Note: Sorry for the long wait, but I've been busy with stuff like getting ready for my very final exam before I move out of high school! Yes!!!!!!!!! Anyway, who is Calik? Well, you can probably guess who it is cause its SOOO obvious! ENJOY!
Chapter 11 - Words can be lies
The morning sun beamed over the horizon and her eyes opened once the rays hit her face. Her heart skipped with every thought and her lips trembled with fear and content. She could not move, nor could she feel her own breathing against her skin. The day had finally begun and all she could do was watch him die. She was there now, while other spectators watched in amusement of the man who would soon die in the hands of their comrades. One woman glanced to what appears to be her husband and frowned.
"He seems awfully young to die," she spoke in a soft tone. The man looked at her and shook his head, replying with a simple grunt, before turning his attention back to the scene unfolding before them.
Selphie took a deep breath as Zell stepped unto the podium with beads of sweat falling gradually upon his brow. She could only stare and stand there as if frozen in darkness. Her hands and lips trembled in fright, her mind seeing his body hanging and his face blue with death. She had not slept, nor taken a rest on her bed, for she was weary for the day that her loved one would die.
The Queen stood by her, wishing in her every heart that she could do something to calm her friend. She glanced at her and frowned, wrapping her arms around Selphie. "My dear heart I cannot bear to see you in pain. I must insist that you rest in your quarters and-"
"No," Selphie spoke, interrupting the Queen. "I would rather see Zell for the last time, than not see him at all. I want to be here for him when he goes to Heaven."
The blond soldier looked around, hoping to find Selphie standing there, yet his eyes were too clouded with tears of sadness. His tears did not seem detected by the people around him, for they could only see his face straight and relaxed. He knew he could escape; yet he could not for he was not a coward. He lifted his head up tiredly and looked around the crowd for Selphie and when he finally spotted her standing there, he smiled and sighed a breath of relief.
The King stepped up to the podium, followed by the clergyman holding the holy bible and the executioner holding a rope; both draped in black, the sign of death. Irvine stepped in front of the bonded man, while the clergyman stepped in beside him and the executioner on the other. The brown haired King stared at him, then turned to face the crowd.
"People of Balbadia, I have here, the soldier of Estharian who was sent to spy on our beloved Kingdom!" The crowd roared in excitement as Irvine paused, then he continued again once the crowd silenced. "Instead of becoming one of us, he has chosen to die and not serve a King like me, for we know that he will always be our enemy." The King turned to face Zell. "Any last words, young one?"
Zell took a deep breath.
Quistis watched in concern. Death made her ache and sometimes made her wonder why it is so. Why do people have to die? She could not find an answer to that question for every waking moment; she would find more questions that she could not respond to. She heard Selphie gasped. Quistis looked up from her reverie and glanced at Zell, whose eyes were staring straight into Selphie.
"I only wish to say one thing. Selphie..." He kept staring at her. All eyes on the crowd turned their heads towards the Handmaiden. "You must know that I do not love the Duke more than you. My love for him is only of loyalty and nothing more, but my love for you comes from my very soul and being. I see your face everyday and every night when I go to bed. I want to say I love you, Selphie. I will always cherish you in my heart forever." He smiled the last time and hung his head down, his face covered by the hair that fell over his frame.
Floods of tears fell from her eyes. She clutched at her chest and she could feel her heart beating rapidly. She could only watch wide-eyed, shocked beyond disbelief that Zell had declared his undying love for her right at that moment, right before he would die.
Tears fell from Quistis' face as well. The words that came from Zell's mouth were like Seifer's own lips saying those words to her. She felt remorse for the two. Just like her and Seifer, Zell and Selphie's affair could last for only a while, but their love will always last forever, no matter what the consequences.
"Zell Dincht," the King spoke, after a moment of silence. He took a deep breath, glancing once at his wife's flustered handmaiden. It seems she was trying her best to look calm and collected, yet deep down inside, he knew she was heart broken. He turned towards the executioner, and then at the priest, nodding at the middle aged man to proceed with the prayer.
