First review for chapter 2:
Aerena:
My gosh, I was laughing my head off! I thought Arthur knocking Rose out with a havelin by accident was funny. Then Maru went nuts with a hammer. GO MARU! That was great. I LOVED IT! I've learned to ignore flamers, so just live with it. Some people are just weird. Don't let it stop you! Keep writing this! Once again, I'll whack you with Maru's hammer if you don't!
Sorry for the spelling and grammar mistakes, it's just that I made this into a manga so I'm trying to convert it from that to this...Slightly difficult when you've written it in Japanese -_-
Ahem, now, back to the story...
Chapter 3: Sorceress
Arthur stood alone on the balcony looking over Bale. [What would happen if my cousin were to attack us directly? For the time being they're only attacking the border not daring to step into my territory...But...] He sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Arthur? Are you alright?" Maru peered through the doorway cautiously.
Arthur turned to face her. "Just thinking..."
"Need another mind?"
"Wouldn't mind one."
Maru walked over and stood beside him. "Bale's so beautiful at dusk, just as the sun begins to set and it casts its dying rays on the rooves..." Maru sighed and leant against the railing. Arthur stared at her with a half smile playing on his lips. "We can't let your cousin attack here. She might be your cousin...But if she's gone so far as to attack your forces with the Phoenix knights..." Maru shivered and rubbed her bare arms. She shook her head and stood determinedly. "I say we attack back."
Arthur's eyes widened. "We can't attack her!"
Maru faced him, her jaw set. "She is attacking us. Just because she is your cousin doesn't mean that you don't have the right to defend yourself against her. Could you imagine if she attacked us directly? How many civilian casualties would there be?" Arthur diverted his gaze and she put her hand on his arm. "There's only two options Arthur...One is to fight back. The other is to run away and let her destroy the city I love, that you love...I don't want to see it destroyed Arthur and I'm certain you don't either."
Arthur leant on the railing, head in hands running them through his light brown hair. "Tiberoa is far stronger than Bale is in weaponry Maru...You know that."
"I know that the Arthur I know wouldn't give up without a fight." She shook her head and began off.
"Wait, Maru. Where are you going?"
She turned to face him stopping. "If you won't do it, then I'll go find an army of my own and take them on." She began walking again and crashed into the door frame. "Ow! That really hurt!" She rubbed her forehead then shook her head to regain whatever composure she had left.
"You won't be able to do it alone." Arthur hurried over to her side and they entered the room.
Maru halted as soon as her foot hit the carpeted floor. Arthur turned to look at her. "Can't you feel it?"
He noticed that she was shaking as though she were freezing cold. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. There was something...Someone in the castle. He took her hand and they cautiously walked to the stairs. Maru held her hammer tightly while Arthur's knuckles were white as they descended. Shadows played along the walls and no workers were there to greet them when they reached the second floor. Maru nodded and they entered the throne room. Sure enough, there was a woman dressed entirely in black kneeling before the throne. The shadows through the window lit her face only half making it look far spookier than it would've been had it been midday.
"Who are you?" Arthur demanded.
The woman didn't move or make a sound. Maru attempted to approach but couldn't move her legs. "Arthur...She's a sorceress..."
She turned to face them, the shadows dancing across her face as she approached slowly but with a rhythm that seemed all to familiar. She cocked her head to the side and studied the two before her silently.
"Who are you?!" Arthur demanded again.
The woman reached them and studied them closely, circling them as would a vulture with its prey. A hand came up and snatched Maru by the jaw. Arthur noticed that it was covered with the same material her dress was, like it continued to cover her hands...Hands that were like claws. She was turning Maru's face back and forth as if studying her intensely.
"I'd have thought you'd be more prepared for an attack than you are." She spun around holding Maru's jaw still and looked at Arthur. "This is your Ultimate weapon?" She laughed.
His ears hurt at the sound of her laugh and she threw Maru backwards and advanced towards Arthur. "Now, as your beautiful wingly explained, I am a sorceress. I hear you're having a bit of trouble with your cousin. I am here to help you with your battle."
