Alex: Hey it's me again. Yep my computer still hates me. ::kicking computer:: darn stupid
machine, messy HTML code.Br
br
Chapter 6br
Br
Ivan didn't bother to explain himself, simply got to his feet and
ran out into the hall, ignoring the questions Isaac and Garet were
yelling behind him.br
br
*If only the front door wasn't so far away* he thought
desperately. He sent out a line of Psynergy before him, the faint light
forming into a bird and taking flight, the violet wings barely visible.
He had a double image in front of him, his own, and the bird's. It flew
around several sharp corners and down a staircase before coming to the
front door. Sheba was there, pinning Mia down, the thin blade in her
hand pressed against the Mercury Adept's jugular vein. The vision
shifted to the broken doorway, where a man Ivan didn't know was holding
Feizhi. The name "Picard" came instantly to his mind, along with the
word "Lemuria".Br
br
*Lemuria? What is he DOING? If he's a Lemurian...*Br
Br
He tried to recall the line of Psynergy, but Sheba had already
caged his "bird". Before he could banish it completely, she had sent a
burst of power down the line connecting them. Pain flooded Ivan's
senses, driving him to his knees. The double vision collided, becoming a
blur of shapes before him.Br
Br
"It goes both ways," he said, aloud and mentally, sending his own
charge down the line. Sheba's scream ripped at his mind, her pain
becoming his. He slowly gained his feet, his eyesight still effected by
the spell. He tried again to recall it, but nothing happened. He began
a slow, hesitant walk down the hall, not sure what was there, and what
wasn't.br
br
*Garet!* he called to his friend. *They're at the front door!
It's Mia! She's-*Br
br
Another hit from Sheba's mind. He staggered before hitting a
wall he couldn't see, and sliding to the ground, unable to respond the
attack.Br
br
*****************Br
br
Garet barely paused after Ivan ran out of Hama's room. Hama had
always been a collector of all kinds of weapons, and the battle axe he
chose now felt comfortable in his grip. He was barely aware of Isaac
grabbing a long broadsword and following him as he charged out of the
room.Br
Br
*Garet! They're at the front door!* Ivan's voice sounded in his
mind. He was used to Ivan talking to him like this, but he had never
sounded so desperate, so quiet *It's Mia! She's-*Br
Br
His voice cut out abruptly.br
Br
*She's what? Ivan? IVAN!*br
br
Garet gave up. Ivan's "presence" in his mind was gone. "This is
not good. If Mia's hurt I swear, I'll kill them."Br
Br
"What?" Isaac asked.bR
br
Garet didn't bother to answer. He ran down the hall, his booted
feet barely whispering against the wooden floor. Despite his girth he
could be silent when he wanted to be, and this was one of those times.
He ignored Ivan's prone form, slumped against the wall, completely intent
on his purpose, barely noticing the red hazing his vision.Br
Br
A fire had begun burning at the back of his mind from the moment
he had seen Hama lying on the floor. Now it grew, burning away all
through and reason. And he let it, let it take him closer to the element
he controlled than ever before.br
Br
*****************Br
Br
"Ivan!"br
Isaac kneeled next to his fallen friend, grabbing his shoulders
and shaking him. Ivan's eyes opened slowly. He looked around, seeming
disoriented for a moment, before he seemed to realize where he was. br
"Isaac! Where? What? We have to-"Br
br
"Take it easy," Isaac ordered him. "Looks like you've had a
rough time. What happened? What's going on?"br
Br
"Two Adepts are here," Ivan explained. "I'm not sure what their
true objective is, but I do know that they want to take you back."
