This is 12,000 later after LoD, (just making that clear).
Now the Endless is in its Dark Age, Knowledge, Religion, and Social order
gone and destroyed in The Great War that occurred 108 years ago. It left
the economy in disaster and countless families became orphan's.
Men live in fear of one of each other. Ignorance, hungry with greed as well
as in the stomach rules Man's instinct and makes him ruthless. The
overpopulated Endless lost half its people in The Great War, since than
less and less people live each day.
Zakyu: Sounds like some weird twisted thing you would write.
Muslima: ~_~ Your right.
Zakyu: I'm always right.
Muslima: Pots an' Panz? [fire in her eye] Or thee do disclaimer (accent)
Zakyu: Mercy! We don't own LoD and we don't make any Moolah!
____________________________________________________________________________ _______________
~I can't let her die~
Tired copper liquid fire eyes flashed open. The owner to those unusual eyes wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She warily looked to the sickly girl. The girl cheeks, which were tanned, were turning paler and paler every second. A paleness which was inhuman. The healer was breathing hard, and sweat beaded her white skin, she was also turning pale.
~I might...DIE~
It was human it always think about ones own safety first, an instinct. The healer put the selfish thought away.
~Yasmine would have not thought of herself, she would have gladly given her life for you and she is the only friend you ever had. She is a child!~
The healer then took out a violet-colored stone. She held the stone in the palm of her hand feeling a warmth of darkness through out her body. She had closed her eyes holding the hand of the girl.
***
I closed my eyes putting myself in deep concretion. I was going through the hand. I planed to go to the heart first to see where the darkness came from. The darkness of death. I could sense the darkness already spending to the hand; I didn't have much time. I came to the heart. It was already weakening. I touch the darkness it was the only way. Its coldness was overwhelming. I put the rest of my energy, my magic, my memories of a fallen love and my anger, my fuel for sadness, anger and despair, my strength, my shell, my sanity, into the body's soul and brain. If I didn't the girl's body wouldn't recover. I was drained. No, I was mute. The only thing I could think of was to let Yasmine live with one memory of how to do it. Weakly I woke up. The darkness that was now in my body made me want to sleep. I wanted to die. Ah, the sweet warmness of death. The only thing that could hold me up was my strength of will, however I knew even that could just postpone what The All Mighty wrote for me. I got up and circled around the girl's bed seven times praying to take my life and not hers as I had seen a mother do for her child. My life of 23,000 years was done.
***
The healer fell to the floor, died. And in the girl's hand was the violet- colored gem.
~~~10 years Later. Emerald Forest
The cloaked figure walked from behind a tree and into a clearing. In the clearing there was a large inn.
***
I looked up, Wind, my tiny falcon, was correct about there being humans here. He circled around the inn once then landed on my gloved hand that stuck out of the cloak I wore. I gave him the treat he was expecting. I looked up at the inn it was two stories high. It seemed to glow in the darkness of the night. I decided to resume my travels in the morning when bandits and thieves would not be so bold; I would stay in the inn. When I entered, I brought the cold night wind as well as my presence that always had a weird affect on people. As I expected, I felt gazes of question and wonder. With my sharp ears I heard people mutter of Wind and me. I sat quietly at the bar and as I taught Wind, he stayed quite. For a while the air seemed heavy, the people hesitated to speak but soon enough the people began talk as if I never came in. I looked around about fifteen people were here. Many people for an inn that was in the middle of a huge forest. If this was one of its slow nights then I knew a merchant would be nearby. As I suspected there was a merchant. I bought some herbs. I had been to this forest before I knew the tactics of the local fiends; most were venomous, the first time I came to this forest I had to do cupping, I didn't want to do it again. The merchant shop was 1/4th of a mile from the inn. I went there I finished my business with the merchant and was heading back to the inn, that's when I heard the noise.
***
"You better get away or you'll get-" A female voice.
"Or what?" interrupted a brute, drunk male voice. "Don't worry we'll get what we want."
*Snickering* ~More than one man.~
"You asked for it!" said the female, her voice full of bravery.
Wing and his master came from behind a bush near a tiny waterfall that lend to a very shallow stream. The girl threw something that total missed the huge brute that loom over her. Wing made a screech; the thing that the girl threw which was now recognized as boomerang almost hit him where he was flying. The five men that laughed at the helpless girl were too drunk to notice Wind. However, the boomerang turned around, Wind's master just lifted an eyebrow and easily dodged it. Wind landed on the shoulder of his master as the boomerang hit the brute on the head and knocked him out. Two of the men were servants, holding lanterns. The other three were probably close friends; two tried to lift their knock out friend, the other looked angrily at the girl who gulped. Wind hawked which made a huge noise in the night air.
~I agree, Wind, this is enough.~
"Ghost!!" yelled the ignorant servant who dropped his lantern and ran away.
The others also looked where the hawk came from. The last servant raised his lantern. Nothing could be seen. One of the friends grunted, the nicely dressed one.
"There is nothing, now get the girl!" The nicely dressed one commanded.
