Four Souls: Heritage
Author's note: HI!!!
Asnee was sitting at the small table when Aethan walked in. He glanced up slightly, and then went back to what was left of his food.
"How ya doing?" asked Aethan. Asnee looked up a bit longer this time.
"Fine, I've got a huge head ache though." Aethan laughed. Asnee cocked his head in confusion.
"I'm not laughing at you. Jeris felt the same way after he was removed from Aloran's damn memory spell. Lia was right again." Asnee looked even more confused. "To explain, it seems you're memory's been altered. Our enemy, formally our ally, altered your memory in order to control you and force you to attack us. Since we didn't find your brother, I'm assuming he's under a similar spell."
"You know of my brother?" asked Asnee.
"Yes, he escaped the blast Lia let off and ran. I'm going to have to remember not to get her to mad." Asnee was puzzled again.
"Who's Lia? Is she another mage?" A nock at the door stopped Aethan from answering. He stood up and opened it. Lia kinda stumbled in. Jeris, behind her, steadied her on his arm. Lia looked up and smiled at him then stepped forward carefully.
"Sorry, mind if I join you?" When Aethan nodded, Jeris helped Lia into a chair near by. Lia's smile took Asnee by surprise.
"Are, um, are you Lia?" he asked. Lia nodded with a grin. "I'm sorry, my brother and I gave you so much trouble."
"It's alright, it wasn't your fault. I want to help you if I can. The five of us'll be fine." Asnee looked at her.
"But, weren't you hurt?" Lia grinned again.
"No, I'm just exhausted. I haven't been using mage-craft for about a year."
"Than you were the one with the violet aura?" Jeris and Aethan were both giving her weird looks now.
"Yes, that was me. Sorry I had to hit you like that." Jeris was confused now.
"Your aura is violet?" he asked.
"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Lia was getting annoyed.
"Well… never mind," said Jeris.
"I'm going to go back to my room. Asnee, your names Asnee right? If you want, I'll help you with your mage-craft. But only if you want it."
"I'd like that Lady," said Asnee. Lia stood up and nearly collapsed on Jeris' arm. Jeris looked annoyed. He picked her up and started to carry her out of the room.
"I can walk Jeris!" she yelped.
"To bad, you're to weak to get farther than the main hall anyway." Jeris was grinning. Lia crossed her arms and sighed.
"And what's with people calling me 'Lady' all of a sudden." That got a laugh out of Jeris. Over hearing from the room, Aethan laughed and buried his face in his hand.
"What's wrong? I was just trying to be respectful," said Asnee.
"Nothing, just that I was the last one to call her 'Lady' and I got the same reaction." Asnee cocked his head again.
"Isn't she a noble?" Aethan laughed again.
"No actually, she was raised on a farm."
"Your sure?"
"Kinda, I wouldn't be surprised if she was born a noble. After all, she's admitted she can't remember the first six years of her life. I thought she was one when I first met her to."
"Hm, by the way, who was that girl who came in earlier? She said her name was Aletta." Aethan's laugh grew louder.
"That was my younger sister." Asnee looked shocked.
"Oh, ok. If you don't mind, could I get some rest now? I still feel like a mule kicked me in the ribs." Aethan smiled.
"In a way one did. I'll go, thank you for helping us." Asnee fell asleep soon after he left. Out side the door, Aethan leaned against the wall, gazing at the celing. So you like Aletta do you. Boy if you break my sister's heart, I'll cut you in half. Aethan stood strait and walked down the hall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yaren had woken up that morning with a major hang over. He was supposed to give a report to Van today, but his head hurt so bad he thought it would be better to wait an hour or two. Mandan walked in with a grin on his face.
"Finally awake?" Yaren groaned.
"Shut up will ya, just because you take alcohol better doesn't give you a reason to be so loud in the morning." Mandan laughed.
"Actually it's almost noon. King Van's looking for you, you better get your ass up." Yaren groaned again.
"I'm up, I'm up." He pulled on his shirt and walked out the door. (Yes he was shirtless in that scene)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After hearing Yaren's account of the tale, Van was convinced Aloran was up to something. Sending mages into Fanelia to try and get rid of Lia made him wonder more about the girl's real past. Did Aloran know something they didn't? Was Hitomi right? And most importantly, what was Lia really capable of? The door clicked behind him as Jeris walked in. Van grinned.
"So I'm guessing Lia's fine now."
"Yeah, she's just taking a nap. Using that much power wore her out." Van's expression became more serious.
"Jeris I have to know, who is Lia?" Jeris looked hard at his younger cousin's face.
