AN: Holey (insert swear word here) . . . Chapter Seventeen! Already! Jebus! Any-ma-ways, I'm feeling kind of hypo happy because of all the reviews I've received . . . 143 so far! Kisses to you all!
Okay, on a more serious note, here is Chapter Seventeen – Death-day. I warn you, it's a dark chapter with explanations, lies, truths and . . . GASP! Suze! Lol. Did you really think I'd be able to make three Jesse chapters in a row? Heh. Absolutely not.
. . . But more Jesse-ness will be coming up later.
- Lluvia.
Chapter Seventeen
I felt cold. My eyes snapped open and this was the first thought that my sore brain registered out of the streams of all of them.
For reasons unknown, I felt as if I had been here before. Yet when I looked around at the dimly lit, grubby, cold room, it bought back no memories. Shaking my head to return any sanity I had left, I tried my hardest to stand, but my legs were numb beneath me.
Groaning pathetically I managed to lean on what seemed to be a wall of bricks, it was oddly damp . . . with something dark . . . almost red . . .
I shrieked and leaned away from the wall in horror. Blood cascaded almost casually down the brick wall into a large pile of crimson on the floor. The horror and shock I felt had caused my body to be bought back from it's numbness. I stood without hesitation and moved into the middle of the room.
Although I stood without hesitation, I did not stand without ache. If I was correct, than the bone in my left wrist was sprained, my knee was dislocated and my right arm flopped helplessly to my side – a sure sign it was broken, if the pain pulsating up my spine wasn't a dead give-away.
How the hell did I get myself into this mess? Another stray thought.
Indeed, how did I get myself here?
And then, with a flash of recognition, I remembered the hit-and-run car crash and the blackness that had fallen upon me straight after.
Where was I? I wanted to scream, but managed to hold myself back from revealing my conscious state.
I need not have bothered, someone had sensed me stir already.
Or, I correct myself, three people.
I froze when I recognised them . . . the three shadows. Faun. Slate. Arce.
'Well, Well, Well . . . I see miss Susanna Nightmare has awoken already,' A silk, dark male voice spoke from one of the dark corners. I spun around, but saw nothing.
Until I felt arms wrap around my waist.
At this, my eyes widened with shock in the darkness. I used my mediator senses to locate exactly where he stood and, with a swift back kick, although my pregnant status, he was down.
Dark green hair and emerald eyes corrupted with large, black pupils, pale skin . . . quite a handsome face, I decided, and took a few steps away from the figure I knew was Slate.
'How dare you!' Came another voice, this one laced with anger and obviously female regarding the high pitch of her tone.
Before I could react, I was pushed down onto the floor by a blow so hard to my face that I could feel my whole head spin around with light-headedness and floaty sense of agony. All I wanted to do was pass out again . . .
'Faun, Slate, stop!' Came the third voice. This one held no mystery, only a child's voice. Yet for reasons not known to me, they both obeyed.
He raced into the light. Arce, my brain automatically registered. 'She's with a child! I'm only one-thousand seven hundred years, yet I would not do something as foolish as that!' His deep blue eyes represented knowledge and wary against his two elder siblings.
Faun evidently didn't like being pushed around or lectured by her younger brother, if the sudden crimson red fire that appeared in her hands wasn't an obvious sign, than the look on her face was.
The flames in her hand leapt down her body and the tight-fitting, gothic dress she wore. It moved quickly and easily through the cracks of the brick floor, as if the ground was covered in petroleum.
It hit Arce with a huge roar. So blaring was this sound that I felt my eardrums tingle in annoyance. An almost-manly noise came from down within Arce's throat as he grunted in pain for a few terrifying moments.
And then, as if magic, the flames stopped. Water flew down Arce's whole body and banished the crimson and black flames. I watched in amazement as the water splashed down onto the floor, wetting anything in its range.
As easily as it appeared, the water faded from view. Slate stood, hand outstretched toward the ground that once held Arce's magic, and sucked the water from the floor into himself.