"May God have mercy on your soul," the priest spoke, with a rich and deep tone. He placed a hand on Zell's forehead and spoke a few words of comfort, before stepping back to allow the executioner to the lever. The lever was the turning point of Zell's life, the lever that took between life and death and Zell could only choose one. He gripped his large hands around the lever when he was near it and was about to pull it for the final execution, when a familiar voice screeched into the thin, September air that blasted full amongst the crowd. The crowd murmured to each other, turning their heads to figure out who had screamed incredibly that led to their attention. The executioner, startled by the noise that took place, let go of the lever and looked around, while Irvine glanced at his wife with a question. The priest, however, only stood emotionless, as if he knew who had just spoken.
Finally, when it seemed like forever of waiting, thousands of heads turned to the source of the voice. A woman clothed in a yellow dress pushed her way through the crowd and ran to the podium where the blond soldier was bonded both his hands with thick rope and another rope that went around his neck. Waves of murmurs came flooding as the young woman approached the podium with sheer panic. Tears could be seen from around, the drops of sadness shining underneath the sunlight. She dropped on her knees, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his stomach as she wept. Soldiers attempted to take her away, but the King dismissed them and told them to let her do what she wished to do. The soldiers were quite confused, but followed his orders anyway and stepped back down from the podium.
The Queen said nothing as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. It was like a play, a tragic love that could not be, which ended in a way that the audience had to guess and contemplate on what would happen next.
"No! Please! Please reconsider, my love! You have so many things still ahead of you and you can't just throw them all away!" Selphie wiped the tears from her eyes and looked into the shameful features of Zell. She placed a hand underneath his chin, lifting his head up so she could see better and frowned. She leaned forward, having to tip toe to speak into his ear and whispered, "I love you too."
Zell looked up suddenly, his eyes searching hers. There was so much pain and turmoil that he could not quite express through words, but through his eyes-only. For once in their whole life being together, they declared their love each other, though the timing was somewhat tragic.
Selphie leaned closer and kissed him on the mouth, with so much love and compassion and so much pain and sorrow, mixed together in a bowl of confusion. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his, then lifted her head up to kiss him on the forehead. "I love you, Zell," she repeated.
The blond man shook his head, but Selphie stopped him and whispered the same words over and over again. "I love you, Zell. I love you so."
Zell was confused. Despite the temptation to go on with death, he could not fight any longer the love they have for each other. The feeling was too great, that he could no longer hold on to Death's hand. The feeling was too great, that his heart could not be taken away by Death himself.
Unable to control the emotions any longer, Quistis approached her husband slowly and placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. "Husband, though he is our enemy and was most willing to serve only his Duke, I believe it is wise to let him go on his own way. The love shared among them cannot be broken by Death, or loyalty. I believe I shall let go of Selphie."
Irvine leaned back to speak back to her. "Then you shall lose your Handmaiden," he whispered, glancing at her.
Quistis nodded. "I am willing to sacrifice anything for her happiness." She wondered sometimes if Selphie would have spoken the same thing about her, but the Queen said nothing of the matter after, staring at Irvine to await his answer.
Finally, after a few more suggestions on his punishment, Irvine decided on his freedom. "But only if you stay in the city and not the Kingdom, not anywhere else," he added, after a few speculations. "I may grant you citizenship here and for thirty days, you may not leave the castle or the city other than important purposes. You may go."
Zell stared at the tall King in puzzlement. There were times that he wished all was perfect, but there was no perfect world and when he lost all hope of the matter, his heart became alive again, realizing he was to live. He felt Selphie kiss his lips immediately and for one swift movement, he wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss.
*****************
The night was quiet once again. The fireflies danced like stars in the dark skies and the only noise that made in the delightful aura of the jungle scenery was the cool, clear water. She stared into the night sky, resting her head on her arms and relaxing her whole body on the cool, green grass. Her eyes managed to close, when she felt someone coming towards her and then sitting down beside her. She opened her eyes, her emerald pupils searching through the dark and finding her vision towards a very familiar figure staring back at her.
"Is this where you find peace?" he asked, his voice, deep and sultry. He ran a hand through his golden locks, taking a deep breath during the process and lifted his head up into the night sky.
She nodded her head in answer, sitting up from the comfort of her position and stared at him. "Your name is Calik, is that correct?" she asked softly, unwilling to disturb the peace swimming in the waters.
