Dragon Queen16: So..... tired...*collapses*
Spitfire: Lazy bum.
Cresentstar: Yup. I guess that leaves us to write the chapter.
Spitfire: Which, of course, will brutally massacre the storys meager plot.
Dragon Queen16: NOOOOOOOOO! NOT THE STORY! LEAVE IT BE!
Cresentstar: Works every time.
Spitfire: Yup. Threaten the story and she wakes up.
Dragon Queen16: *glares* You are so mean!
Spitfire: Yup. And lovin every minute of it!
Dragon Queen16: Im ignoring them now. Id like to extend my gratitude to all those that reviewed, thank you sooooo much!!
~Cheetah Goddess
~Serenity Komoshiro
~Kodaiej Kasaki Ennovy
~roses in bloom- Folly, folly!.....Great, you got me saying it now! ^^
~Sylvia Viridian
~Serpents-Embrace- Err..no..I didnt..I guess Im just cursed..-_-
~rar
Thanx again! Now, heres chapter 7-Divine Visions
~*~
Cresentstar: WAIT! *world stops turning* DRAGONQUEEN16DOESNOTOWNYU-GI-OHORANYTHINGRELATEDTOYU-GI-OH!! (SHEREALLYDOESNTOWNMUCHOFANYTHINGBUTIMRAMBLINGSOILLSTOP HERE) *takes breath* Okay, now you can go on to the chapter. *world continues to turn*
~*~
{Tea walked once again through the garden of peace where a harmony so pure existed. And once again, the figure of shining light began walking towards her. The light was so great that it pained her to look even when squinting. As if sensing her discomfort, the figures light began to dim slightly. Now that Tea could see it, she was not sure if the light had been more welcome. The figure was a complex and baffling being to the eye. It seemed to be made of everything, and yet, nothing at all. Violent volcanoes in their raging fury composed the figure, as did the calmest and sweetest of creeks. Tea saw the grandest mountains in this figure, just as she saw the lowest valleys and the tiniest of hills. Then she saw space, vast and empty space that stretched for eternity. Her mind began to ache from the enormity of what she was seeing. She was forced to look away even now that the light had been dimmed. The being then spoke, its voice like thunder, like angel song. ÒYou fear me.Ó It was a statement, not a question, but Tea replied with a nod anyway. ÒYou have good reason, Tea of the First Heaven, for I am a god. The Nameless One is what I am called by your people and others, I believe. But I will not harm you, Tea, even though I could snuff your life out like a candle. I have need you.Ó
Tea stood in shock and absorbed the information she had just received. The Nameless One, the most powerful being on this world and beyond, was speaking to her and had a need of her. She nodded slowly, still dumbfounded, but ready to serve this god.
ÒI need you to sway Yami the Crimson Darkness back to Yami the True Immortal. As the God of Neutrality, I am entrusted to keeping a balance between good and evil. And right now, evil is tipping the scales of that balance. If evil continues to grow, then there will be a permanent scar on the world that may never be healed.Ó
Tea nodded and, after several moments of silence, asked a question that was troubling her, ÒWhy must I do this? What evil is so great that the world itself is in danger?Ó
ÒThat is something I cannot reveal to you, for even I do not know. The evil is shrouded in a darkness so deep that it cannot be penetrated.Ó
Tea was worried. What could be so powerful that even the Nameless One was unsure of its identity?
ÒIf you need any more motivation, Tea, I can show you both futures of the world, the evil and the good. Shall I?Ó
Tea hesitated but eventually nodded.
ÒVery well.Ó
And with those two words, Tea felt a strange sensation not unlike that of the teleportation flame of mages. This, however, was of a greater magnitude. The constant spinning made her reel. But it seemed to stop just as soon as it started, for the next moment, she was looking down at the future that would occur if good prevailed.
Mortals walked down streets happily and with laughter. There was no sign of the foul creatures known as demons that haunted these same streets in the present. There was a pleasing sense of mortality in this mortals world, broken only briefly by appearances of guardian angels.
The scene changed, showing the First Heaven. Teas father sat at the head of the long table that served as the meeting place for the Angels Forum. On his right side, bearing the mark of the kings second in command, was Yami. His eyes were a deep, blue violet that, to Teas astonishment, were eyes of an angel. This was apparent also in his semi-transparent wings and the aura of light that seemed to surround him. She could not recognize any other faces, but all were happy and in good humor. ÔPeaceÕ summed the scene up perfectly.
