Chapter 21: Soul Healing
Not shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
It must have been near noon when Jezabel awoke. Slowly, she looked to her window and shut it, blocking the cheerful chirps of birds. Her bare feet soon became chill stepping across the dark stone flooring.
Everything was stiff and ached from yesterday's activities, Jezabel stretched musing about how a massage therapist would be a great asset. But, eventually her stomach demanded attention, and everyone knows how persuasive and empty one can be. If she hurried she could still make it in time for lunch to be served.
"Excuse me." a messenger called through the door, "I have a request from Lord Folken for Jezabel Gylynn."
"Come in." Jez called, while putting her hair back in a braid.
The small boy entered, he couldn't have been much over ten, although from the looks of his attire he must have come into Lord Folken's service through a wealthy family seeking to enhance their son's upbringing. "Lord Folken requests your presence, you are to see him as soon as possible."
Her stomach would have to wait. "Very well."
The boy bowed and left.
"Good afternoon, please come in, Jezabel."
She frowned as she took a seat across from Lord Folken, being tired and sore did not help her usual cheerful outlook. Cheerful, if a bit violent.
"Now you have made some definite progress in your element training, yet."
"It's not good enough." Jez interrupted.
"Though not your fault."
She waited for him to continue.
"You recall that the first time you taped into these powers was once you had found the stones."
"Yes."
"I think you need to go back and find the rest of them."
"How many?"
Folken steepled his fingers leaning forward slightly as he mused, his sorcerer's cloak making him look powerful indeed. "There are the basic cardinal elements, air, fire, water, and earth. Then there are the half- elements, mist, mire, lava, and dust. There are harmonies, also called polars, order and chaos, life and death, light and darkness. Not to mention energy invocations, thunder, inferno, tsunami, quake, and one revocation - ice. Next, you have multiples, which involve weather manipulation, like storm lighting, and ice flame, either invoking or revoking of several elements. Although they are not limited to only those three. Finally, we have energy, which everything revolves around."
"What?"
Folken passed her a diagram showing all the ornate and complicated connections. And Jez looked at it trying to make sense of the intersecting lines and the symbols accompanying them. "Folken, you have a lot of explaining to do."
"So it would seem." he chuckled to himself, enjoying her confused expression. "We'll start simple, and I'll explain things as you need to know them. First, we'll have you master your meditation technique, then the cardinal elements. Such as Fire which you have come into contact and Water. Though it seems that odd that you've tapped into ice before making any real contact with water. Odd, but not unheard of, you may have an affinity with that element. After you master the four cardinals I'll move you into half- elements."
"And then?"
"We'll see. Invocations become tricky, but before we do anything else I'm sending you on a little mission."
Jezabel's soldier instinct kicked in. "Foe, weapons, location, time, supplies."
"Not a Zaibach mission, Jezabel. A private journey for yourself." he continued, rising and gliding to the window behind him. "I'm sending you back to the Atlantian ruins, you need to retrieve the rest of the element stones. So far you have two, you need two more. Your leave has no time limit, although I suggest you do not dawdle, Dilandau is not pleased with this arrangement."
"Surprise, surprise." Jezabel muttered.
"While there though your meditation can be worked upon, and your Dragonslayer training is not to be neglected. You will depart today at your leisure."
"Am I allowed to train with the Fire and Ice elements?"
She waited for an answer and she knew he was thinking of the danger of an unsupervised training. "Fire you may," he answered finally, "but do exercise caution, and being near a water source wouldn't be amiss either."
"I promise I won't burn myself.again." A spark of life showed itself, but only for a moment.
This prompted a small chuckle. "Just hold off on the Ice, that one is rather advanced."
"One more question."
"Yes?" Folken turned away from the window to gaze at her.
"I want to know how to use my wings."
Idly he massaged his knuckles, "Your wings are in need of great medical treatment, such treatment takes time and much energy on your part. Quite simply if I were to add this to the list of things you are already undertaking I would be stretching you too thin."
