A/N: I know the times are jumping around and it may seem confusing at first. Since Eshkar and Earth are not dimensionally connected, the times may vary. I've placed the timestamps for your sake, so that you might have a better gist of what is going on.
Thomas Drovin: Thanks for your review! I will definitely e-mail you with any questions…

KrillBall: Hugs Your welcome!

Chapter two, Ronkallta

Eshkar, 2:15 a.m., August 4th

A handful of people, along with the six elders, gathered around the mouth of the temple-tent. All of them were ready and willing to complete and succeed at the task at hand. Ithar called out to them, her voice like the sad song of the morning dove, to come inside. The cloaked heads flowed like a stream into the tent where the goddess was dwelling at the moment, when she spent time with the mortals. The room was dimly lit, the coals barely glowing, casting an eerie shimmer on the faces of the company. There were thirteen of them, including the immortal, ready to begin the ritual.

Ithar addressed the eldest.

"Are there no more?"

The old woman sadly shook her head.

"All 'twas left from the massacre has been summoned."

Ithar's heart sank. She was the only one who knew how dangerous it was to perform the Ronkallta with thirteen or less people. Less magic could cause there to be a gap in the tapestry of the chant they were about to weave. However, Ithar was willing to take the chance. Storm had become somewhat of a daughter to the tender hearted goddess; the girl had become like one of her own, as if she herself had raised her. In a way, she had.

"Let us begin!"

—

Rejuvenation chamber room, 1:35 a.m., August 4th

Bulma turned slowly to face her son.

"She's gone…" she sadly whispered, as if she didn't believe the readings of the instruments herself.

Trunks palled and time seemed to stop. His eyes held no tears left for him to cry as the world around him caved in, compressing his lungs and preventing him from breathing freely. The only other time he could remember feeling such a mixture of hate and sorrow was when the androids had maliciously slaughtered Gohan, his mentor. Thankfully, then he could go back in time and warn the Z warriors ahead of time of the android's approach. But this time… This time he couldn't go back. He knew in his heart that even if he did warn his past self, Rako would still come back and kill her. His heart couldn't bear the weight of having to see her dying in his arms again.

Reality bites with a variety of sizes of teeth…

Trunks mechanically walked over to Storm's lifeless body.

No, she can't be gone! Just hours ago I was holding her in my arms… She cannot be gone, I refuse to believe that!

Denial cushioned his mind from being psychologically scarred any further than he already had been.

Bulma walked out of the room as he began to talk to Storm as if there was still a sliver of hope left.

"I never realized you hated your life that much." he smiled weakly. "You must've had it pretty rough considering how much you've cut…" he glanced at her ribbon-like arms and ran his fingers up to her shoulder, gently caressing her wounds. His eyes traveled to her misshapen face, covered in the bruises dealt by her foster mother, Sarah.

"Who beat you like this…" he whispered, pondering the blackened circles around her eyes. "There's still so much about you that I don't know yet… As soon as you get better, we'll go someplace far away and get to know one another." He smiled again and cupped the right side of her face with his hand.

"I know things were bad for you at home and you hated living but…what about now?" he traced the outline of he blue lips, gently like a summer breeze would flow through the leaves on a hot day.

"Do you still want to die? I wish I could make you see all the good things in life… I love you so much…" he looked into her pale face "Isn't that enough?"

—

Eshkar, 2:19 a.m., August 4th

The company clasped hands, forming a circle around the goddess. Although they knew how to form the spell, none of them (except Ithar) knew how great of a risk they were about to take. The incense swirled around them as they began.

"Witca ta pronta wok ta imazol sel har-lish ban kalltal ecno oni…" The melodic murmur of the voices filled the atmosphere. With every spoken word, a circle began to form around the inside edge of the group (around the goddess), growing brighter with each passing moment.

"Le mos vizlo ban to morgal wok ban silko e sel ki lusto tis bishka tis ban felno…" Threads of blue light erupted from the chest of each person, including Ithar's who's was the brightest. The threads met in the center (Ithar's flowing from the center to the outside)creating a thirteen point star.

"…Witca ta pronta wok imazal sel har-lish ban kalltal ecno oni…" The threads intertwined and slowly weaved themselves into one single fabric, thus completing the spell. The group hummed the single last note "ee", concentrating their magic into the fabric. As the spell ended, the circle spiraled into the ground, leaving the tent darkened (aside from the luminescent glow from the goddess). The thirteen held their breath, anxiously awaiting the news of if their spell was successful or not.

—

Rejuvenation chamber room, 1:40 a.m., August 4th

"I love you…isn't that enough?"

Trunks' words hung in the air, drifting just above Storm's body. He felt guilt wash over him like an unforgiving stream of misery, sickening his stomach. He regretted the words just as they had left his mouth.

No. It's not her fault. I shouldn't blame her…

He gazed at her glistening body drenched in the blood of her own sorrow, with an aching longing in his heart. Somehow he felt guilty, as if her death had been caused by him.

After all, he thought to himself, I was supposed to save her. His vision swam and he angrily whipped away his tears.

I did try… he smiled sheepishly.

I don't even know why I fell for her… I barely know anything about her!

She barely knows anything about herself!

He glanced at the door briefly to see if his mother and father had truly left him alone to wallow in his misery.

Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He jerked back to the corpse.

Storm's body was covered in strange, bluish writing, glowing eerily as if coming from inside of her flesh. His mind reeled with madness as he searched for an explanation for this strange phenomenon. Hushed voices filled the air, rising and falling in volume like the ocean waves rolling in from the sea. With the last note of the last word, a blue stream of light burst from within her, finding its exit through her eye sockets. The light disappeared as it hit the ceiling and ceased just as suddenly as it had appeared.

He looked at her body curiously, searching for anything different.

A/N: Yay for cliffhangers! Review Please!