Author's Note: The dream Ryo has in this chapter is one I've had believe it
or not. So now you get a chance to delve into the strange subconscious of
TMO! Hehe! Oh and you know what? Thanks for everyone who stayed with me! ^-
^ I appreciate it greatly! I really do!
The Lost Mystics and the Dream Bearer
Chapter 7: Yollani's Predicted Storm
By: The Mysterious One
The woman played with a strand of her long blue hair casting a sidelong glance at the man standing beside her. Only her personality kept her from allowing a twisted smile. He was so nervous, defiantly acting much like the humans he hated, sweating and shifting his weight, his eyes darting from side to side occasionally as he waited. Perhaps he didn't want to see their master at all, since they both knew full well what was in store for the two of them. She turned away her gaze, face blank with usual indifference, looking over the room they stood in. A stone throne like chair stood before them covered with strange carvings curling in swirls and wisps very much like disturbed mist. Flickering torches sat on either side of it, shedding light upon their faces as well as the chair. Save for the small area around the two torches the rest of the room faded into shadows, giving the impression that the room was much bigger than it really was.
The air in front of the chair shimmered then grew still as the one they had been waiting for stood regarding them for a moment then sat down straightening his robes before looking up at the two. "Kyeka, Nica, you've failed," the master of the genki spoke in a plainly manner. Nica winced slightly at this but tried to catch himself before anyone noticed.
With a small sweep of her hand, the woman bowed courteously, "It is regrettable." She agreed. "Julow's sleeping potion certainly worked on the bearer of Halo and my familiarity with the mirror elements brought about a simple double of the boy. She was easy to control however it appears that the dream bearer's friends caught on quite quickly. I had thought that her superior fighting skills would have been a match for them had they discovered our plan. However not everything is at a loss. We now know who the dream bearer is."
"But, I'm sure, they know that we know that." Nica said, trying to redeem himself.
Kyeka didn't argue, "Of course."
"Then we will have to move on. This Ryo of the Wildfire needs to be dealt with swiftly if we want to succeed in anything. I don't doubt you have another plan?" their master asked.
"Yes, if I was granted another chance." Nica replied. The sitting man raised an eyebrow ever so slightly and Kyeka looked upon Nica without any amusement in her eyes. However it probably should have been there with the knowledge she had about him. His numerous failures were beginning to wear down on his genius. It was apparent that he was beginning to snatch at anything to regain his master's faith in him.
"A storm, Master, a storm of forgetfulness." Nica smiled at his own intellection.
"A storm that could most certainly wake the mystic of natural disasters."
"Master, I know that that would sound strange to you, but I assure you that I know what I am doing. He is the one sworn to the code of stone after all. There would be little he could do to help the ronins or the mystic of dreams."
"Even the silent can kill." Kyeka stated blankly. "Those born to the code of stone should never be taken lightly."
"I am aware of their superiority among the humans in the past. However, that code died a long time ago and one lost mystic from it will do us little harm."
"If you are so eager to set forth with this plan, then do so. But let this be a warning, one more failure and you're services will no longer be needed." The master of genki stated. Nica winced inwardly at the finality of his words but bowed even though he knew perfectly well what he meant would happen to him if he failed.
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It was quiet and the skies clear with the full moon illuminating everything in it's pale light. When all of a sudden a slight nonexistent breeze stirred like a ghost across the land but the only thing that fluttered in it's breath was the window. Like a beast trying to get in, the wind paused as if thinking over how its attempt to get in had failed. Growing in strength and growling eerily, the haughty sounds clawed at the window until the latch cracked down and away, the paned glass snapping open with a crash. Then, the wind calmed to a gentle whips once more, blowing the curtains like transparent spirits floating gracefully in the air. Moonlight poured in as the darkness of the night stared at the sleeping form. His face was blank with tranquil sleep but as the cold crept inside, his eyebrows twitched while his expression changed to a slight grimace while shifting to the side, snuggling closer into his blankets for security. He was not in nightmare but he wasn't without dreams.
The dream began with him standing inside the familiar house talking to a woman, his mother, where he felt at ease. She was beautiful with her long black hair and a face engraved with kindness and understanding, both of which radiated off of her like a glowing light. Any gentle laugh sounded like a calm ocean, waves gently lapping against the shore but her expression changed at a glance. He looked out the window watching as the sky was darkened, not gray nor black but somehow both at once. A dying sun rose from the earth's horizon, brilliant red, much like the color of his armor only it was more alive. The sun acted like a rearing creature except it was nothing more than red light making a half circle starching from one side to the next as far as he could see. Energy washed from it and he felt curiosity course through him. "Mother, what is that?"
"Oh don't worry, it's a tornado. Just hold onto something. The storm will pass." Her words sounded far off and came to him as if through a tunnel even though she was only a few feet from him, typing in her office and cooking in her kitchen. Being at both places at the same time yet not in either. She didn't move from her work. He listened to what she had told him to do and gripped the corner of the wall as a gust of wind pounded against the house. The windows opened with a bang and air rushed through the room. Only a second passed and he finally opened his eyes to see that everything was just as it was before. House in order and grass swaying outside undisturbed with the city sparkling below, down the hill in the distance. However, the sky was now a clear blue.
