Zeth felt weak but triumphant as he watched Ruby Jewel disintegrate into oblivion. He let himself fall to the floor, thoroughly fatigued.
"Whoo-hoo!" Zack cheered, although he too was exhausted. That had been one of the most grueling battles yet, but through team effort they had managed to defeat Ruby Jewel without Zaria's Holy assistance and without using his Destruction.
"Close one, that was," Cat remarked, wiping the sweat from her brow. She turned around, gazing at everyone until her eyes rested on Zitan, who had been huddling in a corner the entire time. She strode over to him. "Zitan," she said gently. "Everything's all right now. We've all vanquished Ruby Jewel. We're all safe…for now. What's wrong? Is there anything we can do to help? It can't be that bad, can it?"
"Don't overwhelm the poor guy with so many questions," Fuuko ordered as she hurried over. She bent down over Zitan.
"Listen, we're all here for you no matter what, okay? Doesn't matter if you're Zaria's cousin, brother, or twin, you'll always be one of us. Not a single person is angry with you for not telling us about you being Zaria's twin! It's all right. And Zaria…well, I suppose she didn't expect to have a twin, with all that complicated Father Time business," she said, shrugging.
"No, you don't understand," Zitan whispered. "No one understands. Except…for Zaria. And maybe Breanna does as well. They were there. They know. They know how my presence is…vile."
His answer baffled Fuuko, leaving her speechless.
"Now see here!" Zack boomed in his customary fashion. "How do you expect us to comprehend if you don't tell us any of what you're goin' through? Tell it to us, all of it!"
"It will help you feel better," Adrian agreed.
Zitan looked up at them intently, his expression changing abruptly. "You wanna hear the entire truth? The entire, painful, sinful truth?"
"Yes, we do," Zeth replied firmly. "I want to know what you know."
Zitan shook his head as if in telling the story he would be punished, but began.
He principally told them the same story that Breanna was telling to Zaria, but from third-person point of view. As he began to explain how Wisteria had forced Meryuu to take her along, Breanna and Zaria burst in, their weapons held out.
"We're here to help!" Breanna shouted, and then glanced about, drinking in the situation. She brought her arms down and narrowed her eyes. "Zitan…you're telling them…what happened?" she asked. He nodded and looked away. "Everyone has a right to know what really happened," he muttered. "Want to continue, Breanna? What happens next should be your field of proficiency, anyhow."
Breanna scowled but came over and sat down, and Zaria plopped down beside her. Everyone looked at Breanna in intense curiosity.
"Yes, I know you all know who Meryuu is now," she snapped, and then quickly softened. "And what Meryuu did…"
Tide looked up as Meryuu approached him. He stood up, preparing to leave.
"Please don't go, Tide. I must exchange a few words with thee," Meryuu implored.
"There's nothing to say, Meryuu," he said curtly. "You go on with your business and I go on with mine. I just pray that you had the decency to keep a secret."
Meryuu looked away shamefully.
"Couldn't keep it to yourself, Meryuu? I'm not surprised. Not surprised at all," Tide sneered, his voice dripping with disgust.
"Please, I beseech thee, Tidal! Listen to my words! I have come to speak to thee but one last time! I pray thee doth listen!"
Tide sighed, relenting again. Meryuu hurried up to him. "General Tidal, you know where we all stand-"
"Do you mind getting to the point please, I have business to attend to," Tide interrupted as politely as possible.
"Tidal, Miefe knoweth of thy accompaniment with Artemis," Meryuu said bluntly. "Miefe wishes to see thee dead, but I do not wish so, so this is thy last chance to-"
"I should have known this would be the kind of thing you wanted to talk about," Tide cut her off coldly. "I don't know why I keep on listening to you again and again, Meryuu."
He turned to walk away, but his path was blocked.
"It's been awhile, Tide," Wisteria said crisply, looking as breezy and beautiful as ever.
"Wisteria," Tide muttered, his mood darkening further. "What do you want of me now?"
"Only what I've always wanted from you, what so many others have coveted, and what you have only given to that Rynn Locke of yours. I must have what others cannot. You have given me what you have given many others, but not what I truly covet."
"And what may that be?" Tide asked somberly. "Forget it, Wisteria. Life goes on as time goes by, and there's nothing to be done to change the past. I know that whatever you want, you want so you can be envied, never because you genuinely want it. I know you better than you think, Wisteria."
"Is that so wrong, to want to be envied?" Wisteria cried, tears welling up in her eyes.
Tide paused. "Yes," he finally answered. "If it's for your reasons. Leave me be, Wisteria."
"Wisteria shall not be refused!" she cried out furiously, grabbing for Tide and pulling him in towards her. "You shall pay for being so insolent," she hissed.
Meryuu was immobile as she watched Wisteria. All along, Wisteria had sought after Tide's affection as well. And for what? As a trophy to be envied? Meryuu internally shook her head. No, she could never do that…but it didn't change the fact that Meryuu could not move a muscle.
"You truly want to duel with words, Wisteria?" Tide said softly. "My lady will be here shortly, I suggest you make off. You are not worthy to see her."
"Impossible," Wisteria replied, seemingly unaffected. "No one is greater than Wisteria the beautiful. Especially not scum like Rynn Locke whom you are only using to scratch an itch, Tide. Don't think I don't know what you want from a creature like that who has nothing worthwhile to give. No one is more worthwhile or beautiful than I."
"I see," came an additional, serene voice. Wisteria whipped around and saw Rynn approaching. She gasped.
"Tide, you were late, so I came instead," Rynn explained. She turned to Wisteria. "Yes, no one can be more beautiful than Wisteria the beautiful, and I must admit, Wisteria, thy beauty surpasses that of even Meryuu. But I have another statement to make. Any other breathing mortal within a two-mile radius of here is ten times as beautiful as thee on the inside. Thou art rotten through and through."
Meryuu managed to suppress a smile as she could virtually see Wisteria's blood boiling. Rynn took Tide's hand. "It's time for us to go, go far from here," she said softly.
Tide smiled down at her. "It was time long ago." Right before they both walked off, Rynn turned back to Meryuu and gave her the sweetest smile Meryuu had ever seen, a smile full of love and understanding. That smile sent darts shooting into her heart.
The sudden pain inside her chest caught Meryuu by surprise as se realized the consequences of her actions. Oh, what had she done? How could she have betrayed ones so innocent such as Rynn and Tide? She deeply regretted her rashly impulsive actions, but she couldn't do anything about that now.
"I'm sorry, Rynn, Tide," she whispered, tears streaming down her lovely cheeks. "I'm so sorry."
