~ You can Run, but you can't Hide ~

Chick-a-tee-in-ur-face

Disclaimer: SM does not belong to me.

Chapter Six: The Golden Goddess

"Ye who travel the plains of time, reveal her who carry the stone to me."

The palantir stood high on its pedestal glowed powerful silver. Images of five women appeared in flashes only glimpses could be seen but even glimpses was enough to determine the carriers features but the last one was difficult to locate.

"Reveal thee who carry thy stone to me." The strong voices commanded but only a flash of gold could be seen and a pair of lidded eyes which opened slowly revealing them to be a cerulean colour and then the image disappeared which left the caller frustrated.

"Perhaps she carries some hidden magic that keeps her concealed." A voice from behind said.

Darien was startled. He bowed before his captain, "Perhaps."

"You are wasting time, Darien. What news of the other carriers?"

"Each have been located and confirmed to be carrying a crystal of rare heritage."

"Good, good. Then all is going as planned I hope."

"Yes, all but for this one delay in our plans."

"Leave her to me."

Darien looked up from his position on one knee again startled. "But-"

His captain held up a hand commanding him to be silent. "I will take care of it. Ready the men, it will proceed as planned."

"Yes sir." Darien quickly shimmered from the tower room leaving the captain to look at the palantir. His form was stiff clad in full black armour with only a single gold clasp to hold his cloak. His silver hair fell straight to his shoulders loose bangs over his eyes.

He stood over the great black orb a hand hovering above it and closed his eyes focusing all his energy to the palantir.

"Ye carrier of the magical and ancient stone come forth and reveal thy self to me, Lord Malachite of the Dark Realm." His hand wavered as a soaring pain flashed through his mind the bright light almost blinding him but his determination did not waver. He kept his hand over the orb and suddenly the pain receded a figure dancing across his vision.

Her hair was a pale blonde that could easily be mistaken for white, her eyes a cerulean blue. Her figure light and graceful, her smile soft and tender. She was as delicate as a spring flower which bloomed amongst the frost. Both bitter and sweet.

He released his hold on the orb and stumbled his will keeping him up. His breath was short and beads of perspiration began to cling to his forehead, dampening his hair. He had felt her aura and regaining his strength he shimmered towards the plains where the mortals dwelt.

* * *

She waited behind a wing wringing her hands nervously waiting her turn. 'What if I forget what I'm suppose to do? What if I trip and fall on my face? What if- oh my gosh, what if I get photographed on my bad side?' At these thoughts she gasped in horror a hand straying to her left cheek but not daring to touch her face in case she ruined her make-up. She was so absorbed in her thoughts she nearly missed her turn down the runway.

"Mina. Mina. It's almost time." She heard someone hiss from behind.

Mina gulped and waited for her music to start. She planted a big smile on her face and soon she was walking down the aisle in the spotlight. She moved with feminine grace, a faint glow surrounding her very being. Her golden hair was let loose straying past her waist. The white sleeveless gown she wore fell to an inch from the floor, flowing behind her as she walked leaving a train of white material. About her waist a gold-loop chain clung loosely at an angle clasped at one side the ends falling half way down her thigh. The clasp itself shined a brilliant orange radiance. The gem was exquisite and quite rare and Mina had refused to walk without it for it was a family heirloom as well as a good luck charm. All in all the effect it created received great 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the gathering crowd. The gown was simple and yet elegant. Mina was smiling all her nervousness gone and she had settled it as just pre-modelling jitters if there was any such thing.

While she turned on the runway Malachite had shimmered in keeping to the back where the shadows were darker, his gaze never once leaving her. 'Not magic. Emotions.' His recent discovery was better news then he had hoped. He had arrived fearing that the carrier was indeed a descendant from the ancient prophecy as was proclaimed but now soon realised that she was only governed by her emotions which were powerful enough to have reflect Darien's command. But that was also grim news. He heard the applause as she disappeared behind the left wing and before he was caught he shimmered back to the vast darkness of his world.

Had he lingered longer he would have seen that Mina had returned to do a last walk round the catwalk leading a group of several more models he would have been more cautious for Mina had seen something in the darkness of the shadows move and almost the shadows had lightened to a lighter grey. She thought she had felt eyes boring into her while she did her walk, and the darkness seemed stiff. She could have sworn she saw a figure standing there but frowned blinking a few times to orientate herself. What she saw could have been a reflection of light. After that she took no more notice smiling as the cameras clicked photos of her at different angles looking like a fallen angel who came from the heavens. A messenger from god-a goddess of light.

Mina sighed content. That was her last show, for the time being. All she wanted now was to go home and relax in a hot tub of scented water. She took off her the clasp of her belt and gazed at it sadly. Her mother had bequeathed it to her when she died from a car accident. In the crystals beauty she also felt sorrow. The pale orange light which radiated from the crystal danced before her vision. Power soared through her fingertips up her arm.

"Ouch." She yelped, dropping the crystal on the floor. She had felt the tingling sensation which radiated from the crystal when she stood mesmerised by it's beauty, but it felt like waves of electricity had run up her arm. She stooped to pick it up when she suddenly felt her mind go numb. Her fingers tightened around the crystal as her eyes were shut fast. Images swam through her head. Tall, green and powerful. Petite, blue and shy. Brazen, red and wilful. Strong, silver and calm. Then words from a hidden memory rang clear in her ear.

When light meets darkness, surrounded by the elements of life,

ice, fire, earth, and lightning,

power the world has never witnessed before,

a power which can only be harnessed once every five hundred years,

can determine and change the fate of this world.

Two warriors.

The chosen ones, must overcome their greatest fear.

Destiny will run its course, the world's fate in their hands.

If light should prevail then so begin a new era of a golden saga.

If darkness succeeds the world is doomed for the rest of eternity.

No living creature man nor animal shall survive.

Mina gasped as she released the crystal from her hold opening her eyes and found that several of her co-workers were watching her intently. She smiled a reassuring smile at them looking hesitantly at the crystal on the floor. She didn't want to pick it up in case she saw some more visions but she didn't want to leave it behind. Finally deciding on using a handkerchief she carefully wrapped the crystal and put it inside her purse. No living creature man nor animal shall survive. Mina shivered as these words repeated itself in her mind.

* * *

In a world of darkness not too far away, in the depths of the heart of The Realm of the Shadow Kingdom, the queen stirred in her sleep. She felt the power of the silver crystal increasing as the days wore on. Unable to sleep she paced the halls of the long forgotten castle that once stood tall and beautiful but now only shadows and darkness occupied its rooms and darkened its doors. She found in her absent wandering that she had walked in the room where the queen of light and tranquillity had fell. The royal family emblem could still be seen after five hundred years and no matter how many shadows she ordered to scratch the paint of it would not fade. In the centre a rubble of dust laid, a small ringlet of silver half hidden. Not far off, several rock pieces the size of small crystal laid untouched.

The queens crimson eyes burned as she remembered the hot rock burning the flesh of her palm. She snarled at the inscription on the wall, half the words covered by cobwebs. What she could make out made her snort in disgust. 'Two warriors. The fate of the world in their hands. And so begins a new era of a golden saga.'

"I'll have that crystal, even if I have to kill everyone in my path. I will have it." Then she left the room, the scent of magic was still lingering in the air. In her haste the queen didn't feel the magic barricade on the door healing or feel the wind change coming from the east, from the land of light. The rubble of ashes stirred and was carried away, drifting along with the wind.