He nodded. "Yes, I am he. I only know of you as Weyon's sister, but I do not know what I shall call you." He shifted his weight from one leg to the other and glanced at her, the golden tresses that blew pass her, mesmerizing him. There was something about the woman that made him feel attraction, something he has seen and felt before.
"I am Terris," she replied, smiling. She turned her head back towards the waters and wrapped her arms around her legs.
He stared at her. The way she looked reminded him of someone else, yet he could not quite put it. He could see a woman, dressed in a beautiful dress, with a golden crown upon her head. The only beautiful feature about her was her wonderful smile like the sun that would melt all the dark clouds away. He was ready to speak again, when Terris spoke once more.
"You do not remember how I came to find you in the woods?"
Calik shook his head. "I wish I knew, yet my mind is full of vague memories which I cannot sweep away. Maybe if I keep walking deeper into my mind, I will find it."
"I can help you," Terris said. She turned head body around to face him.
The blond stared at her. Before he could question, Terris had already placed both her hands on her temple and closing her eyes in concentration. He was quite surprised at her action, yet he did not protest. He did not make any attempts to move or feel uncomfortable for her hands became a comfort and safety of his mind. For what seemed like forever, he saw everything. He saw a beautiful woman, but only for a short period of time, then she disappeared again.
Light surrounded the two.
Unable to bear it any longer, he removed his head from Terris and backed away, gasping for breath. The power was immense and his mind was a swirl of emotions when he saw the woman that flashed in his visions. He did not know what to make of it, but he wished so much to know why it was so. Who was this woman?
Standing up, Calik cleared his throat and looked down on the woman. "I apologize for that, but it will be dark soon and I think it would be best to take a rest now. Good night." Without a second thought, he bowed his head and walked away. For some strange reason, he needed to bow his head at the presence of a lady and when he turned a corner, he heard a scream from behind him. He turned around quickly, his eyes widening when he noticed a large marine-like monster, with large tentacles expanding for at least fifty meters. He was in more realization that Terris was at its grip and she was losing air. Calik attempted to run to her, but the monster had spotted him, sweeping one of its tentacles under the floor to trip him. He tripped and fell on his rear; however, he quickly lifted himself up, glancing once at Terris, her face turning blue. The monster gripped its tentacles tightly around her, making her face more purple than blue now.
"Terris!" He heard a shout from beside him. Calik turned to find her older brother running towards the monster. He sliced his sword through the tentacle that held his sister in the air; however, it did not make that much damage. More people, men and women, appeared, running pass the shocked stranger, their swords brandished high above their heads and making a few slices through all the tentacles present on land. In the many attempts, none could penetrate the monster's dangerous assault. Calik watched on, without any indication that he stood, doing nothing at all to help the people. He stared at Terris' face, still pressured with purple from the gripping green hands. One woman, wearing almost nothing (maybe so she could move quick), sliced through the base of the body, hoping to trip it, but it was to no avail. Another tentacle charged towards her and she flew into the air, landing roughly on the grassy ground. Her sword slipped from her hands, landing close to Calik. He looked down at the shiny weapon, bending down slowly to pick it up. With his large hand, he gripped the handle and stared at it, his face furrowing in memory. Something in his mind quickly relinquished of his memories and before he knew it, his feet began to move towards the monster. He gripped his other hand around the handle of the sword and lifted it high above his head, his heart beating a thousand drums.
The warriors watched as Calik ran with unimaginable speed towards the monster. He swung his sword from left to right and vice-versa and with incredible stamina and speed, he sliced through all of its tentacles, removing them one by one. He quickly moved away from the attempts the monster was making and rushed forward towards the monster's mouth. It did not have time to move as the sword gored through it, starting from its tongue and to the top of his eyes, killing him instantly. The monster screamed in response to the enormous pain and it fell backwards into the water dead. Calik watched as it sunk deeper into the water, gasping for breath. With so much energy consumed from his fight, he was forced to close his eyes and when nothing else mattered, he collapsed on the ground.