"What are you blubbering to yourself about now?" Wisteria screeched at her as Rynn and Tide walked away together. "They're getting away! DO SOMETHING, FOOL!" she shrieked.
The tears wouldn't stop rushing down Meryuu's cheeks. "I'm so, so, sorry," she choked out. "Please…I beg of thee…Tidal…forgive me, for I have erred greatly."
"GO!" Wisteria continued to screech. "GO, GO, GO!"
Meryuu's heart beat faster and faster, her pulse quickening, blood rushing to her cheeks. She turned to the hysterical Wisteria and gazed at her, not really seeing her.
What did Meryuu have left now? Not her self-respect, not her honor, and least of all the love and trust of those she cared for. She had nothing. Nothing was left for her here. She crumpled down to her knees, continuing to sob.
In a blur she could see Wisteria opening and closing her mouth rapidly, but she couldn't make sense of what Wisteria was spewing out. Everything was unintelligible. Finally Meryuu felt her muscles lose all tension and everything went black as her head hit the ground.
"That's it?" Cat cried blatantly.
Breanna threw a scowl in her direction. "Hold your fire," she said. "It's still not finished. I wasn't dead yet, I just passed out. Don't forget, Wisteria was still there, and Wisteria would never get rid of any creature whom she thought might be of use to her. Wisteria still needed me."
"So what happens next?" Cat asked impatiently.
"I was about to tell you until you interrupted!" Breanna snapped. Cat sat back, rebuked.
"Go ahead then," she said meekly.
"But I'll just be telling you now, from here on things aren't only going to be from my point of view. A lot happens next," Breanna informed them all.
"Let me tell this part instead," Zaria put in, and started to speak.
As soon as their private clearing came into view, Rynn and Tide picked up their pace and ran to their secret haven. When they were safely inside, Rynn turned to Tide, her eyes showing her fear.
"Something must be amiss," she cried. "Meryuu had an expression of remorse in her face, and bringing Wisteria along…"
"I know," Tide replied, his own heart beating with dread. "If Wisteria is here, then that means Miefe must know of something, and Wisteria was there when he found out."
Rynn shook her head. "What could Miefe possibly have found out that he already doesn't know? What could Meryuu have told him? Unless…" she turned around and gazed at Tide, her eyes wide with shock.
"No, it can't be," she whispered fervently, shaking her head. "It can't be. Meryuu couldn't have known."
Tide's eyes filled up with tears as he stepped up to Rynn and embraced her firmly, not saying a word. There was nothing to be said that wasn't already known.
Rynn kept on shaking her head in denial as the stormy tears of realization coursed down her cheeks. If Miefe knew her real name…and if Miefe knew how to use it…then…it would be the end of Rynn. She would lose all her powers. She would become a simple girl, no special abilities or talents whatsoever.
The sound of wolves howling broke Rynn and Tide out of their reverie.
"The time has come to part," Rynn whispered hoarsely. "It would be better for you if you should not see me again."
"What are you talking about, Rynn?" Tide exclaimed. "How would that help matters in any way? If anything, I must be by your side to protect you!"
Rynn shook her head, her lips pressed together. "Nothing may save me once Miefe figures out the key, which he surely will," she replied. "If you stand by me then you shall be destroyed as well."
"Then so be it!" Tide cried, tempestuous with anger and sadness mixed into one.
Rynn shook her head again. "No, Tide," she whispered. "This is goodbye. You must promise never to think of me again. You must go back to being a loyal Being in every way that you once were."
Tide was enraged. "Rynn, you know that's not possible! Don't expect the impossible from me, Rynn, please don't. You know I can't do it," he whimpered, his face crumpling.
It aggrieved Rynn's heart so to see Tide in such a state. It's all because of me, she thought direly as she wordlessly turned away from him. She felt terrible doing so, but it was necessary to prevent his downfall, for she knew she was lost. Each step that took her farther away from him felt like she was wrenching her heart of out his warm, secure embrace. The tears came faster, stronger now, but Rynn ignored them as she raced into the wood, going as fast as her feet could take her. The brambles and branches did not clear the way for her passage, and they stuck into Rynn's skin, hair, and clothing, scratching unmercifully.
By now Rynn was crying openly as a slight drizzle began, but she continued to attempt to find her way. She tripped over a tree stump and found herself in a bemired ditch. She struggled to pull herself back up but almost cried out when she felt the excruciating pain in her ankle. She plopped back down in the wet earth, never feeling sorrier for herself. "Help me, Princess Louvia," she wailed, crying like a lost child.
"RYNN! Rynn, are you there? Rynn! Can you hear me?" she heard from only a few meters away. It was Tide.
Rynn ached to cry out to him, to have him come and rescue her again, but she stiffened her resolve and kept quiet, tenderly rubbing her ankle.
You don't want me now, Tide, and I don't want you! All I will cause for the both of us is devastation! I'm a scourge! Don't love me…
As soon as sufficient time had passed, Rynn slowly managed to pull herself into a standing position, her entire body covered with dirt and mud, sweat and rain mingling on her skin.
The rain was pouring down now, and the intermittent claps of thunder frightened Rynn, but she managed to limp to the shelter of a large tree. Oh, she knew how perilous it was to be near a tree during a lightning storm, but Rynn didn't care anymore.
She cried softly to herself, loathing her own self-pity more than ever as the pain in her ankle crept up to the rest of her leg, the rain drumming harder and harder.
All of a sudden, a figure strode out of the foliage, and whoever it was strode over to her and swept her up.
Rynn cried childishly and struggled to break free, but then at length gave up, debilitated and chilled to the bone. Only then did she look at the countenance of her savior and recognize that it was Tide, his ordinarily immaculately styled hair in disarray, wet and matted.
She was too weak to argue or demand anything anymore, so she simply closed her eyes as he turned on his wings and flew through the rain, to a nearby empty barn that was halfway burned down. At least it was shelter from the storm.
Tide slowly laid her down on one of the haystacks as the lightning flashed ominously outside. He produced a small cloth and began tenderly wiping the grime off her dirt-streaked face.
"Rynn, Rynn," he said softly. "You don't know how much you worried me. Did you know that you've been out there stumbling about alone for four hours already? I've been searching for you for four hours."
"Back at camp…" Rynn managed to say. Tide shook his head. "No, I can't take you back now. Wait a few days first, and then we both can go back to your camp and explain. And announce…our betrothal," he finished, removing the silver band around his finger and placing it in her palm.
More tears seeped out of Rynn's eyes and trickled down her cheeks as she slowly shook her head. She tried to give the ring back to Tide, but he was too absorbed in wrapping her ankle with a strip of cloth he had torn off his clothing.
