Disclaimer: I don't own these people, that privilege is for Aruze. But boy! I'd like to take a couple of them home with me!
Part 10
The ball that evening did not go quite as planned. Yuri and his companions had to sneak into the Hermitage and meet in Anastasia's rooms before the banquet began, the soft strains of a Vienna Waltz filling the air and Anastasia more than once stomped her foot over the celebration. Karin tried to calm the head-strong princess but it was Yuri who had saved the day. He spoke calmly to her, telling her to be patient and tell her father everything that worried her once he returned that evening. To everyone's surprise, the princess calmed down, and Karin looked at Yuri with new eyes. She would never have thought of Yuri as a 'calming' influence, and it amused her slightly but she quickly beat down the thought that accompanied it – he's calm because he's in pain – and that was Nicholai's fault. And once that name crossed her mind, so did a hundred others revolving around him and Rasputin and Karin, for she knew now that Nicholai worked for Rasputin and that he had allowed Veronica to torture Yuri Hyuga.
The memory of that still burned, and she would dearly love to put her sword through the eyes of Veronica Vera, Princess of Pain. It didn't help any that, after dragging an unconscious Yuri back to his cell, she had stood staring at Karin with greedy eyes.
She knew somehow that I felt things for Yuri… maybe I gave it away in some look or movement, she thought. But reviewing her actions prior to that, she could not put her mental finger on it. So she was guessing then.
Sitting on the soft bed, Karin listened to Yuri and Anastasia as they conversed, Ana's childish voice managing to convey her distress while Yuri's somehow replacing distress with confidence. Where did he get that, she wondered. He never talks about his past, maybe he learned it from his own mother or, looking at the fusionist as he paced the room, arms raised up in a long, cat-like stretch, maybe his father.
"Well come on, we gotta find that Rasputin guy and put him to rights," Yuri finally said and they stepped out into the corridor and into a nightmare, for a sweet-smelling miasma was permeating the halls and rooms, and the people were swept away into dreams.
"Huh? What is this?" Yuri asked and Lucia sniffed delicately before nodding.
"It's a sleeping spell; it's Veronica's work. We either break the field or…" and here she hesitated, almost reluctant, "Or we kill Veronica," she finished.
"Good thing you gave us panaceas, Lucia," Gepetto remarked and the giant wrestler, Joachim, agreed, grinning down at the dancer.
The others nodded, trooping off, checking pockets of sleeping guardsmen, aprons of maids and Karin and Lucia checked the ladies.
"Ah, why won't they let us do that?" Gepetto grumbled and was treated to a whimper from Blanca that indicated he well knew why they did not.
"Fine then," Yuri remarked and then brightened when Lucia sashayed back down the hall with a key swinging from a ribbon.
"Lookie what I found," she said and, grinning, dangled the key in front of Yuri. He grabbed it, standing eyes to chest with the tall dancer and Karin felt a prickle of something nip at the back of her mind before crossing the hall to open the far door.
"Come on," Anastasia said. "The Lion Shrine is this way," and she turned to lead the way, Blanca following close behind her, and the others straggling along in twos and threes.
In a few more minutes, they traversed the long hall to the Shrine and Yuri opened the doors; Anastasia scampered inside quickly, and instantly cried out.
"Alexie!"
There by the shrine was a divan with little Alexie, her youngest brother, sleeping soundly upon its cushions. To one side stood the voluptuous Veronica with a dagger poised threateningly over the young boy's head. And at the shrine was Rasputin, his back to the room. Upon seeing her brother, Anastasia quickly ran across the room, calling his name, her face puckered in worry for her beloved brother. But half way across the highly polished floor, she saw the knife approaching her brother's neck and the look of amused glee in the eyes of Veronica. Karin saw the dagger too, and the look of horror on the little princess's face and, with a quick look at Yuri, the look of grim determination on his. She surreptitiously loosened her sword in its scabbard watching closely.
"Please, Princess, be a little quieter," Rasputin admonished, his voice carrying clearly in the quiet room. Anastasia's steps faltered and she stopped, but coming up beside her was the leader of their group, Yuri, and he put himself between the girl and Rasputin. His whole demeanor spoke defiance and protection and Anastasia was grateful for his presence. Karin took a few small steps closer as well.
