Note/Disclaimer: All characters from Vagrant Story do not belong to me. And I'm not making any money off this.
For those of you who are fans of Rosencrantz, he shows up in this chapter. That wasn't something I had planned but seemed to fit. I hope you leave some reviews. Enjoy.
ELLI'S MORNING SEEMEDto move as normal. Making breakfast for her father before he left for work and taking a quick shower before meeting Erick. Everything moved as normal until she got to the library.
Because Elli didn't have a car, she walked nonstop, her CD player set at full volume. Even with the few CDs Erick had bought her; she could never thank him enough for the player and music. At times she could swear that the music had become a part of her.
A gentle wind blew as she approached Erick's library. She waved to the occasional person whom she recognized. The few that weren't afraid of her.
Of course none of it mattered to her. She was the girlfriend of the equivalent to a prince. She had companions that were more dependable than anyone living. Yet; somehow, she felt something was missing. It was like a large endless pit had taken over her heart and nothing could replace it. Not even Erick's infinite affection.
But what did it matter. Life was too short a thing for her to worry about such a matter.
The closer she got to the library the more she felt the emptiness. But another feeling was growing deep inside her. A feeling that something was going to happen, that something was approaching. What it was she didn't know. But she had the feeling she was going to find out soon, whether she wanted it or not.
Dawn soon noticed a group of people standing in front of the library. She could see two people on the ground. One was kneeling over the other. She saw the blond hair of the one on the ground and nearly collapsed. Her mind brought up a sing name, Erick.
She broke into a run. She would have smiled about everyone's immediate side steps if it weren't such an occasion.
Suddenly she realized the one on the ground wasn't Erick but a total stranger. He looked similar to her boyfriend but seemed to have the best of Erick's features better defined. With better curved eyebrows and a more innocent face.
"What happened?" Elli asked, trying to make it seem like she would have rushed for anyone.
With concern in her eyes, she knelt beside Erick and looked closer at the man lying on the hard stone sidewalk.
"I don't know," answered Erick. "I only saw him collapse. I don't know what the cause was."
"Does he have any ID?" Elli asked.
"Do you see any pockets?" Erick answered.
Elli then realized the man lying on the sidewalk wasn't wearing a shirt, revealing his thinly built torso. And pants without pockets but with a sort of cape at the waist.
"We need to take him to the hospital." Erick stated. Several agreeing murmurs floated through the crowd with no one moving to action.
Elli looked at the smooth eyelids of this mysterious man and soon thought of what should be done.
"Erick?"
"Yeah?" Erick looked at her with curiosity.
"Get your car. We're taking him to my place."
"What?" Erick was worried now. "He need a doctor, not a—"
"What doctor do you think will take care of a patient with no ID or money?" Elli glared into Erick's eyes. He soon realized this was a loosing argument.
He got up and ran to his Thunderbird convertible. He wasted no time in driving closer to the collapsed stranger by driving in reverse.
Elli, after persuading a member of the crowd to help, carried the stranger to the car. She was in a hurry to get him into the car and; therefore, wasn't very gentle with the door or the seat. To Erick's surprise and relief his car came out of this attack without a scratch or any other sort of damage.
The stranger was carefully laid in the back seat with Elli sitting on the floor.
"Drive as fast as you can without killing us." Elli said with a sarcastic tone.
Within minutes Erick and Elli were carrying the unconscious stranger into Elli's trailer and carefully laying him on the couch.
"Go get some blankets from my room. I'll watch him." Elli said as she knelt in front of the couch.
"What for?" Erick asked.
"For when he wants them. Now go!"
Erick hesitated then dashed through to the back of the trailer. When he came back, he saw Elli looking at the man's pale face.
"You look like you're looking at a piece of art." He commented.
"Maybe I am." She loudly whispered.
"You had better get back to the library if you expect to unpack those books." She spoke as she stood and went to the kitchenette.
"What about you?" A hint of uneasiness crept into Erick's voice.
"I'm staying here. He's going to need my help and my father is going to need an explanation when he gets home. I'm needed here more than at the library."
"You're going to stay here with a man that could be dangerous?"
"He might not be." Elli whispered.
"And he might." Erick paused before continuing.
"I found the blood-sin on his back." He whispered as though someone was listening in on the conversation.
"So. That doesn't mean anything."
"It means he's a heretic."
"So were your ancestors." She began cleaning the few dishes that were in the sink as an attempt at controlling her anger.
"I know." Erick grumbled.
"So stop and leave. I don't have time to listen to your complaints."
"Do you see what's happening?" Erick whispered as he moved a little closer to Elli's back.
"Do I see that what's happening?"
"You took that necklace from Lea Monde," he said as he ran his fingers over the rood, the continued, "and the followers of Mullenkamp suddenly appear. The past is coming back. You've awoken the curse."
"I'm getting tired of your superstitious ideas. There are no curses. And I don't want to hear any more references to what you believe happened last nigh. Now do as I said and leave."
Erick knew it would be useless to argue with her. She would believe in what she wanted. He should have realized before there would be no way to sway her from her beliefs. Even when it was something she should have believed in when she had danced with the spirit of the very woman that his ancestors followed. And whom the man on the couch most likely followed.
Without saying a word, Erick walked to the door and paused long enough to look back at Elli before walking out and slamming the door.
Elli leaned against the counter and closed her eyes. What was she doing to poor Erick? She had never treated him like this before. Not even when her mother had died, such a nightmare that was. Yet; somehow, she held herself together. Somehow she stayed strong for herself and her father. For so long she fought to keep her mind above fear and weakness. Could it be that she had lost that strength from taking the necklace? Had she finally fallen apart?
"Where am I?"
Elli jumped and spun to face where the voice had come from. She saw it was the man her and Erick had brought in and relaxed.