The girl was just scrambling up, trying to get away as fast as possible. The older of the three started running after her, even in his drunken state he ran fast. However something stopped him in his tracks and threw him into a tree.
~Too easy.~
The two remaining men ran. The cloaked figure grabbed the servant and the nicely dressed man and threw them both into the shallow stream. The cloaked figure let the nicely dressed man run and escaped into the woods.
~A noble, the fiends will finish him off.~
The servant weakly got up, he had landed on a rock. He instantly fell down and made a small splash when he realized what was before him, the cloaked figure. The figure bend down face to face with servant, the weak current of the stream tugging on the cloak but in vain tugging, having no effect on the strong being. He looked into the hood that faced him.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
Darkness so intense it was bright.
***
~Darkness.~
~That's all I could remember. Perhaps fear was the only thing that kept me from passing out. Noise pounded into my ears. My face flushed, I felt I had an overwhelming fever. The noise from the stream I sat in rushed into my ears pounding harder then ever. Was I breathing? Did I care?~ ~Darkness.~
~That darkness burned into my eyes.~
***
The man passed out before the cloaked figure.
"Wow!" said the girl her eyes full of awe. "That was awesome! And the way you threw that awful man into the tree, and the way you threw those men into the water." The girl continued to calculate and record every millisecond.
~A talker, was I ever like this?!~
The girl was still talking.
~Does she ever stop?~
Wind landed on the shoulder of his master, his intellect eyes filled with bewilderment. He had never met a human that talked so much; he was use to his silent master.
Suddenly the girl stopped her eyes twinkling. The twinkling of romance and mischief. She gazed upon the hood that hide the face.
"May I have the honor of knowing thee name?" She asked putting her hands behind her back.
~Is she flirting with me? *Metal laugh*~
"Yasmine." The first word Yasmine spoke to the girl, a voice void of expression. She took off the hood to reveal a face.
The girl tried to look at the face. And even when there was almost a full moon Yasmine seem to be in shadow as if shadows clenched to her.
However, the girl didn't know that weather in free will or not shadows were bond to Yasmine. In despair, sadness, happiness and that she had long ago stopped fighting it.
Despite the darkness the girl seem to make out Yasmine's features as best as she could. A full bottom lip, sharp intellect eyes, long bangs at each side of the face curved hiding her cheeks so you couldn't tell if she high cheek bones or not, sharp face and a straight nose. The girl caught one more thing the hair, it was long and flowing however what was surprising was how dark it was. It seemed to blend with the darkness of the night.
There was something so familiar about her...
"Starring is rude."
The girl was surprised at the voice. It sounded as if Yasmine didn't talk much, looking at her now she didn't doubt that.
Yasmine was thinking the girl would be embarrassed and talk less. (Wishful thinking.)
"You're a ... Girl!"
"Genius." Replied Yasmine in a dry voice. ~I am going to have a headache tonight~
"And you did that?!" The girl continued, ignoring her comment pointing to two remaining unconscious men "What are you, 20? And- Wow, your tall what are you like...6 feet or something?"
"What are you, 14? And I am not a giant, I am 5'10"." Yasmine snapped.
"Where's my alkan (manners)? My name is Ickye." Ickye said in a calmer voice. "What is the flacon's name?" she asked trying to be friendly and start a conversion.
~Alkan? Haven't hear that since the Great War.~
A gust of wind blew and it whispered, 'Wind' beside Ickye's ear. She felt suddenly dazed and very tried.
"Did you say that?" asked Ickye, flashing out of it, blinking. She suddenly felt unnerved the hairs on the back if her neck roused.
"What." Yasmine asked lifting an eyebrow. Her voice was flat however the curiosity in her eye betrayed her.
"N-nothing," she slammered "nothing at all." She said in calmer voice that sounded deep in thought.
"I wanted to get some information from that servant but it seems both men will be taking a long nap." Yasmine continued "Was there a reason they were after you or was just a lustful event?"
*Silence*
~Too bad I was curious what a noble and some servants were doing with bandits~
Chilling breezes were blowing. The old moon became brighter and the tapestry of stars shined brightest against the velvety darkness. Cold wind brought snow and the clouds block the light of the moon as well the stars. Young trees were common in this forest, during the Great War before Yasmine's time; there was a great battle the clash of magic and The Monster's, made the trees grow abnormally slow and in some cases evil. The thick yet short trees of the forest whispered in the wind.
~"Every soul is precious"~
The effect of that quote was immediate.
"The night is no longer young, if you have nowhere to go you are welcomed to come with me." Behind her stone mask, even Yasmine was surprised at her own kind words.
~Perhaps there is still some of my true self yet~
Yasmine put on her hood and started walking off leaving the men.
Ickye was somewhat surprised at the words, however she followed this 'Yasmine' something told her that she could trust this human. For the rest of the way, she stayed quite. She paid no attention to the cold the weather that seemed like a holiday to what she was use to although she had a thin long white dress. She was in one of her rare (very rare) deep-in-thought moods.
Coldness touched Yasmine's exposed cheeks, lips and nose. Her nose felt frozen but she could still smell.