"So there's hope for them?"
"Yes, but not yet. A few months won't hurt them any more, in fact the Gaean air may help. But, it is best to leave them alone for the time being. Now I suggest you get your effects in order."
"Yes, Lord Folken." Jezabel bowed and left the chamber.
Folken sighed and took his seat, sending Jezabel for a bit of soul healing wouldn't hurt either, the newly acquired deadened look in her eyes was enough to make him send her straight away. To be a soldier and keep the spark of life vibrant in you was a difficult task, the last thing that the Vionne needed was Jezabel to lose all the spark that she had brought here. The Dragonslayers were finally becoming human again, he wanted it to stay that way. It was amazing how dying once gave you such an appreciation of the life surrounding you.
The halls were empty and silent excepting the almost continuous cling.cling. of the practice hall. Far away, echoing down the hall a blood- curdling scream erupted from a new recruit. (Dilandau had ordered that the most promising ones come to the Vionne for testing.)
Jezabel halted in her tracks, her head swooning. Unwanted flashbacks filtered through her mind. She killed those two boys; they were just boys, not men, boys. Boys defending their city, their loved ones, their home. And she had killed them in a rage so strong that she didn't even think of what she was doing, she killed them not even having a scrap of humanity in her. Robbed them of a future, robbed their sweethearts of a companion. Like she had been robbed of a family.
"NO!" she screamed clutching her head, "No! No! No, No. no."stumbling in a haze Jezabel's feet carried her to her quarters. Blindly she ran, and nearly knocked over Eva as she burst into the room and collapsed face down on the bed.
"J-jez?"
What was wrong with her? Jez never acted like this, never let her emotions take her this far over the edge. She'd never seen her collapse, or the violent shaking. Jezabel's breathing was coming erratically, almost as through she were shedding dry tears.
"Jez?" Eva asked again, hesitantly reaching over to touch her shoulder.
But, soon enough her hand was caught in Jezabel's remorseless grip. Yet, it wasn't that which frightened Eva the most. She expected Jez's eyes to be moist with tears, not like this. Not like the steel blue lasers that burned through her own, not that icy stare glaring up at her, not the despair shining through them.
"What's wrong? Tell me." Eva coaxed. "Please Jez, let me help."
Jez threw down Eva's wrist, looking away, "Nothing helps, nothing can reverse what has already been done." her voice was barely above a whisper, but it slashed the air like a blade.
"Oh, yesterday's battle."
A meek nod answered.
"I see." Eva had seen this too often, the best thing was time alone. Jezabel would have to come to terms with this by herself. Other people trying to help often made things worse. Even so, a push wouldn't hurt. "Just remember Jez, men join the army because they have nothing to lose, they are more often than not loners without family or loved ones. They expect to die, and they aren't afraid of it."
"But it's still a life."
Eva was losing her patience, without warning Eva's hand connected with Jezabel's cheek in a slap to rival Dilandau's. "Look, if you didn't kill them they would have killed you. Hunt or be hunted. Cruel, but war is cruel."
Sighing, Eva left, she knew Jez would be all right, but she hated to see self-pity. It was just plain annoying.
"Well, well, is the demon ready to go on her journey?" Came a sarcastic voice from within the shadows.
"Yes, Lord Dilandau." Jezabel replied halting in her tracks. Carrying in her pockets only the barest of necessities, and her sword hanging at her waist. Black breeches and a white tunic had replaced her uniform.
"This wasn't my idea bitch, and I don't like it." his crimson eyes glowed, dangerous but beautiful.
"I know sir." Jezabel replied, perfecting her hundred-mile stare.
Dilandau slinked out of the shadows cupping her chin roughly in his hand. Demon or not, I still plan to seduce you, no one has resisted me, and I have been lenient with you."
"Lenient, or scared shitless?"
Her comment was rewarded with a slap. "Don't get catty with me freak."
