Chapter 9:
The walls leading down the stairs were cold and dark, soft and dim shadows danced on the walls as the firelight torches flickered, Daisuke continued to follow the spiral staircase down. Daisuke was determined to find out the identity of the robed figure with Dark's eyes, he had to know! Something inside told him that this person, who ever it was, could help him find Dark and maybe even a way home. Finally, the stairs ended and the solid even ground began. Daisuke now stood in a large area chamber. The stonewalls had several burning torches attached and a large pit stretched out in the very center of this large circular chamber, there was a very interesting smell emanating from the pit...it was sweet, like flowers and spices. It was quite relaxing but it reeked of magic. Daisuke, being attached to Dark for so long, had developed a keen sense for magic.
"Welcome..." Came a voice from the other side of the pit. Daisuke looked up and saw the dark robed figure with his face still in shadows, "I knew you'd come...yet I am sad you did..."
The voice was extremely familiar Daisuke thought, and his tone was...sad.
"Who are you?" Daisuke finally asked after a moment or two.
The voice almost chuckled a bit, "Hmm...it's funny...I know all about you and have for a long time...yet...you do not know me..." The voice seemed a bit amused but still filled with sadness. "I guess you could say...we're one in the same..."
"One...One in the same?" Daisuke asked and walked closer to the pit, but with caution.
The figure stood silent for a while as Daisuke approached the large crater in the ground that separated them.
"You are not from this world...in fact...no one in your world knows that this one exists...yet I have known about the two for a very long time..." The figure said in a calm and tranquil voice that only made Daisuke want to come closer and reveal its owner.
Finally Daisuke came to the end of the pit and stopped, not taking his eyes off of this robed shadow.
"Tell me Daisuke Niwa..." The voice asked, "Are you familiar with the term fate?" He asked.
"Yes...I am..." All to well Daisuke thought.
"Then tell me...do you believe in it?" The figure asked.
"I believe..." Daisuke began and then after a moment replied, "I believe that some things in life are meant to be...but I also believe that...people have the right to make choices and shape their own destinies." Daisuke said firmly and stared directly into the shadowed figure's deep purple eyes. "I believe that every one has a choice about their lives...a person can chose to walk the path of the darkness or the light."
Though Daisuke couldn't see the shadow figure's face, he could tell he was smiling obviously hoping that he would say that.
"Hmm..." The shadowed figure said with his soft purple eyes on Daisuke, "You know...in my vision...you didn't say that."
"Huh?" Daisuke asked with wide and confused eyes, "Vision?"
"I am one of the two sorcerers of Galseran. My power lies in the arts of the darkness, I can see the past, present, and future. This is a dark power Daisuke...and Fate is a cruel goddess for giving me this curse." He said lowering his head but still with a smile.
Daisuke looked at the shadowed figure for several moments, "Sorcerer of Galseran...show me your face." Daisuke asked narrowing his eyes a bit in wonder.
The sorcerer looked at him and then smiled again. Daisuke then saw him raise his hand and the pit bellow them began to glow with darkness and an aura of deep evil.
"Since the first days of my life, I have been able to view into the past and future..." He began and then an image began to form in the darkness, a vision of blood and screams of terror, a great battle with much death, "I have meet a person one day then would view their horrific death in my dreams...and yet they would have several years left to live before a sword would drive itself into their heart...it is a lonely and sad existence, one in which you don't attach yourself to anyone so that when you do see them die...a hundred deaths before they are laid in a grave...it doesn't hurt so much..." He said as Daisuke watched the carnage in the pit unfold.
Then the image began to change through several visions, children dying, innocent women murdered, soldiers slain in battles, kings dying in their old age...it was truly a depressing sight to watch.
"W-Why are you showing me this..." Daisuke asked unable to take his eyes off of the mirage of death and blood shed, murders, and assassinations.
"..." The shadow looked up at Daisuke reveling only half of his face in the light, his eyes were indeed like Dark's...but they held such...sorrow, "...Tell me...do you recognize them?" The figure asked.
Daisuke looked at the robed figure then back down at the dark visions, "Dark! Krad!" Daisuke called out.
The vision was of Dark and Krad chained to two large slabs of stone with odd markings on them. Dark looked as though he was in great pain and bleeding greatly from everywhere on his body, and Krad was shouting at a figure in darkness whose face Daisuke couldn't make out. Krad continued to angrily scream, but Daisuke could not hear his words.
"That's them...that's Dark and Krad!" Daisuke yelled looking over at the figure in great panic, "Please tell me! Is this their past? Is this them right now!" Daisuke franticly demanded.
"Neither...this is their future..." The figure replied gravely, "This is the beginning of the end..." He said with a sigh.
Daisuke's eyes grew wide as he saw the darkened figure walk towards Dark with a sword poised in his hands then...
"STOP IT!" Daisuke screamed not wanting to finish the vision. He quickly shut his eyes and sank down to the floor. "STOP IT NOW!" he screamed again and began to cry.
The sorcerer stopped but the portal remained, "In this vision...Dark's death is...inevitable..."
Daisuke covered his ears, "Stop it! I don't want to hear it! STOP IT!"