****************
The night seemed darker these days every time she looked up at the stars. Selphie was no longer there to comfort her dying heart. It was two days now after her knight wrote to her, telling her that he was fine. Why has he not come back? She asked this same question every chance she had as she walked to her balcony to stare into the outside world. Each time her eyes scanned the area; it was nothing but green grass. She hoped to find him walking to the castle, injured but alive, however, as she kept on watch, there no sign of him, until that one night she began to lose hope did she finally see a figure walk in the darkness. The figure stumbled and fell and she was not certain whether it was him, neither was he friend or foe.
With her heart beating, she ran out of her quarters and into the night, making her way to the front gate. She glanced up at the very top of the wall, where the night watchman was supposed to be standing on guard, only to find him sleeping on the job. His head leaned back; his arm awkwardly slumped over the chair he sat on.
Slightly annoyed, the Queen lifted the front of her dress and ran up the stairs, putting a hand on the watchman's shoulder, and then shaking him as gently as she could.
"Rasu!" she called.
The man opened his eyes, lifting his head up from the sleeping position and looked around tiredly. "Wha-? What?" His eyes wandered off from left to right, then finally to the front, where his Queen stared at him.
"If you wish to be a night watchman, Rasu, I expect you to do your job right, without your eyes heavy with fatigue. Stand!" she commanded, rather sternly. "There is someone approaching the castle."
Rasu's eyes widened. He ran to the wall, lifting his glass spectacle into his eye and stared into the open field. Indeed, there was a figure staggering towards the castle. The young watchman glanced at the Queen and nodded. He walked to the left of the watchman post and looked down towards another man guarding the gate. "Kanen! There is someone approaching the castle!"
Kanen, a forty year old, brown haired man, opened his eyes. To Artur's relief the Queen did not make an attempt to see that Kanen had fallen asleep as well. "What is it?" he asked, groggily. "Friend or foe?"
Artur lifted his spectacles back in his eye. After another observation, his head popped once again at Kanen's view and nodded. "He is indeed a friend. He wears King Irvine's emblem marked across his chest. His armor is similar to that of a Balbadian."
Without another word from his young companion, Kanen placed his hands on the lever and drew the large gate. The Queen, unnoticed by the older man, ran outside, hoping it would be him, but as she approached him, she realized that the figure was younger than her Knight and was injured terribly. He stared at her, mumbling a few words, before falling forward. Quistis was able to catch him before he could reach the ground and, with the help of Rasu and Kanen, carried him back inside the castle. Once there, Rasu let go of the man, adding more weight and less hands to the young, but large man and closed the gate back. Irvine appeared a moment later, taking the Queen's spot, before she was no longer able to carry him and aided Kanen carry the wounded to a safer spot, which was near the water fountain. The Queen ripped a part of her skirt, deciding on helping the young man heal the wounds inflicted on his right hip and soaked the cloth from the water in the fountain. The King and Kanen settled the young man on the stone fountain, helping him to sit up and stared at him, while the Queen dabbed cold water on his wound.
"What news have you?" the King asked, removing himself from the young man, before standing up to look at him.
The young man said nothing for a few moments, until he opened his mouth to speak. "I bring news that Sir Seifer and I have escaped the ravenous Estharians. We managed to escape through the woods, but Sir Seifer and I were separated. I have lost him. I am sorry." He glanced at the Queen with a solemn expression.
Without regarding the look he gave the Queen, Irvine kneeled down in front of the young man and frowned. "Tell me your name."
He took a deep breath. "I am Sharn Kaiser, your highness," he replied. Sharn winced when the cloth made contact with his wound.
Quistis glanced at her husband. "My love, he needs medical attention. We must bring him to the healer quickly."
Irvine nodded. He sat back down beside Sharn, wrapping his arms around his waist and helped Kanen help the young man on his feet. They walked inside the castle, followed behind by Quistis and entered the healer's quarters, which was only a few doors from the Queen.
Quistis watched on as they carried the young man inside the room. She paused by the door, holding back tears that threatened to fall. 'No! I will not accept it! I will not! He is not lost. He has not gone to heaven. He promised to return to me!' Without a moment hesitation, the Queen turned around and fled towards the only destination she could think of.
Selphie, she thought.
The King walked out of the room a few seconds later, only to find the Queen absent. "Quistis?" he called.