Br
"There's no way that's happening."Br
Br
"They're going to use Feizhi and Mia to bargain for you," the
Jupiter Adept tried to stand, but failed miserably. "And Sheba she's a
Jupiter Adept, she did that to Hama, and-"Br
Br
"Garet," sudden realization flooded through Isaac. "Stay here,
Ivan. I need to hurry."Br
br
He ran down the hall, praying with all of his might to any deity
that would listen that he wasn't too late.Br
Br
But he knew, deep down, that he already was.Br
Br
*******************Br
Br
Mia didn't scream when the blade slid between her ribs, or when
Sheba tugged it from her. It was only much later in her nightmares that
she did. Falling had never felt so desperate, or so abrupt, when she
stopped at her knees it was as if the world had stopped. Br
Br
"Don't heal yourself," Sheba touched the bloody tip of her sword
to her throat. "You still have a chance to survive if Isaac comes
quietly, but if you try now you'll die."br
Br
*Heal yourself,* a quiet voice told her through the pain that
riddled her mind. *You're just a bargaining tool now. When Isaac goes,
they're going to kill you anyway.*br
Br
*No,* she shook her head to clear away the voice. **I want to
live I want to live*Br
Br
Scenes from her life were flashing through her mind, when she
came to the school, when Isaac left, when the people she loved so dearly
now came, and Garet...Garet...Br
Br
As if summoned by her thoughts, the Mars Adept charged in. Her
heart lifted in her mauled ribcage when she saw him, but quickly sank
again. This wasn't her Garet, the one she knew so well. This was
somebody something else. His teeth were bared, a growl rising in his
chest. His eyes were wild, as wild as the corona of fire than surrounded
him. He growled again, the savage sound of the hunt, snapping his teeth.Br
Br
"Don't move!" Sheba warned him, turning her attention to him.
"I'll kill her if you do! I will!"Br
Br
Mia made her decision. She stood, and staggered back to the
wall. "He's beyond reasoning now."br
Br
She healed herself quickly, just as Garet lunged for Sheba's
throat. Sheba didn't even try to block the downward sweep of Garet's
axe, simply dodged the blow. The edge hit the floor where she had been
standing a moment before, the heated metal slicing through the wood like
it was butter. Garet pulled it out of the ground and advanced on the
Jupiter Adept.Br
Br
"No!" Picard yelled, turning Garet's attention to him. He
quickly cast Ice Missile. Garet held up his axe, the blade taking the
brunt of the blow. The shards of ice that deflected back to him melted
before they could get close.Br
Br
A sharp snap filled the air when the Mars Adept's axe broke. He
dropped it, held up his hands, and called forth a storm of fire.br
br
Mia quickly cast douse to protect herself from the hungry flames.
When they died down she could see that Picard ha done the same. Sheba
seemed to have disappeared.br
Br
Garet went at Picard, who cast Froth Spiral, his desperation
behind the swirling water. The water that didn't evaporate was bushed
aside by the Mars Adept. Real fear was in Picard's eyes when he looked
up at Garet.br
Br
*Garet's too powerful,* Mia realized. *He'll kill him if this
keeps up and possibly kill himself*Br
Br
If that happened, she didn't know what she would do. She looked
over at Picard, and the terrified Feizhi at his feet.Br
Br
*I have to stop this I'm the only one that can but not alone.Br
Br
She sent out a surge of Psynergy to Alex, able to communicate,
though without words.br
Br
He still understood.Br
Br
*****************Br
Br
"Mia needs my help."br
Br
They were in Jenna's room. Felix was sprawled against her bed,
Alex was siting on the floor, and Jenna was in the window seat, where she
had been playing softly on her lute.br
BR
"What?" Felix had barely been listening, but now he looked up
with full interest.br
Br
Jenna stopped playing the instrument and put it aside. "She
needs your help? How do you know?"br
Br
Alex, who had made the statement, looked up, his eyes gleaming
strangely. "I just do," he stood and walked out the door. Jenna looked
at Felix, who shrugged and got to his feet. They followed him into the
hallway.br
Br
"Is there anything we can do?" Jenna asked when they caught up,
looking up at the Mercury Adept.Br
Br
"I don't know, I just know that she needs me there," Alex