ÒYou see before you, Tea, what will happen if Yami becomes the True Immortal and banishes the evil. Now, see the other side of things, if Yami becomes the Crimson Darkness.Ó
The whirling sensation began again, tossing Tea around and thoroughly confusing her sense of direction. When she saw the scene before her, though, a different sickness came over her. Disgust. Fury. Two of the many words that described her revulsion and horror.
Where once the mortal people had walked free, they now walked in slavery. Worn and thin, their gaunt faces told of miseries and tortures unspoken. Scars crisscrossed their backs in a grotesque pattern of cuts and bruises. Whips lashed down from sneering demon slave masters, creating fresh scars and reopening old ones. The ground itself seemed to be bleeding.
And in the middle of it all stood Yami.
His red eyes had darkened to a near black, a black shared by the leathery wings protruding from his back. A black shared by his heart. His skin was as red as his eyes had once been, adorned with spikes. He had acquired a thick tail tipped with a sting that lashed about mercilessly. Tea was reminded strongly of Pegasus and shuddered.
A prisoner was brought before Yami by two demon scouts. Tea was shocked. The prisoner was her!
Yami lifted the future Teas chin up with the sting of his tail, coming perilously close to killing her. With a sneer he said, ÒWell, if it isnt the angel wench. Throw her in the Pit. I have no need of the likes of her.Ó
The demons led Tea to the Pit, which was, in reality, just a deep mass grave. But with a large emphasis on mass. Tea saw many people she recognized in the Pit. There were many of her childhood friends and acquaintances. Tea gasped as tears sprang to her eyes. There, on the top of the pile of corpses, was her mother and father.
Teas attention was drawn to her future self. Having reached the Pit, Tea expected her future self to be executed. But she wasnt. Tea was simply tossed into the Pit to die of starvation and/or thirst. The walls of the Pit were too steep to climb, the earth too hard to break through. Tea was utterly sickened. What a horrible way to die, she thought.
The earth shifted beneath her feet and she found herself once again in the presence of the Nameless One.
ÒYou see, Tea, why this evil cannot continue to thrive?Ó
Tea nodded with vigor, her eyes shining fiercely.
ÒGood. Remember this, Tea. We will meet again, but for now I must depart. Good fortune go with you.Ó
The vision of the Nameless One and everything else dissolved and was consumed by the darkness of sleep.}
~*~
Yami walked down through the alley that led to his house slowly, enjoying the cool night air. His gaze drifted up to the moon, shining in its glory still even through the coming of dawn. He frowned. The moon was still silver. Suddenly, his back seared with pain and he heard a haunting and sweet melody in a strange tongue flow through his head.
Zkhq wkh prrq vklqhv lq lwv vlyhub jorz,
Zkhq gdunqhvv jlyhv zdb wr oljkw.
Zkgq ihheolvw ri plqgv ehjlq wr nqrz,
Wkh nqrzohguh ri Wuxhvw Vljkw.
Wkhq wkh gdunqhvv dqg oljkw vkdoo frpelqh dqg ulvh,
Wr ghihdw wkh juhdwhvw hylo.
Ixw zkr fdq whoo zkdw wkh rxwfrph zloo eh?
Zkr gduhv iruhzhoo wkh pruurz?
Iru wr phvv lq wkh kdqgv ri wkh jrgv dqg idqh,
Lv wr rulqj sdlq dqg vruurz...
The bittersweet melody rang through Yamis head over and over until he thought that he might be driven mad. Then, instantaneously, the melody stopped, the voices faded away. Sighing in bewilderment, he continued on his way, muttering to himself, ÒIve finally lost it.Ó
~*~
Tea woke from her strange vision abruptly. She sat up and yawned. So much has already happened, she thought. And evidently, theres much more to come. She shivered in remembering her vision. Feeling restless, she got out of bed and left Yamis room and headed to her own. There she picked out some fresh clothes from the wardrobe. She happened to glance down and remembered the Dark Reapers. This caused her to shudder again. All traces of them had been cleaned up, so she was grateful for that. Shaking her head and taking the clothes with her, she headed to the adjacent bathroom and took a shower. The cold water felt refreshing, and Tea was feeling better after a few moments. Energized, Tea got out of the shower and dressed in her clothes. She had chosen to wear a white tank top and light blue jeans. She left the room and decided to explore some more. She wasnt hungry, and Yami wasnt there. What else was she supposed to do?