"Lie back down." She said soothingly as she walked towards him. "You're okay. This is my house. My boyfriend and I brought you here after your fall. Can you tell me your name?"
He looked at her with his bright blue eyes and answered, "I am Sydney. Who are you?"
She smiled.
"I'm Elli. Are you hungry Sydney?"
She watched as he rose from the couch with a single smooth movement.
"I'm famished." He whispered as he leaned towards her.
"Just wait here and I'll fix something." She answered as she stepped back and towards the fridge. "I hope you don't mind frozen foods. We don't have much else than that."
"No problem to me." He answered.
Sydney, trying not to seem out of place despite how he was dressed, asked, "Do you live here with your boyfriend?"
"No." She answered with a slight chuckle. "With my father. My boyfriend is too rich for us to live in a small trailer."
Sydney nodded his understanding and began to look around. He knew Elli would be watching and pretended not to notice as her eyes focused on the blood-sin on his back. He saw that the wood paneled walls held nothing but a single picture of a dark haired woman holding a small baby.
"Is that your mother?" He asked as he took a step towards the picture, his back still to Elli.
"Yeah." Elli answered in a low voice, which was meant to say, 'no more questions.'
Unfortunately for her he ignored it.
"Where is she now?"
Elli hesitated to answer.
"She died when I was ten."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. It was several years ago. Crying for it now isn't going to change the fact that it happened.
"Chicken Lo Mein?"
"That would be nice." Sydney turned and watched as Elli went to begin her cooking. He could see that her mother's death still hurt her. Just as he knew she didn't know her mother's secret. A secret he had witnessed first hand.
"What was her name?" Sydney asked with a hint of curiosity.
Elli smiled over the hot stove and dreamily answered, "Ruby. At times her eyes almost seemed to turn red. Especially when she watched the dancing flames of a fire."
A hint of a smile crept across Sydney's lips. He wondered how it came to be that this woman standing before him became the prey. She seemed to be untouchable and yet in more danger than he saw. Was this the reason she had been chosen by Mullenkamp? Would her sacrifice truly restore the High Priestess? Would his sacrifice?
"I see she has passed those same eyes to you." Sydney answered as he approached Elli.
She looked into his blue eyes with recognition and a hidden understanding. What was it about him that interested her so? Why did he seem so familiar and yet such a stranger?
"It's burning." He whispered, bringing her out of her thoughts in the process.
She quickly turned back to the stove and stirred the slightly blackened Lo Mein.
"I think it's still edible." She stated jokingly.
"It will be fine." Sydney answered, drawing her attention back to him.
With a slow deliberate movement, he drifted closer to her until their lips nearly met. Elli's eyes were closed and her face softened in a look of pure innocence and peace.
Sydney considered finishing the movement until the sound of someone knocking on the door stole her away.
She quickly ran to the door, the sound resonating through the trailer. Sydney listened as she greeted their visitor.
The stranger's voice seemed to seep into the trailer like water escaping through the cracks of a ceramic pot. He knew that voice just as he knew the man who spoke with that voice. His heart beat faster with his concern for Elli. He himself had seen the Rood Inverse around her neck. There was no doubt in his mind that this man would see it too.
He quickly ran to stand beside Elli and silently warn him of his growing power.
The familiar face came into view. His dark eyes, his short brown hair, his medium build. He wore the same close fitting crimson clothing as he did in his earlier life. He wasn't quite the same build as Ashley but could still be stronger. Perhaps this was the reason for such tight clothing, Sydney pondered.
"My old friend Sydney. How's your arm?" He asked mockingly.
Sydney, remembering the past, grinned and answered, "Better, thank you. And your eyes and torso how are they? Still hallucinating Rosencrantz?"
Rosencrantz straightened his back and glared at Sydney.
"Elli, how about you go and take care of the meal. I have a few things to say to my old friend."
She nodded and left the open door. She could tell something wasn't right. Just as she could tell Sydney was concerned about something. Yet she realized she had no idea as to whom he was. She knew nothing about him.
Sydney kept his eyes on Rosencrantz as Elli walked away.
"She's a sweet girl. Not quite what I had expected for the target." Rosencrantz spoke in a low voice so Elli wouldn't hear.
"She isn't your target, dear Rosencrantz. And I pray the hunter will find his prey and thus end the nightmare before it begins. She is too innocent to deal in the Dark's tasks."
"Innocence has a price, Sydney. You knew this once."
"I once knew many things." Sydney stepped out and closed the door behind him. "But my years in death have revealed even more. Including the innocence of a young woman dancing in the moon light, surrounded by the rubble of an ancient city filled with the memories and cries of thousands. And her innocence is the only thing suitable to silence those cries."
"And her own cries? How sad is the time she has danced with your High Priestess? How often have her steps faltered from her dance? I know you have watched. Your wise eyes always focused on her heir. You know what the title entails. Just as you know the reason for her choosing you."
"Yes." Sydney spoke calmly. "I also know that while I stand as her guardian, the creature of death shall never touch her."
"So I see." Rosencrantz whispered. "Then I shall warn you that there is more than one creature to fight against. I need not tell you of their hunger. Perhaps you should teach her to defend herself."
With a slow and steady gait, Rosencrantz left Sydney to ponder what he had said.
Elli listened as Sydney came back in. She stood in the doorway of her room, her face turned towards Sydney.
"You don't trust him." She stated.
"No." Sydney answered.
Elli asked nothing else. Yet she felt she was now a part of something that never should have started.
Together they sat and ate in silence. Neither one neither offering to speak nor offering to listen beyond their thoughts.
Note: There will be other VS characters mentioned later on. Just don't ask me which ones since I hardly have any more of this fic planned. It's up to the story now.