Crimson Twilight: Dusk
Chapter 28: Treacherous innocence
"It's great that we can all get together for a drink once for a while!" Kreizen Xalascent said to his sister. "It's been a long time since we all got together. Too bad it has to be during this problem." He grinned as he walked back to his shop. For tonight, he was not worrying about the outcome of any war or duel. All he focused on was enjoying the company of his friends and his younger sister.
"You're acting like you spent the entire day partying with our friends, brother." Seihanine answered. Her tone was chilly; the exact opposite of her brother's affectionate words. "Have you already forgotten this afternoon's battle?"
Seihanine did not think the same way as her older brother. Unlike him, she focused on the future battles they were bound to have. As a result, she was often serious and grim. Others would be put off by such an attitude; even Trenzein and especially Eliarainne. Her older brother did not mind it in the least. Kreizen grinned at his sister. They were siblings. Cold or not, it was enough reason for him to be affectionate. Seihanine would often mope about every little detail and she was terrible at conversations but Kreizen understood why this was so and would not have changed his affection towards her even if he didn't. "Well, I suppose in a way we did spend the afternoon in some form of party, Sei!" He answered.
Seihanine frowned at her brother's remark. She sometimes found that attitude of his extremely annoying. She had been worried when he locked blades with the ferocious Orc Hero. While she maintained a calm exterior in battle, she was frantic when Kreizen was at a disadvantage against the powerful immortal. Now he dismissed it as if it was nothing! "Party?" She retorted. "We lost plenty of allies in the last battle, Reiz! I don't think we simply "partied" as you and Zein would like to call it."
Kreizen shook his head slowly. "I acknowledge the fallen in my own way, Sei." He answered. "I'm sure Zein feels the same way as I do. The dead won't rise if you worry enough about them. I like to focus on what I have now. Sure tomorrow's probably another slaughter of a battle but that only makes these brief moments of peace all the more precious to me."
Seihanine watched her brother curiously. At times she often disapproved of his constant optimism. She just felt that there were times when you couldn't hope for the best no matter what you did. But there were times when she also appreciated it. Few things ever got him down for long and it only gave her even more reason to fight harder. "Do as you like then, brother." She sighed. "I know there's no point for me to try and convince you otherwise."
Kreizen was about to reply when he was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Welcome back, Mister Kreizen!"
Kreizen found the girl he had helped before; the one called Moonlight, standing by their doorstep. Seihanine's eyes narrowed in suspicion. She still did not trust this girl. "Moonlight! You're still awake?" Kreizen asked.
Moonlight bowed politely to the two Xalascents; a Payonese custom, Seihanine observed. "I couldn't sleep really." She replied. "So I decided to wait for you instead!"
Kreizen laughed and ruffled the girl's short, blond hair with one hand. Moonlight smiled and blushed at his gesture. "That's so nice of you, Moonlight." He said. "So how are you doing? Remember anything so far?"
Moonlight's face saddened. "Not much…everything is so fuzzy and, when I try to remember, everything just goes blank and my head just starts to hurt."
Kreizen's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he laid a hand on the Moonlight's shoulder. "Don't force yourself." He told her. "It will come back eventually. In the meantime, you can stay here as long as you like. It's probably safer too, with this orcish siege and all."
Moonlight grasped Kreizen's hand tightly. Her lips quivered a bit at his words as Seihanine noticed with irritation. "Thank you, Mister Kreizen." She told him. Seihanine nearly rolled her eyes.
Kreizen grinned in embarrassment. "Don't mention it!" He said. "Just being helpful!"
Seihanine frowned at her older brother. Kalyx was gripping her shoulder tightly. Something about the girl was agitating the falcon and she didn't like it. 'And making a gullible fool of yourself while doing so, brother.' She thought. She made her way to her room. Much to her annoyance, she realized that Moonlight had been sleeping in it recently. The sheets were completely messed up and one pillow had fallen to the floor. Either Moonlight had taken to jumping up and down the bed or she was an incredibly turbulent sleeper. 'Great…Looks like I'm sleeping by the walls as usual.' Seihanine thought.
Seihanine turned around and found that Kreizen was right behind her. He smiled apologetically at seeing her bed. "I'll sleep by the forging bench, Sei." He offered. "You can sleep in my bed. Try to be nice to Moonlight."
Seihanine waved a hand to dismiss the gesture. "Your bed smells perpetually of forging oil and star crumbs, Reiz! I'll wake up smelling like that."
Kreizen grinned and nudged Seihanine. Like Trenzein, he derived some pleasure in teasing his often moody sister. "I'm sure Zein won't mind!" He said. He laughed to see a very faint hint of color rise to his sister's face.
