AN: Sigh... I haven't got many reviews, but... that's cause MapleStory fanfics are obscure! So who cares! Not me! Alright! I write when I get bored, so (obviously) I write lots! Anyway, on with the chapter! It's an Akuji chapter! Plus a new character! Thanks to Akein for your review! Yay! Yahoo! Woohoo! Read on! I feel way to peppy! Yay! Revision: Hmmm... Dunno what I'll do to this chapter... Anyways, read on!
Darkness overwhelmed his mind, flooding it with tidings of the past. Images of a life now forgotten flew by as he caught glimpses of their contents. A girl with long, curly brown hair sat on a bench in Henesys, surrounded by fans. He felt a pang of jealousy and... regret. Another image, this of a brilliant sunset, flashed through his mind. A girl sat by his side, the same one. They shared a long look, then she smiled and turned. He felt a flash of happiness, then remorse. The images-- or were they memories? He could not tell-- shot by faster than before. He only caught glimpses, most of the same girl. A word sprang unbidden into his head. Tatum. Then, one whole image inveloped his mind. He and-- Tatum was it?-- were cautiously entering the Cursed Shrine. Then, without warning, he remembered the rest. The balrogs, the Crimson Balrog-- Kronos--, and then, with a huge tearing feeling, her death. He remembered his battle with Kronos, his vow, the challenge. He wanted to die. Tatum had died all because of him. Then with a pang of fear, he remembered the warning Druce had given him, and the proposition. No! He thought furiously. That beast killed Tatum, and I want to go on with my life like nothing happened! But... That monster is far too strong! I couldn't even touch him! But Tatum... and all the people around the world... they would die! His thoughts subsided into puddle of panic and regret. The darkness grew.
The Mark was taking over.
XxX
Ryker stood with his back to the small, dying fire that cast a blazing light over the small glade. He slowly turned a throwing star over and over in his hands. He glanced over at where a woman tended to Akuji. She had her black hair tied back in a ponytail. "How is he?" He asked without turning.
"He'll be fine. I have no idea how, but he'll be fine," She answered. She had a gentle and uplifting voice, one that would increase someone's mood considerably just by greeting them. Her name was Aradia, Grendel the Really Old's apprentice and adept in all forms of magic.
Ryker grinned. "Heh, knew he was a fighter when I first saw 'im. He was runnin' from a whole parade of monsters. Plus four balrogs. One of which was crushed by a huge meteor which also landed on him, another killed by me, and the last two killed by him. And in a pretty show-offy way I must add."
Aradia looked over at Ryker. "Explain to me again how he managed to kill the two balrogs?" She asked.
Ryker's eyes gleamed with a happy light. When he spoke, he had the traits of someone who had told the story many times before. "Well, after the dust settled, which is amazing in itself, as the meteor was huge and it was like, coming down right on him. I had beaten one of them, and I was evading the other two. Then, he appears and like has a weird, almost demonic look in his eyes. He slaughtered one them with a couple of arrows through the heart. Then, with inhuman strength, he grabs the other one by the arm, slams him into the ground, then throws him up into the air and shoots him to death. Pretty wild, huh?"
Aradia sighed. "Yes. But, you might want to know something about Akuji... He's been marked with The Mark of the---"
Akuji groaned. Aradia quickly turned over to him and kneeled beside him. "W-where am I?" He asked slowly.
"Heh, you're in a small, obscure clearing in the center of Victoria! This is like... HQ for all wanna-be heroes!" Ryker answered.
Akuji's gray eyes were dazed, not catching the bit of sarcasm in Rykers voice. "Oh. And who's she?" He looked up into Aradia's eyes, and noted the look of great wisom that lingered deep within them.
"I'm Aradia. Apprentice to Grendel the Really--"
"Your Aradia! The Aradia? Wow! I've heard stories of how powerful you are! Your like... A goddess!" His admiring eyes glowed as he studied her face. Aradia had a beautiful and bewitching face. She also had an equally beautiful figure.
She blushed under his scrutiny. "Umm... Yeah. Yeah, that's me."
"Wow! So what are you doing here? Wow! Man, there are people who are way more powerful than me, yet I'm the one who is being forced to kill Kronos..."
Aradia started and her eyes were wide with curiousity. "You're the one whose supposed to fight Kronos? So that's why you have the Mark. Another challenge..."
"Hmm? What was that Aradia? He has a 'mark'?" Ryker asked.
Aradia silently cursed the thief for his hearing. "Uhh... yeah, I meant the mark left by the balrogs!" She pointed at the claw piercings on Akuji's armor.
"Ooookay. So, Akuji, how'd you get mixed up inta all this balrog biz, anyway?" Ryker asked.
Akuji sighed. He quickly explained that he had lost his memory. He told them the bits he remembered, including the conversations he had with the strange being in his mind and how he was able to understand what balrogs said. When he had finished, the two stared at him. Akuji squirmed under their intense scrutiny, Ryker searching for truth in his face and Aradia watching with a calculating air.
