Ivan put full weight against the wall behind him. *What was that!?*
It was if someone had entered his mind, filling him with fear and confusion.
Glad to have broken free from the spell, Ivan forced his breathing pattern
back to normal. No one could enter the mind like that, could they? He had
experience with reading minds, it was nothing like that. It was almost
as if someone had gone into his very soul, spirit, and mind...
Ivan sighed his concern
away. If he wasted any more time, Isaac would start to get worried about
him again. That was the last thing he needed. No matter how hard he tried,
everyone, including Mia, look out after him just because he was the youngest
and the least inexperienced fighter in the group. Brushing his thoughts
away, Ivan headed out of his room and down the stairs.
Isaac waved at Ivan when
he turned the corner. The Jupiter Adept forced a weak smile. "I take it
that Mia or Garet aren't going to join us this morning?"
Isaac smiled. "Nope. I suppose
we could pound on their doors and make them get up, but they would probably
kill us."
Ivan forced a laugh. "Especially
Mia. She gets grouchy when you wake her up too early."
"Yeah, she's scary when
she's mad sometimes. So is there anything in specific you want for breakfast
this morning?"
"Whatever is fine with me.
I'm not too picky."
"Alright, I'll bring us
back something." Isaac said, standing up.
Ivan watched Isaac as he
left. *What is going on with me?* Ivan folded his arms on the table and
rested his head on them. *Why do I feel so strange all of a sudden?*
"Ivan?"
Ivan jumped at the sound
of his name.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle
you. Here's your breakfast." Isaac said placing the plate in front of him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just tired I suppose."
Ivan lied as his covered up with a smile. *Should I tell Isaac?*
Isaac stared at Ivan, as
if he was trying to see right through him. "I suppose we're all a little
tired." he focused his attention towards his food and began eating.
Ivan didn't comment, simply
began to eat his meal. "So, where to from here?" he asked, changing the
earlier subject.
"Who knows." Isaac answered.
"We've been traveling for weeks now and no sign of Felix and the other's.
Our best bet is to travel East to the Jupiter Lighthouse. I assume they'll
end up there eventually. Who knows, we might cross paths on the way. I
just hope Jenna's alright."
"I'm sure she is. Felix
wouldn't let anything happen to her or Sheba," Ivan reassured him. "He
isn't that kind of person."
Isaac looked up into Ivan's
eyes. "He has changed a lot in the past three years, but you're probably
right. I just wish this journey had never happened. I was happy, Garet
and I both were. If only we were stronger three years ago..." he trailed
off.
"It wasn't your fault,"
Ivan knew very little of what happened in Vale three years back, but knew
enough to get the idea. "It was Saturos and Menardi's."
Isaac didn't answer.
Ivan sighed. "I need to
go outside for a bit." he said, standing up. "I just need some fresh air,
that's all." he didn't turn back as he headed out the Inn's door. *I hope
I didn't say anything I shouldn't have.*
Isaac lifted his head as
he saw Ivan go. "Ivan..." he trailed softly, but didn't go after him.
***
Ivan stared up at the sky, allowing the rain to fall upon his face.
*Was it a vision (or was it a dream? I don't know, I was high on mushrooms
at the time. Okay, no more Escaflowne for Elena at three o'clock in the
morning with hare-chan)? No, it felt too real to be a vision.*
After a few minutes he guided
himself to the back of the Inn. Lightning flashed overhead, causing him
smiled. Storms always had a way of calming his troubled soul. Ivan didn't
seem to care when the thunder crashed overhead, shaking the ground beneath
him.
Without warning, his legs
gave way and he collapsed into a mud puddle. He tired to scream, but nothing
came out.
Echoed laughter filled his
mind. *I've finally caught you off guard.*
Ivan struggled to move,
but his body wouldn't obey.
*Nothing will save you.*
The voice echoed. *You body is mine to control*
*What?* Ivan thought back.
*Not even your friends can
break my spell, which is bound to you. Your very soul, body, and mind are
mine to control.*
*What are you after? I have
nothing of value. Who are you?*
*What I am after is of none
of your concern. My name is Faythe. Ivan is it? Your life is more at stake
than you could possibly imagin.*
*What are you-* his thoughts
were cut off, a sharp pain ripping through his body. He screamed from the
inside.
