The ninth chapter of Twilight's Song here! Awesome! Thanx to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate it so much, especially 'cause this is my first fic. LoL. Ok, enjoy!
Disclaimer- Not mine. No es mio. Nao pertenece a mi.
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ZOE
I spent most of the night awake, watching the tent. I had a feeling Nagini wouldn't take her loss easily. I was right, of course. At three in the morning, she tiptoed to our tent, but stopped at the entrance. She must have sensed me awake, because then, she turned around and walked quickly away. I stayed up after that too, in case she decided to come back, but she didn't.
I was particularly glad when dawn came. The rays of the sun hit Kigali through the door flap full force, but she didn't stir. Yesterday had worn her out. Integrating for the first time wasn't easy. Normally, I would've jumped on her as soon as the sun appeared over the horizon, but today, I thought I would let it slide. I lay down next to her and stared at the silver orb.
Supposedly, it was one of the two legendary items of the goddess of water and ice, but somehow, I didn't remember them. In fact, I didn't remember many things. I was the reincarnation of the spirit of water and ice...
"Why can't I remember these things?" I said, frustrated at myself.
"Because, you are a reincarnation, not a resurrection." I looked at Kigali. She was awake; her arms behind her neck, staring at the tent ceiling.
"How do you—"
"Know? That lady told me in my dream before she called you." She propped herself on her elbow, joining me on my staring contest with the silver orb.
"So... what does it do?" She asked, voicing the question I had been asking myself.
"I have NO idea."
"It looks pretty useless."
"Yup." She got out of bed and got dressed in her new clothes, then grabbed the orb and put it inside a small drawstring bag. She tied it around one of her jeans belt holder loops.
We left the tent in search of some breakfast, but finding none, we just walked around the village. It was very beautiful. Children played outside in clothes familiar to Kigali's (Her were prettier though), women sat outside on their porches, knitting, or making baskets, men talked and laughed in groups. Most of the population in the village had no spirits, but could see them just as well as Kigali, so I received much attention. We stopped by the kennels and petted Winka for a while, but we were mostly wasting time until noon.
When noon DID come, we had already been slumming around the platform for around an hour. The first to arrive was Crystal and Jade, followed closely by Nagini and her black-haired friend. Ayame and Azami didn't show up at all. I suspected they had left directly to their village. Tabitha had shown up last, as usual. She summoned Kigali and Nagini to stand by her on the platform.
"I am sure you all know that Kigali and Nagini are our winners, but I must say, that ALL of you surpassed by expectations. The Kovu Village invites you to lunch in out dining hall to show we are grateful to your coming." She led Kigali and Nagini out of the center of the village, followed by the other ex-finalists. I rested on Kigali's shoulder in Blue Jay form as we entered a large building. As soon as we walked inside, our mouths practically started to waterfall. There was a huge table piled three feet high with food of all kinds. Plates, dishes, platters, and bowls stacked high. And it was all for us. Everyone mobbed the table, stacking their plates to their maximum capacity before sitting down. Of course I went to human form and grabbed a plate for myself, which was so full that I could barely carry it. No one recognized me as a spirit, of course, since spirits 'can't eat'. Yeah right. Maybe I didn't NEED to, but I sure as heck did.
"Catfish?" Tabitha asked Kigali politely, holding out a platter of catfish casserole. Kigali grabbed her stomach unconsciously.
"Uh, no thanks, I think I'm uh... allergic, yea!" I giggled at her excuse.
"What about you ZOE?" She asked me, emphasizing my name.
"Uh... allergy is contagious?" I tried. She rolled her eyes. Kigali laughed. When everyone had finished eating, Tabitha stood up to announce something. Everyone went silent.
"I just want to say that all of you are extremely skilled to have come this far, and you should be proud of yourselves. You may leave when you want to, so go and pack. Not you Nagini, or you Kigali. You stay here, I have to speak with you." She waited until the rest of the finalists had cleared out to address us. "You have passed the test excellently." She said to us when they were gone. "I couldn't have done it better myself. Now, as for your fourth test, you will be having a shaman fight. You may use the items you've taken from Quaff mountain to aid you. Before the fourth test, I will give you three days to rest up and figure out your items, I will be available in my cabin if you need help on them."
"Fat chance." Bragged Nagini. "I know all about MY item. I think Kigali here needs some help though. She probably had no idea what her item IS." She laughed maliciously. Kigali blushed, but Tabitha decided to ignore her remark.
"We will meet in three days at dawn in the platform. Be sure to gather your Furyoku. Now I dismiss you." We left the cabin. I was so full that Kigali had to carry me back to the tent.
"You're such a pig! You must've eaten three times as much as me!" She Laughed. I smiled lazily. She was right; my stomach bulged to an abnormal size. We hung around the tent for an hour, out of lack of anything better to do, and then we decided to go see Tabitha like she had suggested.
We walked towards her cabin and found her sitting on her porch, reading something that looked suspiciously like a seventeen magazine. When she saw us approaching, she put the magazine down and smiled as if she knew we would come.
"Well, well. If it isn't my niece... AND her spirit." I walked shyly behind Kigali as an elegant greyhound. Kigali sat down on the floor next to Tabitha and took out the silver orb.
"We came to ask you about this thing. It just stands there and won't do anything!" She handed the orb to Tabitha. She polished the orb with a handful of shirt.
"I'm glad you came to me Kigali. That idiot Nagini won't know what to do with her item when time comes." Kigali looked at her curiously, "What? I can't say that in FRONT of her, but what I do when she's gone is none of her concern. Besides, I used to know Nagini's mother. I still regret meeting her." She laughed a dog-like laugh, "But of course, you would know all about that now wouldn't you?" Kigali blushed. Tabitha laughed and played with the orb a bit.