Arthur stared at her, mouth moving but no words coming out. Maru sat against the wall, hand on her slightly bloodied forehead. "Attacking one of your own is not the way to begin a friendship with your ally."
They looked to the door to find Rose standing with her arms folded, a very sore looking Wingly behind her. "Oh gods...You're back..." Maru wailed.
He scowled at her. "Ya know, you didn't need to do that...I'm well aware of where the door was..."
"Screw you pervert." Maru lifted herself from the position against the wall and managed her way back to the sorceress and Arthur.
The sorceress began to move back slowly, only to find herself against Rose who held her arm tightly. "And where do you think you're heading sorceress?"
"Let me go!" She ordered.
Without warning Arthur walked forward. "Let her go Rose. If she's here to help us then it's one less enemy I'd rather face. And I'm sure we could always use a sorceress..."
"Arthur..." Maru started quietly.
Arthur turned to her with a scowl. "Be quiet." He snapped sharply.
Rose raised an eyebrow as Maru stepped back in shock from his tone. She twisted the sorceress' arm causing her to cry out in pain. "Let him from under your enchantment..."
"I am not under any enchantment." Arthur growled.
"Arthur..." Maru started forward but Arthur turned, bringing his arm around backhanding her.
Maru was flung to the ground causing a riot from both Rose and the other wingly. Arthur shook his head and looked around as if he'd just woken up. "Who...What's going on here?"
Rose began to drag the sorceress out when she planted her feet firmly on the ground. "You will need my help. Your wingly may be strong, but she will never defeat the Phoeniz! She will fail and you will lose her!"
Rose growled and pulled her with all her strength causing her to lose her footing and fall allowing Rose to drag her out of the throne room. Arthur snapped back and saw Maru steadily moving backwards away from him. "Maru..." He started forward when she moved back faster then stood and ran tripping a couple of times before finally finding her footing and running down the stairs and out of the castle.
"I don't think that was such a great move there lover boy...Backhanding your girlfriend even if she has a temper just ain't the way to go..." He turned and left Arthur standing alone to wonder what was happening.
"Backhand? Girlfriend? What's going on?" He plopped to the ground with his head in his hands.
-
Rose threw the sorceress into the small room she had escaped to centuries ago when she last came to visit Bale locking the door behind her. "So, who are you and what are you doing here?"
The sorceress smirked. "Don't you think you should be asking me more along the lines of Maru?"
Rose frowned. "How do you know Maru when her name was never mentioned in conversation in the throne room?"
She continued to smirk holding her knowledge within. "Maru and I go well back."
"How can that be when it was quite obvious she didn't know who you were?"
"Oh she does know me. She may not realise it now, but she knows me. And I know that she will fail her challenge."
Rose slapped her. "Maru will not fail."
The sorceress frowned at her. "How would you know? You haven't seen her future. You know nothing about the girl. You judge her from what you knew of her mother, Meru the wingly...The dragoon. The two are nothing alike as you are sure to discover in the near future."
"It is true that she is nothing like her mother, but believe me, it is because of this difference that she will succeed."
The sorceress wore a worried frown on her face. "Why is it that you are so keen on this wingly Maru to succeed. What is it that makes you burn with such anger and passion when this Maru is mentioned?"
"You never answered my previous questions. Who are you and what are you doing in Bale?"
The sorceress laughed. "What am I doing in Bale? Didn't you hear me? I am here to help with the fight against Tiberoa. Your wingly will fail thus you will need me. The strength of the army now is not enough-"
"But I suppose with your help it will be..."
"You're beginning to understand now I see..."
"Your enchantments and spells won't work against me." Rose stated bluntly.
The sorceress frowned in shock. "But-"
"Who are you REALLY woman?"
She appeared nervous and began to fidget in her position then attempted to run for the door only to be thrown down on the floor by Rose. "WHO ARE YOU?!"
"Emille! My name is Emille! Don't kill me..." She squeaked.
Rose rolled her eyes. "And you say that Maru will fail when she's far braver than you are..."
"She may not fail with Lloyd on her side..."
