~Remember I don't own Escaflowne or its characters!~
~Sorry for the delay in posting this, but like I had warned before I got serious writer's block and then I was gone all Friday through Sunday on a trip! Sorry about that~
~I really hope you enjoy this chapter. What will Hitomi's fate be? Read and find out. Oh, and don't forget to review after your done~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_wings
Chapter 12 ~ Images Carved in Ice
~~~Frozen Wilderness~~~
Metal rang sharply in everyone's ears as the blade of the mighty ax hit its target. All spectators froze as they stared in shock at the result of the blow. Hitomi's heart seemed to stop as she found herself staring into the weapon that was embedded in the thick ice. Gradually the seeress's emerald eyes worked their way up the blades of the weapon to its long staff-like handle. Her eyes halted at a pair of gloved hands that were large and rough.
'Pair of hands?' Hitomi questioned as she studied the tan items confused, 'But the demons always had a claw and a hand, not two hands…'
Ever so slowly the young queen let her gaze travel up the rest of the way up the being's arm that was covered by thick furs of various animals. As her eyes grazed over the furry attire the angel woman took note that most of the hides sewn together were deep mud-brown colors and an occasional tan. Finally Hitomi's eyes came to the head of the fighter, which was covered by a hood of furs that shadowed the being's face. Unable to see the face of the being the maiden could only imagine what lie beneath the darkness of the shadows. Over all he was a huge man at least six feet tall and very broad shouldered making him look like a giant.
Suddenly a gruff voice growled at the seeress from beneath the hood making her start, "If you don't mind, milady, but if I am to save this man you must get out of my way."
Hitomi was too shocked and confused by this new figure that she was frozen were she knelt, however, soon a pair of arms from behind pulled her off the ground. The 'Angel' glanced over her shoulder to see Sian's face sternly gazing at the gigantic man. As soon as Hitomi was on her feet Merle rushed forward and hugged her dear sister-in-law affectionately happy to see she was alive and unharmed. The seeress, however, was more focused on Nembus who stood in front of her with his sword drawn. The man of dark raven hair glared at the giant who was armed with the huge ax. The man merely grunted at the guardian's defensive posture towards him as he stared down at the ice.
Sian and Merle flanked Hitomi's sides as the seeress watched the strange man in wonder. The maiden wondered while the man remained still. He made no move to remove the ax, but let it stay embedded in the thick ice. Van's face was still passive as he lay beneath the ice with the blade of the giant's weapon only a few inches beside his head. Time slowly began to tick away as the stranger made no effort to move. The young queen was about to ask the man to hurry when she felt a flicker of power come from the man. Staring down at the silver blades of the ax Hitomi watched as cream lines began to form over the forged metal. As the lines swirled in a familiar dance the group's many eyes stared at the display in wonder and surprise. In moments the emblem of the Draconians formed in a cream color on the embedded blade of the ax. Unseen to everyone's eyes, except the seeress's, the shadow covering the man's face grew lighter as a cream glow penetrated its darkness. The light came not from the man's ax, but it came from beneath the hood itself to Hitomi's surprise. She had never seen anything like that before. It was as if a light bulb was being hidden beneath the man's hood.
A sudden hissing noise stole Hitomi's attention away though leaving the moment of the glow to be forgotten as her emerald eyes turned back to the blade. The angel queen gaped as cream lines like thunderbolts began to form in the ice surrounding the ax's embedded metal. With angry hisses the lines stretched from the ax in a circle pattern before growing brighter. Growling in power the lines grew so bright that they blinded the area with their light for a split second. Afterwards when the fuzziness had faded the group heard the sound of shattering ice. Looking down the group saw the blade, which was now plain silver again, was no longer in the ice, but hung in the air several inches above the cold waters that had flowed beneath the ice. Van's limp body floated in the gaping hole that had been formed by the giant's powers thumping against the hole's side as the currents tried to sweep him away again. The soft noise made from the king's body finally shook everyone from their shock back to their current condition. Sian, Hitomi and Merle quickly rushed to their king and dragged him out of the water while Nembus and the royal's savior stared at each other warily. The armored guardian lifted his sword to the cloaked figure's throat as Nembus hissed suspiciously, "Who are you?!"
Laying Van on the ice a few feet away from the hole safely the seeress was able to turn her attention back to her guard. With a firm, but irritated voice Hitomi exclaimed, "Stand down, Nembus! The man just saved Van's life. If he was an enemy he could have let him died and killed me. You should be thanking this man, not accusing him!"
Nembus glanced at his queen in thought before letting his sword fall to his side. The armored angel said no apology or 'thanks' to the giant, but remained quiet as he continued to eye the man suspiciously. The stranger was just as quiet as he pointedly ignored the dark guardian's stare to watch the three women check over the near frozen man. Hitomi frowned slightly at guardian's rudeness, but decided to let it go for now as she turned back to her husband. Tenderly the seeress took hold of Van's hand and was shocked to feel how cold it was. It was colder than ice and felt as if no warmth had been held in its flesh in years. Tears formed in her eyes as Hitomi turned to Sian who was checking Van's pulse. With a voice that nearly broke with fear the queen asked, "How is he?"
Sian bit her lip as she avoided her mistress's eyes to begin rubbing the king's arm, "I'm not sure. It's hard to say. His pulse has stopped, but his systems might be... I guess you could say 'frozen' from the cold waters. We might just need to thaw King Van to revive him."
"What do you mean frozen?" Merle asked as she began to help rub her brother's limbs furiously. Hitomi began to do the same as her hands ran over her spouse's chest as she watched the green angel just as confused as her advisor.
"She means his systems have shut down" came the gruff voice of the giant. Swiftly the man pushed Sian out of the way ignoring her protests as he picked up the king, with little effort, after putting his ax in a holder located on a strap of leather that went across his back. All three women jumped to their feet at the sudden stealing of their raven noble. Nembus's sword quickly rose again pointing at the mysterious man's throat again as the guardian growl, "You will put down that man or I will slit your throat right here."
Hitomi glanced at her dark bodyguard nervously. She couldn't tell Nembus to back off now. This man had Van, her beloved, and at the moment they knew very little about this stranger. Hitomi began to rethink her prior logic about the man. The giant could very well be a murder for all they knew though Hitomi seriously doubted that. Why would have saved Van anyway if he was a murder? Watching the giant carefully she waited for this stranger's reaction as did Merle and Sian.
The giant glanced down at the drawn sword that was pointed at his neck as he growled in annoyance, "Listen you overbearing, pup, like the lady said earlier if I had wanted to kill any of you I would have done so. I mean no harm. If you will come with me we can find shelter in the cave just over there."
The cloaked man nodded just a little ways away where a small entrance to a cavern loomed in the side of a high bluff. Smoke curled from the entrance proving the fact that a fire dwelt within the depths of the cave. Nembus studied the cave suspiciously taking his eyes off the man in just enough time for the stranger to step away from the blade and swiftly race towards the cave. Nembus snapped his eyes of pitiless blackness back on the fleeing figure and quickly went to capture the man when Sian swiftly stepped in front of him. The dark dressed man glared at his comrade angrily, but Sian met his sharp gaze. Hitomi ignored the two's confrontation being too worried for her angel as she ran to catch up with her husband's rescuer with Merle close behind. Nembus frowned at the brunette maiden as she firmly said, "Let him be, Nembus. We can deal with him later. Right now all that is important is saving King Van's life and you should know that."
The man angrily stared at the escaping group for several moments before nodding in admittance of his mistake. Sian gave a small nod before racing after the rest of her traveling party. Nembus was on her heels with a face that showed just how happy he was with the situation.
It didn't take long for them to reach the cave and when they did sweet warmth enveloped them. Hitomi shook the snow off her shoulders as she stepped into the cavern as Merle walked in also. Growling angrily the young feline shook herself like a dog flinging snowflakes everywhere. The queen looked up at the giant as he strode over to a small fire burning in the cave. With all the tenderness of a cloud the stranger laid the unconscious king on the ground next to the fire and began to remove the royal's pack. Hitomi walked over next to the man's shoulder with Merle by her side praying for their love one's life. The giant glanced over his shoulder at the two women and said gruffly, "I must strip him of his wet clothes it is best you turn your backs."
The young cat-girl blushed furiously and quickly shuffled away back to the cave's entrance while Hitomi stayed where she was. With a warm voice she said, "I am his wife, if you do not mind I would rather do this instead of you."
The man looked at her for a moment before nodding in agreement. Moving away from the frozen victim he put his back to the young king as to allow privacy when the seeress would disrobe him. Hitomi quickly rushed past the man and began to swiftly pull off Van's clothes. As soon as the woman began the stranger pulled the ax from its holder on his back and leaned it against the craven wall. The process was quick and undisturbed as the seeress worked. Even though she had conceived a child with this man she still had to blush when she had pulled off all his wet clothes and tossed them aside. After hearing a moment of silence coming behind him the stranger pulled off his cloak of furs and tossed it over his shoulder, which Hitomi caught easily. Without looking behind him the man replied in his deep voice, "Wrap him in it and tell me once your done."
The seeress was quick to comply as she wrapped her spouse in the warm furs with affection. As she did so Hitomi took note that Van's skin was still slightly blue, but now was deepening in color again. Once her task was finished she proclaimed, "Done."
Turning around Hitomi finally got a real look at the giant towering over her and her angel. The man reminded her very much like one of the mountain men told in stories back on the Mystic Moon. His hair was of beautiful amber that was very tangled from curls. He had a very long beard that showed off the redness of his auburn hair and brushed up against his chest. His eyes were bluish-gray and soft like the snow. His chest was strong and firm with his shoulders broad. The giant wore a heavy tan shirt that had sleeves cuffed with furs. His mud pants, also very thick, were also cuffed with furs and kept tight around the legs for better installation by tied strips of brown leather. His leather boots came halfway up his calves and were also kept tight to the feet by strips of black leather. Deep mud brown gloves lined with, what Hitomi thought was, rabbit fur covered his monster-sized hands. Muscles upon muscles could easily be defined through his clothes making him all the more intimidating, however, Hitomi was not in the least bit afraid of this man. Though he looked threatening his attitude made Hitomi see the gentleness within him.
The giant quickly went to Van's side and checked over him as Hitomi glanced over the cave entrance to find the two guardians standing next Merle. All four waited in full suspense for the verdict of their King's life. After several minutes of tension the stranger stood and walked over to the group. Hitomi's eyes must have been pleading for an answer for the giant turned to her. With the same gruffness he had spoke in before he said, "He will live, but he must rest for now. By morning he should be fit for travel since we got him out so fast and already had a fire going."
Hitomi smiled through her unaware tears and whispered happily, "Thank you so much."
The man nodded at the gratification before asking the same question that had been on their minds, "Who are you?"
The seeress glanced over at Sian and Nembus wondering if it was wise to give out their identities. Neither looked at her for both were watching the man intently and suspiciously. Finding no disapproval the royal angel replied sincerely, "I am Hitomi Kazanki Fanel, Queen of Fanelia and Queen of the Draconian Throne."
As soon as the word 'Draconian' was spoken the seeress noticed a sudden change in the man's eyes. Those same eyes that had been so soft and gentle suddenly became sharp and narrow. Sian and Nembus must have also noticed the change for they took a few steps closer to Hitomi if the moment would arise to protect her. Trying her best to keep the peace the seeress continued with the introductions. Nodding over to her sister-in-law Hitomi said, "That's Merle, my sister-in-law and loyal advisor. The other two are Sian and Nembus my sworn bodyguards. The man lying on the floor is as I said earlier my husband, Van Fanel, King of Fanelia."
Now the man's eyes were no longer sharp and hard, but had become wide with shock as they focused on the two guardians. In utter disbelief expressed in his tone the giant exclaimed, "You are Nembus, 'Guardian of the Clouds,' and Sian, 'Guardian of the Forest'?!"
Merle was the only one of the four that started at this for the others had suspected the man knew of the guardians. If he held a weapon with a Draconian crest on it he somehow knew the Draconians or was one of them. The only question was who exactly was he?
Both Nembus and Sian nodded at the shocked stranger giving him the answer to his question. The armored warrior continued to glared at the giant. Unable to hold back his question any longer Nembus growled, "Now I think it's high time you told us who you are!"
Hitomi turned to the tall man and saw him briefly look at her before bringing his chin up high to state proudly, "I am Zaado, 'Guardian of the Ice.'"
*****Several Hours Later*****
Sian and Nembus both leaned against the cavern wall in their cloaks tensely not enjoying the way the giant man would continually sneak a glare at them. More then once the armored guardian growled low in his throat like an animal challenging him. The green maiden was more passive and emotionless as she stood next to her good friend.
