug herself out of the pile of snow seeking for the world outside the whiteness. Upon reaching the surface of the soft, pearly drift Merle pulled herself up onto the roof of the snow. Her furry form fell into yet another drift as the snow gave in from her weight. Growling in annoyance the advisor pulled herself out again and shook her head of pink locks to rid herself of the excessive snow clinging onto her body. The young girl glanced around the area for her comrades and felt lonely at the sudden realization that no one was with her. Where was everyone?… What had gone wrong with the pillar of blue light?… Had everyone arrived safely?… Merle could only hope.
Pulling the hood of her cloak over her head and shifting her backpack to a more comfortable position the cat wondered what she was to do. She had no idea which direction she should go especially when she couldn't see what laid beyond the raging snow falling from the snowy heavens. Hissing as coldness swept through her body right to the bone Merle wondered if her fur was helping at all. The cat-advisor knew she had to find the others and though when in such a situation of being lost you should remain put Merle knew that was a terrible idea. If she stayed where she was she would freeze to death before anyone found her. Unable to rely on any of her senses the cat decided to just hope she found her friends soon.
Before beginning her search Merle tied the strings of her hood tighter so the item wouldn't fall off her head as she traveled through the cold area. Without a second to lose the cat-girl struck off through the snow on all fours. Struggling against the drifts and countless times of falling into the softness Merle plunged onward. She was going to find her friends or freeze to death trying…
~~~Van~~~
The first thing he thought about wasn't the cold… the snow… or his friends… All he could think of the moment he awoke was his beloved. Images of her flashed in his mind as he laid in the pile of snow. For several moments Van didn't move as he released his senses to search for his sweet angel. Sadly he was unable to register Hitomi's presence anywhere making his heart clench in fear. Was she all right?… Was she alive?… More than anything all he wanted was her at that moment. He wanted to hold her and know that everything was okay,… but he couldn't because she was separated from him…
Struggling to his feet after several minutes of just laying there Van rose to his feet. His temperature had already dropped several degrees and was still lowering. His hands reached in his backpack for the old gloves he always wore in the 'Great War'. After slipping them over his hands he pulled his cloak tighter around him and proceeded to latch the robe close with the small buttons that ran down the opening of the material. Van's breathes curled in the air for several seconds before being stolen by the wind in a rush. His rubies scanned the area as best he could, but the world was a tumble of snow. The thought of his pregnant wife out in this storm sent fearful chills down the king's back. Being fully aware that it was probably hopeless to do so Van began to trudge through the pearly drifts as he called out his beloved's name, "HITOMI!"
~~~Hitomi~~~
Everything went in slow motion as the beast began to flex his muscles. In a matter of seconds the beast was airborne and flying right at the seeress. Without thinking Hitomi's reflexes took over and her wings burst from her back. The creature was startled to say the least, but it was already in the air and couldn't stop itself in mid-flight. Swiftly the 'Angel' beat her wings and with the help of the wind Hitomi was pulled out of the drift into the air. The wolf-beast landed exactly where Hitomi once stood and growled at her form as she glided through the air. Furiously the queen turned her body over so her stomach was closer to the land below. The roaring winds were too strong to fly through and several times the angel lost her balance just barely catching herself before she crashed into the snow. Hitomi was finally forced to glide only five feet above the top of the snow just to keep aloft. Any higher and the winds would toss her to ground or tear her apart.
Glancing over her shoulder Hitomi noticed the beast was right behind her plowing through the drifts. The heavy snowfall and deep drifts didn't even seem to affect the creature's speed as it dove after its prey. The seeress beat her wings hoping to quicken her pace, but it didn't help much and only caused her to become unsteady. Struggling with the air currents and driving snow the woman did her best to escape the beast. Glancing back over her shoulder again the queen saw her predator was slowly gaining on her. Hitomi prayed that she would be able to escape it and continued onward just as a row of trees came into view.
~~~Sian~~~
The warrior huffed out a breath of air as she struggled against the storm. She was a well-trimmed fighter with remarkable stamina and already she was winded from a half-mile walk through the soft whiteness. Taking a moment to catch her breath the guardian looked ahead for any signs of life. Frost nipped at her face and the maiden shook her head violently to rid herself of the coldness, but to no avail. Eyeing the drifts through the storm the woman finally took note of a gray bundle hidden beneath the snow. Thinking perhaps that it was a rock or whatever Sian plunged towards it hoping to get a moment to sit on the boulder to catch her breathe. The bundle was a good five yards away, but that didn't matter to Sian. She was tired and needed to take a break from passing through the snow. She feared if she sat down in the drifts she would doze off and freeze to death in her sleep. It is extremely dangerous to sleep in such a cold climate for many had been claimed by the cold just because they had dozed off.
Sian shuddered in the cold realizing suddenly how terrible it was to have an outfit with no sleeves. Hissing in pain from the cold needles that shot in her feet the warrior reached about halfway to the rock. Glancing up again at the gray object the guardian noticed how awkwardly shaped the boulder was. Squinting her silver eyes at the bundle the woman carefully examined the gray stone only to have her eyes widen. The rock was really a person!
With new life flowing through her veins for fear of the unknown person's death Sian dove forward forgetting her weariness. Upon reaching the unconscious being's side the guardian fell to her knees and looked over at the body. The person was covered in snow as more continued to land on the individual. Sian could not see the being's face for whoever it was laying on his/hers stomach. With fingers trembling from the cold Sian jerkily turned over the body. The being fell over on its back and its face came into full view. The guardian gasped upon seeing the victim's face.
~~~Merle~~~
The young cat slowed her speed down as she figured out her running was only tiring her more. In a slow dragging pace Merle, while on all fours, lumbered through the snow. Her lightweight and spanning out her mass on four feet allowed her to not completely sink into the drifts and so when she crawled through the snow it reached just a little below her shoulders. Wearily the cat-advisor scanned the terrain desperate for a place to rest. She knew she couldn't stop for a moment or she would freeze, but she needed to rest her aching at least for an instant. Looking up the cat noticed a row of poles sticking up through the snow. Upon closer inspection Merle realized the poles were actually large pine trees buried beneath several feet of soft whiteness. Smiling weakly the cat pulled herself closer to the trees as she felt like she would fall over any minute.
The trees were only fifty feet away, but they could have been a mile away and Merle wouldn't have gone any slower. They were her haven and thus she poured all the energy she could into her frozen limbs. Each step was torture with ice clinging to her fur and sleep dragging down on her body, but finally Merle made it to the trunk of the nearest pine. Without hesitating a moment the cat pulled out her black claws and dug them into the chestnut bark. Gradually the cat-girl climbed the trunk of the pine making her way to the branches that were just a few feet above her head. The top of the snow didn't give way beneath the cat when she had grabbed onto the trunk making her already five feet closer to the treetop. The branches themselves were just ten feet above the top of the pearly softness making her climb far shorter than she expected.
After what seemed to be like eternity Merle pulled herself upon the nearest branch and sat down as she placed her back against the trunk. For several moments the cat-girl just panted heavily from her exertion letting her breathes stream from her mouth in sweet clouds. It felt incredibly warmer up in the branches to the cat's delight. The tree's branches held back most of the cold winds and formed warmness within the pine needles. Though snow had manage to sneak onto the bases of the branches there was little to discomfort our dear feline. Instead the white fluffiness offered almost a cushion to the weary advisor as she curled up into a small ball.
Merle adjusted herself more properly as she felt her pack rubbing hard against her back. Still freezing cold with the low temperature the cat pulled her cloak tighter around her as her tail wound around her legs that were hidden beneath her robe. Her eyelids grew heavy and soon Merle could barely keep her eyes open as sleep dragged at her soul. Quietly the cat whispered, "Just a few minutes… just a few minutes I'll rest my eyes…"
Gradually the chocolate eyes of the advisor closed shut and death sent a shadow over the cat laughing darkly waiting for the cold to claim the noble's soul…
~~~Sian~~~
The brunette maiden gasped in horror as she saw the face of her fellow guardian, Nembus. The man's face had turned a faint blue tinge and his lips had started to become purple. His eyes were closed and his shallow breathing barely made any sign of white mists in the air. Sian felt her heart constrict as she realize he was unconscious and freezing to death.
Desperately the woman did the only thing she could think of. She began shaking the man violently yelling into his face. Her throat was sore from the cold, but she cried with such force her own ears began to ring, "NEMBUS! NEMBUS!"
No life stirred from the man as Sian doubled her efforts. Though his body quaked from her movements he was still dormant and unresponsive. Tears began to sparkle in the warrior's silver eyes as she realized she was losing him. Frantically Sian struck the man across the face with her hand. Nembus's head turned to the side at the force of the blow, but he remained passive. Again the maiden slapped the man's face, this time a little harder than before making her palm turn slightly red. When there came no reaction from the armored angel still Sian went into a frenzy of blows. She struck Nembus again and again changing each side she struck with each blow. She would hit his left cheek and then with the back of her hand she would hit his right cheek.
Slowly the speed of her hand's movement increased with the increase of her tears. Gradually the crystal droplets slid from her silver eyes and down her frozen cheeks causing them to become even colder from the water streaming down her face. Her voice grew hoarse as her throat began to give out. Though her throat screamed in anguish Sian continued her cries making them all the louder, "NEMBUS, WAKE UP! BLAST YOU!"
The warrior that was always so good at hiding her emotions had let down her guard finally for once in her life. Her tears and cries spoke for her and the desperate attempts to wake her dear friend only amplified her emotions. However it was her words that began to really speak for the woman's soul. Her voice was still hoarse and cracked several times in anguish, but it was not the physical pain that constricted her speech. No, it was the hidden meaning behind the words that caused her voice to lower to a whisper and cry invisible tears, "You can't do this, Nembus! You can't die on me now! We have been through so much together… You just can't die! Blast you! Open your eyes, Nembus! Show me you are alive!… I need you as much as you need me… Now live, Nembus! Don't die!"
