All right. I know I haven't been updating like I usually do. I've practically deserted my fics, and NOW. I. KNOW. WHY.
These few months I've been caught up with schoolwork and more importantly, choir practices. Well, I've decided now to throw my work aside. And choir won't be on until after exams, because our competition, the Singapore Youth Festival, just ended two days ago. (Not to mention we received the highest award, Gold with Honours! XD)
And so, I think I can promise one chapter every week, less if I can make it! Hopefully more people will review, I was quite disappointed that chapter 4 received only 1. Or was it because of the quarrel? (sobs) Mudshippers, I'm not trying to break them up!
Daiward is taken from a friend, Daito/Edward. Not mine!
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Princess Viv: Thank you! I thought she'd be a little overprotective, but she's really changing overnight now. Thanks for the fic as well, I appreciate it!
P.S. Thanks for being a loyal reviewer; no one else came back…
EDIT: Oh my goodness. Viv, I've just read your profile. I can't believe this! I'm seriously going to miss you! And… no more contact/ Arrrrrgh… Just before that chapter… Viv, if you see this, your name will appear in possibly the next chapter or the one after. I hope you get the chance to read it. More importantly, I hope you'll be allowed on the computer and the internet again…
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Chapter 5: Contigo Chaos, Lalivero Losses
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Hamma put her hands together, one above the other. The black energy ball she was holding continued to turn. Black mists seemed to swirl around in it.
The energy ball expanded slowly for a while. Hamma sighed as she remembered Ivan looking for the Jupiter Star with Isaac, Mia and Garet. They had been searching since the previous day; she wondered if they had already succeeded. I wish I could help them, she thought and looked up. The huge statue of Luna in the sanctum looked back at her.
"Why me, Luna? Why me?" Hamma asked quietly. She wasn't expecting an answer, and was surprised to hear an amused voice in her head.
"Why not you, Hamma?" Thor asked.
"I am but a mere human being. I don't think I can handle this anymore. Knowing that everyday, so many evil people die… So many people who have committed minor sins dying… I have no confidence in handling this, not anymore," Hamma replied, choking back her bitter feelings.
Thor was silent for a while. "We gods were once humans too. We were adepts a long time ago. And we managed it. You can manage it, Hamma. All of us believe in you. So don't give up yet."
Hamma bowed her head in reply.
Just then, a flash of red and gold flew past.
In the room only accessable to the Guardian.
Hamma screamed.
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Ivan stood up.
"Your face is so white," Garet observed. "What's wrong?"
"Hamma's in trouble."
"Eh?" All three stared at him.
"She's in Contigo Sanctum. Hurt." Ivan's voice shook slightly. "I should have noticed it yesterday… It wasn't so obvious, so… What if we're too late!"
Isaac stood up, pushing away his breakfast. "Ivan, you're a Seer. Yesterday must have been a glance at the future, There might be a chance Hamma is still okay."
"Hs's right. Let's go to the sanctum now. We can't worry about whatever she's hiding now," Mia added. Ivan nodded slowly. Garet put away his plate without another word, much to the surprise of Isaac.
"Well, let's go!" Garet said.
They ran swiftly to the north of Contigo, where the Sanctum was located. A small building made of purplish marble was hidden behind several trees. Ivan cast Reveal and pushed a hidden switch beside the door. It opened smoothly without a creak.
As Isaac sprinted in after Ivan, he noticed a red-gold feather on the ground. A horrible thought dawned on him as he remembered Alex's words.
"I know of your job, Master Hamma. And I'm not going to make it easy for you."
He groaned and increased his speed.
"Isaac, it'd do us all good if you open your mouth instead of keeping every thought to youself!" Garet panted as he tried to catch up.
"I'm really worried now! Alex could be here!" Isaac cried. Ivan's face paled and he gritted his teeth.
"How do you know!"
"Firebird feather in the room just now!" Isaac called as he ran into the last room of the sanctum and slowed to a stop.
Nothing.
Ivan began hurriedly casting Reveal. "Hamma said there's a secret room… Oh dear…"
"Hey, calm down." Mia said. "Panicking won't help. Let's think of where the secret room might be located."