The newly discovered guardian, Hitomi, and Merle sat near the fire enjoying some meat that had been broiled as their meal. Van laid next to the fire still unconscious and would remain like that for some time the guardians had said. As they had eaten their food the seeress filled their new friend in on the story from the beginning of the 'Sacrifice' to the very moment they stood in now. The other two guardians had remained very quiet as the observed the giant which Hitomi had noticed. Neither had really spoken during the story except to express on moments of their encounters with the young queen. The seeress could easily feel the tension in the air between the three ancient warriors and knew they had prejudices amongst them for a long time. She could tell it wouldn't be easy to get the three of them to cooperate.
"That's our story" Hitomi finally finished as she smiled at the man of auburn hair. The man looked at all the individuals in turn before turning back to the royal woman before him. Feeling the need to ask the question Hitomi looked straight at the giant and said, "Will you help us, Zaado?"
The man snorted at the question and glanced at the other two fighters nearby before replying gruffly, "Excuse my rudeness, Lady Hitomi, but I do not believe you are the 'Angel of Gaea' or the 'Queen of the Draconians.' Thus, I will neither help you or lead you to the Draconians in which I protect."
Automatically Sian frowned and pushed off from the wall to stand before the seated man. Her eyes of silver glowed with rage as she growled, "How can you not believe that Lady Hitomi is not the queen that we have already vowed to protect?!"
Zaado proudly stood and because of his height Sian was forced to lift her face just to glare at him straight in the eyes. The man's eyes were just as hard as he gruffly said, "One must always have doubt before proof can be given."
The green maiden crossed her arms across her chest as she hissed angrily, "She holds the ancient pendant of our people and the 'Book of Angels.' That surely is enough proof!"
Zaado simply threw back his head and gave a laugh that shook the walls of the cave. Sian's frown deepened in rage as her temper shortened from being laughed at. After a moment the man smirked and stated as if the information was so common, "That doesn't matter. Those are only items both of which can easily be stolen and used as pawns to draw us into the trickery of its new holders. The only way she could be queen is if she had the power to control the pendant. Have you ever seen her use it?!"
The green maiden bit her lower lip angrily as she glared up at the man who was several decades older than her. He had her exactly where he wanted her. Quietly Sian hissed, "No, but I--"
"End of discussion" the ice guardian huffed as he turned away from the forest woman, "A true warrior wouldn't have been so easily swayed to this woman's side. Of course what can I expect from 'children.'"
Sian bit down on her tongue holding back her anger. She glared at the man's back while he walked away from her. She knew he had every right to doubt the truth of Hitomi's words, but when he had put in that finally remark it had sent her anger skyrocketing; luckily she had been able to keep quiet. Unfortunately Nembus could not.
"How dare you!" Nembus thundered as he roughly walked over to the giant, "I am not some squabbling child! You will show the proper respect to Sian and I or I will personally--"
"Enough!" Hitomi's voice cut through the man's words causing all the guardians and Merle to turn to her. The seeress frowned at Nembus and told him with her eyes to back off. The armored fighter snorted as he sourly returned to his spot at the cavern wall. Changing her focus from the bodyguard Hitomi turned to the giant man and asked in a gentle tone, "Lord Zaado, if there is anyway for me to prove who I am then tell me what I must do so I may do so."
The two other fighters looked up at the iceman waiting for his reply. The giant studied the seeress carefully before saying gruffly, "Alright,… Deep in this cavern there is a room called the 'Hall of Ice.' Within there you may prove yourself to me."
Hitomi's brow furrowed in confusion, but it was not she who asked the question, instead it was Sian.
"How is she suppose to do prove herself there?" the green angel asked roughly, still annoyed with the giant's earlier words. Both of the younger warriors stared at the older one suspiciously.
The man didn't even glance at them as he answered calmly, "It is a room completely made of ice. Once in there legend says that the room will reflect what the person truly is."
Sian's brow furrowed at the words as did Nembus while Merle and Hitomi were totally lost. Unable to understand the seeress asked innocently, "What do you mean, Zaado?"
The giant shrugged his shoulders as he stared out the cave entrance at the snowfall as he huffed, "No one truly knows. Few ever venture in there for fear and superstition. The ones who have entered its chambers have come back out crying uncontrollably or screaming as they ran from out of its depth. I have gone in it several times, but it has never reacted to me."
The green maiden's eyes narrowed as she studied the man's body language curiously. Though his eyes were blank she could see deeper into him like few could. With a low voice Sian stated, "You lie…"
Everyone started at this including the snowman giant. The man's eyes were wild as he glared over at the woman. Slyly Sian continued, "You have seen things in the room… You just don't want to talk about 'what' you saw…"
Hitomi studied the older man for the moment. Though he held the face of blankness his eyes were swirls of clashing emotions. What emotions exactly Hitomi could not be sure of, but she could tell there was indecision because of the emotional conflict going on in him. The giant closed his eyes and crossed his arms angrily as he said in a low growl, "Yes… I have seen things in the room, but those images are not of your concern!"
The sudden defense from the man brought everyone on edge sending a tension into the air. Fire burned in the gray-blue eyes of the guardian making the subject of his experience in the ice room become unimportant. None were willing to ask more of the man's time in the enchanted room for fear of his anger. Though the other two guardians were not at all afraid of the man they did not want to provoke him anymore. What good would it do anyway? Sian let the man's excuse slid by without a dispute, but she kept her eyes of sharp silver on his rigid form in curiosity.
Hitomi decided it was time to change the subject, "Zaado, do you believe Van will be alright by morning?"
The giant looked over at the sleeping form of the angel king for a moment judging his recovery before giving a small nod, "I think he'll be well enough to travel by then. He should wake sometime late tonight probably. He was lucky he wasn't in there for long and we got him out so fast or he would be bed-ridden for weeks."
The seeress had to smile at the thought of a bed-ridden Van. She could already see him protesting that he was all right and demanding to be let out of his room. He never could just lay around in bed letting others control his country. It always felt wrong to him and made him think he was lazy. Even when Hitomi swore she would do everything he would usually do during the day Van would still protest because he hated to place both their long lists of duties on her light shoulders.
Holding back a light laugh Hitomi nodded over to the two suspicious guardians near the cave wall and said, "Sian and Nembus, I want you to go on hourly guard shifts at the cave entrance. Do your best to get as much sleep as possible. Dornkirk could strike at anytime and we must be ready. The rest of us will go to sleep."
Both fighters nodded and walked to the entrance to set up their beds for the night. Merle was already pulling out a heavy blanket from her knapsack and laying it on the floor to get some much needed sleep. Hitomi thought about also going to bed, but she was a little nervous about sleeping. It seemed as if every time she went to sleep she would have a startling vision that would make her jerk awake. Though the beds look comfortable that were shadowed with a waiting vision that snuck around in the blankets.
Turning away from the cat-girl just as Merle closed her eyes Hitomi turned to her knapsack and pulled out a small pouch of lulu berries. Though she had eaten two helpings of the meal earlier her unborn child was beginning to demand more again and so Hitomi had to comply. Hungrily the seeress began to chew on the delicious fruit as she leaned back against the cavern wall. Looking up she noticed the giant also had decided not to sleep yet and had begun to sharpen his ax head with a large dagger. Scraping noises filled the seeress's ears as she watched the man sweep his dagger again and again over the ax's blade. Zaado was intensely studying his work either not noticing Hitomi's gaze or not caring about it. Finally she had to ask, "Are you not tired, Zaado?"
The man glanced up from his weapons a moment before turning back to his prior focus. In a deep voice the fighter said, "No, I need little sleep to live off of and before I ran into you all I had just slept a few hours so I'm rather refreshed. I can go several days without sleep and won't need to sleep at least for another day or two."
Hitomi tossed in another blue berry into her mouth before asking curiously, "How did you find us out on the lake?"
"I sensed you there" he replied nonchalantly, "I need not recognize your presence so I went to investigate. When I saw your husband battling the monster I knew you were not of our group. No one goes near that forest."
"Why?" the angel woman asked as she turned to look at the flames of the fire dance.
"It is dangerous" he replied gruffly, "The beast you fought lives in the area just on the other side of the tree line. He never leaves the area unless he's on a hunt. He always takes all who wander on the border of his territory down, even when he is not hungry because he does not like intruders. The only ones who have ventured in his territory or in the forest that have lived only lived because the beast was too worried about the weather then going out to kill. The weather around here can be very fierce, even worse than today."
Hitomi wrapped her arms around herself as she was drawn into the fire's glow, "Are there more of those creatures in this area?"
Zaado shrugged without looking up, "No one really knows, but no one has every known of another beast like him and no one wants to find out. He is considered to be-- to have been-- the last of his kind. How he became the last is unknown and if he was the last is unknown, but people who live around in the ice lands have come to know him as Saber, the 'Snow Wolf.' Many fear him and do their best to avoid him. Even game around here has begun to become smart and leave the area he dwells-- dwelt. It is a very old legend, milady."
The seeress turned away from the fire to study her husband's rescuer carefully. Quietly the woman stared at him confused, "Zaado, there is something that confuses me… You doubt who I am and refuse to believe of am the queen in which you are to protect. I even go so far as to suspect that you assume that I am an enemy,… yet you are kind and respectful to me as though I am a dear friend… Why is that?"
The man's hand slowed and his work became dust when he looked up at the young woman sitting directly in front of him. His eyes became distant as he looked at nothing in particular. With his voice low and his eyes hazy Hitomi could tell he was thinking of old memories, "Since I was a child I was taught about honor and respect. My father, Joutei rests his soul, told me always to respect a woman. If the lady was an enemy than the respect is quickly blown out of the water. Milady, I do doubt who you are, but I do not think of you as enemy. Your heart is gentle and kind though some of your company is the opposite."
"Sian and Nembus are not that bad once you get to know them" Hitomi sighed lightly at the presumption.
Zaado just gave a haughty laugh as he returned to his work, "Perhaps you see them that way, Lady Hitomi, but to me I see them differently. I have known them even before you were born. One might say I prejudged the two from the first day I was introduced to them, but after so many years of being alongside them as a fellow bodyguard I believe my assumptions of them were true. They were rookies when we were guards of Queen Iris's family and now with our second chance at life they are still the rookies they were centuries ago."
"Perhaps you are wrong, Zaado…" Hitomi whispered wisely, "If you prejudge someone before you get to know them your mind will always see them that way, no matter what proof is laid before you to make you think otherwise. You see them as rookies only because you automatically assumed they were."
The man became silent as he gripped his weapon staring into his reflection. Zaado looked deep into his reflecting eyes thinking carefully about her words. The seeress rose slowly and quietly withdrew a thick quilt from the knapsack Van had worn. Tenderly the angel queen wrapped the blanket around her and replied, "Just think about it, Zaado. That's all I ask. If we are to survive through this new war against Dornkirk and his demons than we must become one group, not a divided team. They had a saying on my home world before it was destroyed 'United we stand, but divided we fall.' Perhaps you don't believe I am your queen, but tomorrow you will see the truth. Good night."
Ever so quietly Hitomi walked over to the slumbering form of her husband and sat down with her back against the wall. Gently she placed Van's head in her lap trying not to wake him. Closing her eyes, but not falling asleep Hitomi began to stroke Van's raven locks like you would a cat with only the crackling of the fire to disturb the giant.
* * * * *Hours Later* * * * *
The old fighter with his ax in two strong fists strode over to the cave entrance leaving behind three sleeping nobles to slumber by the small fire. Making his way as stealthy as a lion Zaado walked up behind the armored soldier presently standing in the cave entrance on guard duty. Sian laid on the cave's floor deep in sleep, but even in her deepest slumber she would have still been fully aware of the approaching man. Skills such as that she had been taught at an early age making such a habit hard to give up. Briefly opening her silver eyes Sian glanced at the old warrior before finding no danger at the intruder of her sleep and closed them again to return to her dreams. Nembus's form grew stiff as he realized who was approaching him. His senses told him whom it was and he did not need to turn around to know. Zaado noticed the change in the armored one's disposition, but pretended not to notice as he halted next to the warrior. The raven headed man glanced at the older fighter through the corner of his eye with his arms crossed, but gave no further acknowledgement to the man. Zaado also glanced at Nembus through the corner of his eye, but remained just as still and silent. Both guardians looked straight ahead at the horizon watching the purple hue of the morning beginning to swim over the sky.
The older of the two frowned slightly before gruffly speaking still looking straight ahead, "Turn in. I'll take the rest of the morn."
Nembus smirked at the offer and snorted, "Believe I can't handle it, old man?"
Zaado grinded his teeth together at the mention of the old nickname that had been given to him centuries ago. The older guardian began to wonder if he should just turn around and go back to sharpening his weapon. Why had he come to these children anyway? Growling slightly from trying to suppress his anger the man said, "Believe what you want to believe, kid, but if I were you I would go rest."
