Chapter 5br
br
Alex opened his eyes.Br
Br
He was lying in a bed. Not his own, but that hardly mattered.
He was entirely content to simply lie there, contemplating the
criss-cross pattern the beams created on the ceiling, and the warmth of
the covers. Unfortunately, his contemplation was cut short by a great
deal of noise in the hall.br
br
Muttering softly to himself he got up, trying to ignore how cold
the wooden floor was against the soles of his bare feet. He stalked to
the door, threw it open, and almost started to laugh.br
br
Garet and Isaac were sprawled across the floor. The former had
one knee pressing into the back of the latter, holding his arms up behind
his head. It took Alex a minute to realize that Isaac was saying
something.br
br
"Get off of my back!" he struggled, to no avail. "Ow! That
HURTS!"br
Br
"Do you yield?" Garet asked, calmly.br
Br
"OW! Yes! I give up!"Br
br
Garet stood, releasing Isaac. The Venus Adept lay on the ground
for a moment longer before sitting up.Br
Br
"What was that all about?" Alex asked. Br
Br
They both jumped and looked at him.Br
br
"You're alive," Isaac grinned. Br
Br
"Ivan'll be happy to get his bed back," Garet added.Br
Br
"What?" Br
Br
"You've been sleeping in there for three days," Isaac explained,
getting to his feet. Garet was quick to follow. "Mia did the best she
could, but I guess you had to recover some of your Psynergy naturally."Br
Br
"Oh," Alex didn't understand what they were talking about in
full, but "sleeping in there for three days" pretty much summed up what
he wanted to know. "So, what was that about?"br
br
"Oh, we were just being stupid," Garet shrugged.br
Br
"So, if Garet won, does that mean that Isaac is the stupid one?" Br
br
"No," Isaac glared at him. "It means that Garet has been crowned
the King of Stupidity."Br
Br
"You're both stupid," Mia walked up to them. She went directly
to Alex, putting the inside of her wrist to his forehead. "Well, your
temperature is normal. How are you feeling?"Br
Br
"Like I slept for a week," Alex stretched. "I feel GOOD."Br
br
"You should," Mia checked his pulse. "That was a complete
healing. Most of your Psynergy has been replaced."Br
Br
"Yay, Alex is alright," Isaac cheered sarcastically. "Let's all
be happy. Well, actually, you'll have to be happy for me. I was
supposed to talk to Feizhi about an hour ago."br
br
"Feizhi?" Alex gave him a blank look.br
br
"I'll explain later," Isaac promised.Br
Br
*****************Br
br
"Isaac," Feizhi scrambled to her feet. She had been sitting out
on the recently repaired porch, enjoying the breeze. "I'm sorry to
bother you-"br
br
"Sorry I'm late," he sat down next to her feet. "Well? Take a
seat."br
Br
She gave him an odd look. "Alright," she sat down next to him.
"How are you?"Br
br
"I'm okay," he shrugged. "So, you wanted to talk to me?"Br
Br
"My father isn't just going to let you go, you know," she dropped
her gaze and began fingering the material of her skirt. "He's recruited
some new Adepts, what he'll do with them I can only guess. And your
guards he had them executed."Br
Br
It hit him like an electric shock. "Wh-what?!"Br
br
"I should have told you earlier, but I thought you'd be mad," she
admitted. "I left before I could find out all of his plans, but that IS
what I know."Br
br
"It's alright," he ran one shaky hand through his disorderly
hair, still feeling numb with shock. Nathan he had talked to him just a
few days ago. "Thanks you, Feizhi."Br
br
Her head snapped up and she started at him with amazement.