Finally a groan pierced through Sian's thoughts freezing the descent of another blow before her hand could strike the man's cheek. Nembus moaned in pain and tenderly shook his head as his hand ran over a very red cheek. The green maiden took in a heavy sigh of relief as her shoulders shook with emotion. Her silver eyes still glittered with tears, but they were old tears and no new ones appeared at the brim. Joy filled in the depths of the woman's soul for the moment before she roughly rubbed away the stain of her tears. Putting on the familiar emotionless face she always held the warrior watched as her companion rose to a sitting position and saw him gradually open his eyes.
The two stared at one another as Nembus tenderly touched his cheeks feeling their new soreness. With a hoarse voice the man muttered, "You got a strong backhand, Sian."
The maiden gave a slight smirk as she gave a throaty reply, "That's nothing compared to what I'll do to you if you don't get up and help me find the king and queen."
Nembus glanced at their surroundings and asked thoughtfully, "So we are separated from the others… Then how did you find me in all this?"
Taking hold of his forearm the woman lifted the man to his feet. Letting go of her hold after he had steadied Sian began to walk through the snow again. Over her shoulder the woman gruffly said, "I just so happen to stumble upon you. You're lucky that it happened because you might have soon died if I hadn't come at that exact moment I did."
With a wry chuckle the armored guardian pulled his hood over his head, "What took you so long then? Were you trying to get back at me, but letting me nearly freeze to death?"
Sian was silent, but she couldn't hold back the smile that pulled at her lips. Fortunately for her Nembus could not see the smile with her back turned to him. It probably wouldn't have mattered though if he had seen the smile, for he was lost in thought. His mind was dwelling on the woman before him. When he had first opened his eyes he had seen her face and though she had manage to brush away her tears he had been able to see her red eyes and known she had been crying.
~~~Hitomi~~~
She had no choice. She couldn't land now or the beast would be on her before she could blink and she surely couldn't pass over the trees because the harsh winds above the treetops would surely knock her down into the snow. She also couldn't turn in other direction because if she did the beast would gain several more feet from her turn and possible try to pounce on her in the mist of her turning. With no other options Hitomi angled her wings carefully and drew them closer to her body. Soon her wings were in a crooked vertical line making her left side face the snow below. The angle quickened her pace slightly by this new angle, but it would not hold her up for long. To keep aloft she needed her wings to be horizontal so the air could pass over and under her wing helping her to fly, but now with her wings vertical the wind was doing nothing at all in helping her to keep in the air. It was only a matter of time before she crashed into the ground, and that lapse of time was extremely short by only a few meager seconds. The angel woman pass through the trees with her wings growing slightly closer to her body so the tips of the feathery objects wouldn't run into the snow or low branches.
Now the seeress was forced to wait until she pass through the remaining trees before she could open her wings and bring them back into a horizontal angle. If she changed her angle too soon her wings would ram themselves into the trees and easily snap in two, then she would be in the snow waiting for her fate. If she changed her angle too late she would crash into the snow and be in no better predicament. Everything was determined by the future moment that was rapidly approaching. She had to time it just right or lose everything… Up ahead Hitomi could make out the end of the tree line, but it was still fifty yards away. Could she make it?…
A roar bellowed in the seeress's ears causing her to look over her shoulder at her predator. Her emerald eyes grew wide as she saw what the creature was doing. The beast was swiftly gaining on her, not by plowing through the snow, but by a more interesting approach. The wolf being was using the tree trunks as walls and was leaping from one to the other. He brought his four feet against one of the tree's chocolate trunk bark and pushed off from it to another trunk, a little up ahead, as he repeated the process. By doing this, his speed had substantially increased. The drifts no longer held him down as he was flying through the air just like the queen angel. His pearly form flew back and forth in a zigzag manner from tree to tree quickly making his way to his fleeing meal. With a loud grunt the creature forced all his energy into one finally leap as he soared at the angel.
Hitomi had no chance to react as the creature flung itself at her. She knew at the moment he had jumped at her that she would never reach the tree line. Her fate was sealed for death to claim.
The beast's own weight alone took the seeress down and both the wolf and the queen dove into the white snowdrifts. Their momentum was enough for the two to slid a little ways through the fluffy whiteness and come to the very edge of the tree line. The wolf-beast lifted its heavy form from its food and glared down at its prize. He had rarely lost his prey and only when the weather was against the chase. Though the days' weather was severe and cold it was rather normal for the area and thus the beast had knew the day was good for a hunt; however, he never had met such a quick prey in these 'parts' and had thought for a while that he had almost be certain he would lose the tender meal. With a snarl the beast smiled down at his food seeing how wrong he had been. His purple tongue ran over his teeth sizing up how hungry he was.
Hitomi felt fear take her as she stared at the predator looming over her. His giant paws held her wings down and its fangs gleamed hungrily at her. The seeress could see her face reflecting in the creature's sinister blue eyes and she could see the utter terror pulling at her face. His breath was foul and hot almost as if he could melt the ice world around them just by breathing on it. Growling hungrily the beast opened his mouth showing the depths of his throat as he reached down to consume his meal. Without even thinking Hitomi screamed as loud as she could…
~~~Merle~~~
The young cat-girl snapped awake from her deadly sleep with wide frantic eyes of deep chocolate. Carefully the girl sought to remember what had caused her to wake. A scream… she had heard a scream… Frantically Merle scanned the area below the trees and gasped at the sight that was not far from the pine she was situated in. On the ground, deep within the snow, laid Hitomi beneath a huge wolf-like beast.
~~~Guardians~~~
The two companions' heads snapped at the sound carried on the wind. Though they couldn't be entirely sure both knew they had heard a scream. If it was their friends or a helpless innocent it really didn't matter at the moment. Both guardians knew someone needed their assistance and so they both struck off into the direction where the victim supposedly was. Even if either of the guardians had to think a moment on whether or not they were doing the right thing according to their duties and laws they would have both quickly answered in their defense, 'It was our only lead on the location of our king and queen at the time.'
~~~Van~~~
The young angel king froze where he stood next to the line of trees. Up ahead he had heard a woman's scream. At the moment he had heard the terrifying sound the royal's heart knew who it was. Barely able to control the fear hammering at his soul Van called out his dear angel's name, "HITOMI!"
~~~Hitomi~~~
The seeress desperately brought her arms over her face in hope of protecting herself. Her past cry echoed in her ears as frightened tears slipped down her cheeks. She couldn't die now! She had lived through two wars, had gone against the strongest being alive, she had gone to heaven and back just to be taken down by a mere animal! She refused to give up just yet, but her fear was taking hold of her. She couldn't focus her thoughts into figuring out a plan with her emotions beating at her senses. She was fearful for her life and her child… her child… She had vowed to let nothing happen to this babe and she was not about to break that promise. Of course this was all forgotten when she looked up into the terrifying face of her attacker. Hitomi squeezed her emerald eyes shut not wanting to watch her terrible fate.
The seeress heard herself scream as teeth dug into flesh,… however, she soon realized the scream was not a scream at all, but instead a painful roar. Opening her emeralds again and removing her arms she saw a wonderful sight. The beast's head was reared up howling in anguish as Merle bit down hard on his left ear. Hitomi smiled happily as she called out, "Merle!"
The cat and wolf's growls and roars mingled together as the snowy monster began to buck wildly to remove the pest on his back. Merle dug her claws deep into the creature's flesh causing it to cry out even louder in new anguish. As the seeress laid down in the snow with the creature's paws still holding her down Hitomi was reminded of the time Merle had saved her life when she had been attacked by a dangerous gargoyle. The scene presently playing before her was almost an exact duplicate. With a bellow of annoyance at being unable to remove the young cat the snowy beast reared on its hind legs making himself even taller than before by ten feet! The young cat advisor nearly lost her footing, but her claws and teeth held firm and she dangled from the wolf's massive shoulder. With his front paws in the air the beast had left Hitomi with nothing holding her down. As soon as his weight was off her wings the seeress did her best to scramble out from under the huge creature. Sadly, with Hitomi being pregnant the process was rather awkward and slow making her fear that she would not be able to escape in time. Unfortunately the seeress was right… as always…
With a cry the beast finally was able to toss Merle off his back sending her flying into a nearby tree. The cat-girl struck the tree so hard that when she fell to the ground the snow fell from the tree's branches and buried beneath it. Hitomi's eyes widened at the horrible sight of her dear friend crumbling and cried out, "MERLE!"
Unfortunately because the seeress cried out the wolf became aware of her again and landed back on all fours over the woman. Hitomi was suddenly staring at the creature's belly as she realized she was under him. It was then she acknowledged the fact that the beast could crush her just by laying down. She had to get out from under him! Hitomi swiftly brought her wings back into their pouches located near her spine and dove to the exit located between its two right legs. To the seeress's horror she watched as the creature hurried to block her escape by putting his right hind leg closer to his right front leg making the hole between them too small for her to pass through. Frantically Hitomi turned to the opening found between the two back legs and wasted no time to dive through them. The queen smiled joyously as the wolf-beast was too slow to block her new exit and find the woman no longer beneath him. Sorrowfully, the act was no help, for the giant creature merely turned around and leapt before the seeress blocking her path.