"Lloyd? Lloyd died a long time ago with Melbu Frahma."
"Not that Lloyd. The wingly that was with you all is Lloyd."
-
Maru sat in the middle of the stairs with her face buried in her knees. She hiccupped then sat up and turned to face him. "Y-you again?"
He sat beside her. "Don't attempt to kill me this time please..." He sounded desperate. "I just want to talk with you..."
"Go away..." She closed her eyes and put her head on her knees again.
"I'm not going away. Look, you can't exactly hate your boyfriend, he was under the sorceress' spell."
"Arthur's not my boyfriend."
"You two act like it enough." He rolled his eyes and she turned her head to face him.
"Who are you anyway?"
"Name's Lloyd."
"Now get lost Lloy before I kill you this time." She growled.
"Ya know, I never would've picked you for the crying type."
"I'm not crying."
Lloyd nodded. "Uh huh...Just like I'm not standing here beside you."
She kicked him down the stairs. "You're not." She grinned and sighed deeply. "I guess I can't hate him...It wasn't really him..." She touched her left cheek. "But they say you can't make a person do something they don't really want to do..." She let her head drop back into her lap.
There was a grunt and she lifted her head just in time for Lloyd to push her from her sitting position down the stairs. "Maybe that'll knock some sense into you! It hurts falling down those stairs ya know!"
Maru reached the bottom and lay sprawled across them for a while. When she hadn't moved Lloyd began to shift uncomfortably. He started down the stairs slowly towards her. "You're not dead right?" He asked standing over her.
Just as he went to lean down and check her pulse he received her boot in his face. "No." She replied swinging her other leg under his feet knocking him to the ground beside her. "But you will be if you pull another stunt like that one me pervert."
"I'm not a pervert, and there's no reason to be like you."
"Like me? I'm normal, I'm healthy, you however, you've got a temper problem, throwing too many tantrums..."
"Temper tantrums?!" She swung her foot down onto him again causing him to groan and cough a bit.
"You're just sadistic." He managed between coughs.
She poked her tongue out at him and crawled her way up and began further into Bale when Lloyd joined her. "What are you doing?"
"Coming with you, what else does it look like?"
"What happened to you going to Mille Sesau?" She frowned as she sped up to get away from him.
"I guess I can postpone that for a while...After all, I know now that you aren't as tough as you'd like us to think."
WIthout warning she unlaced her hammer and went to swing it at him when her attention was captured elsewhere. She looked at the woman standing at the fountain staring at her. Maru found she couldn't look away even though she wanted to. Lloyd waved her hand before her face but she didn't move.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" He asked turning to look at the place she was staring at. "What's so exciting about the fount-" He stopped as he saw the woman she was staring at and found he also couldn't shift his gaze.
The woman tilted her head to the left and turned to walk away breaking them from her gaze. Maru blinked a couple of times and shook her head. "Who was that?" Lloyd asked with a frown. Maru took a couple of steps then ran after where the woman had disappeared. "Hey! Where are you going?!" He started after her but was thrown back by some invisible force. "The hell is going on?!" He looked toward Maru. "MARU!"
The woman was just before her, there was nothing else around, nothing existed but the strange woman before her. Just as she almost had her within reach, she heard Lloyd yelling out to her. She removed her gaze from the woman and saw Lloyd waving his arms madly then his eyes widen and him shy back. Maru turned back to the woman, herr vision turned completely white and she found herself standing in the middle of nowhere, but nowhere was really cold. She put her hands to her mouth and attempted to warm them up but it proved to be an effort in vain.
"Damn...Where am I?"
"You are in a snow storm."
Maru spun with her hammer ready to come face to face with the blonde woman from her dream. "You...I know you!"
"I should think so." The blonde woman nodded her head to the side. "Come on, best thing to do is get out of this storm before we freeze."
Maru followed her into a little cave where a fire was burning. "Hey, how did-"
"Don't worry. Just stay warm Maru."
Maru sat before the fire with her hands raised getting the warmth from it and sighing. "This is nice...But yeah, where am I exactly anyway? This definately doesn't look like Bale to me."
"This is Mille Sesau."