"You will never seduce me. I will never come crawling to you." But even as she said it, her words were faltering, her will weakening as he hypnotized her with his eyes. His beautiful eyes, his pale sculpted body, his soft silky hair.
"You know you want me." he whispered in her ear, biting it gently. His warm breath tickling her skin as he trailed soft kisses on her neck, his hands gliding down her back pulling her close. Close so she could feel the hardness of his body, close so her breasts crushed against his chest.
Her body reacted one way, her heart another.
"Let go of me." she hissed.
"But why? You enjoy this, already your body is going weak with pleasure."
"I said, let go of me." Simmering anger built, and Fire was slowly starting to heat her skin.
"Ah, but you become feverish and warm at my touch." His hands explored further, reaching under her loose shirt.
"Play with Fire and you'll get burned." she threatened. Slowly increasing the heat of her skin. "And I never break a promise."
Dilandau was no fool, the heat that radiated from her was not natural, all too well he remembered his earlier contact with her anger.
"Burn me and I'll make your life a living hell."
"But you'll never be able to touch me," she transferred the heat from her own body to Dilandau's pale skin, concentrating it near one valuable area. "Or anyone else for that matter."
Snarling he thrust her away. "Fine, go roll in the hay with your Dragonslayer, you are a fool to try to resist me."
"Or perhaps you are a fool to try to seduce me." she began to walk towards her 'melef, "Commander or not, I am and was a female before I was ever a Dragonslayer, and I will protect myself, regardless of who the man may be."
"Then I'll just have to make you want me, you know how I love to watch things burn, your freakish nature may just spice things up a bit."
Jezabel bit back a reply, stalking off and drowning out any further comments with the clicking of her heels on the stone floor.
A cool breeze flowed through the vents of the guymelef as she made her way to the ancient ruins. It was nearing the end of Red, and thus the end of summer. The hot days were reaching their climax, and slowly cooling off. The nights were becoming chilly and a fire would be a necessity during her stay. The ruins looked as powerful and ancient as they had the last time that Jezabel had come. Crumbling stone walls were supported by great vines, some as thick as her arm. Loose rocks littered the ground in patches and everywhere was covered with a lush green canopy of summer leaves. Birds chirped, the wind whistled and merry tune, and the crazy brook carried on conversations that it only could understand. Equipped with a few papers from Lord Folken, her little flashlight, sleeping roll, rope, sword, and a few other concealed weapons Jezabel went about finding herself a camp. Soon enough the sun would be sinking over the horizon and she wanted to be well situated before nightfall. Finding the cave that she and Miguel had stayed in was the first step, gathering wood was second. Tossing her effects on the sandy floor Jezabel went about organizing her campfire, she debated lighting it with her powers, but then decided it would be safer if she weren't in an enclosed area. Soon the damp cave was comfortingly warmed by the orange glow, and the flickering shadows performed a dance on the cavern walls for her enjoyment. Watching the graceful but erratic movements Jezabel was soon lulled to sleep.
A/N: Okay, sorry this one took a bit to get up. I went on vacation, which was really fun, but that also meant I didn't have much time to write. And I also just made a rather large deviation from the original draft, so I've been busy working out all the bugs. If you notice something that doesn't make sense from previous chapters, please let me know. I forget what I've written, and what I've changed, and then stuff gets conflicting. Okay, secondly I am working on a character sketch of Jez, maybe I can talk FireDemon into doing one of Eva, (she came up with the character after all.) Buddy? *grins* and I am re-doing one of the sword (but I never finished the first one to begin with.) and I am also doing charts of the element stone combinations. When this'll be done..who knows, if you'd like to see them let me know and it might get me to work faster on them. What else.*taps forehead* School starts in a week, don't know what that means for my writing time yet.umm.think that's it. Again Q's or comments review or e-mail, I will be more than happy to explain stuff that dun make sense. okay that is it! Ciao! Ice Eyes
It must have been near noon when Jezabel awoke. Slowly, she looked to her window and shut it, blocking the cheerful chirps of birds. Her bare feet soon became chill stepping across the dark stone flooring.