***
A horrible, foul, spine tingling odor- somehow it always surprises me. I guess none could get use to it- it struck me.
***
~The smell of death and blood~
There was a thin layer of snow on the ground now. Ickye listened to her steps, light and quick. Then Yasmin's, quick yet never pressing enough on the snow to make tracks that the falling snow would not erase. She looked at wonder to Yasmin's shoes. White fur. She knew that texture but could not pin point what it was. She tried to observe her new companion but the cloak hid everything, like the shell Yasmin had around her. Ickye was so busy thinking she didn't see Yasmin stop in front of her and bump into her.
"We are here." Ickye looked to where there was a large inn.
~~~ Later that night
***
My nose kept recalling that horrible odor. Why? I did not know. Wind was on my shoulder, my only friend and yet even to him I hesitated to speak of my pain.
***
Yasmine was on the balcony looking up at the stars; the thick snowy clouds didn't cover a part of the sky. Snow softy fell. Ickye was humming a tuneless tune back in the room, however she was so loud you could here her outside. Yasmine for a moment wondered to herself how the neighboring rooms could stand it, but then again most were probably already asleep; it was very late when they reached the inn. Unknowingly, Yasmine started talking to herself.
~Why did it have to be me?~
~Your being stupid, with regret comes pain~
~I must be strong. I am the Dark Dragoon I have no feelings, I must not have feelings they make one weak.~
~But you are only human.~ Wind interrupted Yasmine's thoughts.
Yasmine stayed silent. She could sense Wind realizing he had interrupted one of her very private conversions between herself. And had thought he had upset her in doing so. However, Yasmine always reasoned with herself that being upset and exposing ones anger would not help the future, it always made it worst. Nevertheless, the next thing had surprised Wind.
~No, I am not ONLY human I am a dragoon too.~
And that was the end of the conversation.
Ickye pop up beside Yasmine.
***
"Are you OK?" I asked. I looked at her eyes, such a black purple; they were beautiful however they were so deep it seemed like an abyss. Yasmine turned from me. No answer, I guess she took it as a statement.
She sat her elbows on the railing hugging herself, glazing her dark unreadable eyes across the forest. Her nose kept flaring up as if she could smell something I could not.
"Come on don't be so moody." I said. Her lips were still in that slight frown.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Some things are my affairs and mine alone." She said not even turning to me. Now I have short temper, but I kept it down and took a deep breath. I deiced to start anew.
"Doesn't your bird hurt you when you don't have a glove?" I asked pointing to the bird feet, which on them were talons, which were on her shoulder.
"You shouldn't put gloves between friends, anyway he doesn't hurt me," Yasmine replied flatly and plainly. I mistook her words I thought she was trying to make me feel inferior.
"So your what's your bird's name," and I do not know what came over me but I blurted out "-Wind". It sounded more like a statement more than a question.
Now she turned around. "How did you know?" There was actually the sound of question in her voice.
Taken aback by her sudden interest in me, I slammered "U-uh, I aye- guessed!" She looked it me with at glint in her eye that told me she didn't buy it.
"Because of the wind." I explained in a calmer voice. I looked down so she didn't see me lying, I was never a good liar. ~ Yeah she really going to believe you ~ I mocked at myself. But Yasmine didn't say anything, I was surprised at that. There was an odd silence, however Yasmine seem it enjoy it, she was deep in thought. It just made me bored.
***
"Is it ironic," Yasmine stated softy almost to herself "that I was born a Gemini?" There was a deep yet distant pain in her voice as if it came from the darkest depths of her soul.
Flashback~
That smell...
It was burn into my mind long ago.
Opened eyes...
I blinked my dark thick lashes but they not black anymore.
Blood everywhere...
Blood on my hands like the sins I did that would never wash away.
A Dark place...
Not the warm confronting darkness- this darkness was cold like... death.
Black water trying to grab me, grabbing the shore like one trying to grab on to life...
All those people that I had killed.
Endless horizons...
Empty, numb, void; that is the way I felt. I had no hope.
Not day, not night...
Empty, numb, void; that is the way this place felt. This place was of no hope.
Black clouds above me yet never raining...
I was not died. Those words echoed into my mind.
I wasn't died. It took me a moment to realize the reality of these words. Finally the blow came. 11,000 years of pain, death, sadness, madness burned and burned into my body, I burst. I looked around nothing to destroy. I screamed. I screamed of anger, gilt- of everything that had slow eaten my soul. I cared not if someone saw me. I fell down salty tears rolling down my cheeks burning my scratches as I beaten my bloodily firsts and knuckles against what I knew was not earth.
*End of Flashback*
"Yasmine?"
Yasmine had flash out of her daydream as fast as had in. ~ Where had that come from? It felt so real. ~ and yet Yasmine's face was like stone.
"YASMINE!" yelled the loud and obnoxious voice. "You know I am still here-"
Yasmine turned around to see a girl as tall as a ten-year-old. She had a semi-mature face, which made her look a little older but even that looked innocent. Very large round light sky-blue eyes stared up on her. And light white hair that slightly shined a soft blue.