GoodGurl: Finally finished that chapter! Sorry for the long wait! I've been soooooooooo busy with stuff! Well, want to know what happened to 'Calik' after that? You'll find out soon enough so stay tuned!
Chapter 11 - Words can be lies
The morning sun beamed over the horizon and her eyes opened once the rays hit her face. Her heart skipped with every thought and her lips trembled with fear and content. She could not move, nor could she feel her own breathing against her skin. The day had finally begun and all she could do was watch him die. She was there now, while other spectators watched in amusement of the man who would soon die in the hands of their comrades. One woman glanced to what appears to be her husband and frowned.
"He seems awfully young to die," she spoke in a soft tone. The man looked at her and shook his head, replying with a simple grunt, before turning his attention back to the scene unfolding before them.
Selphie took a deep breath as Zell stepped unto the podium with beads of sweat falling gradually upon his brow. She could only stare and stand there as if frozen in darkness. Her hands and lips trembled in fright, her mind seeing his body hanging and his face blue with death. She had not slept, nor taken a rest on her bed, for she was weary for the day that her loved one would die.
The Queen stood by her, wishing in her every heart that she could do something to calm her friend. She glanced at her and frowned, wrapping her arms around Selphie. "My dear heart I cannot bear to see you in pain. I must insist that you rest in your quarters and-"
"No," Selphie spoke, interrupting the Queen. "I would rather see Zell for the last time, than not see him at all. I want to be here for him when he goes to Heaven."
The blond soldier looked around, hoping to find Selphie standing there, yet his eyes were too clouded with tears of sadness. His tears did not seem detected by the people around him, for they could only see his face straight and relaxed. He knew he could escape; yet he could not for he was not a coward. He lifted his head up tiredly and looked around the crowd for Selphie and when he finally spotted her standing there, he smiled and sighed a breath of relief.
The King stepped up to the podium, followed by the clergyman holding the holy bible and the executioner holding a rope; both draped in black, the sign of death. Irvine stepped in front of the bonded man, while the clergyman stepped in beside him and the executioner on the other. The brown haired King stared at him, then turned to face the crowd.
"People of Balbadia, I have here, the soldier of Estharian who was sent to spy on our beloved Kingdom!" The crowd roared in excitement as Irvine paused, then he continued again once the crowd silenced. "Instead of becoming one of us, he has chosen to die and not serve a King like me, for we know that he will always be our enemy." The King turned to face Zell. "Any last words, young one?"
Zell took a deep breath.
Quistis watched in concern. Death made her ache and sometimes made her wonder why it is so. Why do people have to die? She could not find an answer to that question for every waking moment; she would find more questions that she could not respond to. She heard Selphie gasped. Quistis looked up from her reverie and glanced at Zell, whose eyes were staring straight into Selphie.
"I only wish to say one thing. Selphie..." He kept staring at her. All eyes on the crowd turned their heads towards the Handmaiden. "You must know that I do not love the Duke more than you. My love for him is only of loyalty and nothing more, but my love for you comes from my very soul and being. I see your face everyday and every night when I go to bed. I want to say I love you, Selphie. I will always cherish you in my heart forever." He smiled the last time and hung his head down, his face covered by the hair that fell over his frame.
Floods of tears fell from her eyes. She clutched at her chest and she could feel her heart beating rapidly. She could only watch wide-eyed, shocked beyond disbelief that Zell had declared his undying love for her right at that moment, right before he would die.
Tears fell from Quistis' face as well. The words that came from Zell's mouth were like Seifer's own lips saying those words to her. She felt remorse for the two. Just like her and Seifer, Zell and Selphie's affair could last for only a while, but their love will always last forever, no matter what the consequences.
"Zell Dincht," the King spoke, after a moment of silence. He took a deep breath, glancing once at his wife's flustered handmaiden. It seems she was trying her best to look calm and collected, yet deep down inside, he knew she was heart broken. He turned towards the executioner, and then at the priest, nodding at the middle aged man to proceed with the prayer.
