Between Hope and Death
By: ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: Some characters belong to the magnificent authoress, Diana Wynne Jones. I just borrowed them for a while.
Claimer: I only own Wyn, Aidan, Kamania and Chris Aprilian, Lady Kachioin (and her village), Miss Coca, Mr. Calypso, Professor Weph, Life, Death, Apocalypse, Rhys, and Heulo (aka 'the Sun Spirit of All Knowledge.')
Chapter 16: In Which a Bond is Severed
Wyn felt a chill run down her spine. She had been walking to a nearby store and now stopped and looked up at the sky. It was shifting and, before she knew it, she was on a familiar beach. Sitting on the white cloth again was Life and beside him, in a beach chair sunning herself, was Death. Death looked up at her and asked while tossing her blonde tresses over her shoulders, "How've you been, Bronwyn, dear?"
"Fine, thank you. Why am I here again?" Wyn questioned.
"You're here for a war briefing of course, doll," replied Life in his usual tone of voice.
"It seems we'll need to bring the other members of the Trilogy of the Last Hope here as well," said Death.
"Indeed, dear," Life said.
Death lifted one skinny arm and suddenly three new figures appeared. "MORGAN?! RHYS?!" yelped Wyn. She had sort of expected Morgan to be the Pegasus Emperor and had suspected Rhys to be the Dragon Enchanter, but now realization hit her. Another thing that bewildered her was Rhys and Heulo's connection. Heulo-Rhys was there as well, calming gazing at Life and Death in a silvery astral form. As for Morgan he was in shock it seemed and Rhys-Heulo took one look at his other part's reaction and cooled down himself.
"Where are we, Wyn?" Morgan asked after a few more seconds.
'We're in a private haven of Life and Death of course,' said Heulo-Rhys in a matter of fact sort of way.
Morgan blinked and gazed at Heulo-Rhys puzzedly. "What?!" he finally blurted out.
"You are all in one of our sanctuaries. It is here that we must plan a course of action against the threat of Apocalypse," said Death.
"Can you explain this to me in laments terms, Wyn?" Morgan asked.
"Fine…" and with that she explained who they were in legends and who Life, Death, and Apocalypse were.
"I guess I get it. What about you, Rhys?" inquired Morgan.
Everyone turned to Heulo-Rhys and Rhys-Heulo. Heulo-Rhys was the first to speak. 'I understood from the beginning,' he stated simply.
"I understood because Heulo told me about Apocalypse a short time ago and while Wyn's was talking he explained a few more things to me," said Rhys-Heulo.
"While I was talking?" Wyn asked.
"Yep. We are the identical after all," said Rhys-Heulo and Heulo-Rhys at the same time.
Wyn and Morgan's jaws dropped and Death said to the two parts, "You're nearly together again, Dragon Enchanter."
"Indeed," replied both portions together once more.
"That's kind of…." Wyn began.
"Its kind of freaky is what it is," ended Morgan.
'Naturally…' said Heulo-Rhys and a second later Rhys-Heulo added, "…you would think this was a little odd." Heulo-Rhys added, 'Even I think its weird.'
"Wow! So they're the Dragon Enchanter?" asked Wyn.
"Correction: I'm the Dragon Enchanter," said Rhys-Heulo and Heulo-Rhys at exactly the same time in deeper completely identical voices.
Death smiled at that and said, "Stop confusing your poor teammates. Now why don't we come up with a plan?"
"I do not think so, Demigoddess of Death," stated an icy voice. Everyone froze and turned to see the stunning form of Apocalypse. She gave them a cool smirk and continued, "I see I'm quite an unexpected visitor to thy beach gathering, no?"
Death shook slightly but she still retorted, "You are not supposed to obstruct our business, Goddess of Obliteration!"
"Why should I follow the rules of thou?"
"Because its common universal curtsy, Apocalypse!" snapped Rhys-Heulo.
'No, you idiot!' yelled Heulo-Rhys at Rhys-Heulo. He passed the message silently down the invisible link between them, but he knew Rhys-Heulo had done it. Apocalypse wasn't going to take the comment lightly, that was for sure.
Apocalypse turned her cool gaze on Rhys-Heulo who stayed firmly planted under it. "Ah, if it isn't the little parts of the Dragon Enchanter. I've been waiting to see you two and the binding between both of you. It doesn't seem that thick to me," the Goddess said stepping towards them and eyeing the invisible cord.