"Y-you're not mad?"br
Br
"Of course not," he said softly, looking up into the trees. "Why
would I be mad? So, are you going back?"Br
br
"Y-yes," she nodded. "Father is probably already wondering where
I am."Br
Br
"Good luck," he looked at her and smiled. She surprised him by
throwing her arms around his neck. He only just restrained himself from
hitting her. And when he was done fighting instinct, he stiffened. The
last hug he had received was nine years ago, and now he felt more than a
little awkward in Feizhi's embrace. After a moment he slowly reached up
and returned the hug, holding her shoulders gently.Br
br
He was almost reluctant to let her go.BR
br
"I'll be back soon," she promised when they separated, her eyes
soft.br
BR
"Be careful."br
br
"I will."Br
br
*************************br
br
Feizhi settled into the seat of the carriage. If she was right,
her father had already sent out Adepts to take Isaac back, which meant
that she had to hurry home.br
Br
*Isaac* she couldn't help it, her train of thought immediately
went to the Venus Adept, absent mindedly listening to the creak of the
carriage wheels. **He's changed so much *who would have thought*bR
br
The carriage had just passed through the Lamakan Desert, and Hsu
was going to take them through Altin to water the horses. They would be
there shortly shortly.Br
Br
Her eyes snapped open when the carriage lurched sideways.Br
br
She fell forward off of her seat, cracking her head against the
edge of the seat across from her. Stars burst across her vision, and she
fought to remain conscious. The carriage had began swaying wildly, and
she just managed to hold onto one of the seats. She could dimly hear
Hsu's shouts, the horses squeals of terror, and the rumbling of the cart
wheels.Br
Br
That was when they hit the rock. All of the windows shattered
simultaneously, showering the inside of the carriage with broken glass
and splintered wood. She cowered in-between the two seats, trying to
protect herself from the rain of shards.Br
Br
When it was all over she slowly opened her eyes, blinking away
blood that was running into her eyes. She was bleeding, and she was sore
all over, but she was alive. She was ALIVE.Br
Br
"Ah, Feizhi," a voice that sent chills up her spine stated her
name. She looked up, a man with blue hair was standing in the doorway.
She recognized him as Picard, the Lemurian.br
br
"She could be useful," another voice, higher and feminine noted
coldly.br
Br
"Yes, she could," Picard reached in and pulled her out by her
arm. She ended up on he knees, cringing against the sudden light. "And
I believe that Feh will be VERY pleased that we found her.Br
br
****************Br
Br
*Feizhi left yesterday,* Isaac mused, closing his eyes against
the sun. He was sprawled out in the middle of the lawn, looking up into
the sky. Not very dignified for a General, but that wasn't who he was
anymore. He wasn't even annoyed when a shadow blocked his sunlight.Br
br
"Isaac."Br
Br
The Venus Adept opened his eyes. Instead of a cloud shading his
eyes, it was Ivan, looking deadly serious.Br
br
"hello, Ivan," he said, sounding calm despite the fact that Ivan
looked like he was about to announce that someone had died.br
Br
"I have bad new, I'm afraid," Ivan informed him.br
Br
"Oh, did Mia and Garet have an argument?" Isaac sat up, shaking
loose grass from his hair and turning back to the Jupiter Adept.br
br
Ivan didn't even smile. "I mean it, Isaac. I have a feeling
that something is going to happen, something worse than any of could ever
imagine. And Hama's locked herself in her room. She hasn't been out for
two days, and won't answer when we knock."br
Br
"Did you try to contact her?" Isaac bit his lip.br
Br
"Of course, as soon as I realized that she hadn't been getting
her meals in the kitchen," Ivan replied. "She's definitely THERE. At
least, physically, but-"br
Br
"C'mon," Isaac stood.Br
Br
One of Ivan's eyebrow's rose. "Where exactly are we going?"Br
Br
"To knock down the door," Isaac said as if it was something he
did routinely. Maybe it was. "If Hama's not all there mentally we need
to know how and why, now don't we. I just figure that it will be easier
to find that out if you're in the same room as her."Br
Br
"I suppose so," Ivan stood himself. "Well, let's go."Br
br
********************Br
Br
They quickly enlisted Garet's help. Ivan half expected him to
destroy the door completely, instead the Fire Master simply melted the
hinges and kicked the wood in.Br
Br
Hama's room was like a tomb. The air was musty, and everything
was coated with the thinnest layer of dust. Everything aside from their
breathing was eerily silent.br
Br
Hama herself was lying face up on the floor, her violet kimono
spreading around her. Her eyes were wide open, and she was still as
death.Br
br
"Aunt Hama!" Ivan kneeled at her side, taking her hand in his.
Her skin was cold and deathly pale, but a faint pulse fluttered under
his touch.Br
br
"I-is she?" Garet began the question, but couldn't finish it.Br
Br
"No," Ivan shook his head, his own relief flooding through him.