"May God have mercy on your soul," the priest spoke, with a rich and deep tone. He placed a hand on Zell's forehead and spoke a few words of comfort, before stepping back to allow the executioner to the lever. The lever was the turning point of Zell's life, the lever that took between life and death and Zell could only choose one. He gripped his large hands around the lever when he was near it and was about to pull it for the final execution, when a familiar voice screeched into the thin, September air that blasted full amongst the crowd. The crowd murmured to each other, turning their heads to figure out who had screamed incredibly that led to their attention. The executioner, startled by the noise that took place, let go of the lever and looked around, while Irvine glanced at his wife with a question. The priest, however, only stood emotionless, as if he knew who had just spoken.
Finally, when it seemed like forever of waiting, thousands of heads turned to the source of the voice. A woman clothed in a yellow dress pushed her way through the crowd and ran to the podium where the blond soldier was bonded both his hands with thick rope and another rope that went around his neck. Waves of murmurs came flooding as the young woman approached the podium with sheer panic. Tears could be seen from around, the drops of sadness shining underneath the sunlight. She dropped on her knees, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his stomach as she wept. Soldiers attempted to take her away, but the King dismissed them and told them to let her do what she wished to do. The soldiers were quite confused, but followed his orders anyway and stepped back down from the podium.
The Queen said nothing as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. It was like a play, a tragic love that could not be, which ended in a way that the audience had to guess and contemplate on what would happen next.
"No! Please! Please reconsider, my love! You have so many things still ahead of you and you can't just throw them all away!" Selphie wiped the tears from her eyes and looked into the shameful features of Zell. She placed a hand underneath his chin, lifting his head up so she could see better and frowned. She leaned forward, having to tip toe to speak into his ear and whispered, "I love you too."
Zell looked up suddenly, his eyes searching hers. There was so much pain and turmoil that he could not quite express through words, but through his eyes-only. For once in their whole life being together, they declared their love each other, though the timing was somewhat tragic.
Selphie leaned closer and kissed him on the mouth, with so much love and compassion and so much pain and sorrow, mixed together in a bowl of confusion. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his, then lifted her head up to kiss him on the forehead. "I love you, Zell," she repeated.
The blond man shook his head, but Selphie stopped him and whispered the same words over and over again. "I love you, Zell. I love you so."
Zell was confused. Despite the temptation to go on with death, he could not fight any longer the love they have for each other. The feeling was too great, that he could no longer hold on to Death's hand. The feeling was too great, that his heart could not be taken away by Death himself.
Unable to control the emotions any longer, Quistis approached her husband slowly and placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. "Husband, though he is our enemy and was most willing to serve only his Duke, I believe it is wise to let him go on his own way. The love shared among them cannot be broken by Death, or loyalty. I believe I shall let go of Selphie."
Irvine leaned back to speak back to her. "Then you shall lose your Handmaiden," he whispered, glancing at her.
Quistis nodded. "I am willing to sacrifice anything for her happiness." She wondered sometimes if Selphie would have spoken the same thing about her, but the Queen said nothing of the matter after, staring at Irvine to await his answer.
Finally, after a few more suggestions on his punishment, Irvine decided on his freedom. "But only if you stay in the city and not the Kingdom, not anywhere else," he added, after a few speculations. "I may grant you citizenship here and for thirty days, you may not leave the castle or the city other than important purposes. You may go."
Zell stared at the tall King in puzzlement. There were times that he wished all was perfect, but there was no perfect world and when he lost all hope of the matter, his heart became alive again, realizing he was to live. He felt Selphie kiss his lips immediately and for one swift movement, he wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss.
*****************
The night was quiet once again. The fireflies danced like stars in the dark skies and the only noise that made in the delightful aura of the jungle scenery was the cool, clear water. She stared into the night sky, resting her head on her arms and relaxing her whole body on the cool, green grass. Her eyes managed to close, when she felt someone coming towards her and then sitting down beside her. She opened her eyes, her emerald pupils searching through the dark and finding her vision towards a very familiar figure staring back at her.
"Is this where you find peace?" he asked, his voice, deep and sultry. He ran a hand through his golden locks, taking a deep breath during the process and lifted his head up into the night sky.
She nodded her head in answer, sitting up from the comfort of her position and stared at him. "Your name is Calik, is that correct?" she asked softly, unwilling to disturb the peace swimming in the waters.