"We've been getting a lot of those." He heard his mother say as he let go of the wall. Then darkness engulfed everything so that he saw nothing else and he rested in peace.
Ryo's eyes slowly blinked open, staring up at the ceiling above. The entire dream was fresh in his mind, even the words his mother spoke. He sat and looked around when he noticed that his armor orb wasn't on the small table beside his bed. Knelling down on his hands and knees, he moved aside the bedspread to see if it had gone underneath. Indeed it had and so he brought it out. He really didn't know how it had gotten under there but he decided to pocket it after he got dressed so that the armor orb wouldn't get lost again.
Whiteblaze and he padded down the stairs and greeted the others as they ate their morning meal. "Mia says that its going to snow today!" Yulie announced happily.
"Already?"
"Yes, and none too soon." Mia nodded. The wall had been fixed two weeks ago as the current time placed them only a week after Sage had returned.
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A glance outside showed signs of a coming storm. Whether it would be snow or rain seemed indecisive because the temperature kept changing in strange unpredictable intervals. The weather progressively got worse. Winds tore at the earth and howled eerily against the mansion for days. Then light precipitation soaked the ground in liquid form, drowning everything in the wet color of gray. White accents of the rain glancing off the outside world made the trees, grass, jeep and house alike glow in dim light. A depressing mood spread easily in times like these, even drawing out sighs. Especially when the storm dragged on with no end in sight. At least it looked like it had no intentions of stopping.
A sigh could be a description of many things. It could mean that someone is tired or that they are bored. Impatience could be a factor or even an exasperation of everything that happened. Then there was confusion that could be a cause for the intake and outtake of breath. However all these things were mixed so much together that it wasn't possible to tell them apart. That was how it was for them all as they waited and there were still too many questions even though they had some answers and even though the puzzle was beginning to come together. It was enough to drag them down as they tried to configure what was happening and why. Every one of them was becoming edgy with the inactivity from the Genki. What was going to happen next? Exactly what were they planning? It could almost be anything from what the ronins had already seen. Evidently the Genki wanted the Dream Bearer dead. Sage figured they knew who the lost mystic of dreams was by now and no one else doubted him. Therefore they were watchful for what could possibly happen to Ryo.
During this time of being drawn rather close together, as the entire group was now stuck inside during the strange outside weather conditions, everyone had their own way of combating boredom but none was so easy to entertain as the new ally in the ronin group. Kasteina was bit by bit becoming one of them as her speech and personality blossomed from her clumsiness as she learned how to act. Although still a little bit awkward the girl was a quick learner and she knew how to correctly pronounce many words. She now sounded more like an alien to Japan trying to speak Japanese with little bits and pieces instead of someone who didn't know how to speak Japanese at all because that was the impression she seemed to give them before. Naturally a friendship formed between Mia and her and Kento kept up his bantering on Cye whenever he caught Kasteina and him together by themselves. This improved all their spirits as Cye was seen running after his friend trying to get him to quiet down and leave them alone.
Then something unexpected happened. The rain suddenly stopped. A dead silence followed in it's wake and the world stood by at ill ease. Cye could feel it pounding him. He sensed the waters surrounding Japan stir and churn, gathering and preparing and he voiced his concern. "Something big is going to happen. I don't know what, but it's going to happen soon."
And indeed it did.
Cye was sitting outside near the house in the calm when it occurred. Chewing absently on a strip of rhubarb he looked up when he heard a rushing sound. His eyes widened, jumping quickly to his feet and dashed inside. "Guys! Guys! There's a tsunami heading this way!"
"Nani!?" (What!?) However, none of them could do anything as they tried to search their minds, thinking what they would have to do about the situation. The whole thing happened so quickly that they took another breath and it was upon them. Swirling masses of water gushing through broken windows with such force that it swept them all off their feet. Creaky walls collapsed in relenting groans was the last thing he heard and saw in the confusion before the bubbling swirls of water covered Cye's eyesight, taking him under. Struggling, the boy tried to get to the top, attempting to gain some advantage over the strong currents dragging him down but they were ruthless. A single thought barely occurred to him at the last minute, "Trust." Some light-blue glow emitted from his body and sub- armor surrounded Cye. However, he got no farther when his lungs burned from lack of oxygen, begging him to breath air that wasn't there.
The darkness that surrounded him for some time began to grow grayish then blue as his eyes slowly fluttered open. In the beginning he was somewhat faint and muddled and thought he was seeing things yet time taught him better. A gentle hand touched his cheek calmly and the soft lips pressing against his caused a tingle to run through him. The type that made the ronin surprised and at ease at the same time. His awakener pulled back and smiled kindly, blonde hair almost shimmering like silver as the light filtering through the water struck the swaying locks floating suspended around her face. Cye blinked and stared at the girl, the possibility that this was a dream crossing his mind. She just continued smiling, taking his arm and pulling him along until darkness overtook him once more.
