Disclaimer: &*@#!!!! Don't you people get it by now?! I OWN NOTHING! NOT EVEN MY OWN NAME!!!!!! Ahem… I'm alright, seriously.

Author's Note: Well, the responses to the last chapter were…. Interesting… I never expected Allison to make any online friends while reviewing me fic- YOU OWE ME ONE, ADORABLE ONE! DON'T THINK I CAN'T FIND YOU! I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE! Actually, I could kinda walk to your house if I wanted to…

Era Yachi: I don't mind you using my review thing as a chat room- makes it look like I have more reviews, anyway. ^_^. Oh, and just so you know, Turbulence has been one of my favorites since it first came out. Good luck!

Kingleby: Boy, you review fast! All your questions will be answered in due time, I promise. Thanks for reviewing every chapter and writing another one of my favorite stories!

Ominix: Zidane is a prince, and as such, doesn't really carry a weapon around. I wouldn't imagine he would, since he was watching a play right before he left, you know. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope to see some stuff from you soon.

G3: Well well, Kyoy actually reviewed. Haha, just kidding. I knew you would, even if it took you forever and a bit of poking. And, just for the record, Wesley is not to die for.

Steeple333: I'm writing, I'm writing. And thanks for the compliment!

C-Dawg: You should check my story when I tell you it's updated it you don't want this to happen again, Courtney! Hmph.

ShiAne: Don't worry about all the little details- that's my job. Just try to enjoy the fic for the little it's worth. And thanks for all your reviews!

If I forgot anyone, yell at me in a review and I'll shout out to you in the next chapter.

Sorry for the extreme delay, but I had a little eye trouble, and then we started moving... (For the full story, visit my live journal, but only if you are truly bored.) I'll try to get chapter six up early to make up for this whole fiasco, but no promises. Anything could come up at the last minute. Oh, and I have a new fic out, so if you're interested, check it out (through my author's profile, since I'm a bad person and I can't spell the title.). It's not nearly as good as this one, but….

The strange words in here are from a song called Pax Deorum, which is, of course, what the chapter is named after. I have no idea what they mean, but they sound creepy enough, so I thought it was cool… ^_^

Ok, this was a long author's note. Thanks for reading, and as always, leave me a review. Normal writers usually get paid with money- if their stuff's at least half-way decent- so I don't think a review is too much to ask…

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The light was pure and distant, a brilliant blue. It filled his entire vision, burning against his eyes. With frail, tiny hands, he reached towards it. It wrapped around them, concealing them from his vision, covering them in raw heat. He found himself on his feet before he realized it, stumbling forwards, arms outstretched, crying out words he did not recognize.

He squinted against the glare the light created, one arm over his face. With eyes that teared up, it was impossible to see straight.

*... domineoveniteosacramentum*

His footsteps resounded softly in his ears, light and quick. Though he walked with what purpose he had, he, in fact, had no idea where he was going. Or, actually, where he was.

*discesm, eodeo*

Distant and mysterious voices chanted loudly. The song came from all directions at once, a powerful melody of many voices. Their song encased in a smoky rhythm, they called to him, a soothing taunt that drew him forwards. With wobbling legs and trembling hands, he stepped into the center of the light and opened his eyes.

A woman stood in front of him, amethyst eyes opened only slightly. The song issued from her lips, the voice that came ethereal. Trance-like, she swayed back and forth as she chanted.

*... Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. *

She reached towards him although her line of sight was directed into the distance. Some unfelt wind blew her silver hair about her, giving her the look of a goddess.

*... Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. *

Her chant became soft and quiet, still and ominous. It stirred something in his soul- some warning signal. She came towards him, he backed away. More voices overlapped what she sang, worsening the sickening feeling that had begun to arise somewhere inside of him.

*Athairarneamhdialinn... athairarneamhdialiom*

Her eyes opened wide now, an angry glow emitting from them. Still, she did not look at him, but still she reached out to him. He stumbled backwards, squinting against the glare. Finally, she lowered her eyes and stared upon him. The voices became louder, more frantic.

*Athairarneamhdialinn... athairarneamhdialiom*

He turned to run, unsure exactly why he was so afraid- but he *was* afraid, and so he did not stick around to debate why it could be. In truth, he was not sure he had ever run so fast, but at least those times he had come close had a reason behind it. This time, it was just that childish but creepy feeling that made him race back out through the light and towards safety.

*... domineoveniteosacramentum*

The voices still rang in his ears, louder, angrier. They were right behind him, in front of him, flanking both sides. Their song rang through him, outside him, everywhere. It followed him every desperate step he took. He could not escape. He could not escape…

Someone pushed him aside, a shadowy figure he had not seen before. From his position lying on the cold ground, he turned his neck to chance a look, but everything was enshrouded in that damn light. The woman was but feet from him, the only visible thing. But something was distracting her, keeping her thoughts from the frightened child that practically lay at her feet.

*discesm, eodeo*

She turned away from him, facing that figure once again. She chanted softly, her hair fluttering about. Taking a slow step forwards, she reached for whoever it was that stood defiantly before her.

*Athairarneamhdialinn... athairarneamhdialiom*

An explosion of light and he was momentarily blinded. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes, fear twinkling in their distant reaches. He began to rise, eyes locked on his feet, when something caught his eye.

*Athairarneamhdialinn... athairarneamhdialiom*

It was a pool of blood, flowing around his feet and over through the crevices between his toes. He backed away, letting out small screech of terror. He had never before seen so much blood in his life… Tentatively, terrified, he looked up.

