Forgiven and Cold

By: Kidria Scyen

All elements belong to SE, and I have in no way claim to own them as my own.

Chapter Two: Broken Eyes

Danis let the arrow fly from her bow, striking the enemy right in the chest. However, it kept charging for her, regardless of the barrage of arrows she shot at it. All of them hit the mark one way or another, but it kept coming for her. With a curse, Danis drew her two daggers and began to cast Utusemi Ichi, three images of herself springing from the bag of ninja powder she held in her hand. The Shadow's black, pointed ear twitched as the four Mithras mixed amongst themselves and charged. With an echoing cry the Shadow swung its sword down onto a fake Danis, watching it vanish with irritation clearly in it's bright, yellow eyes.

Bladen ducked under the sword of another Shadow, driving his great sword forward. It drove right through the body, protruding out of the monster's back, the blade as black as it's victim. The dark knight gasped as one ebony hand wrapped around his neck. One hand still on the sword handle, the Hume grasped the offending hand and tried hard to pull it off, but no avail. He choked as the grip tightened and all air was cut off. He felt faint, his eyes rolling back as his senses began to shut down. Bladen's head snapped up when he heard a clash of metal and the hand dropped from his throat. A lance danced in the air as the Shadow dissolved, and he smiled a bit as Calypso helped him up.

"I can handle myself," he argued stubbornly.

"Ha." Was all the Elvaan said before she jumped high into the air, only to come down onto another Shadow, the lance forced through the head and out from the bottom of the neck. The Shadow dropped to the ground and Calypso leaped back a few feet to balance herself and her weapon.

Marius watched as the crowds of Shadows try to hack through his magical buffers as he cast spell after spell on them. Some of them died easily, but others were starting to hurt him through the defenses. Sure, he was a great and powerful red mage but damn, he was still a Taru. He scurried away from the attackers, casting advanced Cures on himself as he did so. He ran right for Eagle, who easily took the enemies off him and was able to handle all the hits. Eagle slashed at the Shadows, enduring the blows they returned.

"You owe me new armor, Taru!" Eagle yelled as he smashed his fist into the face of an armored enemy, then cut through another, both falling to the ground and only one getting back up.

Raiden took in a breath before releasing the power pent up in his small body, watching with satisfaction the already weakened monsters falling. Calypso flipped backwards, holding her lance up. The Shadows weren't much of a challenge…even if there were so many. But where are they coming from?

The Elvaan woman yelped as she felt something rupture through her chest, and as her sight became red, slowly fading to black, she looked down to see some thing driving itself into her chest, squirming, moving into her body.

"Vaian, why are you so worried?" she laughed. "It's just the army."

He took her hand into his. "I'm afraid they'll send you off, or you'll get hurt, or…" he stopped and looked down, ashamed. Calypso moved close to him.

"What?" she pressed.

Vaian kissed her cheek, his bright eyes staring into her dark ones. "I am afraid, Calypso, that you will get in. You will succeed. You will be among the best. And you will forget me." He dropped her hand. "Is that selfish of me?"

Calypso smiled. "Not at all, Vaian."

I remember this memory. It was right before I signed up…Vaian and I, together for a full day one last time. He asked me to marry him that. I said yes, but to put it off til later. But later…

"How could you do this to me?!"

What is this…?

Vaian blocked off the sword. "Stop it! Why? Why are you trying to kill me?"

The black armor gleamed maliciously as the silver sword sliced deep into his chest, his blood spilling to the ground. A pale, pale white face smirked and blood red eyes glittered in pleasure at the mere sound of his flesh being forced apart by steel.

This…this never happened…! Vaian! What's happening? I can't…

"Please…stop…"

Vai…

"Calypso?"

Her eyes widen even more and she shot up, grasping her neck as if she was choking. She began to scream and claw at her face, seeing nothing but that pale demon that killed her Vaian.

Bladen surged over the side of the bed and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Calypso gasped and slapped him hard, almost knocking him over. Danis frowned profoundly, but Marius quickly scrambled onto the bed.

"Caly, Caly, are you okay??" the Taru cried. Calypso waited a few moments to settle down, then hugged Marius.

"I'm fine." She whispered. "Bad vision…that's all. What happened? Where are we?"

Guide Eagle slowly entered the room, limping. "Some troops from Jeuno found us and helped us fight, then their black mages teleported us to Jeuno. You're in the doctor's office, but he's out now. He said your wound would heal fine as long as you don't reopen it a lot."

Calypso looked down at her Taru friend, who was clearly worried about her. Suddenly she saw him covered in blood, his own blood. He was torn apart, in pieces. She gasped and looked up. She saw Bladen's sullen face became burned and charred, his body on fire as he screamed in pain. She saw Danis was pinned to the wall she was really leaning against with arrows and bolts, slowly bleeding to death. She saw Eagle being slowly torn apart by large chains. She heard them all screaming.

Then she saw nothing but them staring at her.

Calypso let her friend ago and quickly jumped out of bed and fled into the city, everyone calling for her. She ignored them and the pain as she ran and ran, all the way to Ru'Lude Gardens. She stumbled over the stairs but kept running. She suddenly felt lightheaded and stopped to a slow, unsteady walk. People went by her, not noticing, as she limped, not noticing as she fell to her knees. Calypso grasped the nearest wall, trying to keep herself composed and away. But she saw darkness behind her eyes…it was tempting. Hot and soothing. It was like it was calling her. Or even demanding.

"My lord, the plan is perfect."

"Will it falter?"

"Never, my liege. It's well suited."

"I want it tested. This plan is too delicate for this thing to ruin. Run it through the necessary…tests."

"Yes my lord."

"I want no failures. This will be the last. After…everything will be ready."

"It shall be yours, my lord. Will you try to contact the Superior again?"

"Yes. Leave me so I may."

"Yes." The thing bowed and slinked out of the room.

The entity closed it's eyes and leaned back slightly, focusing the mental power necessary to make such contact. Ah, there, the contact was made…and the voice, so lovely and dark and hollow with death echoed in the mind.

"I hear you calling me…"

Yes.

"Why?"

I want you.

"Want…me?"

Yes. I will free you and have you.

"I refuse. My slumber shall not be disturbed. Leave me be."

You will accept this offering.

"No. Keep it. Let it suffer and take my place. But I, I shall sleep. With my power."

You cannot refuse!

"I will not awake for your selfish ambitions. Leave me be. My brothers and sister may fall under your influence, but my pride will not be shaken by idiotic treasures that one such as I do not need!"

You will not refuse it's eyes.

"It's already broken. Leave it to die, and leave me to sleep."

Do not block me!

"Fall to the pits of hell. I return to Paradise. Let some other fool take on the Curse that you placed on me and that I now cast away… I can't believe I trusted you once."

Angelilia…!