A/N: Hey hey! I'm actually updating! Yes, I know, extremely rare occurrence, but I'm trying. Things have been hectic, some family issues I'd rather not divulge, and I've got exams all this week. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because I don't get any homework, and I get home really early. Anyway, this chapter is… interesting, to say the least. I know the stuff about Nickoli is confusing, but hopefully someone out there will understand it. If you don't get his motives, don't worry, I'll find a way to better explain him later.
P.S- No Moon Angels were hurt in the making of this fiction… It's just a story! Please don't kill me!
Clow- *(*Glowering) WHAT DID YOU DO NOW??!!!
DI Angel- Clow, honey, I promise it's only temporary…
Clow- WHAT DID YOU DO YOU PSYCHOTIC AUTHOR OF DOOM??!!!
DI Angel- You don't really have to worry, you're not the main character of this chapter-
Clow- WHAT?!!!!!
DI Angel- I think I just dug myself into a really big hole… Please review, it will help me write faster, and if I write faster Clow may not kill me…
DISCLAIMER: I own Nickoli, Tristan, and their mansion. I also own Lavia… who is quite odd, and if you thought my other originals were weird wait until you meet her.
Chapter 13
The dark passage did not go on for too long. In fact, it dead-ended after only a few minutes walking. The three had encountered no other being, no hostile traps or anything else for that matter. Utter silence conquered the house, and even though their presence was known of, no one among them spoke. The Light Card provided illumination still, as Clow could see that there were no lamps in the whole area. After turning a sharp corner, the end of the corridor could be seen as a solid wall. The mage continued up to it in hopes of a hidden lever or door, anything that could give them a clue as to where the should next travel.
Yue fearlessly approached the end, placing his hand firmly against the wall barring their way and trying to sense if there was any magic upon it. After a few moments, it was apparent to the angel that there was no power affecting the structure. The wall was meant to be there, had been put there on purpose and not as a hidden obstacle. Yue motioned for Clow to take a look, if he wished, and Kero simply kept his distance.
"Hmm." The man examined the barrier thoroughly for a minute and then turned from the wall to face his guardians. "I'm not sure what this means. Take a look, both of you."
He stepped aside allowing the brothers to move up and study what he had discovered. At the corner of the wall, there was a bowl-like stone upon a raised pedestal. Engraved upon the base were more words. "One must make the Offering of Strength. The only way to open the Gate is to drink the Liquor of the Damned."
Yue's brow furrowed, and he turned his gaze to Clow. "Liquor of the damned? This is beginning to unsettle me, master..."
"I understand how you feel, Yue, but we must continue on. Can you make any sense of this riddle?" Clow once more stepped forward to read and reread the words.
Yue thought for a few minutes. "Apparently, we have to do some task, make 'The offering of strength'. I've no clue what that could be, and I cannot seem to puzzle out the second sentence."
"Well that's obvious," Kero interrupted. "You probably have to drink or ingest some poison or something."
"That is only the baser meaning," Yue said with irritation.
"But in this case, that meaning may be correct. We must back track and try the other paths as well, presumably." Clow said this as an order, and the guardians turned away from the bowl.
Suddenly the light around them flickered, and a rumbling noise began from beneath them. Both magical beings called out for their master, who was in front of them and directly over where the noise was more centered. Keroberos leapt forward before Yue even had time to react, and the walls began shifting around Clow. As walls reallocated and twisted, Yue was the only one left unaffected. Keroberos and Clow were actually trapped in a box shaped enclosure, and the wall that faced Yue became transparent so he could see his master and fellow guardian. The two were trying everything they could to break out, angrily throwing magic at the solid surface obstructing their exit. Clow was speaking to his moon guardian, but the sound did not penetrate the walls.
The surrounding area seemed to grow cold, and a distinct presence filled the corridor. A voice echoed through the halls, as if the owner were actually moving unnoticed around them. "So you're Yue. I was not told of your beauty, but it makes sense. It is now much more apparent to me why you would hold his interest." It seemed as though Clow and Keroberos could hear the disembodied voice as well. Kero did not look too happy.
In Yue's thoughts, he easily realized the referred to person was Nickoli, and therefore inferred that he was hearing Tristan. The presence of a French accent thicker than even the other creation's was further evidence. Quietly, but seething with hatred, the angel asked, "Are you Tristan Sotalia?" The voice chuckled lightly in reply. Yue continued, trying to keep his emotions under icy restraints. "What do you want with my master? What are you doing to Nikki?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Tristan asked sarcastically. "What do you think I'm doing to Nickoli?"
