Chapter 8: Coming of the Storm

Thanks for the reviews y'all! =D! It really helps me work and gives me an extra drive to continue writing this fic ^.^ Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Chapter 8 already…these guys should be in Draqueen soon…OH, OH IDEA ALERT!! IDEA ALERT!!!! O_o I just came up with a good idea for the ficcy!!! =D!!!! But it's still in the thinking process, so just hang with me @_@ Read on!

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            Rath wasn't there when Cesia entered the park so she sat down on one of the park benches. Tilting her head back, she released a sigh and placed a hand over her eyes. She could feel her strength returning, she was sure of that. But how? Oh well, it doesn't really matter now, she thought shaking her head. She could hear the sound of birds singing nearby, and the leaves gentle rustle in the breeze. She closed her eyes and let herself relax as the wind flowed around her.

            Relax…you'll be fine…

            "You know, you're really leaving yourself open to an attack like that."

            Cesia blinked and removed her hand from her face, straightening. "Rath!"

            He just stood there coolly with his arms crossed. "Well you were. Your guard was totally off. I've been standing here for the past ten minutes. I almost thought you were asleep," he added.

            "Gomen…" She looked down at her hands in her lap, unsure of what to say next.

             "So, what did you want to ask me about?"  

            She blinked and looked up. "Um…it was about the other day…when you first came here to Ryuken…you were going to tell me something. What was it?"

            A silence fell between them as Cesia looked at him, waiting. He sighed and turned his head away slightly to the left. "What I was going to say does not hold as much truth now. However what I was going to say was…" He stopped, as if pondering what to say.

            "…Was?"

            He turned back and looked directly at her. " 'You're dying.' And I didn't mean it like the slow process of one's life. I meant that you were literally dying. And at a fast rate."

            She sat staring at him, confused. "…Dying?"

            "Your life force. I seem to have this extra sense for others' life forces, and yours was so weak I could barely pick it up." He turned away again. "But that's not really true now. Somehow you've regained your strength, but you're also still in a weakened state."

            "…I see…" She looked back down at her hands again. Dying? I was…dying?? And at a faster rate than normal? …How? She felt anger build inside her. Was THAT what he was going to say to me?! Those were the first two words he was going to say to me?? Angry tears were starting to well up in her eyes as her hands clenched her skirt. "Rath!!" she yelled angrily as she looked back up but blinked when she found his face not very far away from hers.

            "But, I'm going to change those words now," he continued, looking directly at her. "You are the one I am going to protect, even if it costs me my life."

            She stared at him stunned and she could feel her heart pounding against her chest. I'll protect you… The words echoed in her mind as she saw several images flash before her. A boy…? "Um…is that why you got so mad when Bierrez, uh…"

            "Partly." She doesn't quite remember… He reached over and gently wiped a stray tear away from her eye. "Can you figure out the other reason?"
            His touch was gentle and soothing and she could feel herself blushing. "No…"

            "Well, one is because he just looks like the bad sort of person that one should avoid."

            She blinked. "Wha?!"

            He smiled. "But that's only another part of it." He paused. "…Maybe I shouldn't tell you the other reason…"

            "Rath!!" She could feel herself shaking a little in nervous anticipation.

            "Okay, okay," he said, slightly sweatdropping. "The other reason is…"

            "…Is??" The suspense is killing me, just go ahead and say it Rath! She was about to yell that at him when she suddenly realized his face was only several inches away from hers and that she was staring directly into his eyes. …Fire…?

            "I…" He blinked and suddenly straightened.

            Cesia blinked. "What's wrong, Rath?"

            He clenched his fist and yelled over at a grove of trees nearby. "Bierrez!"

            To her great surprise and embarrassment, Bierrez stepped out from behind the trees, staring at Rath.

            "You too, Kitchel!" he yelled twitching.

            "Erg…jig's up…" a voice said as a sheepish looking Kitchel, followed by a nervously laughing Thatz with an angry Rune glaring at them from behind, came out from a group of bushes near where Bierrez was.

