Disclaimer: I do not own SSO.
Author's note: I finally posted Chapter 14! Sorry for the wait! Well, in the previous chapter I said that there would only be one more chapter left, but I lied. Not on purpose though! So, this is NOT the final chapter. It was meant to be, but I decided to add an epilogue.
Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for all the support that I have received. I'm glad that you're enjoying this story of mine So yeah... thank you to all of you who read and review this story (you all know who you are!). I really really appreciate it!
Enough of me blabbing on... on with the story!
Chapter 14: Decisions
Her legs dangled off the edge. Cleao sat atop the tower at the Ruins of Kohan and contemplated her dream the previous night as she gazed into the depths of the lake that still sparkled in the dying sun. She sighed deeply, Who was that guy? Was it Orphen? An image of the scion of sorcery pooped into her mind bringing back old memories...
Cleao took out her pink dress and hung it on her closet door. The blonde girl exhaled. "I'm in love," she mimicked her older sister as she turned. "Sometimes I really wonder about that girl," Cleao said aloud as she unzipped the back of the dress she was wearing, "This is worse than the time she fell in love with that circus dork from Marylon. What am I going to do with her?" The dress slipped off her shoulder as she started to undress. But something had caught her eye from her window. Cleao turned to see two sparkling lights in the distance. Her eyes narrowed. Pulling up her dress, she walked to her window. She looked out to see two guys- one stood by the tree while the other stood in a tree holding binoculars, looking in her direction. Cleao screamed in anger.
Rushing down the stairs, Cleao grabbed the Sword of Baltanders from the living room. Her scream of anger continued as she ran around the bend. Unable to stop, Cleao collided head-on with the two trolls, Volcan and Dortin. Cleao lay sprawled on the ground with her sword beside her.
"Hey!" Volcan exclaimed, "Watch where you're going!"
"Are you all right, Miss Cleao?" Dortin asked in concern as the blonde slowly sat herself up.
"What about me?" Volcan asked indignantly.
"No, I'm not all right!" Cleao snapped. "There's a peeping tom outside my window looking at me!" she shrieked as she took hold of the sword once more.
"A peeping tom?" Volcan and Dortin asked in unison.
"Oh, that's no peeping tom, Miss. That's-" Dortin began to explain, but was abruptly cut off by Volcan's elbow.
"Why! This is an outrage!" Volcan feigned disgust, "Perverts like that should be taught a lesson." The troll held out his hand to Cleao. "Here, let me help you up," he offered and Cleao pulled herself up. "I believe you know what to do, Miss," Volcan continued.
Cleao looked as feisty as ever, "Oh believe me, Volcan, I know just what to do- make sure he doesn't look at another woman again!" Cleao screamed as she rushed outside.
"Hey you!" Cleao exclaimed as soon as she reached the tree, "Up in the tree! How dare you spy on me while I'm changing clothes!" Cleao shook a maddened finger at the guy holding the binoculars.
"What?" the guy asked in bewilderment.
"Oh, I suppose you were bird watching," Cleao replied sarcastically, "Now get down here!"
"Uh... Orphen..." the second guy said uncertainly as he looked up in the tree.
Volcan and Dortin came running into the scene. "You kick him in the shins, I'll hit him in the head with the mop. Got it?" Volcan said to Dortin as they ran. "Touché!" Volcan announced when he reached the one called Orphen.
"You mean en guard," Orphen stated as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Don't talk sword fighting semantics with me, you pervert!" Volcan retorted as he spun the mop in his hands, "Just put up your dukes and fight like a man. C'mon, c'mon, you chicken!"
"I had no part in this, Orphen. I swear to you," Dortin added softly.
"Shut up!" Volcan yelled. Both Cleao and Oprhen gave the two trolls weird looks. "C'mon fancy pants! Me and my mop are gonna wipe the floor with you!" Volcan continued.
"I want to go home," Dortin said with embarrassment and shame.
Orphen having jumped out of the tree, reached out a hand and a purple orb appeared at his palm, ready to be released, "Just remember, you asked for it." There was a loud explosion and the two trolls were sent flying.
Cleao looked on in astonishment. "You... how did..." she stammered. Cleao turned angry once more. "Get back!" she yelled as she brandished her sword. Orphen took a step forward and she took a step back in surprise.
"Don't worry about them," Orphen told her with a reassuring smile, "They're stronger than you think." Orphen turned his head, giving Cleao a side-on view of his face.
Her eyes widened in realization as she remembered the same guy standing on top of the tower at the Ruins of Kohan with the moon shining behind him- it was the guy she had fallen in love with from afar. "No!" Cleao exclaimed in dismay. She fell to her knees, "Ok. That's it then. I'm cursed. Every guy I fall for turns out to be a loser!" Cleao began to sob.