"I don't know!" Yue shouted. "But whatever it is, his aura is becoming chaotic, you're mentally destroying him!"
"Nonsense!" The powerful mage growled. Then his tone became husky and quiet as he said, "I'm not doing anything... anything at *all*... that Nickoli doesn't want me to do to him. Maybe you just don't want to face the fact that you lost him. No, correction, you never even *had* him."
"Shut up..." The moon guardian hissed threateningly.
The man went on, "He's *mine*. He's always been mine, and you don't even know who he really is."
"I told you to shut your mouth-!"
"He doesn't need you," Tristan continued, finding calm in Yue's rage, "but he needs me. If I were to die now, so would he."
As the sorcerer said this, Yue knew it was true. His mind flashed back to the tie he'd viewed so briefly between the two, and knew that Tristan wasn't bluffing. If they somehow did manage to kill him, Nikki would most certainly fade from existence. Other things that illustrated the real distance between himself and Nickoli began popping into his mind. Stupid things even, like how in a battle Yue would be no match for the dark haired angel, but Tristan would. The fact that Tristan could sense Nikki's emotions, could give him everything he ever wanted or needed, not just materially but in a companion as well. It also hit Yue that he had little hope, if he did somehow manage to get Nickoli away from the black magician without killing him, of keeping Tristan from retaking his creation. These facts, the impossibility of his mission, caused Yue to become even more furious than he had been.
Tristan's laughter wasn't helping his disposition either, and the mage spoke on relentlessly. "Do you even know simple things about your so-called 'true-love'? Do you know his favorite color even?" The voice dropped to a lower tone, a soft, seductive sound that only Yue could hear. "Did you know that he loves it when you bury your hands in his hair, or nibble on his earlobe just a little bit-"
As this was being said, Yue could practically feel the mage's breath on the left side of his face. In blind rage, he spun and lashed out, connecting with nothing but a few leftover wisps of mist. Though he didn't make any contact, the guardian's actions did make Tristan cease.
The voice took on a much more serious tone suddenly. "I suppose you want to know how to go on with your two companions on your idiotic venture to find me and the object of your affection. Well, follow the riddles, lovely!" Yue turned rapidly and walked briskly down the hall towards the intersection. Tristan voice interrupted his brave exit though. "By the way, I probably should mention that if you fail to follow the instructions offered to you in the riddles, your friends will die. Very slowly, might I add, and painfully, and I'll make sure to reserve you a front row seat. Au revoir." The voice evanesced, and the presence dissolved from the area. Except for his trapped companions, Yue was left alone.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His voice came out as a growl, but there wasn't nearly as much venom in it as one would expect. "Why are you targeting him?! Clow's the one who ordered him here! Yue's done nothing!"
Tristan lounged on the couch, pulling lazily at the sash around his creation's waist. His head was resting in the angel's lap. "He's pretty, but I don't like him. And you can stop playing, I know you find this amusing."
Nickoli didn't answer, but actually hid a smirk from his master.
"Hmm. You know I'm right. I know you better than you know yourself. Every time you fight with me, or claim to hate me or some such nonsense, I know you're only pretending." Tristan laughed, propping himself on his elbows to look the angel in the face, right side up instead of seeing him upside down. "You don't want them hurt. Fine then, I won't kill them."
"Thank you," Nickoli said as relief washed over his features.
"Not until you get over this petty little attachment," Tristan added wickedly with a grin.
"You-! You're terrible!"
"Ha!" The blonde laughed and lowered his head again, snuggling closer to the warm body he rested upon, practically talking into clothing. "It's funny that those three morons cling to what was. Every day things change, nothing in life is really constant. Not even death, as some suppose. At least not for me, or you, for that matter." He paused, trailing a hand up Nickoli's thigh. "Do you miss them?" He asked suddenly.
The younger man thought carefully before answering, especially since he couldn't read Tristan's tone. As always, the presence of his creator was distracting him, turning his mind almost involuntarily to other, more *interesting* things. But seeing Yue forced him to face what was going on in the world outside of their house. The world that, after being neglected for far too long, had become impatient and decided to come to him. Nickoli sighed. "Yes. I miss them, and I'm not going to lie and pretend not to. I care about them, and I swear to whatever power exists that if you harm them, I'll hate you, honestly. You might as well kill me if you hurt them."
