Yo. Not much to say here. Read and review. –Lady PhoenixDagger //.^*
*****
Far within the depths of what was left of his mind, Walker Broman floated, cold, naked and alone.
So this is what it's like to die from the inside out, he mused sadly. I suppose I deserve it, then. The memories of what had happened in the last few hours marched past him like the final few bloodied soldiers staggering back from their last stand.
I've failed them.
Bullshit! a woman's voice, feminine and full, cut like a razor into Walker's psyche. I've fallen into worse situations and I always managed to get out of them.
Name one thing worse than this.
Another woman's voice joined in, this one sounding much younger. Don't be such a coward!
But I've failed. As we speak, a thing more powerful even than me is going to peel me like dead skin from my own body and I'll be nothing more than a lost shade. The young mage turned away from the voices. I've made up my mind. Don't waste your time on me.
What's time to a shade but something to be wasted? A man's voice caught Walker's hearing this time, confident in its richness. We have failed. Our current forms attest to that. You, however, still exist. You have a chance.
Leave me alone.
Your family's still out there, you know. The girl's voice wrapped hauntingly around Walker's spirit. They'll all die if you don't do something. The Shira'an will kill them first. And Darien will die as soon as his energy runs out.
But I can do nothing! A vision of Darien still comatose in his apartments danced tantalisingly in front of his before quick-stepping away.
The woman's voice laughed gently at him. Who said it was only going to be you out there? A smile quirked in Walker's mind as nimble woman's fingers fondly patted the side of his face. We live in here too, you know.
Lovely. Am I nothing but a spiritual landlord to you people? But there was a small smile in Walker's voice.
Depends on the utilities, the man laughed softly. It seems to be a bit chilly in here, don't you agree?
Carefully, the spirits in Walker's head wrapped his naked spirit body with their own, their non-corporeal breath warming him. Slowly, in the agonising lack of time in Walker's head, he untangled himself and stood in the featureless void of his own mind. Walker grinned at the three of his "tenants".
Let's do it.
*****
"Look!!" Relena screamed.
"What is it, child?" Nat asked wearily from where he sat in the corner of the balcony, his eyes red-rimmed. Kari sat at his side, her strong, slender arms wrapped around his shoulders for comfort. "Has it devised a way to leave the dome?"
"There's something else coming from the silver lake."
"Oh, lord."
Impatiently, Relena grabbed the old man and hoisted him up. "No, no! These are different! Look."
Nat sighed and let himself be placed before the dreamdrop to take a look. Upon seeing what rose from the lake, the elderly wizard let out a startled cry.
What?! What is it? Kari demanded, unable to see the bounty of the dreamdrop. Tell me!
"It's a man and two women," Nat said in wonder. "Shades coming up from the depths."
The silhouettes of two women and a man, slender and beautiful rose up from the depths of the quicksilver lake, exuding an air of familiarity, as though everyone at the Keep knew them, but simply could not recall from where. Beseechingly, they stroked at the Shira'an's host body, their beautiful hands pulling free long black strands of its soul from the lean, hard lines of human muscle and delicate folds of wing tissue as the Shira'an screamed in agony. The dome above cracked and shattered above them, showering both host and shade alike with shards of pure evil magic and the ground below was rent and torn with the Shira'an's pain. But the shades kept on, pulling and tearing at the monster's soul until the staff spirit was completely torn away, damned to die in a non-existent plane. Then the Shira'an's prison, the vile shackle of thousands of years of mages, grew tarnished and disintegrated into nothing, leaving Walker Broman, the victorious Lord of Alaryan's Keep, to fall limply to the earth, his eyes blank as his previous healing sleep rolled over him once more.
*****
Whee! That was quick, ne? The next chapter will be longer. I swear.
Ja ne, minna-san!
LPD *//.^*