"Meru?" The name left Yasmine's lip's however, not with her voice. She clapped her mouth with her hand.
~Oh no! It's happening again!~
"Meru? I'm not Meru-," Ickye stopped for a moment thinking than continued talking. "Hey! Meru is one of my Ancestors! Have you been to the Wingly Glacier?"
Yasmine's eyes held a lively glance, alien to her dark, moody personality. "The Wingly Glacier? Winglys live in glaciers too? Are they the race of Winglys that have the gift of sight?" Yasmine asked.
"Yes," her voice held disappointment for not meeting someone that had seen her homeland. "I sort of miss it now."
Yasmine looked away. She didn't want Ickye to see the hope in her eye. She had been looking for this for this for a long time, before her time- Rose's time for her memories existed as her own. ~Maybe I won't have to be alone anymore.~ but she quickly brushed the thought away. "Why did you leave?"
"I'm looking for a certain someone- would you happen to know a Dragoon?"
"Yes," Wind shot a hard questioning stair at Yasmine as she took out a black stone, "because I am one."
*** ~Ickye~ next Morning
What had woken me up? Was it afternoon yet? That's when I usually woke up. Was it a bad dream? I had many of them now. Did Faro or Sago put something icky in my bed again? Or maybe it was the cold wind. Wait! There was never wind in The Glacier, only a still coolness. I opened my heavy eyes but something made them fast and alert. I looked around my mind was in utter confusion. Dark wooden walls and the uncomfortable springy bed were alien to me. Then I looked at the looking glass that was on the wall nearest to me.
"Zakyu." Suddenly, all the memories came at a rush. Yasmine had saved me from those awful men. If I ever saw them again I would rip them to pieces! What cowards they are attacking me from the behind like that! But I knew why they attacked me they wanted this, in my hand held a blue gem. I put the thoughts aside it was never good to start the morning with bad thoughts. 'What is the beginning shall be the end.' Dora had drilled into my thick skull countless of times. Who knew I would need her seemly useless words at a time like this?
I never knew she was talking about death.
I looked at the next cot, nothing. Where was Yasmine? I guessed it was about two hours before sunrise. Yasmine wouldn't be up this time would she? How would I know, I only just met her. Wait! What was I doing up so early?! I should rest! ^_^ A breeze blow. I wasn't cold however just curious. I got up.
~Curse me, I can't go to sleep when I need to~ -_- *Sigh*
The breeze came from a door that lead to the balcony, it was open. I looked outside there was Yasmine in the same position I saw she last night. Her back was faced toward me and 'Wind' was on her shoulder, they were not moving, were they died? I doubted it and hoped not, this feeling surprised me. All I knew is that Yasmine was anti-social yet I felt if I could trust her. ~Maybe I can! After all she did save me, she is a dragoon and promised to help me last night so I should be nice, I guess.~
I continued to think pondering if I should ask if they were all right, I would need to think before I would do anything while around this mysterious woman. ~Thinking is too hard! Just go ask her Ickye! Why are you hesitating!~ Just because I felt I could trust her did not mean I felt comfortable around her.
The thick clouds were still in the sky, shining red, reflecting the raising sun's color. It looked eerie with the sky full of clouds no sun at all and the only way you could tell a sun existed was the color the sun reflected off it, red.
I breathed in cold air. I started walking as soundlessly as I could toward Yasmine. I leaded my elbows on the rail. I looked up at her. Her eyes were frizzy and looked in a dazed state. Her cheeks didn't have a slight blush at all, her face just looked paler, if that was possible. Was she sick? No. I could at least sense that much. Snow was on Yasmine's dark-like night hair, the snow being the stars. She look... I tried to find I word. Lost. Lost of time and all that was around her, but of course that was my option. Weird and unconformable I felt around her, maybe it was because I knew so little about her.
~~~
"What do you want?" Yasmine asked with a sharp end to her voice. Ickye flinched, surprised. Ickye looked up; Yasmine's eyes were clearly dark and sharp now.
"What, does thy own thee rail that I cannot lean on it?" Ickye mad at the unwelcome.
"What? Did I ask about the rail? Are you now saying I cannot ask a question? " The way Yasmine had twisted her words and the calmness in her voice made Ickye even madder. However, Ickye had nothing to say back.
Heavy silence filled the air. Finally...
"You better get dress." Yasmine said, loosening the sharpness in her voice Ickye heard earlier. She started walking off. Ickye followed like a child being scold. "And," said Yasmine turning around with her heel shiftly, with no expression on her face "if you do not want to stick out like a swore thumb you better fix your Common. Your quite obvious." With Ickye red in the face, she left.
~How did she know Common was my second language? How much does she know about me...does she know anything about Zakyu?~
Suddenly, something just flashed in Ickye's mind. She felt sick.
"Those boots," she whispered in her mother tongue "they are made out of wolf fur."
~~~
Muslima: Hehehe! My first LoD fic!
Zakyu: We can tell.
Muslima: Shut up!
Zakyu: Ah, *O* did I hurt someone's feelings? (Teasing)
Muslima: (wholes up a pot) Do Not get me started Zakyu! 8O [suddenly smiling] well, please review!