Everything was stiff and ached from yesterday's activities, Jezabel stretched musing about how a massage therapist would be a great asset. But, eventually her stomach demanded attention, and everyone knows how persuasive and empty one can be. If she hurried she could still make it in time for lunch to be served.
"Excuse me." a messenger called through the door, "I have a request from Lord Folken for Jezabel Gylynn."
"Come in." Jez called, while putting her hair back in a braid.
The small boy entered, he couldn't have been much over ten, although from the looks of his attire he must have come into Lord Folken's service through a wealthy family seeking to enhance their son's upbringing. "Lord Folken requests your presence, you are to see him as soon as possible."
Her stomach would have to wait. "Very well."
The boy bowed and left.
"Good afternoon, please come in, Jezabel."
She frowned as she took a seat across from Lord Folken, being tired and sore did not help her usual cheerful outlook. Cheerful, if a bit violent.
"Now you have made some definite progress in your element training, yet."
"It's not good enough." Jez interrupted.
"Though not your fault."
She waited for him to continue.
"You recall that the first time you taped into these powers was once you had found the stones."
"Yes."
"I think you need to go back and find the rest of them."
"How many?"
Folken steepled his fingers leaning forward slightly as he mused, his sorcerer's cloak making him look powerful indeed. "There are the basic cardinal elements, air, fire, water, and earth. Then there are the half- elements, mist, mire, lava, and dust. There are harmonies, also called polars, order and chaos, life and death, light and darkness. Not to mention energy invocations, thunder, inferno, tsunami, quake, and one revocation - ice. Next, you have multiples, which involve weather manipulation, like storm lighting, and ice flame, either invoking or revoking of several elements. Although they are not limited to only those three. Finally, we have energy, which everything revolves around."
"What?"
Folken passed her a diagram showing all the ornate and complicated connections. And Jez looked at it trying to make sense of the intersecting lines and the symbols accompanying them. "Folken, you have a lot of explaining to do."
"So it would seem." he chuckled to himself, enjoying her confused expression. "We'll start simple, and I'll explain things as you need to know them. First, we'll have you master your meditation technique, then the cardinal elements. Such as Fire which you have come into contact and Water. Though it seems that odd that you've tapped into ice before making any real contact with water. Odd, but not unheard of, you may have an affinity with that element. After you master the four cardinals I'll move you into half- elements."
"And then?"
"We'll see. Invocations become tricky, but before we do anything else I'm sending you on a little mission."
Jezabel's soldier instinct kicked in. "Foe, weapons, location, time, supplies."
"Not a Zaibach mission, Jezabel. A private journey for yourself." he continued, rising and gliding to the window behind him. "I'm sending you back to the Atlantian ruins, you need to retrieve the rest of the element stones. So far you have two, you need two more. Your leave has no time limit, although I suggest you do not dawdle, Dilandau is not pleased with this arrangement."
"Surprise, surprise." Jezabel muttered.
"While there though your meditation can be worked upon, and your Dragonslayer training is not to be neglected. You will depart today at your leisure."
"Am I allowed to train with the Fire and Ice elements?"
She waited for an answer and she knew he was thinking of the danger of an unsupervised training. "Fire you may," he answered finally, "but do exercise caution, and being near a water source wouldn't be amiss either."
"I promise I won't burn myself.again." A spark of life showed itself, but only for a moment.
This prompted a small chuckle. "Just hold off on the Ice, that one is rather advanced."
"One more question."
"Yes?" Folken turned away from the window to gaze at her.
"I want to know how to use my wings."
Idly he massaged his knuckles, "Your wings are in need of great medical treatment, such treatment takes time and much energy on your part. Quite simply if I were to add this to the list of things you are already undertaking I would be stretching you too thin."