'That is enough.' His voice was a deep rumble, unlike the mocking intonation that it was beforehand.
Faun, although still irate, nodded in agreement, then she turned to her youngest brother again, 'Arce, get our . . . friend a chair.' Her voice was full of fake patience. Arce ran off.
A minute later, he returned, carrying a large, black chair. I supposed I should have stood and sat down, but I found that I couldn't even stand properly. My head was spinning so much after Faun's punch.
Again, arms wrapped around my waist. I was defenceless in doing anything about it. I didn't move until a voice appeared in my head.
It's alright. Just obey. You'll be fine . . . It was assuring, soft, caring but had that tone . . .
Arce.
I didn't know if he could hear me, but I thought back.
Thank-you.
Obviously he heard me, since another thought came my way.
What they tell you may be bent from the truth. Take whatever they say as if it were a fiction story on a non-fiction event, okay?
I replied, Yes.
Our mind converse ended there, because he released me and I felt hard wood supporting me. I closed my eyes pensively for a moment but then reopened them.
So abruptly, once I leaned back in the chair, metal barred my hands and feet. Another came across my neck. I gasped in surprise. Arce looked apologetic, I sent another thought his way, It isn't your fault, I know, but I wasn't sure he received it.
Faun was glaring daggers my way. I shuddered, but said nothing. An evil smirk came upon her face yet I knew she wanted to scream at me with the pent-up rage kept inside of her, 'You wonder why you're here, Little miss Sovereign?'
It was as if she had read my thoughts, was all I considered towards the question. Faun continued.
'You wonder why your wanted by us?' She took a step closer to me in the chair, I recoiled at the sight of her face.
Spit covered my face. I shut my eyes and tilted my head in disgust. Faun acted as if she saw no change in my features.
She didn't wait for me to answer her questions because she knew I wouldn't. 'I'll tell you!'
And off she went into an angry lecture, yet as Arce directed, I hung onto every word, not sure whether to believe or disbelieve what she was saying.
'It's because you and your ancestors of Blue Alegion took everything we had! Your great, great, great, great grandmother decided it would be perfect if your family – the Nightmares – took over the whole of Alegion and enslaved our people.'
Was it true? Was what Arce said just a way to get me onto the chair without a fight? Was he against me? I wouldn't put it past him. He was, of course, Slate and Faun's younger brother. Even if he did appear innocent and caring, he still was a shadow – he still was evil.
What she said next had a strange effect on me. Pity. I was starting to feel pity . . .
For the enemy.
'You are a witch, Susie! How does it feel to know that your own ancestors were the ones who killed a race of people – the origins of Alegion, the moon? You were just the same! And always will be… thousands of the people die each day.' Something was changed about her tone, it had moved from irate to . . . sorrowful, almost.
I didn't know whether it was an act or not . . . I remembered the non-fiction/fiction remark. Arce sure had sounded sincere . . .
But again, he was evil.
'. . . and when you were of age you used those powers against us again! To become princess of the throne, you first had to marry – and who did you choose? Hector de Silva!'
The sadness had completely corrupted the anger, 'The man that I loved. I knew him before you even heard of his name. He loved me, not you! But then you used your powers to sway him over to you when you saw him at the celebration. You forced him to fall in love with you!'
Oh. OH. Now I understood.
. . . But Jesse had never said anything about another woman except Maria, and he had hated her and she had hated him.
What if . . . what if she was telling the truth? What if Jesse had loved another woman before me? And never told me about her? What if she was the copy of Faun on Earth as I was to the sovereign?
No.
My eyes welled up with tears at just the thought of Jesse standing next to Faun, his arm around her waist and her head on his shoulder. Him gazing down at her with the affection I had only thought he felt for me . . . I tried to banish the thought by blinking a few times, but the image seemed tattooed on the back of my eyelids.
Faun, again, changed her tone back to the angry snarl. 'But that's all going to change, Susie. I'm going to get him back. I'm going to take your Hector right out of your spell and bend him right again. Soon he will not even know you exist!'
Life without Jesse . . . it once seemed to be the worst thing I could imagine.
