*I guess I was wrong. I had more of this finished than I thought. So wow, here's another chapter in the same day! Go me! Hahaha. Oh by the way, this chapter is for keiko, sorry to make you wait so long. Hope this is what you've been waiting for! ^.^*
Chapter Nine: The Cursed Forest
We all took different seats in the main room. I was sprawled out in a chair, my legs draping over the arm of the chair, my head against the back. My left arm fell over the top of the back of the chair and my right fell limp to the floor. I stared into the fire solemnly and waited for Fuu and Hikaru to get seated.
Fuu sat nervously on the edge of a couch, and Hikaru stood and paced before Clef ordered her to sit. She immediately did so, taking an Indian-style position on the Persian looking rug on the floor.
"Your weapons are made to hold and use magic," Clef's soothing voice began, and I found myself in the warmth of the fire, drifting to sleep, listening to the sound of his voice. I had never felt quite so relaxed as I did in that minute. I hadn't slept well the night before, and this was so relaxing, being near the fire in this comfortable warmth, listening to the most soothing voice in the world. I just wanted that moment to last. I felt my eyes growing heavy, my body relaxed and light, listening to him, then suddenly, "Umi!"
My eyes snapped open and my body jerked awake. I blinked heavily a few times and turned to stare at my interruption.
"H-hai," I stumbled, and Fuu and Hikaru giggled.
"You were sleeping," Clef muttered.
"Gomen," I mumbled and looked at him from around the chair. I was expecting to see anger in his eyes, but he laughed slightly and shook his head, amusement in his eyes. I smiled and turned back to the fire.
"Do try and pay attention though, since the fate of Cephiro lies in your hands," this time he became more serious. "So as I was saying, the weapons are able to cast spells and become part of the magic themselves. You'll learn the spells in time and once you do, you'll be virtually unstoppable. You know them though, and they're strong. You haven't even begun to see their true power. Right now they're just playing with you; once they get serious," he shuddered slightly, which scared us. Clef didn't shudder.
"What about the armor?" Fuu asked him.
"It detects your strength, as Presea already explained," he answered and glanced at me quickly. "It is stronger than ever before and will mold how you need it. Your gems have evolved to hold your new weapons and anything else you might need, but you can now also contact each other through them. If you ever get separated just call through your gem. Fuu, your gem also connects to Ferio, Hikaru, yours to Lantis," he smiled a little at them, then turned to me. "You're already aware of your armor."
I nodded and asked if we were free to go. He nodded, and we left. Clef followed and pulled me back a little. I let the other two go and looked at him. "Lantis and Ferio are going with you, as you already guessed, they have vengeance of their own to grasp."
I nodded and wondered what he was getting at.
"But I'm the only one who knows where they are," he turned his head, "and I need to speak to her."
I looked at the floor and scuffed the ground with my foot, "Of course, you'll be coming then?" my face lit up when he nodded grimly.
"I'm leaving Presea, Caldina and Lafarga in charge. Ascot is still weak, though he'd never admit it. He'll be staying; someone to keep Nori company."
"What?" I demanded, and my eyes narrowed. Was he trying to force us apart still? And if so, why?
"You think either of the two will be able to defend themselves in battle?" Clef asked, and my eyes lost their glare as I began to understand where he was coming from. "And I don't want any of you killing yourselves to try and protect either of them. Don't worry about him, he'll be in good hands."
I nodded and understood, despite the sinking in my heart. I had a strange feeling this journey was going to change everything between us.
The next morning everyone was up early, even Ferio, though he looked more than slightly agitated. I wasn't sure if it was because of Fuu's coldness to him or just because he was forced awake by Guru Clef in the wee hours of the morning.
I smiled weakly at them as I descended into the dining room. Everyone smiled or nodded back.
"What's up with all the gloomy expressions?" Nori asked as he came into the room behind me, and I laughed and rolled my eyes at Clef's glare.
"We're leaving today," I told him softly.
"What?" he questioned and looked deep into my eyes.
I put a hand to his face and tried to explain, "We have to leave, to fight for Cephiro and for our loved ones. You understand why you can't come."
"No," he shook his head and turned his angry eyes toward Clef who just gazed calmly back. "Why can't I come?" he turned his eyes back to me, in a silent submission to the obviously stronger Will.
"Because," I sighed heavily and embraced him quickly, then pulled away to look at him, "because I can't be worried about protecting you when the enemy is upon me."
"You think I can't defend myself?" he demanded angrily, and I knew that this would be a struggle for his ego.
"Not against what they're going to use," I answered softly. "Unless you can use magic I don't think you'll stand a chance."