Then he woke up and found himself lying on the soft sand, the cool wet feeling of water lapping against his side. It was the water that had finally brought him around. Pushing up with his elbows he got a better look about him and realized that he was on a beach, various wreckage strewn here and there. Confused, wet, and cold, the boy was able to sit there shivering and trying to understand what had happened. Soon it occurred to him that he should probably get moving and find some kind of shelter if not warmth.
Getting to his feet was a rather slow process, his shaken, weak legs weren't of any help to him at all. Nevertheless he stood and made his way inland. There he walked among the remains of once proud standing buildings, a crushed car buried beneath a large slab of cement over here and a shattered chair over there. The sight of tattered cloth blowing in a slight breeze caught his attention but when he went over to investigate, the boy quickly recoiled. The bloodied hand hidden beneath the cloth made him feel woozy. "What happened."
He had no recollection of any events that took place before he awoke on the beach. Then he remembered the scene underneath the ocean waters. "That had to be a dream," the boy shook his head in denial, casting aside the image as if it had been a part of a dream. Yet for all the life left in him he couldn't figure out where he was or what had taken place. He didn't even know who he was for that matter. Sighing in hopelessness as well as fatigue, he staggered on without really knowing where his destination was. All he wanted at the moment was something over his head. Someplace where he could sink to his knees and fall into his weariness, forgetting everything around him just for a moments rest full of a peace he so strongly longed for.
His wish became true. When, he couldn't remember, as all time seemed to stretch on. One minute was the same as the one before it: full of exhausting meanderings through the seaside city that once existed there. However, he finally found a place where some of the destruction actually created a shielding overhang. Slumping down, he arranged his arms and legs close to his body to preserve body heat and let himself be taken away by those who steal people off to the land of sleep. Sometimes they would bring dreams, even for those who's souls were weary with confusion. For once though, they were kind and left the boy to his empty slumber, no pictures were painted in his mind that day.
It was later, when the sun was sinking below the horizon that he woke. His whole body ached with stiffness from sleeping on the hard ground. He tried to ignore it as he crawled out from his resting place and got to his feet, blinking at the beauty sketched against the sky before him. But it was a sad kind of beauty hinging on the edges of the torn land, strung with ruin and devoid of all life. A sense of loneliness and dread fell prey upon the boy as he stared out across the seemingly listless world. He longed for companionship and it didn't matter to him who it was. Just as long as he wouldn't have to live with the despair that was catching and dragging him down with it in the pit of his stomach. The need to talk was strong, the will to find that there was indeed someone else out there and that he wasn't the only survivor of whatever had wrought its wrath upon this place. But there was no one. He was alone and probably would be for the rest of his life. This realization struck, slowly it had been chipped away at his being even while he held onto what little hope he could muster but now it was so obvious that he found himself sinking to his knees, tears springing in his eyes. Weeping, he threw his arms over his face and bent over so that his head touched the ground.
He cried until he had no more tears left in him and in his misery he forced himself to get up. Deep within him he felt a strange iron resolve, a new sense of strength welled up that surprised him greatly. He wasn't going to sit around feeling sorry for himself, he was going to go and search for others. There had to be someone else out there. There just had to be. If he died trying to find them, then at least he had a reason to live out the days he had left. With this new self-resolution he decided that perhaps he should start out by finding some food first.
Turning, he looked about him and tried to decipher where the best place to begin his search would be. Everything looked pretty much the same so he just started forwards and trudged along. It didn't look like he would find anything, he might end up dying of starvation! He shook this aside and tried not to think of it. The boy believed he would find food. What if he met up with someone? What would he say? He wasn't able to retain any information of what had happened, not even his own name. Well he would take care of that. What kind of name did he feel like having? Pausing, he glanced down into some broken shards of a mirror and caught the auburn hair and sea blue eyes staring back at him in the pieces. Tom? No, he didn't look like a Tom. How about Timothy? Why was he coming up with T names anyway? He shrugged, it did not matter to him. Timothy sounded okay. "Hello, my name's Timothy," the newly named boy found himself saying to the air, extending a hand to shake the invisible one before him. He almost laughed at his game.
It soon faded and his expression changed to one of sorrow and longing, the hand dropping to his side limply, "I hope there are other people. I don't want to be all by myself for the rest of my life." Shaking off the thought he continued on. He needed to find food just as much as he needed to find company.
There really wasn't much to be found in the end. All he had been able to collect was a candy bar and a somewhat over ripened apricot. "Well it's better than nothing," and he ate the food with zealous, not minding in the least the rather sticky hands he ended up with. He found a puddle and rinsed his hands off there, wiping them on his pants to dry them.
"Now, to find someone else." Timothy started off on his quest once more. There seemed to be no end to the disorder scattered about him however he was able to find some remains of a blanket and a few other utensils, including a pot and a canteen. Stopping at the nearest spot he could find what he thought to be decent water he filled it then went onwards. When night threatened to overtake him, he tried to find anything burnable that wasn't still wet but was rather unsuccessful. So the boy ended up sitting against a standing wall and spreading his blanket over him.