The younger soldier was completely unaware of the man's kind gesture and thought it was more of an insult than a gift. Scowling Nembus hissed, "Well I'm glad I'm not you because I'm not moving. I can handle this job just as well as you can, old man, if not better."
By now Zaado's patience had worn thin. He rarely went out of his way for the two younger guardians and doing what he was doing was going against his pride making the situation all the more hard to complete. Controlling his temper with great effort Zaado gruffly replied, "I'm not here to pick a fight with you, Nembus. I'm offering you some time to sleep."
Automatically Nembus relaxed as he heard the giant mention his name. Zaado rarely spoke his name and when he did it was when he was being completely serious. After a moment the warrior realized what the fellow guardian was giving him. He was trying to be kind for once and give him a break. Never before had the snow dweller ever go out of his way for him or Sian. Nembus was a little shocked I have to say. For a moment Nembus considered to decline the offer, but something suddenly drew him to his bed laying a few feet away. There is a good chance that his lack of sleep had caught up with him finally. Quietly the soldier turned away from his elder and began to go make his way to his pile of blankets, but was stopped by a gloved hand. Looking over his shoulder Nembus's bottomless eyes met bluish-gray ones.
Still a little angry from the younger one's prior rudeness the man stated roughly, "Listen, kid, I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for your mistress, Lady Hitomi. She asked me to get along with you and I will, but I will not bend over backwards to please you and your blasted companion, Sian. I'm not offering friendship; I'm offering cooperation. Understand?"
Nembus's eyes narrowed as he glared back at the fellow fighter. Just when he thought he had believed the old man had changed he did this. In a low, rough voice Nembus growled, "I understand you completely."
Then the armored guardian shook off the older man's hand and strode over to his bed sharply. Before one knew it Nembus was nestled comfortably in his bed and fast asleep with Zaado standing at attention in the entrance of the cavern watching the dawn.
~~~Vision~~~
A pool of scarlet licked Hitomi's ankles. The liquid felt cold as it began to creep up the maiden's pale legs. Hitomi's emerald eyes widen as the pool began to envelope her body, just like it had done a while back in prior visions. The liquid crawled up her thighs and soon her lower body was lost in the ripples of crimson. The seeress felt as if her soul was being attacked. Pain engulfed her chest burning like hot metal. She felt as if her heart was an inferno bulging within her nerves. Explosions of pain went off in every pore of her body sending new waves of anguish through her frail form. The deep red liquid swirled over her chest and slowly inched its way up the seeress's slim neck while it flowed over her arms. Hitomi went to scream, but the pain caught in her throat locking down her calls. Her silky hair grew sticky with the red substance as it ran over the back of her head leaving only her face visible. The queen's eyes were sparkling with fear as the liquid finally enveloped the last of her leaving only pain and anguish in its wake…
~~~End of Vision~~~
Hitomi awoke with a start, but force herself not to cry out. Glancing around with her heart pounding she reestablished where she was. Van's head still laid in her lap where she put it while Merle was asleep on the other side of the fire. The giant was no longer at his place against the wall, but had chose to go to the cave entrance where the other guardians were. Staring down the long tunnel of the cave Hitomi saw that Sian laid asleep with Nembus a few feet away also dozing. Zaado stood at the entrance with his special ax in both hands. Even though it was extremely cold and the man no longer had his cloak he stood at the entrance guarding as if it were a spring day.
The seeress stared at the man's back for a while lost in her thoughts. Zaado was strange to her. Both Nembus and Sian she had been able to relate to. They both were very loyal to their stations and comrades with hearts of warriors. Hitomi had easily read them out, but when it came to Zaado it was different. He acted like a general with his advancement as a fighter. Honor seemed more important to him then his duty or was it the opposite? He was a puzzle just like Sian and Nembus had been… and still a little were.
Though Hitomi had gotten to know the two first fighters she felt there was something laying in the shadows not mention by the two. It didn't deal with the present or the future, no, the seeress felt it lied somewhere back in the past. There was something laid hidden in their history far back… How far though?… Was it part of their childhood?… Or just before they had become bodyguards, like during the persecution?… Perhaps it even was in the time during their life as bodyguards… Whatever it was Hitomi could tell there was something being untold to her, but why wouldn't they tell her?… She could understand Zaado and possibly Nembus not telling her, but Hitomi couldn't understand why Sian wasn't speaking up. The green warrior and the seeress had created a bond the day they had first met and since then the bond had never broken. Hitomi knew she would rely on Sian the most amongst the 'Ring of Guardians' because she had been the first one she had met and grown close to. Now, however, Hitomi wondered if the bond was only imagination playing in her mind… Why hadn't Sian come forward?…
Shaking her head Hitomi closed her eyes in thought. It had only been half a week since the incident at the glass house and yet so much had happened. Visions had flooded her mind again and new Draconians were being introduced into Fanelia. Two new guardians had been discovered and Dornkirk had returned with powerful foes. How was she to finish this war this time?… Would she be standing in the end as victory or be lying on the ground dead as Gaea's savior?… Or would she even win this new battle?… Hitomi had thought of nothing else as the days had gone by and with each day more questions and doubts were pounding at her head. Sighing heavily the seeress felt the weakness in her body and the craving of sleep. Her body never felt so sluggish before. Even days before the journey had begun she had rarely required sleep even with her pregnancy, but right now her body was screaming for it. Sadly though, the visions kept Hitomi from falling asleep. She was so fearful of reliving a prior vision, especially the one she had witness moments ago. That image in particular seemed more effective than the other ones. It felt more… real…
Hitomi felt something stir in her lap causing her to glance down at her husband. With a soft moan Van woke and looked up at his dear beloved's face. The moment his eyes focused on the beautiful figure looking over him the king was up in sitting position hugging her fiercely. Hitomi sighed happily as her arms wrapped around his tone bare upper body for the fur cloak had slipped off his shoulders and swirled around his waist. With his face buried in her hair Van's soft whispers were slightly muffled, "Hitomi… Are you alright?"
Hitomi rolled her eyes and laughed before pulling away to look at her husband, "I should be asking you that."
Van gave her confused look and suddenly remembered what had happened. Before he could ask what had occurred after he had fallen into the river Hitomi began the long tale that he wanted to hear. After a good half hour of explaining Van's eyes traveled to the form standing in the entryway of the tunnel. Quietly Hitomi looked down at her hands lost in her own thoughts. She was so afraid of what was going to happen. She wasn't afraid of her own life. No, she had overcome that. It was the fear of her unborn child that kept the terror lodged in her heart. Silently her pale hands gripped her clothes tightly as they shook. She vowed to protect her child and she would not break it, but she felt as if she were endangering her only child even now. She was an expecting mother on a difficult journey. What if she miscarried?… She didn't think she could live with that…
"Hitomi…"
The young queen looked up into eyes of burning rubies and lost herself in them. For now her thoughts were eased as Van once again wrapped her in a protective embrace. Closing her eyes and breathing in deep his scent Hitomi felt herself relax. Whenever she was in his arms she felt completely safe… and knew that she was…
~~~Cavern's Depths~~~
Hitomi pulled her blue cloak tighter around her as she longed for the warmth of a flame. Van wrapped his arm a little tighter around his angel's shoulders to offer his own body warmth to her. Two hours ago the group had finally decided to leave the area where they had been camped in the cave to begin their journey to the mysterious room mentioned by Zaado. After eating breakfast, packing their things, and dowsing their campfire the group had set off. Also immediately after they had began their walk down through the cave's tunnel the passageway had begun to grow smaller. Slowly at first, but soon it became so small that it allowed only two people to pass through at once. Automatically Zaado had taken the lead seeing that he was the only one who knew where the room, even though their seemed little to divert them off the wrong path -- because there was only one path. Merle had been next in line keeping her dear friends separated from the giant. One could only wonder if the cat-girl had suspicions of the man still, but none could really tell seeing Merle acted as if nothing was wrong. Van and Hitomi had been next with Sian and Nembus taking the rear. The seeress had quickly noticed the three guardians efforts to stay apart.
Glancing over her shoulder for a moment Hitomi eyed the two younger fighters that walked behind her. Both met her gaze for a moment before turning their attention back to the walk. With a mute sigh Hitomi turned back around and continued the trek without a single word, though her mind was whirling at full-speed. Those two were still a mystery to Hitomi. For some odd reason the angel queen suspected there was something going on about those two. Little had been said about the way they were acquainted except for the fact that they had been promoted to bodyguards for the royal family at the same time and had started a close friendship after being socially cased out from the other guardians. Thinking while still watching the tunnel ahead Hitomi began to wonder, 'Is there something going on they aren't telling me?'
It was a very possible assumption seeing that neither had really discussed in 'detail' about their personal histories. With her brow furrowing slightly Hitomi decided then and there that she would have to have a talk sooner or later with Sian… a one on one personal talk…
For about a half hour the group continued their journey in silence before a voice broke the silence. At the sound of the person's words the group halted and turned towards Hitomi, however the seeress was motionless as she too listened to the voice…
"I don't know…
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me"
With eyes wide Hitomi recognized the voice as her own and the song as the one sung to her by Van himself on the night he had proposed. Though the voice was her own the seeress had never spoken a word in the last moment and as everyone else could see she was not doing it even now…
"Flowers sleep
A silent Lullaby
I wait for reply
I'm ready…"
Eerily the song bounced along the walls sending chills down the groups spines as they heard the echoes.
"Quiet day
Calms me
Oh, Serenity
Someone please
Tell me
Oh, what is it they say
Maybe I will know someday…"
Without thinking the 'Angel' pulled away from her husband and rushed pass Merle and Zaado towards the sound of the voice. Before one could stop her Hitomi had already disappeared around the curve ahead. Springing into action Van raced after his wife with the rest trailing him as the king called out the woman's name.
"I don't know…
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me"
As Hitomi raced down the halls sloppily because of her pregnancy she could hear the singer's voice grow louder and the melody became stronger. In the faint background she could hear her husband's cries, but something inside her was screaming at her far louder than his voice could ever carry. Something in her told her it was imperative that she'd go to the source of the voice. There was something there… something there calling her…
"Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby
I pray for reply
I'm ready…"
Hitomi rounded a curve and suddenly the narrow hall of stone became a large spherical room of ice. Halting at the entrance of the room the seeress's emeralds swept over the cold walls in wonder. The room was like a world of mirrors that hung in the air. The room was perfect. The floor was incredible smooth and was a single mirror floor. The walls, however, were a mixture of different sized and shaped ice mirrors creating a half-sphere room. The only exit was the one doorway Hitomi had just pass through making the ice room a dead end. Looking around the seeress could see her reflection playing over several nearby mirrors, but in all the ice mirrors were angled in such a way that the only way she could possibly see herself in all of the slabs of ice was to be directly in the center of the room.
Slowly the song began to start up again as the verses were sung. The words and melody chimed throughout the room in a beautiful sound that made the room seem all the more wondrous. Without the conscious of her mind directing her Hitomi stepped towards the center. Only the sound of her footsteps clicking against the cold floor conflicted with the singer's voice. The seeress was then realizing that her voice was coming from inside the room as if someone was playing a recording in that very area. Making her way to the center Hitomi could feel something calling her. With each step the tug on her soul became stronger pulling her a little quicker to the center. As she walked the seeress watched her reflections emerge in other ice mirrors enjoying the splendor. It was the moment that Hitomi's right foot stepped into the very center that the rest of her companions burst into the room. Automatically catching sight of his beloved Van called out, "Hitomi!"
A second after her name had carried through the air to her ear Hitomi's left foot stepped into the center of the room coming to rest along side her right foot. In that moment the emblem of the Draconians glowed beneath her feet and across her brow in a fine white light. The two identical crests glowed for only a second before a white shaft of light shot down around Hitomi. Startled the seeress could do nothing, but gasp with the rest of the group. Soon small golden stars began to fly around the room like comets in space dazzling the area with their glory. Panicking Van raced to his wife calling out her name, "Hitomi!"
Hitomi could hear her name being called out, but she was frozen where she stood with her eyes fixed on the mirrors in the low area of the ceiling and her back turned to her dear angel king. Van lunged for his true love with an outstretched hand, but the moment he made contact with the pillar of whiteness an unseen power took hold of him and tossed him back. With a groan the young king collided into Zaado and Nembus causing all three of them to fall to the ground in a heap. Sian and Merle turned back to their queen in dread wondering what would happen. Quickly the three men rose to their feet with Van struggling to go to his wife.
Angrily the young raven king fought against the hold Nembus and Zaado had on his arms crying, "No let me go! Hitomi needs me!"