Eventually, her wanderings of the exhaustingly large house led her to a part of the house she had not seen before. (She had gotten lost often and very easily) Intrigued, she turned the corner and saw.....another hallway. Sighing, she walked down the hallway and came to a pair of double doors. She grasped the handles and opened the door firmly. When the doors were open and the contents of the room revealed, Tea gasped. The room was an immense armory filled with every weapon imaginable. Longswords, axes, bows, daggers, shortblades, blunt weapons, you name it, it was there. Tea stared up in fascination at the countless rows of unique weapons on the walls and on the tables circling the room.
As a child, Teas father had forbid her use of weapons. Finding this an extremely stupid rule, Tea had gone off on her own to get training. A friend of hers who was a soldier in the Angel Legion, Lisra Intas, also found this unfair as well and had agreed to help train her in the art of battle. Tea proved to be and excellent student, and Lisra was a great teacher. Tea could now easily wield the longsword, dirk, bow, and, with some effort, the dai-katana.
Tea stood there, absorbed in her awe and longing to be able to wield one of these stunningly crafted and powerful weapons.
~*~
Yami walked through the door ahead and entered his house distractedly. The sorrowful song had returned, only this time as a mere whisper. What does it mean? I dont even know what the language is. Oh well. He shut and locked the door behind him. One could never be too careful. He walked to his room, only to find that Tea wasnt there. He went to Teas room and found that she wasnt there either. ÒTea?Ó he yelled, but was given no response. He began searching the house, the slightest traces of fear beginning to seep into his mind. ÒTea?Ó
Yami, by now, was nearly out of breath. He had searched the wholeÐWait, he thought, the armory! I havent searched there yet. He found Tea upon reaching the armory. He let out a sigh in relief, making him realize that he had been holding his breath in the first place. Tea was walking around in the armory admiring the weapons, apparently unaware of Yamis presence. ÒTea?Ó She jumped and turned around, startled. Seeing it was only Yami, she relaxed.
ÒDont scare me like that!Ó
ÒIm hurt, Tea. I didnt think I was that ugly.Ó
She smiled and laughed, ÒThen youve been living in denial.Ó
ÒReally now?Ó
ÒYup.Ó
ÒSee? Its true, you do learn something new every day.Ó This received a laugh from her, but he could still see the fear in her eyes. ÒWell, I see youve found the armory. Have you ever had any experience with weapons before, Tea?Ó
Tea nodded. ÒI know the longsword, dirk, bow, and dai-katana.Ó
ÒReally?Ó
Tea nodded.
ÒOkay then, lets see how good you are.Ó Yami pulled down two longswords and tossed one to Tea. ÒReady?Ó
Tea looked around. There was definently enough room to practice. She was nervous, though. It had been a while since shed been able to practice. No time like the present, she thought. Might as well get some practice now. She nodded to both herself and Yami. ÒReady.Ó
They moved into a fighting stance, one across from the other. Tea circled Yami and vice versa. Yami moved suddenly, catching Tea off guard. She moved her sword up just in time to counter. Moving lightning fast, she pushed his sword aside and lunged at Yami, managing to make a gash in his sword arm. Yami was impressed. It had been years since anyone besides Seto had managed to injure him in a sparring match. Yami retaliated quickly, taking advantage of Teas sword not protecting her. He moved in to strike the winning blow, but Teas sword was there to block him. Shes fast! Yami was truly astounded at her skill. Trying to trick her, he feinted to the left and struck at the right. Tea was a step ahead of him. Barring his path, she then hooked her blade beneath Yamis hilt and lifted up sharply, all in less than a second. Yamis sword went flying across the room and Tea quickly blocked his path towards it. Yami soon found her sword tip beneath his chin. Yami raised up his hands in defeat and Tea lowered her sword.
Tea spoke, ÒWell, what do you think?Ó
ÒYou know, Tea, I havent been disarmed or defeated in several years.Ó
Tea was stunned. ÒR-really?Ó
ÒYes, nor have I met someone so fast. You definently have skill in the longsword. Now, lets see if you have that same skill in the dirk[1], bow, and dai-katana[2].Ó
Tea nodded as Yami pulled down two of each.
ÒFirst, the dirk.Ó
They started same as before, only this time Tea attacked first. Yami was ready and deflected the blow. Tea recovered quickly and began darting in and out and inflicting minor wounds as the dirk was a lighter weapon. Yami suddenly charged in, coming close to Teas neck, but still finding the way blocked. Yami swung in a counter, nearly disarming Tea and cutting her sword hand. Tea neither cried out or flinched. She had received plenty of wounds in her training with Lisra[3]. Yami attacked again, this time with greater force. Tea was disarmed and found herself with Yamis dirk on her neck. ÒNot bad, Tea. If my wounds hadnt healed, you mightve gotten the better of me.Ó It was true, all of Yamis wounds had fully healed. ÒNot much I can teach you there either. Just remember to keep your guard up and know how to counter a counter.Ó Yami showed her some tricks and ways to counter a counter. Tea learned quickly, having learned some of them from Lisra.