I don't deserve this ring. I'm not worthy enough to accept it.
After Tide had finished wrapping her ankle, he came beside her and lay down on the hay.
"We're stuck here for now anyway," he said quietly. "Nothing we can do now except wait."
Wait for what? Rynn thought. Wait to die? Wait to seal our own doom? No, it's better for you to stay away from me and go abide with your own kind.
Rynn couldn't find the strength to speak. She stared up at the ceiling of the barn, her mind hollow.
"I know what we can do now. We'll wait here; wait here for everything to end. The war will end, and we'll still be here. Miefe won't find you here. We'll just wait here until it's all over, all right? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just live like this forever? Just you and me."
How she wished it really was that simple. No, she would be doomed no matter where she was. It didn't matter if she traveled halfway across the planet. She was shielded nowhere.
She felt Tide reaching for her and allowed him to draw her close, her resoluteness weakening. She turned to him, using her last ounce of strength to utter a few words before falling asleep.
"Yes. We'll stay here…until it's time to fight."
Breanna kept her head down as she swiped away at the tears falling out of her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Zaria," she muttered, angry with herself.
Zaria turned to her, her own face covered with tears. "It's all right, Breanna," she whispered. "It all turned out for the best, didn't it? That night…it was sweeter than anything I had ever known."
"Go on, finish," Zack prodded. "I wanna hear the rest."
Breanna took a deep breath. "All right."
Meryuu slowly opened one eye and looked around. She was back in Miefe's headquarters, in a room that reeked of wisteria. She pulled herself up into sitting position and saw Wisteria gazing down at her, scorn written all over her face.
"Wisteria?" she asked hesitantly, uncertain of what to say.
Wisteria merely shook her head in repugnance and departed. She returned momentarily, this time with Miefe.
"So you've awoken after two days of slumber, Lady Meryuu," Miefe said jovially. "Your information has been of great use to me, so I have decided to reward you by giving you the honors of performing the ceremony."
"Ceremony? What ceremony?"
Miefe laughed in his raucous way. "Why, the ceremony to seal the doom of the Moon Maiden Artemis, my dear. Don't tell me you've forgotten the ritual."
Wisteria looked down at Meryuu complacently.
"I refuse!" Meryuu cried, realizing what he meant. "I shall not betray my comrades any further!"
Wisteria's expression turned malicious as she leaned down to Meryuu. "You better do what we say, or many more shall pay the price," she threatened. She smiled. "What say…we summon Dolph to perform the ritual instead? After telling him of what you have done and then killing you both afterwards? And then maybe after that we shall seek out all of your kin and slaughter them as well. My, my, what a busy day it would be!"
"NO!" Meryuu cried. She trembled, hating herself for what she had done and what she was about to do. "All right, Wisteria, I shall perform the abominable rite," she spat.
Miefe's smile grew wider. "You're making the right choice this time, Meryuu." He handed a heavy pouch to her.
"In this pouch is the Being Medallion of Destruction," he informed her. "All you have to do it hold the pouch and repeat what I say. It's quite a simple procedure."
"If it's so simple, then why doth thou not perform the procedure thyself?" she shot back, her eyes flashing. "Simpleton!"
Miefe's expression grew menacing. "Shut up and follow what I say, you inutile wench." He grinned. "It's only entertaining if the one performing the ceremony in undergoing emotional torture in the process," he said casually.
Meryuu's eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. Perhaps if she didn't put her heart into the ceremony…it wouldn't work properly. She closed her eyes momentarily and opened them again.
"Thee may commence, Miefe."
Miefe smirked as he began. "To the nether and beyond, destruction come forth."
"To the nether and beyond, destruction…come…forth."
"Wilt the hidden powers of the name I set before thee."
"Wilt…the hidden powers…of the name…I set before thee."
"The name of Ryonn Rinsae Locke shall from henceforth be overwrought!"
"…The name…of…Ryonn…Rinsae…Locke…shall from henceforth…be…overwrought."
"Pour the power forth to Miefe following the death of the possessor."
"Pour the power forth to…Miefe…following the…death…of the possessor."
"Finished," Miefe declared grandly, his slick smile wider than ever.
"Finished," Meryuu echoed, her heart beating in triple beats. The blood drained from her face as the full realization of what she had just done finally hit her.
"Oh shut up, fool. He was telling you that the whole damn thing is over," Wisteria snapped, snatching the pouch away from Meryuu.
"I remember that exact moment," Zaria remarked. "I felt as if half the life had been drained out of me. I was so confused…I didn't know what had hit me…" her expression darkened. "Then I realized."
As another surge of pain hit her, she clenched her teeth and lay back on the pile of hay that she had come to recognize as her bed.
By now, most likely everyone is wondering where I am and what has become of me, Rynn thought. She hoped that her disappearance would not stir troubles among the troops. Rynn closed her eyes. Zelda, Illius and Castor, I'm depending on you to keep everything glued together. This is my end.
She knew. Oh, she knew what had just happened. The mystical forces that had been cast upon her during conception had just been ripped apart from her, and the power of her secret name had been drawn away. Her life force was slowly but steadily fading. Would it fade completely until she faded into nonexistence, or would she be left half a shadow of a human? Rynn groaned again as yet another wave of pain throbbed throughout her entire being. She took deep breaths, trying to stop herself from passing out.
A few moments later Tide flew back into their barn shelter, his arms filled with wild berries and other wild fruits. He set them down proudly.
"Didn't do too bad, huh," he boasted, "couldn't having been living in camps with rationed meals for so long without learning how to improvise."
His unmitigated smile disappeared when he saw that Rynn was grimacing and he rushed over to her side, his blue-tinted grey eyes filled with concern.
"It's finally happened," Rynn whispered faintly. Tide's virile tanned face turned ashen. He sat there looking aghast and forlorn, until he abruptly grabbed her hand and brought it up to his heart.
"My heart beats for the both of us, and as long as this heart continues to beat, I will protect you with everything I can, beyond my life. Take my life force if you must."
Rynn turned away quickly before the tears could escape from her eyes.
"No," she replied hoarsely. "We'll be safe here."
Zaria stopped talking and looked down at her lap. "That was basically all there is to know about…before the final day. On that day…on that day…" she faltered, turning away.
"After that, Meryuu became but a shadow of herself," Zitan continued monotonously.
It was as if Meryuu's spirit no longer existed. For the next few days, Meryuu simply followed Miefe's every order and demand mechanically, analogous to an android. Wisteria seemed amused with her behavior at first, but then became somewhat agitated.
"What's wrong with you now?" she shouted at Meryuu. Meryuu didn't reply, but simply sat there, looking up at Wisteria.