Neither of the guardians listened to his demands though as they tighten their grips on him. Van continued his vain struggles until Zaado's voice made him freeze, "Lord Van, you can do nothing to help her. The room will hold her like that until it has shown all that is need to be seen. Once it is done she will be released and unharmed. You can do nothing with the powers of the room protecting her."
Reluctantly the young noble quite his violent attempts to escape his guards and stared at his dear spouse in concern along with the rest of his companions. With longing and worry clinging to his voice Van whispered, "Hitomi…"
Hitomi felt her heart quicken its pace at it thumped in her chest. The golden stars brushed up against her body sending tingling sensations wherever they touched, and Hitomi was powerless to look or brush them away. Her eyes were frozen on the overhead ice slabs watching her reflection in awe. Hitomi's eyes of emeralds came to focus on a single reflection, yet all her reflections did the same like perfect identical images. Suddenly the reflection of the seeress became a blur as another image appear. The image was of a man that had several years under his belt with his slightly grayish-auburn hair and short beard. Before Hitomi could really get a look at the person though another person took the place of the prior man. This figure was instead a young woman in her early prime with long red hair with beautiful curls. Just as quickly as before though the lady's reflection became hazy and formed yet another person… and then another… and then another…
Time and time again unknown faces emerge on the ice mirrors as the group and the seeress watched in confusion. None could understand what it meant, but knew there was some importance hidden in these images. Soon more than a hundred faces had passed over the surface of the mirrors. Sian furrowed her brow as she saw an image of a man appear suddenly. The figure had a bushy mustache with short-cropped sandy hair that was nearly a light chestnut. The other two fighters also frowned at the image in confusion. Though Sian spoke very low in a whisper her voice echoed throughout the room like crystal bells loud and strong allowing everyone to hear, "I know I've seen that man somewhere,… but I can't remember…"
The two male guardians nodded at the remark, but did not let their eyes stray from the mirrors for fear of missing something important. Suddenly the familiar reflection vanished and reappeared into a woman that made all three guardians gasp. If Hitomi hadn't been frozen where she was she would have also gasped with them at the sight of the woman. The new reflection was of a woman with long brunette hair and beautiful green eyes. Quietly Sian cried out\, "That's Queen Iris!"
Van and Merle had never seen an image of the famous woman, but they knew very much about the former queen's legendary past. With shock the 'White Dragon' proclaimed, "That's Queen Iris?!"
None of the guardians glanced at the other two nobles, but Nembus did answer his king respectfully, "Yes, that is Queen Iris and I do believe the man that had appeared before her was her father."
Zaado and Sian nodded in agreement keeping their eyes focused on the mirrors along with the cat-girl and young king. The giant frowned lightly as another image appeared this time of a woman a little younger than the prior adult before. This woman had shoulder length mud brown hair and eyes identical to the former queen. With surprise hinting in his voice the guardian of ice whispered, "And that's Princess… err… Queen Rachael,… but what does it mean?…"
The green maiden scowled as more faces came and went across the ice mirrors before asking bluntly, "Do you think it's showing the royal line of the Draconian's throne? Like it's showing the history of every heir that came into claim of the throne?"
Zaado frowned in thought before gruffly stating, "That a very good guess, but I don't see much purpose in showing us all this."
"Agreed" growled Nembus annoyed by having their precious time wasted over a history lesson.
The room again became silent as more unknown faces flashed in the mirrors. As time progressed the images began to quicken and went at such a pace that one barely got a glimpse at the unknown figures' faces. Just as suddenly as the speed of the images had quicken they began to slow as the reflections came to a near halt on a woman who, by way of the image, seemed to be very old. This woman's gray hair was in a bun and showed several dark strains that appeared to be a deep brown in coloration. Eyes of emeralds stared down at the group as a wrinkled face smiled solemnly. None knew the woman except the seeress herself and she was frozen in place so she could not even speak out the lady's name, so Hitomi resorted to saying the woman's name in her mind, 'Grandmother…'
The image shifted and soon was replaced with a woman who had long brunette hair and identical emerald eyes. Though neither of the two male guardians knew the woman now shown in the ice Van, Hitomi, Sian, and Merle all knew her well. It was the green maiden to be the first to proclaim, "That's Lady Sukai, Hitomi's mother!"
With a crackle of power the image changed yet again to form what all had suspected to be the gentle face of Hitomi. Though it appeared to be the same reflection you would see in any mirror of the young seeress there was something distinguishably odd about her reflection. Around the seeress's body was a white and gold aura surrounding her. It glowed so bright that it almost made the image to be unable to look upon. Van was even forced to place his hand over his fire eyes to see properly. Straining to see the group watched as more figures appeared around and behind the reflection of the 'Angel,' but for some reason the other beings were shadowed in gray making Hitomi stand out among them. Van took a step forward totally lost by the images. What did it all mean? What was this 'room' trying to tell them?…
Before he or anyone else could say something the mirror's imagery changed to a beautiful meadow where Hitomi stood in the very center. The golden glow around Hitomi's reflection didn't fade away and the identical girl in the ice looked at the seeress deep into her eyes. At that moment Hitomi's mind lifted from her body and she became the girl in the reflection… looking through her eyes…
~Vision~
Hitomi stood in an endless field that stretched so far she could not see the end. Trees and mountains dotted the area in the far distance, but other than that there was little to obscure her view. The only thing that destroyed the field was the valley that dipped through the field about several hundred yards away from the seeress. Hitomi knew as she glanced up at the single mooned sky that she stood in the Mystic Valley. The gentle breeze carried the scent of spring grass making Hitomi think of Van. Closing her eyes she breathed deep taking in the wondrous scent as the wind combed her hair.
Suddenly the air grew thick with smoke causing Hitomi to cough several times. Opening her emeralds the seeress could barely hold back her gasp in shock. Looking over the same field and valley Hitomi felt her heart would shatter. The ground was now pitch black with burnt vegetation and stone as the ground stained by fire. Storm clouds thundered in the red sky angrily. Several bodies covered in blood covered the area making the seeress want to cry.
Trembling with fear and shock Hitomi walked over to the nearest form. The person was turned onto their side with their back to her so the angel woman knelt down and pulled the figure backwards. Sian's lifeless face looked up at the 'Angel' with dead cloudy eyes. Tears slipped from her emeralds eyes as Hitomi's hands flew over her mouth.
~Ice Room~
Sian gasped at the sight of her bloody body shown in the ice mirrors. Everyone's eyes grew wide in astonishment to see the green maiden dead in the ice walls. Red liquid dripped from the guardian's mouth in the reflection and Hitomi could barely hold down her churning stomach at the sight. In the mirror the young seeress passed her slim hand still surrounded in the golden glow over the dead warrior's eyes to close Sian's eyelids respectfully.
~Vision~
Hitomi could feel the wave of tears falling now though she tried to remind herself it was a vision and not reality. Stiffly the angel woman rose to her feet still staring at the dead guardian in remorse. It was at this moment Hitomi realized the song that had been chiming throughout the room had stopped and had been replaced with a dark, yet familiar, voice that hissed through the air, "You failed them, seeress…"
Hitomi's eyes grew wide and swirled around to meet the speaker that stood behind her. The figure was no more than a shadow of black smoke curling in mid air and stared back at her with invisible eyes. The seeress's emeralds grew wider as she whispered, "Dornkirk…"
The dark presence ignored her reply and growled victoriously, "You have failed again to save the ones you hold closest to your heart, dear 'Seeress of the Mystic Moon'…"
For some reason Hitomi felt drawn to something behind her as if the being of smoke was directing her there. Ever so slowly the seeress turned around and the moment her gaze fell on what laid there she wished she had never looked…
~Ice Room~
Van's mouth hung open in shock as a stared at the reflection above. In a low whisper that bounced from wall to wall the young king said, "No…"
Shown in the mirrors of slick ice was the dead form of his foster-sister, Merle. The young cat-girl looked completely mauled with so much blood on her one wondered how a single being could have so much blood in them. Clutched protectively in Merle's dead arms was a small white bundle covered in her blood. Merle clutched her brother's arm as she looked up at the image and whimpered. It was such a horrible sight to see yourself dead like that.
In the reflection Hitomi raced over to her dead advisor crying endless tears as she cried, "No, Merle!"
As she came to the feline's side the seeress noticed two other forms lying not far away from the cat and female guardian. Though their bodies were torn apart and covered in thick crimson Hitomi knew automatically who it was, especially when she spotted the two figures' weapons. More tears spilled as the royal whispered, "No… Nembus… Zaado…"
"You failed them…"
Hitomi turned around angrily and yelled at the cloud of blackness, "Who did this?!"
Dornkirk laughed heartily before growling venomously, "You did…"
The seeress narrowed her eyes and growled back, "You lie!"
The black smoke shook a moment as if it were shaking his head in reply. Dornkirk snarled at the woman with all the darkness that could be accumulated, "No… Perhaps you did not directly cause their deaths,… but their deaths were a result of your actions…"
Hitomi took a step back not wanting to hear what he was saying to her. The world seemed to spin as the seeress brought a hand to her brow and whimpered, "No…"
"Yes" the emperor of Zaibach hissed, "Even your husband could not escape death because of you…"
Hitomi felt her heart shatter and she fell to her knees letting them strike so hard against the ground that they gushed with blood. Holding her pale hands over her ears the seeress squeezed her eyes shut and yelled, "NO!"
Suddenly the world became dark and the angel woman was left to nothing. The blood that dripped from the cuts on her knees created a pool around her slowly. Opening her emeralds again Hitomi saw the pool become larger and larger before it completely surrounded her. In a matter of seconds the liquid began to creep up her body just like in her visions. The liquid crawled up her thighs and soon her lower body was lost in the ripples of crimson. The seeress felt as if her soul was being attacked. Pain engulfed her chest burning like hot metal. She felt as if her heart was an inferno bulging within her nerves. Explosions of pain went off in every pore of her body sending new waves of anguish through her frail form. The deep red liquid swirled over her chest and slowly inched its way up the seeress's slim neck while it flowed over her arms. Hitomi went to scream, but the pain caught in her throat locking down her calls. Her silky hair grew sticky with the red substance as it ran over the back of her head leaving only her face visible. The queen's eyes were sparkling with fear as the liquid finally enveloped the last of her leaving only pain and anguish in its wake. Then the world went black…
~End of Vision~
~Ice Room~
The three guardians gasped at the sight of the blood enveloping their queen. Van and Merle gaped in astonishment barely able to stand the sight of it all. Suddenly the mirrors of slick transparency became black with only the white pillar and golden stars as illumination for them. It was then that Hitomi heard the voice again pounding in her mind.
"You might not have failed yet, seeress,…" the voice hissed joyfully, "but the time grows near… and your friends will suffer with you!"
That's when Hitomi felt that power flow through her. She felt her mind snap like it had done so many times before. No longer frozen in the shaft of light the seeress hunched over with eyes closed and clenched fists. Gritting her teeth together the burning power flew through her veins at a remarkable rate. Hitomi's brunette hair began to lift in a mysterious wind flapping wildly around her face. It was at this moment the group looked at Hitomi. With a growl from the maiden of royal blood two wings shot out from her back in a beautiful flutter of feathers.
Sian stared at her mistress wings in new dread as she noticed the color of the precious items. No longer were her queen's feathers pure white, but now a very soft gray almost unnoticeable to the guardian. If it hadn't been for the fact that the seeress was standing in a pillar of white light with her wings against the shaft the guardian would never have noticed the difference in color. The green maiden's eyes of silver stared at her mistress in fear, as she muttered, "No than that means--"
She never got a chance to say for it was then Hitomi reared back with the white emblem of the angel race shining brightly on her brow as she yelled, "NO!"
The young queen's body became enveloped in an aura of gold, red, and white colors swirling together. Small beams of identical colors from the sphere shot from Hitomi's body in all directions as her cry echoed everywhere. The room began to shake as the ice began to shatter. Soon the ceiling began to crumble and fall down upon them and none could do anything about it…
~Whoa, another long chapter. Did you like it? Please review. I only got one review for my last chapter! (Thanks a lot Liz)~
~What's going to happen to our heroes? What was Sian thinking when she saw Hitomi's wings? Will Zaado be loyal to Hitomi now? And what do those darn images and visions mean?! Read and find out in our next chapter when one of demons face off with the group in 'Chapter 13: Merge'!~
~Okay, don't kill me when you read this, but this can't be helped. The next chapter will be unable to be posted until sometime in late Feb. *hides behind a desk* Sorry, but I must work on a project for a major scholarship plus I just got a job yesterday and will be working soon. The deadline for the scholarship is the 25th so some time after that I should post the next chapter. I'm really sorry for the delay and hope you will forgive me. Sorry~
~Sorry for the delay in posting this, but like I had warned before I got serious writer's block and then I was gone all Friday through Sunday on a trip! Sorry about that~
~I really hope you enjoy this chapter. What will Hitomi's fate be? Read and find out. Oh, and don't forget to review after your done~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_wings
Chapter 12 ~ Images Carved in Ice
~~~Frozen Wilderness~~~
Metal rang sharply in everyone's ears as the blade of the mighty ax hit its target. All spectators froze as they stared in shock at the result of the blow. Hitomi's heart seemed to stop as she found herself staring into the weapon that was embedded in the thick ice. Gradually the seeress's emerald eyes worked their way up the blades of the weapon to its long staff-like handle. Her eyes halted at a pair of gloved hands that were large and rough.