Seihanine nudged her brother sharply with her elbow; making him rub his ribs painfully. "Not funny, Reiz!" She groused and then stalked out of the house.
Moonlight stared at Seihanine frightfully as she left. The huntress seemed so…hostile and her falcon was even worse. Suddenly, a searing pain in her head caused her to reel. She clutched her head painfully; it was as if something was forcing itself into her mind.
Kreizen noticed Moonlight's pain quickly. "Moonlight! Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.
The girl suddenly stopped and smiled. "I'm alright now, Mister Kreizen." She replied. "Just a dizzy spell."
Kreizen sighed in relief. "That's good. Go to sleep, Moonlight."
Moonlight edged towards the door. "Umm…could I talk to your sister first, Mister Kreizen?" She asked.
Kreizen raised an eyebrow. "You want to talk to Sei? She won't say much to you." He warned her.
Moonlight smiled again. "I just want to say something to her."
Kreizen shrugged his shoulders. A lot of people had tried making friends with his sister before and each time he wished them the best of luck even as he waited for the inevitable and cold rebuff they would receive. It didn't matter if it was a man or a woman, a suitor or just someone wanting to make more friends. "You'd better hurry to catch up then."
The girl rushed out the door.
Seihanine made her way to the outer walls. It had been a trying day for her. With Trenzein courting disaster with his recklessness and Kreizen blindly trusting some girl he found in the middle of Prontera. Every instinct inside her screamed that something was…wrong with that girl. To be named "Moonlight" of all things...it just couldn't be mere coincidence. Suddenly, several distant explosions caught her attention. 'That came from the cathedral!' She thought in alarm. 'What's going on?'
"Umm…Miss Seihanine?" A familiar voice spoke from behind her.
Seihanine turned around when she heard her name and ended up facing Moonlight. "You…why did you follow me?" She asked. She dearly hoped this wasn't some attempt to win her over as many of the people Kreizen associated with had tried in the past. She didn't have time for this. The cathedral could be under attack.
Moonlight cringed at the harsh questioning. "I just…I just-"
Kalyx screeched at the girl and flapped his wings. Suddenly the girl stood completely still. When she did speak, it wasn't the high-pitched tone of a little girl. Moonlight spoke with a soft, hissing, rasping menace.
"I just want you to shut that bird up!"
Moonlight focused her gaze at the falcon. Seihanine noticed the sudden malevolence that lit the girl's eyes. Instead of the soft, red eyes she saw earlier, Seihanine saw the golden, cat-like eyes of Moonlight Flower. The girl raised a hand. Before Seihanine could react, an invisible force struck Kalyx with the force of a blow. The falcon screeched and fell to the ground.
"Kalyx!" Seihanine checked her falcon for signs of life. To her relief, Kalyx was merely unconscious. She turned to face her spell-casting opponent. An aura of power surrounded Moonlight. An unnatural breeze swirled the borrowed shirt she had on. The street they were in was deserted; ensuring that the battle would only be between them. Seihanine pointed an arrow at the girl, who sneered at her.
"You dare raise a weapon against an immortal?" Moonlight snarled. "Fine! I will destroy you anyway, so I might as well have a bit of exercise!" The immortal charged with his "bell-stick" in his hands.
Seihanine released the arrow; her hands already taking another one from her quiver. As she anticipated, Moonlight easily dodged it. "What do you want from my brother, Moonlight?" She asked.
The immortal laughed ."That foolish blacksmith?" He answered. "I could have killed him so many times from the way he trusts me now!" He brought his weapon down at the Seihanine. Despite the bell's fragile appearance, it was more powerful than the strongest hammer a mortal could ever forge.
Seihanine jumped back in time to evade the blow. The bell smashed into the stone pavement; cracking the ground where the blow landed. A solid blow from it would likely shatter her bones on impact yet this immortal was swinging it about like a child's toy despite having the body of a young girl.
Moonlight laughed again and took a step back as well. Before Seihanine could react, he pointed a finger at her; freezing air from all around them and hurling the sharpened, icy shards straight at her.
Seihanine avoided several of the shards as they flew at her. A few of them managed to graze her on the shoulders and legs. There was little pain, only numbness and the knowledge that she had been cut. She fired another arrow at Moonlight, who ducked it. "So what's your true purpose here then, Moonlight?" She asked.
Moonlight Flower twirled his bell-stick like a quarter staff. This huntress was going to be dead soon enough anyway and his plans wouldn't be unhinged even if she did know. "My original purpose here was to thwart Osiris' plans by exposing him." He said. "But with the orc tribes keeping the majority of your citizens too worried to notice our presence. All I have to do now is eliminate the alert ones and my cover will be perfect."