Both portions of the Enchanter backed away from Apocalypse. "Now that's not very polite," said the Deity of Elimination in a singsong voice.
Rhys-Heulo gripped the rope connecting the parts protectively and softly said, "Please don't."
"Please don't what? You mean this?" and with that said Apocalypse had flashed forward, grabbed the link out of Rhys-Heulo's grasp and had returned to her original position. Apocalypse squeezed the link slightly and watched with amused glee as Rhys-Heulo and Heulo-Rhys squirmed and twisted in pain.
'Let it go!' cried out Heulo-Rhys laboriously.
"Stop it! You're hurting them!" shouted Wyn.
"Apocalypse, you can't harm a warrior of the opposite side before the Final Battle!!!" yelled Death.
"Let the kids go, Goddess!" Life roared at the same time.
Apocalypse laughed and loosened her pressure on the link. The two parts exclaimed and fell to the ground in pain. Both of them gripped the link gingerly and gazed up at Apocalypse weakly.
The Goddess snickered again and said, "Just think what would have happened to you two if I had only squeezed a little tighter. Your connection would have been shattered and the effects could even have kill both of you. When Life had separated you two the effects hadn't been permanent, but if this were to happen, they most likely would be."
Wyn looked at the portion that was a little more her brother and felt an awful twain in her chest. 'Oh Rhys!' she thought horrifiedly.
Rhys-Heulo grimaced and said, "You can't."
"Oh really. I could tear you both into pieces right now, but I think I'll do this instead," replied Apocalypse who then tightened her grip on the link again, but this time it made a sickening snapping sound. Rhys-Heulo and Heulo-Rhys screamed and gripped each other's hands, but it was too late. A wind picked up and Heulo-Rhys was tossed into it. Rhys-Heulo grabbed for his other part, but couldn't reach him for the pain was becoming too much. He collapsed and as for his other half, he was thrown far away into Apocalypse's void.
Wyn and the others rushed forward only to be stopped by Apocalypse. "See, that wasn't so hard," she said and then disappeared.
Wyn reached Rhys-Heulo first, who was sprawled on the ground, tears of sorrow and pain flowing down his cheeks. He slowly opened his eyes and more comprehension hit him. 'Heulo's gone and he might never come back…' he thought and with that, he passed out.
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Rolling, tumbling, crashing! That was all Heulo-Rhys seemed to do until he finally made contact with the ink-black floor of the 'nothingness.' He stung all over and, without Rhys, he had taken on a more faded pale look than before. He was losing consciousness rapidly and his last thought was, 'Rhys…'
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When Rhys finally awoke a day later, Wyn felt as if she hardly knew him. Morgan and her had stayed overnight at the moving castle out of concern for the little boy and now they sat across from him at the breakfast table. Rhys was staring into something no one else seemed to see and all light seemed to have disappeared from his green eyes. He gave a brokenhearted sigh and said in a low pained voice, "Stop staring at me!"
Wyn, Morgan, Sophie, Howl, and Calcifer all jumped and Wyn quickly said, "We're really sorry, Rhys!"
"For what?" Rhys requested and settled his melancholy gaze on her.
"For everything, Rhys!" Morgan interrupted.
Rhys only sighed again and nodded, but he said nothing. Finally, he dragged himself off his chair, up the stairs, into his room, and onto his bed where he flopped down. A constant dull ache had formed in his chest and he wondered if Heulo had felt the same way when he had been removed from him. He suspected it hadn't been anywhere near as bad, for it had been done by Life and by choice. He couldn't 'sense' Heulo at all now and it left him undergoing a feeling of being alone and empty. 'How are we ever going to stop Apocalypse now?' he wondered before falling into an uneasy slumber.
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A/N: *evil laughter* Hmmm…I wonder what'll happen to Heulo and Rhys now…
Wyn: Oh, not this again!
Me: Oh shut up! I like being dramatic!
Wyn: -_- Right…
Me: Bronwyn!
Wyn: Whatever…
A/N 2: That's better. Now you'd better review or-
Morgan: Let me guess: They'd better review or else, right?
Me: You took the fun out of that!
Morgan: Okay…
Me: What's with you two and the sarcasm?!
Mor and Wyn: I don't know.
Me: *Exasperated* You two are hopeless!
A/N 3: Oh well. Before I was so rudely interrupted…
Morgan: o:-)
A/N 3 (continued): I was saying you'd better review or else! Bye for now!