Hitomi stared up into the creature's eyes of summer blue shuddering in fear from her position on her hands and knees. The wolf-beast growled a moment as he opened his mouth to show off his rows of sharp points. Hitomi wanted to scream. She wanted to cry out for help, but that piercing gaze held her full attention keeping her from escaping the hungry demand of the blue depths. It was then Hitomi realized something. The creature's eyes were glowing. It was using what little powers it had to keep her in a trance. It depths of aqua color became swirls of invisible flames that only the seeress could see. The tongues of blue fire began a dance pulling Hitomi more under its spell. Subconsciously the seeress could see everything happening as the wolf lowered its mouth to bite off her head, but she was unable to evade it. The cold around her became warm as her soul became entrapped by the power of this predator. Hitomi knew this was how it caught its prey. If it could not take its prey down the wolf would easily put his food under this magical trance before killing them. Now she was in the same predicament. Her entire body was frozen, right down to the ebony pupils of her forest green eyes. Nothing could save her now…
Suddenly the fire extinguished from reality and the creature reared his head flashing pearly daggers as he howled in pain. Blinking several times Hitomi came back to the world around her. The seeress gasped as she looked up at the wolf. Ridding the beast like you would a horse the king sat with his sword, digging deep into the man-eater's flesh. Scarlet blood gushed from the hideous wound mingling with the white fur of the victim until the wolf's hide began to be dotted in a soft pink array. The creature once again rose on its hind legs hoping to knock off the new attacker, but with his sword's hilt to hold and his knees tightly gripping the wolf's sides Van barely shuddered on the being's back. The king's eyes flew towards his wife and with a loud voice he ordered, "Hitomi! Get to the trees!"
The seeress bit her lower lip as she watched her husband ride the infuriated beast. She didn't want to leave him at the mercy of the creature, but she knew she was in more danger than he was. Van noticed her hesitation and bellowed, "GO!"
It had not been an ordered, but more of a plea and Hitomi knew it. She could see his fire eyes staring at her as Van was jostled around on the wolf's back and they sparkled with fear and concern for her well being. Her eyes glittered with tears as she swiftly got to her feet and stumbled to the row of pines. Her eyes stung from the cold liquid that invaded her emeralds, but she ignored it as she continued towards the shelter of the forest. As she made her way to the trees thoughts of the young cat-girl hovered in her mind causing her to wonder if her dear friend was all right.
"MERLE?!" Hitomi cried as panic teased at her words, "MERLE?!"
The queen fell to her knees at the pile of snow that covered her loyal advisor and quickly began to dig through the whiteness as she continued to call out her friend's name.
Meanwhile Van was unaware of his foster-sister's predicament as he struggled to remain on the wolf. The creature had begun to buck wildly and was twisting into turns in such a way that the king was amazed at how he had been able to stay on so long. The wolf snorted out foul wisps of clouds showing it's furry as its feet kicked up clumps of snow that sometimes sprayed up at the royal attacker. Van's gloves began to be covered in blood as more of the dark liquid spurted out from the gash from the frantic movements of the beast. It white tail swung back and forth furiously in a swift pace almost like a diamond-back snake would shake its rattle. The beast's eyes shone bright and sharp with deadly intentions as its teeth snarled in a hiss.
Finally after what seemed like eternity the king's blade began to wiggle out from the bleeding wound of the creature's hide. With Van's weight pulling at the end of the sword the metal slab began to slowly emerge from the pink tangle of fur. The king noticed too late the blade dislodging and was thrown to the ground with his sword in hand. Van fell into a tumble once in the snow and threw up several pearly flakes about. Swiftly, however, he leapt to his feet to face his adversary as soon as he had slowed down.
The white beast snarled at his new prey that had injured him so sharply a moment ago. Blood continued to fall in thick waves over the creature's snowy fur turning it a sickening pink, but he barely acknowledge the wound as he glared at the being who had inflicted the pain. His old prey, the woman, he would allow to be at peace, seeing that he could always easily catch her trail again even through the blizzard, besides, the snowstorm had soften to a small snowfall. For now he would focus on his new opponent for he was armed with a sharp piece of metal that gleamed in the sunlight. The other prey was probably the easier catch, but it was obvious that this being was her mate and he would defend her to the death. That was exactly what the beast intended to deliver.
Van brought his blade before him ready for an attack. His ruby eyes gleamed venomously as he stared at the monster before him. The young king's rage was soaring as he remembered how his wife had nearly come to be this creature's next meal. Gritting his teeth together Van glared at his opponent straight into his deep blue eyes.
Hitomi watched from the sidelines with Merle in her warm arms. The cat's head had a small gash and had been bleeding, but the seeress had stopped it by putting pressure on it with her hand. Merle was unconscious, but was alive to the seeress's great joy. The 'Angel' watched warily as her husband fell from the creature's back into the land of whiteness. As she watched her angel savior glare at the monster she realize the danger of the stare. Desperately she called out to her love, "Van! Don't look at it in the eyes!"
It was a good thing she had told him at that moment because it was at the same instant the beast decided to try the same trick he had used on her earlier. Van, trusting his spouse completely, diverted his gaze from the wolf's blue eyes and stared at the creature's chest. The beast growled angrily at his opponent's wisdom for avoiding the magically stare, however, the wolf soon grinned seeing an opening. Bringing a large paw back the beast swiped at his meal. Just when Van had settled his eyes on the chest of the beast he realized his battle disadvantage knowing fully well he would barely be able to see any oncoming attacks. One can understand now why the king was unable to see the huge paw come down on him even though Van did look up in time to see it coming straight towards him. Sadly, it was too late and the white beast hit home as his paw came into contact with the royal's chest.
Grunting at the blow Van flew backwards several yards away before crashing into the drifts and sliding through the snow. The moment his sliding movement stopped the king shuffled to his feet and took note he had dropped his sword during the attack. He glanced around at the area for the familiar blade, but Van knew it would be almost impossible to find the weapon in all the snow. He might as well just wait for the sun to crash down from the heavens and melt the snow away! Snarling loudly at his food the large white wolf lumbered forward closing the gap between the two beings. Van looked at the ground once again avoiding eye contact and began to step backwards. He knew he couldn't look into the beast's eyes, but perhaps if he kept enough distance between them he would be able to see an attack coming in time.
Slowly the two opponents began to back away from the row of pines making the young couple become even more separated. Hitomi bit her lip nervously as she watched her husband match every step the wolf made. She wanted to help, but she didn't know what she could do. She felt extremely weak from calling upon the shaft of blue light earlier and also trying to escape the creature that now was stalking her dear spouse. She didn't know if she could call upon the powers within her blood again at the moment. Perhaps later she could do it when she wasn't so winded, but right now it seemed impossible.
A soft groan brought the seeress's emerald eyes to the cat-girl who was cradled in her arms like a child. Merle's eyes fluttered open and focused on the woman before her. Hitomi felt a few tears slip down her cheek, but she ignored them as she smiled down at her friend. The young advisor smiled back before asking weakly, "Are you alright, Hitomi?"
The seeress laughed lightly as she replied playfully, "I was going to ask you that."
Merle's smile brightened, but soon fell when she saw her best friend glance in another direction. Hitomi's face stared off into the distance with a look of fear playing over her features. The young cat-girl forced herself to stand even though she was still weak from the ordeal and stood next to her queen. Merle's bronze paws flew over her mouth as she saw her dear foster-brother being challenged by the same beast she had fought earlier.
~~~Van~~~
The king took another step back and locked his jaw nervously. How long could he keep this up? Sooner or later the beast would attack, but for now all it had done was slowly pressed forward towards him. Taking a small glance to look on the creature's face he saw a facial expression of pain tugging at the wolf's snarling lips. The wound was slowing it down. Van wondered how much damage he had caused to make the beast wait so long to attack. It didn't matter right now. He needed to think of a plan. He could run past the beast and hope he get to the pines in time to climb up one of them, but what about Hitomi? She surely couldn't get up one of those trees in her condition and what if the stupid wolf could climb? It surely had the claws to do it.
Nervously Van took another step back and nearly lost his footing. Awkwardly catching himself before he fell the angel king felt a slick surface beneath his feet. Looking down Van noticed his feet were visible within the snow only being a few inches deep where he stood. Carefully the man ran his brown boot against the snow moving it aside so he could see what laid beneath the soft whiteness. To his surprise Van stared down at a reflection of himself. His ruby eyes grew big as he realized he was standing on top of ice, possibly a frozen lake or river.
Turning back to his enemy Van noticed the wolf had gained several feet by his distraction with the ice. The young king quickly backed up several feet regained the distance he had held earlier and resumed the game of matching step with step. With each step the king grew farther from the frozen bank and farther out on the ice. When the beast came to the edge of the ice he halted his pursuit of the royal. Slowly the wolf bowed his head to sniff the ice knowing fully well the dangers of stepping on frozen water. Carefully he smelt the scent of ice trying to judge the thickness of the transparent sheet. The wolf snarled at the covered ice not because it was too thin, but that he could not fully judge the thickness. It was hard to tell at this point. Though the weather was very harsh and cold it had not been this way for more than two days. The ice was part of a frozen river that was very wide. The deep banks of the river were thick enough for the wolf to pass over safely, but the center of the river was uncertain. The center was the weakest point of the ice the wolf knew from experience and to dare to cross the river was risking a great deal. Though he had crossed many rivers in its youth the beast knew the consequences of going over unsteady ice. He had nearly died from falling in a shallow stream once that had been too thin to support his weight. Luckily the weather had been only mild compared to present circumstances so the creature had survived, but today he knew if he fell into the river's cold currents he would never live to have another hunt, for even if he managed to get out from the depths of the water he would freeze to death.
