Alex: Yep, ff.net still hates me. Evil HTML!!!!!!!! EVIL!!!!!!!br
**88888br
br
I'm sorry this has taken so long. It has been a long couple of weeks, or
however long it has been. A lot of emotional stress (which sucks!) and
college stuff. Sorry. I'll try to update faster from now on, but it'll
probably just get more and more depressing...thought I should warn you.br
br
Chapter 7Br
br
Mia lifted one hand, and sent a surge of water Psynergy in
Garet's direction.br
br
Contact.Br
Br
Garet didn't even flinch. He didn't even look at her.Br
br
There was no hope.Br
Br
center***/centerBr
br
Sheba lunged at the Venus Adept before her, sword upraised.br
She didn't get very far. Vines erupted from the floor, wrapping
around her wrists and ankles. Struggling did her no good, the thick
plants only wound themselves tighter.Br
br
"You," she growled. The vines around her right wrist tightened
painfully, forcing her to drop her sword. More vines snaked up to
encircle her waist and her neck.Br
br
Felix dropped his hand, the glow of Psynergy fading from around
him, and walked towards her.br
"Who are you?" she asked.Br
br
He didn't answer for a minute, kicking the sword away. It slid
across the floor with a clatter. He watched it go, then met her gaze
with one of his own. "I don't know who I am."br
bR
"Oh, really," she closed her eyes, summoning the powers of
Jupiter. In an instant she had entered his mind, and seized control.
Felix looked at her blankly, then the tell tale glow of Psynergy gathered
around him and the vines receded. She stood for a moment, rubbing her
wrists. "Well, now you are mine."br
br
He didn't even seem to have heard her, continuing to stare at the
far wall.Br
br
"I have a job for you, my puppet." she smiled. br
br
center***/center
br
Isaac dashed into the front room.br
Br
Everything was in shambles, blackened and smoking. Garet was
advancing on a blue haired man, who looked desperate to get away. Feizhi
was at his feet, looking terrified. Mia was on the other side of the
room, a lost look on her face.Br
br
"Isaac!" she saw him, and her lost look turned to one of alarm.
br
"I can't do anything, Garet's too strong!"br
Isaac bit his lip, and felt a coppery tang flood his mouth when
he broke the skin. He had fought Garet once before, and had lost
miserably. Nothing could stop the Mars Adept in this state, nothing but-Br
br
"I'll try to reach him."Br
br
Isaac jumped. Ivan was standing beside him. "I thought I told
you to stay there."br
br
Ivan let out a short laugh. "Since when have I listened to you?"Br
"Oh, well, you do have a point."br
br
"Distract Garet," Ivan's purple eyes became hard. "At any cost.
I'll try to reach him mind to mind. It's the only way."br
br
"Oh, see, that'd be a great idea if he hadn't of already almost
taken my head off."Br
br
"Just do it," Ivan sounded slightly exasperated.br
br
"When I die I'm going to haunt you," Isaac glared at him, then
advanced on the Mars Adept. "Garet!"br
br
Garet ignored him, sending a tongue of flame at the nameless man
in the doorway. Isaac worked quickly, pulling up an earthen barrier
between the unprotected man and the attack. The fire hit the stone wall
and fanned out, quickly heating the rock to the point of melting it.Br
The man, obviously a Mercury Adept, cast douse, protecting
himself and Feizhi from the heat.br
br
The fire died down, and Isaac's barrier crumbled into a pile of
smoking rubble. Garet turned to him, his eyes crimson slits.br
br
"This is going to hurt," Isaac muttered, holding up his sword.