The figure sighed and looked at Daisuke's devastated state and gently smiled, "As you said before Daisuke...there is a path of darkness and a path of light...I have shown you only one of two possibilities..."
Daisuke had tears in his eyes and looked up, suddenly the vision played again...Dark an Krad held to two large stone tablets and the dark figure holding the sword...then the vision blurred, almost like a gap on a film reel...
"Wha-What...what happened..." Daisuke asked starring at the vision then anger arose in him, "Is Dark dead! Did Dark die!" He demanded.
The figure said nothing then the vision came back into view...it was a full image of Dark! The phantom thief seemed to be starring at something in shock as blood sprayed across his face. His eyes were wide and then tears began to flow from them and he screamed out something...but that didn't matter... he was alive!
"I have seen this vision over a hundred times...and the person who is meant to die on that night...is never reveled." He said and then the images disappeared. "I have never had a vision like this before...it's almost as if Fate has not decided who should die at the blade of darkness." He finished and lowered his hand.
Daisuke felt somewhat relieved...and somewhat scared, because it didn't matter who died in that vision...someone had to die...
"So...it doesn't matter if...Dark lives or" Daisuke couldn't bring himself to finish the thought, "...someone...someone has to die?" Daisuke asked still on the ground.
The figure nodded and looked at the ground, "But I do know this...on the night this vision will take place...I will die..." He said with a tone of no emotion.
"What...you've.... you've seen your own death?" Daisuke asked feeling great sympathy for the sorcerer.
The sorcerer raised his hand again and the black portal of visions reappeared. But this vision was looking up at the night sky, at the moon, at the darkness of the night...but it was through the eyes of the sorcerer. Suddenly he saw his view turn down slowly to two bloody hands and a large red spot forming and spreading across the chest of the dying man. Then the vision went dark and then the portal disappeared.
Daisuke's heart sunk, the thought of seeing your own death...he could only imagine the sorrow it must bring.
"I...will welcome my death...with open arms." The sorcerer said with a gentle smile and a voice that sounded almost relieved.
"Why...?" Daisuke asked in shock at the thought of someone wanting to die.
"Because...once I am dead...I will finally be able to dream...without having to watch another child...or human being die..." He said with a smile. "I will finally have peace."
Daisuke understood his reasons but...Daisuke still wanted to know, "Sorcerer...why will you die?" He asked.
The sorcerer stood quiet for a moment and then placed his hand on his hood and pulled it backward revealing, long dark red hair and a soothing smile, "Because you will set me free."
Daisuke stared at the sorcerer in disbelief; Daisuke swore he was looking at a mirror...a mirrored image of himself! Even though the sorcerer's hair was a bit darker then Daisuke's and longer, and his eyes were like Dark's...he still looked exactly like him! Daisuke stared in silence, speechless! This sorcerer was no older them himself!
The two looked at each other for some time, the sorcerer with a gentle smile and Daisuke in total shock.
"Daisuke...do you know what I for saw you say to me about fate in my vision?" The sorcerer asked, Daisuke remained in silence and unmoving but the sorcerer continued, "You told me that fate was inevitable...that ones destiny was decided by the goddess and there was nothing one could do about it..." He said looking at Daisuke with gladness, "But you didn't...you said the complete opposite...you had spoken with the words of light. But I for saw the words of darkness. This gives me great confidence in you Daisuke, this give me hope..." The sorcerer said as Daisuke stood up still starring at him.
"Hope...hope for what?" Daisuke asked.
"Let me tell you something Daisuke..." The sorcerer said, "There are always two choices...however, for me to see each choice there must be a world for one choice to be made...and a world for the other...a world of light and a world of darkness..." He said.
"I...I don't understand..." Daisuke said starring at him.
"Daisuke...you and I are the same..." The sorcerer said, "You live in the world of the light, and I, the world of the dark, we are identical, yet so very different...I am like...your shadow..." He said with a chuckle. "Do you understand now?" He asked.
Daisuke stood silent for a while then looked back up at the sorcerer, "What's your name Sorcerer?" He asked.
"Adel Zauberer, the Dark Sorcerer of Galseran...cursed with the dark gift of Visions." He said calmly and still with his sweet smile, "And the shadow of Daisuke Niwa."
Finally, Daisuke had solved the mystery of the wine colored eyed sorcerer. It was himself, and Daisuke smiled. He had stopped crying and looked now at the sorcerer with not pity or fear, but with understanding and trust. It amazed Daisuke, that with only a short time of talk he had come to trust a dark sorcerer. No...his powers maybe dark...but his heart was defiantly one that radiated light, the sorcerer's smile wasn't false at all.
"Adel Zauberer..." Daisuke said, "It's good to finally meet you..." He said with a smile.
"Same here...Daisuke Niwa." Adel replied and smiled back. "Same here..."
Note From The Author:
WOOT! Two chapters in one day! Dances Hope you all are liking the story so far! Well there's one mystery solved! But what happened to Satoshi and the golden eyed sorcerer? What happened to Dark and Krad? And what effect will these visions have on the futrure? Find our next upload! Okay...forgive Kel's corniness right now....she's very very sleepy and has been typing all day...Night night! Meow!