ÒOkay, lets move on to the bow.Ó Yami took down a bow from the wall and picked up a bowstring from one of the tables. He handed both to Tea and picked up a quiver of arrows.
Tea took one end of the bow and held it in place with her foot. She tied one end of the string to the top. Then she picked up the bow and tied the remaining end to the bottom. She pulled back the string experimentally, testing the tautness. Satisfied, she nodded her head and turned to Yami, who handed her a quiver. She slung this over her shoulder while taking an arrow from it. Yami pointed towards the back of the room where a large target stood. Tea pulled back the arrow, sighted along it, adjusted her aim, and then released. The arrow flew straight and landed on the edge of the bullseye. She took another arrow and fired again, this time getting closer to the center. The third arrow she shot hit dead center, as did the fourth, fifth, and every arrow after that. After each arrow had been shot, the target, which was enchanted, returned the arrow to the quiver. She fired the arrows in quick succession, each hitting their mark, driven by the powerful and well toned muscles in Teas arm. Yami was by now in awe of Tea. He himself was very bad at archery. Only once or twice had he ever hit the bullseye. After some time, he applauded Tea and spoke, ÒVery well done. My compliments go to the teacher, and especially to the student. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, Tea, you have great skill. I can teach you nothing. In fact, I think maybe you should teach me.Ó
Tea flushed slightly from the praise and untied her bow, laying the string, bow, and quiver on the table nearest her. Yami then placed a dai-katana in her hand. The two-handed weapon was a startling contrast to the dirk, and it took a few moments for Tea to adjust. Once she had gotten used to it, though, she held it with ease and signaled that she was ready.
Both went into the sparring stance and waited for the other to move. Yami attacked suddenly, thinking to catch Tea off guard. Tea, however, was ready and countered, sending Yami off balance. He stumbled slightly and Tea dove in. But Yamis stumble had only been a ruse to make Tea attack. He sent her sword aside easily and lunged in, only to fall subject to Teas lightning speed. She brought her sword up to block the attack and then retaliated a second after. Yami got his sword up in time to block the attack, but barely. Yami hit his sword hard against Teas own, making the swords and hands vibrate. Taking advantage of this, Yami attacked again. But Tea would not be fazed. She swung her sword up opposite Yamis. Both swords found their opponents necks at precisely the same time. Yami was genuinely surprised. He had never experienced a stand off before. Finally, after several moments of standing there, he spoke, ÒWell, I guess it was a tie. Lets try again, shall we?Ó Tea nodded and both began sparring again.
Outside, the firey-red sun signaling dawns arrival rose from the horizon, bathing the world in its glorious blaze...
~*~
[1] A dirk is a weapon halfway between a sword and a dagger.
[2] A dai-katana is a weapon I got from this really awesome game I have. (Serpents-Embrace, u know what Im talkin about ^^) It is a large katana that is straight instead of the katanas traditional curved blade.
[3] You may recall that in the first chapter I said that angels werent used to violence. Let me refine that. Angels arent used to violence like killing and war unless theyre in the Angel Legion. Thats why Tea can practice with Yami and Lisra but the sight of Yami killing Gnar mortified her. (Shes over that now, by the way.)
Dragon Queen16: Hey! So, how was it? Boring? Confusing? Stupid? Or was it somewhat good?
Spitfire: All of the above excluding the latter.
Cresentstar: Shut up!
Dragon Queen16: Yeah!
Cheetah Goddess: Yeah!
Dragon Queen16:.......And youre here, why?
Cheetah Goddess: Err...I dunno...*leaves*
Dragon Queen16: Okaaaay. Oh, and before I forget it, that song/poem was originally written in english by me. I used a specific formula and translated it to that made-up language you saw in this chapter. (and no, its not just random nonsense ^^) Guess what?! ITS MY B-DAY THIS SATURDAY!! WOOO!
Cresentstar: Yup. Shes turning the big 13.
Spitfire: *blows nose* My babys all grown up!
Dragon Queen16 & Cresentstar: o_O *back away slowly*
Spitfire: Heh heh...sorry.
Cresentstar: Dont worry. Id be scared if you didnt act weird.
Spitfire: Aint it the truth, though?
Dragon Queen16: Yeah....Well, byses!