"Are you still alive or what?" Wisteria demanded. Meryuu continued to remain quiescent and taciturn. Finally Wisteria raised her hands in defeat and stomped away.
"But that didn't stop me from still feeling immense pain when…when I saw Tide and Rynn being burned at stake," Breanna whispered. "And then after that…I don't remember."
Zaria smiled. "None of us really remember what happened after that."
Rynn opened her eyes to see Tide being restrained by about six Being soldiers. She sat up with a start. "Tide!" she cried out, as three more Being soldiers grabbed her from behind and roughly pulled her arms behind her.
But Tide didn't answer. He couldn't answer. His head had lolled forward and the rest of him looked battered and bruised.
"Tide!" Rynn cried again, her cries turning into wails. "Noooo! Don't take us now, please," she begged. "I've lost everything but Tide now…we're of no harm to you! Leave us be! There's nothing I can do to harm you anymore! Please, don't punish Tide for what I-"
She was cut off abruptly as she felt a harsh blow on her lower jaw, and she vaguely heard rude, abrasive remarks being directed to her and Tide.
Rynn gave up her struggling and let her fatigued body collapse, the three Being soldiers keeping her in standing position.
Tide, Tide, It's all because of me that you have to go through all this suffering, Rynn thought, her misery too arid for teardrops.
This couldn't be happening. No. Not to her. Her life was supposed to be perfect, ideal. She was the Moon Maiden Artemis! Oh Divine Ones, where are you when things like this are happening? Princess Louvia! Prince Claude! Save Tide from the folly of loving me, I pray! Don't let such a pure and loving soul be punished for my karma! Or is it my karma? Is this my destiny? Weren't we destined for greatness? When are we to achieve it? How are we to achieve it? Deliver us…
Tide managed to pull his head back up; the abrasions on his face making the blood pulsate strongly. His heart nearly shattered when he saw that Rynn too had been captured. I couldn't protect her when she needed me most, he thought shamefully, hanging his head. I'm useless. I'm no good if I can't even protect the one that I love most. No good for anything. Worthless. Tide, you are nothing but a worthless fool who thought you could do so much more than you actually can.
He lifted his head again. "WHY?" he howled vociferously, reminiscent to a wounded animal in deathly pain. The soldiers restraining him could do nothing but cringe. Among the soldiers in the group attacking Rynn and Tide's hideout was Tide's childhood friend Dolph, who shamefully kept his face hidden.
Rynn cried out as the Being soldiers handled her violently. Dolph, overwrought with himself, marched over to them, now infuriated. "Keep your hands off her!" he shouted with impetuosity that rivaled Tide's. One of the soldiers roughly shoved Rynn over to Dolph, who caught her in his arms before she toppled over.
After throwing a dirty look in the other soldier's direction, he gently held her up and walked her over to Tide. "I'm sorry for everything," he whispered in her ear, and she weakly turned to him, surprised by this sudden act of humility by one of Miefe's soldiers. Tide had not yet recognized Dolph, and for that Dolph was grateful. He felt ashamed of what he was doing, and what he had yet to do. Has the world finally come to this? Dolph thought painfully. He stayed directly behind Tide and Rynn, as to monitor the behavior of the other soldiers but also not to be seen.
The last thing Rynn saw before she lost awareness was the gentle face of a Being soldier who had seemed reluctant to perform his duty. She wondered why as she drifted into unconsciousness.
Rynn awoke to the sound of someone's torturous cries of ghastly pain. Someone was being beaten. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that it was Tide, being beaten right in front of her.
"NOOO!" she screeched, springing up from her mattress. Tide's tormentors immediately shoved her back coarsely. She scrambled up again but this time was held down by yet another soldier. "Beware the wrath of the Divine Ones for inflicting suffering on a virtuous creature!" she intoned, not caring about her own safety as she continued to struggle. Tide managed to lift his head up to look at her, and Rynn gasped when she saw how battered his face was, and the rest of his body had obviously been whipped incessantly. The light from his wings flickered on and off. "No," she whispered feebly, trying to cast a cure spell on him using the last ounce of her strength. It didn't work.
She could see Tide's lips attempting to form her name, his voice not succeeding in uttering a syllable. She shook her head vehemently. How could they be so cruel, so cruel to someone whom had once been their superior? She scanned the faces of the soldiers to look for the one whom had seen compassionate earlier, but that particular one was not there.
Rynn bowed her head down and whimpered like a wounded animal, all her pride gone now. She looked back up and winced as she saw Tide getting whipped yet another time on the back, the blatant pain on his face, grasping her heart and squeezing it. Rynn sobbed softly, despising herself for causing all this pain.
"Bring them out to the battlefield!" she heard someone from outside shouting. Rynn was barely aware of her surroundings as she and Tide were dragged out of the camp into the midst of the battlefield, grenades and bombs going off everywhere. The only thing on her mind was relief that Tide was no longer being beaten.
She saw a blur of faces, some looking content, and some that were much farther away looking appalled as she was hauled up and brought to a platform. She could also see that one kindly soldier from earlier. All of a sudden she snapped into full consciousness, and looked to the side to see Tide staring at her with eyes full of solicitude. He followed her gaze to that one soldier, and his mouth dropped open. Apparently he recognized him. "Dolph," he murmured.
Dolph focused his gaze on them, his pupils growing smaller and smaller, and in a sudden, swift movement he leaped towards them and began untying Tide's bonds. He managed to untie Tide's hands before three other soldiers restrained him.
Tide moved quickly, reaching over to untie Rynn before taking hold of her around the waist and leaping into the air, his burned out wings working their best to keep them both aloft.
Alas, their spontaneous freedom was not to last, for their speed was no match to the other Being soldiers who were in top condition and only had to carry themselves aloft. The soldiers easily overtook them, but they had a difficult time prying Tide and Rynn apart, until finally Tide's wings gave out and he gave up his struggle, his heart nearly cracking as he did so.
They were brought down to the platform, and on Miefe's enraged orders they were immediately tied to the stakes on which they were to be burned. Ironically, the hay from their barn shelter was the hay that was scattered about their feet to be the fuel for their untimely deaths.
"Hear ye, hear ye!" proclaimed Miefe, his accent deep. Wisteria stood by his side with her habitual smirk pasted on her face.
"All who are gathered, Humans and Beings, look this way!"
All of Rynn and Tide's comrades gazed on in horror, all being too dumbstruck to make a move to do anything. They seemed to be hypnotized by Miefe's spell. Even the great trio, Zelda, Illius, and Castor, could do nothing at that moment.
