"The barrier will not hold much longer." A voice spoke very deeply.
"The people are leaving each day, they feel that our magic is no longer strong enough." A female voice said with a sigh.
Volk glanced around the room, his eyes meeting with each of the council's.
They all sat at the large marble table, waiting for Volk's reply.
"What do you suppose we do? Leave?"
"Our magic is just not strong enough anymore. If we keep getting attacks like the one yesterday, we will not hold."
"...."
"Sir. We must leave, we stay here we'll die."
Volk slammed his hand down on the table, his dark blue eyes narrowed, "Leave! Hordic is the capital of Luk! We will not turn and run! We are not cowards!"
"...But Sir..."
"Silence! Don't whine! That is not the way someone should acted in this city!"
"...."
"Sir. Volk, I hear that a woman appeared out of nowhere and is protecting Nosis. It is said that she has the power to kill the shadows."
"Really? That's interesting. Never in the long years that we have been fighting the shadows has anyone been able to kill them."
The only female in the council nodded, "This could be our glimpse of hope we've been waiting so long for."
"Yes, how we all prayed." A young man said looking down at the table.
"So, is this where most of Hordic's people are heading?"
"Yes that is correct. What will you do Sir.Volk?"
"...I'm going to Nosis. I will see this mystery woman for myself. Prepare my steamship Exian and let word out that if anyone wants to leave Hordic for Nosis, then they may ride with me on Exian."
The council was silent for a long moment; they all stared at Volk with worry in their eyes.
"But Sir...Exian has not yet been tested. It's the first of its kind...surly you won't..."
"Don't worry, I know that Exian will carry us safely. Now all of you go."
Everyone got to their feet and left silently, some looking as if they were about to burst into tears.
Volk sat back into his chair, his eyes wondered up to an overly large painting on the wall. An elderly woman sat in a velvet chair, her hands rested in her lap. She wore a long white dress with light purple lace. Her eyes seemed to look down at him.
"My dear wife...I pray that this will be the end of our suffering...this woman, If she really does have the power to destroy the shadows...then I can finally avenge your death..."
****
Jowy wandered down one of many side streets in Hordic. Everyone that met
his gaze, had fear and worry in their eyes. Children crying, people
yelling. This wasn't the same Hordic anymore.
"The magic barrier is fading rapidly. We must flee to Nosis soon." A woman said to another. Jowy glanced at them as he passed.
Everywhere he looked he saw nothing but people dragging out their belongings.
The thought of leaving sent a shiver down Jowy's spine. He stopped to look at Hordic's beautiful landscape. So many memories...so many good and sad memories. Jowy could feel tears starting to form from his eyes again. Will I ever see Hordic again? Will it ever be the same? ...Why can't I let go? Mother...I miss you...so much...
"Jowy!"
Jowy quickly wiped his tears away and turned to see Triny running up to him, her hand waving up in the air at him.
"Jowy! I've been looking for you." Triny said catching her breath.
She looked around, her face turning sad, "Where's Kross? He's normally with you."
"I'm starting to wonder that myself. He is good when it comes to disappearing. Does it to me all the time."
Triny studied Jowy for a long moment, "You alright? You look like you've been crying."
Jowy turned his face away, his eyes then wondered up to the capital.
"Everyone is leaving, how about you and Kross? Are you two leaving as well?"
Jowy nodded, his eyes still looking up at the capital.
"...I see...then we better hurry and find Kross. Words out that Sir.Volk is leaving for Nosis on his steamship Exian. Not only that, but he said that if anyone wanted to leave they could ride with him."
"...The Exian flies?"
Triny nodded, "That's the word. So where do you think we can find Kross? We need to find him quickly."
"Don't bother, I'm here." Kross answered, walking up beside Jowy.
Triny jumped back, "Whoa! Damn Kross, how do you do that?"
"...What?"
"Just appearing out of nowhere like that. It's a really cool trick."
Kross crossed his arms against his chest and looked down at the ground. "So Volk is really going to fly Exian...?"
"That's what Triny just told me. Should we brave it, knowing it could fall at any moment?"
"...It's better to do it this way then risk going through the wetlands." Kross said turning towards the capital.
Triny smiled as she tied her long brown hair back, "So I guess it's off to Nosis then."
Jowy looked at her for a moment, "So you're coming with us? What about your father?"
Triny's face sadden a little as she turned to face down the street. Her house only a half block away. She stood in silence for a short moment before turning back to Jowy, "All my life I did what my father asked of me...never once did I ever do anything for myself. I feel like I need to go with you two."
Jowy starred at Triny with a blank face. For once...she was serious.