Faythe watched his victim
suffer without any satisfaction, or remorse. *It's no use.* he reminded
Ivan. *Your soul has been locked away. All that is left is your empty shell
to do as I command. If you're lucky you'll be released once we're through
with you.*
Ivan collapsed into shadow,
feeling himself being ripped apart.
***
"I'm going to look for him," Isaac convinced himself as he stood up.
The storm outside had only gotten worse.
"Hey Isaac."
Isaac turned, and smiled.
"It's about time you got up Garet."
"What? I was tired," he
protested. "Where are you going?"
"Ivan stepped outside for
a few minutes."
"Is he crazy? It's pouring
out there!" Garet pointed outside.
Isaac's smile widened. "Just
because you don't like the rain doesn't mean that Ivan doesn't."
"Well, he IS a Jupiter Adept
after all." Garet commented. "Wait, I'll come with you."
Isaac shook his head. "Didn't
you just say you didn't like the rain?"
Garet shrugged. "What? I've
been worried about Ivan."
"So have I," his smile faded.
"You've noticed it too?"
Isaac nodded. "Like this
morning for example, he just wasn't himself. It's almost as if he's hiding
something from us..." he trailed off softly.
Garet stared at his childhood
friend. "I've felt like that too." he said.
Isaac brushed his thoughts
away. "He shouldn't have to be alone. I'm going to find him, and find out
what he's hiding."
"Be back soon. The rain's
getting worse." Garet reminded him.
"Don't worry, I doubt Ivan's
gone too far." Isaac replied as he turned and left.
***
Isaac made his way through the thin forest with relative ease. The clean
scent of rain mingled with the sharp aroma of pine. Isaac breathed in deep,
allowing it to soothe him. A continuos soft drizzle was falling, soaking
the earth and causing small rivulets to run down the path he was treading.
He shook his head, spraying water all around him.
It wasn't until he got to
the meadow that he sensed anything wrong.
The meadow was roughly circular,
with a large track running through it, now merely a thick line of mud through
soggy plants.
In the center of the track
a few yards away from him, Ivan was on his knees. His back was turned to
him, and he didn't acknowledge his presence.
"Ivan?" Isaac jogged to
him, mud and water splashing in his wake. "Ivan?!"
He reached out to touch
the young boy's shoulder, and Ivan jerked away. "Ivan?"
The Jupiter Adept stood
and turned to him. There was nothing in his eyes that suggested that he
was coherent, and blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. Isaac backed
up a step, his mind not fully registering what he was seeing. "Ivan?"
*Redundant, aren't you.*
He whirled around, the voice
of the young boy had sounded like he was right behind him. All he could
see was the woods he had left behind him.
"Who's there?!" he called
out.
*Oh, good, you can speak
intelligently.*
The voice was in front of
him now. He turned back, only to see Ivan, still giving him that blank
stare. "Where are you?! Show yourself!"
*That won't be necessary,
Isaac.*
"How do you know my name?"
his mouth wet dry, despite the water pouring around him.
Without warning, pain like
he had never felt flooded through him. He heard someone screaming, as if
from far away, and realized it was himself. He vaguely felt the cold, damp
earth beneath him when he fell to his knees. He held his head, the epicenter
of his pain, and could do nothing more for a long time.
*My name is Faythe. You
are mine to control.*
*No, I am not,* he held
on to that one sane thought, repeating it over and over in his mind. *I
am not, I am not, I am not!*
"I am not!" he screamed
aloud, and the pain was washed away, as if by the rain. He fell forward,
ending up on all fours, gasping heavily. Blood ran out of his mouth onto
the ground, where it was absorbed by the mud.
*If you will not be broken,
then I'll have my pawn break you for me,* the voice whispered. *Do you
think you can fight him, Isaac?*
Ivan held out one hand,
palm downward. Isaac slowly got to his feet and drew his ever present Gaia
Blade. He didn't want to hurt Ivan, especially since Ivan had no weapon,
but if it came to fighting...
"I'm sorry," he whispered,
before charging.
Silver light, unlike anything
Isaac had ever seen before, encircled his young friend. It whipped around
him in arcs, becoming solid, like swirls of mercury. They spiraled into
his hand, forming into a weapon. The edges blurred, then hardened, becoming
a long staff topped with a pronged blade, a glaive.
Before Isaac could move,
or even think, Ivan thrust the glaive forward.
A brief pain flared in his
chest, before all became dark.
Next