"She's still alive."Br
bR
Isaac kneeled next to him. "What happened to her?"br
Br
"I'll find out," Ivan closed his eyes. Again, he was outside of
himself, even if he was sill aware of every intake of breath and every
beat of his heart. He moved to Hama, the world fading into mist.Br
Br
"What do you want?" Hama's voice was saying. Icy green eyes came
into sharp focus amid the grey, followed by the face of a young girl
framed by short, blonde hair.br
br
"What I want should be of no concern to you," she said, her voice
sending waves of cold to the core of Ivan's very being.br
br
"I won't let you take Isaac," Hama's voice seemed to echo all
around him.Br
Br
"There's nothing you can do to stop me."br
Br
Hama cried out in pain, then fell silent. The grey around him
darkened to black, and he was forced back into himself.Br
Br
His eyes snapped open and Hama's room swam in and out of focus in
front of him. He couldn't breath, could hardly think, some outside force
crushing the life out of him. The world tilted forward, then stopped.Br
Br
"Ivan? Ivan, what's wrong?" Isaac's voice came as if from far
away. "IVAN!"br
Br
It was enough, Ivan began to fight back. With a flash of violet
light, he was back in the sea of darkness.br
br
"Impressive," the girl's cold voice, holding a hint of amusement,
sounded through the emptiness. "You could prove to be a challenge."br
br
"Who are you?" he asked. "What do you want?"Br
br
"I am Sheba, and I want you to die."Br
Br
Ivan was back again, but this time in full control. The first
gasp for breath ended in a fit of coughing, but the second was the breath
of life.Br
br
He was being supported by Isaac, who had started babbling.
"Ivan! You're alive! We thought you were dead for sure! I mean, when
you stopped breathing and your eyes rolled back in your head and-"br
br
"Calm down, Isaac," Garet, who was kneeling on the other side of
Ivan, admonished him quietly.br
br
"Do you know anyone named 'Sheba'?" Ivan asked.
Isaac shook his head. "No."br
Br
"I think we're going to have a problem," he admitted.Br
br
********************Br
Br
Mia was passing the door when someone knocked. She hesitated for
a moment, the last person to knock on this door had been from the army.
It had been Isaac, but he had been after their blood. After a moment,
she reached for the handle.Br
Br
And quickly jerked back when she sensed Psynergy, and an aura of
icy air surrounded the knob. Someone on the other side kicked the frozen
wood, causing it to shatter.br
br
Both of the people standing on their doorstep were obviously
powerful Adepts. The man had Feizhi in a sleeper, and the girl.br
br
The girl dashed forward with inhuman speed, tackling Mai t the
ground. Before the Mercury Adept could do a thing, she had been flipped
onto her stomach, the girl's knee digging inbetween her shoulder blades
and the cold flat of a knife blade was being pressed into the side of her
neck.br
Br
"Now, girly," the girl said, her tone soft and dangerous.
"Scream."
br
Alex opened his eyes.Br
Br
He was lying in a bed. Not his own, but that hardly mattered.
He was entirely content to simply lie there, contemplating the
criss-cross pattern the beams created on the ceiling, and the warmth of
the covers. Unfortunately, his contemplation was cut short by a great
deal of noise in the hall.br
br
Muttering softly to himself he got up, trying to ignore how cold
the wooden floor was against the soles of his bare feet. He stalked to
the door, threw it open, and almost started to laugh.br
br
Garet and Isaac were sprawled across the floor. The former had
one knee pressing into the back of the latter, holding his arms up behind
his head. It took Alex a minute to realize that Isaac was saying
something.br
br
"Get off of my back!" he struggled, to no avail. "Ow! That
HURTS!"br
Br
"Do you yield?" Garet asked, calmly.br
Br
"OW! Yes! I give up!"Br
br
Garet stood, releasing Isaac. The Venus Adept lay on the ground
for a moment longer before sitting up.Br
Br
"What was that all about?" Alex asked. Br
Br
They both jumped and looked at him.Br
br
"You're alive," Isaac grinned. Br
Br
"Ivan'll be happy to get his bed back," Garet added.Br
Br
"What?" Br
Br
"You've been sleeping in there for three days," Isaac explained,
getting to his feet. Garet was quick to follow. "Mia did the best she
could, but I guess you had to recover some of your Psynergy naturally."Br
Br
"Oh," Alex didn't understand what they were talking about in
full, but "sleeping in there for three days" pretty much summed up what
he wanted to know. "So, what was that about?"br
br
"Oh, we were just being stupid," Garet shrugged.br
Br
"So, if Garet won, does that mean that Isaac is the stupid one?" Br
br
"No," Isaac glared at him. "It means that Garet has been crowned
the King of Stupidity."Br
Br
"You're both stupid," Mia walked up to them. She went directly
to Alex, putting the inside of her wrist to his forehead. "Well, your
temperature is normal. How are you feeling?"Br
Br
"Like I slept for a week," Alex stretched. "I feel GOOD."Br
br
"You should," Mia checked his pulse. "That was a complete
healing. Most of your Psynergy has been replaced."Br
Br
"Yay, Alex is alright," Isaac cheered sarcastically. "Let's all
be happy. Well, actually, you'll have to be happy for me. I was
supposed to talk to Feizhi about an hour ago."br
br
"Feizhi?" Alex gave him a blank look.br
br
"I'll explain later," Isaac promised.Br
Br
*****************Br
br
"Isaac," Feizhi scrambled to her feet. She had been sitting out
on the recently repaired porch, enjoying the breeze. "I'm sorry to
bother you-"br
br
"Sorry I'm late," he sat down next to her feet. "Well? Take a
seat."br
Br
She gave him an odd look. "Alright," she sat down next to him.