R&R!!
Spitfire: Lazy bum.
Cresentstar: Yup. I guess that leaves us to write the chapter.
Spitfire: Which, of course, will brutally massacre the storys meager plot.
Dragon Queen16: NOOOOOOOOO! NOT THE STORY! LEAVE IT BE!
Cresentstar: Works every time.
Spitfire: Yup. Threaten the story and she wakes up.
Dragon Queen16: *glares* You are so mean!
Spitfire: Yup. And lovin every minute of it!
Dragon Queen16: Im ignoring them now. Id like to extend my gratitude to all those that reviewed, thank you sooooo much!!
~Cheetah Goddess
~Serenity Komoshiro
~Kodaiej Kasaki Ennovy
~roses in bloom- Folly, folly!.....Great, you got me saying it now! ^^
~Sylvia Viridian
~Serpents-Embrace- Err..no..I didnt..I guess Im just cursed..-_-
~rar
Thanx again! Now, heres chapter 7-Divine Visions
~*~
Cresentstar: WAIT! *world stops turning* DRAGONQUEEN16DOESNOTOWNYU-GI-OHORANYTHINGRELATEDTOYU-GI-OH!! (SHEREALLYDOESNTOWNMUCHOFANYTHINGBUTIMRAMBLINGSOILLSTOP HERE) *takes breath* Okay, now you can go on to the chapter. *world continues to turn*
~*~
{Tea walked once again through the garden of peace where a harmony so pure existed. And once again, the figure of shining light began walking towards her. The light was so great that it pained her to look even when squinting. As if sensing her discomfort, the figures light began to dim slightly. Now that Tea could see it, she was not sure if the light had been more welcome. The figure was a complex and baffling being to the eye. It seemed to be made of everything, and yet, nothing at all. Violent volcanoes in their raging fury composed the figure, as did the calmest and sweetest of creeks. Tea saw the grandest mountains in this figure, just as she saw the lowest valleys and the tiniest of hills. Then she saw space, vast and empty space that stretched for eternity. Her mind began to ache from the enormity of what she was seeing. She was forced to look away even now that the light had been dimmed. The being then spoke, its voice like thunder, like angel song. ÒYou fear me.Ó It was a statement, not a question, but Tea replied with a nod anyway. ÒYou have good reason, Tea of the First Heaven, for I am a god. The Nameless One is what I am called by your people and others, I believe. But I will not harm you, Tea, even though I could snuff your life out like a candle. I have need you.Ó
Tea stood in shock and absorbed the information she had just received. The Nameless One, the most powerful being on this world and beyond, was speaking to her and had a need of her. She nodded slowly, still dumbfounded, but ready to serve this god.
ÒI need you to sway Yami the Crimson Darkness back to Yami the True Immortal. As the God of Neutrality, I am entrusted to keeping a balance between good and evil. And right now, evil is tipping the scales of that balance. If evil continues to grow, then there will be a permanent scar on the world that may never be healed.Ó
Tea nodded and, after several moments of silence, asked a question that was troubling her, ÒWhy must I do this? What evil is so great that the world itself is in danger?Ó
ÒThat is something I cannot reveal to you, for even I do not know. The evil is shrouded in a darkness so deep that it cannot be penetrated.Ó
Tea was worried. What could be so powerful that even the Nameless One was unsure of its identity?
ÒIf you need any more motivation, Tea, I can show you both futures of the world, the evil and the good. Shall I?Ó
Tea hesitated but eventually nodded.
ÒVery well.Ó
And with those two words, Tea felt a strange sensation not unlike that of the teleportation flame of mages. This, however, was of a greater magnitude. The constant spinning made her reel. But it seemed to stop just as soon as it started, for the next moment, she was looking down at the future that would occur if good prevailed.
Mortals walked down streets happily and with laughter. There was no sign of the foul creatures known as demons that haunted these same streets in the present. There was a pleasing sense of mortality in this mortals world, broken only briefly by appearances of guardian angels.
The scene changed, showing the First Heaven. Teas father sat at the head of the long table that served as the meeting place for the Angels Forum. On his right side, bearing the mark of the kings second in command, was Yami. His eyes were a deep, blue violet that, to Teas astonishment, were eyes of an angel. This was apparent also in his semi-transparent wings and the aura of light that seemed to surround him. She could not recognize any other faces, but all were happy and in good humor. ÔPeaceÕ summed the scene up perfectly.