He stared up at the starlit sky. Although alone, he was very hopeful of what was before him. Timothy didn't know why he felt so certain of these things when he hadn't found any signs of life yet. Even so he decided that it was better to hold onto this new found hope than to allow himself to fall amongst the disheartening imaginings of living a forlorn life. He was taken into sleep but this time is wasn't restless and weary like before.
The next day was spent pretty much in the same manner however he wasn't as successful with finding any food and most of the water in his canteen was gone by afternoon. The boy wasn't about to let himself starve to death but he rationed his drink until he was able to find some more. Overhead the sun beat down relentlessly, sky clear showing no signs of any storm ever existing. This made traveling harder since there wasn't even a breeze to cool him down. Never did it occur to him that it was supposed to be winter. However, retrieving dry driftwood was easier and he was able to build a fire that evening. He hoped to find some food, he could survive a few days without it but that day's heat had become a problem. If it continued and he didn't refill his canteen he would be in big trouble. The lack of both necessities would most certainly bear down on him later on. Snuggling up near his fire in the chill of the night, he decided that tomorrow's top priorities would be to find those two things.
Yet morning brought him no closer to any food nor any water sources and so he had to plug on, his body becoming weak from dehydration. Still the sun shown down without mercy. Things were beginning to look bleak for him as time went on, one day blending into the other until he lost count but he went on anyway. Too stubborn to give up and call it quits. "If I made it this far. I'll get where I'm going, for sure!" Where he was going wasn't really issue, finding others who might have food and water on them was.
His body grew so tired that he was barely able to even walk in a straight line much less stand upright. He walked in zigzags and stumbled as he went, catching hold of debris and using it as support, taking a breather before using it to get himself on his way once more. Finally when he couldn't move any longer and he allowed his body to give way under some shade. His breathing raspy and throat sore along with the dryness of his mouth all together merely added to his discomfort.
A sound behind him startled him. So used to the silence was he that he snapped his head up only to stare gawking at what had made it. Coming towards him was a great draft horse, gray with white speckles and the build showing off the perfect image of its breed the percheron. It's semi long white hair came out of it's gracefully arched neck in spiky strands. There was no form of bridle or saddle on it the but it was what sat atop of it that really caught his attention. Covered completely from head to toe in a collection of furs it was hard to tell what gender the rider was. The rider's head was covered with a wooden mask carved to look like a wolf, white fur protruding from beneath the mask's face down the rider's front, sides and back. Holes, where the wolf's eyes were supposed to be, allowed stormy eyes to gaze out at him. It was almost unsettling, looking upon them. Their depths told of a story long and hard, yet filled with past joys and found treasures of life. It left him with the sense of happiness, sadness, and thoughtfulness of times before and after of which he couldn't quite understand. Storms seemed to stir within those eyes as well. Yellow and white lightening dancing among darkened storm clouds while powerful winds blew against the giant trees on land and the great waters of the ocean. He was barely able to tear his eyes away and looked upon the scabbard that rested upon the rider's side. It was a beautiful creation with the strange designs running up and down laid in with silver. One of which he could make out as being a great horse trotting among the chaos swirling about it. Obviously the sword must have been kept in tiptop shape from the looks of the scabbard.
"Are you some kind of dream?" Timothy asked timidly, his voice hoarse in his throat, afraid that if he even breathed they would disappear like any mirage of the mind. Rider nor horse faded away. Instead the rider silently motioned for him to come nearer. When he did so, and that took some effort, the rider took out a water bottle hidden inside a bag hanging from around its waist on the opposite side of where the scabbard rested, then handed it over to him. Timothy took it without question and gulped down the water so quickly that he almost chocked himself. Gasping, he coughed a few times, then took his time drinking the rest. The rider reached its hand down to the boy, offering him to return to water bottle, or so he thought. He was about to hand it over when the hand gripped his instead and he noticed that the rider had moved his leg out of the stirrup and it wouldn't let him free of its grasp. Then he realized what it really had wanted of him.
"N-no that's alright." However the rider insisted by pulling him up and so all he could do to keep his arm from popping out of its socket was consent to its wishes and placed his foot into the stirrup. With the its help he managed to sit astride the horse behind the rider. He removed his foot and gripped the backend of the saddle, staring down at the ground below. His hold changed however, his arms holding on tightly around the rider's waist, when the horse suddenly started off.
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Kasteina stood looking down upon the pool before her, its blue light reflecting on her face as it did the room, the remainder left in dancing shadows. She reached up and took the orb on the necklace hanging around her neck into her hand.
"You worry about him?"
"Yes Unbalancer," she didn't even look up at the creature who stood beside her.
"Do not fret my child, you have done more than enough by saving him, twice as you have. Bringing him up out of the water and then filling him with your hope. Allow none of your doubts to flourish within you. Ecuge shall take good care of him."
"How is it that I am not able to be there?"
