Don't consider myself to be perfect…"
Oh, but he was. Actually, but they were. Both of them.
Nycole blinked, rubbing her eyes in disbelief. It was a band. But, it was more than that. It was a second cluster in the universe. A shining, bright star in a realm off nothing more than mere shadows.
Resplendent creatures.
"But I, I,
Don't think I can be suited for this role…"
Oh, but they were.
Both of them.
They were a singer and a bassist. The singer stood tall and proud, almost cockily so as he strode about the stage, peering over the crowd that had gathered in The Masquerade's Hell. His hair was tied back in a neatly slicked pony tail. And, yet, it somehow didn't surprise Nycole that this man kept his hair long, in rich, thick curls. The singer's hair was black, seeming to mold into the deep, ebony makeup smeared across the top half of his face. Chocolate brown eyes peered out from beneath that dark mess of sweat and greasepaint.
And the bassist? Strangely, his head had been shorn clear of hair. His eyes gazed out, under shining, rounded, chrome glasses, hidden from the world. This man seemed lost in the music, lost to the very notes he strummed out. His black coat had been splattered with some sort of white powder. And, yet, it seemed to go.
They were completely suited for this role, and Nycole knew it.
"But hey, hey, I, I,
Don't want to be burdened by you…"
Nycole held her breath. The singer had thrown out a hand, into the air, seemingly right at her. The gesture cut through the air like a dart straight threw her, a direct blow. Her body froze, tensing suddenly as the girl empath daren't move a muscle. Fortunately, the singer didn't seem to notice; he gaze dropped away slyly.
The pair seemed to hold a faint strangeness. It was as if time and space bent around them. Their actions seemed sinuous and liquid, flowing through energy and matter its self. Light spun in and around them, but only to her trained eyes. Their glory came from within and from the universe's own, unique blessings. Oh, yes, for these men were both cursed and blessed at the same time, just as Brett was, just as Amon was. They appeared in the same, veiled periphery of life as the others did, these odd performers.
This was Nycole's gift, the gift of an Oracle. Her very essence remained forever encompassed in one, simple task. Her every fiber trained on that one, specific quest to life. The empath had but one purpose, to locate and identify other… unique individuals.
"Nycole!"
"Hey, hey, you, you,
Don't write me off…."
Nycole drew in a deep breath, swallowing hard.
For right now, they were innocent, these two musicians. They had nothing to do with anything that had happened to the Thirteen. They knew nothing of the Thirteen. Hell, Nycole was even aware of that fact that this pair remained completely oblivious to their own heritage and fate, much as Amon had. Thinking back, for how blood strained Amon's hands had been, even that man had been innocent, unaware of the darkness building around him.
"Don't follow me. You won't like where you'll be."
'If only you knew the truth about that,' Nycole thought to herself with a smug grin.
"Nycole!"
"Don't look to me. You won't life what you'll see."
Again, the empath shuddered with delicious sadism, feeling those dark thoughts rising within herself, growing deeper and seething in her heart. These boys were special compared to everyone else, and it was her place to tell them.
"Nycole!" Brett's voice, shouting over the throbbing industrial.
Soon, these boys would know the truth, and, soon, they would become men.
Brett grabbed her sharply. "Nycole, what in the hell where you thinking, wandering off like that?"
"Nothing…"
But Brett knew it was a lie. He just knew better than to press the subject.
"We're leaving. Now."
Nycole spared a glance over her shoulder as Brett hauled her away from the stage and back towards Purgatory. The singer seemed to be staring her down as she left, but Nycole knew he couldn't really see her for what she truly was. That man couldn't see the girl's true nature. For that, she was thankful.
"Soon…."
xxxx
Miho Karasuma had believed in witches since she was a little girl. Her heart had leapt with keen interest and sharp fascination at the fabrications her parents shared at bedtime. Every utterance of one, simple statement sent thrills racing through Miho's younger self.
"Once upon a time."