'Pair of hands?' Hitomi questioned as she studied the tan items confused, 'But the demons always had a claw and a hand, not two hands…'
Ever so slowly the young queen let her gaze travel up the rest of the way up the being's arm that was covered by thick furs of various animals. As her eyes grazed over the furry attire the angel woman took note that most of the hides sewn together were deep mud-brown colors and an occasional tan. Finally Hitomi's eyes came to the head of the fighter, which was covered by a hood of furs that shadowed the being's face. Unable to see the face of the being the maiden could only imagine what lie beneath the darkness of the shadows. Over all he was a huge man at least six feet tall and very broad shouldered making him look like a giant.
Suddenly a gruff voice growled at the seeress from beneath the hood making her start, "If you don't mind, milady, but if I am to save this man you must get out of my way."
Hitomi was too shocked and confused by this new figure that she was frozen were she knelt, however, soon a pair of arms from behind pulled her off the ground. The 'Angel' glanced over her shoulder to see Sian's face sternly gazing at the gigantic man. As soon as Hitomi was on her feet Merle rushed forward and hugged her dear sister-in-law affectionately happy to see she was alive and unharmed. The seeress, however, was more focused on Nembus who stood in front of her with his sword drawn. The man of dark raven hair glared at the giant who was armed with the huge ax. The man merely grunted at the guardian's defensive posture towards him as he stared down at the ice.
Sian and Merle flanked Hitomi's sides as the seeress watched the strange man in wonder. The maiden wondered while the man remained still. He made no move to remove the ax, but let it stay embedded in the thick ice. Van's face was still passive as he lay beneath the ice with the blade of the giant's weapon only a few inches beside his head. Time slowly began to tick away as the stranger made no effort to move. The young queen was about to ask the man to hurry when she felt a flicker of power come from the man. Staring down at the silver blades of the ax Hitomi watched as cream lines began to form over the forged metal. As the lines swirled in a familiar dance the group's many eyes stared at the display in wonder and surprise. In moments the emblem of the Draconians formed in a cream color on the embedded blade of the ax. Unseen to everyone's eyes, except the seeress's, the shadow covering the man's face grew lighter as a cream glow penetrated its darkness. The light came not from the man's ax, but it came from beneath the hood itself to Hitomi's surprise. She had never seen anything like that before. It was as if a light bulb was being hidden beneath the man's hood.
A sudden hissing noise stole Hitomi's attention away though leaving the moment of the glow to be forgotten as her emerald eyes turned back to the blade. The angel queen gaped as cream lines like thunderbolts began to form in the ice surrounding the ax's embedded metal. With angry hisses the lines stretched from the ax in a circle pattern before growing brighter. Growling in power the lines grew so bright that they blinded the area with their light for a split second. Afterwards when the fuzziness had faded the group heard the sound of shattering ice. Looking down the group saw the blade, which was now plain silver again, was no longer in the ice, but hung in the air several inches above the cold waters that had flowed beneath the ice. Van's limp body floated in the gaping hole that had been formed by the giant's powers thumping against the hole's side as the currents tried to sweep him away again. The soft noise made from the king's body finally shook everyone from their shock back to their current condition. Sian, Hitomi and Merle quickly rushed to their king and dragged him out of the water while Nembus and the royal's savior stared at each other warily. The armored guardian lifted his sword to the cloaked figure's throat as Nembus hissed suspiciously, "Who are you?!"
Laying Van on the ice a few feet away from the hole safely the seeress was able to turn her attention back to her guard. With a firm, but irritated voice Hitomi exclaimed, "Stand down, Nembus! The man just saved Van's life. If he was an enemy he could have let him died and killed me. You should be thanking this man, not accusing him!"
Nembus glanced at his queen in thought before letting his sword fall to his side. The armored angel said no apology or 'thanks' to the giant, but remained quiet as he continued to eye the man suspiciously. The stranger was just as quiet as he pointedly ignored the dark guardian's stare to watch the three women check over the near frozen man. Hitomi frowned slightly at guardian's rudeness, but decided to let it go for now as she turned back to her husband. Tenderly the seeress took hold of Van's hand and was shocked to feel how cold it was. It was colder than ice and felt as if no warmth had been held in its flesh in years. Tears formed in her eyes as Hitomi turned to Sian who was checking Van's pulse. With a voice that nearly broke with fear the queen asked, "How is he?"
Sian bit her lip as she avoided her mistress's eyes to begin rubbing the king's arm, "I'm not sure. It's hard to say. His pulse has stopped, but his systems might be... I guess you could say 'frozen' from the cold waters. We might just need to thaw King Van to revive him."
"What do you mean frozen?" Merle asked as she began to help rub her brother's limbs furiously. Hitomi began to do the same as her hands ran over her spouse's chest as she watched the green angel just as confused as her advisor.
"She means his systems have shut down" came the gruff voice of the giant. Swiftly the man pushed Sian out of the way ignoring her protests as he picked up the king, with little effort, after putting his ax in a holder located on a strap of leather that went across his back. All three women jumped to their feet at the sudden stealing of their raven noble. Nembus's sword quickly rose again pointing at the mysterious man's throat again as the guardian growl, "You will put down that man or I will slit your throat right here."
Hitomi glanced at her dark bodyguard nervously. She couldn't tell Nembus to back off now. This man had Van, her beloved, and at the moment they knew very little about this stranger. Hitomi began to rethink her prior logic about the man. The giant could very well be a murder for all they knew though Hitomi seriously doubted that. Why would have saved Van anyway if he was a murder? Watching the giant carefully she waited for this stranger's reaction as did Merle and Sian.
The giant glanced down at the drawn sword that was pointed at his neck as he growled in annoyance, "Listen you overbearing, pup, like the lady said earlier if I had wanted to kill any of you I would have done so. I mean no harm. If you will come with me we can find shelter in the cave just over there."
The cloaked man nodded just a little ways away where a small entrance to a cavern loomed in the side of a high bluff. Smoke curled from the entrance proving the fact that a fire dwelt within the depths of the cave. Nembus studied the cave suspiciously taking his eyes off the man in just enough time for the stranger to step away from the blade and swiftly race towards the cave. Nembus snapped his eyes of pitiless blackness back on the fleeing figure and quickly went to capture the man when Sian swiftly stepped in front of him. The dark dressed man glared at his comrade angrily, but Sian met his sharp gaze. Hitomi ignored the two's confrontation being too worried for her angel as she ran to catch up with her husband's rescuer with Merle close behind. Nembus frowned at the brunette maiden as she firmly said, "Let him be, Nembus. We can deal with him later. Right now all that is important is saving King Van's life and you should know that."
The man angrily stared at the escaping group for several moments before nodding in admittance of his mistake. Sian gave a small nod before racing after the rest of her traveling party. Nembus was on her heels with a face that showed just how happy he was with the situation.
It didn't take long for them to reach the cave and when they did sweet warmth enveloped them. Hitomi shook the snow off her shoulders as she stepped into the cavern as Merle walked in also. Growling angrily the young feline shook herself like a dog flinging snowflakes everywhere. The queen looked up at the giant as he strode over to a small fire burning in the cave. With all the tenderness of a cloud the stranger laid the unconscious king on the ground next to the fire and began to remove the royal's pack. Hitomi walked over next to the man's shoulder with Merle by her side praying for their love one's life. The giant glanced over his shoulder at the two women and said gruffly, "I must strip him of his wet clothes it is best you turn your backs."
The young cat-girl blushed furiously and quickly shuffled away back to the cave's entrance while Hitomi stayed where she was. With a warm voice she said, "I am his wife, if you do not mind I would rather do this instead of you."
The man looked at her for a moment before nodding in agreement. Moving away from the frozen victim he put his back to the young king as to allow privacy when the seeress would disrobe him. Hitomi quickly rushed past the man and began to swiftly pull off Van's clothes. As soon as the woman began the stranger pulled the ax from its holder on his back and leaned it against the craven wall. The process was quick and undisturbed as the seeress worked. Even though she had conceived a child with this man she still had to blush when she had pulled off all his wet clothes and tossed them aside. After hearing a moment of silence coming behind him the stranger pulled off his cloak of furs and tossed it over his shoulder, which Hitomi caught easily. Without looking behind him the man replied in his deep voice, "Wrap him in it and tell me once your done."
The seeress was quick to comply as she wrapped her spouse in the warm furs with affection. As she did so Hitomi took note that Van's skin was still slightly blue, but now was deepening in color again. Once her task was finished she proclaimed, "Done."
Turning around Hitomi finally got a real look at the giant towering over her and her angel. The man reminded her very much like one of the mountain men told in stories back on the Mystic Moon. His hair was of beautiful amber that was very tangled from curls. He had a very long beard that showed off the redness of his auburn hair and brushed up against his chest. His eyes were bluish-gray and soft like the snow. His chest was strong and firm with his shoulders broad. The giant wore a heavy tan shirt that had sleeves cuffed with furs. His mud pants, also very thick, were also cuffed with furs and kept tight around the legs for better installation by tied strips of brown leather. His leather boots came halfway up his calves and were also kept tight to the feet by strips of black leather. Deep mud brown gloves lined with, what Hitomi thought was, rabbit fur covered his monster-sized hands. Muscles upon muscles could easily be defined through his clothes making him all the more intimidating, however, Hitomi was not in the least bit afraid of this man. Though he looked threatening his attitude made Hitomi see the gentleness within him.
The giant quickly went to Van's side and checked over him as Hitomi glanced over the cave entrance to find the two guardians standing next Merle. All four waited in full suspense for the verdict of their King's life. After several minutes of tension the stranger stood and walked over to the group. Hitomi's eyes must have been pleading for an answer for the giant turned to her. With the same gruffness he had spoke in before he said, "He will live, but he must rest for now. By morning he should be fit for travel since we got him out so fast and already had a fire going."
Hitomi smiled through her unaware tears and whispered happily, "Thank you so much."
The man nodded at the gratification before asking the same question that had been on their minds, "Who are you?"
The seeress glanced over at Sian and Nembus wondering if it was wise to give out their identities. Neither looked at her for both were watching the man intently and suspiciously. Finding no disapproval the royal angel replied sincerely, "I am Hitomi Kazanki Fanel, Queen of Fanelia and Queen of the Draconian Throne."
As soon as the word 'Draconian' was spoken the seeress noticed a sudden change in the man's eyes. Those same eyes that had been so soft and gentle suddenly became sharp and narrow. Sian and Nembus must have also noticed the change for they took a few steps closer to Hitomi if the moment would arise to protect her. Trying her best to keep the peace the seeress continued with the introductions. Nodding over to her sister-in-law Hitomi said, "That's Merle, my sister-in-law and loyal advisor. The other two are Sian and Nembus my sworn bodyguards. The man lying on the floor is as I said earlier my husband, Van Fanel, King of Fanelia."
Now the man's eyes were no longer sharp and hard, but had become wide with shock as they focused on the two guardians. In utter disbelief expressed in his tone the giant exclaimed, "You are Nembus, 'Guardian of the Clouds,' and Sian, 'Guardian of the Forest'?!"
Merle was the only one of the four that started at this for the others had suspected the man knew of the guardians. If he held a weapon with a Draconian crest on it he somehow knew the Draconians or was one of them. The only question was who exactly was he?
Both Nembus and Sian nodded at the shocked stranger giving him the answer to his question. The armored warrior continued to glared at the giant. Unable to hold back his question any longer Nembus growled, "Now I think it's high time you told us who you are!"
Hitomi turned to the tall man and saw him briefly look at her before bringing his chin up high to state proudly, "I am Zaado, 'Guardian of the Ice.'"
*****Several Hours Later*****
Sian and Nembus both leaned against the cavern wall in their cloaks tensely not enjoying the way the giant man would continually sneak a glare at them. More then once the armored guardian growled low in his throat like an animal challenging him. The green maiden was more passive and emotionless as she stood next to her good friend.