The wolf took a step back deciding he rather would go after the easier prey, the woman, than go after the one standing on the dangerous ice. Van noticed the creature's hesitation and his mind began to work. Perhaps if he lured the beast out far enough on the ice he could make him fall through. Even if the lake or river was shallow it would distract the wolf long enough for Van to get to Hitomi and flee before the beast could come after them. The plan seemed perfect until the king noticed the wolf decided not to come out on the ice. Baring his teeth Van scooped up a clump of snow and quickly packed it into a round ball. During the winter months when Van was little he had always enjoying playing a game where you packed snow into round balls and tossed them at your opponent or opposing team. Remembering those fine moments Van hurled the small white created sphere at the beast hitting the wolf right in the side of its snout.
The blow didn't hurt, but it was the annoyance of it that made the wolf growl. The beast glanced at the overbearing meal that stood on the ice once again before trying to turn around and go after the weaker prey. Van grew desperate when he thought the wolf might go after Hitomi and swiftly began tossing snowball after snowball at the white monster trying to catch his attention. After the third bundle of snow in the face the beast felt his blood begin to quicken. His rage took the better of his judgment and the wolf turned back to the iced over river to take on the man. The snowy beast didn't even take a second to rethink about the dangers as he stepped onto the ice. Growling angrily the beast began to walk over the translucent floor of coldness over to the royal meal. Van's heart skipped a beat as he heard the ice yearn beneath the weight of the creature. He hoped the water was deep enough that the wolf sunk below the water's surface. If the creature fell through the ice now would he be able to stand or would he sink below the water? Van hoped for the latter and watched cautiously as the ice began to shudder beneath the creature's weight. Each moment was filled with suspense as Van listened to the sound of the ice creaking beneath his opponent's feet. The wolf was unaware of his dangers as his mind was completely focused on his prey. His rage was overbearing and completely deafening in his ears making it impossible for the wolf to hear the ice shifting beneath him.
Suddenly the ice gave in beneath one of the wolf's paws making the foot sink a few inches into the icy water. The beast howled as the cold water felt like a thousand knives piercing through his flesh. Knowing his mistake the creature tried to turn around, but it was too late. The hole caused by his oversized foot started a chain reaction throughout the ice surrounding the watery gap. Several lines splintered throughout the frozen floor creaking loudly in both the beast and Van's ears. Before one knew it the entire area of ice lying beneath the wolf shattered leaving only dark water. With a howl of last-minute panic the white monster fell into the hole and disappeared from sight.
Van sighed happily at the absence of his foe, but the victory was short-lived as the ice creaked again. The young king watched in horror as more lines began to stretch out from the sixteen-foot wide hole. The lines rush around Van like lightning and before he had a chance to even think a solitary thought the sheet of ice broke beneath his feet. The royal angel gave a startled cry as he plunged into the freezing waters…
~~~Hitomi~~~
The seeress gasped as she witness both the beast and her husband's fall into the water. The young queen rushed to her feet forgetting Merle completely and raced towards where her husband once stood. Stumbling through the deep snow Hitomi felt as if the world was slowing down. The world became mute as the pregnant woman began to yell out her beloved's name which was also unheard by her pale ears. The hole in the ice that had swallowed up her angel king was forever in her sights never once pulled away from her attention as she plunged towards it…
~~~Guardians~~~
Both Sian and Nembus's heads snapped up as they heard the frantic cries of a young woman. As the sound repeated again the green maiden felt her pulse quicken. She knew the voice as her mistress's. Without so much as a glance at her friend the female guardian broke off into a run through the snow going faster than ever before. Nembus soon was behind her following her every step.
~~~Hitomi~~~
The seeress was a few yards away from the opening not willing to risk the chance of herself falling in to. Hitomi watched the rippling water carefully for any signs of her husband. The dark liquid curled and churned with the currents flowing beneath the ice, but showed no signs of the young angel king making the queen very nervous. Where was he?…
A loud 'thump' caught the woman's attention almost automatically and Hitomi swiftly raced in the direction of the noise. Van must have gotten caught up in the powerful currents beneath the ice and must have been swept down the river. Another sharp 'thump' forced the 'Angel' to halt as she searched for the area she had heard the noise come from. Biting her lower lip she prayed Van would again give her a signal to lead her to him. Seconds began to tick away and Hitomi felt like she was about to go into an emotional breakdown. Where was he?… Finding no other solution the seeress decided to open her senses. With a gentle warmth of releasing the powers within her blood enveloping her Hitomi tried to locate her true love. In the same period it takes for a heart to beat Hitomi found Van. Quickly the seeress shuffled to the spot and began to rapidly shove away the snow that covered the ice.
Soon a clear view of the frozen river was discovered and Hitomi was staring down through the ice at the face of her beloved's. Van's eyes were closed and his body was limp. The hue of his skin could not be defined because of the way the ice played with coloration. Hitomi was able to confirm though that he was slipping into unconsciousness from the lack of air and cold water. He was dying! He'd die in a few moments by either freezing or drowning. Tears stung in the woman's eyes and she pounded her fists against the ice. The transparent floor winced at the blows from the angel maiden, but did not even crack. There was no way Hitomi could break the ice with her bare fists. The seeress stared at her husband as she watched his raven locks flow over his face from the current. Frantically Hitomi called out to him feeling the helplessness of her demeanor, "Van!"
By then Merle had reached Hitomi's side and was whimpering at the sight of her brother. The cat-girl stared at the face of her dearest and oldest comrade as the tears began to fall from her chestnut eyes. The seeress quickly turned around to the young cat-girl upon hearing her sorrow and swiftly ordered, "Merle, see if you can find Van's sword in the snow! We have to break the ice if we're going to get him out of here!"
The young advisor nodded and dove into the drifts frantically sniffing for the lost weapon. As Merle went on her search that would determine the outcome of their love one Hitomi stared down at Van with teary eyes. Quietly she whispered to him as though he were able to hear every word she spoke, "Hang on, Van… Don't die... We're going to get you out soon,… don't worry…"
The young king was still as the currents tried to pull the angel man away from his love. The friction of Van's body against the ice though kept him in place as the water continued to play with his hair and clothes.
Meanwhile Merle sniffed at the sea of whiteness urgently for the familiar sword and smiled once she got its scent. It was only a matter of moments before the excellent hunter began digging through the snow sending clumps of the soft flakes in every direction. With a triumphed squeal Merle drew out the blade with a huge smile on her face. The young cat-girl turned around to go to Hitomi when saw both Nembus and Sian racing towards them through the trees. The green maiden's face was filled fear as she ran through the snow at incredible speed. Sian was staring passed Merle back at Hitomi drawing the cat-girl's attention back to her queen. To the feline's surprise she beheld a large figure looming over Hitomi from behind the royal angel. A double-bladed ax that was twice the size of any normal ax blade was in the air held by this dark being. The silver metal of the deadly weapon gleamed as the ax was drawn back to slice down the seeress.
Sian had long since noticed the attacker and was doing her best to arrive at her lady's side in time, but she could already tell she would never make it. Desperately Sian tried to warned her dear friend before it was too late, "HITOMI, LOOK OUT!"
The seeress's blood seemed to freeze at the cry as she felt the dangers projected in the words. Again the world appeared to slow as Hitomi began to turn around at the sound of the warning. Her emerald eyes grew wide as she saw a silhouette of a large figure towering over her. It was one of the demons! Hitomi felt her energy drain from her as she saw the huge blades of an ax gleaming through the snowfall. In that instance the seeress saw her face reflecting in the silver blade as if the blade was saying with the image, 'you are my target.' At that moment time resume its normal pace and the blade came down in a furious sweep…
~Yep, it's another cliffhanger. I told you I love cliffhangers and you should begin to expect them at the end of every chapter. Anyway what do you think? Please review!~
~Next chapter should be out by next Wed. or Thurs. Sorry, if taking so long, but I can already tell I'm going to get some writer's block on the next chapter especially since I know only half of what I'm going to write in the next passage. I'll do my best to get it up by then or sooner, but be warned there is a possibility that I will get some serious writer's block and miss this deadline. Sorry about that~
~Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's all about the action in this one!~
~Always remember to review after you read (r/r)!~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_Wings
Chapter 11 ~ Separation
~~~Frozen Wilderness~~~
Hitomi couldn't think… couldn't cry for help… She was frozen in fear as she watched the creature before her… Slowly the lumbering beast made his way to her becoming fully visible. The blue eyes… long white fur… purple tongue… sharp fangs… all of it became evident to the seeress sending a instinctual panic down into the very marrow of her existence… Growling the creature lowered its large belly to the snow readying himself to pounce on her…
More than anything Hitomi wanted to run away,… but how could she… This beast would surely overtake her easily seeing that he lived in this environment, probably, all its life. She had never been to any place that was covered in snow before giving her an automatic disadvantage, but another mark against her was the fact that the snow was so high. Perhaps if it had been less than knee deep there would have been the chance of her possible escape, but she was barely able to walk through the drifts let alone run through them. Though the beast had been slow in approaching her Hitomi knew better than to assume the creature was slow. It was a predator and any predator had to be quick to take down its prey. It surely had the experience and the ability to race through this whiteness far faster than she ever could. Above all other facts there was something more significant among the advantages and disadvantages; it was Hitomi's pregnancy. Though she had been able to run on several occasion during her pregnancy it had been times when she had been at her best. At the moment she was still sore and aching from the other night's battle and she could feel her energy was substantial drained;… at least to the point where she didn't have the fuel to run. With the land and weather also working against her there was no way she could escape this brute. Gulping the lump in her throat the seeress eyed the beast before her as its growled menacingly at her. It stood only eight yards away which was close enough for the wolf to attack…
~~~Sian~~~
The green warrior slowly opened her eyes and automatically her body registered the cold atmosphere. Quickly the maiden rose from the snowdrift causing her body to groan in pain. She was still sore from the battle at her village and the one in the sky. Doing her best to ignore the mild anguish that tore at her the guardian got to her feet knocking off the clumps of snow that had formed over her body when she had been unconscious. Looking around at the scenery Sian knew she was alone,… but how?… What had gone wrong?…
Rotating her shoulders to rid them of their stiffness the warrior knew she needed to find her king and queen as soon as possible. She was the royal bodyguard and her main priority was the royal family -- Van and Hitomi. A glimmer of guilt stabbed at her heart as she thought of Nembus and Merle. It hurt to think she was deliberately going to find Van and Hitomi first just because of her duty. Though Van and Hitomi were her friends just like Merle and Nembus it just didn't settle on her soul well. It made her look like that she favored her rulers better than the cat-girl and her fellow guardian. Frowning slightly Sian remembered the oath she had made when taking the position as royal bodyguard: 'Above all else your prime directive is to protect the royal family. Your duty is that alone and you must vow to never stray from that loyalty.'