"I don't really know, I've had my suspicions for some time now."
"What suspicions?"
"That Lia might actually be Lia-ani Drilavia, the youngest princess of the dragon clan. I first became suspicious when I learned her full name. I mean, Lia-ani isn't exactly a common name is it? And then there are her powers; the violet tinted aura is very similar to the magic that the youngest princess displayed at the midsummer festival six months before the Civil War started. Last of all, I knew Lia-ani Drilavia when we were young, hell I'm the one who warned her and her mother about my father's plans. I don't think I could ever forget those eyes."
"So you think Lia is the lost princess of Lavia to then." Jeris nodded. "Than what do we tell her?"
"Nothing, Lia needs to find this out on her own. If we say something like that, she'll never believe us." It was Van's turn to nod. Jeris was right, if they told Lia something like this without proof, she might loose her trust in them.
"Jeris, do you really know what she can do with her powers?" Jeris looked thoughtful.
"Kind of, I'm not a mage so I can't say exactly, but she mainly uses it to heal. That and she can call up any of the five elements to aid her. I know she can create shields and focus her energy into a weapon of sorts, but other than that I have no idea," he said. Jeris turned to leave and Van let him go. Behind the window curtain Merle listened, shocked, at what this information meant.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Back in Asturia (finally got back to these guys) there hadn't been much excitement. The army was on alert and patrols were sent out regularly to scope the situation. Aloran seemed to have all but disappeared. Allen and his men had been stationed at the Asturia/Fanelia boarder to receive and dispatch messengers between the allied countries. So far there had been no word from Van and those staying in Fanelia. Dilandau and Miguel had been stationed with the crusade's crew and they had gotten along with the crew surprisingly well. It almost seemed like Dilandau was regaining his sanity, almost. They were forced to stop using bonfires because of him. That and Allen had deliberately picked a campsite near a large lake just incase. Allen's thoughts were often leaning towards thoughs Fanelian woods. Why hadn't a messenger come through yet? Were they lost? Or had something happened.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Van was getting worried. He had sent three messengers with in the past two days and none of them had returned. Maybe he was just being impatient. Lia and Asnee had both made complete recoveries and were, at the moment, out in the garden working. Aletta had been dragged with to learn some mage-craft of her own. At least they all seemed happy. Hitomi had followed them out to watch. Jeris and the boys had gone into the town for a break leaving him and Merle alone in the castle. Van decided to find his childhood friend and go watch the mages. The corridors were silent, more so than usual since the servants had the day off. Van turned into a small hallway that led to the kitchen. A scuffling noise behind him made him turn.
"Merle? That you?" he asked when he saw the ears and tail. The cat-person didn't answer, and it was to dark to make her out well. He did see the glint off the curved blade though. Thinking fast, he drew his own sword to parry the blow that would have cut him in half. He knew it wasn't Merle this was someone else. Silently he called to Hitomi.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Huh?" Hitomi jerked up. Lia looked up from her concentrated pose.
"What's wrong?" Hitomi stood up.
"Van, I heard him call me." Lia looked concerned.
"Come on." Grabbing Hitomi's arm, Lia ran for the palace door. "Aletta! Use the exercise I taught you to find Van!" Asnee, seeing the concern, helped Aletta follow the two older women.
"Near the kitchens! He's in the hall near the kitchens!" Aletta over took Lia and Hitomi and led them to the hall where they found Van trying to defend himself against someone. Merle bounded through the door behind them.
"Merle! Go for help! Find Jeris and the boys if you can!" yelled Lia. Merle ran right out the door with Aletta behind her. The hall was lit with a piercing light as Asnee released his mage-craft. It was then that they saw their opponent. She was a cat, like Merle, with coppery skin and hair. In her hand was a wickedly curved blade. Who ever she was, at the rate she was wearing Van down she had to be extremely strong. Seeing the light, she broke off her attack and fell back, sprinting down the hall towards the door. Lia, Van, Asnee and Hitomi ran after her. She led them on a chase out into the garden and finally jumped the palace wall.
"Damn, lost her," said Lia, watching the escaping silhouette. Van shielded his eyes.
"We could fly after her."
"No, to dangerous. Who ever sent her would expect that." Asnee looked at both of them oddly, but didn't comment. Hitomi jogged up to Van, looking worried.
"Van, your arm…" The cat female had scored his arm from the shoulder to the elbow. He hadn't noticed until now. Lia cupped her hand over his wound. Van could feel the warmth of her magic flow through his arm, numbing the pain that was setting in. When she took her hand away, the wound was completely sealed with not even a scar.