Seihanine drew another arrow from her quiver. "Alert ones" right now certainly meant her. "Then why do you spare my brother?" She asked.
Moonlight scowled in response. The demanding tone in the huntress's questions was starting to get annoying. "You're asking too many questions for someone about to die, woman!" He snarled.
A jet of ice streaked towards Seihanine. She managed to jump aside but Moonlight had anticipated her move. The bell stick's butt end struck her on the cheek. She staggered back as Moonlight caused several shards of light to streak towards her. The shards struck her with the force of hurled stones, knocking the breath from her lungs and forcing her to the ground. The "bell-stick" was quick to descend on her head.
"What the-?" Moonlight suddenly cried out. He stopped in the middle of his attack as if he was being restrained.
Seihanine backed away from the immortal and stared at him incredulously. Moonlight tried to land his blow but it was as if his arms were suddenly frozen. "No! I am in control!" He shouted at some unseen person. "How dare you-!"
The bell stick suddenly lashed forward; its end catching Seihanine on the face. She fell heavily to the ground but, even as she struggled to stand up, she felt the presence of Moonlight Flower vanish.
"Miss Seihanine! Are you alright?"
Seihanine suddenly looked up at her foe. While she could not feel Moonlight Flower's presence, his physical, female body was still in front of her. She stood up and wiped the blood from the cut on her lip. Her cheek was already starting to swell. She continued to stare warily at the girl before her. "You…you're Moonlight Flower aren't you?" She asked the girl.
Moonlight's eyes widened in surprise. "Moonlight Flower?" She answered incredulously. "I can't be! I'm just a girl named Moonlight!"
Seihanine pointed her gakkung at the girl. Moonlight immediately cringed and put her arms up to protect herself. Kalyx finally woke up and squawked viciously at the blond girl. Moonlight's irises had turned red once more and no longer shone with malevolence. Seihanine lowered her bow; somehow she felt that this was not Moonlight Flower.
"How did I get here?" Moonlight asked. "Where's Mister Kreizen?"
Seihanine was about to answer when she caught sight of something terrible.
The Pronteran Cathedral, the largest building in the entire city except for the royal palace, burned a bright orange; lighting the sky like a small, flickering sun. Some of its spires had collapsed in the blaze. Enormous clouds of black smoke rose to the night sky; blotting out the stars.
Seihanine started to run for the cathedral when she remembered Moonlight. She stopped and stared at the girl indecisively. She knew that, somehow, this girl was Moonlight Flower and at the same time she was someone else. She couldn't trust her around Kreizen as she might become Moonlight Flower again but she couldn't just leave her to get lost in the city. "Moonlight! Go back to the house and tell my brother to hurry towards the cathedral!" With that, Seihanine ran ahead. Kalyx soared above them; scouting for any danger. She decided to keep the girl in their house for a while. There was something that was preventing Moonlight Flower from harming Kreizen in the first place. It was probably the reason that the immortal refused to answer her question when he was forthcoming with everything else. 'I'll have to trust Kreizen to handle himself.' She reasoned.
Seihanine kept running.
Kreizen Xalascent stood in front of his shop's door. He had decided to wait until Moonlight made it back. It was strange that the girl was taking a bit too long. Could it be that Seihanine had not coldly rebuffed her attempt at friendship? Kreizen's thoughts strayed a bit from how his sister saw the girl to how he did. While he considered the girl to be too young, he had to admit that she was quite pretty. Her hair felt very soft to touch and he liked the feel of it. The way she smiled and blushed at his slightest gesture was amusing and it certainly warmed his heart.
"Mister Kreizen!"
Moonlight ran towards the house at such speed that she found it difficult to stop. She was about to crash into Kreizen when he grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her. "Whoa, easy there Moonlight! What's wrong?" He asked.
Moonlight struggled to catch her breath. "Miss Seihanine says you should hurry to the cathedral!"
Kreizen's expression grew serious. "Alright, stay inside the house and lock the doors!" He told the girl. He grabbed his two-handed axe and rushed to the cathedral. Seihanine would never tell him to hurry if it wasn't an emergency. 'Now there are battles inside and outside the walls.' He thought 'Is there no more peace in Prontera?' The moment he stepped out of the house though he immediately saw the reason why he should hurry. 'The cathedral! Damn it, Silmeia's in there!'
Kreizen ran as fast as he could. Despite himself, he had a black feeling that, no matter how he hurried, it would already be too late.