ÒYou see before you, Tea, what will happen if Yami becomes the True Immortal and banishes the evil. Now, see the other side of things, if Yami becomes the Crimson Darkness.Ó
The whirling sensation began again, tossing Tea around and thoroughly confusing her sense of direction. When she saw the scene before her, though, a different sickness came over her. Disgust. Fury. Two of the many words that described her revulsion and horror.
Where once the mortal people had walked free, they now walked in slavery. Worn and thin, their gaunt faces told of miseries and tortures unspoken. Scars crisscrossed their backs in a grotesque pattern of cuts and bruises. Whips lashed down from sneering demon slave masters, creating fresh scars and reopening old ones. The ground itself seemed to be bleeding.
And in the middle of it all stood Yami.
His red eyes had darkened to a near black, a black shared by the leathery wings protruding from his back. A black shared by his heart. His skin was as red as his eyes had once been, adorned with spikes. He had acquired a thick tail tipped with a sting that lashed about mercilessly. Tea was reminded strongly of Pegasus and shuddered.
A prisoner was brought before Yami by two demon scouts. Tea was shocked. The prisoner was her!
Yami lifted the future Teas chin up with the sting of his tail, coming perilously close to killing her. With a sneer he said, ÒWell, if it isnt the angel wench. Throw her in the Pit. I have no need of the likes of her.Ó
The demons led Tea to the Pit, which was, in reality, just a deep mass grave. But with a large emphasis on mass. Tea saw many people she recognized in the Pit. There were many of her childhood friends and acquaintances. Tea gasped as tears sprang to her eyes. There, on the top of the pile of corpses, was her mother and father.
Teas attention was drawn to her future self. Having reached the Pit, Tea expected her future self to be executed. But she wasnt. Tea was simply tossed into the Pit to die of starvation and/or thirst. The walls of the Pit were too steep to climb, the earth too hard to break through. Tea was utterly sickened. What a horrible way to die, she thought.
The earth shifted beneath her feet and she found herself once again in the presence of the Nameless One.
ÒYou see, Tea, why this evil cannot continue to thrive?Ó
Tea nodded with vigor, her eyes shining fiercely.
ÒGood. Remember this, Tea. We will meet again, but for now I must depart. Good fortune go with you.Ó
The vision of the Nameless One and everything else dissolved and was consumed by the darkness of sleep.}
~*~
Yami walked down through the alley that led to his house slowly, enjoying the cool night air. His gaze drifted up to the moon, shining in its glory still even through the coming of dawn. He frowned. The moon was still silver. Suddenly, his back seared with pain and he heard a haunting and sweet melody in a strange tongue flow through his head.
Zkhq wkh prrq vklqhv lq lwv vlyhub jorz,
Zkhq gdunqhvv jlyhv zdb wr oljkw.
Zkgq ihheolvw ri plqgv ehjlq wr nqrz,
Wkh nqrzohguh ri Wuxhvw Vljkw.
Wkhq wkh gdunqhvv dqg oljkw vkdoo frpelqh dqg ulvh,
Wr ghihdw wkh juhdwhvw hylo.
Ixw zkr fdq whoo zkdw wkh rxwfrph zloo eh?
Zkr gduhv iruhzhoo wkh pruurz?
Iru wr phvv lq wkh kdqgv ri wkh jrgv dqg idqh,
Lv wr rulqj sdlq dqg vruurz...
The bittersweet melody rang through Yamis head over and over until he thought that he might be driven mad. Then, instantaneously, the melody stopped, the voices faded away. Sighing in bewilderment, he continued on his way, muttering to himself, ÒIve finally lost it.Ó
~*~
Tea woke from her strange vision abruptly. She sat up and yawned. So much has already happened, she thought. And evidently, theres much more to come. She shivered in remembering her vision. Feeling restless, she got out of bed and left Yamis room and headed to her own. There she picked out some fresh clothes from the wardrobe. She happened to glance down and remembered the Dark Reapers. This caused her to shudder again. All traces of them had been cleaned up, so she was grateful for that. Shaking her head and taking the clothes with her, she headed to the adjacent bathroom and took a shower. The cold water felt refreshing, and Tea was feeling better after a few moments. Energized, Tea got out of the shower and dressed in her clothes. She had chosen to wear a white tank top and light blue jeans. She left the room and decided to explore some more. She wasnt hungry, and Yami wasnt there. What else was she supposed to do?
