Chapter II: Earthen Rage


*Felix POV*

Nothing was going to to attempt and get into the way. I saw that the djinn that came upon my window sill was Lull. She lit the path for me so I would be able to see where I was navigating to. Small, but very annoying packs of vermin popped put and blocked my path. I had no problem taking them out with a single swipe of the Sol Blade. Afterwards, I felt sorry for taking the soul of a creature that is 1,000 times weaker than myself. Then I think again that the vermin made the choice to fight which sacrificed its own life. As I tried to pace myself, running a full 2 miles at a non-stop jog, I felt my body becoming just a tiny bit of weary, but I urged myself to go on. A friend's life is at stake. Any minute she could fall in the hands of death even if I waste just a notch of time. My mind filled with horrid imaginary images of her death, mixed with my worry and despair. I cleared out those images by paying more attention to the roads ahead. Echo confronted me not to think of such awful things because they are not the truth in reality. All of the images he told me were just a visual expression of my different emotions and thoughts. He was right, but it was hard to concentrate in the opposite direction. The images seemed so ambiguous to me. Ones of negative and positive scenes became intertwined in the heart of my mind. I snapped out of the flood of images when Echo gave me a good hit on the noggin. He had no need to apologize for as I quite grateful to be out of my imagination state. I took off again and arrived in Vault just a few long moments later. The small town was asleep in the quiet dim of small lanterns placed near the pathways and houses. The sign of thirst appeared when I tried to swallow. After 15 seconds of quenching, the water left in my canteen were just a few mere drops. Of course I would need more liquids to supply the rest of my body with the energy to go on. Quietly sneaking to a well in the sleepy town, I refilled it, and took off again. One idea came to mind as I went. Kalay wasn't that very far off. Merely just a 15 mile walk from the position where at was at according to Echo. Ivan was chosen to take hold of the Teleport Lapis for it had made it a hell a lot easier for him to travel and trade with different parts of the world. Surely he will lend me the mystical item for a while. Then that way it will save a days traveling and more time to face who has stolen the rare gem bestowed to my very heart.

I'll find you Sheba, don't worry. Your knight is on the way!



*Sheba POV*

Various voices chorused in my mind at this time. I huddled in the corner, not from the cold itself, but shaken from the event that had occurred a short time ago. Jukki watched me with his glaring eye, bright as the sun. I turned my head to not stare into an evil ray of sunlight that his eye portrayed. I knew what he wanted. He wants the faculty that came along with Jupiter adepts. Faculty power differs in each jupiter adept. Some have small or weak proportions of this 6th sense. Some have a large proportion of it, that may attract and attempt other spirits and demons to take it. That isn't the only thing he wanted. I knew he wanted something else....a weapon of some sort. I wasn't able to get full detail on this plan, but I knew right away it was going to be an evil one.

Jukki then got up, took the cloak draped around his body and placed it around me. I flinched as he got nearer to me.
"I regret for what has been done." He said in a serious tone, closing his eyes like a sunset, " I should have not used so much force against you."

Now wait a minute. He was harsh a moment ago, now he is trying to be nice to me. I knew he was going to try and manipulate me for information to have different concepts to aid his plans. He sat down near me, sharing his cloak with me.
"Sleep dear," He said softly as I felt an arm being pulled gently around me. "We have plenty of things to accomplish tomorrow."
I fell into silent status. His body was not as cold as it had been. Warm in a way, it brought me back memories of my friends. Positive feelings out of nowhere flowed around my spirit, reassuring me not to worry.

"Why are you playing with my mind?" was all I whispered to him.
"I am not doing such things."
"You speak against your own words and attitude, hypocrite."
"So be it." He sighed. That was a fair indication that I better not carry the conversation on any longer.