It had been easy to say the words back then so many years ago, but it was harder to carry out the oath. Though the oath had been longer with other rules and duties she had been bound to the prime directive. It was the main law or role of the guardians' duties and could not be bent, broken, or changed by the other laws given to the bodyguards. Yes, there were several rules that might conflict with the prime directive, but if this was so one had to follow the prime directive over the other conflicting rule. It was the law to the royal bodyguards and if one was to stray from such they were to be publicly stripped of their title and have their identity revealed before the crowd. It was a very harsh dishonor. From the beginning of the royal bodyguards none had been punished especially in such a way. They were either too loyal or too afraid to do otherwise.
The thick cloak Sian now wore seemed to do nothing against the cold and Sian swiftly drew the hood over her head as her other hand grabbed the fluttering robe so that it curled up around her body. With each step her body ached and moaned in torturous pain, but Sian was trained in overlooking physical tortures and thus she merely overlooked her discomfort. Of course if the pain ever got too bad even her training wouldn't have helped her. Forcing herself to continue the guardian with the freezing cold biting at her body began to trod through the endless snow looking for her comrades…
~~~Merle~~~
The young cat-girl dug herself out of the pile of snow seeking for the world outside the whiteness. Upon reaching the surface of the soft, pearly drift Merle pulled herself up onto the roof of the snow. Her furry form fell into yet another drift as the snow gave in from her weight. Growling in annoyance the advisor pulled herself out again and shook her head of pink locks to rid herself of the excessive snow clinging onto her body. The young girl glanced around the area for her comrades and felt lonely at the sudden realization that no one was with her. Where was everyone?… What had gone wrong with the pillar of blue light?… Had everyone arrived safely?… Merle could only hope.
Pulling the hood of her cloak over her head and shifting her backpack to a more comfortable position the cat wondered what she was to do. She had no idea which direction she should go especially when she couldn't see what laid beyond the raging snow falling from the snowy heavens. Hissing as coldness swept through her body right to the bone Merle wondered if her fur was helping at all. The cat-advisor knew she had to find the others and though when in such a situation of being lost you should remain put Merle knew that was a terrible idea. If she stayed where she was she would freeze to death before anyone found her. Unable to rely on any of her senses the cat decided to just hope she found her friends soon.
Before beginning her search Merle tied the strings of her hood tighter so the item wouldn't fall off her head as she traveled through the cold area. Without a second to lose the cat-girl struck off through the snow on all fours. Struggling against the drifts and countless times of falling into the softness Merle plunged onward. She was going to find her friends or freeze to death trying…
~~~Van~~~
The first thing he thought about wasn't the cold… the snow… or his friends… All he could think of the moment he awoke was his beloved. Images of her flashed in his mind as he laid in the pile of snow. For several moments Van didn't move as he released his senses to search for his sweet angel. Sadly he was unable to register Hitomi's presence anywhere making his heart clench in fear. Was she all right?… Was she alive?… More than anything all he wanted was her at that moment. He wanted to hold her and know that everything was okay,… but he couldn't because she was separated from him…
Struggling to his feet after several minutes of just laying there Van rose to his feet. His temperature had already dropped several degrees and was still lowering. His hands reached in his backpack for the old gloves he always wore in the 'Great War'. After slipping them over his hands he pulled his cloak tighter around him and proceeded to latch the robe close with the small buttons that ran down the opening of the material. Van's breathes curled in the air for several seconds before being stolen by the wind in a rush. His rubies scanned the area as best he could, but the world was a tumble of snow. The thought of his pregnant wife out in this storm sent fearful chills down the king's back. Being fully aware that it was probably hopeless to do so Van began to trudge through the pearly drifts as he called out his beloved's name, "HITOMI!"
~~~Hitomi~~~
Everything went in slow motion as the beast began to flex his muscles. In a matter of seconds the beast was airborne and flying right at the seeress. Without thinking Hitomi's reflexes took over and her wings burst from her back. The creature was startled to say the least, but it was already in the air and couldn't stop itself in mid-flight. Swiftly the 'Angel' beat her wings and with the help of the wind Hitomi was pulled out of the drift into the air. The wolf-beast landed exactly where Hitomi once stood and growled at her form as she glided through the air. Furiously the queen turned her body over so her stomach was closer to the land below. The roaring winds were too strong to fly through and several times the angel lost her balance just barely catching herself before she crashed into the snow. Hitomi was finally forced to glide only five feet above the top of the snow just to keep aloft. Any higher and the winds would toss her to ground or tear her apart.
Glancing over her shoulder Hitomi noticed the beast was right behind her plowing through the drifts. The heavy snowfall and deep drifts didn't even seem to affect the creature's speed as it dove after its prey. The seeress beat her wings hoping to quicken her pace, but it didn't help much and only caused her to become unsteady. Struggling with the air currents and driving snow the woman did her best to escape the beast. Glancing back over her shoulder again the queen saw her predator was slowly gaining on her. Hitomi prayed that she would be able to escape it and continued onward just as a row of trees came into view.
~~~Sian~~~
The warrior huffed out a breath of air as she struggled against the storm. She was a well-trimmed fighter with remarkable stamina and already she was winded from a half-mile walk through the soft whiteness. Taking a moment to catch her breath the guardian looked ahead for any signs of life. Frost nipped at her face and the maiden shook her head violently to rid herself of the coldness, but to no avail. Eyeing the drifts through the storm the woman finally took note of a gray bundle hidden beneath the snow. Thinking perhaps that it was a rock or whatever Sian plunged towards it hoping to get a moment to sit on the boulder to catch her breathe. The bundle was a good five yards away, but that didn't matter to Sian. She was tired and needed to take a break from passing through the snow. She feared if she sat down in the drifts she would doze off and freeze to death in her sleep. It is extremely dangerous to sleep in such a cold climate for many had been claimed by the cold just because they had dozed off.
Sian shuddered in the cold realizing suddenly how terrible it was to have an outfit with no sleeves. Hissing in pain from the cold needles that shot in her feet the warrior reached about halfway to the rock. Glancing up again at the gray object the guardian noticed how awkwardly shaped the boulder was. Squinting her silver eyes at the bundle the woman carefully examined the gray stone only to have her eyes widen. The rock was really a person!
With new life flowing through her veins for fear of the unknown person's death Sian dove forward forgetting her weariness. Upon reaching the unconscious being's side the guardian fell to her knees and looked over at the body. The person was covered in snow as more continued to land on the individual. Sian could not see the being's face for whoever it was laying on his/hers stomach. With fingers trembling from the cold Sian jerkily turned over the body. The being fell over on its back and its face came into full view. The guardian gasped upon seeing the victim's face.
~~~Merle~~~
The young cat slowed her speed down as she figured out her running was only tiring her more. In a slow dragging pace Merle, while on all fours, lumbered through the snow. Her lightweight and spanning out her mass on four feet allowed her to not completely sink into the drifts and so when she crawled through the snow it reached just a little below her shoulders. Wearily the cat-advisor scanned the terrain desperate for a place to rest. She knew she couldn't stop for a moment or she would freeze, but she needed to rest her aching at least for an instant. Looking up the cat noticed a row of poles sticking up through the snow. Upon closer inspection Merle realized the poles were actually large pine trees buried beneath several feet of soft whiteness. Smiling weakly the cat pulled herself closer to the trees as she felt like she would fall over any minute.
The trees were only fifty feet away, but they could have been a mile away and Merle wouldn't have gone any slower. They were her haven and thus she poured all the energy she could into her frozen limbs. Each step was torture with ice clinging to her fur and sleep dragging down on her body, but finally Merle made it to the trunk of the nearest pine. Without hesitating a moment the cat pulled out her black claws and dug them into the chestnut bark. Gradually the cat-girl climbed the trunk of the pine making her way to the branches that were just a few feet above her head. The top of the snow didn't give way beneath the cat when she had grabbed onto the trunk making her already five feet closer to the treetop. The branches themselves were just ten feet above the top of the pearly softness making her climb far shorter than she expected.
After what seemed to be like eternity Merle pulled herself upon the nearest branch and sat down as she placed her back against the trunk. For several moments the cat-girl just panted heavily from her exertion letting her breathes stream from her mouth in sweet clouds. It felt incredibly warmer up in the branches to the cat's delight. The tree's branches held back most of the cold winds and formed warmness within the pine needles. Though snow had manage to sneak onto the bases of the branches there was little to discomfort our dear feline. Instead the white fluffiness offered almost a cushion to the weary advisor as she curled up into a small ball.