"Witness my power!" Miefe crowed. "I have two very important creatures! A former Being general who turned out to be a traitor, Ex-General Tidal Alexandros Endrocius! Ryonn Rinsae Locke the Moon Maiden Artemis, the Humans' self-proclaimed savior whom has amounted to nothing but a fatal weakness for the enemy! Behold my great power in having captured these two! Keep your eyes this way to witness one of the greatest shows of supremacy in history! Watch General Tidal and the Moon Maiden Artemis BURN!"
Miefe nodded to a soldier beside him, who rushed to do his bidding, obediently setting fire to the hay. Out of the corner of her eye Rynn could see Dolph shouting angrily until he was cruelly knocked unconscious. She twisted her head in Tide's direction, the droplets of liquid filling her eyes…
The aggrieved expression of Zaria's face gradually dissipated. "I suppose it was just as well, for the moment the very life was being burnt away from me, Princess Louvia came to everyone's rescue, and that battle was won by the humans. Our bodies were preserved and sent through time and space to dwell in limbo until we all were ordained to meet once and again."
All of them remained silent after Zaria had finished speaking. What was with all these revelations coming forth? All the unscrupulous secrets of the times of yore were resurfacing and being aired. Why were they the ones who would have to deal with it all? Sometimes everything simply seemed to be too much.
"A legacy of Being avarice," Adrian muttered uncharacteristically in abhorrence. Not a word was said for an entire two minutes after that. Too much was going on in all of their heads.
"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" they heard as a young girl was plopped directly from the sky into Zack's lap. Cat leaped up in surprise, her eyes as big as moons.
"Wh-what the hell are you doing?" she stammered, pointing at the girl. The others looked on in amazement. The girl quickly pulled herself out of Zack's lap and stood up, brushing herself off. She raised her head and looked Cat directly in the eye.
Cat peered at her, marveling at how familiar she looked, yet she knew that she had never seen the girl before. Suddenly everything fit together, as Cat scrutinized the features on the girl's face. "You're a Locke, aren't you?" she said in a softer tone, her voice thick with surprise. The girl darted her green eyes back and forth, the eyes that looked so similar to Zaria's and Zitan's. She looked timid and anxious, her reddish brown hair whipping back and forth.
The girl's gaze rested on Zaria, and her mouth opened slightly in awe. "Zaria," she said simply.
Zaria nodded, confused. "Yes, that's me."
The girl stood there with her lips pursed, as if debating with herself whether she was to say anything more.
"Are you Aya?" Cat blurted out. The girl's head whipped towards Cat, her eyes widened. She crinkled her brow and turned away again, still not uttering a syllable.
"No, she's Rena. Rena Ceres," Zaria answered before the girl could do anything else. The girl slowly turned around to look at Zaria again, who narrowed her eyes slightly. "You're Rena, aren't you? I was told about you…"
The girl raised her chin up proudly, her lip trembling. "Yes, I'm Rena," she responded. She blinked twice. "Wait." She seemed to withdraw into silent dialogue with herself again.
Fuuko leaned over to Zeth to whisper, "Does she have a multiple personality disorder or something?" He simply shrugged in reply.
Rena became animated again. "How did you become aware of me, Zaria?"
Zaria's eyes remained narrowed. "I have my ways…Rena. If you're really Rena, then you must have Aya with you."
Rena looked even more surprised, and retreated once more. In a moment she returned to normal. "Yes," she replied brightly. "Would you like to speak with her? She knows much more than I. And she can say what I cannot say without crying," Rena finished slowly, her lip trembling and her eyes reddening.
Zaria gave her a piercing gaze, as if evaluating her then and there then finally broke into a smile and nodded. "I'd love to meet Aya, if she doesn't mind showing herself."
Rena gave her a small smile and suddenly her features began shifting slightly, becoming sharper and clearer to the eye, her eye color lightening more than a few shades and her hair lengthening considerably and darkening into a color between Zaria's and Fuuko's but being strangely iridescent. She had a smirk on her face that reminded Zaria of Wisteria's smirk as she remembered it, but not even a fraction as derisive. She was thankful that Wisteria had not been sent to this day and age! She would have been quite a force to reckon with!
"Hello," Aya said simply, smiling sweetly. Her smile lit up her entire visage, making her look even more stunning than she already was. "Nice to finally meet you in person, Zaria Locke," she said in a syrupy sweet voice, extending her hand.
Zaria took it cautiously and shook it. "It's nice to meet you, Aya. I didn't think I would be able to contact you until much later."
Aya laughed lightly, her perfect features brightening. Out of the corner of her eye that Zeth, Zack, Zitan, and Adrian all had their wide-eyed orbs riveted on Aya. "Well, it seems that we'll be seeing each other quite often from now on," she replied. "I understand that you were told to summon me after you have found the eighth warrior of Mage, correct?"
"Yes," Zaria said, looking perplexed. "That's what I was told by…by Princess Louvia and Prince Claude," she said slowly, looking at Aya's response.
Aya merely laughed again. "I know what you're thinking, Zaria. Don't worry, I want to help you as much as you want me to help you because I know that in the end it would be better if you were the side to succeed, don't you agree? I know all about Princess Louvia and Prince Locke, not to worry. I've known them for quite a while, in fact. And I know how important it is that we all cooperate, especially with the circumstances as they are."
"Oh, is that so?" Breanna asked impassively, eyeing Aya warily.
Aya nodded, unperturbed. "I'll be keeping contact with you all on a regular basis, but in terms of moving around, I think it would be best if we went our separate ways, for there are many things to be accomplished," she clarified, her expression earnest.
"So what's this thing that Rena can't talk about that you're supposed to tell us?" Cat finally burst.
Aya's expression turned grave. "It's about Rena's former captor," she began. "And how his existence can be the cause of the fall of Northern Nova."
"What did you say?" Cat exclaimed incredulously. "What are you talking about?"
Aya fixed her hypnotic gaze on Cat. "Rena's former captor was actually Rena's childhood friend who was betrothed to her when the small farming town that she lived in was destroyed. After they were captured, he was brainwashed and she was imprisoned and they used him to perform experiments on her. He's quite brilliant, in fact."
"So who is this fellow you're talking about?" Zeth inquired, getting to the point.
Aya raised her brows. "I thought that you all would have figured it out by now."
"It's Prince Logan, isn't it?" remarked Fuuko quietly. The others stared at her.
"Yes, his full name is Logan Stonewall," Aya said meticulously. "The young prince who was kidnapped in his childhood years."
Zack grimaced. "And you say that Logan was brainwashed by the Toki and performed hazardous experiments on Rena, the very woman he was engaged to? How did the Toki manage to do that?"
Her eyes seemed to darken with anger, the immortal glow turning fiery. "They have great power," she said pensively.