Aerena:
My gosh, I was laughing my head off! I thought Arthur knocking Rose out with a havelin by accident was funny. Then Maru went nuts with a hammer. GO MARU! That was great. I LOVED IT! I've learned to ignore flamers, so just live with it. Some people are just weird. Don't let it stop you! Keep writing this! Once again, I'll whack you with Maru's hammer if you don't!
Sorry for the spelling and grammar mistakes, it's just that I made this into a manga so I'm trying to convert it from that to this...Slightly difficult when you've written it in Japanese -_-
Ahem, now, back to the story...
Chapter 3: Sorceress
Arthur stood alone on the balcony looking over Bale. [What would happen if my cousin were to attack us directly? For the time being they're only attacking the border not daring to step into my territory...But...] He sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Arthur? Are you alright?" Maru peered through the doorway cautiously.
Arthur turned to face her. "Just thinking..."
"Need another mind?"
"Wouldn't mind one."
Maru walked over and stood beside him. "Bale's so beautiful at dusk, just as the sun begins to set and it casts its dying rays on the rooves..." Maru sighed and leant against the railing. Arthur stared at her with a half smile playing on his lips. "We can't let your cousin attack here. She might be your cousin...But if she's gone so far as to attack your forces with the Phoenix knights..." Maru shivered and rubbed her bare arms. She shook her head and stood determinedly. "I say we attack back."
Arthur's eyes widened. "We can't attack her!"
Maru faced him, her jaw set. "She is attacking us. Just because she is your cousin doesn't mean that you don't have the right to defend yourself against her. Could you imagine if she attacked us directly? How many civilian casualties would there be?" Arthur diverted his gaze and she put her hand on his arm. "There's only two options Arthur...One is to fight back. The other is to run away and let her destroy the city I love, that you love...I don't want to see it destroyed Arthur and I'm certain you don't either."
Arthur leant on the railing, head in hands running them through his light brown hair. "Tiberoa is far stronger than Bale is in weaponry Maru...You know that."
"I know that the Arthur I know wouldn't give up without a fight." She shook her head and began off.
"Wait, Maru. Where are you going?"
She turned to face him stopping. "If you won't do it, then I'll go find an army of my own and take them on." She began walking again and crashed into the door frame. "Ow! That really hurt!" She rubbed her forehead then shook her head to regain whatever composure she had left.
"You won't be able to do it alone." Arthur hurried over to her side and they entered the room.
Maru halted as soon as her foot hit the carpeted floor. Arthur turned to look at her. "Can't you feel it?"
He noticed that she was shaking as though she were freezing cold. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. There was something...Someone in the castle. He took her hand and they cautiously walked to the stairs. Maru held her hammer tightly while Arthur's knuckles were white as they descended. Shadows played along the walls and no workers were there to greet them when they reached the second floor. Maru nodded and they entered the throne room. Sure enough, there was a woman dressed entirely in black kneeling before the throne. The shadows through the window lit her face only half making it look far spookier than it would've been had it been midday.
"Who are you?" Arthur demanded.
The woman didn't move or make a sound. Maru attempted to approach but couldn't move her legs. "Arthur...She's a sorceress..."
She turned to face them, the shadows dancing across her face as she approached slowly but with a rhythm that seemed all to familiar. She cocked her head to the side and studied the two before her silently.
"Who are you?!" Arthur demanded again.
The woman reached them and studied them closely, circling them as would a vulture with its prey. A hand came up and snatched Maru by the jaw. Arthur noticed that it was covered with the same material her dress was, like it continued to cover her hands...Hands that were like claws. She was turning Maru's face back and forth as if studying her intensely.
"I'd have thought you'd be more prepared for an attack than you are." She spun around holding Maru's jaw still and looked at Arthur. "This is your Ultimate weapon?" She laughed.
His ears hurt at the sound of her laugh and she threw Maru backwards and advanced towards Arthur. "Now, as your beautiful wingly explained, I am a sorceress. I hear you're having a bit of trouble with your cousin. I am here to help you with your battle."