"You," Yuri said, putting one hand on his hip and staring at Rasputin's back. "What are you up to, Rasputin. What are you and Sapientes Gladio planning, anyway?" He said it casually, eyeing Veronica, the knife, the tall thin man at the shrine, but Karin noted the set of his shoulders and recognized he was ready to move in an instant, and moved closer again, now nearly at his side. Rasputin however, ignored his question.
"I've always admired Napoleon you see," he remarked, looking up at the shrine wall, a galloping horse in a frieze above.
"So you're planning to conquer Europe," Karin said.
"If all Russia's resources were properly leveraged, it would be possible," he replied and Karin felt a shaft of ice strike her chest. She slowly shook her head, visions of war-torn Europe filling her mind. The fires of destruction raged even as they stood there in the Hermitage and Karin, her family in Germany, her responsibilities abandoned when she was betrayed by both her commander and Nicholai... No, this could not be happening!
"You're insane..." she breathed.
Rasputin turned to face them, his dark visage darker still. Something was moving within him, something she could feel – an energy, an emotion. He didn't look any different, but his eyes were dark and glittering with an unnatural joy at the situation. He smiled as he spoke, his arms open as if in a glorious acceptance of his own words.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful? The whole world harkening to my voice. Each breath of mine, the ocean's tides."
At Yuri's side, little Anastasia frowned.
"It's greedy maniacs like you, Rasputin, that cause revolutions, and cause innocent people to die." And like an eagle, Rasputin turned his dark eyes onto the little green-eyed duchess.
"Let me explain something to you," he said and his voice was condescending even as his dark eyes focused onto Anastasia. Karin felt an answering shudder within her; this man, this madman was not normal.
"It is the people themselves who cry the loudest for a change in government! And I think even you should know that. An unbridgeable gap has opened between the people and the aristocracy. Even without me the fire of revolution would sooner or later be lit." Anastasia, gasping at his words, dashed aside the tears that threatened to blur her vision and yelled at Rasputin.
"Shut up!" she screamed and ran toward him, her intent clear.
Karin called out to stop her. "Anastasia!" but it was too late, Veronica had reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her firmly, while Rasputin, still standing at the shrine, looked down at the struggling child and smiled.
"If that's the case, then the less blood spilt the better. Royal blood alone should be sufficient," he said and Veronica raised the dagger toward Anastasia, the little girl struggling in Veronica's firm grip.
Karin had her hand to her sword but hesitated when she saw Yuri stride into the middle of the room, fists raised.
"Why you… bastard," he muttered and Rasputin turned toward him, eyes wide, an unctuous smile playing on his thin lips.
"What's wrong, Godslayer? Kill me if you have the courage. Fight me one on one. If you win, I'll give you the prince and princess."
Yuri obviously thought it was a good idea for he stood up his defensive stance and Karin felt her heart leap into her throat. No, she quailed. There's something wrong! But Yuri was oblivious.
"Okay," he replied grinning. "Get ready to lose."
Rasputin, standing less than a dozen feet from the harmonixer, laughed gleefully, his shoulders shaking and his eyes dancing. Yuri remained still, fixed on Rasputin, waiting for his move.
"With your heart cursed by the mistletoe," Rasputin said, finally controlling his laugh, "do you really think you can defeat me?"
Yuri's answer was graphic as he sprang into action with first a fist, then a spin kick, followed by another fist; he repeated this pattern twice, before stopping, his fists still raised, but a puzzled expression on his face. His blows had been to no avail as each strike caused a field to glow around the monk and Rasputin laughed once more.
"How amusing," he said softly in a teasing tone. "Is that the best you can do?"
Yuri re-set his fists and shoulders.
"That was just a warm up. You'll see," he replied.
Rasputin raised his hands, languidly.
"Very well. But now it is my turn," he said and shaped his hands into a ball, forming energy between them. The ball coruscated with light and in the center, more shadow than substance, was an image of a tree. From across the room Karin gasped, realizing what he was doing, but too late.