Orphen scratched his head, unsure of what to do, "Hey, I'm sorry, honey. I didn't know you cared about him that much. I can bring him back if you want."
"Wait a sec," the other guy spoke up, "Hey Cleao! Is that you? You back from boarding school already?" Cleao looked up, "Majic?"
"Friend of yours?" Orphen inquired.
"Yeah," Majic answered, "We went to grade school together. She's a couple of years older though. If you wanted to meet her so bad, I could've introduced you, Master."
"Yeah. Well first of all, I really don't need you to be playing matchmaker- I can do that on my own just fine. And secondly, she's not my type." ...
Cleao suddenly snapped out of her reverie. He said I wasn't his type even back then, Cleao thought, her heart feeling heavy, But then he told me that he loved me. He couldn't have been lying could he? Would he really do that to me? He's always kept his word though... Cleao thought, recalling the time Orphen had gone to save both Azalie and Childman. He had promised me he wouldn't die and he didn't... he came back to me. So when he told me that he loved me, he couldn't have been lying... could he? Cleao kept thinking. She averted her gaze from the lake, her black eyes showing signs of hope.
"How do you know this?" Azalie inquired quietly.
"Call it seer's intuition, if you will," Lai replied.
"Are you positive? Would you risk your life on it?" Hartia demanded, still in shock.
Lai's normally calm disposition turned sour. "Would I tell you this if I wasn't being serious? If I wasn't sure?" he snapped.
Hartia looked away in thought. How could it come to this? Was it really going to end this way? Something had to be done to stop the vision from coming true.
"It's better to be safe than sorry," Azalie said in their silence.
"We have to tell Krylancelo," Hartia mumbled as he turned. The read-head disappeaered without even saying goodbye.
The sorceress looked away from the place where Hartia once stood and glanced at her little baby boy in worry.
"I'll take care of it," Lai said with a gesture to Childman," Just go to others. Stop my vision form coming true."
Azalie merely nodded and teleported herself back to Alenhatan.
How could I believe a manipulative voice inside my head over Orphen? Over my own partner? Cleao berated herself, still sitting on the edge of the tower. Am I really that stupid?
No. You were hurt. It was only natural to react the way you did.
Cleao was surprised at the interruption, but she knew it was Her. What She had said was a comfort, but different thoughts kept running through Cleao's mind.
When your mind is full of indecision, try thinking with your heart.
Cleao only replied with silence.
What does your heart tell you?
The silence continued as Cleao put her mind to work. She carefully considered the question that had been posed to her. But this time, she also thought with her heart. And inside her heart, no matter how deeply wounded, one thing always remained. Her black eyes widened as she realized the answer she had been seeking.
Then you've made your choice.
"I... have..." Cleao trailed off and a faint smile touched her lips.
"I wonder what's happened to them," Majic said aloud ashe procrastinated by flicking through an old, irrelevant book. "You think they've found anything useful, Master?" Majic asked Orphen, who leant against the door frame of the living room in deep thought.
"Maybe..." the sorcerer replied absent-mindedly.
"Well maybe they're on their way here as we speak," Stephanie suggested.
"Maybe..." Orphen repeated in a monotone voice, still deep in thought.
"I don't think he's listening," Majic observed and Stephanie smiled. Majic was about to continue talking, but was cut off when Hartia appeared before them, Azalie, only half a minute behind.
"Speak of the devils," Orphen stated as he snapped out of his daze. Slightly drained of energy, both Hartia and Azalie bore grave expressions on their faces and Orphen knew that whatever they were able to find out was not good news. "Well? What did you find out?" Orphen asked, his voice tinged with urgency.
"Eran is a Heavenly Being," Azalie replied quickly, getting straight to the point. "Basically," she continued, not allowing the others time to react, "Eran believed that the Heavenly Ones deserved to rule the world. Ryu, Eran's elder brother, banished him when his ideas became too radical. Eran threatened that the Heavenly Ones would regret not siding with him, and he was sealed away. Ryn disappeared. We know nothing of the Angel of Life and Death. You are the descendant of Ryn and Jeraine is the descendant of Eran." Azalie had only paused for a moment before Hartia began.
"Lai has had another vision," Hartia spoke seriously, "He saw blood on the ground and he heard a girl scream. Then he saw a pair of wings, but not to whom the wings belonged to. And..." Hartia hesitated to finish his sentence.
"Spit it out, Hartia!" Orphen ordered, finally getting the chance to speak.
"There's no easy way to say this..." Hartia continued slowly.
"Lai believes that Cleao will die tonight," Azalie finished simply, earning a pointed look from Hartia while the others turned to face her with horrified faces. A dark silence filled the room.