            "I told you he would find out!!!" Rune was yelling at the two mischievous students.

            "Well it took him long enough," Thatz said grinning. "I mean we were there since he walked in—" Rune whacked him.

            "Kitchel?!?!" Cesia was now blushing furiously at the thought of all her friends watching her and Rath and even hearing what was being said.

            Kitchel waved. "Hehehehe…I was just worried about you, Cesia-chan! Honest!!"

            "Liar…" Thatz muttered under his breath, only to suddenly feel a sharp stab of pain as Kitchel slammed her heel down on his foot.

            Rune sighed. "I tried to stop them, Rath! But they wouldn't listen to me," he glared at them. He turned back to Rath and blinked. Rath was staring icily at Bierrez. Oh man…well at least he doesn't have a weapon! He narrowed his eyes on Bierrez. But…wait…

            Bierrez walked over to Rath and stopped a few feet away from him. "Well, why should I bother keeping up this façade?" he said smiling. Black and dark green winds started to swirl around him.

            Cesia straightened with a start. The same winds…those are exactly the same!

            When the winds dispersed, his whole look changed totally. His hair was a little a longer and he wore a dark green vest over a long sleeved black shirt and the faded, white armbands went up from his wrist to his elbow. His pants were also black, an olive green sash wrapped around it. A sheathe was attached to the sash. He smiled at Cesia, making her shudder. "Yes, you have seen these winds before, haven't you?"

            Rath moved in front of her, his gaze never wavering. "You're yokai."

            His friends turned and looked at him. "Yokai?!"

            Bierrez smiled. "So, you have awakened a little, if to an odd trait. I'm surprised you picked up my presence."

            "Yours has a different energy around it. I could pick it up easily."

            "Is that so…?" Bierrez smirked. "So, what are you going to do about it? I only came here for one reason. And that is to take Cesia back to Nadil."

            Cesia stared at him horrified. Nadil? A million horrific images flashed through her mind instantaneously, screams filling her ears. Everywhere there was blood and corpses, many of them missing several parts of their body, worms and maggots already crawling over them. Every house was ablaze, the sound of trapped inhabitants screaming for help, crying to be let free from their death trap.

            "Nadil?! Who the hell is Nadil?!" Rath yelled and glared at Bierrez, who started to speak but was cut off by Kitchel's scream.

            Everyone turned and stared in horror at Cesia. She was clutching herself so tight, Kitchel was afraid she was going to cut herself with her own nails. Her body was racking spasmodically, gasping at a dangerously fast pace. Her eyes were blank and wide open. The bench suddenly burst into pieces as the wind suddenly exploded around her, and Cesia was now floating a little off from the ground.

Rath moved toward her. "Cesia!" He suddenly stepped back bracing himself as a gigantic burst of wind blew against him, and cringed as he felt the wind start cutting through his clothing. What is with this wind?!

"Cesia-chan!!" Kitchel yelled as she ran forward, only to be pulled back by Thatz. She glared angrily at him. "Let me go! I have to help Cesia!!"

"That really wouldn't be a good idea," Thatz said without looking at her.

"Something's wrong," Rune said.

"Well that's the understatement of the year!!!" Kitchel yelled at him.

"That's not what I meant. Bierrez hasn't moved an inch." He frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. "He knows what's going on."

Kitchel looked at him and turned back to Cesia, staring at her helplessly. Cesia-chan…What's wrong with you? What's happening?! It both frightened and amazed her how the wind seemed to be swirling ferociously around Cesia, protecting her it seemed.  But her friend was still in unbelievable pain and the deafening noise coming from the wind was driving her insane. Was this part of Bierrez's attack?

The wind suddenly started to slowly die down and Cesia felt the pain also slowly going away. She could breathe a little easier, but she was shaking and the screams and images still pounded in her mind. A new image started to emerge. It was of a tall man dressed all in black, his hand reaching out to her. He seemed to be drawing closer to her, his deep purple eyes piercing into her soul. Wake up… A sudden flash of light made her blink and an image of a pair of eyes flashed before her as she hurtled back to reality with a shock, the winds immediately dispersing.