Please tell me what YOU want to see. What style of writing YOU like. In addition, YOUR ideas, Your review and time [that you spend on it] will be greatly appreciated.
Zakyu: Sounds like some weird twisted thing you would write.
Muslima: ~_~ Your right.
Zakyu: I'm always right.
Muslima: Pots an' Panz? [fire in her eye] Or thee do disclaimer (accent)
Zakyu: Mercy! We don't own LoD and we don't make any Moolah!
____________________________________________________________________________ _______________
~I can't let her die~
Tired copper liquid fire eyes flashed open. The owner to those unusual eyes wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She warily looked to the sickly girl. The girl cheeks, which were tanned, were turning paler and paler every second. A paleness which was inhuman. The healer was breathing hard, and sweat beaded her white skin, she was also turning pale.
~I might...DIE~
It was human it always think about ones own safety first, an instinct. The healer put the selfish thought away.
~Yasmine would have not thought of herself, she would have gladly given her life for you and she is the only friend you ever had. She is a child!~
The healer then took out a violet-colored stone. She held the stone in the palm of her hand feeling a warmth of darkness through out her body. She had closed her eyes holding the hand of the girl.
***
I closed my eyes putting myself in deep concretion. I was going through the hand. I planed to go to the heart first to see where the darkness came from. The darkness of death. I could sense the darkness already spending to the hand; I didn't have much time. I came to the heart. It was already weakening. I touch the darkness it was the only way. Its coldness was overwhelming. I put the rest of my energy, my magic, my memories of a fallen love and my anger, my fuel for sadness, anger and despair, my strength, my shell, my sanity, into the body's soul and brain. If I didn't the girl's body wouldn't recover. I was drained. No, I was mute. The only thing I could think of was to let Yasmine live with one memory of how to do it. Weakly I woke up. The darkness that was now in my body made me want to sleep. I wanted to die. Ah, the sweet warmness of death. The only thing that could hold me up was my strength of will, however I knew even that could just postpone what The All Mighty wrote for me. I got up and circled around the girl's bed seven times praying to take my life and not hers as I had seen a mother do for her child. My life of 23,000 years was done.
***
The healer fell to the floor, died. And in the girl's hand was the violet- colored gem.
~~~10 years Later. Emerald Forest
The cloaked figure walked from behind a tree and into a clearing. In the clearing there was a large inn.
***
I looked up, Wind, my tiny falcon, was correct about there being humans here. He circled around the inn once then landed on my gloved hand that stuck out of the cloak I wore. I gave him the treat he was expecting. I looked up at the inn it was two stories high. It seemed to glow in the darkness of the night. I decided to resume my travels in the morning when bandits and thieves would not be so bold; I would stay in the inn. When I entered, I brought the cold night wind as well as my presence that always had a weird affect on people. As I expected, I felt gazes of question and wonder. With my sharp ears I heard people mutter of Wind and me. I sat quietly at the bar and as I taught Wind, he stayed quite. For a while the air seemed heavy, the people hesitated to speak but soon enough the people began talk as if I never came in. I looked around about fifteen people were here. Many people for an inn that was in the middle of a huge forest. If this was one of its slow nights then I knew a merchant would be nearby. As I suspected there was a merchant. I bought some herbs. I had been to this forest before I knew the tactics of the local fiends; most were venomous, the first time I came to this forest I had to do cupping, I didn't want to do it again. The merchant shop was 1/4th of a mile from the inn. I went there I finished my business with the merchant and was heading back to the inn, that's when I heard the noise.
***
"You better get away or you'll get-" A female voice.
"Or what?" interrupted a brute, drunk male voice. "Don't worry we'll get what we want."
*Snickering* ~More than one man.~
"You asked for it!" said the female, her voice full of bravery.
Wing and his master came from behind a bush near a tiny waterfall that lend to a very shallow stream. The girl threw something that total missed the huge brute that loom over her. Wing made a screech; the thing that the girl threw which was now recognized as boomerang almost hit him where he was flying. The five men that laughed at the helpless girl were too drunk to notice Wind. However, the boomerang turned around, Wind's master just lifted an eyebrow and easily dodged it. Wind landed on the shoulder of his master as the boomerang hit the brute on the head and knocked him out. Two of the men were servants, holding lanterns. The other three were probably close friends; two tried to lift their knock out friend, the other looked angrily at the girl who gulped. Wind hawked which made a huge noise in the night air.
~I agree, Wind, this is enough.~
"Ghost!!" yelled the ignorant servant who dropped his lantern and ran away.
The others also looked where the hawk came from. The last servant raised his lantern. Nothing could be seen. One of the friends grunted, the nicely dressed one.
"There is nothing, now get the girl!" The nicely dressed one commanded.
The girl was just scrambling up, trying to get away as fast as possible. The older of the three started running after her, even in his drunken state he ran fast. However something stopped him in his tracks and threw him into a tree.
~Too easy.~
The two remaining men ran. The cloaked figure grabbed the servant and the nicely dressed man and threw them both into the shallow stream. The cloaked figure let the nicely dressed man run and escaped into the woods.