Tristan lifted his head again. "Why do you say 'them'?" The question was odd, and Nickoli showed his confusion through his expression. The other elaborated, "You refer to all three, using the word 'them'. Why say them, when all you care about really is just him?" The dark eyed one looked down and away, unable to answer or face his master. Tristan continued, "I can see why you'd like him, he seems intelligent, and very beautiful. But, truly, what is there that binds you to him?" His voice dropped to an almost sad, wondering tone, "What makes him have more claim over you than I do?"
Nickoli remained silent, though the answer leapt to his lips immediately. [Because I love him!! Don't you understand that? If not for what's happening to me, I would leave with them, I would leave here and leave you and go home with Yue.] Suddenly his thoughts stopped there. He re-evaluated what just ran through his mind. [Or would I? Tristan makes me feel so... I'm not sure. Maybe complete is the word? I've always felt weaker than I should be, empty of purpose. But when I'm around him, I don't experience that anymore. I have a master, an identity, which I've felt like I was missing until now. With him still here, could I leave him? If he wasn't the only thing holding me together, would I be able to stand up, look into his face and betray him?] He sighed out loud. [That would probably be like asking Yue to betray Clow. I know I love Yue... but I don't know how I feel about Tristan...]
It was unknown to the dark angel as of yet that his creator's magic was altering his personality. His attitude was worsening, and he was behaving as though he was raised by Tristan and had lived with him all his life. Because of the transfer of black magic to him, the environment he'd lived in previously, along with his past emotions towards former companions, was dampened. His old life seemed like a dream, as though it had never occurred. Nickoli's moods were erratic. One moment he would hate someone, and the next he would feel very close to them. His judgment was clouded, and his emotions were confused. The things he'd seen recently had thrown him completely off balance. It wasn't positive if Nickoli could ever revert to the way he used to be, particularly because he felt like a different person.
The blonde sat up and sighed softly, grasping Nickoli's chin and forcing the angel to face him. "I'm sorry. For once we're not fighting and I have to ask stupid questions. Forget about it. Don't worry." Nickoli nodded, trying to look away again, but Tristan held his chin fast. "I said, don't worry," he repeated.
With their faces only centimeters apart, Nickoli whispered, "I don't think I'll ever understand how I feel about you."
Tristan smirked. "Would you like some persuasion?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yue backtracked to where the paths began, the Light Card staying released but now drawing partially off the moon angel's power as well, because of Clow's imprisonment. He read and reread the riddle, even once out loud to himself. "Through the Seventh Circle of Fire must ye past to reach the Throne of the Master. The most puzzling question of all is this: Which knows more, the Heart or the Mind? Death awaits mistakes."
He took instead the path farthest from the one down which his companions were imprisoned. The vibe down this hall way was the same as the other, if not more ominous, because the presence he detected was not human at all. Where as he practically sensed Tristan in the air before, with a feeling of smug supremacy and arrogance that was no less evil, this area was different. There was a strange aura in the air, but this was giving off animosity towards life in general, a deep loathing of everything alive, warm and breathing. It was as if many things had been forced to die there, and all they wanted was for everything living to experience the same. When the fog began leaking into the house, through the walls from outside, Yue called all the cards under his jurisdiction to himself. They came without delay.
Thick fog obscured the walls and Yue realized that they were no longer there. He was not outside, but he also was no longer in the house. //This is a spatial dimension, empty space not filled by one specific world. How I got here, I can only assume. Perhaps there was some sort of strategically placed rift along the corridor? In all likeliness.// The moon guardian turned his head, looking behind himself and finding nothing but fog. Facing front again, he knew there was no chance he could get back the way he came, so his only other option was to go on. But the world was not empty as he expected. There was a body of water blocking his path, and he had no clue as to its size or depth. For all Yue knew, it could be a lake, river, or even a puddle, but he couldn't see far enough to determine any of it. All he knew was that the water was thick and black, and under no circumstances would he willingly touch it.
"That's what you think," a raspy voice admonished. Yue spun around, surprised to find that his thoughts had been read. An old woman limped toward him, leaning heavily on her gnarled cane of black wood. She chuckled and looked the guardian up and down. "So you're the master's competition!" She burst into uproarious laughter that left her heaving for a moment. "Well," she snickered as she calmed, "I don't see what's so great about you! The young fool must really have lost all his memory to even think about you over the master. Ahahahahaha!"