"How are you?"Br
br
"I'm okay," he shrugged. "So, you wanted to talk to me?"Br
Br
"My father isn't just going to let you go, you know," she dropped
her gaze and began fingering the material of her skirt. "He's recruited
some new Adepts, what he'll do with them I can only guess. And your
guards he had them executed."Br
Br
It hit him like an electric shock. "Wh-what?!"Br
br
"I should have told you earlier, but I thought you'd be mad," she
admitted. "I left before I could find out all of his plans, but that IS
what I know."Br
br
"It's alright," he ran one shaky hand through his disorderly
hair, still feeling numb with shock. Nathan he had talked to him just a
few days ago. "Thanks you, Feizhi."Br
br
Her head snapped up and she started at him with amazement.
"Y-you're not mad?"br
Br
"Of course not," he said softly, looking up into the trees. "Why
would I be mad? So, are you going back?"Br
br
"Y-yes," she nodded. "Father is probably already wondering where
I am."Br
Br
"Good luck," he looked at her and smiled. She surprised him by
throwing her arms around his neck. He only just restrained himself from
hitting her. And when he was done fighting instinct, he stiffened. The
last hug he had received was nine years ago, and now he felt more than a
little awkward in Feizhi's embrace. After a moment he slowly reached up
and returned the hug, holding her shoulders gently.Br
br
He was almost reluctant to let her go.BR
br
"I'll be back soon," she promised when they separated, her eyes
soft.br
BR
"Be careful."br
br
"I will."Br
br
*************************br
br
Feizhi settled into the seat of the carriage. If she was right,
her father had already sent out Adepts to take Isaac back, which meant
that she had to hurry home.br
Br
*Isaac* she couldn't help it, her train of thought immediately
went to the Venus Adept, absent mindedly listening to the creak of the
carriage wheels. **He's changed so much *who would have thought*bR
br
The carriage had just passed through the Lamakan Desert, and Hsu
was going to take them through Altin to water the horses. They would be
there shortly shortly.Br
Br
Her eyes snapped open when the carriage lurched sideways.Br
br
She fell forward off of her seat, cracking her head against the
edge of the seat across from her. Stars burst across her vision, and she
fought to remain conscious. The carriage had began swaying wildly, and
she just managed to hold onto one of the seats. She could dimly hear
Hsu's shouts, the horses squeals of terror, and the rumbling of the cart
wheels.Br
Br
That was when they hit the rock. All of the windows shattered
simultaneously, showering the inside of the carriage with broken glass
and splintered wood. She cowered in-between the two seats, trying to
protect herself from the rain of shards.Br
Br
When it was all over she slowly opened her eyes, blinking away
blood that was running into her eyes. She was bleeding, and she was sore
all over, but she was alive. She was ALIVE.Br
Br
"Ah, Feizhi," a voice that sent chills up her spine stated her
name. She looked up, a man with blue hair was standing in the doorway.