~A noble, the fiends will finish him off.~
The servant weakly got up, he had landed on a rock. He instantly fell down and made a small splash when he realized what was before him, the cloaked figure. The figure bend down face to face with servant, the weak current of the stream tugging on the cloak but in vain tugging, having no effect on the strong being. He looked into the hood that faced him.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
Darkness so intense it was bright.
***
~Darkness.~
~That's all I could remember. Perhaps fear was the only thing that kept me from passing out. Noise pounded into my ears. My face flushed, I felt I had an overwhelming fever. The noise from the stream I sat in rushed into my ears pounding harder then ever. Was I breathing? Did I care?~ ~Darkness.~
~That darkness burned into my eyes.~
***
The man passed out before the cloaked figure.
"Wow!" said the girl her eyes full of awe. "That was awesome! And the way you threw that awful man into the tree, and the way you threw those men into the water." The girl continued to calculate and record every millisecond.
~A talker, was I ever like this?!~
The girl was still talking.
~Does she ever stop?~
Wind landed on the shoulder of his master, his intellect eyes filled with bewilderment. He had never met a human that talked so much; he was use to his silent master.
Suddenly the girl stopped her eyes twinkling. The twinkling of romance and mischief. She gazed upon the hood that hide the face.
"May I have the honor of knowing thee name?" She asked putting her hands behind her back.
~Is she flirting with me? *Metal laugh*~
"Yasmine." The first word Yasmine spoke to the girl, a voice void of expression. She took off the hood to reveal a face.
The girl tried to look at the face. And even when there was almost a full moon Yasmine seem to be in shadow as if shadows clenched to her.
However, the girl didn't know that weather in free will or not shadows were bond to Yasmine. In despair, sadness, happiness and that she had long ago stopped fighting it.
Despite the darkness the girl seem to make out Yasmine's features as best as she could. A full bottom lip, sharp intellect eyes, long bangs at each side of the face curved hiding her cheeks so you couldn't tell if she high cheek bones or not, sharp face and a straight nose. The girl caught one more thing the hair, it was long and flowing however what was surprising was how dark it was. It seemed to blend with the darkness of the night.
There was something so familiar about her...
"Starring is rude."
The girl was surprised at the voice. It sounded as if Yasmine didn't talk much, looking at her now she didn't doubt that.
Yasmine was thinking the girl would be embarrassed and talk less. (Wishful thinking.)
"You're a ... Girl!"
"Genius." Replied Yasmine in a dry voice. ~I am going to have a headache tonight~
"And you did that?!" The girl continued, ignoring her comment pointing to two remaining unconscious men "What are you, 20? And- Wow, your tall what are you like...6 feet or something?"
"What are you, 14? And I am not a giant, I am 5'10"." Yasmine snapped.
"Where's my alkan (manners)? My name is Ickye." Ickye said in a calmer voice. "What is the flacon's name?" she asked trying to be friendly and start a conversion.
~Alkan? Haven't hear that since the Great War.~
A gust of wind blew and it whispered, 'Wind' beside Ickye's ear. She felt suddenly dazed and very tried.
"Did you say that?" asked Ickye, flashing out of it, blinking. She suddenly felt unnerved the hairs on the back if her neck roused.
"What." Yasmine asked lifting an eyebrow. Her voice was flat however the curiosity in her eye betrayed her.
"N-nothing," she slammered "nothing at all." She said in calmer voice that sounded deep in thought.
"I wanted to get some information from that servant but it seems both men will be taking a long nap." Yasmine continued "Was there a reason they were after you or was just a lustful event?"
*Silence*
~Too bad I was curious what a noble and some servants were doing with bandits~
Chilling breezes were blowing. The old moon became brighter and the tapestry of stars shined brightest against the velvety darkness. Cold wind brought snow and the clouds block the light of the moon as well the stars. Young trees were common in this forest, during the Great War before Yasmine's time; there was a great battle the clash of magic and The Monster's, made the trees grow abnormally slow and in some cases evil. The thick yet short trees of the forest whispered in the wind.
~"Every soul is precious"~
The effect of that quote was immediate.
"The night is no longer young, if you have nowhere to go you are welcomed to come with me." Behind her stone mask, even Yasmine was surprised at her own kind words.
~Perhaps there is still some of my true self yet~
Yasmine put on her hood and started walking off leaving the men.
Ickye was somewhat surprised at the words, however she followed this 'Yasmine' something told her that she could trust this human. For the rest of the way, she stayed quite. She paid no attention to the cold the weather that seemed like a holiday to what she was use to although she had a thin long white dress. She was in one of her rare (very rare) deep-in-thought moods.
Coldness touched Yasmine's exposed cheeks, lips and nose. Her nose felt frozen but she could still smell.
***
A horrible, foul, spine tingling odor- somehow it always surprises me. I guess none could get use to it- it struck me.