I would rather be sleeping in the corner than sleeping with a monster. I knew better that my light desert clothing will have no chance against the cold. It was whether or not to take the advantage of warmth or not. I choose to take the opportunity to save me a night from freezing temperatures.
"You're mind is preventing you from sleeping, am I correct?" I heard him speak in his soft tone again.
" A little bit." I said shyly.
"My evil side lead you into this, that side you witnessed earlier was not the true me."
I looked up. His eyes were not as scary to me as they used to. I knew a change had morphed inside him. I wondered if he had been processed by something of some sort. Or what if he was like that naturally? I tend not to speak, but I leaned against him and snuggled up for slumber. Like in a cloud of heat, I fell asleep without triggering a shiver from my body.



I woke up to find myself alone. Jikku must had disappeared out from the wagon as he was not present. The only traces he left where his cloak and a pillow for a head rest. Boy, was it cold this morning. While wrapping his cloak around me, I peeked out of the wagon to see the sun just fairly rising over the tops of the nearby hills. Frozen drops of morning dew had spread across the grasses. The frost made the grass shine bright with the sun's rays, giving it a reflective appearance. Today seemed to become just a regular cool day. There was an easy small breeze and a few scattered, but small clouds still sleeping in the bright morning atmosphere. I took sight of Jukki's assistant leader. Both were talking to each other, a sort of plan. My 6th sense triggered to take the risk to escape. The triggering became more repulsive in my body as I looked in both directions for any sight of enemies.

"I must go northeast." I said to myself as I hoped out from the wagon and made a run for it.


I made a Big mistake. As I tried to sprint through the slippery grass, Jikku had already known I had created an attempt to get away. The ground began shaking violently under my feet. From all the friction that uproar outwards made me stumble and trip into the cold grass. As I tried to get up, a flash of sharp steel blinded my eyesight. Jikku stood there, smiling with a grin that brought death to its victim.

"'I've should have known you were to flee from me, bitch." A cold hand swap me hard of the cheek. The skin of my cheek stung like the heat of the Yampi Desert. I felt a tight squeeze around my arm. His piercing long nails drove into my skin, leaving me with inflicted cat-like wounds. He picked me up, and threw me hard into the green grass that witnessed my punishments. Upon my back was his foot, which seemed to be wanting the desire to crush my spine. He pressure his foot harder. But then, he stopped and gave me a hard kick in the ribs.

"Get up before I slice your throat!" He pulled me by the hair upwards. He gripped my wrists so tightly with his hands that my blood circulation seemed to stop at that moment. On the way back to their camp establishment, other members of his horde had gotten a share to beat me as much as they pleased. I was taken to their cave where even more of his horde got to beat the Sheba. The cave walls were sharp and hard, making my backside and my arms covered in small clots of bleeding scratches. Dark bruises began to appear as they continued to beat me with clubs, or simply with a rock or two. As I saw Jikku walking towards me with someone in his hand, his people fled out of the way like stampeding bulls. My vision at this time was weary and foggy. In Distraught, I tried to make out all I can about the weapon in his hand. It looked like something I would not like. He stopped dead in his tracks. My mind and body froze with fear. Long as a snake, the tip of the whip lashed out my face. I closed my eyes just in time to save them from blindness. Nothing could describe this pain. As the whip slowly made a gash across my forehead, I cried out and whimpered for mercy. I prayed to the elements to save me from being whipped to death.

"Maybe you'll think about what you gain when you try and run away." Jikku put his whip away. "Next time, you will not be so lucky."

I nodded awkwardly as he pulled me back into the leading wagon. I guess this was Jukki's private wagon. I had no idea where in Weyward he was taking me to. The area around looked like that we were going into the deep south of Gondowan. We stopped by a large river.

"I want you to get us across safe." Jikku snarled. "If one of my men recieve injuries by crossing, I shall give you more whip treatment."

"Yes." I replied and concentrated on my psyenrgy once more. To one wagon, I made it hover just a bit over the water so it would not fall downstream. The weight of the wagon put strain on my mind as I lead each of the five wagons to safety. With all the effort I put in, I had to get myself wet and swim across the river myself! The water was bitter cold, and I had to swim fast or hyperfermia would take its toll on my tired body. When I made it back to the wagon inside, I was wet ,tired, cold, and something I didn't even think about hadn't came up to my mind until this very moment.

Food.