admitted.Br
Br
"You won't make it."Br
Br
A girl stepped out from around the corner. She had short blonde
hair and was wearing white that was splattered with red. She turned to
face them directly, a short sword dark with blood in one hand. "I'll
stop you."br
Br
She lunged at Alex, who sidestepped the blow neatly.Br
Br
"Let me handle this," Felix pushed Jenna behind him.Br
br
"But Felix-" she began.br
Br
"I'll be fine, Jenna," he waved her off. "Go with Alex, you
might be able to help."br
Br
As he said this, he dodged another swing of the girl's sword.Br
Br
"Alright," Jenna nodded, even though he couldn't see her. Alex
pulled her into a corridor that led to the side, leaving Felix to fight
Sheba alone. The could hear the sounds of battle behind them slowly
fading away into the distance.Br
br
The halls were darker here, no windows graced the walls, and
nobody had bothered to light the candles. A job that Jenna had to
sheepishly admit was hers. Their feet knew the way, but all the same,
Jenna reached for Alex's hand. His fingers tightened around hers.br
Br
"Don't worry, Felix will be fine," he said, squeezing her hand
reassuringly.Br
Br
"I hope so," she said, truthfully. "I don't want him to die. I
don't want anyone to die."Br
Br
"We all feel like that," Alex said. "But everyone has to die
sometime, no matter who you are. It's a natural part of life, and no one
can change that," he smiled gently down at her. "Which is why we have to
do as much as we can during the short time that we are alive."Br
br
She couldn't return his smile, she was at a complete loss for
words.br
br
*********Br
Br
I apologize for the short chapter. I had plans to make it longer, but it
was such a perfect place to end. Sorry for all of the cliffhangers, and
this stupid little note. I just wanted to say something that needed to
be said. This fic is not your average fic, and I realize that. This
isn't some cute little story where everyone gets in a bit of a tiff but
everything turns out alright, or something that will make you smile.
This fic...I based on true, real life. In real life things aren't always
fields full of sunshine and yellow flowers and kitties playing with
butterflies. In real, actual life, bad things happen to good people,
people hurt and kill eachother, and nothing comes out truly happy. I
have been flamed because I'm doing "that to Isaac", or "made Isaac that
way", or something. I'm sorry if you feel that way, but that's life.
The end is far away, but I thought I should put this little note here,
because if you thought what was before was bad, it gets worse. It's a
bumpy ride, but I hope at least a few of you see it to the end. Thank
you for your time, and your patience.
machine, messy HTML code.Br
br
Chapter 6br
Br
Ivan didn't bother to explain himself, simply got to his feet and
ran out into the hall, ignoring the questions Isaac and Garet were
yelling behind him.br
br
*If only the front door wasn't so far away* he thought
desperately. He sent out a line of Psynergy before him, the faint light
forming into a bird and taking flight, the violet wings barely visible.
He had a double image in front of him, his own, and the bird's. It flew
around several sharp corners and down a staircase before coming to the
front door. Sheba was there, pinning Mia down, the thin blade in her
hand pressed against the Mercury Adept's jugular vein. The vision
shifted to the broken doorway, where a man Ivan didn't know was holding
Feizhi. The name "Picard" came instantly to his mind, along with the
word "Lemuria".Br
br
*Lemuria? What is he DOING? If he's a Lemurian...*Br
Br
He tried to recall the line of Psynergy, but Sheba had already
caged his "bird". Before he could banish it completely, she had sent a
burst of power down the line connecting them. Pain flooded Ivan's
senses, driving him to his knees. The double vision collided, becoming a
blur of shapes before him.Br
Br
"It goes both ways," he said, aloud and mentally, sending his own
charge down the line. Sheba's scream ripped at his mind, her pain
becoming his. He slowly gained his feet, his eyesight still effected by
the spell. He tried again to recall it, but nothing happened. He began
a slow, hesitant walk down the hall, not sure what was there, and what
wasn't.br
br
*Garet!* he called to his friend. *They're at the front door!