***
~The smell of death and blood~
There was a thin layer of snow on the ground now. Ickye listened to her steps, light and quick. Then Yasmin's, quick yet never pressing enough on the snow to make tracks that the falling snow would not erase. She looked at wonder to Yasmin's shoes. White fur. She knew that texture but could not pin point what it was. She tried to observe her new companion but the cloak hid everything, like the shell Yasmin had around her. Ickye was so busy thinking she didn't see Yasmin stop in front of her and bump into her.
"We are here." Ickye looked to where there was a large inn.
~~~ Later that night
***
My nose kept recalling that horrible odor. Why? I did not know. Wind was on my shoulder, my only friend and yet even to him I hesitated to speak of my pain.
***
Yasmine was on the balcony looking up at the stars; the thick snowy clouds didn't cover a part of the sky. Snow softy fell. Ickye was humming a tuneless tune back in the room, however she was so loud you could here her outside. Yasmine for a moment wondered to herself how the neighboring rooms could stand it, but then again most were probably already asleep; it was very late when they reached the inn. Unknowingly, Yasmine started talking to herself.
~Why did it have to be me?~
~Your being stupid, with regret comes pain~
~I must be strong. I am the Dark Dragoon I have no feelings, I must not have feelings they make one weak.~
~But you are only human.~ Wind interrupted Yasmine's thoughts.
Yasmine stayed silent. She could sense Wind realizing he had interrupted one of her very private conversions between herself. And had thought he had upset her in doing so. However, Yasmine always reasoned with herself that being upset and exposing ones anger would not help the future, it always made it worst. Nevertheless, the next thing had surprised Wind.
~No, I am not ONLY human I am a dragoon too.~
And that was the end of the conversation.
Ickye pop up beside Yasmine.
***
"Are you OK?" I asked. I looked at her eyes, such a black purple; they were beautiful however they were so deep it seemed like an abyss. Yasmine turned from me. No answer, I guess she took it as a statement.
She sat her elbows on the railing hugging herself, glazing her dark unreadable eyes across the forest. Her nose kept flaring up as if she could smell something I could not.
"Come on don't be so moody." I said. Her lips were still in that slight frown.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Some things are my affairs and mine alone." She said not even turning to me. Now I have short temper, but I kept it down and took a deep breath. I deiced to start anew.
"Doesn't your bird hurt you when you don't have a glove?" I asked pointing to the bird feet, which on them were talons, which were on her shoulder.
"You shouldn't put gloves between friends, anyway he doesn't hurt me," Yasmine replied flatly and plainly. I mistook her words I thought she was trying to make me feel inferior.
"So your what's your bird's name," and I do not know what came over me but I blurted out "-Wind". It sounded more like a statement more than a question.
Now she turned around. "How did you know?" There was actually the sound of question in her voice.
Taken aback by her sudden interest in me, I slammered "U-uh, I aye- guessed!" She looked it me with at glint in her eye that told me she didn't buy it.
"Because of the wind." I explained in a calmer voice. I looked down so she didn't see me lying, I was never a good liar. ~ Yeah she really going to believe you ~ I mocked at myself. But Yasmine didn't say anything, I was surprised at that. There was an odd silence, however Yasmine seem it enjoy it, she was deep in thought. It just made me bored.
***
"Is it ironic," Yasmine stated softy almost to herself "that I was born a Gemini?" There was a deep yet distant pain in her voice as if it came from the darkest depths of her soul.
Flashback~
That smell...
It was burn into my mind long ago.
Opened eyes...
I blinked my dark thick lashes but they not black anymore.
Blood everywhere...
Blood on my hands like the sins I did that would never wash away.
A Dark place...
Not the warm confronting darkness- this darkness was cold like... death.
Black water trying to grab me, grabbing the shore like one trying to grab on to life...
All those people that I had killed.
Endless horizons...
Empty, numb, void; that is the way I felt. I had no hope.
Not day, not night...
Empty, numb, void; that is the way this place felt. This place was of no hope.
Black clouds above me yet never raining...
I was not died. Those words echoed into my mind.
I wasn't died. It took me a moment to realize the reality of these words. Finally the blow came. 11,000 years of pain, death, sadness, madness burned and burned into my body, I burst. I looked around nothing to destroy. I screamed. I screamed of anger, gilt- of everything that had slow eaten my soul. I cared not if someone saw me. I fell down salty tears rolling down my cheeks burning my scratches as I beaten my bloodily firsts and knuckles against what I knew was not earth.
*End of Flashback*
"Yasmine?"
Yasmine had flash out of her daydream as fast as had in. ~ Where had that come from? It felt so real. ~ and yet Yasmine's face was like stone.
"YASMINE!" yelled the loud and obnoxious voice. "You know I am still here-"
Yasmine turned around to see a girl as tall as a ten-year-old. She had a semi-mature face, which made her look a little older but even that looked innocent. Very large round light sky-blue eyes stared up on her. And light white hair that slightly shined a soft blue.
"Meru?" The name left Yasmine's lip's however, not with her voice. She clapped her mouth with her hand.
~Oh no! It's happening again!~
"Meru? I'm not Meru-," Ickye stopped for a moment thinking than continued talking. "Hey! Meru is one of my Ancestors! Have you been to the Wingly Glacier?"