Arthur stared at her, mouth moving but no words coming out. Maru sat against the wall, hand on her slightly bloodied forehead. "Attacking one of your own is not the way to begin a friendship with your ally."
They looked to the door to find Rose standing with her arms folded, a very sore looking Wingly behind her. "Oh gods...You're back..." Maru wailed.
He scowled at her. "Ya know, you didn't need to do that...I'm well aware of where the door was..."
"Screw you pervert." Maru lifted herself from the position against the wall and managed her way back to the sorceress and Arthur.
The sorceress began to move back slowly, only to find herself against Rose who held her arm tightly. "And where do you think you're heading sorceress?"
"Let me go!" She ordered.
Without warning Arthur walked forward. "Let her go Rose. If she's here to help us then it's one less enemy I'd rather face. And I'm sure we could always use a sorceress..."
"Arthur..." Maru started quietly.
Arthur turned to her with a scowl. "Be quiet." He snapped sharply.
Rose raised an eyebrow as Maru stepped back in shock from his tone. She twisted the sorceress' arm causing her to cry out in pain. "Let him from under your enchantment..."
"I am not under any enchantment." Arthur growled.
"Arthur..." Maru started forward but Arthur turned, bringing his arm around backhanding her.
Maru was flung to the ground causing a riot from both Rose and the other wingly. Arthur shook his head and looked around as if he'd just woken up. "Who...What's going on here?"
Rose began to drag the sorceress out when she planted her feet firmly on the ground. "You will need my help. Your wingly may be strong, but she will never defeat the Phoeniz! She will fail and you will lose her!"
Rose growled and pulled her with all her strength causing her to lose her footing and fall allowing Rose to drag her out of the throne room. Arthur snapped back and saw Maru steadily moving backwards away from him. "Maru..." He started forward when she moved back faster then stood and ran tripping a couple of times before finally finding her footing and running down the stairs and out of the castle.
"I don't think that was such a great move there lover boy...Backhanding your girlfriend even if she has a temper just ain't the way to go..." He turned and left Arthur standing alone to wonder what was happening.
"Backhand? Girlfriend? What's going on?" He plopped to the ground with his head in his hands.
-
Rose threw the sorceress into the small room she had escaped to centuries ago when she last came to visit Bale locking the door behind her. "So, who are you and what are you doing here?"
The sorceress smirked. "Don't you think you should be asking me more along the lines of Maru?"
Rose frowned. "How do you know Maru when her name was never mentioned in conversation in the throne room?"
She continued to smirk holding her knowledge within. "Maru and I go well back."
"How can that be when it was quite obvious she didn't know who you were?"
"Oh she does know me. She may not realise it now, but she knows me. And I know that she will fail her challenge."
Rose slapped her. "Maru will not fail."
The sorceress frowned at her. "How would you know? You haven't seen her future. You know nothing about the girl. You judge her from what you knew of her mother, Meru the wingly...The dragoon. The two are nothing alike as you are sure to discover in the near future."
"It is true that she is nothing like her mother, but believe me, it is because of this difference that she will succeed."
The sorceress wore a worried frown on her face. "Why is it that you are so keen on this wingly Maru to succeed. What is it that makes you burn with such anger and passion when this Maru is mentioned?"
"You never answered my previous questions. Who are you and what are you doing in Bale?"
The sorceress laughed. "What am I doing in Bale? Didn't you hear me? I am here to help with the fight against Tiberoa. Your wingly will fail thus you will need me. The strength of the army now is not enough-"
"But I suppose with your help it will be..."
"You're beginning to understand now I see..."
"Your enchantments and spells won't work against me." Rose stated bluntly.
The sorceress frowned in shock. "But-"
"Who are you REALLY woman?"
She appeared nervous and began to fidget in her position then attempted to run for the door only to be thrown down on the floor by Rose. "WHO ARE YOU?!"
"Emille! My name is Emille! Don't kill me..." She squeaked.
Rose rolled her eyes. "And you say that Maru will fail when she's far braver than you are..."
"She may not fail with Lloyd on her side..."
"Lloyd? Lloyd died a long time ago with Melbu Frahma."