Yue gave the hag a cold stare. "If this is one of Tristan's stupid ploys to drain me of confidence and cause me to give up, it's utterly pathetic."
Again the wretch laughed. "You think because I call him master I serve him? Ha!" She approached the water and stood in front of it, a few feet to Yue's left. "You do not know of me, child. You know nothing of necromantic powers, nor will you ever, really. It's easy to learn the tradition, but to know what goes on in the worlds beyond your own is another thing entirely. No," she chuckled more quietly, "I was not sent by him. Master does not even know I am here! He only knows that some being will be here to instruct you, but he thought it to be one of his black power sources. Not I! He never thinks of me anymore! Do you know why?" Yue remained quiet, even as the woman stared at him. "Do you?!" She screeched.
"I don't even know who you are." Slowly, Yue's disdain of this strange being was dissolving. He sensed something within her that was not to be tampered with.
She laughed. "Of course you don't! But I suppose you must call me something. Hmm, let's see, what to call me..." she seemed to think on it. "I know! You may call me Lavia."
Yue looked confused. "So you are Lavia?"
Her customary laughter followed this comment. "The real question is, you mean, is that my name?" Her scratchy voice irritated his ears once more. "It is but a name; it has served me before, as will others, and it will serve me again. Now," she took a couple steps toward him. "What you need is across the waters. I am your only way to get there."
"I think not," Yue answered. "I have my wings, which will easily carry me across and back. No complications."
"Really?" The old hag cackled. "Try to! Try to summon into being your precious wings!" Her laughter reached its highest volume when Yue could not create his wings. His looked of panic actually seemed to calm her, rather than amuse her as he thought it would. "You cannot use any of your magic on this plane, not your wings nor cards. I can help you, but not for free."
"What do you want?" The suspicion in the guardian's eyes was to be anticipated. Usually, beings such as this did not make fair deals, and even if they did their prices were never money, and always something of more value.
"Don't worry so much!" She called. A long, thick, oily black tentacle raised itself out of the disgusting water, close enough to make Yue uncomfortable but far enough way that it didn't touch him. "What I'm asking for doesn't harm you! Here, I'll even make the choice easier for you by explaining some things. The only way for you to free your master and the lion guardian, and continue your attempt to find the one you love, is to cross this water and gain part of what you need to solve the riddle. The only way for you to cross this water is with the help of my power. You see?"
"What. Do. You. Want?" The moon angel certainly did not like the way the hag's ancient eyes had suddenly come into such clear focus.
"All I desire," she said softly, "is one of your ice crystals. Once you retrieve the item across the water, your magic will function again and you can make me one."
Yue blinked. He tried to think how she could use that against him. I would not harm him or anyone he did not wish to hurt, it being made from his own energy, and after a short while it would dissipate. Not able to think of a reason why he shouldn't, he agreed reluctantly to the woman's demands.
"Oh, excellent, excellent! Thank you, my dear child! Let's see about getting you across here! Let's see now..." She focused, and after mumbling a few words in a dialect he didn't understand, there was a stone bridge spanning the water. He couldn't see the end, for it stretched out into the fog. It was high enough up that nothing from the water could reach him, but Yue still wasn't sure. "Don't trust it, huh? Well then! Hmph! I'll stand on it too! You should be able to see me from both sides if I stand on the middle, so you'll know it won't collapse with me on it. Come on, come on!" Reluctantly, Yue began to traverse the bridge.
The stone was as steady as the best-made bridges in the world, and nothing befell him as he crossed. What Yue came to on the other side, though, was not anything like what he had in mind. It seemed to be some sort of desert, not lit with a moon, or stars, or sun. The light was from a nameless, placeless source, much like the illumination the Light Card produced, but not nearly so pure. Only a dozen or so feet from the foot of the bridge was a small building, a hut much similar to something you would find in the orient. It's front, thatched door was slightly ajar, allowing a flickering light to make display of itself.
The silver haired angel swiftly walked in, where a huge, nearly flat, circular disk sat in mid air in the center of the room. The entire thing was engulfed in flames, so hot in the middle they were white and blue. Looking in, Yue saw a round black ball, some sort of stone, sitting in the middle of the disk. It was perfectly round and smooth, and somehow or another Yue knew that it was what he had come for. His gaze quickly assessed the room, looking for something with which to extract the sphere. There was nothing, and Yue knew then that he had to reach inside to retrieve the item.