From there, anything could happen. A whole world of possibilities spanned before the child as her parents wove grandiose yarns of princesses and princes, tales of knights and their ladies, or swordplay and sorcery. Miho could have been anyone at anytime and any place. She could instantly be whisked away by her own imagination to some far off time and place, where wizards lived alongside normal men, and dragons swooped through the clouds above.
The urge had continued throughout her life. The woman could devour books at an explosive rate, seemingly finishing a tale before the spine could even be barely broken. And, yet, for the first time ever, Miho found herself hesitant.
Doujima even stepped back, away from the empath as she brought the book into the living room. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Secrets of the Thirteen…" Miho replied as she sat by the counter, holding the book gingerly.
Her younger, blonde companion rubbed her arms uneasily. "Do you think we should read it? I mean, it's not like it's ours." Doujima seemed to be attempting to rationalize just avoiding the entire problem. "It's not like it's any of our business."
But it was too late; Miho had already cracked the book open.
xxxx
Amon. Thirteen. Warrior.
And, so, they shall gather. Stage is set.
I… will be lost to the enemy. And this shall force certain pieces into place.
I will not return.
But, in the end, Kristo's blood shall be on my hands.
It will be all my fault.
And there is nothing anyone can do to stop this.
Are you happy, Miss Miho Karasuma?
Isn't this precisely what you wanted to read?
xxxx
Miho slammed the book shut.
"She knew…."
Somehow, damn her, Kathain had known the whole time. The precognitive had seen. Karasuma flipping through the pages of the book, finding that one spot and reading ahead. The girl wrote that page specifically for Miho, especially for that one moment in time and space.
Kathain even had the audacity to call Miho's honor into question.
"What is it?" Doujima asked softly, afraid of the answer.
"I need to speak with Amon, now."
xxxx
Such a strange pilgrimage.
Markus had seen them off that morning as they left Atlanta. His eyes had followed the line of cars, that odd little caravan as they slipped away from the farmhouse, and into the trees. They were armed, and they were ready.
And Markus?
He would be waiting for them.
All Markus needed was but a little more time.
xxxx
The sun mocked them.
It hung in the sky, swollen and full of life giving light. Those rays splashed down upon everything, leaving little dark places to hide. And, yet, they traveled on.
Robin just gazed out. They were quiet, too quiet. The Craft user didn't like it. She especially didn't like the fact that Kristo actually slumbered beside her as they drove. The man hardly seemed to really sleep deeply, to truly rest. Yet, there he sat, his head tilted to one side, his body supine and almost limp. The man was saving his strength and preparing, readying himself for whatever battle lay ahead.
And, yet, his tonto rested on the chair just beneath his fingers.
Robin leaned forward, closer to Amon, feeling the head of his body under the harsh sun. "Amon, why are we doing this?"
"I have to."
The girl flinched. Not "we." Not "you and I." No. HE had to. It was as if she didn't even exist to him anymore. It was as if Robin had never existed. It seemed that only these Thirteen existed within Amon's world. The Thirteen, and the Oracles.
It was all their fault.
Robin balled her fist tightly. "How long are you going to keep me in the dark?"
Brett raised an eyebrow as he continued to drive. The fire elemental had known this would happen, in it's own time. Kathain had all but told him so. At one point, the precognitive had seen fit to share with him every detail to life, the universe, and everything. And, at one point, Brett had seen fit to listen with open ears. He knew all of this would come to pass. The elemental had just waited for it to come.
"You really want to be in the light?" Kristo asked without even cracking open an eye.
The girl bit her lip. "I'd like to know something, anything. You can't keep dragging me blindly into this."
"Then, open your eyes."
Robin sat back, rather unpleased with the world and the others at that moment. She would better deal with them later. But, for right then, perhaps the best idea was to sit tight and just say her energy for the upcoming battle.
'We'll see.'
But there was plenty of road ahead, and miles to ponder things out.
xxxx
Me be tired. Long day at work. Long day at festival. But, figured you'd like an update soon.