"So there's hope for them?"
"Yes, but not yet. A few months won't hurt them any more, in fact the Gaean air may help. But, it is best to leave them alone for the time being. Now I suggest you get your effects in order."
"Yes, Lord Folken." Jezabel bowed and left the chamber.
Folken sighed and took his seat, sending Jezabel for a bit of soul healing wouldn't hurt either, the newly acquired deadened look in her eyes was enough to make him send her straight away. To be a soldier and keep the spark of life vibrant in you was a difficult task, the last thing that the Vionne needed was Jezabel to lose all the spark that she had brought here. The Dragonslayers were finally becoming human again, he wanted it to stay that way. It was amazing how dying once gave you such an appreciation of the life surrounding you.
The halls were empty and silent excepting the almost continuous cling.cling. of the practice hall. Far away, echoing down the hall a blood- curdling scream erupted from a new recruit. (Dilandau had ordered that the most promising ones come to the Vionne for testing.)
Jezabel halted in her tracks, her head swooning. Unwanted flashbacks filtered through her mind. She killed those two boys; they were just boys, not men, boys. Boys defending their city, their loved ones, their home. And she had killed them in a rage so strong that she didn't even think of what she was doing, she killed them not even having a scrap of humanity in her. Robbed them of a future, robbed their sweethearts of a companion. Like she had been robbed of a family.
"NO!" she screamed clutching her head, "No! No! No, No. no."stumbling in a haze Jezabel's feet carried her to her quarters. Blindly she ran, and nearly knocked over Eva as she burst into the room and collapsed face down on the bed.
"J-jez?"
What was wrong with her? Jez never acted like this, never let her emotions take her this far over the edge. She'd never seen her collapse, or the violent shaking. Jezabel's breathing was coming erratically, almost as through she were shedding dry tears.
"Jez?" Eva asked again, hesitantly reaching over to touch her shoulder.
But, soon enough her hand was caught in Jezabel's remorseless grip. Yet, it wasn't that which frightened Eva the most. She expected Jez's eyes to be moist with tears, not like this. Not like the steel blue lasers that burned through her own, not that icy stare glaring up at her, not the despair shining through them.
"What's wrong? Tell me." Eva coaxed. "Please Jez, let me help."
Jez threw down Eva's wrist, looking away, "Nothing helps, nothing can reverse what has already been done." her voice was barely above a whisper, but it slashed the air like a blade.
"Oh, yesterday's battle."
A meek nod answered.
"I see." Eva had seen this too often, the best thing was time alone. Jezabel would have to come to terms with this by herself. Other people trying to help often made things worse. Even so, a push wouldn't hurt. "Just remember Jez, men join the army because they have nothing to lose, they are more often than not loners without family or loved ones. They expect to die, and they aren't afraid of it."
"But it's still a life."
Eva was losing her patience, without warning Eva's hand connected with Jezabel's cheek in a slap to rival Dilandau's. "Look, if you didn't kill them they would have killed you. Hunt or be hunted. Cruel, but war is cruel."
Sighing, Eva left, she knew Jez would be all right, but she hated to see self-pity. It was just plain annoying.
"Well, well, is the demon ready to go on her journey?" Came a sarcastic voice from within the shadows.
"Yes, Lord Dilandau." Jezabel replied halting in her tracks. Carrying in her pockets only the barest of necessities, and her sword hanging at her waist. Black breeches and a white tunic had replaced her uniform.
"This wasn't my idea bitch, and I don't like it." his crimson eyes glowed, dangerous but beautiful.
"I know sir." Jezabel replied, perfecting her hundred-mile stare.
Dilandau slinked out of the shadows cupping her chin roughly in his hand. Demon or not, I still plan to seduce you, no one has resisted me, and I have been lenient with you."
"Lenient, or scared shitless?"
Her comment was rewarded with a slap. "Don't get catty with me freak."