"No wonder you asked Dilandau about his scar, you could fix it." Lia nodded and stumbled back. Asnee caught her.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, healing open wounds with out calling an element to help takes a lot of energy."
"Oh, let's get inside," said Asnee, helping Lia towards the palace. Van and Hitomi followed.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Hitomi asked the floppy haired boy.
"Yeah."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Apparently Merle and Aletta's search for the boys took less time than expected because they were greeted at the door by three very worried seventeen year olds and their nineteen-year-old leader. Jeris immediately relieved Asnee from taking care of a wobbly Lia and walked her back to her room. Aethan watched them go, them turned to Asnee.
"What happened?" he asked.
"An assassin, someone's after Van." Owean finally joined them followed by another man.
"Aethan a messenger just came through from Asturia." The man behind him came into the light. It was Redeen, one of Allen's men. He approached Van.
"Hey king, I've got a message from the commander. We're stationed at the border. He's getting worried. Says no messengers have come out of here. He wants to know the situation." Van frowned.
"The 'situation' is getting worse by the day. First Lia and Jeris' four soldiers were lead into a trap set up by two mages under memory spells and second an assassin was somehow led into the palace with out anyone's knowledge. I've sent three messengers out in the last two days, none have returned. The first should have arrived back here by now. What's the situation in Asturia?" Redeen looked somewhat disturbed.
"That's it huh, Asturia's been quieter than a feather. Nothing's happened since we returned from Lavia. The army's on full alert."
"How did you get through?" asked Asnee.
"Got lucky I guess, hey who are you?" Hitomi spoke up.
"This is Asnee, the younger of the two mages who were under Aloran's spell. He's with us now. Wait, Asnee do you know something about this?" Asnee lowered his head.
"Not much, I couldn't lead you to the main camp or anything. Aloran took precautions against his spell being broken. He has men scattered throughout the forest around the city to stop anyone from getting out."
"Hehe, I bet the air ways are clear," said Aethan. Yaren caught on and grinned. Owean didn't seem so enthusiastic.
"Archers?" he asked.
"I bet," said Mandan. "They know there's at least one draconian here." He was looking strait at Van. Yaren laughed.
"There's more than that. There's at least four." Asnee looked completely shocked.
"There are four draconians here? I thought there were two." Aethan nodded.
"Five you mean," said Van.
"Wait, there's you, me, Lia and Aletta. Who else?" asked Aethan.
"Jeris. He's my cousin on my mother's side which is where my draconian blood comes from." The four young soldiers were stunned.
"You mean we were being led by yet another winged whacko?" said Yaren.
"You insulting my race?" asked Aethan.
"Ack, not really. This is getting way to complicated." Aethan seemed satisfied by Yaren's response.
"Right, now we just need to figure out how to get Redeen here back to Allen's crew alive," said Mandan. Van nodded.
"Come with me, we need to find a safe escape root." The boys and Redeen followed Van out of the hallway.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The young mage bowed before the darkened throne.
"I'm sorry Lord Aloran, I failed."
"It's your fault, Pillan, that your brother is in danger. He may even be dead at the Fanelian king's hand. If you fail again it will be your life on the line." The person of the high chair replied. Pillan bowed lower. "Kieran!" A figure approached from behind Pillan.
"My lord," the figure's voice sounded. The light reveled the same cat-woman that had attacked Van.
"You also have failed at you mission. Both of you have one more chance to redeem yourselves, now go until I have found a suitable task for you." The two bowed and walked towards the door. Aloran smirked to himself. Suddenly an idea crossed his mind. "Hold!" The two failures turned around to face their leader. "I have a way for you to redeem yourselves." A ball of light appeared before Aloran, in it were shown the figures of both Merle and Aletta. "These two young women are very close to the Fanelian king and the Lavian prince. Capture them!" Pillan and Keiran bowed.
"Yes lord," they said in unison. Aloran's smirk widened as the two left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Ahh, what a night! Isn't it beautiful Merle?" Aletta and Merle were sitting on the roof of the palace watching the stars.
"Yeah, I love nights in Fanelia. The lights are so pretty." Aletta smiled at her friend.
I haven't been to a city like this since I was four. I never forgot it though. The capital of Lavia was just as beautiful. Even better, we went during the midsummer festival so every thing was decorated and lit up." Merle smiled.
"We don't celebrate midsummer here, but we do celebrate the spring and fall equinoxes. Spring is my favorite."
"Hey Merle, do you ever wonder what will happen if the bandits invade Fanelia?" Merle's smile turned to a frown.
"I have a pretty good idea. But it'll be fine; we'll all be safe because Van-sama will protect us." Aletta smiled again.