But life with Jesse, yet him never remembering me . . .
. . . him being corrupted by Faun . . .
That was even worse.
No.
The tears now cascaded down my face. If my hands, feet and neck were not bound, I would have faltered and fell to the floor.
No.
But then . . . she had to go on . . . She had to puncture the emotional wound in my heart even more so . . .
'As for your child! She will die… along with you. You will watch her die – we will torture her as you tortured the many children our families had. Then we will torture you as painfully – maybe even more.'
No.
I had gotten so used to Faun's livid sneer that Slate's deep voice seemed a refuge. Until I registered the words he said.
'And, for some more spice – we'll let Hector have the first turn.'
No.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No!
I broke.
'NO!' I shut my eyes and screamed this two letter word. Yet it sounded more like a roar of: NNNOOOOO!
And that was when four things happened at once.
First, I felt power thrum all around me. It wasn't dark like the three shadows. It was light, strong. Pure.
I felt it move throughout my whole body, assuring me, carressing me.
Then, I felt the binds around my body suddenly fly off, as fast as they had appeared.
Thirdly, my eyes snapped open and I saw my moonstone pendant flashing it's rainbow colours at me. As if a reflex. I gripped it in my hands, stood, took it from my neck and thought only of giving the three shadows as much pain physically as I had felt emotionally.
I did this for my friends, who I promised to protect.
I did this for my family, who I promised to tell the truth to.
I did this for Father Dominic, who I promised to learn from.
I did this for Ashley, who I promised to appreciate.
I did this for Paul, who I promised to support.
I did this for Jesse, who I promised to love, even if he never remembered me again.
I did this for my baby, who I promised to raise, love and care for.
I did this for Alegion, who I promised to rule someday although it deserved better.
I did this for Earth, who I promised to make a better place if I could.
I did this for Susanna Nightmare, who I promised to understand.
I did this for Hector de Silva from Alegion, who I promised to have a safe and happy future with his bride.
I did this for myself, who I promised to get through this hell and keep my unspoken promises to everyone I loved.
Screams echoed through the room, Faun, Slate and Arce were surrounded by completely white light. I found myself suddenly removing the power from Arce, however, and using it to power the other two.
'I'm so sorry.' I spoke to them, yet kept the power strong.
My body couldn't take the burden of this purely lit energy, I removed my chain of power from theirs and swayed for a moment before falling to the ground.
Just like what happened before, I felt my body drain of all energy.
The blackness seemed like a refuge, forsaken for so long.
I gave way to it and sleep came upon me.
-(§)-
In a violent world, where deception's free
Things I can't control, taking over me
Did they try to take my identity?
So what the hell have they done to me?
I will take your thoughts away
And I'll ignite your fear today
Well I can take you far away
With my mind
With my mind
This life for me changes every day
I will stand up tall, I won't be betrayed
If you play with fire, I'll control the flame
I'll do anything to make you believe
I will take your thoughts away
And I'll ignite your fear today
Well I can take you far away
With my mind
With my mind
I will take your thoughts away
And I'll ignite your fear today
Well I can take you far away
With my mind
With my mind
AN: Chappie Seventeen is finito! I know it's not as long as the others . . . please forgive me. But I didn't have much to cover in this chapter as I do to others.
Btw, If your interested, the song is by Cold called With My Mind (Although it IS a little obvious . . . ). I haven't actually listened to the song yet – dumb limewire won't hurry up in downloading it! – but I'm head-over-heels in love with the band Cold, so I'm damn sure it'll be good.
If you like music like System of a Down, Three Doors Down, Nickleback, Crossfade etc. (aka. The music I listen to) then you'll like Cold
My fave songs are Wasted Years, Change the World, Confession, Rain Song and Sad Happy.
Now go download them!
And, uh, review please?
Love,
Lluvia.
P.S. The link is w w w . l i m e w i r e . c o m (Without the spaces in between . . . I just don't want Fanfiction . net to make a hyperlink and possibly corrupt this chapter of my fic).