"Tatum... is dead?" Ryker asked. Grief was evident in his eyes. He had known Tatum as well, and was disheartened by her untimely death.
Akuji nodded slowly. Telling the story of his tattered memories had reopened old wounds, and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. Even though some of the pain had been lifted by time and his sharing of the story, it was still bordering on unbearable to think about it.
Ryker nodded slowly. "Well... It doesn't matter! Yeah! 'Cause we're gonna help you out, Akuji me old buddy! And when it comes to your little skirmish with Kronos, of course that's only if you choose to, but lemme tell you somethin' man, Aradia can wheedle you into anything! With her looks and that voice, and of course her ability to curse you to oblivion..."
Aradia glared at Ryker and cast about for another subject. She looked directly into Akuji's eyes. Lying near the surface was an epicenter of emotions; sadness, anger, confusion, and some small amount of relief that someone in this world shared his grief. She looked deeper, past the emotions, into the core of his being. A dark fire stirred, and a needle of darkness shot through her mind.
I know what you seek... A deep voice growled. It was an ancient voice, engrained with an equally ancient and evil power.
Aradia started. She hadn't expected Akuji to be able to read minds and communicate through telekinesis. But, a nagging voice in her mind told her, that didn't sound like Akuji, and, in the brief contact that came with the unification of Aradia and the unknown person's mind, it didn't feel likeAkuji's mind either. Who are you? She ventured, the thought hanging limply as the person responded.
I
am what comes of demon blood mixing with human's blood, a horrible
abberation of what life is supposed to be. I am Akuji, and I am not.
I am Kronos, but not. I am a demon sent to watch Akuji, take over his body and serve the being you call Kronos.
Aradia was perplexed by the response. This must be the result of the Mark--
Yes... The Mark is what created me...
Aradia shot a tendril of thought at the being. How did you hear that? I din't say anything!
You are a weak magician, I am a being of pure power. I have far more advanced mind-reading abilities.
What are you?
I am a shadow of Akuji, for simplicity you may call me the demonic form of Akuji.
I don't have to have every--
Quiet. You seek to know what Kronos plans, and I will tell you.
Aradia was shocked. She thought that the demonic spirit was on Kronos's side.
No. I am on no one's side. I have only myself, and this vessel. I shall willingly tell you Kronos's plan for my own sake. I wish to see Kronos fall as well...
Why don't you just tell this to Akuji?
Akuji can only hear me at certain times... And he would not approve of what my plans for us are...
Which
are what? And why do you want to see Kronos fall?
My plans... I will not tell you, mortal. As for my hatred of Kronos... That is a deep-rooted feeling. He took that without the permission of its true owner. I have met the real Kronos and have a deep respect for him.Your Kronos is no match for his abilities... As for the plans of yourKronos, he wishes to send his army of monsters to overtake the cities one by one. He plans for something similar to the domino effect. First one falls, then another, and another, and another. Soon all will be under his influence-- if his plan works. He wishes the unification of both Akuji's and my soul. Then, he will use us as the ultimate weapon of destruction.
No... He can't do that! It's... not right! Demons and humans shouldn't be mixed! It's unethical!
Hmph. Foolish sentiments. If you humans were truly strong, you would forget the sense of right and wrong. There is only that which allows you to survive! You humans have emotion, and it is that which causes you to have a certain amount of strength. My plan is to destroy Kronos, and then lead this world into an era of darkness and fear...
But then...
Heh... I am your ally and your enemy. It brings to mind one of your sayings... Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? That is a bit cliche, but it will do. If you let me live, I will destroy Kronos and help you, but also take over this world. If you kill me now, which you cannot do, Akuji will die and you will have no chance of defeating Kronos. You are in a delicate situation. You have choices before you. Am I an ally, or an enemy? Am I a savior, or a destroyer? It is your choice...
With that, he withdrew the mental link and Aradia was thrown back into reality. She was still staring at Akuji. Ryker was talikng to her. "...llo, Aradia! Wake up!"
She looked over at him and managed a small smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. C'mon, we'd better get going. Gotta train if we want a chance at fighting Kronos."
She trotted off into the underbrush and Akuji and Ryker shrugged, then followed. Inside Akuji, the demon form of himself watched, waiting for his chance to take over Akuji, and destroy Kronos. Only a year left... Then... The dormant forces of this world would awaken, and all would be a battlefield.
AN: Alright! WAHOO! I totally enjoyed this chapter! Yeah! In the next chapter it'll be a year in the future, so I don't have to spew out chapters on Akuji training and you don't have to read them! GO YOU! Anyway, Please Review, I seriously enjoy reading your comments! YEAH! GO REVIEW! NOW! YAY! Revision: Totally ignore that comment up there! I'm not skipping ahead! I'm gonna have some fun with the characters first! And not in that way you sickos! Ewwww! Anyways, Review please!