Merle adjusted herself more properly as she felt her pack rubbing hard against her back. Still freezing cold with the low temperature the cat pulled her cloak tighter around her as her tail wound around her legs that were hidden beneath her robe. Her eyelids grew heavy and soon Merle could barely keep her eyes open as sleep dragged at her soul. Quietly the cat whispered, "Just a few minutes… just a few minutes I'll rest my eyes…"
Gradually the chocolate eyes of the advisor closed shut and death sent a shadow over the cat laughing darkly waiting for the cold to claim the noble's soul…
~~~Sian~~~
The brunette maiden gasped in horror as she saw the face of her fellow guardian, Nembus. The man's face had turned a faint blue tinge and his lips had started to become purple. His eyes were closed and his shallow breathing barely made any sign of white mists in the air. Sian felt her heart constrict as she realize he was unconscious and freezing to death.
Desperately the woman did the only thing she could think of. She began shaking the man violently yelling into his face. Her throat was sore from the cold, but she cried with such force her own ears began to ring, "NEMBUS! NEMBUS!"
No life stirred from the man as Sian doubled her efforts. Though his body quaked from her movements he was still dormant and unresponsive. Tears began to sparkle in the warrior's silver eyes as she realized she was losing him. Frantically Sian struck the man across the face with her hand. Nembus's head turned to the side at the force of the blow, but he remained passive. Again the maiden slapped the man's face, this time a little harder than before making her palm turn slightly red. When there came no reaction from the armored angel still Sian went into a frenzy of blows. She struck Nembus again and again changing each side she struck with each blow. She would hit his left cheek and then with the back of her hand she would hit his right cheek.
Slowly the speed of her hand's movement increased with the increase of her tears. Gradually the crystal droplets slid from her silver eyes and down her frozen cheeks causing them to become even colder from the water streaming down her face. Her voice grew hoarse as her throat began to give out. Though her throat screamed in anguish Sian continued her cries making them all the louder, "NEMBUS, WAKE UP! BLAST YOU!"
The warrior that was always so good at hiding her emotions had let down her guard finally for once in her life. Her tears and cries spoke for her and the desperate attempts to wake her dear friend only amplified her emotions. However it was her words that began to really speak for the woman's soul. Her voice was still hoarse and cracked several times in anguish, but it was not the physical pain that constricted her speech. No, it was the hidden meaning behind the words that caused her voice to lower to a whisper and cry invisible tears, "You can't do this, Nembus! You can't die on me now! We have been through so much together… You just can't die! Blast you! Open your eyes, Nembus! Show me you are alive!… I need you as much as you need me… Now live, Nembus! Don't die!"
Finally a groan pierced through Sian's thoughts freezing the descent of another blow before her hand could strike the man's cheek. Nembus moaned in pain and tenderly shook his head as his hand ran over a very red cheek. The green maiden took in a heavy sigh of relief as her shoulders shook with emotion. Her silver eyes still glittered with tears, but they were old tears and no new ones appeared at the brim. Joy filled in the depths of the woman's soul for the moment before she roughly rubbed away the stain of her tears. Putting on the familiar emotionless face she always held the warrior watched as her companion rose to a sitting position and saw him gradually open his eyes.
The two stared at one another as Nembus tenderly touched his cheeks feeling their new soreness. With a hoarse voice the man muttered, "You got a strong backhand, Sian."
The maiden gave a slight smirk as she gave a throaty reply, "That's nothing compared to what I'll do to you if you don't get up and help me find the king and queen."
Nembus glanced at their surroundings and asked thoughtfully, "So we are separated from the others… Then how did you find me in all this?"
Taking hold of his forearm the woman lifted the man to his feet. Letting go of her hold after he had steadied Sian began to walk through the snow again. Over her shoulder the woman gruffly said, "I just so happen to stumble upon you. You're lucky that it happened because you might have soon died if I hadn't come at that exact moment I did."
With a wry chuckle the armored guardian pulled his hood over his head, "What took you so long then? Were you trying to get back at me, but letting me nearly freeze to death?"
Sian was silent, but she couldn't hold back the smile that pulled at her lips. Fortunately for her Nembus could not see the smile with her back turned to him. It probably wouldn't have mattered though if he had seen the smile, for he was lost in thought. His mind was dwelling on the woman before him. When he had first opened his eyes he had seen her face and though she had manage to brush away her tears he had been able to see her red eyes and known she had been crying.
~~~Hitomi~~~
She had no choice. She couldn't land now or the beast would be on her before she could blink and she surely couldn't pass over the trees because the harsh winds above the treetops would surely knock her down into the snow. She also couldn't turn in other direction because if she did the beast would gain several more feet from her turn and possible try to pounce on her in the mist of her turning. With no other options Hitomi angled her wings carefully and drew them closer to her body. Soon her wings were in a crooked vertical line making her left side face the snow below. The angle quickened her pace slightly by this new angle, but it would not hold her up for long. To keep aloft she needed her wings to be horizontal so the air could pass over and under her wing helping her to fly, but now with her wings vertical the wind was doing nothing at all in helping her to keep in the air. It was only a matter of time before she crashed into the ground, and that lapse of time was extremely short by only a few meager seconds. The angel woman pass through the trees with her wings growing slightly closer to her body so the tips of the feathery objects wouldn't run into the snow or low branches.
Now the seeress was forced to wait until she pass through the remaining trees before she could open her wings and bring them back into a horizontal angle. If she changed her angle too soon her wings would ram themselves into the trees and easily snap in two, then she would be in the snow waiting for her fate. If she changed her angle too late she would crash into the snow and be in no better predicament. Everything was determined by the future moment that was rapidly approaching. She had to time it just right or lose everything… Up ahead Hitomi could make out the end of the tree line, but it was still fifty yards away. Could she make it?…
A roar bellowed in the seeress's ears causing her to look over her shoulder at her predator. Her emerald eyes grew wide as she saw what the creature was doing. The beast was swiftly gaining on her, not by plowing through the snow, but by a more interesting approach. The wolf being was using the tree trunks as walls and was leaping from one to the other. He brought his four feet against one of the tree's chocolate trunk bark and pushed off from it to another trunk, a little up ahead, as he repeated the process. By doing this, his speed had substantially increased. The drifts no longer held him down as he was flying through the air just like the queen angel. His pearly form flew back and forth in a zigzag manner from tree to tree quickly making his way to his fleeing meal. With a loud grunt the creature forced all his energy into one finally leap as he soared at the angel.
Hitomi had no chance to react as the creature flung itself at her. She knew at the moment he had jumped at her that she would never reach the tree line. Her fate was sealed for death to claim.
The beast's own weight alone took the seeress down and both the wolf and the queen dove into the white snowdrifts. Their momentum was enough for the two to slid a little ways through the fluffy whiteness and come to the very edge of the tree line. The wolf-beast lifted its heavy form from its food and glared down at its prize. He had rarely lost his prey and only when the weather was against the chase. Though the days' weather was severe and cold it was rather normal for the area and thus the beast had knew the day was good for a hunt; however, he never had met such a quick prey in these 'parts' and had thought for a while that he had almost be certain he would lose the tender meal. With a snarl the beast smiled down at his food seeing how wrong he had been. His purple tongue ran over his teeth sizing up how hungry he was.
Hitomi felt fear take her as she stared at the predator looming over her. His giant paws held her wings down and its fangs gleamed hungrily at her. The seeress could see her face reflecting in the creature's sinister blue eyes and she could see the utter terror pulling at her face. His breath was foul and hot almost as if he could melt the ice world around them just by breathing on it. Growling hungrily the beast opened his mouth showing the depths of his throat as he reached down to consume his meal. Without even thinking Hitomi screamed as loud as she could…
~~~Merle~~~
The young cat-girl snapped awake from her deadly sleep with wide frantic eyes of deep chocolate. Carefully the girl sought to remember what had caused her to wake. A scream… she had heard a scream… Frantically Merle scanned the area below the trees and gasped at the sight that was not far from the pine she was situated in. On the ground, deep within the snow, laid Hitomi beneath a huge wolf-like beast.
~~~Guardians~~~
The two companions' heads snapped at the sound carried on the wind. Though they couldn't be entirely sure both knew they had heard a scream. If it was their friends or a helpless innocent it really didn't matter at the moment. Both guardians knew someone needed their assistance and so they both struck off into the direction where the victim supposedly was. Even if either of the guardians had to think a moment on whether or not they were doing the right thing according to their duties and laws they would have both quickly answered in their defense, 'It was our only lead on the location of our king and queen at the time.'
~~~Van~~~
The young angel king froze where he stood next to the line of trees. Up ahead he had heard a woman's scream. At the moment he had heard the terrifying sound the royal's heart knew who it was. Barely able to control the fear hammering at his soul Van called out his dear angel's name, "HITOMI!"
~~~Hitomi~~~
The seeress desperately brought her arms over her face in hope of protecting herself. Her past cry echoed in her ears as frightened tears slipped down her cheeks. She couldn't die now! She had lived through two wars, had gone against the strongest being alive, she had gone to heaven and back just to be taken down by a mere animal! She refused to give up just yet, but her fear was taking hold of her. She couldn't focus her thoughts into figuring out a plan with her emotions beating at her senses. She was fearful for her life and her child… her child… She had vowed to let nothing happen to this babe and she was not about to break that promise. Of course this was all forgotten when she looked up into the terrifying face of her attacker. Hitomi squeezed her emerald eyes shut not wanting to watch her terrible fate.
The seeress heard herself scream as teeth dug into flesh,… however, she soon realized the scream was not a scream at all, but instead a painful roar. Opening her emeralds again and removing her arms she saw a wonderful sight. The beast's head was reared up howling in anguish as Merle bit down hard on his left ear. Hitomi smiled happily as she called out, "Merle!"