Eventually, her wanderings of the exhaustingly large house led her to a part of the house she had not seen before. (She had gotten lost often and very easily) Intrigued, she turned the corner and saw.....another hallway. Sighing, she walked down the hallway and came to a pair of double doors. She grasped the handles and opened the door firmly. When the doors were open and the contents of the room revealed, Tea gasped. The room was an immense armory filled with every weapon imaginable. Longswords, axes, bows, daggers, shortblades, blunt weapons, you name it, it was there. Tea stared up in fascination at the countless rows of unique weapons on the walls and on the tables circling the room.
As a child, Teas father had forbid her use of weapons. Finding this an extremely stupid rule, Tea had gone off on her own to get training. A friend of hers who was a soldier in the Angel Legion, Lisra Intas, also found this unfair as well and had agreed to help train her in the art of battle. Tea proved to be and excellent student, and Lisra was a great teacher. Tea could now easily wield the longsword, dirk, bow, and, with some effort, the dai-katana.
Tea stood there, absorbed in her awe and longing to be able to wield one of these stunningly crafted and powerful weapons.
~*~
Yami walked through the door ahead and entered his house distractedly. The sorrowful song had returned, only this time as a mere whisper. What does it mean? I dont even know what the language is. Oh well. He shut and locked the door behind him. One could never be too careful. He walked to his room, only to find that Tea wasnt there. He went to Teas room and found that she wasnt there either. ÒTea?Ó he yelled, but was given no response. He began searching the house, the slightest traces of fear beginning to seep into his mind. ÒTea?Ó
Yami, by now, was nearly out of breath. He had searched the wholeÐWait, he thought, the armory! I havent searched there yet. He found Tea upon reaching the armory. He let out a sigh in relief, making him realize that he had been holding his breath in the first place. Tea was walking around in the armory admiring the weapons, apparently unaware of Yamis presence. ÒTea?Ó She jumped and turned around, startled. Seeing it was only Yami, she relaxed.
ÒDont scare me like that!Ó
ÒIm hurt, Tea. I didnt think I was that ugly.Ó
She smiled and laughed, ÒThen youve been living in denial.Ó
ÒReally now?Ó
ÒYup.Ó
ÒSee? Its true, you do learn something new every day.Ó This received a laugh from her, but he could still see the fear in her eyes. ÒWell, I see youve found the armory. Have you ever had any experience with weapons before, Tea?Ó
Tea nodded. ÒI know the longsword, dirk, bow, and dai-katana.Ó
ÒReally?Ó
Tea nodded.
ÒOkay then, lets see how good you are.Ó Yami pulled down two longswords and tossed one to Tea. ÒReady?Ó
Tea looked around. There was definently enough room to practice. She was nervous, though. It had been a while since shed been able to practice. No time like the present, she thought. Might as well get some practice now. She nodded to both herself and Yami. ÒReady.Ó
They moved into a fighting stance, one across from the other. Tea circled Yami and vice versa. Yami moved suddenly, catching Tea off guard. She moved her sword up just in time to counter. Moving lightning fast, she pushed his sword aside and lunged at Yami, managing to make a gash in his sword arm. Yami was impressed. It had been years since anyone besides Seto had managed to injure him in a sparring match. Yami retaliated quickly, taking advantage of Teas sword not protecting her. He moved in to strike the winning blow, but Teas sword was there to block him. Shes fast! Yami was truly astounded at her skill. Trying to trick her, he feinted to the left and struck at the right. Tea was a step ahead of him. Barring his path, she then hooked her blade beneath Yamis hilt and lifted up sharply, all in less than a second. Yamis sword went flying across the room and Tea quickly blocked his path towards it. Yami soon found her sword tip beneath his chin. Yami raised up his hands in defeat and Tea lowered her sword.
Tea spoke, ÒWell, what do you think?Ó
ÒYou know, Tea, I havent been disarmed or defeated in several years.Ó
Tea was stunned. ÒR-really?Ó
ÒYes, nor have I met someone so fast. You definently have skill in the longsword. Now, lets see if you have that same skill in the dirk[1], bow, and dai-katana[2].Ó
Tea nodded as Yami pulled down two of each.
ÒFirst, the dirk.Ó
They started same as before, only this time Tea attacked first. Yami was ready and deflected the blow. Tea recovered quickly and began darting in and out and inflicting minor wounds as the dirk was a lighter weapon. Yami suddenly charged in, coming close to Teas neck, but still finding the way blocked. Yami swung in a counter, nearly disarming Tea and cutting her sword hand. Tea neither cried out or flinched. She had received plenty of wounds in her training with Lisra[3]. Yami attacked again, this time with greater force. Tea was disarmed and found herself with Yamis dirk on her neck. ÒNot bad, Tea. If my wounds hadnt healed, you mightve gotten the better of me.Ó It was true, all of Yamis wounds had fully healed. ÒNot much I can teach you there either. Just remember to keep your guard up and know how to counter a counter.Ó Yami showed her some tricks and ways to counter a counter. Tea learned quickly, having learned some of them from Lisra.