It's Mia! She's-*Br
br
Another hit from Sheba's mind. He staggered before hitting a
wall he couldn't see, and sliding to the ground, unable to respond the
attack.Br
br
*****************Br
br
Garet barely paused after Ivan ran out of Hama's room. Hama had
always been a collector of all kinds of weapons, and the battle axe he
chose now felt comfortable in his grip. He was barely aware of Isaac
grabbing a long broadsword and following him as he charged out of the
room.Br
Br
*Garet! They're at the front door!* Ivan's voice sounded in his
mind. He was used to Ivan talking to him like this, but he had never
sounded so desperate, so quiet *It's Mia! She's-*Br
Br
His voice cut out abruptly.br
Br
*She's what? Ivan? IVAN!*br
br
Garet gave up. Ivan's "presence" in his mind was gone. "This is
not good. If Mia's hurt I swear, I'll kill them."Br
Br
"What?" Isaac asked.bR
br
Garet didn't bother to answer. He ran down the hall, his booted
feet barely whispering against the wooden floor. Despite his girth he
could be silent when he wanted to be, and this was one of those times.
He ignored Ivan's prone form, slumped against the wall, completely intent
on his purpose, barely noticing the red hazing his vision.Br
Br
A fire had begun burning at the back of his mind from the moment
he had seen Hama lying on the floor. Now it grew, burning away all
through and reason. And he let it, let it take him closer to the element
he controlled than ever before.br
Br
*****************Br
Br
"Ivan!"br
Isaac kneeled next to his fallen friend, grabbing his shoulders
and shaking him. Ivan's eyes opened slowly. He looked around, seeming
disoriented for a moment, before he seemed to realize where he was. br
"Isaac! Where? What? We have to-"Br
br
"Take it easy," Isaac ordered him. "Looks like you've had a
rough time. What happened? What's going on?"br
Br
"Two Adepts are here," Ivan explained. "I'm not sure what their
true objective is, but I do know that they want to take you back."
Br
"There's no way that's happening."Br
Br
"They're going to use Feizhi and Mia to bargain for you," the
Jupiter Adept tried to stand, but failed miserably. "And Sheba she's a
Jupiter Adept, she did that to Hama, and-"Br
Br
"Garet," sudden realization flooded through Isaac. "Stay here,
Ivan. I need to hurry."Br
br
He ran down the hall, praying with all of his might to any deity
that would listen that he wasn't too late.Br
Br
But he knew, deep down, that he already was.Br
Br
*******************Br
Br
Mia didn't scream when the blade slid between her ribs, or when
Sheba tugged it from her. It was only much later in her nightmares that
she did. Falling had never felt so desperate, or so abrupt, when she
stopped at her knees it was as if the world had stopped. Br
Br
"Don't heal yourself," Sheba touched the bloody tip of her sword
to her throat. "You still have a chance to survive if Isaac comes
quietly, but if you try now you'll die."br
Br
*Heal yourself,* a quiet voice told her through the pain that
riddled her mind. *You're just a bargaining tool now. When Isaac goes,
they're going to kill you anyway.*br
Br
*No,* she shook her head to clear away the voice. **I want to
live I want to live*Br
Br
Scenes from her life were flashing through her mind, when she
came to the school, when Isaac left, when the people she loved so dearly
now came, and Garet...Garet...Br
Br
As if summoned by her thoughts, the Mars Adept charged in. Her
heart lifted in her mauled ribcage when she saw him, but quickly sank
again. This wasn't her Garet, the one she knew so well. This was
somebody something else. His teeth were bared, a growl rising in his
chest. His eyes were wild, as wild as the corona of fire than surrounded
him. He growled again, the savage sound of the hunt, snapping his teeth.Br
Br
"Don't move!" Sheba warned him, turning her attention to him.
"I'll kill her if you do! I will!"Br
Br
Mia made her decision. She stood, and staggered back to the
wall. "He's beyond reasoning now."br
Br
She healed herself quickly, just as Garet lunged for Sheba's
throat. Sheba didn't even try to block the downward sweep of Garet's
axe, simply dodged the blow. The edge hit the floor where she had been
standing a moment before, the heated metal slicing through the wood like
it was butter. Garet pulled it out of the ground and advanced on the
Jupiter Adept.Br
Br
"No!" Picard yelled, turning Garet's attention to him. He
quickly cast Ice Missile. Garet held up his axe, the blade taking the
brunt of the blow. The shards of ice that deflected back to him melted
before they could get close.Br
Br
A sharp snap filled the air when the Mars Adept's axe broke. He
dropped it, held up his hands, and called forth a storm of fire.br
br
Mia quickly cast douse to protect herself from the hungry flames.