"I call on the spirit of the Mistletoe!" Rasputin intoned, his voice suddenly stronger, commanding. There was a sudden burst of energy and Yuri's chest began to glow where once the Holy Mistletoe had struck him. Suddenly he clutched his chest, pain striking him from deep within. He groaned, teetering on his suddenly wobbling legs, trying to keep his balance and fight the pain. Karin cried out, running to him, reaching him just as he suddenly stiffened and fell to the floor, his head hitting the polished floor with a crack.
"Yuri," she gasped and slid the last few feet to him on her knees, checking his pulse and his breathing. "Wake up," she cried, pulling his head and shoulders into her lap, "wake up!" But the young fighter did not move. Beyond her Rasputin stood, dusting his hands, a dark smirk on his lips.
"There is no magic that can stop the power of this curse," he declared and just as suddenly he was defending himself again as the wrestler Joachim and Blanca the wolf jumped at him, striking the glowing shield around him and being repulsed. "It's futile. You cannot pierce my shield," he said and a dark laughter filled the room.
Karin, kneeling on the floor, Yuri pulled up into her lap, looked up at Rasputin and abruptly saw him for what he was; the thing that had been bothering her about him was suddenly there, outlined in the shadows of the floor behind him.
"You're a monster..."
Rasputin laughed again, nodding. "That's right, I do have the power of a monster. I chose to accept your words as a compliment my dear."
Karin stared hard at the insane monk, her heart beating so hard it hurt. This madman would conquer all of Europe; he had been responsible for sending Nicholai to lay this horrid curse on Yuri; he was trying to kill everyone and everything in the name of some mad power scheme – and she felt helpless to stop him. But even so, as she felt the power of this madman growing in front of her, she felt another power growing within her – a power she would use to her utmost to defend what was right, defend what was hers. She turned an icy grey stare onto Rasputin, willing him to hear her thoughts, to know that he had made an implacable enemy. But whereas Karin saw an unconscionable monster, the monster saw something else.
"You have most beautiful eyes my dear," Rasputin said in unctuous tones. "Your inner strength shines though them. I can see why Nicholai wanted you to join forces with him."
Nicholai?
Not giving Karin a chance to respond, Rasputin continued.
"Karin, I have some news that will interest you. Your home town, once so beautiful, is nothing more than a smoldering ruin." The words hit Karin like a blow: her beloved home, her aunt, her family... No, no, he's lying. He's trying to control me, to manipulate me as he's done with the Tsar and his family, she thought and turned her eyes away to look down at Yuri. He was beginning to move in her lap, his crimson eyes opening to puzzle where he was, and what had happened. In the next instant, several things happened at once and Karin, looking back later that night, was not sure of the exact events. Much like at Domremy, she recalled, how things happened all at once. Yuri was awakening, coming to in her lap, his eyes looking first up at her, puzzled, then over to Rasputin, sudden realization coming to him. At the same time, Rasputin approached Anastasia, held firmly in Veronica's grip and did something to her with a wave of his hand. She took the knife from the blue-clad torturer and tried to kill her younger brother. And then her mother, the Empress Alexandra had entered, and chaos broke out as the Tsarina screamed hysterically, Anastasia's shouts of denial rose above the tumult and the thud of boots echoing down the halls as soldiers came to arrest the murderers. Karin had helped Yuri to his feet and the group, Anastasia in tow, had fled the palace.
Now they were resting at Edgar's shop in Petrograd. The guards and soldiers had cordoned off most of the streets and searched houses and shops throughout the area, including Edgar's, but he had a cellar and had put the group in the dark below and threw the old ratty carpet over the top, until the soldiers had finally returned to the palace. Karin sat close to Yuri through the ordeal, part of her wanting so much to hold him, to help him, to ease his pain. The fusionist had grown weaker after Rasputin's attack and, even though he covered it with his usual gruffness, the entire group, even Joachim, knew he was hurting.
Finally, they climbed back up and went to rest in the back room, a warm fire crackling in the stove and Yuri leaned against the wall, his complexion pale. Karin brought him some hot soup and sat next to him while he sipped.
"What?" he asked finally, his cheeks showing a little color from the hot liquid.
Karin shook her head, her red hair falling around her face in slips and threads, it falling out of its wrap again.
"I – I'm sorry Yuri," she said.
Yuri finished the soup and set the cup down.
"Yeah? For what?"