The cat and wolf's growls and roars mingled together as the snowy monster began to buck wildly to remove the pest on his back. Merle dug her claws deep into the creature's flesh causing it to cry out even louder in new anguish. As the seeress laid down in the snow with the creature's paws still holding her down Hitomi was reminded of the time Merle had saved her life when she had been attacked by a dangerous gargoyle. The scene presently playing before her was almost an exact duplicate. With a bellow of annoyance at being unable to remove the young cat the snowy beast reared on its hind legs making himself even taller than before by ten feet! The young cat advisor nearly lost her footing, but her claws and teeth held firm and she dangled from the wolf's massive shoulder. With his front paws in the air the beast had left Hitomi with nothing holding her down. As soon as his weight was off her wings the seeress did her best to scramble out from under the huge creature. Sadly, with Hitomi being pregnant the process was rather awkward and slow making her fear that she would not be able to escape in time. Unfortunately the seeress was right… as always…
With a cry the beast finally was able to toss Merle off his back sending her flying into a nearby tree. The cat-girl struck the tree so hard that when she fell to the ground the snow fell from the tree's branches and buried beneath it. Hitomi's eyes widened at the horrible sight of her dear friend crumbling and cried out, "MERLE!"
Unfortunately because the seeress cried out the wolf became aware of her again and landed back on all fours over the woman. Hitomi was suddenly staring at the creature's belly as she realized she was under him. It was then she acknowledged the fact that the beast could crush her just by laying down. She had to get out from under him! Hitomi swiftly brought her wings back into their pouches located near her spine and dove to the exit located between its two right legs. To the seeress's horror she watched as the creature hurried to block her escape by putting his right hind leg closer to his right front leg making the hole between them too small for her to pass through. Frantically Hitomi turned to the opening found between the two back legs and wasted no time to dive through them. The queen smiled joyously as the wolf-beast was too slow to block her new exit and find the woman no longer beneath him. Sorrowfully, the act was no help, for the giant creature merely turned around and leapt before the seeress blocking her path.
Hitomi stared up into the creature's eyes of summer blue shuddering in fear from her position on her hands and knees. The wolf-beast growled a moment as he opened his mouth to show off his rows of sharp points. Hitomi wanted to scream. She wanted to cry out for help, but that piercing gaze held her full attention keeping her from escaping the hungry demand of the blue depths. It was then Hitomi realized something. The creature's eyes were glowing. It was using what little powers it had to keep her in a trance. It depths of aqua color became swirls of invisible flames that only the seeress could see. The tongues of blue fire began a dance pulling Hitomi more under its spell. Subconsciously the seeress could see everything happening as the wolf lowered its mouth to bite off her head, but she was unable to evade it. The cold around her became warm as her soul became entrapped by the power of this predator. Hitomi knew this was how it caught its prey. If it could not take its prey down the wolf would easily put his food under this magical trance before killing them. Now she was in the same predicament. Her entire body was frozen, right down to the ebony pupils of her forest green eyes. Nothing could save her now…
Suddenly the fire extinguished from reality and the creature reared his head flashing pearly daggers as he howled in pain. Blinking several times Hitomi came back to the world around her. The seeress gasped as she looked up at the wolf. Ridding the beast like you would a horse the king sat with his sword, digging deep into the man-eater's flesh. Scarlet blood gushed from the hideous wound mingling with the white fur of the victim until the wolf's hide began to be dotted in a soft pink array. The creature once again rose on its hind legs hoping to knock off the new attacker, but with his sword's hilt to hold and his knees tightly gripping the wolf's sides Van barely shuddered on the being's back. The king's eyes flew towards his wife and with a loud voice he ordered, "Hitomi! Get to the trees!"
The seeress bit her lower lip as she watched her husband ride the infuriated beast. She didn't want to leave him at the mercy of the creature, but she knew she was in more danger than he was. Van noticed her hesitation and bellowed, "GO!"
It had not been an ordered, but more of a plea and Hitomi knew it. She could see his fire eyes staring at her as Van was jostled around on the wolf's back and they sparkled with fear and concern for her well being. Her eyes glittered with tears as she swiftly got to her feet and stumbled to the row of pines. Her eyes stung from the cold liquid that invaded her emeralds, but she ignored it as she continued towards the shelter of the forest. As she made her way to the trees thoughts of the young cat-girl hovered in her mind causing her to wonder if her dear friend was all right.
"MERLE?!" Hitomi cried as panic teased at her words, "MERLE?!"
The queen fell to her knees at the pile of snow that covered her loyal advisor and quickly began to dig through the whiteness as she continued to call out her friend's name.
Meanwhile Van was unaware of his foster-sister's predicament as he struggled to remain on the wolf. The creature had begun to buck wildly and was twisting into turns in such a way that the king was amazed at how he had been able to stay on so long. The wolf snorted out foul wisps of clouds showing it's furry as its feet kicked up clumps of snow that sometimes sprayed up at the royal attacker. Van's gloves began to be covered in blood as more of the dark liquid spurted out from the gash from the frantic movements of the beast. It white tail swung back and forth furiously in a swift pace almost like a diamond-back snake would shake its rattle. The beast's eyes shone bright and sharp with deadly intentions as its teeth snarled in a hiss.
Finally after what seemed like eternity the king's blade began to wiggle out from the bleeding wound of the creature's hide. With Van's weight pulling at the end of the sword the metal slab began to slowly emerge from the pink tangle of fur. The king noticed too late the blade dislodging and was thrown to the ground with his sword in hand. Van fell into a tumble once in the snow and threw up several pearly flakes about. Swiftly, however, he leapt to his feet to face his adversary as soon as he had slowed down.
The white beast snarled at his new prey that had injured him so sharply a moment ago. Blood continued to fall in thick waves over the creature's snowy fur turning it a sickening pink, but he barely acknowledge the wound as he glared at the being who had inflicted the pain. His old prey, the woman, he would allow to be at peace, seeing that he could always easily catch her trail again even through the blizzard, besides, the snowstorm had soften to a small snowfall. For now he would focus on his new opponent for he was armed with a sharp piece of metal that gleamed in the sunlight. The other prey was probably the easier catch, but it was obvious that this being was her mate and he would defend her to the death. That was exactly what the beast intended to deliver.
Van brought his blade before him ready for an attack. His ruby eyes gleamed venomously as he stared at the monster before him. The young king's rage was soaring as he remembered how his wife had nearly come to be this creature's next meal. Gritting his teeth together Van glared at his opponent straight into his deep blue eyes.
Hitomi watched from the sidelines with Merle in her warm arms. The cat's head had a small gash and had been bleeding, but the seeress had stopped it by putting pressure on it with her hand. Merle was unconscious, but was alive to the seeress's great joy. The 'Angel' watched warily as her husband fell from the creature's back into the land of whiteness. As she watched her angel savior glare at the monster she realize the danger of the stare. Desperately she called out to her love, "Van! Don't look at it in the eyes!"
It was a good thing she had told him at that moment because it was at the same instant the beast decided to try the same trick he had used on her earlier. Van, trusting his spouse completely, diverted his gaze from the wolf's blue eyes and stared at the creature's chest. The beast growled angrily at his opponent's wisdom for avoiding the magically stare, however, the wolf soon grinned seeing an opening. Bringing a large paw back the beast swiped at his meal. Just when Van had settled his eyes on the chest of the beast he realized his battle disadvantage knowing fully well he would barely be able to see any oncoming attacks. One can understand now why the king was unable to see the huge paw come down on him even though Van did look up in time to see it coming straight towards him. Sadly, it was too late and the white beast hit home as his paw came into contact with the royal's chest.
Grunting at the blow Van flew backwards several yards away before crashing into the drifts and sliding through the snow. The moment his sliding movement stopped the king shuffled to his feet and took note he had dropped his sword during the attack. He glanced around at the area for the familiar blade, but Van knew it would be almost impossible to find the weapon in all the snow. He might as well just wait for the sun to crash down from the heavens and melt the snow away! Snarling loudly at his food the large white wolf lumbered forward closing the gap between the two beings. Van looked at the ground once again avoiding eye contact and began to step backwards. He knew he couldn't look into the beast's eyes, but perhaps if he kept enough distance between them he would be able to see an attack coming in time.
Slowly the two opponents began to back away from the row of pines making the young couple become even more separated. Hitomi bit her lip nervously as she watched her husband match every step the wolf made. She wanted to help, but she didn't know what she could do. She felt extremely weak from calling upon the shaft of blue light earlier and also trying to escape the creature that now was stalking her dear spouse. She didn't know if she could call upon the powers within her blood again at the moment. Perhaps later she could do it when she wasn't so winded, but right now it seemed impossible.
A soft groan brought the seeress's emerald eyes to the cat-girl who was cradled in her arms like a child. Merle's eyes fluttered open and focused on the woman before her. Hitomi felt a few tears slip down her cheek, but she ignored them as she smiled down at her friend. The young advisor smiled back before asking weakly, "Are you alright, Hitomi?"
The seeress laughed lightly as she replied playfully, "I was going to ask you that."
Merle's smile brightened, but soon fell when she saw her best friend glance in another direction. Hitomi's face stared off into the distance with a look of fear playing over her features. The young cat-girl forced herself to stand even though she was still weak from the ordeal and stood next to her queen. Merle's bronze paws flew over her mouth as she saw her dear foster-brother being challenged by the same beast she had fought earlier.
~~~Van~~~
The king took another step back and locked his jaw nervously. How long could he keep this up? Sooner or later the beast would attack, but for now all it had done was slowly pressed forward towards him. Taking a small glance to look on the creature's face he saw a facial expression of pain tugging at the wolf's snarling lips. The wound was slowing it down. Van wondered how much damage he had caused to make the beast wait so long to attack. It didn't matter right now. He needed to think of a plan. He could run past the beast and hope he get to the pines in time to climb up one of them, but what about Hitomi? She surely couldn't get up one of those trees in her condition and what if the stupid wolf could climb? It surely had the claws to do it.