"I just don't want to see people suffer like that. When the bandits attacked our farm that was awful. But to learn that Lavia herself had fallen, it was almost too much to bear. Lavia used to be a wonderful land, full of flowers and trees and lakes; it was almost perfect. Until the civil war started, then it became a harsh land where food was scarce and people lived in fear. I don't want that to happen here. It was said that the royal family of Lavia had a gem that gave power to the land itself, making it flourish. It was the royal jewel, a closely guarded artifact. When the phoenix family took over, the gem cracked and split, a piece of the jewel was lost. When the shard was lost, so was the power the royal jewel possessed. With out that power which was the source of Lavia's prosperity, the land began to die. Oh well, as long as I've got my brother, we'll survive. Even if it's not our home." Merle was intrigued by the story.
"Aletta, how do you know so much? Weren't you like, five?"
"My father used to be one of the dragon king's advisors. He took his family into hiding when Asguard attacked. He told me the story."
"Oh, what kinds if power does the stone have?"
"No one knows for sure. If the person has a strong enough will, and enough power them selves, the powers the gem possesses are said to be immeasurable. It's said that the stone has the power to create land from the ocean, or bring someone back to life. The possibilities are endless." Merle was really interested now.
"Wow, does anyone else know about this?" Aletta nodded.
"Jeris, being of the royal family, knows; as does Lia, being a mage. My brother heard the story from my father as well. He told us that if ever the missing shard of the jewel should come into our hands, we should protect it for all we're worth. He said that if the complete jewel fell into the wrong hands that all of Gaea might suffer."
"Maybe that's what this Aloran guy's after. I mean, who wouldn't want something like that? And I bet he has enough power to control it."
"Probably, you're probably right. If that's the case then I'm going to learn as much from Lia as I can, so I can help fight. I hope we find it before he does."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At that moment, Lia and Jeris had been discussing the same thing. Both knew of the jewel and both had seen it, though Lia couldn't remember where she had seen such a thing. They had also agreed that the shard should be protected at all costs if it were found. Now Jeris had left Lia's room and she was falling asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A scream tore through the quiet nighttime air. Lia sat up in her bed shaking with a cold sweat. That dream again, she thought. A voice calling out to me, water, a boy and a woman, what does it mean? Who are they? I can never see their faces, but they seem familiar. Why does that boy have my sword? A gem, like a diamond but shining with millions of colors; was that the Lavian royal jewel? Being pushed away from the boat, being alone. What does it mean? This dream had been plaguing Lia since she left Lavia. It was always the same; she was in a boat with a boy and a woman. They were drifting off to sea. The boy pulled out the sword and gave it to her, and then the woman showed her a tiny multi-colored stone. Lia lifted her dragon pendant off her neck and gave it too the woman. With a flash of light, the stone was melded into the small hole made by the silver dragon's tail. The woman gave the pendant back, then placed her on a wooden board in the ocean. As the woman pushed her away, Lia screamed. Then she always woke up. Lia clutched her pendant. Could I have had this before my mage training? Everything's so fuzzy. What really happened during the first six years of my life? A small nock at the door snapped Lia out of her thought.
"Lia? Are you all right? I heard you scream and…" It was Aletta.
"I'm alright, you can come in if you want." Aletta opened the door. Behind her were two people Lia had hoped wouldn't find her like this. Both Jeris and Van, with Hitomi behind him, were looking worriedly at her.
"Lia, what happened?" asked Jeris.
"Nothing, just a dream." Hitomi watched Lia closely. The young mage was hiding something.
"Sometimes dreams are important," she said. Lia looked up, startled.
"It's nothing really just a bad dream." Hitomi frowned, than closed her eyes and concentrated on Lia. A vision crossed her mind. It was the same one she had seen the day after she met Lia, the one with the boat. Lia's dream had been her vision.
"Van," Hitomi whispered.
"What?"
"Her memory's returning." Van looked at Hitomi, then back at Lia. Hitomi was right she was hiding something.
"Hitomi, why don't you talk to her about this. She'll listen to you," said Van. Jeris, over hearing, nodded and grabbed Aletta by the hand. The three left, leaving Hitomi and Lia alone. Hitomi sat on the bed next to Lia.
"Lia, I know what the dream was about. I saw it. It's the same as the vision I had the day we left to explore Port Orian. I think it may be important."
"It was a dream, nothing more nothing less." Hitomi frowned again.
"Dreams and visions are very important. They can tell you things you never would have known other wise. If a dream keeps repeating, then there's got to be a reason for it." Lia looked down.