Orphen was the first to take action. "I have to find Cleao!" he exclaimed to them before teleporting.
The others quickly snapped to it.
"We have to go after him," Azalie stated in an urgent tone.
"Where do we go?" Hartia asked no one in particular with the same urgency in his voice.
"Totokonta! Go to Totokonta!" the apprentice among them cried out.
Hartia nodded and grabbed Majic by the arm before leaving. Azalie turned to take hold of Orphen's old partner.
"No," Stephanie shook her head as she stepped back, "Go. I won't be of any use there. Just come back with Cleao."
Azalie left.
When?
Tonight, Jeremy replied, I'll kill her tonight. When no reply was forthcoming, Jeremy teleported out of Bandit City and to the place where he knew Cleao would be: the Ruins of Kohan. Jeremy quickly caught his breath as he hid himself behind the trees. Cleao had just stepped onto the banks of the lake. From where he was, he could see Cleao quite clearly. And Cleao was too lost in thought to notice his presence. He admired the girl for the last time. If I can't have her, neither can you, Krylancelo, the renegade sorcerer thought selfishly. He gathered all his energy for a fatal attack that would take Cleao's life. "Dagger of Death, whom I do wield," Jeremy whispered into the darkness. He held onto his attack.This is it, he thought, Once Cleao is out of the picture, Krylancelo will surely fall and nothing will be able to stop me. Jeremy smirked evilly. He hesitated. The descendant of the Heavenly Being shook his head as if to get rid of any doubts that lurked in his mind. I've made my decision. I'll do what is necessary.
Cleao stood beside the lake and she glanced back at the tower. Even though she had made her decision, many thought still plagued her mind. Would he accept her? Would Orphen be able to forgive her? I have to go to him now or I'll lose my nerve, Cleao urged herself. But then what? What do I say to him? 'Hi, how's it going? I hope you're not mad that I almost killed you a few days ago. Wanna go for another trip?'. Cleao bit her lip in worry. And she still had unwanted powers that she needed to deal with. How do I get rid of them? Jeremy would take them back wouldn't he? Cleao scoffed to herself, He wants Orphen dead. I doubt that he'd willingly help me go back to the one he wants to kill. Where's Jeremy now? And then there's that guy he talks to... what's up with him anyway? He's the one who tricked me into believing all those dark thoughts I was having. That jerk! Tears began to well in Cleao's eyes. Everything had suddenly become so complicated. And who knew that it could all happen in Totokonta! Of all places! I just want everything to go back to the way it used to be!
Orphen had teleported himself to the Ruins of Kohan. He stood atop the tower as his eyes frantically searched the surroundings. This was the only place that he could think of as to where Cleao might be. But what if she wasn't here? What if she was with Jeremy?
Damn it, Cleao! Where are you? He cursed inwardly. He saw a red glow from the corner of his eye. He turned to face the source of the light. Jeremy stood there in the darkness, illuminated by the glow of his spell. Orphen traced Jeremy's gaze to Cleao, who had been standing in front of him all this time. Even now, she was still hard to see. But Orphen could just barely make out her pale skin shining in the moonlight. Orphen looked back to Jeremy who was readying to release his spell. So this was what Lai was talking about... Jeremy was going to kill Cleao, Orphen's red-brown eyes hardened, Not on my life. "Cleao! Get out of the way!" Orphen yelled just as Jeremy released his attack.
And in that moment, time seemed to slow. Cleao spun around to look up at Orphen standing on the tower, her black dress flowing with her body. Orphen could see the coming attack, but Cleao couldn't. "Orphen?" Cleao whispered his name, completely bewildered at the sight of him.
There wasn't any time to spare, so the Gifted One did the only thing he could do. In one swift movement, Orphen teleported himself beside Cleao. Her dark eyes widened and her mouth was agape at Orphen's closeness. Orphen quickly erected a force field as he roughly pushed Cleao away. He watched in relief as she fell to the ground, out of harm's way. His relief was immediately replaced by a piercing pain. The attack had easily broken through the meager force field he had conjured in haste- the attack had hit his side. Orphen was dazed. He felt his mouth and eyes widen at the strong impact. The force of the spell sent him flying into the air and blood splattered everywhere. Orphen struggled to get up, but only managed to kneel with one hand against the ground to support himself. His eyes scanned the area until they were fixated on Cleao, who lay on the ground bemused and in pain. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you from all of this pain and suffering, Orphen thought as he felt the weight of his body start to bring him down. He grunted in pain. "Cleao..." he murmured with his last breath and his body hit the ground. Orphen lay there as a pool of blood formed around him. His life had been taken from him.