Yasmine's eyes held a lively glance, alien to her dark, moody personality. "The Wingly Glacier? Winglys live in glaciers too? Are they the race of Winglys that have the gift of sight?" Yasmine asked.
"Yes," her voice held disappointment for not meeting someone that had seen her homeland. "I sort of miss it now."
Yasmine looked away. She didn't want Ickye to see the hope in her eye. She had been looking for this for this for a long time, before her time- Rose's time for her memories existed as her own. ~Maybe I won't have to be alone anymore.~ but she quickly brushed the thought away. "Why did you leave?"
"I'm looking for a certain someone- would you happen to know a Dragoon?"
"Yes," Wind shot a hard questioning stair at Yasmine as she took out a black stone, "because I am one."
*** ~Ickye~ next Morning
What had woken me up? Was it afternoon yet? That's when I usually woke up. Was it a bad dream? I had many of them now. Did Faro or Sago put something icky in my bed again? Or maybe it was the cold wind. Wait! There was never wind in The Glacier, only a still coolness. I opened my heavy eyes but something made them fast and alert. I looked around my mind was in utter confusion. Dark wooden walls and the uncomfortable springy bed were alien to me. Then I looked at the looking glass that was on the wall nearest to me.
"Zakyu." Suddenly, all the memories came at a rush. Yasmine had saved me from those awful men. If I ever saw them again I would rip them to pieces! What cowards they are attacking me from the behind like that! But I knew why they attacked me they wanted this, in my hand held a blue gem. I put the thoughts aside it was never good to start the morning with bad thoughts. 'What is the beginning shall be the end.' Dora had drilled into my thick skull countless of times. Who knew I would need her seemly useless words at a time like this?
I never knew she was talking about death.
I looked at the next cot, nothing. Where was Yasmine? I guessed it was about two hours before sunrise. Yasmine wouldn't be up this time would she? How would I know, I only just met her. Wait! What was I doing up so early?! I should rest! ^_^ A breeze blow. I wasn't cold however just curious. I got up.
~Curse me, I can't go to sleep when I need to~ -_- *Sigh*
The breeze came from a door that lead to the balcony, it was open. I looked outside there was Yasmine in the same position I saw she last night. Her back was faced toward me and 'Wind' was on her shoulder, they were not moving, were they died? I doubted it and hoped not, this feeling surprised me. All I knew is that Yasmine was anti-social yet I felt if I could trust her. ~Maybe I can! After all she did save me, she is a dragoon and promised to help me last night so I should be nice, I guess.~
I continued to think pondering if I should ask if they were all right, I would need to think before I would do anything while around this mysterious woman. ~Thinking is too hard! Just go ask her Ickye! Why are you hesitating!~ Just because I felt I could trust her did not mean I felt comfortable around her.
The thick clouds were still in the sky, shining red, reflecting the raising sun's color. It looked eerie with the sky full of clouds no sun at all and the only way you could tell a sun existed was the color the sun reflected off it, red.
I breathed in cold air. I started walking as soundlessly as I could toward Yasmine. I leaded my elbows on the rail. I looked up at her. Her eyes were frizzy and looked in a dazed state. Her cheeks didn't have a slight blush at all, her face just looked paler, if that was possible. Was she sick? No. I could at least sense that much. Snow was on Yasmine's dark-like night hair, the snow being the stars. She look... I tried to find I word. Lost. Lost of time and all that was around her, but of course that was my option. Weird and unconformable I felt around her, maybe it was because I knew so little about her.
~~~
"What do you want?" Yasmine asked with a sharp end to her voice. Ickye flinched, surprised. Ickye looked up; Yasmine's eyes were clearly dark and sharp now.
"What, does thy own thee rail that I cannot lean on it?" Ickye mad at the unwelcome.
"What? Did I ask about the rail? Are you now saying I cannot ask a question? " The way Yasmine had twisted her words and the calmness in her voice made Ickye even madder. However, Ickye had nothing to say back.
Heavy silence filled the air. Finally...
"You better get dress." Yasmine said, loosening the sharpness in her voice Ickye heard earlier. She started walking off. Ickye followed like a child being scold. "And," said Yasmine turning around with her heel shiftly, with no expression on her face "if you do not want to stick out like a swore thumb you better fix your Common. Your quite obvious." With Ickye red in the face, she left.
~How did she know Common was my second language? How much does she know about me...does she know anything about Zakyu?~
Suddenly, something just flashed in Ickye's mind. She felt sick.
"Those boots," she whispered in her mother tongue "they are made out of wolf fur."
~~~
Muslima: Hehehe! My first LoD fic!
Zakyu: We can tell.
Muslima: Shut up!
Zakyu: Ah, *O* did I hurt someone's feelings? (Teasing)
Muslima: (wholes up a pot) Do Not get me started Zakyu! 8O [suddenly smiling] well, please review!
Please tell me what YOU want to see. What style of writing YOU like. In addition, YOUR ideas, Your review and time [that you spend on it] will be greatly appreciated.