When they died down she could see that Picard ha done the same. Sheba
seemed to have disappeared.br
Br
Garet went at Picard, who cast Froth Spiral, his desperation
behind the swirling water. The water that didn't evaporate was bushed
aside by the Mars Adept. Real fear was in Picard's eyes when he looked
up at Garet.br
Br
*Garet's too powerful,* Mia realized. *He'll kill him if this
keeps up and possibly kill himself*Br
Br
If that happened, she didn't know what she would do. She looked
over at Picard, and the terrified Feizhi at his feet.Br
Br
*I have to stop this I'm the only one that can but not alone.Br
Br
She sent out a surge of Psynergy to Alex, able to communicate,
though without words.br
Br
He still understood.Br
Br
*****************Br
Br
"Mia needs my help."br
Br
They were in Jenna's room. Felix was sprawled against her bed,
Alex was siting on the floor, and Jenna was in the window seat, where she
had been playing softly on her lute.br
BR
"What?" Felix had barely been listening, but now he looked up
with full interest.br
Br
Jenna stopped playing the instrument and put it aside. "She
needs your help? How do you know?"br
Br
Alex, who had made the statement, looked up, his eyes gleaming
strangely. "I just do," he stood and walked out the door. Jenna looked
at Felix, who shrugged and got to his feet. They followed him into the
hallway.br
Br
"Is there anything we can do?" Jenna asked when they caught up,
looking up at the Mercury Adept.Br
Br
"I don't know, I just know that she needs me there," Alex
admitted.Br
Br
"You won't make it."Br
Br
A girl stepped out from around the corner. She had short blonde
hair and was wearing white that was splattered with red. She turned to
face them directly, a short sword dark with blood in one hand. "I'll
stop you."br
Br
She lunged at Alex, who sidestepped the blow neatly.Br
Br
"Let me handle this," Felix pushed Jenna behind him.Br
br
"But Felix-" she began.br
Br
"I'll be fine, Jenna," he waved her off. "Go with Alex, you
might be able to help."br
Br
As he said this, he dodged another swing of the girl's sword.Br
Br
"Alright," Jenna nodded, even though he couldn't see her. Alex
pulled her into a corridor that led to the side, leaving Felix to fight
Sheba alone. The could hear the sounds of battle behind them slowly
fading away into the distance.Br
br
The halls were darker here, no windows graced the walls, and
nobody had bothered to light the candles. A job that Jenna had to
sheepishly admit was hers. Their feet knew the way, but all the same,
Jenna reached for Alex's hand. His fingers tightened around hers.br
Br
"Don't worry, Felix will be fine," he said, squeezing her hand
reassuringly.Br
Br
"I hope so," she said, truthfully. "I don't want him to die. I
don't want anyone to die."Br
Br
"We all feel like that," Alex said. "But everyone has to die
sometime, no matter who you are. It's a natural part of life, and no one
can change that," he smiled gently down at her. "Which is why we have to
do as much as we can during the short time that we are alive."Br
br
She couldn't return his smile, she was at a complete loss for
words.br
br
*********Br
Br
I apologize for the short chapter. I had plans to make it longer, but it
was such a perfect place to end. Sorry for all of the cliffhangers, and
this stupid little note. I just wanted to say something that needed to
be said. This fic is not your average fic, and I realize that. This
isn't some cute little story where everyone gets in a bit of a tiff but
everything turns out alright, or something that will make you smile.
This fic...I based on true, real life. In real life things aren't always
fields full of sunshine and yellow flowers and kitties playing with
butterflies. In real, actual life, bad things happen to good people,
people hurt and kill eachother, and nothing comes out truly happy. I
have been flamed because I'm doing "that to Isaac", or "made Isaac that
way", or something. I'm sorry if you feel that way, but that's life.
The end is far away, but I thought I should put this little note here,
because if you thought what was before was bad, it gets worse. It's a
bumpy ride, but I hope at least a few of you see it to the end. Thank
you for your time, and your patience.