"'Tis the rule set down upon us both. The Genki's spell keeps us from entering but Ecuge has powers over storms and thus was allowed to walk among the cities. He was not effected by their spell."
The Lost Mystics and the Dream Bearer
Chapter 7: Yollani's Predicted Storm
By: The Mysterious One
The woman played with a strand of her long blue hair casting a sidelong glance at the man standing beside her. Only her personality kept her from allowing a twisted smile. He was so nervous, defiantly acting much like the humans he hated, sweating and shifting his weight, his eyes darting from side to side occasionally as he waited. Perhaps he didn't want to see their master at all, since they both knew full well what was in store for the two of them. She turned away her gaze, face blank with usual indifference, looking over the room they stood in. A stone throne like chair stood before them covered with strange carvings curling in swirls and wisps very much like disturbed mist. Flickering torches sat on either side of it, shedding light upon their faces as well as the chair. Save for the small area around the two torches the rest of the room faded into shadows, giving the impression that the room was much bigger than it really was.
The air in front of the chair shimmered then grew still as the one they had been waiting for stood regarding them for a moment then sat down straightening his robes before looking up at the two. "Kyeka, Nica, you've failed," the master of the genki spoke in a plainly manner. Nica winced slightly at this but tried to catch himself before anyone noticed.
With a small sweep of her hand, the woman bowed courteously, "It is regrettable." She agreed. "Julow's sleeping potion certainly worked on the bearer of Halo and my familiarity with the mirror elements brought about a simple double of the boy. She was easy to control however it appears that the dream bearer's friends caught on quite quickly. I had thought that her superior fighting skills would have been a match for them had they discovered our plan. However not everything is at a loss. We now know who the dream bearer is."
"But, I'm sure, they know that we know that." Nica said, trying to redeem himself.
Kyeka didn't argue, "Of course."
"Then we will have to move on. This Ryo of the Wildfire needs to be dealt with swiftly if we want to succeed in anything. I don't doubt you have another plan?" their master asked.
"Yes, if I was granted another chance." Nica replied. The sitting man raised an eyebrow ever so slightly and Kyeka looked upon Nica without any amusement in her eyes. However it probably should have been there with the knowledge she had about him. His numerous failures were beginning to wear down on his genius. It was apparent that he was beginning to snatch at anything to regain his master's faith in him.
"A storm, Master, a storm of forgetfulness." Nica smiled at his own intellection.
"A storm that could most certainly wake the mystic of natural disasters."
"Master, I know that that would sound strange to you, but I assure you that I know what I am doing. He is the one sworn to the code of stone after all. There would be little he could do to help the ronins or the mystic of dreams."
"Even the silent can kill." Kyeka stated blankly. "Those born to the code of stone should never be taken lightly."
"I am aware of their superiority among the humans in the past. However, that code died a long time ago and one lost mystic from it will do us little harm."
"If you are so eager to set forth with this plan, then do so. But let this be a warning, one more failure and you're services will no longer be needed." The master of genki stated. Nica winced inwardly at the finality of his words but bowed even though he knew perfectly well what he meant would happen to him if he failed.
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It was quiet and the skies clear with the full moon illuminating everything in it's pale light. When all of a sudden a slight nonexistent breeze stirred like a ghost across the land but the only thing that fluttered in it's breath was the window. Like a beast trying to get in, the wind paused as if thinking over how its attempt to get in had failed. Growing in strength and growling eerily, the haughty sounds clawed at the window until the latch cracked down and away, the paned glass snapping open with a crash. Then, the wind calmed to a gentle whips once more, blowing the curtains like transparent spirits floating gracefully in the air. Moonlight poured in as the darkness of the night stared at the sleeping form. His face was blank with tranquil sleep but as the cold crept inside, his eyebrows twitched while his expression changed to a slight grimace while shifting to the side, snuggling closer into his blankets for security. He was not in nightmare but he wasn't without dreams.
The dream began with him standing inside the familiar house talking to a woman, his mother, where he felt at ease. She was beautiful with her long black hair and a face engraved with kindness and understanding, both of which radiated off of her like a glowing light. Any gentle laugh sounded like a calm ocean, waves gently lapping against the shore but her expression changed at a glance. He looked out the window watching as the sky was darkened, not gray nor black but somehow both at once. A dying sun rose from the earth's horizon, brilliant red, much like the color of his armor only it was more alive. The sun acted like a rearing creature except it was nothing more than red light making a half circle starching from one side to the next as far as he could see. Energy washed from it and he felt curiosity course through him. "Mother, what is that?"
"Oh don't worry, it's a tornado. Just hold onto something. The storm will pass." Her words sounded far off and came to him as if through a tunnel even though she was only a few feet from him, typing in her office and cooking in her kitchen. Being at both places at the same time yet not in either. She didn't move from her work. He listened to what she had told him to do and gripped the corner of the wall as a gust of wind pounded against the house. The windows opened with a bang and air rushed through the room. Only a second passed and he finally opened his eyes to see that everything was just as it was before. House in order and grass swaying outside undisturbed with the city sparkling below, down the hill in the distance. However, the sky was now a clear blue.