The newly discovered guardian, Hitomi, and Merle sat near the fire enjoying some meat that had been broiled as their meal. Van laid next to the fire still unconscious and would remain like that for some time the guardians had said. As they had eaten their food the seeress filled their new friend in on the story from the beginning of the 'Sacrifice' to the very moment they stood in now. The other two guardians had remained very quiet as the observed the giant which Hitomi had noticed. Neither had really spoken during the story except to express on moments of their encounters with the young queen. The seeress could easily feel the tension in the air between the three ancient warriors and knew they had prejudices amongst them for a long time. She could tell it wouldn't be easy to get the three of them to cooperate.
"That's our story" Hitomi finally finished as she smiled at the man of auburn hair. The man looked at all the individuals in turn before turning back to the royal woman before him. Feeling the need to ask the question Hitomi looked straight at the giant and said, "Will you help us, Zaado?"
The man snorted at the question and glanced at the other two fighters nearby before replying gruffly, "Excuse my rudeness, Lady Hitomi, but I do not believe you are the 'Angel of Gaea' or the 'Queen of the Draconians.' Thus, I will neither help you or lead you to the Draconians in which I protect."
Automatically Sian frowned and pushed off from the wall to stand before the seated man. Her eyes of silver glowed with rage as she growled, "How can you not believe that Lady Hitomi is not the queen that we have already vowed to protect?!"
Zaado proudly stood and because of his height Sian was forced to lift her face just to glare at him straight in the eyes. The man's eyes were just as hard as he gruffly said, "One must always have doubt before proof can be given."
The green maiden crossed her arms across her chest as she hissed angrily, "She holds the ancient pendant of our people and the 'Book of Angels.' That surely is enough proof!"
Zaado simply threw back his head and gave a laugh that shook the walls of the cave. Sian's frown deepened in rage as her temper shortened from being laughed at. After a moment the man smirked and stated as if the information was so common, "That doesn't matter. Those are only items both of which can easily be stolen and used as pawns to draw us into the trickery of its new holders. The only way she could be queen is if she had the power to control the pendant. Have you ever seen her use it?!"
The green maiden bit her lower lip angrily as she glared up at the man who was several decades older than her. He had her exactly where he wanted her. Quietly Sian hissed, "No, but I--"
"End of discussion" the ice guardian huffed as he turned away from the forest woman, "A true warrior wouldn't have been so easily swayed to this woman's side. Of course what can I expect from 'children.'"
Sian bit down on her tongue holding back her anger. She glared at the man's back while he walked away from her. She knew he had every right to doubt the truth of Hitomi's words, but when he had put in that finally remark it had sent her anger skyrocketing; luckily she had been able to keep quiet. Unfortunately Nembus could not.
"How dare you!" Nembus thundered as he roughly walked over to the giant, "I am not some squabbling child! You will show the proper respect to Sian and I or I will personally--"
"Enough!" Hitomi's voice cut through the man's words causing all the guardians and Merle to turn to her. The seeress frowned at Nembus and told him with her eyes to back off. The armored fighter snorted as he sourly returned to his spot at the cavern wall. Changing her focus from the bodyguard Hitomi turned to the giant man and asked in a gentle tone, "Lord Zaado, if there is anyway for me to prove who I am then tell me what I must do so I may do so."
The two other fighters looked up at the iceman waiting for his reply. The giant studied the seeress carefully before saying gruffly, "Alright,… Deep in this cavern there is a room called the 'Hall of Ice.' Within there you may prove yourself to me."
Hitomi's brow furrowed in confusion, but it was not she who asked the question, instead it was Sian.
"How is she suppose to do prove herself there?" the green angel asked roughly, still annoyed with the giant's earlier words. Both of the younger warriors stared at the older one suspiciously.
The man didn't even glance at them as he answered calmly, "It is a room completely made of ice. Once in there legend says that the room will reflect what the person truly is."
Sian's brow furrowed at the words as did Nembus while Merle and Hitomi were totally lost. Unable to understand the seeress asked innocently, "What do you mean, Zaado?"
The giant shrugged his shoulders as he stared out the cave entrance at the snowfall as he huffed, "No one truly knows. Few ever venture in there for fear and superstition. The ones who have entered its chambers have come back out crying uncontrollably or screaming as they ran from out of its depth. I have gone in it several times, but it has never reacted to me."
The green maiden's eyes narrowed as she studied the man's body language curiously. Though his eyes were blank she could see deeper into him like few could. With a low voice Sian stated, "You lie…"
Everyone started at this including the snowman giant. The man's eyes were wild as he glared over at the woman. Slyly Sian continued, "You have seen things in the room… You just don't want to talk about 'what' you saw…"
Hitomi studied the older man for the moment. Though he held the face of blankness his eyes were swirls of clashing emotions. What emotions exactly Hitomi could not be sure of, but she could tell there was indecision because of the emotional conflict going on in him. The giant closed his eyes and crossed his arms angrily as he said in a low growl, "Yes… I have seen things in the room, but those images are not of your concern!"
The sudden defense from the man brought everyone on edge sending a tension into the air. Fire burned in the gray-blue eyes of the guardian making the subject of his experience in the ice room become unimportant. None were willing to ask more of the man's time in the enchanted room for fear of his anger. Though the other two guardians were not at all afraid of the man they did not want to provoke him anymore. What good would it do anyway? Sian let the man's excuse slid by without a dispute, but she kept her eyes of sharp silver on his rigid form in curiosity.
Hitomi decided it was time to change the subject, "Zaado, do you believe Van will be alright by morning?"
The giant looked over at the sleeping form of the angel king for a moment judging his recovery before giving a small nod, "I think he'll be well enough to travel by then. He should wake sometime late tonight probably. He was lucky he wasn't in there for long and we got him out so fast or he would be bed-ridden for weeks."
The seeress had to smile at the thought of a bed-ridden Van. She could already see him protesting that he was all right and demanding to be let out of his room. He never could just lay around in bed letting others control his country. It always felt wrong to him and made him think he was lazy. Even when Hitomi swore she would do everything he would usually do during the day Van would still protest because he hated to place both their long lists of duties on her light shoulders.
Holding back a light laugh Hitomi nodded over to the two suspicious guardians near the cave wall and said, "Sian and Nembus, I want you to go on hourly guard shifts at the cave entrance. Do your best to get as much sleep as possible. Dornkirk could strike at anytime and we must be ready. The rest of us will go to sleep."
Both fighters nodded and walked to the entrance to set up their beds for the night. Merle was already pulling out a heavy blanket from her knapsack and laying it on the floor to get some much needed sleep. Hitomi thought about also going to bed, but she was a little nervous about sleeping. It seemed as if every time she went to sleep she would have a startling vision that would make her jerk awake. Though the beds look comfortable that were shadowed with a waiting vision that snuck around in the blankets.
Turning away from the cat-girl just as Merle closed her eyes Hitomi turned to her knapsack and pulled out a small pouch of lulu berries. Though she had eaten two helpings of the meal earlier her unborn child was beginning to demand more again and so Hitomi had to comply. Hungrily the seeress began to chew on the delicious fruit as she leaned back against the cavern wall. Looking up she noticed the giant also had decided not to sleep yet and had begun to sharpen his ax head with a large dagger. Scraping noises filled the seeress's ears as she watched the man sweep his dagger again and again over the ax's blade. Zaado was intensely studying his work either not noticing Hitomi's gaze or not caring about it. Finally she had to ask, "Are you not tired, Zaado?"
The man glanced up from his weapons a moment before turning back to his prior focus. In a deep voice the fighter said, "No, I need little sleep to live off of and before I ran into you all I had just slept a few hours so I'm rather refreshed. I can go several days without sleep and won't need to sleep at least for another day or two."
Hitomi tossed in another blue berry into her mouth before asking curiously, "How did you find us out on the lake?"
"I sensed you there" he replied nonchalantly, "I need not recognize your presence so I went to investigate. When I saw your husband battling the monster I knew you were not of our group. No one goes near that forest."
"Why?" the angel woman asked as she turned to look at the flames of the fire dance.
"It is dangerous" he replied gruffly, "The beast you fought lives in the area just on the other side of the tree line. He never leaves the area unless he's on a hunt. He always takes all who wander on the border of his territory down, even when he is not hungry because he does not like intruders. The only ones who have ventured in his territory or in the forest that have lived only lived because the beast was too worried about the weather then going out to kill. The weather around here can be very fierce, even worse than today."
Hitomi wrapped her arms around herself as she was drawn into the fire's glow, "Are there more of those creatures in this area?"
Zaado shrugged without looking up, "No one really knows, but no one has every known of another beast like him and no one wants to find out. He is considered to be-- to have been-- the last of his kind. How he became the last is unknown and if he was the last is unknown, but people who live around in the ice lands have come to know him as Saber, the 'Snow Wolf.' Many fear him and do their best to avoid him. Even game around here has begun to become smart and leave the area he dwells-- dwelt. It is a very old legend, milady."
The seeress turned away from the fire to study her husband's rescuer carefully. Quietly the woman stared at him confused, "Zaado, there is something that confuses me… You doubt who I am and refuse to believe of am the queen in which you are to protect. I even go so far as to suspect that you assume that I am an enemy,… yet you are kind and respectful to me as though I am a dear friend… Why is that?"
The man's hand slowed and his work became dust when he looked up at the young woman sitting directly in front of him. His eyes became distant as he looked at nothing in particular. With his voice low and his eyes hazy Hitomi could tell he was thinking of old memories, "Since I was a child I was taught about honor and respect. My father, Joutei rests his soul, told me always to respect a woman. If the lady was an enemy than the respect is quickly blown out of the water. Milady, I do doubt who you are, but I do not think of you as enemy. Your heart is gentle and kind though some of your company is the opposite."
"Sian and Nembus are not that bad once you get to know them" Hitomi sighed lightly at the presumption.
Zaado just gave a haughty laugh as he returned to his work, "Perhaps you see them that way, Lady Hitomi, but to me I see them differently. I have known them even before you were born. One might say I prejudged the two from the first day I was introduced to them, but after so many years of being alongside them as a fellow bodyguard I believe my assumptions of them were true. They were rookies when we were guards of Queen Iris's family and now with our second chance at life they are still the rookies they were centuries ago."
"Perhaps you are wrong, Zaado…" Hitomi whispered wisely, "If you prejudge someone before you get to know them your mind will always see them that way, no matter what proof is laid before you to make you think otherwise. You see them as rookies only because you automatically assumed they were."
The man became silent as he gripped his weapon staring into his reflection. Zaado looked deep into his reflecting eyes thinking carefully about her words. The seeress rose slowly and quietly withdrew a thick quilt from the knapsack Van had worn. Tenderly the angel queen wrapped the blanket around her and replied, "Just think about it, Zaado. That's all I ask. If we are to survive through this new war against Dornkirk and his demons than we must become one group, not a divided team. They had a saying on my home world before it was destroyed 'United we stand, but divided we fall.' Perhaps you don't believe I am your queen, but tomorrow you will see the truth. Good night."
Ever so quietly Hitomi walked over to the slumbering form of her husband and sat down with her back against the wall. Gently she placed Van's head in her lap trying not to wake him. Closing her eyes, but not falling asleep Hitomi began to stroke Van's raven locks like you would a cat with only the crackling of the fire to disturb the giant.
* * * * *Hours Later* * * * *
The old fighter with his ax in two strong fists strode over to the cave entrance leaving behind three sleeping nobles to slumber by the small fire. Making his way as stealthy as a lion Zaado walked up behind the armored soldier presently standing in the cave entrance on guard duty. Sian laid on the cave's floor deep in sleep, but even in her deepest slumber she would have still been fully aware of the approaching man. Skills such as that she had been taught at an early age making such a habit hard to give up. Briefly opening her silver eyes Sian glanced at the old warrior before finding no danger at the intruder of her sleep and closed them again to return to her dreams. Nembus's form grew stiff as he realized who was approaching him. His senses told him whom it was and he did not need to turn around to know. Zaado noticed the change in the armored one's disposition, but pretended not to notice as he halted next to the warrior. The raven headed man glanced at the older fighter through the corner of his eye with his arms crossed, but gave no further acknowledgement to the man. Zaado also glanced at Nembus through the corner of his eye, but remained just as still and silent. Both guardians looked straight ahead at the horizon watching the purple hue of the morning beginning to swim over the sky.
The older of the two frowned slightly before gruffly speaking still looking straight ahead, "Turn in. I'll take the rest of the morn."
Nembus smirked at the offer and snorted, "Believe I can't handle it, old man?"
Zaado grinded his teeth together at the mention of the old nickname that had been given to him centuries ago. The older guardian began to wonder if he should just turn around and go back to sharpening his weapon. Why had he come to these children anyway? Growling slightly from trying to suppress his anger the man said, "Believe what you want to believe, kid, but if I were you I would go rest."