"Well someone needs to keep you two out of trouble." Triny said with a laugh, as she jumped up and down like a little child would when they got something they wanted.
Jowy put a hand to his head as he shook it. "Well, we can't stop you."
"Then let's go." Kross said walking towards the capital.
"...Kross...?" Jowy started to say, as he watched Kross disappear into a large group of wondering people.
"What's wrong with him?" Triny asked stepping up beside Jowy.
"...I don't know. He's been acting strange all day."
"Hmmm...Oh well, Kross will always be Kross, I'll never figure him out," Triny said grabbing a hold of Jowy, "come on, and let's get after him!"
****
"But father Exian has never flown! You can't..."
Volk gently pushed his blind daughter Viv to the side, "I'm sorry Viv, I must do this...I must meet with this women."
Viv shook her head, "Father...I had another vision, something horrible is going to happen."
Volk put his hands on his only daughter's shoulders, "I'm sorry, I know this is hard, but you must understand...I have to go."
"Then please take me with you."
"What! Out of the question, I can't possibly let you come along."
"...Why? Because I'm blind? Father...your always treating me like I'm helpless. Why? I've been blind all my life, and I accept that, but father I've gained a power in replacement of my sight...the power to see visions in my mind, a power where I can see people's auroras...so I'm not...helpless."
"..."
"I can see you right now father...not through my eyes, but through my mind."
Volk turned away, "My mind is made up, your not coming Viv...I'm sorry."
Volk started to make his way out of the room when he turned to look at Viv, "You're all I have left...if something should happen...I can't lose you Viv."
Volk's lips started to tremble as he shut the door to Viv's room.
Viv stood in silence; the echo of voices from the hallway seemed to float all around the room. Viv suddenly felt a force; she fell upon the couch, her hands to her face. A vision started to form into her mind. Viv let out a moan, the vision seeming to hurt her.
A long moment passed, Viv sat breathing heavily. Visions seemed to take a lot of strength from her. Not knowing when a vision would come, Viv always tried to be alone, for when a vision came she went in what she calls a 'Vision Attack'. Those of the lower council felt that Viv should be locked away, for they believe that she was possessed by demons. If it weren't for her father being the head of the council, they would have done so a long time ago.
Viv finally caught her breath, That woman...why do I keep getting visions of that woman...and who is this other I keep seeing...?
"The people are leaving each day, they feel that our magic is no longer strong enough." A female voice said with a sigh.
Volk glanced around the room, his eyes meeting with each of the council's.
They all sat at the large marble table, waiting for Volk's reply.
"What do you suppose we do? Leave?"
"Our magic is just not strong enough anymore. If we keep getting attacks like the one yesterday, we will not hold."
"...."
"Sir. We must leave, we stay here we'll die."
Volk slammed his hand down on the table, his dark blue eyes narrowed, "Leave! Hordic is the capital of Luk! We will not turn and run! We are not cowards!"
"...But Sir..."
"Silence! Don't whine! That is not the way someone should acted in this city!"
"...."
"Sir. Volk, I hear that a woman appeared out of nowhere and is protecting Nosis. It is said that she has the power to kill the shadows."
"Really? That's interesting. Never in the long years that we have been fighting the shadows has anyone been able to kill them."
The only female in the council nodded, "This could be our glimpse of hope we've been waiting so long for."
"Yes, how we all prayed." A young man said looking down at the table.
"So, is this where most of Hordic's people are heading?"
"Yes that is correct. What will you do Sir.Volk?"
"...I'm going to Nosis. I will see this mystery woman for myself. Prepare my steamship Exian and let word out that if anyone wants to leave Hordic for Nosis, then they may ride with me on Exian."
The council was silent for a long moment; they all stared at Volk with worry in their eyes.
"But Sir...Exian has not yet been tested. It's the first of its kind...surly you won't..."
"Don't worry, I know that Exian will carry us safely. Now all of you go."
Everyone got to their feet and left silently, some looking as if they were about to burst into tears.
Volk sat back into his chair, his eyes wondered up to an overly large painting on the wall. An elderly woman sat in a velvet chair, her hands rested in her lap. She wore a long white dress with light purple lace. Her eyes seemed to look down at him.
"My dear wife...I pray that this will be the end of our suffering...this woman, If she really does have the power to destroy the shadows...then I can finally avenge your death..."
****
Jowy wandered down one of many side streets in Hordic. Everyone that met
his gaze, had fear and worry in their eyes. Children crying, people
yelling. This wasn't the same Hordic anymore.
"The magic barrier is fading rapidly. We must flee to Nosis soon." A woman said to another. Jowy glanced at them as he passed.