At first, he got as close as he could without touching the flames. Then, as fast as he possibly could, he plunged his hand into the inferno. Immediately, he couldn't help but cry out. He was close to it; he need only lean in a little more...
Yue yelled again. He squeezed his eyes shut against tears as he leaned forward, cheek brushing the flame as well and intensifying the already extreme pain. When he gave voice to his agony, it was as though all the other malicious presences he had felt a little earlier cried out with him. They began to sympathize for him, for he was suffering so obviously as they had. When Yue's tear filled eyes opened and focused on his hand again, he plunged forward and grabbed the stone, wrenching his arm back. As he gripped his arm to himself, he let the ball drop from his grasp as he fell to the floor, sobbing and cradling his appendage.
He expected the arm to be horribly burned, as he felt the stinging pain like heat trapped inside his bones flare up and down his arm. Slowly he uncurled himself from around his arm, sitting up on the floor and facing the fire so he could see more clearly. The loudest scream he had ever emitted in his existence leapt from his throat, and he couldn't tear his sight away from his burned off sleeve and arm, which was *only bone* from finger tips to his elbow. He screamed once more, shutting his eyes as tightly as possible, turning his head away and hiding his arm under his outer coat of clothing. After rocking himself back and forth slightly, in tears and not even thinking at all, he stood and exited the one room building.
Lavia tisked from the middle of the bridge. "It really is a pity," she called, "it's sad that it had to be that test. Oh well, it could have been the one the paralyzes you, or steals your eyesight, or millions of other fates that you would have thought worse if they befell you."
Yue looked up at her with uncomprehending eyes. His mind had gone into shock from the pain and the state of his arm. There were only two things he could think of at the moment: Clow imprisoned, and a mental image of Nickoli, the first morning they had awoken together. That had been the first time he'd seen Nickoli smile in this certain, special way that he only did at special times between himself and Yue. It was such a soft, sweet smile that it made Yue want to cry with happiness, just over the fact that it was a smile meant only for him. So the moon guardian walked back across the bridge slowly, hiding his arm from himself. He didn't want to see the bones, bleached white in the fire, absent of any blood, or tissue, or skin. He didn't want to see the bit of skeleton that had been attached to his immortal and durable body. He didn't want to see.
When they reached the other side once more, Lavia looked expectantly at Yue. The angel made a crystal, one-handed, within seconds and handed it emotionlessly to her. She laughed, but this time the sound was quiet and melodic. Her gnarled staff dropped from her hand, and her gnarled body lengthened and became youthful. Before Yue's very eyes, the hag became an elegant lady. Lavia had jet-black hair pulled into a tight bun at the crown of her head, and cold black eyes that stared at everything with indifference. There were slight lines painted on the sides of her face, by her temples, that resembled a strange pattern Yue thought he should know. She turned her eyes to him, long black dress swirling in the slightest air current, and she smiled.
Her staff had turned into a huge, dark green and black snake. The thing was fearsome, a creature any man would run and hide from, and it did not look happy. Lavia was still smiling, and gently touched Yue's cheek, leaning over and speaking softly to him, "I do like you. And I do pity your plight. Why don't you let me heal your arm for you?"
Yue had come back to himself a little, especially upon seeing the woman change. "Because," he whispered, "everything comes with a price."
Her smile grew. "Yes, that's true. But all I ask for," her voice dropped to a sultry tone, "is a single kiss. Then I'll let you rest here a while, pretty one."
The temptation to heal his appendage, no matter the cost, was nearly overwhelming. He had the feeling that her eyes were making the pain throb worse just to sway his decision. But Yue heard something in her voice and words that implied "a single kiss" was a lot more than it seemed, and he definitely didn't like the way he'd gone from being not good enough to "pretty one."
He stepped back from Lavia, saying clearly but in a strained tone, "No."
Lavia shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said emotionlessly. Without warning, she plunged the icicle he'd given her into the head of the gigantic snake. It's body twitched and went through spasms of its powerful muscles, and then lay still on the ground and partially in her arms. She waved her free hand. "The door is there. Best wishes, really," she added with no enthusiasm. But then, with an unsavory glint in her eyes, she added, "But if things get too difficult, call to me. I'll take you away from there, heal you, and we can get to know one another truly."
The damaged moon guardian did not reply as he turned his back on her, walking towards the now visible exit, not knowing what he had truly just done.