He nodded. "Yes, I am he. I only know of you as Weyon's sister, but I do not know what I shall call you." He shifted his weight from one leg to the other and glanced at her, the golden tresses that blew pass her, mesmerizing him. There was something about the woman that made him feel attraction, something he has seen and felt before.
"I am Terris," she replied, smiling. She turned her head back towards the waters and wrapped her arms around her legs.
He stared at her. The way she looked reminded him of someone else, yet he could not quite put it. He could see a woman, dressed in a beautiful dress, with a golden crown upon her head. The only beautiful feature about her was her wonderful smile like the sun that would melt all the dark clouds away. He was ready to speak again, when Terris spoke once more.
"You do not remember how I came to find you in the woods?"
Calik shook his head. "I wish I knew, yet my mind is full of vague memories which I cannot sweep away. Maybe if I keep walking deeper into my mind, I will find it."
"I can help you," Terris said. She turned head body around to face him.
The blond stared at her. Before he could question, Terris had already placed both her hands on her temple and closing her eyes in concentration. He was quite surprised at her action, yet he did not protest. He did not make any attempts to move or feel uncomfortable for her hands became a comfort and safety of his mind. For what seemed like forever, he saw everything. He saw a beautiful woman, but only for a short period of time, then she disappeared again.
Light surrounded the two.
Unable to bear it any longer, he removed his head from Terris and backed away, gasping for breath. The power was immense and his mind was a swirl of emotions when he saw the woman that flashed in his visions. He did not know what to make of it, but he wished so much to know why it was so. Who was this woman?
Standing up, Calik cleared his throat and looked down on the woman. "I apologize for that, but it will be dark soon and I think it would be best to take a rest now. Good night." Without a second thought, he bowed his head and walked away. For some strange reason, he needed to bow his head at the presence of a lady and when he turned a corner, he heard a scream from behind him. He turned around quickly, his eyes widening when he noticed a large marine-like monster, with large tentacles expanding for at least fifty meters. He was in more realization that Terris was at its grip and she was losing air. Calik attempted to run to her, but the monster had spotted him, sweeping one of its tentacles under the floor to trip him. He tripped and fell on his rear; however, he quickly lifted himself up, glancing once at Terris, her face turning blue. The monster gripped its tentacles tightly around her, making her face more purple than blue now.
"Terris!" He heard a shout from beside him. Calik turned to find her older brother running towards the monster. He sliced his sword through the tentacle that held his sister in the air; however, it did not make that much damage. More people, men and women, appeared, running pass the shocked stranger, their swords brandished high above their heads and making a few slices through all the tentacles present on land. In the many attempts, none could penetrate the monster's dangerous assault. Calik watched on, without any indication that he stood, doing nothing at all to help the people. He stared at Terris' face, still pressured with purple from the gripping green hands. One woman, wearing almost nothing (maybe so she could move quick), sliced through the base of the body, hoping to trip it, but it was to no avail. Another tentacle charged towards her and she flew into the air, landing roughly on the grassy ground. Her sword slipped from her hands, landing close to Calik. He looked down at the shiny weapon, bending down slowly to pick it up. With his large hand, he gripped the handle and stared at it, his face furrowing in memory. Something in his mind quickly relinquished of his memories and before he knew it, his feet began to move towards the monster. He gripped his other hand around the handle of the sword and lifted it high above his head, his heart beating a thousand drums.
The warriors watched as Calik ran with unimaginable speed towards the monster. He swung his sword from left to right and vice-versa and with incredible stamina and speed, he sliced through all of its tentacles, removing them one by one. He quickly moved away from the attempts the monster was making and rushed forward towards the monster's mouth. It did not have time to move as the sword gored through it, starting from its tongue and to the top of his eyes, killing him instantly. The monster screamed in response to the enormous pain and it fell backwards into the water dead. Calik watched as it sunk deeper into the water, gasping for breath. With so much energy consumed from his fight, he was forced to close his eyes and when nothing else mattered, he collapsed on the ground.
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The night seemed darker these days every time she looked up at the stars. Selphie was no longer there to comfort her dying heart. It was two days now after her knight wrote to her, telling her that he was fine. Why has he not come back? She asked this same question every chance she had as she walked to her balcony to stare into the outside world. Each time her eyes scanned the area; it was nothing but green grass. She hoped to find him walking to the castle, injured but alive, however, as she kept on watch, there no sign of him, until that one night she began to lose hope did she finally see a figure walk in the darkness. The figure stumbled and fell and she was not certain whether it was him, neither was he friend or foe.