The younger soldier was completely unaware of the man's kind gesture and thought it was more of an insult than a gift. Scowling Nembus hissed, "Well I'm glad I'm not you because I'm not moving. I can handle this job just as well as you can, old man, if not better."
By now Zaado's patience had worn thin. He rarely went out of his way for the two younger guardians and doing what he was doing was going against his pride making the situation all the more hard to complete. Controlling his temper with great effort Zaado gruffly replied, "I'm not here to pick a fight with you, Nembus. I'm offering you some time to sleep."
Automatically Nembus relaxed as he heard the giant mention his name. Zaado rarely spoke his name and when he did it was when he was being completely serious. After a moment the warrior realized what the fellow guardian was giving him. He was trying to be kind for once and give him a break. Never before had the snow dweller ever go out of his way for him or Sian. Nembus was a little shocked I have to say. For a moment Nembus considered to decline the offer, but something suddenly drew him to his bed laying a few feet away. There is a good chance that his lack of sleep had caught up with him finally. Quietly the soldier turned away from his elder and began to go make his way to his pile of blankets, but was stopped by a gloved hand. Looking over his shoulder Nembus's bottomless eyes met bluish-gray ones.
Still a little angry from the younger one's prior rudeness the man stated roughly, "Listen, kid, I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for your mistress, Lady Hitomi. She asked me to get along with you and I will, but I will not bend over backwards to please you and your blasted companion, Sian. I'm not offering friendship; I'm offering cooperation. Understand?"
Nembus's eyes narrowed as he glared back at the fellow fighter. Just when he thought he had believed the old man had changed he did this. In a low, rough voice Nembus growled, "I understand you completely."
Then the armored guardian shook off the older man's hand and strode over to his bed sharply. Before one knew it Nembus was nestled comfortably in his bed and fast asleep with Zaado standing at attention in the entrance of the cavern watching the dawn.
~~~Vision~~~
A pool of scarlet licked Hitomi's ankles. The liquid felt cold as it began to creep up the maiden's pale legs. Hitomi's emerald eyes widen as the pool began to envelope her body, just like it had done a while back in prior visions. The liquid crawled up her thighs and soon her lower body was lost in the ripples of crimson. The seeress felt as if her soul was being attacked. Pain engulfed her chest burning like hot metal. She felt as if her heart was an inferno bulging within her nerves. Explosions of pain went off in every pore of her body sending new waves of anguish through her frail form. The deep red liquid swirled over her chest and slowly inched its way up the seeress's slim neck while it flowed over her arms. Hitomi went to scream, but the pain caught in her throat locking down her calls. Her silky hair grew sticky with the red substance as it ran over the back of her head leaving only her face visible. The queen's eyes were sparkling with fear as the liquid finally enveloped the last of her leaving only pain and anguish in its wake…
~~~End of Vision~~~
Hitomi awoke with a start, but force herself not to cry out. Glancing around with her heart pounding she reestablished where she was. Van's head still laid in her lap where she put it while Merle was asleep on the other side of the fire. The giant was no longer at his place against the wall, but had chose to go to the cave entrance where the other guardians were. Staring down the long tunnel of the cave Hitomi saw that Sian laid asleep with Nembus a few feet away also dozing. Zaado stood at the entrance with his special ax in both hands. Even though it was extremely cold and the man no longer had his cloak he stood at the entrance guarding as if it were a spring day.
The seeress stared at the man's back for a while lost in her thoughts. Zaado was strange to her. Both Nembus and Sian she had been able to relate to. They both were very loyal to their stations and comrades with hearts of warriors. Hitomi had easily read them out, but when it came to Zaado it was different. He acted like a general with his advancement as a fighter. Honor seemed more important to him then his duty or was it the opposite? He was a puzzle just like Sian and Nembus had been… and still a little were.
Though Hitomi had gotten to know the two first fighters she felt there was something laying in the shadows not mention by the two. It didn't deal with the present or the future, no, the seeress felt it lied somewhere back in the past. There was something laid hidden in their history far back… How far though?… Was it part of their childhood?… Or just before they had become bodyguards, like during the persecution?… Perhaps it even was in the time during their life as bodyguards… Whatever it was Hitomi could tell there was something being untold to her, but why wouldn't they tell her?… She could understand Zaado and possibly Nembus not telling her, but Hitomi couldn't understand why Sian wasn't speaking up. The green warrior and the seeress had created a bond the day they had first met and since then the bond had never broken. Hitomi knew she would rely on Sian the most amongst the 'Ring of Guardians' because she had been the first one she had met and grown close to. Now, however, Hitomi wondered if the bond was only imagination playing in her mind… Why hadn't Sian come forward?…
Shaking her head Hitomi closed her eyes in thought. It had only been half a week since the incident at the glass house and yet so much had happened. Visions had flooded her mind again and new Draconians were being introduced into Fanelia. Two new guardians had been discovered and Dornkirk had returned with powerful foes. How was she to finish this war this time?… Would she be standing in the end as victory or be lying on the ground dead as Gaea's savior?… Or would she even win this new battle?… Hitomi had thought of nothing else as the days had gone by and with each day more questions and doubts were pounding at her head. Sighing heavily the seeress felt the weakness in her body and the craving of sleep. Her body never felt so sluggish before. Even days before the journey had begun she had rarely required sleep even with her pregnancy, but right now her body was screaming for it. Sadly though, the visions kept Hitomi from falling asleep. She was so fearful of reliving a prior vision, especially the one she had witness moments ago. That image in particular seemed more effective than the other ones. It felt more… real…
Hitomi felt something stir in her lap causing her to glance down at her husband. With a soft moan Van woke and looked up at his dear beloved's face. The moment his eyes focused on the beautiful figure looking over him the king was up in sitting position hugging her fiercely. Hitomi sighed happily as her arms wrapped around his tone bare upper body for the fur cloak had slipped off his shoulders and swirled around his waist. With his face buried in her hair Van's soft whispers were slightly muffled, "Hitomi… Are you alright?"
Hitomi rolled her eyes and laughed before pulling away to look at her husband, "I should be asking you that."
Van gave her confused look and suddenly remembered what had happened. Before he could ask what had occurred after he had fallen into the river Hitomi began the long tale that he wanted to hear. After a good half hour of explaining Van's eyes traveled to the form standing in the entryway of the tunnel. Quietly Hitomi looked down at her hands lost in her own thoughts. She was so afraid of what was going to happen. She wasn't afraid of her own life. No, she had overcome that. It was the fear of her unborn child that kept the terror lodged in her heart. Silently her pale hands gripped her clothes tightly as they shook. She vowed to protect her child and she would not break it, but she felt as if she were endangering her only child even now. She was an expecting mother on a difficult journey. What if she miscarried?… She didn't think she could live with that…
"Hitomi…"
The young queen looked up into eyes of burning rubies and lost herself in them. For now her thoughts were eased as Van once again wrapped her in a protective embrace. Closing her eyes and breathing in deep his scent Hitomi felt herself relax. Whenever she was in his arms she felt completely safe… and knew that she was…
~~~Cavern's Depths~~~
Hitomi pulled her blue cloak tighter around her as she longed for the warmth of a flame. Van wrapped his arm a little tighter around his angel's shoulders to offer his own body warmth to her. Two hours ago the group had finally decided to leave the area where they had been camped in the cave to begin their journey to the mysterious room mentioned by Zaado. After eating breakfast, packing their things, and dowsing their campfire the group had set off. Also immediately after they had began their walk down through the cave's tunnel the passageway had begun to grow smaller. Slowly at first, but soon it became so small that it allowed only two people to pass through at once. Automatically Zaado had taken the lead seeing that he was the only one who knew where the room, even though their seemed little to divert them off the wrong path -- because there was only one path. Merle had been next in line keeping her dear friends separated from the giant. One could only wonder if the cat-girl had suspicions of the man still, but none could really tell seeing Merle acted as if nothing was wrong. Van and Hitomi had been next with Sian and Nembus taking the rear. The seeress had quickly noticed the three guardians efforts to stay apart.
Glancing over her shoulder for a moment Hitomi eyed the two younger fighters that walked behind her. Both met her gaze for a moment before turning their attention back to the walk. With a mute sigh Hitomi turned back around and continued the trek without a single word, though her mind was whirling at full-speed. Those two were still a mystery to Hitomi. For some odd reason the angel queen suspected there was something going on about those two. Little had been said about the way they were acquainted except for the fact that they had been promoted to bodyguards for the royal family at the same time and had started a close friendship after being socially cased out from the other guardians. Thinking while still watching the tunnel ahead Hitomi began to wonder, 'Is there something going on they aren't telling me?'
It was a very possible assumption seeing that neither had really discussed in 'detail' about their personal histories. With her brow furrowing slightly Hitomi decided then and there that she would have to have a talk sooner or later with Sian… a one on one personal talk…
For about a half hour the group continued their journey in silence before a voice broke the silence. At the sound of the person's words the group halted and turned towards Hitomi, however the seeress was motionless as she too listened to the voice…
"I don't know…
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me"
With eyes wide Hitomi recognized the voice as her own and the song as the one sung to her by Van himself on the night he had proposed. Though the voice was her own the seeress had never spoken a word in the last moment and as everyone else could see she was not doing it even now…
"Flowers sleep
A silent Lullaby
I wait for reply
I'm ready…"
Eerily the song bounced along the walls sending chills down the groups spines as they heard the echoes.
"Quiet day
Calms me
Oh, Serenity
Someone please
Tell me
Oh, what is it they say
Maybe I will know someday…"
Without thinking the 'Angel' pulled away from her husband and rushed pass Merle and Zaado towards the sound of the voice. Before one could stop her Hitomi had already disappeared around the curve ahead. Springing into action Van raced after his wife with the rest trailing him as the king called out the woman's name.
"I don't know…
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me"
As Hitomi raced down the halls sloppily because of her pregnancy she could hear the singer's voice grow louder and the melody became stronger. In the faint background she could hear her husband's cries, but something inside her was screaming at her far louder than his voice could ever carry. Something in her told her it was imperative that she'd go to the source of the voice. There was something there… something there calling her…
"Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby
I pray for reply
I'm ready…"
Hitomi rounded a curve and suddenly the narrow hall of stone became a large spherical room of ice. Halting at the entrance of the room the seeress's emeralds swept over the cold walls in wonder. The room was like a world of mirrors that hung in the air. The room was perfect. The floor was incredible smooth and was a single mirror floor. The walls, however, were a mixture of different sized and shaped ice mirrors creating a half-sphere room. The only exit was the one doorway Hitomi had just pass through making the ice room a dead end. Looking around the seeress could see her reflection playing over several nearby mirrors, but in all the ice mirrors were angled in such a way that the only way she could possibly see herself in all of the slabs of ice was to be directly in the center of the room.
Slowly the song began to start up again as the verses were sung. The words and melody chimed throughout the room in a beautiful sound that made the room seem all the more wondrous. Without the conscious of her mind directing her Hitomi stepped towards the center. Only the sound of her footsteps clicking against the cold floor conflicted with the singer's voice. The seeress was then realizing that her voice was coming from inside the room as if someone was playing a recording in that very area. Making her way to the center Hitomi could feel something calling her. With each step the tug on her soul became stronger pulling her a little quicker to the center. As she walked the seeress watched her reflections emerge in other ice mirrors enjoying the splendor. It was the moment that Hitomi's right foot stepped into the very center that the rest of her companions burst into the room. Automatically catching sight of his beloved Van called out, "Hitomi!"
A second after her name had carried through the air to her ear Hitomi's left foot stepped into the center of the room coming to rest along side her right foot. In that moment the emblem of the Draconians glowed beneath her feet and across her brow in a fine white light. The two identical crests glowed for only a second before a white shaft of light shot down around Hitomi. Startled the seeress could do nothing, but gasp with the rest of the group. Soon small golden stars began to fly around the room like comets in space dazzling the area with their glory. Panicking Van raced to his wife calling out her name, "Hitomi!"
Hitomi could hear her name being called out, but she was frozen where she stood with her eyes fixed on the mirrors in the low area of the ceiling and her back turned to her dear angel king. Van lunged for his true love with an outstretched hand, but the moment he made contact with the pillar of whiteness an unseen power took hold of him and tossed him back. With a groan the young king collided into Zaado and Nembus causing all three of them to fall to the ground in a heap. Sian and Merle turned back to their queen in dread wondering what would happen. Quickly the three men rose to their feet with Van struggling to go to his wife.
Angrily the young raven king fought against the hold Nembus and Zaado had on his arms crying, "No let me go! Hitomi needs me!"