Nervously Van took another step back and nearly lost his footing. Awkwardly catching himself before he fell the angel king felt a slick surface beneath his feet. Looking down Van noticed his feet were visible within the snow only being a few inches deep where he stood. Carefully the man ran his brown boot against the snow moving it aside so he could see what laid beneath the soft whiteness. To his surprise Van stared down at a reflection of himself. His ruby eyes grew big as he realized he was standing on top of ice, possibly a frozen lake or river.
Turning back to his enemy Van noticed the wolf had gained several feet by his distraction with the ice. The young king quickly backed up several feet regained the distance he had held earlier and resumed the game of matching step with step. With each step the king grew farther from the frozen bank and farther out on the ice. When the beast came to the edge of the ice he halted his pursuit of the royal. Slowly the wolf bowed his head to sniff the ice knowing fully well the dangers of stepping on frozen water. Carefully he smelt the scent of ice trying to judge the thickness of the transparent sheet. The wolf snarled at the covered ice not because it was too thin, but that he could not fully judge the thickness. It was hard to tell at this point. Though the weather was very harsh and cold it had not been this way for more than two days. The ice was part of a frozen river that was very wide. The deep banks of the river were thick enough for the wolf to pass over safely, but the center of the river was uncertain. The center was the weakest point of the ice the wolf knew from experience and to dare to cross the river was risking a great deal. Though he had crossed many rivers in its youth the beast knew the consequences of going over unsteady ice. He had nearly died from falling in a shallow stream once that had been too thin to support his weight. Luckily the weather had been only mild compared to present circumstances so the creature had survived, but today he knew if he fell into the river's cold currents he would never live to have another hunt, for even if he managed to get out from the depths of the water he would freeze to death.
The wolf took a step back deciding he rather would go after the easier prey, the woman, than go after the one standing on the dangerous ice. Van noticed the creature's hesitation and his mind began to work. Perhaps if he lured the beast out far enough on the ice he could make him fall through. Even if the lake or river was shallow it would distract the wolf long enough for Van to get to Hitomi and flee before the beast could come after them. The plan seemed perfect until the king noticed the wolf decided not to come out on the ice. Baring his teeth Van scooped up a clump of snow and quickly packed it into a round ball. During the winter months when Van was little he had always enjoying playing a game where you packed snow into round balls and tossed them at your opponent or opposing team. Remembering those fine moments Van hurled the small white created sphere at the beast hitting the wolf right in the side of its snout.
The blow didn't hurt, but it was the annoyance of it that made the wolf growl. The beast glanced at the overbearing meal that stood on the ice once again before trying to turn around and go after the weaker prey. Van grew desperate when he thought the wolf might go after Hitomi and swiftly began tossing snowball after snowball at the white monster trying to catch his attention. After the third bundle of snow in the face the beast felt his blood begin to quicken. His rage took the better of his judgment and the wolf turned back to the iced over river to take on the man. The snowy beast didn't even take a second to rethink about the dangers as he stepped onto the ice. Growling angrily the beast began to walk over the translucent floor of coldness over to the royal meal. Van's heart skipped a beat as he heard the ice yearn beneath the weight of the creature. He hoped the water was deep enough that the wolf sunk below the water's surface. If the creature fell through the ice now would he be able to stand or would he sink below the water? Van hoped for the latter and watched cautiously as the ice began to shudder beneath the creature's weight. Each moment was filled with suspense as Van listened to the sound of the ice creaking beneath his opponent's feet. The wolf was unaware of his dangers as his mind was completely focused on his prey. His rage was overbearing and completely deafening in his ears making it impossible for the wolf to hear the ice shifting beneath him.
Suddenly the ice gave in beneath one of the wolf's paws making the foot sink a few inches into the icy water. The beast howled as the cold water felt like a thousand knives piercing through his flesh. Knowing his mistake the creature tried to turn around, but it was too late. The hole caused by his oversized foot started a chain reaction throughout the ice surrounding the watery gap. Several lines splintered throughout the frozen floor creaking loudly in both the beast and Van's ears. Before one knew it the entire area of ice lying beneath the wolf shattered leaving only dark water. With a howl of last-minute panic the white monster fell into the hole and disappeared from sight.
Van sighed happily at the absence of his foe, but the victory was short-lived as the ice creaked again. The young king watched in horror as more lines began to stretch out from the sixteen-foot wide hole. The lines rush around Van like lightning and before he had a chance to even think a solitary thought the sheet of ice broke beneath his feet. The royal angel gave a startled cry as he plunged into the freezing waters…
~~~Hitomi~~~
The seeress gasped as she witness both the beast and her husband's fall into the water. The young queen rushed to her feet forgetting Merle completely and raced towards where her husband once stood. Stumbling through the deep snow Hitomi felt as if the world was slowing down. The world became mute as the pregnant woman began to yell out her beloved's name which was also unheard by her pale ears. The hole in the ice that had swallowed up her angel king was forever in her sights never once pulled away from her attention as she plunged towards it…
~~~Guardians~~~
Both Sian and Nembus's heads snapped up as they heard the frantic cries of a young woman. As the sound repeated again the green maiden felt her pulse quicken. She knew the voice as her mistress's. Without so much as a glance at her friend the female guardian broke off into a run through the snow going faster than ever before. Nembus soon was behind her following her every step.
~~~Hitomi~~~
The seeress was a few yards away from the opening not willing to risk the chance of herself falling in to. Hitomi watched the rippling water carefully for any signs of her husband. The dark liquid curled and churned with the currents flowing beneath the ice, but showed no signs of the young angel king making the queen very nervous. Where was he?…
A loud 'thump' caught the woman's attention almost automatically and Hitomi swiftly raced in the direction of the noise. Van must have gotten caught up in the powerful currents beneath the ice and must have been swept down the river. Another sharp 'thump' forced the 'Angel' to halt as she searched for the area she had heard the noise come from. Biting her lower lip she prayed Van would again give her a signal to lead her to him. Seconds began to tick away and Hitomi felt like she was about to go into an emotional breakdown. Where was he?… Finding no other solution the seeress decided to open her senses. With a gentle warmth of releasing the powers within her blood enveloping her Hitomi tried to locate her true love. In the same period it takes for a heart to beat Hitomi found Van. Quickly the seeress shuffled to the spot and began to rapidly shove away the snow that covered the ice.
Soon a clear view of the frozen river was discovered and Hitomi was staring down through the ice at the face of her beloved's. Van's eyes were closed and his body was limp. The hue of his skin could not be defined because of the way the ice played with coloration. Hitomi was able to confirm though that he was slipping into unconsciousness from the lack of air and cold water. He was dying! He'd die in a few moments by either freezing or drowning. Tears stung in the woman's eyes and she pounded her fists against the ice. The transparent floor winced at the blows from the angel maiden, but did not even crack. There was no way Hitomi could break the ice with her bare fists. The seeress stared at her husband as she watched his raven locks flow over his face from the current. Frantically Hitomi called out to him feeling the helplessness of her demeanor, "Van!"
By then Merle had reached Hitomi's side and was whimpering at the sight of her brother. The cat-girl stared at the face of her dearest and oldest comrade as the tears began to fall from her chestnut eyes. The seeress quickly turned around to the young cat-girl upon hearing her sorrow and swiftly ordered, "Merle, see if you can find Van's sword in the snow! We have to break the ice if we're going to get him out of here!"
The young advisor nodded and dove into the drifts frantically sniffing for the lost weapon. As Merle went on her search that would determine the outcome of their love one Hitomi stared down at Van with teary eyes. Quietly she whispered to him as though he were able to hear every word she spoke, "Hang on, Van… Don't die... We're going to get you out soon,… don't worry…"
The young king was still as the currents tried to pull the angel man away from his love. The friction of Van's body against the ice though kept him in place as the water continued to play with his hair and clothes.
Meanwhile Merle sniffed at the sea of whiteness urgently for the familiar sword and smiled once she got its scent. It was only a matter of moments before the excellent hunter began digging through the snow sending clumps of the soft flakes in every direction. With a triumphed squeal Merle drew out the blade with a huge smile on her face. The young cat-girl turned around to go to Hitomi when saw both Nembus and Sian racing towards them through the trees. The green maiden's face was filled fear as she ran through the snow at incredible speed. Sian was staring passed Merle back at Hitomi drawing the cat-girl's attention back to her queen. To the feline's surprise she beheld a large figure looming over Hitomi from behind the royal angel. A double-bladed ax that was twice the size of any normal ax blade was in the air held by this dark being. The silver metal of the deadly weapon gleamed as the ax was drawn back to slice down the seeress.
Sian had long since noticed the attacker and was doing her best to arrive at her lady's side in time, but she could already tell she would never make it. Desperately Sian tried to warned her dear friend before it was too late, "HITOMI, LOOK OUT!"
The seeress's blood seemed to freeze at the cry as she felt the dangers projected in the words. Again the world appeared to slow as Hitomi began to turn around at the sound of the warning. Her emerald eyes grew wide as she saw a silhouette of a large figure towering over her. It was one of the demons! Hitomi felt her energy drain from her as she saw the huge blades of an ax gleaming through the snowfall. In that instance the seeress saw her face reflecting in the silver blade as if the blade was saying with the image, 'you are my target.' At that moment time resume its normal pace and the blade came down in a furious sweep…
~Yep, it's another cliffhanger. I told you I love cliffhangers and you should begin to expect them at the end of every chapter. Anyway what do you think? Please review!~
~Next chapter should be out by next Wed. or Thurs. Sorry, if taking so long, but I can already tell I'm going to get some writer's block on the next chapter especially since I know only half of what I'm going to write in the next passage. I'll do my best to get it up by then or sooner, but be warned there is a possibility that I will get some serious writer's block and miss this deadline. Sorry about that~