He glared and turned his eyes to the ground but nodded, knowing he couldn't use magic. I knew that he must feel alone in the world, everyone in Cephiro knew some magic, at least everyone he had encountered. This world was so strange, like a dream, and he was being left in a castle with unfamiliar people.
He swallowed heavily and nodded, and I had to smile at his strength. I kissed him deeply and whispered into his neck, "I'm sorry I pulled you here."
"I would go to the ends of the earth for you," he answered softly back and kissed my cheek before letting me go, tears in my eyes. I forced them away and ran out the door, never looking back though I felt eyes on me.
§§§~~~
That night we settled just inside the Forest of Silence so no magic could find us. Clef set up a few magical guards around our camp, and we ate in a peaceful silence. Hikaru tried to make conversation a few times, but the quiet crackling of the fire quickly displaced it, and she eventually abandoned all efforts.
Mokona provided us with ample sleeping places, a tent for the guys and a tent for us, and we all said rushed goodnights and headed inside.
Once in the safety of the tent, the three of us were able to confide in one another when we didn't want to show our weakness to the other three.
"I'm scared," Fuu whispered softly, and Hikaru and I nodded our agreement.
"Clef shuddered," I had to clear my voice and begin again, "and the Master Mage doesn't shudder."
Hikaru turned her eyes to the door as Mokona bounded in and into her arms. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. It's really such a stupid argument, really it is."
"It seems so petty, you're right Hikaru-san, but when neither of us are willing to give up the men we love, there's got to be a sacrifice," Fuu looked to the floor. "I don't blame Ferio for what he did; I know they're powerful Mages. I just…"
We waited for her to continue. She paced the room and then flopped onto the bed, "I just expected more out of him. I thought he knew me better than to be so easily deceived."
"He does know you Fuu," I put an arm around her shoulder as I sat beside her and Hikaru sat in front of her and smiled encouragingly. "I think he was seriously tricked. We haven't seen the extent of their power yet, and from the way Clef acts I think it's something terrible. Hate is almost as strong as Love in Cephiro, and their Hate runs deep and strong. They've been scorned, and that's the worst kind of Hate there is."
She nodded and a few tears slipped from everyone before we were able to finally retreat and get some sleep. It was long after I heard Hikaru's light snores and Fuu's deep breathing that I finally reached sleep. I was thinking about Nori and thinking about Clef. I was trying to sort everything out in my head, and I realized sometime late into the night that it wasn't my head that needed sorting out. With a feeling of hopelessness in my stomach I sighed and rolled over, finally accepting sleep.
§§§~~~
The morning symbolized a new day for everyone. Unfortunately, this morning was bleak, the skies were dark and it looked like rain. Lantis muttered about bad omens, while Fuu and I shook our heads at the sky and anticipated the rain. Hikaru shuddered and prayed that it wouldn't rain, while Ferio and Clef were somewhat indifferent. The thought of Clef in those robes, drenched in water made me laugh quietly to myself. He stared at me and raised his brows, but I shook my head and waved a hand, and no questions were asked.
"Clef where are we going exactly?" I asked once we had set out once more.
"How far can a bird fly into the forest?" he responded with a question, and I looked at him curiously.
"Half way," Fuu answered promptly. "After that it's flying out."
I rolled my eyes and looked back at Clef who was smiling at Fuu, "Exactly. We're going as far into the forest as we can. We're going deep into the heart, and you're going to encounter a side of Cephiro you've never seen before."
I tried not to shudder at his words, but it didn't sound pleasant. I turned quickly and glimpsed Fuu and Hikaru shaking slightly as well and didn't feel as childish.
The further we walked into the Forest the darker it got and the more forbidding the plants grew. The bright colored flowers that normally grew in the meadows nearby and the outskirts of the Forest quickly disappeared and were replaced with scraggly deep green bushes that were extremely suppressed. The trees got bigger, but their branches drooped and very rarely contained anything green.
"What's wrong with this forest?" Fuu asked softly, and Ferio shook his head.
"It's cursed," he answered quietly.
"What do you mean? How can a forest be cursed?" Fuu pursed her lips and pursued the answer.
"A long time ago, before Emeraude even, the other Pillar lived alone in these woods. She lived alone and prayed. She chose to stay away from people because she knew what the price of loving another was. They were different then though, the trees were tall and strong and green. The wood was full of flowers and other animals," Clef began, but kept his eyes focused on what was ahead of him, never looking at us whom he explained to. "One day a man stumbled into the forest; he was hunting and got lost in the night. He was searching for his way home and saw the Pillar's house that was comfortable looking. He knocked, but she was praying so she couldn't hear and didn't answer. He thought no one was home but found the door unlocked and walked in. The house was a palace inside, and he wondered the halls for hours until the Pillar stumbled out of her prayer and into his presence. You can imagine they were both very shocked, but you see, the man was very handsome and the Pillar very beautiful. They immediately fell in love, and the Pillar's heart was corrupted. In those days a Pillar was able to take her own life, and so she did. The man wept for days on end, and his tears were cursed. They spread through the river and desecrated the trees. He soon took his own life, and his blood stained the Forest, so it was sealed to secrecy. The trees could not cry, but their branches bent and wept for their lost Pillar, and the animals fled in fear and sadness. The Forest was named for its sworn silence, and Emeraude was chosen shortly after."