With her heart beating, she ran out of her quarters and into the night, making her way to the front gate. She glanced up at the very top of the wall, where the night watchman was supposed to be standing on guard, only to find him sleeping on the job. His head leaned back; his arm awkwardly slumped over the chair he sat on.
Slightly annoyed, the Queen lifted the front of her dress and ran up the stairs, putting a hand on the watchman's shoulder, and then shaking him as gently as she could.
"Rasu!" she called.
The man opened his eyes, lifting his head up from the sleeping position and looked around tiredly. "Wha-? What?" His eyes wandered off from left to right, then finally to the front, where his Queen stared at him.
"If you wish to be a night watchman, Rasu, I expect you to do your job right, without your eyes heavy with fatigue. Stand!" she commanded, rather sternly. "There is someone approaching the castle."
Rasu's eyes widened. He ran to the wall, lifting his glass spectacle into his eye and stared into the open field. Indeed, there was a figure staggering towards the castle. The young watchman glanced at the Queen and nodded. He walked to the left of the watchman post and looked down towards another man guarding the gate. "Kanen! There is someone approaching the castle!"
Kanen, a forty year old, brown haired man, opened his eyes. To Artur's relief the Queen did not make an attempt to see that Kanen had fallen asleep as well. "What is it?" he asked, groggily. "Friend or foe?"
Artur lifted his spectacles back in his eye. After another observation, his head popped once again at Kanen's view and nodded. "He is indeed a friend. He wears King Irvine's emblem marked across his chest. His armor is similar to that of a Balbadian."
Without another word from his young companion, Kanen placed his hands on the lever and drew the large gate. The Queen, unnoticed by the older man, ran outside, hoping it would be him, but as she approached him, she realized that the figure was younger than her Knight and was injured terribly. He stared at her, mumbling a few words, before falling forward. Quistis was able to catch him before he could reach the ground and, with the help of Rasu and Kanen, carried him back inside the castle. Once there, Rasu let go of the man, adding more weight and less hands to the young, but large man and closed the gate back. Irvine appeared a moment later, taking the Queen's spot, before she was no longer able to carry him and aided Kanen carry the wounded to a safer spot, which was near the water fountain. The Queen ripped a part of her skirt, deciding on helping the young man heal the wounds inflicted on his right hip and soaked the cloth from the water in the fountain. The King and Kanen settled the young man on the stone fountain, helping him to sit up and stared at him, while the Queen dabbed cold water on his wound.
"What news have you?" the King asked, removing himself from the young man, before standing up to look at him.
The young man said nothing for a few moments, until he opened his mouth to speak. "I bring news that Sir Seifer and I have escaped the ravenous Estharians. We managed to escape through the woods, but Sir Seifer and I were separated. I have lost him. I am sorry." He glanced at the Queen with a solemn expression.
Without regarding the look he gave the Queen, Irvine kneeled down in front of the young man and frowned. "Tell me your name."
He took a deep breath. "I am Sharn Kaiser, your highness," he replied. Sharn winced when the cloth made contact with his wound.
Quistis glanced at her husband. "My love, he needs medical attention. We must bring him to the healer quickly."
Irvine nodded. He sat back down beside Sharn, wrapping his arms around his waist and helped Kanen help the young man on his feet. They walked inside the castle, followed behind by Quistis and entered the healer's quarters, which was only a few doors from the Queen.
Quistis watched on as they carried the young man inside the room. She paused by the door, holding back tears that threatened to fall. 'No! I will not accept it! I will not! He is not lost. He has not gone to heaven. He promised to return to me!' Without a moment hesitation, the Queen turned around and fled towards the only destination she could think of.
Selphie, she thought.
The King walked out of the room a few seconds later, only to find the Queen absent. "Quistis?" he called.
GoodGurl: Finally finished that chapter! Sorry for the long wait! I've been soooooooooo busy with stuff! Well, want to know what happened to 'Calik' after that? You'll find out soon enough so stay tuned!