"You will never seduce me. I will never come crawling to you." But even as she said it, her words were faltering, her will weakening as he hypnotized her with his eyes. His beautiful eyes, his pale sculpted body, his soft silky hair.
"You know you want me." he whispered in her ear, biting it gently. His warm breath tickling her skin as he trailed soft kisses on her neck, his hands gliding down her back pulling her close. Close so she could feel the hardness of his body, close so her breasts crushed against his chest.
Her body reacted one way, her heart another.
"Let go of me." she hissed.
"But why? You enjoy this, already your body is going weak with pleasure."
"I said, let go of me." Simmering anger built, and Fire was slowly starting to heat her skin.
"Ah, but you become feverish and warm at my touch." His hands explored further, reaching under her loose shirt.
"Play with Fire and you'll get burned." she threatened. Slowly increasing the heat of her skin. "And I never break a promise."
Dilandau was no fool, the heat that radiated from her was not natural, all too well he remembered his earlier contact with her anger.
"Burn me and I'll make your life a living hell."
"But you'll never be able to touch me," she transferred the heat from her own body to Dilandau's pale skin, concentrating it near one valuable area. "Or anyone else for that matter."
Snarling he thrust her away. "Fine, go roll in the hay with your Dragonslayer, you are a fool to try to resist me."
"Or perhaps you are a fool to try to seduce me." she began to walk towards her 'melef, "Commander or not, I am and was a female before I was ever a Dragonslayer, and I will protect myself, regardless of who the man may be."
"Then I'll just have to make you want me, you know how I love to watch things burn, your freakish nature may just spice things up a bit."
Jezabel bit back a reply, stalking off and drowning out any further comments with the clicking of her heels on the stone floor.
A cool breeze flowed through the vents of the guymelef as she made her way to the ancient ruins. It was nearing the end of Red, and thus the end of summer. The hot days were reaching their climax, and slowly cooling off. The nights were becoming chilly and a fire would be a necessity during her stay. The ruins looked as powerful and ancient as they had the last time that Jezabel had come. Crumbling stone walls were supported by great vines, some as thick as her arm. Loose rocks littered the ground in patches and everywhere was covered with a lush green canopy of summer leaves. Birds chirped, the wind whistled and merry tune, and the crazy brook carried on conversations that it only could understand. Equipped with a few papers from Lord Folken, her little flashlight, sleeping roll, rope, sword, and a few other concealed weapons Jezabel went about finding herself a camp. Soon enough the sun would be sinking over the horizon and she wanted to be well situated before nightfall. Finding the cave that she and Miguel had stayed in was the first step, gathering wood was second. Tossing her effects on the sandy floor Jezabel went about organizing her campfire, she debated lighting it with her powers, but then decided it would be safer if she weren't in an enclosed area. Soon the damp cave was comfortingly warmed by the orange glow, and the flickering shadows performed a dance on the cavern walls for her enjoyment. Watching the graceful but erratic movements Jezabel was soon lulled to sleep.
A/N: Okay, sorry this one took a bit to get up. I went on vacation, which was really fun, but that also meant I didn't have much time to write. And I also just made a rather large deviation from the original draft, so I've been busy working out all the bugs. If you notice something that doesn't make sense from previous chapters, please let me know. I forget what I've written, and what I've changed, and then stuff gets conflicting. Okay, secondly I am working on a character sketch of Jez, maybe I can talk FireDemon into doing one of Eva, (she came up with the character after all.) Buddy? *grins* and I am re-doing one of the sword (but I never finished the first one to begin with.) and I am also doing charts of the element stone combinations. When this'll be done..who knows, if you'd like to see them let me know and it might get me to work faster on them. What else.*taps forehead* School starts in a week, don't know what that means for my writing time yet.umm.think that's it. Again Q's or comments review or e-mail, I will be more than happy to explain stuff that dun make sense. okay that is it! Ciao! Ice Eyes