Everywhere he looked he saw nothing but people dragging out their belongings.
The thought of leaving sent a shiver down Jowy's spine. He stopped to look at Hordic's beautiful landscape. So many memories...so many good and sad memories. Jowy could feel tears starting to form from his eyes again. Will I ever see Hordic again? Will it ever be the same? ...Why can't I let go? Mother...I miss you...so much...
"Jowy!"
Jowy quickly wiped his tears away and turned to see Triny running up to him, her hand waving up in the air at him.
"Jowy! I've been looking for you." Triny said catching her breath.
She looked around, her face turning sad, "Where's Kross? He's normally with you."
"I'm starting to wonder that myself. He is good when it comes to disappearing. Does it to me all the time."
Triny studied Jowy for a long moment, "You alright? You look like you've been crying."
Jowy turned his face away, his eyes then wondered up to the capital.
"Everyone is leaving, how about you and Kross? Are you two leaving as well?"
Jowy nodded, his eyes still looking up at the capital.
"...I see...then we better hurry and find Kross. Words out that Sir.Volk is leaving for Nosis on his steamship Exian. Not only that, but he said that if anyone wanted to leave they could ride with him."
"...The Exian flies?"
Triny nodded, "That's the word. So where do you think we can find Kross? We need to find him quickly."
"Don't bother, I'm here." Kross answered, walking up beside Jowy.
Triny jumped back, "Whoa! Damn Kross, how do you do that?"
"...What?"
"Just appearing out of nowhere like that. It's a really cool trick."
Kross crossed his arms against his chest and looked down at the ground. "So Volk is really going to fly Exian...?"
"That's what Triny just told me. Should we brave it, knowing it could fall at any moment?"
"...It's better to do it this way then risk going through the wetlands." Kross said turning towards the capital.
Triny smiled as she tied her long brown hair back, "So I guess it's off to Nosis then."
Jowy looked at her for a moment, "So you're coming with us? What about your father?"
Triny's face sadden a little as she turned to face down the street. Her house only a half block away. She stood in silence for a short moment before turning back to Jowy, "All my life I did what my father asked of me...never once did I ever do anything for myself. I feel like I need to go with you two."
Jowy starred at Triny with a blank face. For once...she was serious.
"Well someone needs to keep you two out of trouble." Triny said with a laugh, as she jumped up and down like a little child would when they got something they wanted.
Jowy put a hand to his head as he shook it. "Well, we can't stop you."
"Then let's go." Kross said walking towards the capital.
"...Kross...?" Jowy started to say, as he watched Kross disappear into a large group of wondering people.
"What's wrong with him?" Triny asked stepping up beside Jowy.
"...I don't know. He's been acting strange all day."
"Hmmm...Oh well, Kross will always be Kross, I'll never figure him out," Triny said grabbing a hold of Jowy, "come on, and let's get after him!"
****
"But father Exian has never flown! You can't..."
Volk gently pushed his blind daughter Viv to the side, "I'm sorry Viv, I must do this...I must meet with this women."
Viv shook her head, "Father...I had another vision, something horrible is going to happen."
Volk put his hands on his only daughter's shoulders, "I'm sorry, I know this is hard, but you must understand...I have to go."
"Then please take me with you."
"What! Out of the question, I can't possibly let you come along."
"...Why? Because I'm blind? Father...your always treating me like I'm helpless. Why? I've been blind all my life, and I accept that, but father I've gained a power in replacement of my sight...the power to see visions in my mind, a power where I can see people's auroras...so I'm not...helpless."
"..."
"I can see you right now father...not through my eyes, but through my mind."
Volk turned away, "My mind is made up, your not coming Viv...I'm sorry."
Volk started to make his way out of the room when he turned to look at Viv, "You're all I have left...if something should happen...I can't lose you Viv."
Volk's lips started to tremble as he shut the door to Viv's room.
Viv stood in silence; the echo of voices from the hallway seemed to float all around the room. Viv suddenly felt a force; she fell upon the couch, her hands to her face. A vision started to form into her mind. Viv let out a moan, the vision seeming to hurt her.
A long moment passed, Viv sat breathing heavily. Visions seemed to take a lot of strength from her. Not knowing when a vision would come, Viv always tried to be alone, for when a vision came she went in what she calls a 'Vision Attack'. Those of the lower council felt that Viv should be locked away, for they believe that she was possessed by demons. If it weren't for her father being the head of the council, they would have done so a long time ago.
Viv finally caught her breath, That woman...why do I keep getting visions of that woman...and who is this other I keep seeing...?
