Note: Jeez'm'petes! So sorry about this guys. Senior year is cruddy. Well, thanks to all who emailed me to get my story back in swing. This is all that I have for now, but fear not! I have more ideas swimming around in my odd little head!
"Xalis." Windy lifted her head. "Xalis. Why does that name keep burning in my head? Argh!" She clutched her head. The sensation of her vomiting engulfed her being. "Breathe, breathe, breathe. Don't lose it now. Don't let a name get to you. It's all in your head. Xalis doesn't exist, it's just a lapse of insanity."
Then why does it hurt so much? A woman's voice echoed in the back of her mind. It was sweet and cooling to hear, and yet it gave off a comforting warmth. Names do not hurt; it is the meaning of the name that causes fear.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Windy blinked many times, shocked that she's answering herself aloud, nevertheless listening to the voice. "Raven's kind of scary, but she doesn't scare me… too much."
It is not the name! The One who carries the name sickens you.
"You're insane!" Still, she doubled over in pain when the name flashed in her mind, branding her, marking her to feel his touch. The winds howled and trees groaned against its force. The branches broke open the windows in the city and scattering garbage across the streets. Then, she felt her distress being nudged back by some unseen hand, like that of a gentle push to reassure a child that all is well. The wind died down and everything came to a halt.
If it bothers you so much, child, then ask Raven for yourself, the voice said gently.
Windy nodded and traveled to the Empath's dormitory.
"Long ago, before Man trampled upon the Earth's beauty, fantastic creatures only heard in legend dwelled in the Skies and Ground. These creatures, known to Man as the mythical Elementals, commanded the powers and blessings of each sign: Fire (whose rulers are the Salamanders), Water (Undines), Earth (Ogres), and Air (Sylphs). The Sylphs and Salamanders shared the Skies while the Ogres and Undines inhabited the Ground. At peace these creature tended to the gardens and oceans, to the forges and windmills. At peace they promoted prosperity among their tribe. At peace, and even after Man's birth, these creatures helped the mortals advance.
"However, something went horribly wrong.
"The Salamanders, whose population was quickly expanding, dared to cross over into the Air quadrant. At first the people of the Air did not mind; in fact, they rejoiced in the birth of fellow Sky inhabitants. They taught the young Fire children the importance of utithla, which means "flow" or "ease of movement" in the Ancient Language. The children nearly surpassed the Air Tribe, and the parents used this to their advantage.
"One early morn, while the sun was half-seen over the horizon, blazing specters assaulted the Sylphs. Huts were burned down, children were slaughtered, and the men were made slaves: all in the name of expansionism. The Air Tribe fought back with Hail, Thunder, Lightning, and Wind but to of no avail. The mighty Air warriors were beaten back and cornered. Hail tried to flee, but with one touch of the fiends he disintegrated.
"It is said that his soul fell into the bottom of the oceans and was warmly welcomed by the Water Tribe. There he was transformed from a fickle, cold raindrop to a bold, powerful warrior who pelts his opponents with ice.
"The remainingtriplets of the Air gathered together and debated: Another among the siblings must sacrifice all the power they had to liberate the Tribe. Selfish Lightning dared not to volunteer; he had more fun startling the primitive mortals with the awesome streaks of electricity. Meek Thunder could not bring himself to separate from his family. At last, mournful Wind agreed to be the scapegoat and sacrifice, for the sake of her Tribe and the mortals. Gathering the power of the winds, the shy beauty stepped forward into the brazen Salamanders' lair. By creating a vulcaan, a vacuum, the fiery beasts were sucked into the nothingness and were soon smothered by the open space. Smoldering, the Leader of the Salamanders swore to continue the war, no matter how long he was forced to wait.
"It is said that she screamed her name for her brothers to hear as she succumbed to the vacuum's pull. Her name is to be used in dire situations, and when called history will repeat itself.
"Scholar beware, for it holds more power than the air that gives life to mortals, that scatters the seeds to sow life, that carries the sweet scent of a new day. Her name is…"
Raven squinted at the print to try to read the foreign name. She heard a knock at her door and slammed her book shut. Placing the ancient text underneath her pillow, she stood and opened the door to find a worried-etched face of Windy staring back at her. She was breathing heavily and had fresh scratches down her arms from the rosebush.
"What is it?" Raven asked calmly. The wind child straightened and inhaled deeply.
"Who is Xalis?"
The two quietly traveled back to the rosebushes. It was a peaceful city night: the cars were silent on the road; the building lights were bright against the black canvass of the sky. The girls stared out across the sea for awhile as the stiff silence between them made Windy fidget. She drew a triangle in the dirt by her right hand and then circumscribed the triangle with a circle. Windy was ready to stand and leave when Raven spoke suddenly and softly.