Neither of the guardians listened to his demands though as they tighten their grips on him. Van continued his vain struggles until Zaado's voice made him freeze, "Lord Van, you can do nothing to help her. The room will hold her like that until it has shown all that is need to be seen. Once it is done she will be released and unharmed. You can do nothing with the powers of the room protecting her."
Reluctantly the young noble quite his violent attempts to escape his guards and stared at his dear spouse in concern along with the rest of his companions. With longing and worry clinging to his voice Van whispered, "Hitomi…"
Hitomi felt her heart quicken its pace at it thumped in her chest. The golden stars brushed up against her body sending tingling sensations wherever they touched, and Hitomi was powerless to look or brush them away. Her eyes were frozen on the overhead ice slabs watching her reflection in awe. Hitomi's eyes of emeralds came to focus on a single reflection, yet all her reflections did the same like perfect identical images. Suddenly the reflection of the seeress became a blur as another image appear. The image was of a man that had several years under his belt with his slightly grayish-auburn hair and short beard. Before Hitomi could really get a look at the person though another person took the place of the prior man. This figure was instead a young woman in her early prime with long red hair with beautiful curls. Just as quickly as before though the lady's reflection became hazy and formed yet another person… and then another… and then another…
Time and time again unknown faces emerge on the ice mirrors as the group and the seeress watched in confusion. None could understand what it meant, but knew there was some importance hidden in these images. Soon more than a hundred faces had passed over the surface of the mirrors. Sian furrowed her brow as she saw an image of a man appear suddenly. The figure had a bushy mustache with short-cropped sandy hair that was nearly a light chestnut. The other two fighters also frowned at the image in confusion. Though Sian spoke very low in a whisper her voice echoed throughout the room like crystal bells loud and strong allowing everyone to hear, "I know I've seen that man somewhere,… but I can't remember…"
The two male guardians nodded at the remark, but did not let their eyes stray from the mirrors for fear of missing something important. Suddenly the familiar reflection vanished and reappeared into a woman that made all three guardians gasp. If Hitomi hadn't been frozen where she was she would have also gasped with them at the sight of the woman. The new reflection was of a woman with long brunette hair and beautiful green eyes. Quietly Sian cried out\, "That's Queen Iris!"
Van and Merle had never seen an image of the famous woman, but they knew very much about the former queen's legendary past. With shock the 'White Dragon' proclaimed, "That's Queen Iris?!"
None of the guardians glanced at the other two nobles, but Nembus did answer his king respectfully, "Yes, that is Queen Iris and I do believe the man that had appeared before her was her father."
Zaado and Sian nodded in agreement keeping their eyes focused on the mirrors along with the cat-girl and young king. The giant frowned lightly as another image appeared this time of a woman a little younger than the prior adult before. This woman had shoulder length mud brown hair and eyes identical to the former queen. With surprise hinting in his voice the guardian of ice whispered, "And that's Princess… err… Queen Rachael,… but what does it mean?…"
The green maiden scowled as more faces came and went across the ice mirrors before asking bluntly, "Do you think it's showing the royal line of the Draconian's throne? Like it's showing the history of every heir that came into claim of the throne?"
Zaado frowned in thought before gruffly stating, "That a very good guess, but I don't see much purpose in showing us all this."
"Agreed" growled Nembus annoyed by having their precious time wasted over a history lesson.
The room again became silent as more unknown faces flashed in the mirrors. As time progressed the images began to quicken and went at such a pace that one barely got a glimpse at the unknown figures' faces. Just as suddenly as the speed of the images had quicken they began to slow as the reflections came to a near halt on a woman who, by way of the image, seemed to be very old. This woman's gray hair was in a bun and showed several dark strains that appeared to be a deep brown in coloration. Eyes of emeralds stared down at the group as a wrinkled face smiled solemnly. None knew the woman except the seeress herself and she was frozen in place so she could not even speak out the lady's name, so Hitomi resorted to saying the woman's name in her mind, 'Grandmother…'
The image shifted and soon was replaced with a woman who had long brunette hair and identical emerald eyes. Though neither of the two male guardians knew the woman now shown in the ice Van, Hitomi, Sian, and Merle all knew her well. It was the green maiden to be the first to proclaim, "That's Lady Sukai, Hitomi's mother!"
With a crackle of power the image changed yet again to form what all had suspected to be the gentle face of Hitomi. Though it appeared to be the same reflection you would see in any mirror of the young seeress there was something distinguishably odd about her reflection. Around the seeress's body was a white and gold aura surrounding her. It glowed so bright that it almost made the image to be unable to look upon. Van was even forced to place his hand over his fire eyes to see properly. Straining to see the group watched as more figures appeared around and behind the reflection of the 'Angel,' but for some reason the other beings were shadowed in gray making Hitomi stand out among them. Van took a step forward totally lost by the images. What did it all mean? What was this 'room' trying to tell them?…
Before he or anyone else could say something the mirror's imagery changed to a beautiful meadow where Hitomi stood in the very center. The golden glow around Hitomi's reflection didn't fade away and the identical girl in the ice looked at the seeress deep into her eyes. At that moment Hitomi's mind lifted from her body and she became the girl in the reflection… looking through her eyes…
~Vision~
Hitomi stood in an endless field that stretched so far she could not see the end. Trees and mountains dotted the area in the far distance, but other than that there was little to obscure her view. The only thing that destroyed the field was the valley that dipped through the field about several hundred yards away from the seeress. Hitomi knew as she glanced up at the single mooned sky that she stood in the Mystic Valley. The gentle breeze carried the scent of spring grass making Hitomi think of Van. Closing her eyes she breathed deep taking in the wondrous scent as the wind combed her hair.
Suddenly the air grew thick with smoke causing Hitomi to cough several times. Opening her emeralds the seeress could barely hold back her gasp in shock. Looking over the same field and valley Hitomi felt her heart would shatter. The ground was now pitch black with burnt vegetation and stone as the ground stained by fire. Storm clouds thundered in the red sky angrily. Several bodies covered in blood covered the area making the seeress want to cry.
Trembling with fear and shock Hitomi walked over to the nearest form. The person was turned onto their side with their back to her so the angel woman knelt down and pulled the figure backwards. Sian's lifeless face looked up at the 'Angel' with dead cloudy eyes. Tears slipped from her emeralds eyes as Hitomi's hands flew over her mouth.
~Ice Room~
Sian gasped at the sight of her bloody body shown in the ice mirrors. Everyone's eyes grew wide in astonishment to see the green maiden dead in the ice walls. Red liquid dripped from the guardian's mouth in the reflection and Hitomi could barely hold down her churning stomach at the sight. In the mirror the young seeress passed her slim hand still surrounded in the golden glow over the dead warrior's eyes to close Sian's eyelids respectfully.
~Vision~
Hitomi could feel the wave of tears falling now though she tried to remind herself it was a vision and not reality. Stiffly the angel woman rose to her feet still staring at the dead guardian in remorse. It was at this moment Hitomi realized the song that had been chiming throughout the room had stopped and had been replaced with a dark, yet familiar, voice that hissed through the air, "You failed them, seeress…"
Hitomi's eyes grew wide and swirled around to meet the speaker that stood behind her. The figure was no more than a shadow of black smoke curling in mid air and stared back at her with invisible eyes. The seeress's emeralds grew wider as she whispered, "Dornkirk…"
The dark presence ignored her reply and growled victoriously, "You have failed again to save the ones you hold closest to your heart, dear 'Seeress of the Mystic Moon'…"
For some reason Hitomi felt drawn to something behind her as if the being of smoke was directing her there. Ever so slowly the seeress turned around and the moment her gaze fell on what laid there she wished she had never looked…
~Ice Room~
Van's mouth hung open in shock as a stared at the reflection above. In a low whisper that bounced from wall to wall the young king said, "No…"
Shown in the mirrors of slick ice was the dead form of his foster-sister, Merle. The young cat-girl looked completely mauled with so much blood on her one wondered how a single being could have so much blood in them. Clutched protectively in Merle's dead arms was a small white bundle covered in her blood. Merle clutched her brother's arm as she looked up at the image and whimpered. It was such a horrible sight to see yourself dead like that.
In the reflection Hitomi raced over to her dead advisor crying endless tears as she cried, "No, Merle!"
As she came to the feline's side the seeress noticed two other forms lying not far away from the cat and female guardian. Though their bodies were torn apart and covered in thick crimson Hitomi knew automatically who it was, especially when she spotted the two figures' weapons. More tears spilled as the royal whispered, "No… Nembus… Zaado…"
"You failed them…"
Hitomi turned around angrily and yelled at the cloud of blackness, "Who did this?!"
Dornkirk laughed heartily before growling venomously, "You did…"
The seeress narrowed her eyes and growled back, "You lie!"
The black smoke shook a moment as if it were shaking his head in reply. Dornkirk snarled at the woman with all the darkness that could be accumulated, "No… Perhaps you did not directly cause their deaths,… but their deaths were a result of your actions…"
Hitomi took a step back not wanting to hear what he was saying to her. The world seemed to spin as the seeress brought a hand to her brow and whimpered, "No…"
"Yes" the emperor of Zaibach hissed, "Even your husband could not escape death because of you…"
Hitomi felt her heart shatter and she fell to her knees letting them strike so hard against the ground that they gushed with blood. Holding her pale hands over her ears the seeress squeezed her eyes shut and yelled, "NO!"
Suddenly the world became dark and the angel woman was left to nothing. The blood that dripped from the cuts on her knees created a pool around her slowly. Opening her emeralds again Hitomi saw the pool become larger and larger before it completely surrounded her. In a matter of seconds the liquid began to creep up her body just like in her visions. The liquid crawled up her thighs and soon her lower body was lost in the ripples of crimson. The seeress felt as if her soul was being attacked. Pain engulfed her chest burning like hot metal. She felt as if her heart was an inferno bulging within her nerves. Explosions of pain went off in every pore of her body sending new waves of anguish through her frail form. The deep red liquid swirled over her chest and slowly inched its way up the seeress's slim neck while it flowed over her arms. Hitomi went to scream, but the pain caught in her throat locking down her calls. Her silky hair grew sticky with the red substance as it ran over the back of her head leaving only her face visible. The queen's eyes were sparkling with fear as the liquid finally enveloped the last of her leaving only pain and anguish in its wake. Then the world went black…
~End of Vision~
~Ice Room~
The three guardians gasped at the sight of the blood enveloping their queen. Van and Merle gaped in astonishment barely able to stand the sight of it all. Suddenly the mirrors of slick transparency became black with only the white pillar and golden stars as illumination for them. It was then that Hitomi heard the voice again pounding in her mind.
"You might not have failed yet, seeress,…" the voice hissed joyfully, "but the time grows near… and your friends will suffer with you!"
That's when Hitomi felt that power flow through her. She felt her mind snap like it had done so many times before. No longer frozen in the shaft of light the seeress hunched over with eyes closed and clenched fists. Gritting her teeth together the burning power flew through her veins at a remarkable rate. Hitomi's brunette hair began to lift in a mysterious wind flapping wildly around her face. It was at this moment the group looked at Hitomi. With a growl from the maiden of royal blood two wings shot out from her back in a beautiful flutter of feathers.
Sian stared at her mistress wings in new dread as she noticed the color of the precious items. No longer were her queen's feathers pure white, but now a very soft gray almost unnoticeable to the guardian. If it hadn't been for the fact that the seeress was standing in a pillar of white light with her wings against the shaft the guardian would never have noticed the difference in color. The green maiden's eyes of silver stared at her mistress in fear, as she muttered, "No than that means--"
She never got a chance to say for it was then Hitomi reared back with the white emblem of the angel race shining brightly on her brow as she yelled, "NO!"
The young queen's body became enveloped in an aura of gold, red, and white colors swirling together. Small beams of identical colors from the sphere shot from Hitomi's body in all directions as her cry echoed everywhere. The room began to shake as the ice began to shatter. Soon the ceiling began to crumble and fall down upon them and none could do anything about it…
~Whoa, another long chapter. Did you like it? Please review. I only got one review for my last chapter! (Thanks a lot Liz)~
~What's going to happen to our heroes? What was Sian thinking when she saw Hitomi's wings? Will Zaado be loyal to Hitomi now? And what do those darn images and visions mean?! Read and find out in our next chapter when one of demons face off with the group in 'Chapter 13: Merge'!~
~Okay, don't kill me when you read this, but this can't be helped. The next chapter will be unable to be posted until sometime in late Feb. *hides behind a desk* Sorry, but I must work on a project for a major scholarship plus I just got a job yesterday and will be working soon. The deadline for the scholarship is the 25th so some time after that I should post the next chapter. I'm really sorry for the delay and hope you will forgive me. Sorry~