It has been since sunset I've eaten a good meal. Now my mind was being distracted by my very own stomach. I tried to wipe off "food" off the menu of the mind, but my stomach urged on this battle with my mind for awhile.

"Good job, now take this as a reward for you efforts." Jikku threw out a small biscuit to me. I quickly took hold of it and devoured it like a beast. The flavor of the biscuit wasn't so great to my liking, but it was better than nothing. I huddled into the corner to try and collect as much of my own body heat as I could. Then, I felt my mind shatter like a glass window in a tornado. For a moment I lost control, like the rider of a horse. With my madness I charged at him like a raging wind out of a hurricane. My hands soon transformed into fists as I threw the first punch rather quickly. My punch wasn't all too poor overall as at the time that I punched, my psynergy kicked in, leaving him into shock. I took a nearby weapon and flogged him directly on the head with barbaric strikes.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to trust a free savage beast." Remarkably he kicked me to the wall, and grabbing my neck to the point where I cannot inhale air. He tighten his grip as I continue to struggle and hold onto my lifelines. He began to snap and speak out painful insults which solely stood for the purpose to break my spirit apart. He loosened his grip and yanked my hair in order to force me to spring upwards.

"Listen to me, you beast!" He yelled deeply at me. " This is the last day you shall live. You will not survive the next dawn." He jabbed my neck with a dagger. I was once again tied up and thrown into the corner as usual. For hours I lay in the same spot, trying to hold back tears which were the shards of my shattered soul. The barrier of holding them back was short lived. I burst quite quickly, but silently so Jikku would not hear me, though he was outside the wagon, talking to his men. I, at the time did not want to think over what Jikku had said about myself living my last day. What if he had spoke the truth? What if I do not see the break of tomorrow's dawn? To think about it more, no one is there for me to see last. No family to overlook upon like someone who is about to die of a incurable disease. No friends to anyone to say good bye to and tell them your last wishes. No one. I repeated myself over and over. No one would see my death except the people who caused my sorrow and problem in the first place. I will only cease in the memories of others, but my death to them will still remain a mystery. I perceived the last expected dawn. Over the hills, and trees the orange glow that dimmed slowly by the minute past into the wagon, lighting it up with shades of hope. I looked on, looking up into the heavens, as where I had originated from. I looked down to the moving ground below the wagon. I sighed and leaned my head against the wagon wall. My thoughts of no one slowly faded away as myself drifted into slumber.

A small peck on my nose awaked me. It was Lull, communicating to my soul. I felt her speak to me, not to worry about my fate tonight and that someone was going to help me. Lull had contacted another soul about my condition. I spoke to her softly, telling her my experiences of this day. She understood, and she departed back into the air, toward whomever is out there to save me.




*Felix POV*



By the time the sun set its peak on the majestic mountains to the east, I was rested up from taking a short nap during the mid afternoon. Echo alerted me that Lull had contact with Sheba. Echo told me through the eyes of Lull what had occurred to her today. Her fate of dying remains as it begins tonight. Time was an essence. I must get over to Kalay quickly to obtained the Lapis before it's too late. I also had another problem. They were moving southwest toward Gondowan. There are no towns in the area except for Kibombo, which lay directly on the other side of Sheba's location. Swiftly I got up to persist Lull into leading me. I still was exhausted from traveling at a grueling rate during the night. The low violet glow of light floated through the sky like a comet. Lull was a in a haste. Difficult as it was to catch up, Echo requested for her to slow down the pace. She agreed upon the arrangment of slowing down. I still wonder what Sheba is doing at this very moment. Was she being abused? Possibly harassed? The thoughts circled around my head again. Kalay was now in reach. The problem I had getting inside the merchant thrived metropolis was by the time I got there, I nearly couldn't stand to walk anymore. My legs ached as if the bone had completely disappeared in the dephs of my hide. I was helped by my fellow djinn through the town and onto the front of Master Hammet's house.

"Are you alright sir?" The guard asked as he helped me up. The other guard replied. "You look like you haven't caught a drop of sleep in days!"