Zack
raised his brow. "I see," he replied. "Well, I guess being
the despicable but loaded creatures they all are, they would find
money to hire people who could do stuff like that, huh."
"Something
like that," Aya agreed vaguely. "Rena was quite near dying from
the chemicals that had been pumped into her body, but fortunately I
was able to come through and help her escape." She darted her gaze
away. "It seems like Logan's consciousness is not yet completely
gone, for when we were breaking out of that horrid lab he seemed to
become himself again for a brief moment."
"So there's a still a chance that Logan can return completely?" Zaria inserted.
Aya's eyes narrowed. "I suppose so, but if he does return, it has to be timed and planned perfectly or else all is lost, if you're concocting up some strategy. Rena is still quite sensitive about the subject, so I suggest you don't mention it directly to her," Aya advised them. "Let me tell you everything now."
"At this very moment, the Toki are searching for Rena, or perhaps their main goal is to capture me. It's risky for Rena and I to be any one place for more than a day, for in her body there is a microscopic bugging device that can give away her location at all times. That's the main reason why we cannot travel with you. Prince Logan, whom is now known as Professor Stonewall, is traveling with them. Pretty soon, they are going to be approaching the capital of Northern Nova, the Crystal City Denzeling. There is a great chance that Professor Stonewall might be faced with his true father and there might even be a war stirred, so Rena and I have to attempt the distract them with our flitting about the continent."
"Isn't there any way to remove this gadget?" Zeth questioned.
Aya shook her head. "No. Not without the proper machinery. And it's not necessary yet."
"That's actually a good plan," Fuuko said, nodding, "but can you handle it? The rapid transit, I mean."
"Of course!" Aya said indignantly. "I am a tangible spirit, a cursed one at that! Us cursed spirits always have special powers that normal spirits don't!"
Aya pursed her lips. "Well, that's all I'll be telling you folks for now. I know you're all on quite a tight schedule, so I suggest that you start looking for that Crystal of Tenebatos." She made as if to leave.
"Wait!" Zaria cried. "Do you have any idea where that crystal might be?"
Aya smiled shrewdly. "I thought you'd never ask. It's not far from here. In fact, I'll take you all to the place to save you some time," she finished, and in a blink of an eye, the scenery about them had all changed.
Zaria stared at their surroundings in disbelief. "How did you do that?" she asked Aya, bewildered.
"I told you, I'm a cursed spirit! I can do the impossible!" Aya said cheerily. "Bye folks, see you all in a while! Rena says bye too!" She abruptly vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of her presence.
Zaria turned back to the others, still somewhat frazzled. "Um, I guess we start looking for that crystal," she said, shrugging.
They were in a massive but eerily dim chamber full of some sort of nests. The entire place was is disarray, and looked as if a hurricane had recently passed through. "I don't even know where to begin," Zaria wailed.
"I know this place!" piped up Kupo, whose presence had been forgotten. Kupo leaped out of Fuuko's pack and flew through the chamber blissfully.
"This Kupo's home!" Kupo exclaimed. Kupo slowed and settled down in one of the nests. "Kupo born here with brothers and sisters."
"It's a Kog nest," Fuuko breathed. "That makes some sense. The Kogs are essentially the emblem of Tenebatos, so the Crystal of Tenebatos would obviously be in their nesting grounds."
"So does Kupo know where the Crystal would be?" Adrian asked inquisitively.
"I'm sure he does, just the way other little talking animals know everything about the world," Breanna said scathingly.
"Let's just stop arguing and start looking," Zaria pleaded, attempting to dodge another conflict. Without warning, Kupo began making high-pitched noises and was jumping up and down frantically. It flew back to Fuuko and circled around her head twice before ramming itself into her arms.
Kupo lifted its head up to gaze at Fuuko. "Fuuko Fog, there is something in Kupo's nest that wasn't there before!"
"Could it be the Crystal?" Cat asked eagerly, her eyes wide.
"Let's see," Fuuko responded as she ambled over to Kupo's nest. She peered inside. "Looks like something's in here," she announced. Cat jumped up and down.
"Whoo-hoo, we found the Crystal!" she sang.
"Not so fast, don't get too overjoyed just yet." Fuuko reached her hand in the nest and brought a large shimmering object out and held it up.
"A medallion!" she exclaimed in astonishment. Indeed, it was a medallion, a bronze one with an elaborate carving of a Kog on it.
"Awww, just a medallion?" Cat bleated, her voice dripping with disappointment. Fuuko was about to drop the medallion back into the nest when Zeth darted over and snatched it out of her hands.
"Wait!" he asserted. "We might need this to find that Crystal!" Fuuko's bright sapphire eyes filled with comprehension.
"Everyone check all the nests for any more medallions!" she instructed.
They began sifting through the messy piles that had once been nests of the Kogs, Cat continually complaining about the grime she was getting on her hands.
"Where are all the Kogs living now?" Adrian speculated. "What happened here anyway? It looks like there was an ambush or something." He turned to Kupo expectantly. "Well?"
"They're all gone," Kupo said sadly, "and they left Kupo here all alone." Cat ran over and hugged Kupo comfortingly; glad to have an excuse to stop searching.
"Where'd they all go?" Adrian pursued.
"Kupo doesn't know, but Kupo thinks that they went back to native planet," Kupo answered. "But Kupo want to stay with Fuuko Fog! Kupo not go back to see them!"
"You can stay with us as long as you like, Kupo," Zaria declared. "However, right now we really need to find that crystal. It's essential to our…purpose." She glanced sidelong at Zeth and then suddenly looked past him at something she saw twinkling in the dim light of the chamber.
She ran over to that particular nest and reached inside it, and sbrought out another medallion. She held it up, grinning. It was a silver medallion with the same carving of the Kog on it.
"Oh, I see," Cat said eloquently. "I suppose the next one we locate will be gold, correct?"
"Don't jump to conclusions too fast," Zeth warned, his countenance dimming. "Beings weren't exactly attracted to gold the way Humans are, for in their home planet gold is quite a common commodity. For them, there are many other much more valuable precious metals. I should be in a position to know."
The others continued to sift through the Kog nests, searching. Zitan kept his eyes cast downward as he halfheartedly shuffled through the nests. He was grateful that the limelight was no longer on him, and that the topic involving his recollections and been forgotten for the interim. Nothing was yet resolved and yet he had no inkling on how to settle this issue. It was given that his relationship with Zaria as siblings would never be the same again, but he sought to have everyone disregard his earlier behavior, to forget the entire occurrence. He still didn't know as to whether his visions and hallucinations essentially meant anything or not, for they were quite indistinct in his mind.