Garet leaned against the wall and rubbed his nose. A small panel on the wall gave way and he yelped as he fell. A mosaic on the ground rose and flipped over, then fitted into place again. The new mosaic had a circular shape and a strange design jutting out all across the body.
"A Teleport Circle!" Garet exclaimed.
"It can't be. There are so many holes between the mosaic pieces," Ivan said, shaking his head.
"Try it," Mia urged. "It may lead us to Hamma!"
Ivan stepped onto the circle and took a deep breath. If the circle didn't work, they would have wasted precious time. If it worked, they might not find Hamma. Even as he was thinking time was passing steadily. I'll just have to try. Everyone else stepped onto the Teleport Circle.
"Teleport!"
A flash of white light shone from the holes between the lines, and the four adepts found themselves in a different room. The floor was covered with a blood red carpet, unlike the previous rooms. Another glance around showed statues of Luna, Thor, Procne, Atalanta and a Jupiter Djinni standing around.
Far across the room, Hamma was holding a black, misty ball to her, breathing heavily. Fresh bruises and wounds covered her body. She glared angrily at the two figures in front of her.
Andrea and Alex.
"Hamma!"
The Firebird fixed its beady eyes on the adepts. Alex smiled sardonically at them.
"So, we meet again."
"What have you done to her?" Ivan shouted furiously, rushing to his sister. Mia quickly knelt down and cast Pure Ply.
"Nothing. I attacked the Darkness, and they attacked the Guardian," Alex replied calmly. "Probably to aid me in destroying her, of course."
"The Darkness? The Guardian?" Isaac found the terms unfamiliar.
"Shut yer crap and stop trying to act smart!" Garet yelled. "Where's Kristopher?"
Alex ignored him. He whispered something to Andrea, who whistled softly. He mounted the bird.
"Just you wait. When my psynergy returns, I will have my revenge!" Andrea flew up and soared through a hole in the roof.
"Damn!"
"Let him go, Isaac," Hamma gasped. The black energy ball in her hands was vibrating furiously. "Or he'll do worse!"
Mia, Garet and Isaac stared at her as if she was crazy.
"I mean it. He'll destroy this." Hamma summoned her psynergy and held the ball steady.
"I think it's time for some explaining," Garet said, folding his arms.
"…All right. There is a large amount of evil and darkness in Weyard. When a person who has sinned dies, his evil thoughts and dark spirits will flow to Contigo Sanctum." Ivan explained. "The Guardian is a person that makes sure all the evil essences, called the Darkness, are properly controlled and kept until they are purified and reincarnated after a period of 6 months. The Guardian needs to change every 50 years, as the Darkness around the world would by then be immune to the psynergy of the Guardian. In the past, the Guardian has always been a god."
"But this time they chose Hamma?" Isaac asked.
"Yes."
There was a pause as everyone paled, thinking of the heavy burden placed on Hamma's shoulders.
"I hate to interrupt, but Kristopher wasn't with Alex," Mia said suddenly.
"He might still be in Contigo!" Hamma cried. "Go, quickly!"
Leaving Ivan to look after his sister, the adepts ran out.
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"Move!" Kristopher again tried his psynergy on the wooden door. It refused to budge. He sighed tiredly and sat down, remembering the events of the previous day.
Alex had checked in at the Contigo Inn, locked him up, then went to search for the Jupiter Star. A few hours later he returned, took Kristopher and flew off to Lalivero. Again, he checked in at the inn, and locked him up, telling the innkeeper that he was "mentally disabled" and "unbalanced". Then he left with Andrea. Kristopher felt extremely hungry, and he was tired. But sleep refused to arrive.
Just then, the door creaked. A young boy about his age with untidy black hair popped his head in. Smiling, he entered with a tray of food and drink and placed it beside Kristopher.
"Hello. I am Daiward, the innkeeper's son. I sneaked this up, don't tell dad."
"My name is Kristopher. Thank you, I felt so hungry," Kristopher nodded his head gratefully and started on the rice and the vegetables, carefully avoiding the meat.