"You need to change your destiny."
"What?" asked a shocked Windy.
"The prophecies have been fulfilled so far. And the next will come soon. Windy, promise me to fight Her. You must." Raven sounded so earnest in what she said that it frightened the Honorary Titan.
"What do you mean?" Windy scuttled backward and bumped against a rock. The Empath gave a most pitiful look and sighed. She shook her head and walked back to the Tower. The wind child chased after her, but something took a firm hold of her ankle. She stumbled and fell forward, only to hear a crack and feel a sharp pain travel across the bridge of her nose. Touching it gingerly, she could tell that it was out of place; wetness trickled from both nostrils. The tendril that was wrapped around her leg tightened and burned; she let out a yelp and looked back.
Windy did not trip over an unearthed root. A fiery tentacle was slithering up over her legs and back. The source of it came from the darkness; soon afterward, it pulled her into that unknown space. She cried out for help, and Raven, upon hearing the shout, flew to her aid. The Empath could see scratch marks along the ground from where the child tried to maintain a grip on anything.
Another scream. The sound of struggle. Desperate cries. Those were what filled the Empath's mind as she doubled-over in pain. She had to help Windy, but the pain emanating from the girl was extreme. In her mind, she focused that pain into a tiny ball of light and sent it into the Tower. There it divided into two separate orbs: one red, one orange. Each held a memory of what was happening at that moment. They scattered to Robin and Starfire and flooded their dreams with disturbing images. Raven even cried for the assistance of her companions.
The two that shared the Empath's mind awoke suddenly, their minds filled with memories not of their own. Like being controlled by some unseen hand, they marched out from the Tower to the point of assault. Robin and Starfire looked startled to find each other there. Quickly they exchanged few comparative words. Again, they mechanically shifted their gaze across the garden and ran to it. There, a figure wearing a blue robe was slumped on the ground, her back heaving with deep gasps. Her hands were clenched tightly on the ground, grabbing at the loose dirt in frustration. Neither Robin nor Starfire moved another inch.
"He has her. The Balance is gone. It's all over."
Windy rolled over and moaned deeply. All of her joints were stiff with pain as she moved slowly. Using her arms as a levy, she pushed herself up. She could not see much, for it was dark. Only a single flame flickered in the unnerving darkness. Windy blinked and focused on that small flame. It seemed to grow larger and larger by the moment. It was not until he was only a few feet away from her that she realized the danger. He grabbed her harshly by the neck of her shirt and pulled her up. She could see the red rivers flowing in his cracked, black skin. He smelled of death and burned flesh.
"Princess," he started, "what a pleasure to meet you after a millennia of separation. I missed you, dear."
"X-Xalis…" she whispered. "You're him, aren't you?"
"I'm surprised you didn't forget me, love! I did brand you with my name, right here…" With his index finger, he tapped her forehead. "That's how I found you, my Princess." She jerked her head away.
"Stop with the pleasantries. What do you want, Xalis?"
"My dear, can't you spare just a single, nice tone of voice?" He tightened his grip on her and brought her closer to his death-carved face. "You're mine forever, you know."
"No, I don't know! I don't know anything at all!"
"My sweet, you don't need to remember your past at all. All I want from you is, whom I like to call, The Dark Windy. That's all." Xalis smirked.
"D-dark? You won't get her! I don't know where she is! You-you'll have to find her alone!"
"Dear, don't you know? You are The Dark Windy I've been searching for." He thrust his crusty arm into her chest. Her eyes bulged as she gasped for breath. Xalis smoothly moved his arm around the deepest part of her soul. After a few minutes of torture, he stopped and yanked out his arm.
Windy stopped moving as well. She could feel the center of her body pulling inward, like a black hole. Her vision grew dimmer; her ears became stopped; her mouth sealed shut. She could barely see anything, as if watching from a great distance. Her body was numb, but she could feel it move slightly. Horrendous cackling echoed in her mind; suddenly, a voice shrieked and Windy felt a dark breeze go by her. She could do nothing but watch.
"Oh, my Poisoned Beauty, are you finally awake?"
"Wide-awake, my flattering Stack of Ash. Is it that time already? My, didn't that time fly by quickly?" Her lips curled into a sneer. "It's time for those Man-Beasts to be put back in there place, wouldn't you say?"
So? So? What do you think? Please review! And I know what you're asking: How do you pronounce "Xalis"? Well, find out next chapter!