Note: Okay, short chapter but hopefully good. And please, who ever is reading this, review. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know. Thank you.
Elli awoke in her bed, the memory of her father's death still fresh in her mind. Who had taken his life? She wondered. Who would kill such and innocent man?
"He is called The Creature. He was once human, but greed corrupted his soul." Sydney spoke from the doorway. He slowly walked towards her, his movements seeming to be no more than the swaying of branches in the wind. "Search the past." He whispered. "You will find me."
Looking into his eyes curiously, she sensed herself drifting into the far past. All she could see were Sydney's eyes. All she could feel was his breath. But it was soon all gone when she found herself in what seemed to be an attic at first glance. That is until she looked on the floor. Her eyes traced the lines of the Rood-Inverse. Its perfect form almost seemed to call to her.
Several candles appeared to light themselves, revealing a dark silhouette in the shadows. She felt no fear, but still prepared herself for either a fight or running. "Who are you?"
The silhouette calmly whispered to her, "Have you not discovered who you are? You dance with a goddess and still believe you to be a simple human." The silhouette calmly moved to the side. "Your mother once came to this cathedral. The very place where you were conceived."
Elli took a step toward to figure and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Your father was like a brother to me." The figure whispered.
"My father? Jake?" She asked.
"Nay, child. He was never your father." The silhouette stepped from the shadows, revealing he to be Sydney. Elli nearly stumbled back but listened as he added, "Your father's name is Hardin. My closest comrade, John Hardin."
This time Elli did stumble back, landing on the floor next to several candles and in the center of the Rood on the floor. "Jake… wasn't my father?" She asked herself. She didn't want to believe but; somehow, knew it was true.
"Your mother met him after leaving Lea Monde and my time." With silent steps he was beside her and lightly running his now metal hand over the crown of her head. "You were the first to be born within the dark. It is because of this that you are precious."
Elli looked up into Sydney's eyes. "This is what was hidden from me? This was the secret I was never allowed to know?"
Sydney nodded and knelt before her. Being careful not to cut her with his metal claws, he pulled her close and held her as she sorted everything out in her mind. He knew it had been too soon to tell her, but there was no other choice. The Creature had made his move sooner than he had expected, forcing him to reveal what shouldn't have been. The dark was never meant to taste life, but did. Elli was proof of this. Just as she was proof that Sydney could never rest in death. Nor could he continue in life.