"Yes, I know." I said weakly. "I must speak with Ivan immediately."

"First, tell us where you are from and what your indications are for coming here."

"I am Felix from Vale. I need to borrow something from Ivan for an emergency." I tried not to stumble. I hope the gaurds didn't notice.

The second gaurd looked at me in awe. "You.......you walked all the way here from Vale!? I shall speak with the master to confront your arrival. Afterwards, you will need a good meal and a soft bed to restore your status."

"Please come in." The first gaurd lend me inside. The Hammet's mansion hadn't changed much since I first came here. It had the same old Champa rugs and the same Xian silk drapes to cover the windows. Other servants and maids walked from room to room, envalueating the rooms for any untidyness and dust. Then from the stairs, I saw Ivan come down. He wasn't dressed too much in luxury. He looked the same. His hair was a bit longer, but his face, the eyes all shared the inner child in him. A bath like robe draped over him, as if he had came out from the washroom. I knew he hadn't because his hair was dry.

"Felix, it's great to see you again." Ivan bowed, giving his salutations to me. "I was told from the guards that you came here to request something?"

"Yes, I need to talk to you about something." I looked at the sun dial on the wall. It was neatly dark. Then I felt a tingle of psynergy flowing within me. I was connected to Ivan by the mind with the help of psynergy.

"You need the Teleport Lapis from me in order to save Sheba? Felix, I must come with you to assist her rescue!"


I was amazed on how fast Ivan learned what the situation was. Ivan, let me do this alone, please understand.


His soft violet eyes looked back, " Felix, I agree with the reasons why you must go in a one person matter. I'll retreive the Lapis straight away."
As fast as lightning our connection closed as he ran back up the stairs, and almost into a maid who was taking his laundry down to the laundry room. He quickly apoligized to her. I turned around to wait for him, just for a second. All of the sudden, I felt him poke me from behind.

"Here's the teleport lapis. You may use it as long as you like, but I would like to have in back in about a week or so. I have more trading to do with the Heperian settlement."


*Ivan POV*

I sat in my mini throne, watching the birds outside. I took the trading documents that I had been recently working on and set then aside for now. I had to think about something else. The rest of the day will be the time I finish them. My messagers will have to wait.

I began to think about what happen just ten minutes ago.Felix looked awfully tired when he had visited me late in the afternoon. At first I was surprised on his efforts of getting here. His only transportation were his two legs...and had he I wonder, been running a fast pace nonstop? Incredible man he is. I knew from the start he would be gifted and wise, as well as to saving Weyward.
I knew why he wanted to go alone. I sensed this feeling in his mind as well as his heart. As as predicted, the knight is coming to the captured princess in the dark gates of the hell forests. Darkness he will face. Darkness he will fight, and to protect the one he loves. I find it beautiful, the world's savior along side the herione. Of course, I am not evolved in this story and I shall not interfere. All I can do is pray to the elements for both of their safety, regardless of fate.


*Felix POV*

I agreed to return it back at the time he wanted it to be due. I quickly said my goodbyes and left in a flash. Through the teleportation, Lull directed me to the same spot Sheba was located. Over the hills, I saw a campfire burning in the distance. A surge of rage followed afterwards, but I was in no shape to fight. I sought out a plan to get her out of there without having to break into any conflicts. As fast and as quietly as I could, I go into camp, with a help from Haze, and take Sheba from where she is. We would be able to hide ourselves in the mountainous woods until I get rested up. But I knew I wouldn't be messing with stupid people. The SOM were notorious for their intelligence and sucess through stocking out plans of stealing from the even the strongest alliences and cities. I would have to act fast, luckily psynergy plays a vital role in my plan of hiding. There would be only one person who will be difficult to fight, Jikku.

Swiftly through the trees and hills I went, sensing Sheba as it become stronger by the minute. Lull flew ahead to warn the other djinn of the plan, and Sheba as well. Lull came back with Haze almost 5 minutes later. With that, I disappeared among the air and wind.



A/N: Big cliff hanger! Sorry for not updating as much. I'm not in the writing mood as was back all these months.