Garet charged him and grabbed at the sword, ignoring the edges slicing
into his palms. He ripped it from Isaac's grasp like the Venus Adept was
little more than a child, throwing it to one side.br
br
Isaac backed up and cast Ragnarok. The golden blade formed above
him, then crashed down from thin air. Garet held up his left arm. The
blade hit his forearm, and shattered in slow motion. Fragments of light
exploded outward, the prisms casting rainbows on the walls before
dissipating.br
br
Before Isaac could retaliate, Garet curled one large hand around
his neck and lifted him into the air above his head. It had never really
occurred to Isaac just how BIG Garet was until that moment when he was
being choked to death. He clawed desperately at Garet's vice-like grip,
struggling to breathe. Darkness tried to claim his vision, ringing
around the world that seemed to be so distorted. The shots of everyone
around him sounded as if they were coming from far away.Br
br
Time stopped for a brief moment.Br
br
His world was darkness, complete and absolute.Br
br
And from within that darkness came a voice he had heard only as a
small child, and in his dream.Br
br
His mother's.br
br
"Don't give up," she said softly, gently. "Don't give up,
Isaac."br
br
A girl's scream cut off his mother's words. A scream from
somewhere far away, so faint he could barely hear it. Then, it grew
louder and louder, so loud that it hurt his ears. The world came back
into sharp focus so fast it left his head reeling. Mia was screaming,
and sending wave after wave of Psynergy at Garet. The blue Psynergy
surrounded the Mars Adept like ripples, and it felt like it was cutting
through his very soul. He wanted to scream, but Garet's fingers cut off
any air through his windpipe.Br
br
Garet let loose a howl of pain, whipped around, and threw Isaac
into Mia.br
br
*******br
Br
"What do we have to gain in this?"br
br
"Whatever you want," Feh smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
He didn't trust these people, he wasn't sure if they even trusted
themselves. He had never seen the two Adepts faces, only the cloaks they
kept up at all times, as they did their guard. "Just bring Isaac back,
and kill everyone else there."br
br
"Even your two little puppies?" one of the figures, her voice
deep and raspy, leaned over the table. "The Jupiter Adept and the
Lemurian?"br
br
"If they have failed," Feh leaned back into his chair. "Which is
most likely."Br
br
The two cloaked Adepts swept out of the room. When they were
gone, Nyunpa entered the room. The old priest from Luchin Temple gave
Feh a stern look, his black eyes hard. "You have gone too far, Feh."Br
br
"I thought you might become a problem, old man," Feh bared his
teeth in the parody of a smile.br
br
"I am only gave a word of advice," Nyunpa held up one hand as a
signal of peace. "You were fine when you were playing with puppies, but
your wolves will one day turn on you."br
br
******br
br
Ivan wanted to help, wanted to at least ask Mia and Isaac if they
were all right. The two Adepts had hit the wall hard, too hard. But he
couldn't risk breaking the connection he had with Garet.br
br
*Garet! Listen to me!* he called out to the Mars Adept's mind.
Once Garet was distracted, it should have been a simple matter to contact
him. But this time, this time, his mind was a mess. No coherent thought
shouted out at Ivan, no rational thinking, only fire.br
br
*Let me show you.*Br
br
He recognized Sheba's mind, her presence and her "voice". She
lead him deeper into the very depths of the inferno, radiating calm in
waves of violet. To no avail. If it weren't for Sheba, Ivan would have
begun to panic, the Garet he knew seemed to be gone. All that was left
was flames, half finished thoughts and ideas buffeting at Ivan and Sheba,
trying to throw them off course.Br
br
But nothing could.br
br
*Garet!*Br
br
*Ivan?* some small part of Garet's mind was still sane, still his
friend. The mental voice sounded weak, and faded. *Is that you?*br
br
*Garet, let us help you,* Sheba said calmly. *Ivan, lend your
power to me. I can do this.*Br
br
Ivan felt himself growing weaker. Sheba had complete control
over Garet's mind, the flames were slowly dying down, the thoughts
returning more or less to normal.br
br
And then Ivan was back. Garet stood, looking at him with tired
brown eyes that seemed to be devoid of the fire that usually burned
behind them, before he sank slowly to his knees. Ivan wanted to do much
of the same, but instead walked to his friend and put on hand lightly on
his shoulder.br
br
"I'm okay," Garet answered his unasked question. "I...I'll be
alright."br
Br
Ivan nodded, then turned.Br
br
Sheba was standing in the doorway with Felix, a look of murder on
her face. "Well well well," she said softly. "This won't be hard at
all."br
br
*******br
Br
Once again, I'm sorry for how long this took. Real life stuff, and
changing a lot of things from the original version. The part I had
written out didn't really have the feel that it should have, so I had to
base my ideas on what I had and then I rewrote pretty much the whole
thing. Again, sorry, and updates will be quicker from now on.