Zitan came to an agreement with himself. If anything else were mentioned about his involvement with the Interplanetary War, then he would simply say that he had been hearing too much from Zeth and was having strange delusions that really meant nothing at all, and he had been somewhat confused, that was all. Yes, he thought with satisfaction. That was an ideal elucidation. Just forget the entire incident happened.
And I must forget everything as well, he warned himself. Don't let yourself believe anything that would make matters even more complicated. Keep things simple and succinct, and everything would be under control. In this life, Zaria had fallen in love with Zeth, not necessarily General Tide. Zeth was the one she loved now, and no one else. As he worked, he caught Zaria staring at him diffidently. He attempted to avoid her direct gaze, but he was already burning with embarrassment. She moved slightly nearer to him.
"Please Zaria, don't say anything about it. It was all just a bizarre error, all right?" he pleaded in the softest, quietest tone imaginable. "Yes, I'm you're twin brother, but let's leave it at that and not dwell on the issue unless it cries out to be dwelled on."
Zaria apprehensively nodded, for she knew exactly what Zitan was telling her. This issue would have to be dealt with one way or another, but perhaps it would be more appropriate to wait for it to resurface itself instead of digging it out. Oh, she knew, she knew what twins born of the opposite gender meant, but it was all too mystifying to piece together. Perhaps later, when the details really needed to be revealed…
But for now they had to focus on accomplishing their immediate goal. There was so much to do, so much to fathom, so much at stake. Zaria took a deep breath, endeavoring to clear her mind of all but their immediate, immediate task. Obtain that third medallion…hopefully the last medallion. It would make sense for there to be three medallions, for the Beings tended to arrange things in triads.
"It's just not here!" Cat complained after another hour of searching, thoroughly frustrated.
Zaria's expression was stricken. "It has to be," she muttered. She pawed insanely through the nest she was examining. "It has to be here," she repeated, her voice lowered to a whisper.
Adrian came up behind her and reached around her to pull her wrists up. "Zaria, we've scoured the entire nesting chamber," he said mildly. "Be sensible. We all know that it's not where we found the other two medallions."
"At least now that we know where it's not, we can start searching somewhere else," Fuuko said judiciously.
Zaria shook her head fervently. "No," she declared. "I know it's in here. I can sense that it's in here. We just have to find it." She began pacing about the floor. "There must be some sort of puzzle we have to solve first." She nodded affirmatively. "Yes, that's it. There's a challenge we have to figure out."
Breanna struggled to hold back her increasing agitation. "And what might that challenge be?" she said gratifyingly.
"I don't know, that's what we have to decipher," Zaria countered. She stood in stasis, deep in contemplation.
"Maybe we have to try to think like a Kog," Zack offered helpfully. The others turned around to stare at him. He shrugged. "Maybe."
"That's possible," Zaria agreed, coming out of her trance. "Yes, let's all think like Kogs. If you were a Kog…"
Zeth slowly backed away from the discussion circle as Zaria babbled incoherently about thinking like Kogs or Beings. He turned around to a small button that had attracted his attention earlier. He reached over and tried pressing it. Nothing happened. He stood back, scrutinizing the button. Did it have any significance in the layout of the chamber?
Unexpectedly, Zeth could faintly hear the sound of running water. He made his way to the source of the sound and when he reached it he saw a small crevice in the wall of the chamber that had water pouring out of it. The water seemed to be seeping through a small pipe that led to the other side of the chamber, where an indescribable mass of pipes and strange carvings were.
"I think I found something!" Zeth called out, and everyone except Zaria ran over. They gathered around the crevice and peered at the water.
"Doesn't look like a medallion to me," Cat said skeptically.
"Oh, no!" Zaria cried from the background.
Zeth whirled around. "What?" His curiosity was sated when he saw what Zaria was pointing to. The first traces of water had reached the intricate mass of pipes and carvings, and the structure was lighting up in a pattern.
"I think you triggered something, Zeth!" Zaria accused. She rushed over to the structure and placed one of the medallions in a slot that that light pattern had formed. As soon as she placed it, more lights lit up, and she placed the second medallion in a slot. More lights began lighting up.
Zaria gazed up at the entire structure, and she could she the outline of an hourglass that had been overturned, and the sand was rapidly seeping through.
They all turned to the entrance of the chamber in shock as an enormous slab slid down and blocked any possible exit.
"It's some sort of trap or something!" Cat shrieked, distraught.
"No, it's just a timer," Zaria inserted, her eyes narrowed. "Zeth did trigger something, and if we don't find that third medallion in a hurry, we going to be trapped here. We have no other option but to find it now. Hurry, everyone!" she cried.
They all rushed around the room, frantically searching for any trace of the third medallion. After five minutes had passed, still no one had found the medallion, and the hourglass was more than halfway filled.
"We don't have much time left," Zaria said strenuously, obviously trying to stay calm. "And now it's evidently not in a nest or in someplace accessible. Does anyone have any idea as to what we should do now?"
Zeth was standing aside, full of remorse. He shifted his gaze to Kupo, who looked strangely restless.
"Fuuko, is something wrong with Kupo?" he questioned. Fuuko gazed down at Kupo, who did indeed seem irked.
"Kupo, are you all right?" she asked. Kupo gazed up at her with eyes full of perturbation.
"Kupo is going to miss Fuuko Fog," Kupo said mournfully. "Farewell, Fuuko Fog."
"What? What are you talking about?" Fuuko demanded. "Kupo!"
Kupo had begun flying towards the structure with the medallions, its eyes fixed on the orifice of the final medallion.
"NOOO! Kupo, come back!" Fuuko cried in anguish as the full realization of what Kupo was doing finally struck her. The moment Kupo collide directly into the wall was the moment where Fuuko let out an ear-splitting cry, and she crumpled to the ground as Kupo's miniature body dispersed into the silhouette of the final medallion.
"I can't watch!" she cried wretchedly. "I CAN'T WATCH!"
No one said a single word, but speechlessly watched as the entire wall construction lit up brilliantly, the glowing lines all connecting themselves.
"What have we done?" Zaria muttered in contrition, her knees weakening. She buried her face in her hands, shaking her head lugubriously.
"The best of us has been forfeited, the one I tried to keep safe from harm!" Fuuko cried, tears trickling down her face.
Zeth solemnly stepped towards Fuuko and helped her up. She stood up and gazed into his eyes, her lips trembling. It shattered his heart to see such an ordinarily intrepid female with the teardrops glistening so luminously in her eyes.