"Dad said you're crazy, and we weren't to go near you. That doesn't seem true to me," Daiward asked after a while. He had observed the quiet and polite 'madboy', and his eyes took in the rich and beautiful clothes Kristopher wore. I wonder who he is.
"No. The man who took me here, Alex… he lied. He kidnapped me from Vale," Kristopher explained, putting down his bowl with a sigh. "I have no idea how I'm going to escape. He even evaded my parents."
"Really? Alex huh… But he seems really cool," Daiward said. It was Kristopher's turn to stare as if the other was suffering from mental disabilities. "Anyway, is this Alex holding you for ransom? A real kidnap's cool."
"No, I don't think so. He never mentioned a ransom… He said something about taking over the world, and that I'd be useful to him…" Kristopher frowned, trying to remember. Daiward put an arm around him
"Aw, come on. Things won't be so bad, he is so cool. I'm sure he doesn't mean any harm. Once he gets what he wants from your parents you'll be free," Daiward said cheerfully. "Who did you say your parents were?"
"Prince Isaac of Vale and Princess Mia of Imil," Kristopher replied. Daiward's jaw dropped.
"Say what?"
He stood up, shaking. "Maybe Alex is right. You are insane!"
"Daiward! It's the truth! Please, believe me." Kristopher felt a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. If Daiward thought he was lying and told Alex, goodness knows what Alex would do.
"I don't know what to believe." Grabbing the tray, Daiward ran out, locking the door behind him. Kristopher sighed and bowed his head.
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"Dad? You know the blond that the blue haired guy brought in?"
"The crazy one? Yeah, what? Don't tell me you've gone looking for him!" The innkeeper, Douglas said warningly.
"Well yes. I thought he'd be hungry, and he didn't seem unbalanced at first. But then he said he's the Prince of Vale."
"Say what!" Douglas voice mixed with the loud clattering of several pots and pans.
"Yeah. He said his father was a prince of Vale and his mother a princess of Lemuria. And that his name is Kristopher."
Immediately, a lady with violet hair knelt down beside Daiward. In her arms was a small baby boy.
"Please, can you allow me to see this 'Kristopher'?" she asked softly.
"Who are you?" Douglas asked.
"My name is Feizhi. I think I may know the boy you are talking about. Please let me see him."
"It wouldn't hurt, Dad," Daiward said. He felt immensely curious about the blond 'prince'.
"I guess not…"
" Come on." Daiward led Feizhi up the staircase and to the locked room where Kristopher was held. Feizhi peeped in at the small window, and gasped. As soon as she saw the Isaac-lookalike she knew she had found the right person. Uncertainly, Daiward unlocked the door, and Feizhi rushed in with her son.
"Daiward, he's not lying. This is the prince of Vale!" Feizhi cried, hugging the amazed Venus Adept with one free arm.
"W-Who are you?"
"Ivan told me you were kidnapped by Alex. I'm so glad you're safe," she said happily. "Let's go quickly, before Alex comes back!"
"B-but…"
"You want evidence, don't you?" Feizhi placed Kristopher's fingers on her forehead. Kristopher saw in his head a faint scene of Feizhi passing the Sol Blade to Isaac.
"You're Feizhi…"
"Yes. Hurry, we don't have time!" Feizhi urged. She stood up and took Kristopher's hand. But someone blocked the doorway.
"Hsu's sister. I can't have you taking my charge away," Alex said calmly.
"Just try to stop me." Feizhi knew that Alex was no longer able to use his psynergy.
Alex waved his hand. Andrea screeched from outside the window and burnt off the wall, swooping down and breathing streams of flames.
Daiward screamed and ran off. Feizhi knew she had no chance with Kristopher on one hand and her son on the other. Her battle psynergy had never been very good. She started after Daiward.
"Quick, Kristopher, run!" Her head worked frantically for a solution. How could I have forgotten the Firebird?
Kristopher raced off, his heart thumping. But Andrea was too fast for him. Her talons grabbed his shoulders and lifted him.
"Andrea, burn." Alex ordered as he climbed on. The bird flew up and opened its mouth.
Feizhi screamed.
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All right, that's another chapter done!
Expect the next one soon!