**88888br
br
I'm sorry this has taken so long. It has been a long couple of weeks, or
however long it has been. A lot of emotional stress (which sucks!) and
college stuff. Sorry. I'll try to update faster from now on, but it'll
probably just get more and more depressing...thought I should warn you.br
br
Chapter 7Br
br
Mia lifted one hand, and sent a surge of water Psynergy in
Garet's direction.br
br
Contact.Br
Br
Garet didn't even flinch. He didn't even look at her.Br
br
There was no hope.Br
Br
center***/centerBr
br
Sheba lunged at the Venus Adept before her, sword upraised.br
She didn't get very far. Vines erupted from the floor, wrapping
around her wrists and ankles. Struggling did her no good, the thick
plants only wound themselves tighter.Br
br
"You," she growled. The vines around her right wrist tightened
painfully, forcing her to drop her sword. More vines snaked up to
encircle her waist and her neck.Br
br
Felix dropped his hand, the glow of Psynergy fading from around
him, and walked towards her.br
"Who are you?" she asked.Br
br
He didn't answer for a minute, kicking the sword away. It slid
across the floor with a clatter. He watched it go, then met her gaze
with one of his own. "I don't know who I am."br
bR
"Oh, really," she closed her eyes, summoning the powers of
Jupiter. In an instant she had entered his mind, and seized control.
Felix looked at her blankly, then the tell tale glow of Psynergy gathered
around him and the vines receded. She stood for a moment, rubbing her
wrists. "Well, now you are mine."br
br
He didn't even seem to have heard her, continuing to stare at the
far wall.Br
br
"I have a job for you, my puppet." she smiled. br
br
center***/center
br
Isaac dashed into the front room.br
Br
Everything was in shambles, blackened and smoking. Garet was
advancing on a blue haired man, who looked desperate to get away. Feizhi
was at his feet, looking terrified. Mia was on the other side of the
room, a lost look on her face.Br
br
"Isaac!" she saw him, and her lost look turned to one of alarm.
br
"I can't do anything, Garet's too strong!"br
Isaac bit his lip, and felt a coppery tang flood his mouth when
he broke the skin. He had fought Garet once before, and had lost
miserably. Nothing could stop the Mars Adept in this state, nothing but-Br
br
"I'll try to reach him."Br
br
Isaac jumped. Ivan was standing beside him. "I thought I told
you to stay there."br
br
Ivan let out a short laugh. "Since when have I listened to you?"Br
"Oh, well, you do have a point."br
br
"Distract Garet," Ivan's purple eyes became hard. "At any cost.
I'll try to reach him mind to mind. It's the only way."br
br
"Oh, see, that'd be a great idea if he hadn't of already almost
taken my head off."Br
br
"Just do it," Ivan sounded slightly exasperated.br
br
"When I die I'm going to haunt you," Isaac glared at him, then
advanced on the Mars Adept. "Garet!"br
br
Garet ignored him, sending a tongue of flame at the nameless man
in the doorway. Isaac worked quickly, pulling up an earthen barrier
between the unprotected man and the attack. The fire hit the stone wall
and fanned out, quickly heating the rock to the point of melting it.Br
The man, obviously a Mercury Adept, cast douse, protecting
himself and Feizhi from the heat.br
br
The fire died down, and Isaac's barrier crumbled into a pile of
smoking rubble. Garet turned to him, his eyes crimson slits.br
br
"This is going to hurt," Isaac muttered, holding up his sword.