"We've been getting a lot of those." He heard his mother say as he let go of the wall. Then darkness engulfed everything so that he saw nothing else and he rested in peace.
Ryo's eyes slowly blinked open, staring up at the ceiling above. The entire dream was fresh in his mind, even the words his mother spoke. He sat and looked around when he noticed that his armor orb wasn't on the small table beside his bed. Knelling down on his hands and knees, he moved aside the bedspread to see if it had gone underneath. Indeed it had and so he brought it out. He really didn't know how it had gotten under there but he decided to pocket it after he got dressed so that the armor orb wouldn't get lost again.
Whiteblaze and he padded down the stairs and greeted the others as they ate their morning meal. "Mia says that its going to snow today!" Yulie announced happily.
"Already?"
"Yes, and none too soon." Mia nodded. The wall had been fixed two weeks ago as the current time placed them only a week after Sage had returned.
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A glance outside showed signs of a coming storm. Whether it would be snow or rain seemed indecisive because the temperature kept changing in strange unpredictable intervals. The weather progressively got worse. Winds tore at the earth and howled eerily against the mansion for days. Then light precipitation soaked the ground in liquid form, drowning everything in the wet color of gray. White accents of the rain glancing off the outside world made the trees, grass, jeep and house alike glow in dim light. A depressing mood spread easily in times like these, even drawing out sighs. Especially when the storm dragged on with no end in sight. At least it looked like it had no intentions of stopping.
A sigh could be a description of many things. It could mean that someone is tired or that they are bored. Impatience could be a factor or even an exasperation of everything that happened. Then there was confusion that could be a cause for the intake and outtake of breath. However all these things were mixed so much together that it wasn't possible to tell them apart. That was how it was for them all as they waited and there were still too many questions even though they had some answers and even though the puzzle was beginning to come together. It was enough to drag them down as they tried to configure what was happening and why. Every one of them was becoming edgy with the inactivity from the Genki. What was going to happen next? Exactly what were they planning? It could almost be anything from what the ronins had already seen. Evidently the Genki wanted the Dream Bearer dead. Sage figured they knew who the lost mystic of dreams was by now and no one else doubted him. Therefore they were watchful for what could possibly happen to Ryo.
During this time of being drawn rather close together, as the entire group was now stuck inside during the strange outside weather conditions, everyone had their own way of combating boredom but none was so easy to entertain as the new ally in the ronin group. Kasteina was bit by bit becoming one of them as her speech and personality blossomed from her clumsiness as she learned how to act. Although still a little bit awkward the girl was a quick learner and she knew how to correctly pronounce many words. She now sounded more like an alien to Japan trying to speak Japanese with little bits and pieces instead of someone who didn't know how to speak Japanese at all because that was the impression she seemed to give them before. Naturally a friendship formed between Mia and her and Kento kept up his bantering on Cye whenever he caught Kasteina and him together by themselves. This improved all their spirits as Cye was seen running after his friend trying to get him to quiet down and leave them alone.
Then something unexpected happened. The rain suddenly stopped. A dead silence followed in it's wake and the world stood by at ill ease. Cye could feel it pounding him. He sensed the waters surrounding Japan stir and churn, gathering and preparing and he voiced his concern. "Something big is going to happen. I don't know what, but it's going to happen soon."
And indeed it did.
Cye was sitting outside near the house in the calm when it occurred. Chewing absently on a strip of rhubarb he looked up when he heard a rushing sound. His eyes widened, jumping quickly to his feet and dashed inside. "Guys! Guys! There's a tsunami heading this way!"
"Nani!?" (What!?) However, none of them could do anything as they tried to search their minds, thinking what they would have to do about the situation. The whole thing happened so quickly that they took another breath and it was upon them. Swirling masses of water gushing through broken windows with such force that it swept them all off their feet. Creaky walls collapsed in relenting groans was the last thing he heard and saw in the confusion before the bubbling swirls of water covered Cye's eyesight, taking him under. Struggling, the boy tried to get to the top, attempting to gain some advantage over the strong currents dragging him down but they were ruthless. A single thought barely occurred to him at the last minute, "Trust." Some light-blue glow emitted from his body and sub- armor surrounded Cye. However, he got no farther when his lungs burned from lack of oxygen, begging him to breath air that wasn't there.
The darkness that surrounded him for some time began to grow grayish then blue as his eyes slowly fluttered open. In the beginning he was somewhat faint and muddled and thought he was seeing things yet time taught him better. A gentle hand touched his cheek calmly and the soft lips pressing against his caused a tingle to run through him. The type that made the ronin surprised and at ease at the same time. His awakener pulled back and smiled kindly, blonde hair almost shimmering like silver as the light filtering through the water struck the swaying locks floating suspended around her face. Cye blinked and stared at the girl, the possibility that this was a dream crossing his mind. She just continued smiling, taking his arm and pulling him along until darkness overtook him once more.