"Why would a dream like that have any meaning? I've never been in a boat like that in my life." Hitomi thought for a moment.
"Are you afraid of boats?" Lia looked up, confused.
"Yeah, small ones. I don't mind larger boats or levy-ships, but small boats scare me."
"Maybe that dream explains why. What if that dream was really a suppressed memory?" Lia was really confused now.
"A suppressed memory? You mean that might have been real?" Hitomi nodded. "Do you know something your not telling me," Lia demanded. Hitomi winced, she hadn't expected that reaction. "Well?"
"Um, well… you wouldn't believe me anyway."
"Humor me." Hitomi winced again.
"Well, um… I think you may have a more interesting past then you let on." Lia cocked her head.
"Well, it's possible. I don't remember any thing from before I was seven."
"Well, I know it's a bit far fetched, but what if you were the princess they never found?" Lia was startled.
"What! That's impos…" A memory flashed through her mind. She was in the garden of Fanelia's castle. With her were her mother, her brother, Van, Folken, Queen Varie, and Jeris and his mother. The memory faded and another took its place. It was a memory of her mother. She watched as the woman took a fist-sized crystal in her hands and broke a tiny piece off. The shimmering jewel went dark. The woman placed the piece of the crystal in her pocket and came towards the door. She picked Lia up and began running for the back entrance of the palace. A boy met them there. The memory ended and a third began. Lia was again with the woman she assumed to be her mother. They were in a hallway when a young boy, who looked amazingly like Jeris, ran up to them and spoke to her mother. Her mother grabbed her and fled down the hall, leaving the boy behind. The third memory ended. Hitomi looked at her.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I… I remember, that day I was with my mother, a boy came and told us that Asguard was attacking. We ran to a shrine where my mother broke a piece of crystal off of the royal gem. Then she grabbed my brother and me and ran." Lia was clutching her pendant. "How could I have forgotten?"
It was my wish, that you protect the shard of the dragon gem and be protected yourself. I erased your memories so that no one would find you. A soft voice spoke. In front of Hitomi and Lia appeared a tall, dark-haired woman. Lia recognized her.
"Mother…"
Lia my daughter, I had not expected you to remember so soon, but now the situation has become grave. Your enemy has in his possession our family's royal jewel and is searching for the piece that will make it whole. For the sake of this world he must not have it.
"Then why does he attack us? Does he think we have it?" asked Hitomi.
No, he knows not that it is in your possession. However, he believes the shard to be residing on the dragon isle. He seeks a person with the power to pass through the barriers surrounding the island. He knows that only one of our clan can enter the island unharmed. I believe he knows your secret daughter. He has seen your skill as a mage and has had the opportunity to search your mind.
"Than why doesn't he know I have the shard?"
You didn't know you had it until now. Aloran also holds a personal grudge against the phoenix family. He is most likely after Jeris as well. Lia child, what ever you do, don't let him have the shard. If he gets it, it could mean the end of this world. The spirit began to disappear.
"Wait! Mother!" Lia watched helplessly as her mothers figure began to disappear. "I didn't get to ask her anything…" Hitomi watched her friend silently. Behind the door, Jeris, Van and Aletta watched.
"So it is true," whispered Jeris, "This whole mess just got a lot more complicated." Van just nodded. Aletta watched the two older boys. So Lia was a princess, this would make life more interesting.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The morning came with everyone up fresh and early, everyone except Yaren that is. Mandan told them that Yaren had been up until around three in the morning, which was typical for him. Every one was up and active before the first morning bell rang. Lia was pacing the gardens thinking about the last night's events when she ran into Merle.
"Hey! Watcha Doin?" the cat-girl asked.
"Nothing, just thinking."
"Hm, why don't you go find a bench or something then? Walking around like that gets tiring after awhile."
"Ok, thanks." Lia made her way over to a small bench in the corner of the garden. Sitting down, she stared at the blue sky above her. Was it really true? Was she really the daughter of the dragon queen? Lia was confused. All her life she had known she was a foundling, but she had never expected something like this.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aletta was also contemplating last night. She had always known there was something different about Lia, but she had dismissed it as the mage-craft. The morning was calm and the sky infinitely blue as it often was in Fanelia. It was a perfect day to be out side, alone with the breeze. Aletta had always been a bit of a loner. There were days when she used to escape the farm and run off into the woods just to be by alone. Lately that out look had begun to change. Under Merle's friendly guidance, she had begun to seek human companions. Aletta became so lost in thought that she failed to notice the shadowed figure behind her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Cliff hanger!!! Muahahahahahahahaha!!!! Hehe, see ya later.