*discesm, eodeo!*

She lay there, inches from him, motionless. Surrounded in a pool of her own blood, she looked ghostly and ominous. Her lifeless eyes were turned upon him, the amethyst having faded and replaced by blackness. Without even thinking about it, he splashed through that river of blood and stood over her, eyes wide and shocked.

*discesm, eodeo!*

The light around him was dying out quickly, darkness taking over with malice. He took no notice, transfixed on this dead woman in front of him. He kneeled down in front of her, blood spilling over his bare knees, watching her and yet not seeing.

Footsteps. He looked up and away, meeting a cruel crystal gaze. Eyes stared him down, narrowed in anger and smugness all in the same instant. A word escaped those pale, thin lips, softly hissing.

Brother…



*discesm, eodeo!*

Arich's teal eyes popped open before he even realized he was awake. For only a moment, he was still, confused. But as he pushed himself up to a sitting position, he realized he had been dreaming, although it was a very strange and very convincing one. He could still hear that song, ringing in his ears, echoing through his mind…

"The bastards…," he mumbled. "They're hounding me." The words escaped his lips before he had a chance to think about what it meant.

He was drowsy, thoughts dwelling on that dream. Ever since he could remember, the young prince's dreams had been foggy and indiscernible. But this one… it was so clear, so disturbing. So… *strange.*

He rubbed his head, sucking in a breath before opening his eyes again. Slowly, Arich blinked.

This was not where he was before…

The room around him was made entirely of some sort of metal, glistening in the light the single lamp hanging on the ceiling provided. A few cargo boxes lined the walls of the room, but that was virtually all that was in there besides himself. It startled Arich nevertheless, and as he stared at the damaged wood door directly in front of him, he began to realize just what he had agreed to get into when he jumped onto that airship so long ago.

Arich was not content to sit there for long. He jumped to his feet easily, marching with purpose over to the wooden door. He grabbed the knob tightly, watching as he turned it slowly in his hands. He attempted to shove it outwards, but when it stubbornly refused to give way, he pulled it towards him. Again, the door squeaked its protests and refused to move.

Aware it was hardly princely behavior, Arich gripped the knob tightly in both his hands and placed both his feet against the door and tugged as hard as he could. But, as was to be expected, the door stayed put, and all the only thing that gave in was the prince. Submissively, he put both of his feet back on the ground and let go of the damaged knob.

Arich sank down, his eyes slowly closing again. A sigh escaped his lips, ringing back and forth against the walls.

With nothing else to preoccupy his mind, he began to think about where he was- or more specifically, why he was there. It was possible the knights from his castle had found him and were taking him back on an airship- which would explain the low rumbling beneath him- but, if they were indeed taking him home, why in the world was he locked up? His people would *never* do that to their prince.

Perhaps they had been kidnapped. But that also made little sense. Who would be wandering through that cave, and decide they wanted to kidnap some random group of travelers? Arich was sure it had happened before, but to him? No, never.

He had backed himself into a corner. There were no obvious reasons left for him to be locked up in this room, bored out of his mind, and- once again- confused beyond belief.

Maybe it was a dream? Arich couldn't help but rapidly shake his head. *That* was impossible. He had even given reason for it earlier- all his dreams to date, besides the one that had just happened, were blurry and pointless. If this was indeed a dream, it was by far the most vivid he had yet. Besides, he had just woken up from a dream, and it made no sense for him to be having another, did it?

Or perhaps this was the dream, and that which he believe to be the dream was reality… But that would mean all of his life was one continuous dream, and what was apparently real randomly jumped around…

*Oh, stop it,* he thought at himself. *You're making things worse, not better.*

Absently, he kicked a little pebble that had somehow found its way into the room, watching it with unfocused eyes as it slid over the floor and across the room. What was he to do now? Granted, he wasn't exactly experience at escaping or anything, but he felt powerless just sitting there. And he hated that feeling more than anything.

Arich felt the door behind him give way, and, yelling out, he unceremoniously tumbled out into a brightly lit hallway. He gazed up above him, his eyebrows knitted together- straight into the face of the strangest creature he had ever seen.

It reminded him of Vivi, though it was slightly taller than the child mage. It had the same burning yellow eyes and black orb for a head. But there were distinct differences- the most obvious being the fact that jutting out from its shoulder blades were two enormous black wings. It stared down at him, and if it had possessed a mouth, Arich was positive it would have been smiling.

"The young prince awakes," it said in a haunting voice that resonated through the hall. Arich blinked twice, watching the bell it held in its hand wing back and forth distractedly.

It crouched down so it was on eye level with the prince- who had, at this point, sat up. "Come with me, my prince. Mistress wishes to see you."

Arich lifted his eyes to those of the creature, raising his eyebrows. "Mistress?" He looked doubtful and cocky in that light.

It nodded, rising to its feet. "You will come with me."

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ENDING AT RANDOM SPOTS! WOOT!

Yes, yes, I know that was weird and confusing and shortish (my new word). But if it helps, I was pretty lost too. I don't suppose that's a good sign, but it makes me look all mysterious and cool. Which, by the way, I am not. Don't worry, that beginning-dream thing wasn't really supposed to make sense.

I'll give you a shiny penny if you recognize something Arich said in this chapter. Yes, that's right- A SHINY PENNY.

The story is most likely going to be more weird and… I don't know if scary is the right word, although it would describe my writing… Let's just say different, shall we? Maybe serious… NO, STOP!!!

Ahem. Anyways, next chapter will come at a random time since I'm planning on winging it from here on. ^^;;… PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!! I know it was weird and short, but don't leave me now, faithful readers. Stupid moving…