"For what happened in Domremy; for Nicholai and the Mistletoe and... I should have prevented it, I just didn't... I didn't..."
Yuri shook his head, one gloved hand reaching out to touch her knee.
"It's nothing you did, Karin. It was Nicholai and Rasputin. An' really, it was more Rasputin."
"But why I wonder?" she asked aloud then realized how heartless that was.
Yuri pulled his lips back in a forced smile. "Hell if I know," he said and tried to chuckle but then grimaced as pain shot through him again. "Damn, that hurts."
Karin picked up the cup. "Then don't laugh. Would you like some more soup?"
"It's borscht," he said.
"Yes."
"I hate beets."
"They're good for you."
Yuri smiled. "So's sex."
"But you're not getting any of that," she said with a chuckle and rose to her feet. "I'll bring some more soup."
"Karin," Yuri called as she crossed to the door. "Thanks."
The Godslayer had indeed been in Petrograd, confronted Rasputin, fled, and sadly, returned. He prevented the Tsar's assassination, exposing Rasputin as the mastermind behind the plot, and then attacked him on the roof of the Hermitage. All this while Nicholai stayed in the background, watching as Rasputin's minions fled, fought, and died before Rasputin finally called the airship to him to send down a rain of death onto the city. Nicholai stood on a bridge out of Petrograd watching the fight between Rasputin and the Godslayer. Up from the roof of the Hermitage rose the demon Amon, black wings carrying him up to the airship where his armored and razored claws destroyed one rank of cannon before winging his way to the deck. Nicholai sighed, looking over the ash and ruin of this once beautiful city... his city... and offered a bitter prayer for Rasputin's defeat. Yet even as he did so, another vision caught his eye and he looked up at the Hermitage, a flame of glory catching in the Russian sun, bathing all who saw her in her fiery beauty.
"Karin," he breathed.
Suddenly an explosion filled the air, echoes of death screams in chorus with the cry of outrage and triumph of a demon mingling together and Nicholai looked up to see the airship destroyed, blown to bits, and through the fiery debris, rising on triumphant wings: Amon. Nicholai could not see his Master anywhere but he knew he had to act now if he were going to salvage anything.
He was making his quick way back to the Hermitage when the ground began to shake and tremble and he paused to watch, as did everyone else in Petrograd. From the depths of the earth rose a spectacle, a castle of stone and metal and energy – reeking of life beyond their ken and Nicholai shook his head sadly.
"Well, if that thing is up, then I suppose I'd better go. No doubt the Master is waiting," he said softly, the bile rising in his throat, but instead he made his way up the stairs to the Hermitage roof. By the time he arrived, Yuri's companions had already departed, leaving him with the sad task of cleaning up the remains. He found Veronica lying in the snow, a pool of crimson congealing around her. The Master had left her to fend for herself it seemed, and the Godslayer…
With pursed lips, Nicholai took the vial of holy water from his coat, dabbing a little on the cold corpse. He muttered a soft prayer and gently touched the bruised cheek of the once beautiful and buxom Miss Veronica. You deserved better, he thought. You deserved more than a cold palace and an abandoned death. You gave him too much.
Rising to his feet, he summoned a banishing spell and sent Veronica's remains beyond the veil, casting a silent wish for a better life for the voluptuous and greatly disturbed woman. Then in the next breath, he cast a transport spell, sending himself to the floating temple in the sky above Petrograd. It was time he confronted the Master.
A/N Reviewers
I was told by someone that it was shocking to see Nicholai behaving as he did at the end, vis a vis Veronica. All I can say is "he was and is a priest" and yes, in Covenant it would have seemed a tad odd. I've got the advantage of seeing some cutscenes from Director's Cut and, although I'm not incorporating them into this piece, the feel of those scenes will probably be here. Really, I'm with a lot of the Japanese fans about Nikki: he wasn't a bad man, just a failure.
Puffy, I'm never too busy to write. Shadow Hearts 3 is killlllllling me! whaaaa! oh, sorry. But writing is my passion, so there! Glad you're enjoying this nutty piece. Lots of stuff coming, and again, sticks around for the lemons. I can't say where they are in here cuz, frankly my girl, I forget! XD
Kitty: welcome... why do you sound so familiar?
Amratis: they're coming! It's a "done deal". XD