"Well, that was quite an interesting show…"

Everyone turned to the newcomer standing behind Cesia, who was still floating a little off the ground, her eyes still blank and seeming to be in a trance. The stranger, his fluffy white hair wafting in the gentle breeze that had replaced the once ferocious winds, looked at them with no emotion showing on his elegant face.

"YOU!" both Bierrez and Rath yelled. They glanced at each other quickly and turned back to face the stranger.

"Kharl what are you doing her?!" Bierrez shouted.

Rath glanced at Bierrez again. He knows him…and he is the same one who had entered into my dreams…

The one he called Kharl gave him a surreptitious smile. "You were taking far too long…" He gently stroked Cesia's cheek with a long, slender finger, making Rath clench his fist. "And I wanted to check up on our little…key…"

Rath's eyes snapped open. Key? He remembered what Kharl had told him in his dream: The key has yet to be placed to unlock the secrets within you… Was Cesia the key that Kharl meant? If she was, how?

Kharl smiled when he saw the look of realization on Rath's face. "Figured it out have you?" He glanced over at the others and looked at Rune. "And you…you have awakened to one of your powers…"

Rune stiffened. He knows? "I don't know what you are talking about."

Kharl smiled again. "I'm afraid you do. And I am grateful you used it…for it helped strengthen our little prospect here…" He lifted and turned Cesia's face gently towards his and examined her. "My, my, she is a pretty one isn't she?"

Cesia started to break out of her trance and painfully moved her now clouded over amber eyes away from Kharl's imposing green ones to see Rath. He looked as if he was miles away, but she could see the hatred, anger, and frustration welling up in him. "Rath…" she hoarsely called out but could no longer keep her eyes open.

Kharl smiled. "Well, well, well. She broke out of the trance I had placed upon her, even if for a few seconds. She does have a lot of power within her…" He suddenly jumped back, releasing his hold on Cesia, making her collapse to the ground. He had just barely dodged a fireball that had hurtled past his face. He turned and saw Rath standing with both arms outstretched, palms facing toward him. A bright, fiery glow surrounded the enraged Rath, his red eyes now burning with fire.

"Get…away…from Cesia…Kharl," Rath said, each word dripping with the hatred he felt for the yokai.

Kharl narrowed his eyes. "Well this was a bit…unexpected… But no matter. This will be more…fun." He grinned and disappeared in a whirl of black and dark green wind, only to reappear next to Bierrez. "I think it is now your turn?"

Bierrez looked at Kharl. "Was all that really necessary?"

The yokai just smiled. "In life, whatever happens becomes necessary. Only then will it bring the desired consequences."

Bierrez glared at him. "I do not desire to become your toy, Kharl."

Kharl narrowed his eyes and Bierrez grabbed his right arm in pain. "Have you forgotten that I have control over you?"

"Grr…" Bierrez gritted his teeth and straightened as he unsheathed his sword. "Fine. But I will not succumb to you so easily." He turned to Rath. "Rath! We'll settle this once and for all!"

Rath held out his hand and flames started to swirl around it, forming a sword. He grasped it, never leaving his eyes off Bierrez. "We'll settle it alright. And I'll settle it by making you dead."

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.o;;; This took me WAY too long @_@ *shakes her head, clearing her mind* Ugh…anyway, that put a strain on my brain…is it just me, or has this fic gotten more serious? O.o;; Well, we're nearing the showdown! Actually it's going to start in the next chapter, but you know what I mean. ^.~ Bet you guys didn't expect what Rath was going to say! Actually I had really forgotten what it was before .;;; Lol, anyway, stay tuned for Chapter 9: Awakenings! (yes I already figured out a title before I even wrote it .) Remember, I love you guys reviewing me!! =D!