"It was Kupo's fate, Fuuko," he said gently, placing his hands on her shoulders. Her face crumpled and she began weeping on Zeth's shoulder, her entire body wracked with her devastated sobs. "It was its fate," Zeth repeated in a whisper. "It was its fate."
Cat gingerly took the incandescent Crystal of Tenebatos out of her satchel, and blinked rapidly as the light radiating out from the crystal blinded her vision. "Sheesh, this thing is kaleidoscopic," she muttered under her breath as she slowly handed the precious jewel to Zack's awaiting hands. "The Crystal of Tenebatos," Zack said in a quirky tone, his eyes comically wide as he stared tenaciously as the crystal.
"It took us long enough to get here," Cat grumbled, rubbing her temples. "I'm really tired, just put the damn crystal in the slot, Zack!"
Zack glowered and delicately placed the crystal in the obvious slot indicated. "There." He turned back to Cat. "The rest of the crystals, please. Cat hastily handed him the other three crystals, which he dropped into the lesser slots.
"Okay, the machine should work now," Zeth said impatiently, gazing at the machine. "Everyone go stand on the warping platform, please."
They all shuffled onto the circular stone platform and stood there, still in awe. "Here goes," Zeth said, and he pressed the button.
A green warping ball caught them in its aura and captured them all inside, whizzing into the distance. Zeth shut his eyes as the serene atmosphere slowly settled over them, and drifted off to sleep.
Zaria blinked in astonishment as she drank in the artistic interior of the Royal Castle of Torus…or was it? She turned around to face the others, who seemed just as overwhelmed as she was.
"Are we really here?" Cat managed to squeak.
"I think so," Zitan replied softly.
Moments later, a tall stately young man rushed into the room, looking overwrought. His eyes almost popped when he saw them. He stood there, gawking at them in bewilderment.
The young man was quite comely, a picture of perfection. His attractiveness had something of a feminine quality to it, his features more exquisite than any she had seen before. This young man was positively beautiful, lovelier than Zaria had ever imagined that a male could be. His gaze drifted over to her, and when his pacified stormy charcoal-gray eyes settled on her, it took her breath away. His silky and lustrous silvery blue hair shone in the light, his tresses framing his face in a most ideal way. His fair skin looked velvety and his manly frame somehow seemed svelte. The expression on his face was one of pure stupefaction, and his delicate rosy lips had parted in awe.
His very gaze sent a galvanizing sensation down her back, and Zaria shuddered slightly, and not from any sort of temperature. His gaze was so enthralling; it was as if he had cast a spell on her.
Zeth lifted his brow in surprise as he saw Zaria's venerating gaze of adoration at the young man whom had just walked into the room. He glanced around to Fuuko, Cat and Breanna and saw that their reactions were similar. He was stumped. What was it about this man that had enraptured them so? Well, sure, he was significantly good-looking, and his features were beyond perfect…Zeth shifted his gaze to the young man, and his own mouth opened in awe as he beheld the true beguile of this young man. He was undeniably a creature of incomparability, with his flawless complexion and perfect features, his glossy hair even silkier than Zeth's own. This man must have been distinctively created to evoke captivation in females and invidiousness in males, for he was the ultimate form of human…or was he?
The young man had pointy ears identical to Cat's protruding out of his silken silvery-blue tresses. He was an elf! That made perfect sense, for they were in Torus, the domain of the elven folk.
"Who are you?" the young man finally spoke in the most melodious voice imaginable, especially for a male.
All remained silent, enchanted by the young man.
"Who are you?" he repeated, a note of impatience seeping into the symphony that were his words.
At length Zeth managed to reply. "We're-we're here to see Prince Sky and Princess Star," he replied warily.
The young man's eyes immediately clouded over. "What business do you have with the Royal Twins of Torus?" he inquired obscurely.
Zeth slowly held out his hand with the letter from Queen Trisha. "Here," he said timidly.
The young man cautiously took the letter from Zeth and scanned it, his eyes brightening. "Aunt Trish," he murmured, and then looked up.
"I suppose an introduction is in order, then," he said courteously, bowing to them. "I have been expecting you all for a while, Warriors of Mage." The young man smiled as Zaria's mouth dropped open.
"Allow me to introduce myself to you. I am Prince Sky of Torus, son of King Link and Queen Lara."
"Link…" Zaria whispered in shock, nostalgia filling her thoughts. I thought you might want to consider that you're not the only one who's being hurt. She shook her head as if to shake the thought out.
"You're Prince Sky?" Cat asked incredulously, drinking him in from head to toe. A small smile appeared on her face. "Nice to meet you, Prince. I'm Cat Wingheart, and this here's Adrian Wingheart, no relations whatsoever," she clarified, smacking Adrian in the chest with the back of her hand.
Zack stepped up. "The name's Zack Strife, your highness," he said, bowing. Sky smiled, lighting up the whole room with the rapture he emanated from his irresistible smile.
"I know who you all are, Zeth, Zaria, Fuuko, Breanna, Cat, Adrian, Zack, Zitan," he said in turn, nodding to each of them. His eyes frosted again. "My sister told me of you before her unfortunate passing."
"Princess Star is…deceased?" Zaria asked in disbelief. "I'm so sorry, Prince Sky…"
Sky's gaze reoriented on her. "You're…you're Zaria Locke, aren't you?" he said delicately, his eyes looking troubled. He quickly shifted his gaze away. Zaria Locke, the only perfect woman in the entire universe. The only one who can be…?
Sky blinked. "You knew my father, didn't you," he said softly. He flickered his gaze up to Zeth. "And you're my blood uncle," he finished.
"Huh?" Zeth said, stupefied. "Me?"
"Yes," Prince Sky returned. "Link was…is your twin brother. And he is my father. He looked away. "But he's…he's not here now…I think he's gone…with my mother too."
"I'm sorry, Sky," Zaria said sensitively. Her eyes lit up in mortification. "Oh! Forgive me for being so insolent, your highness!" she cried, prostrating herself on the ground before the young prince.
Sky was abashed as he helped Zaria up and gazed into her crystalline verdant eyes. You can do no wrong, Zaria Locke.He blinked and shook his head again. "All of you, call me Sky," he said firmly, and looked up at them all. "I'm Sky, not Prince Sky," he emphasized. He lifted up his hand.
"Rest at ease, Warriors of Mage," he said serenely, as a miniature blizzard brewed right in front of them. "For you have found me."
"Ice…Warrior," Zaria breathed, tears forming in her eyes. On impulse she reached over to Sky and hugged him tightly, the wetness coursing down her cheeks as she sobbed with relief. "We've finally found you," she whispered.
Sky's eyes were as wide as saucers, but then he slowly lifted his arms up and waveringly placed his arms around her, gently pulling her close.