Then he woke up and found himself lying on the soft sand, the cool wet feeling of water lapping against his side. It was the water that had finally brought him around. Pushing up with his elbows he got a better look about him and realized that he was on a beach, various wreckage strewn here and there. Confused, wet, and cold, the boy was able to sit there shivering and trying to understand what had happened. Soon it occurred to him that he should probably get moving and find some kind of shelter if not warmth.
Getting to his feet was a rather slow process, his shaken, weak legs weren't of any help to him at all. Nevertheless he stood and made his way inland. There he walked among the remains of once proud standing buildings, a crushed car buried beneath a large slab of cement over here and a shattered chair over there. The sight of tattered cloth blowing in a slight breeze caught his attention but when he went over to investigate, the boy quickly recoiled. The bloodied hand hidden beneath the cloth made him feel woozy. "What happened."
He had no recollection of any events that took place before he awoke on the beach. Then he remembered the scene underneath the ocean waters. "That had to be a dream," the boy shook his head in denial, casting aside the image as if it had been a part of a dream. Yet for all the life left in him he couldn't figure out where he was or what had taken place. He didn't even know who he was for that matter. Sighing in hopelessness as well as fatigue, he staggered on without really knowing where his destination was. All he wanted at the moment was something over his head. Someplace where he could sink to his knees and fall into his weariness, forgetting everything around him just for a moments rest full of a peace he so strongly longed for.
His wish became true. When, he couldn't remember, as all time seemed to stretch on. One minute was the same as the one before it: full of exhausting meanderings through the seaside city that once existed there. However, he finally found a place where some of the destruction actually created a shielding overhang. Slumping down, he arranged his arms and legs close to his body to preserve body heat and let himself be taken away by those who steal people off to the land of sleep. Sometimes they would bring dreams, even for those who's souls were weary with confusion. For once though, they were kind and left the boy to his empty slumber, no pictures were painted in his mind that day.
It was later, when the sun was sinking below the horizon that he woke. His whole body ached with stiffness from sleeping on the hard ground. He tried to ignore it as he crawled out from his resting place and got to his feet, blinking at the beauty sketched against the sky before him. But it was a sad kind of beauty hinging on the edges of the torn land, strung with ruin and devoid of all life. A sense of loneliness and dread fell prey upon the boy as he stared out across the seemingly listless world. He longed for companionship and it didn't matter to him who it was. Just as long as he wouldn't have to live with the despair that was catching and dragging him down with it in the pit of his stomach. The need to talk was strong, the will to find that there was indeed someone else out there and that he wasn't the only survivor of whatever had wrought its wrath upon this place. But there was no one. He was alone and probably would be for the rest of his life. This realization struck, slowly it had been chipped away at his being even while he held onto what little hope he could muster but now it was so obvious that he found himself sinking to his knees, tears springing in his eyes. Weeping, he threw his arms over his face and bent over so that his head touched the ground.
He cried until he had no more tears left in him and in his misery he forced himself to get up. Deep within him he felt a strange iron resolve, a new sense of strength welled up that surprised him greatly. He wasn't going to sit around feeling sorry for himself, he was going to go and search for others. There had to be someone else out there. There just had to be. If he died trying to find them, then at least he had a reason to live out the days he had left. With this new self-resolution he decided that perhaps he should start out by finding some food first.
Turning, he looked about him and tried to decipher where the best place to begin his search would be. Everything looked pretty much the same so he just started forwards and trudged along. It didn't look like he would find anything, he might end up dying of starvation! He shook this aside and tried not to think of it. The boy believed he would find food. What if he met up with someone? What would he say? He wasn't able to retain any information of what had happened, not even his own name. Well he would take care of that. What kind of name did he feel like having? Pausing, he glanced down into some broken shards of a mirror and caught the auburn hair and sea blue eyes staring back at him in the pieces. Tom? No, he didn't look like a Tom. How about Timothy? Why was he coming up with T names anyway? He shrugged, it did not matter to him. Timothy sounded okay. "Hello, my name's Timothy," the newly named boy found himself saying to the air, extending a hand to shake the invisible one before him. He almost laughed at his game.
It soon faded and his expression changed to one of sorrow and longing, the hand dropping to his side limply, "I hope there are other people. I don't want to be all by myself for the rest of my life." Shaking off the thought he continued on. He needed to find food just as much as he needed to find company.
There really wasn't much to be found in the end. All he had been able to collect was a candy bar and a somewhat over ripened apricot. "Well it's better than nothing," and he ate the food with zealous, not minding in the least the rather sticky hands he ended up with. He found a puddle and rinsed his hands off there, wiping them on his pants to dry them.
"Now, to find someone else." Timothy started off on his quest once more. There seemed to be no end to the disorder scattered about him however he was able to find some remains of a blanket and a few other utensils, including a pot and a canteen. Stopping at the nearest spot he could find what he thought to be decent water he filled it then went onwards. When night threatened to overtake him, he tried to find anything burnable that wasn't still wet but was rather unsuccessful. So the boy ended up sitting against a standing wall and spreading his blanket over him.