Garet charged him and grabbed at the sword, ignoring the edges slicing
into his palms. He ripped it from Isaac's grasp like the Venus Adept was
little more than a child, throwing it to one side.br
br
Isaac backed up and cast Ragnarok. The golden blade formed above
him, then crashed down from thin air. Garet held up his left arm. The
blade hit his forearm, and shattered in slow motion. Fragments of light
exploded outward, the prisms casting rainbows on the walls before
dissipating.br
br
Before Isaac could retaliate, Garet curled one large hand around
his neck and lifted him into the air above his head. It had never really
occurred to Isaac just how BIG Garet was until that moment when he was
being choked to death. He clawed desperately at Garet's vice-like grip,
struggling to breathe. Darkness tried to claim his vision, ringing
around the world that seemed to be so distorted. The shots of everyone
around him sounded as if they were coming from far away.Br
br
Time stopped for a brief moment.Br
br
His world was darkness, complete and absolute.Br
br
And from within that darkness came a voice he had heard only as a
small child, and in his dream.Br
br
His mother's.br
br
"Don't give up," she said softly, gently. "Don't give up,
Isaac."br
br
A girl's scream cut off his mother's words. A scream from
somewhere far away, so faint he could barely hear it. Then, it grew
louder and louder, so loud that it hurt his ears. The world came back
into sharp focus so fast it left his head reeling. Mia was screaming,
and sending wave after wave of Psynergy at Garet. The blue Psynergy
surrounded the Mars Adept like ripples, and it felt like it was cutting
through his very soul. He wanted to scream, but Garet's fingers cut off
any air through his windpipe.Br
br
Garet let loose a howl of pain, whipped around, and threw Isaac
into Mia.br
br
*******br
Br
"What do we have to gain in this?"br
br
"Whatever you want," Feh smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
He didn't trust these people, he wasn't sure if they even trusted
themselves. He had never seen the two Adepts faces, only the cloaks they
kept up at all times, as they did their guard. "Just bring Isaac back,
and kill everyone else there."br
br
"Even your two little puppies?" one of the figures, her voice
deep and raspy, leaned over the table. "The Jupiter Adept and the
Lemurian?"br
br
"If they have failed," Feh leaned back into his chair. "Which is
most likely."Br
br
The two cloaked Adepts swept out of the room. When they were
gone, Nyunpa entered the room. The old priest from Luchin Temple gave
Feh a stern look, his black eyes hard. "You have gone too far, Feh."Br
br
"I thought you might become a problem, old man," Feh bared his
teeth in the parody of a smile.br
br
"I am only gave a word of advice," Nyunpa held up one hand as a
signal of peace. "You were fine when you were playing with puppies, but
your wolves will one day turn on you."br
br
******br
br
Ivan wanted to help, wanted to at least ask Mia and Isaac if they
were all right. The two Adepts had hit the wall hard, too hard. But he
couldn't risk breaking the connection he had with Garet.br
br
*Garet! Listen to me!* he called out to the Mars Adept's mind.
Once Garet was distracted, it should have been a simple matter to contact
him. But this time, this time, his mind was a mess. No coherent thought
shouted out at Ivan, no rational thinking, only fire.br
br
*Let me show you.*Br
br
He recognized Sheba's mind, her presence and her "voice". She
lead him deeper into the very depths of the inferno, radiating calm in
waves of violet. To no avail. If it weren't for Sheba, Ivan would have
begun to panic, the Garet he knew seemed to be gone. All that was left
was flames, half finished thoughts and ideas buffeting at Ivan and Sheba,
trying to throw them off course.Br
br
But nothing could.br
br
*Garet!*Br
br
*Ivan?* some small part of Garet's mind was still sane, still his
friend. The mental voice sounded weak, and faded. *Is that you?*br
br
*Garet, let us help you,* Sheba said calmly. *Ivan, lend your
power to me. I can do this.*Br
br
Ivan felt himself growing weaker. Sheba had complete control
over Garet's mind, the flames were slowly dying down, the thoughts
returning more or less to normal.br
br
And then Ivan was back. Garet stood, looking at him with tired
brown eyes that seemed to be devoid of the fire that usually burned
behind them, before he sank slowly to his knees. Ivan wanted to do much
of the same, but instead walked to his friend and put on hand lightly on
his shoulder.br
br
"I'm okay," Garet answered his unasked question. "I...I'll be
alright."br
Br
Ivan nodded, then turned.Br
br
Sheba was standing in the doorway with Felix, a look of murder on
her face. "Well well well," she said softly. "This won't be hard at
all."br
br
*******br
Br
Once again, I'm sorry for how long this took. Real life stuff, and
changing a lot of things from the original version. The part I had
written out didn't really have the feel that it should have, so I had to
base my ideas on what I had and then I rewrote pretty much the whole
thing. Again, sorry, and updates will be quicker from now on.