ÒOkay, lets move on to the bow.Ó Yami took down a bow from the wall and picked up a bowstring from one of the tables. He handed both to Tea and picked up a quiver of arrows.
Tea took one end of the bow and held it in place with her foot. She tied one end of the string to the top. Then she picked up the bow and tied the remaining end to the bottom. She pulled back the string experimentally, testing the tautness. Satisfied, she nodded her head and turned to Yami, who handed her a quiver. She slung this over her shoulder while taking an arrow from it. Yami pointed towards the back of the room where a large target stood. Tea pulled back the arrow, sighted along it, adjusted her aim, and then released. The arrow flew straight and landed on the edge of the bullseye. She took another arrow and fired again, this time getting closer to the center. The third arrow she shot hit dead center, as did the fourth, fifth, and every arrow after that. After each arrow had been shot, the target, which was enchanted, returned the arrow to the quiver. She fired the arrows in quick succession, each hitting their mark, driven by the powerful and well toned muscles in Teas arm. Yami was by now in awe of Tea. He himself was very bad at archery. Only once or twice had he ever hit the bullseye. After some time, he applauded Tea and spoke, ÒVery well done. My compliments go to the teacher, and especially to the student. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, Tea, you have great skill. I can teach you nothing. In fact, I think maybe you should teach me.Ó
Tea flushed slightly from the praise and untied her bow, laying the string, bow, and quiver on the table nearest her. Yami then placed a dai-katana in her hand. The two-handed weapon was a startling contrast to the dirk, and it took a few moments for Tea to adjust. Once she had gotten used to it, though, she held it with ease and signaled that she was ready.
Both went into the sparring stance and waited for the other to move. Yami attacked suddenly, thinking to catch Tea off guard. Tea, however, was ready and countered, sending Yami off balance. He stumbled slightly and Tea dove in. But Yamis stumble had only been a ruse to make Tea attack. He sent her sword aside easily and lunged in, only to fall subject to Teas lightning speed. She brought her sword up to block the attack and then retaliated a second after. Yami got his sword up in time to block the attack, but barely. Yami hit his sword hard against Teas own, making the swords and hands vibrate. Taking advantage of this, Yami attacked again. But Tea would not be fazed. She swung her sword up opposite Yamis. Both swords found their opponents necks at precisely the same time. Yami was genuinely surprised. He had never experienced a stand off before. Finally, after several moments of standing there, he spoke, ÒWell, I guess it was a tie. Lets try again, shall we?Ó Tea nodded and both began sparring again.
Outside, the firey-red sun signaling dawns arrival rose from the horizon, bathing the world in its glorious blaze...
~*~
[1] A dirk is a weapon halfway between a sword and a dagger.
[2] A dai-katana is a weapon I got from this really awesome game I have. (Serpents-Embrace, u know what Im talkin about ^^) It is a large katana that is straight instead of the katanas traditional curved blade.
[3] You may recall that in the first chapter I said that angels werent used to violence. Let me refine that. Angels arent used to violence like killing and war unless theyre in the Angel Legion. Thats why Tea can practice with Yami and Lisra but the sight of Yami killing Gnar mortified her. (Shes over that now, by the way.)
Dragon Queen16: Hey! So, how was it? Boring? Confusing? Stupid? Or was it somewhat good?
Spitfire: All of the above excluding the latter.
Cresentstar: Shut up!
Dragon Queen16: Yeah!
Cheetah Goddess: Yeah!
Dragon Queen16:.......And youre here, why?
Cheetah Goddess: Err...I dunno...*leaves*
Dragon Queen16: Okaaaay. Oh, and before I forget it, that song/poem was originally written in english by me. I used a specific formula and translated it to that made-up language you saw in this chapter. (and no, its not just random nonsense ^^) Guess what?! ITS MY B-DAY THIS SATURDAY!! WOOO!
Cresentstar: Yup. Shes turning the big 13.
Spitfire: *blows nose* My babys all grown up!
Dragon Queen16 & Cresentstar: o_O *back away slowly*
Spitfire: Heh heh...sorry.
Cresentstar: Dont worry. Id be scared if you didnt act weird.
Spitfire: Aint it the truth, though?
Dragon Queen16: Yeah....Well, byses!
R&R!!