"Not that Lloyd. The wingly that was with you all is Lloyd."
-
Maru sat in the middle of the stairs with her face buried in her knees. She hiccupped then sat up and turned to face him. "Y-you again?"
He sat beside her. "Don't attempt to kill me this time please..." He sounded desperate. "I just want to talk with you..."
"Go away..." She closed her eyes and put her head on her knees again.
"I'm not going away. Look, you can't exactly hate your boyfriend, he was under the sorceress' spell."
"Arthur's not my boyfriend."
"You two act like it enough." He rolled his eyes and she turned her head to face him.
"Who are you anyway?"
"Name's Lloyd."
"Now get lost Lloy before I kill you this time." She growled.
"Ya know, I never would've picked you for the crying type."
"I'm not crying."
Lloyd nodded. "Uh huh...Just like I'm not standing here beside you."
She kicked him down the stairs. "You're not." She grinned and sighed deeply. "I guess I can't hate him...It wasn't really him..." She touched her left cheek. "But they say you can't make a person do something they don't really want to do..." She let her head drop back into her lap.
There was a grunt and she lifted her head just in time for Lloyd to push her from her sitting position down the stairs. "Maybe that'll knock some sense into you! It hurts falling down those stairs ya know!"
Maru reached the bottom and lay sprawled across them for a while. When she hadn't moved Lloyd began to shift uncomfortably. He started down the stairs slowly towards her. "You're not dead right?" He asked standing over her.
Just as he went to lean down and check her pulse he received her boot in his face. "No." She replied swinging her other leg under his feet knocking him to the ground beside her. "But you will be if you pull another stunt like that one me pervert."
"I'm not a pervert, and there's no reason to be like you."
"Like me? I'm normal, I'm healthy, you however, you've got a temper problem, throwing too many tantrums..."
"Temper tantrums?!" She swung her foot down onto him again causing him to groan and cough a bit.
"You're just sadistic." He managed between coughs.
She poked her tongue out at him and crawled her way up and began further into Bale when Lloyd joined her. "What are you doing?"
"Coming with you, what else does it look like?"
"What happened to you going to Mille Sesau?" She frowned as she sped up to get away from him.
"I guess I can postpone that for a while...After all, I know now that you aren't as tough as you'd like us to think."
WIthout warning she unlaced her hammer and went to swing it at him when her attention was captured elsewhere. She looked at the woman standing at the fountain staring at her. Maru found she couldn't look away even though she wanted to. Lloyd waved her hand before her face but she didn't move.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" He asked turning to look at the place she was staring at. "What's so exciting about the fount-" He stopped as he saw the woman she was staring at and found he also couldn't shift his gaze.
The woman tilted her head to the left and turned to walk away breaking them from her gaze. Maru blinked a couple of times and shook her head. "Who was that?" Lloyd asked with a frown. Maru took a couple of steps then ran after where the woman had disappeared. "Hey! Where are you going?!" He started after her but was thrown back by some invisible force. "The hell is going on?!" He looked toward Maru. "MARU!"
The woman was just before her, there was nothing else around, nothing existed but the strange woman before her. Just as she almost had her within reach, she heard Lloyd yelling out to her. She removed her gaze from the woman and saw Lloyd waving his arms madly then his eyes widen and him shy back. Maru turned back to the woman, herr vision turned completely white and she found herself standing in the middle of nowhere, but nowhere was really cold. She put her hands to her mouth and attempted to warm them up but it proved to be an effort in vain.
"Damn...Where am I?"
"You are in a snow storm."
Maru spun with her hammer ready to come face to face with the blonde woman from her dream. "You...I know you!"
"I should think so." The blonde woman nodded her head to the side. "Come on, best thing to do is get out of this storm before we freeze."
Maru followed her into a little cave where a fire was burning. "Hey, how did-"
"Don't worry. Just stay warm Maru."
Maru sat before the fire with her hands raised getting the warmth from it and sighing. "This is nice...But yeah, where am I exactly anyway? This definately doesn't look like Bale to me."
"This is Mille Sesau."