"That's so sad," Hikaru put a hand to her mouth and shook her head.
I shuddered again and felt an overwhelming urge to run to the trees and give them a hug and tell them that it was okay, that their Pillar was happier with her love where she was.
"Don't do it," Clef looked at me quickly as I subconsciously approached one of the trees. "They're poisoned with the blood of a dead lover. They will poison you in an instant and there is no Belladonna in the world that will save you."
I stepped back and nodded.
"No wonder they're staying in here," Ferio muttered and closed his eyes.
"Are we almost there?" I asked meekly, and Clef shook his head.
"We're only on the outskirts. It's going to get much worse from here," he answered. "We should probably set up camp here tonight, that way we won't have to spend the night in the thick of it."
"We have to…sleep in here?" Hikaru asked quietly, and Lantis put an arm around her shoulder and tried to comfort her.
"It'll be better to stay here than stay closer to them. No magic can penetrate this thick in the Forest, so the only way they'll be able to find us is if they stumble upon us themselves or any of their creatures find us." Clef asked Mokona for a few tents, and Mokona jumped up into Hikaru's arms after he had provided them. He was trembling terribly, Hikaru pointed out.
Before we retired for the night, I took Clef aside and asked him if we were any real danger spending the night here. I asked if maybe I should stay on guard, and he nodded to the idea.
"You can never be too safe. We'll take shifts. You and I, and then Fuu and Ferio and Hikaru and Lantis," he responded, and told the others who nodded in agreement.
"I'll sleep much sounder that way," Hikaru agreed and smiled before everyone said goodnight to Clef and I, and we set up a small table and chairs provided by Mokona.
"So what are we going to do for the next three hours?" I questioned, smiling brighter than I felt, and he shook his head. "I have an idea!" I turned to Mokona and grinned evilly, so that he had to take refuge in Clef's robes. "No, I'm not going to eat you! I was just going to ask you if you could give me a deck of cards."
"A deck of what?" Clef questioned, and I shook my head and laughed as Mokona gave them to me.
I showed them to Clef, and he turned the two of hearts over in his hands a few times before shaking his head and asking what I was going to do with them.
"Play, here I'll teach you," I dealt a hand of eleven and soon I had explained rummy, and we were playing a highly competitive game. I soon found that Clef didn't like to lose.
"You're cheating with your magic cards!" he shouted at me, and I laughed and protested that I wasn't cheating.
"I'm just lucky," I winked, and he grumbled. I suggested that we play another game, but a noise in the brush sent us both to our feet.
Clef held his staff up and readied himself for attack. I picked up the small glowing stone that we set on the table to see the cards and held it toward the bush. There was nothing there, and I let out a heavy sigh.
"Maybe it was just an animal," I suggested, but he shook his head.
"There are no animals here."
"Well…" I started, but I couldn't finish because something had seized my head and was pulling me away. I bit the hand that stopped me from screaming, and it was oozing and vile tasting. I screamed as soon as the head was away, and Clef drew a sword that was concealed in his robes. Hikaru and Fuu were out of the tent in an instant and had their swords drawn and surrounded the creature that held me. Hikaru easily jumped over it and cut its heels so that it fell to the ground and released me. Clef drew the final stroke and decapitated the creature.
I pulled away from it, choking and sputtering in an attempt to breathe and spun to look at what had just held me. The glowing stone was on the ground near its feet, and I turned away and saw it was one of the hundreds of creatures that had attacked us. I couldn't believe it had once been human and tried not to throw up.
Clef walked over to it and began to bless it softly, and I closed my eyes as tears began to fall. Hikaru and Fuu tried to comfort me, but I was terrified. I didn't know if I would be able to survive this one.
After I had calmed down some Clef suggested that I go rest, and Fuu and Ferio agreed to take over. I stumbled into the tent and collapsed onto the bed. Sleep came right away; I hadn't been aware I was that exhausted.
*I'm on my way to finish the next chapter of Rubies and Gold. Hope this can keep you guys occupied for awhile! I'm so excited that I've gotten this much finished! Yey! ^.^*
"So we go from year to year
With secrets we've been keeping
Though you say you're not a Templar man."
Tori Amos, Scarlet's Walk, Wednesday