She recognized him as Picard, the Lemurian.br
br
"She could be useful," another voice, higher and feminine noted
coldly.br
Br
"Yes, she could," Picard reached in and pulled her out by her
arm. She ended up on he knees, cringing against the sudden light. "And
I believe that Feh will be VERY pleased that we found her.Br
br
****************Br
Br
*Feizhi left yesterday,* Isaac mused, closing his eyes against
the sun. He was sprawled out in the middle of the lawn, looking up into
the sky. Not very dignified for a General, but that wasn't who he was
anymore. He wasn't even annoyed when a shadow blocked his sunlight.Br
br
"Isaac."Br
Br
The Venus Adept opened his eyes. Instead of a cloud shading his
eyes, it was Ivan, looking deadly serious.Br
br
"hello, Ivan," he said, sounding calm despite the fact that Ivan
looked like he was about to announce that someone had died.br
Br
"I have bad new, I'm afraid," Ivan informed him.br
Br
"Oh, did Mia and Garet have an argument?" Isaac sat up, shaking
loose grass from his hair and turning back to the Jupiter Adept.br
br
Ivan didn't even smile. "I mean it, Isaac. I have a feeling
that something is going to happen, something worse than any of could ever
imagine. And Hama's locked herself in her room. She hasn't been out for
two days, and won't answer when we knock."br
Br
"Did you try to contact her?" Isaac bit his lip.br
Br
"Of course, as soon as I realized that she hadn't been getting
her meals in the kitchen," Ivan replied. "She's definitely THERE. At
least, physically, but-"br
Br
"C'mon," Isaac stood.Br
Br
One of Ivan's eyebrow's rose. "Where exactly are we going?"Br
Br
"To knock down the door," Isaac said as if it was something he
did routinely. Maybe it was. "If Hama's not all there mentally we need
to know how and why, now don't we. I just figure that it will be easier
to find that out if you're in the same room as her."Br
Br
"I suppose so," Ivan stood himself. "Well, let's go."Br
br
********************Br
Br
They quickly enlisted Garet's help. Ivan half expected him to
destroy the door completely, instead the Fire Master simply melted the
hinges and kicked the wood in.Br
Br
Hama's room was like a tomb. The air was musty, and everything
was coated with the thinnest layer of dust. Everything aside from their
breathing was eerily silent.br
Br
Hama herself was lying face up on the floor, her violet kimono
spreading around her. Her eyes were wide open, and she was still as
death.Br
br
"Aunt Hama!" Ivan kneeled at her side, taking her hand in his.
Her skin was cold and deathly pale, but a faint pulse fluttered under
his touch.Br
br
"I-is she?" Garet began the question, but couldn't finish it.Br
Br
"No," Ivan shook his head, his own relief flooding through him.
"She's still alive."Br
bR
Isaac kneeled next to him. "What happened to her?"br
Br
"I'll find out," Ivan closed his eyes. Again, he was outside of
himself, even if he was sill aware of every intake of breath and every
beat of his heart. He moved to Hama, the world fading into mist.Br
Br
"What do you want?" Hama's voice was saying. Icy green eyes came
into sharp focus amid the grey, followed by the face of a young girl
framed by short, blonde hair.br
br
"What I want should be of no concern to you," she said, her voice
sending waves of cold to the core of Ivan's very being.br
br
"I won't let you take Isaac," Hama's voice seemed to echo all
around him.Br
Br
"There's nothing you can do to stop me."br
Br
Hama cried out in pain, then fell silent. The grey around him
darkened to black, and he was forced back into himself.Br
Br
His eyes snapped open and Hama's room swam in and out of focus in
front of him. He couldn't breath, could hardly think, some outside force
crushing the life out of him. The world tilted forward, then stopped.Br
Br
"Ivan? Ivan, what's wrong?" Isaac's voice came as if from far
away. "IVAN!"br
Br
It was enough, Ivan began to fight back. With a flash of violet
light, he was back in the sea of darkness.br
br
"Impressive," the girl's cold voice, holding a hint of amusement,
sounded through the emptiness. "You could prove to be a challenge."br
br
"Who are you?" he asked. "What do you want?"Br
br
"I am Sheba, and I want you to die."Br
Br
Ivan was back again, but this time in full control. The first
gasp for breath ended in a fit of coughing, but the second was the breath
of life.Br
br
He was being supported by Isaac, who had started babbling.
"Ivan! You're alive! We thought you were dead for sure! I mean, when
you stopped breathing and your eyes rolled back in your head and-"br
br
"Calm down, Isaac," Garet, who was kneeling on the other side of
Ivan, admonished him quietly.br
br
"Do you know anyone named 'Sheba'?" Ivan asked.
Isaac shook his head. "No."br
Br
"I think we're going to have a problem," he admitted.Br
br
********************Br
Br
Mia was passing the door when someone knocked. She hesitated for
a moment, the last person to knock on this door had been from the army.
It had been Isaac, but he had been after their blood. After a moment,
she reached for the handle.Br
Br
And quickly jerked back when she sensed Psynergy, and an aura of
icy air surrounded the knob. Someone on the other side kicked the frozen
wood, causing it to shatter.br
br
Both of the people standing on their doorstep were obviously
powerful Adepts. The man had Feizhi in a sleeper, and the girl.br
br
The girl dashed forward with inhuman speed, tackling Mai t the
ground. Before the Mercury Adept could do a thing, she had been flipped
onto her stomach, the girl's knee digging inbetween her shoulder blades
and the cold flat of a knife blade was being pressed into the side of her
neck.br
Br
"Now, girly," the girl said, her tone soft and dangerous.
"Scream."