Jeremy emerged from the shadows. He grinned at the sight of the fallen sorcerer. "Even better than what I had planned," he whispered to himself. A few meters away, Orphen's companions arrived. All their eyes immediately fell upon the gory scene before them, too shocked to react.
Everything happened so fast. One second, Orphen had been standing by her side and the next, she was toppled on the ground with dirt in her mouth. Standing, Cleao straightened up and dusted herself off. How dare he just pushed me aside like that! What on earth made me think I wanted to go back to jerk like him! Cleao exploded as she searched for the sorcerer responsible for her painful fall. When I get my hands on that guy, I'm going to- Cleao's threat was cut short when she spotted a familiar, yet motionless form on the ground. Panic began to rise within her so she ran. Slowing down to a fast walk, she approached the body. Her anger that had changed to panic had now become fear. A heart-wrenching fear that threatened to overwhelm her. No! It can't be! Cleao felt her knees weaken and her legs buckled from beneath her. Cleao fell to the bloodstained ground; it was Orphen's blood. She found herself looking into Orphen's glazed eyes and fresh tears sprung into her own. "No!" Cleao wailed in anguish, seizing Orphen's limp body into her arms.
Majic watched, horrified at what he was seeing. We're too late. That single thought kept running through the young boy's head. He wanted to look away from the horrible scene before him, but his body wouldn't respond. So he stood there, frozen to the spot, facing the harsh truth: his Master was dead.
Hartia couldn't look away from the sight of Cleao holding Orphen in her arms, holding his corpse. Corpse; such a harsh word. But it was the truth. Or was it? Was this really happening? Or was it a trick to weaken their defenses? But it couldn't be. It all felt too real. Hartia's eyes were still on Cleao. Oh Cleao, I'm sorry we couldn't stop this. If only we hadn't stopped at the Everlasting mansion, he thought bitterly. Everyone was taking it hard. The red-head looked towards Orphen's apprentice. Hartia laid a hand on Majic's shoulder as a gesture of comfort, but the young boy didn't notice. Hartia looked at Azalie, but the Elder only looked blankly ahead.
Krylancelo? Krylancelo? Azalie wanted to run to her brother. She wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him till he woke up, but she felt so detached. She didn't want to believe that they were too late. She didn't want to believe that the minute spent at the Everlasting mansion looking for him had actually cost him his life. How is it that he had saved her life, yet she couldn't save his? Azalie would not believe that her brother was dead. "Krylancelo!" Azalie screamed in woe as tears began to flow from her violet eyes.
Jeremy watched in satisfaction at the sight of the broken people mourning the sudden loss of the worthless sorcerer. Things are starting to look up. It seems like I get to have Cleao after all, he thought slyly.
Fool. She is coming.
Unable to fully understand what had been said, Jeremy could only watch.
The world around her melted away, leaving only the two of them. Holding Orphen's lifeless form in her arms, Cleao cried. How could this happen? She made her choice and this is what she received in return? She had so much to tell him... So much she wanted him to know. "I'm so sorry, Orphen..." she murmured softly though her tears, "I'm so sorry..." Cleao's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Her tears stopped and her dark eyes snapped open. Her heart skipped a beat. Something was happening, she could feel it inside herself. Cleao was changing. Without realizing, Cleao had released Orphen's body and was now floating midair. A beam of bright light burst from the heavens above and shone down on her; she was like a luminescent candle in the overshadowing darkness. The heavenly light encased her body in a protective shell. For the first time in a long time, Cleao felt safe and warm. Spending what seemed like an eternity in that protective shell, Cleao was gently returned to the ground. But this time, she was different.
Four pairs of eyes stared in wonder and awe. Silence filled the atmosphere. Jeremy stood frozen to the spot in astonishment. He couldn't believe his eyes; such a beauty stood before him. Her golden tendrils blew gently in the evening breeze, her vibrant blue orbs gazed at him with compassion, her every curve was accentuated by the silky white dress that covered her body and finally her wings. Her wing span was of thirteen meters and each feather was flecked with gold. She was truly an angel in his eyes.
"The Angel of Life and Death..." Majic trailed off in a bare whisper.
"She's beautiful," Hartia managed to say softly. Azalie could only stare.
It is Her.
Jeremy's eyes hardened and he looked at her, fully aware that she was a threat to him. "Don't think that this is over," he spat as he retreated into the darkness.
"No," She agreed gently, "It has only just begun."
Author's note: Here ends Chapter 14: Decisions. I hope that it was to your liking. I wanted to end it here, but then I thought "Nah, let's add an epilogue". Anyway, the epilogue will follow soon. Please read and review! Thank you! Happy reading to you all!