"So... what does it do again...?" Kigali asked, snapping Tabitha out of her daydream.
"Oh, right. Sorry, but I can't work it." She handed the orb back to Kigali, whose mouth had dropped open in disbelief. "Only the real goddess can control her items, so it won't obey me, but I WILL teach you how to use it... wacha think kiddo?" Kigali nodded her head eagerly, "Ok, to start off, you're gonna give yourself a little demonstration. Ready?" Kigali nodded again. I sat down by her for a better look at the orb.
"Ok, first close your eyes. NO PEEKING. You can open yours Zoe. Right. Now, imagine the weapon of your dreams. Imagine every detail. Concentrate." I stared in fascination as the no-longer-silver orb began to glow a soothing blue. Tabitha grinned in satisfaction. I gawked in disbelief as the orb began to change shape right before my eyes. Its usual round form elongated to form a beautiful sword. A heavy blade. It had a breathtaking silver razor blade and a white handle, made of ivory I presumed.
"Excellent!" praised Tabitha. Kigali opened her eyes and gasped as she saw the sword on her lap.
"WOW! Is THIS the orb?"
"Yup!" said Tabitha proudly, "It's called the Nevermeltice. It's a shape-shifting weapon. Whatever the master imagines, it becomes."
"What's it made of?" I asked, staring in awe as Kigali swished it around.
"It's made of a very special and rare metal called Citta'gazze. No one knows about it except the northern tribes, and no one was ever able to get to it except the goddess herself. She made that weapon with her own hands."
"Why is no one able to get to it?" Asked Kigali.
"Well, you see, Citta'gazze is a metal that's found in the underground caves of the coldest zones in the north. The Caves of Fenris. It's a whole maze down there. People have tried to get it, sure, but none came out alive. It's so cold, that not even the best shamans can survive there for more than two days. Been there myself." She said grimly, but then her face relaxed as she spoke more about the Nevermeltice.
"That's one special weapon, Key. There are three in all, made of SIMILAR materials. Not alike. There's one for the goddesses of water, air, and earth. All three of those weapons are made of unreachable materials, like the one belonging to the earth goddess is made out of a stone that's found near the core of the earth. The one belonging to the air goddess is made of an enchanted cloud. No it's not fluffy, it was charmed to be harder than any metal. Except Citta'gazze, of course."
"Which weapon is stronger?" I inquired Tabitha.
"They were made so that they would be even. So they have exactly the same amount of power and endurance, and they can all shapeshift like yours, but since you can shapeshift as well, I think you'll have more of a talent with it." Kigali smiled happily. I wagged my tail.
"What about the book?"
"Ah, I can't tell you about that. Rules you know? You'll have to find out yourself in the shaman fight." She sighed apologetically, "But If you practice shapeshifting it, soon you'll be able to make it change colors, appearance, and even materials!" Kigali was fingering the blade.
"Hey Tabitha?"
"Hmm?"
"What does this say?" She was carefully touching the flat side of the sword. In closer inspection, I saw that there was something engraved on it.
"Alis Volat Propriis." She read out loud. Tabitha smiled.
"That's the motto that the goddess always used. It means; 'She flies with her own wings'. It suited her too." She looked at the setting sun, then at us. "You should go for a dip. The springs will be extra warm today." As we stood up to leave, Kigali turned to Tabitha.
"Will I be able to keep this?" She asked, holding out the Nevermeltice. Tabitha thought for a bit.
"I can't promise you that. The rules are that whoever turns out to be the Goddess of Water and Ice, gets the other finalist's sacred item. So, in that case, I think you WILL be able to keep it." She smiled warmly. "Now go. And remember to practice!" She called out after us.
TABITHA
As soon as Kigali and her spirit walked out of sight, I called upon Typhoon, my raven spirit.
"Typhoon?" She came to my shoulder, standing at attention.
"Yes Mistress?"
"Who is currently watching over Kigali?" I asked, looking at the deepening twilight.
"That would be Tundra, the spirit wolf. I must say that she has taken an immediate liking to your niece."
"Who wouldn't? And besides, Tundra WAS originally my sister's, but I'm glad she joined us when Tala died. Now that I think of it, Tundra was the first one that sensed Kigali nearby, and then she tricked Zoe into coming to me."
"She was present when Kigali was born."
"And she also helped me care for her before her father stole her." I spit these last words out. Kigali's father wasn't very popular around the village. Tala had been loved around these parts, and he had been blamed for her demise. Of course Kigali took after her mother and had nothing of her father. Luckily.
"Too bad Kigali doesn't remember her time here, in the village."
"She was young." I said simply, but then added. "Well, it DOES sting a bit that she doesn't remember that I took care of her for a year after Tala died, but I didn't really do anything to help her remember yet."
"Yes. She will eventually remember and come to love this village as Mistress Tala once had." I nodded silently.
"Typhoon?"
"Yes?"
"I want you to deliver a message for me. Three messages in fact."
"I'm listening."
"The message is: Winter is here. That's all."
"And to whom do I deliver the message to?"
"Deliver the message... to Lanai of the Leppa Tribe, Riana of the Orana Tribe, and Silva of the Patch Tribe. I expect an answer from each of them." She looked at me curiously for a moment and then took off without a word. I looked at the sky. The moon had come out. It was a beautiful crescent moon with a dazzling star in its center. Today we were supposed to have a new moon. I had expected that. The beast of the snows was keeping close to the village. I'd have to keep an eye on it.
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I hope you enjoyed it! I'm sorry Kigali's slow to grow up, but once she does, the story really starts. We need to start from the beginning to get the end, lol. Hang with me!
Next Chapter- The Beast of the Snows