He stared up at the starlit sky. Although alone, he was very hopeful of what was before him. Timothy didn't know why he felt so certain of these things when he hadn't found any signs of life yet. Even so he decided that it was better to hold onto this new found hope than to allow himself to fall amongst the disheartening imaginings of living a forlorn life. He was taken into sleep but this time is wasn't restless and weary like before.
The next day was spent pretty much in the same manner however he wasn't as successful with finding any food and most of the water in his canteen was gone by afternoon. The boy wasn't about to let himself starve to death but he rationed his drink until he was able to find some more. Overhead the sun beat down relentlessly, sky clear showing no signs of any storm ever existing. This made traveling harder since there wasn't even a breeze to cool him down. Never did it occur to him that it was supposed to be winter. However, retrieving dry driftwood was easier and he was able to build a fire that evening. He hoped to find some food, he could survive a few days without it but that day's heat had become a problem. If it continued and he didn't refill his canteen he would be in big trouble. The lack of both necessities would most certainly bear down on him later on. Snuggling up near his fire in the chill of the night, he decided that tomorrow's top priorities would be to find those two things.
Yet morning brought him no closer to any food nor any water sources and so he had to plug on, his body becoming weak from dehydration. Still the sun shown down without mercy. Things were beginning to look bleak for him as time went on, one day blending into the other until he lost count but he went on anyway. Too stubborn to give up and call it quits. "If I made it this far. I'll get where I'm going, for sure!" Where he was going wasn't really issue, finding others who might have food and water on them was.
His body grew so tired that he was barely able to even walk in a straight line much less stand upright. He walked in zigzags and stumbled as he went, catching hold of debris and using it as support, taking a breather before using it to get himself on his way once more. Finally when he couldn't move any longer and he allowed his body to give way under some shade. His breathing raspy and throat sore along with the dryness of his mouth all together merely added to his discomfort.
A sound behind him startled him. So used to the silence was he that he snapped his head up only to stare gawking at what had made it. Coming towards him was a great draft horse, gray with white speckles and the build showing off the perfect image of its breed the percheron. It's semi long white hair came out of it's gracefully arched neck in spiky strands. There was no form of bridle or saddle on it the but it was what sat atop of it that really caught his attention. Covered completely from head to toe in a collection of furs it was hard to tell what gender the rider was. The rider's head was covered with a wooden mask carved to look like a wolf, white fur protruding from beneath the mask's face down the rider's front, sides and back. Holes, where the wolf's eyes were supposed to be, allowed stormy eyes to gaze out at him. It was almost unsettling, looking upon them. Their depths told of a story long and hard, yet filled with past joys and found treasures of life. It left him with the sense of happiness, sadness, and thoughtfulness of times before and after of which he couldn't quite understand. Storms seemed to stir within those eyes as well. Yellow and white lightening dancing among darkened storm clouds while powerful winds blew against the giant trees on land and the great waters of the ocean. He was barely able to tear his eyes away and looked upon the scabbard that rested upon the rider's side. It was a beautiful creation with the strange designs running up and down laid in with silver. One of which he could make out as being a great horse trotting among the chaos swirling about it. Obviously the sword must have been kept in tiptop shape from the looks of the scabbard.
"Are you some kind of dream?" Timothy asked timidly, his voice hoarse in his throat, afraid that if he even breathed they would disappear like any mirage of the mind. Rider nor horse faded away. Instead the rider silently motioned for him to come nearer. When he did so, and that took some effort, the rider took out a water bottle hidden inside a bag hanging from around its waist on the opposite side of where the scabbard rested, then handed it over to him. Timothy took it without question and gulped down the water so quickly that he almost chocked himself. Gasping, he coughed a few times, then took his time drinking the rest. The rider reached its hand down to the boy, offering him to return to water bottle, or so he thought. He was about to hand it over when the hand gripped his instead and he noticed that the rider had moved his leg out of the stirrup and it wouldn't let him free of its grasp. Then he realized what it really had wanted of him.
"N-no that's alright." However the rider insisted by pulling him up and so all he could do to keep his arm from popping out of its socket was consent to its wishes and placed his foot into the stirrup. With the its help he managed to sit astride the horse behind the rider. He removed his foot and gripped the backend of the saddle, staring down at the ground below. His hold changed however, his arms holding on tightly around the rider's waist, when the horse suddenly started off.
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Kasteina stood looking down upon the pool before her, its blue light reflecting on her face as it did the room, the remainder left in dancing shadows. She reached up and took the orb on the necklace hanging around her neck into her hand.
"You worry about him?"
"Yes Unbalancer," she didn't even look up at the creature who stood beside her.
"Do not fret my child, you have done more than enough by saving him, twice as you have. Bringing him up out of the water and then filling him with your hope. Allow none of your doubts to flourish within you. Ecuge shall take good care of him."
"How is it that I am not able to be there?"
"'Tis the rule set down upon us both. The Genki's spell keeps us from entering but Ecuge has powers over storms and thus was allowed to walk among the cities. He was not effected by their spell."
