Author's Note: Second last chapter, one more to go. Enjoy this slightly-longer-than-usual chapter.

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Ragnarok Online

Deadly Enchantment

Chapter 5 – All that Glitters

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All that glitters,

Is not gold.

All that shines,

Is not light.

All that darkens,

Is not shadow.

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Trian coughed up water, thick, black and murky. Rolling over onto his hands and feet, he heaved, feeling like he was coughing his lungs out of his chest. The water splashed against his hands, staining them black. It clung to his hair, the deep ebony a stark contrast to his own white strands. Dizziness washed over him as his body demanded air that was not getting into his lungs. His arms unable to support him anymore, Trian collapsed onto the ground, his breathing shallow and uneven. It was a long while before his hand before his face came into focus. He groaned as he pushed himself off the ground, his untied hair falling across his face.

"Ugh…"

He opened his eyes properly for the first time. All around him was the clear blue sky and forests that stretched as far as he could see. The fact that he was at least a few hundred feet in the air wouldn't have troubled him (after all, he came from a floating city) if there had been something visible under his feet. As far as he could tell, there was nothing under the splashes of black water staining the invisible ground. Shining brightly through fluffy white clouds, the sunlight reflected off something that was surrounding him. Cautiously, Trian reached out in front of him. His hands met an invisible barrier, and after more investigation, he realised he was in some kind of clear sphere.

Suddenly, the sky turned an angry red. Trian watched in horrified awe as the ground split open, swallowing up the entire forest. The sky became a maelstrom of fire. Meteorites rained down on the earth, destroying everything they touched. Trees fuelled great infernos, engulfing every living thing in their whirling flames. Trian knew this was not a natural disaster. He could feel the magic that permeated the air. No, this was the result of a wizard spell. But he had never seen a spell this powerful. Cities were relentlessly pummelled by the unnaturally powerful magic until they crumbled under the assault. He could almost hear the screams of families as they ran for cover. He could almost see people scattering for cover, even though it was obvious it would not protect them. He was immediately reminded of his own weaker version of that spell, although it was the attackers of Geffen screaming…

When everything died down, when the land was no longer attacked by the sky, where there had been tranquillity, all that was left were blackened remains. The earth had been horrendously scarred, deep, yawning gorges where there had been woodland. To the south, an empty plain lay where there had once been a vast tropical jungle. The sky remained an angry red before it finally relented, pouring forth its healing waters over the land. But even then, Trian could see that the water would not be able to wash away the land's wounds. There had been too much damage, far too much. As the rain fell, the landscape became more recognisable to his eyes. Those huge ravines to the east would later become a wide waterway that flowed around Geffen. To the north, those steep cliff faces would become part of the El Mes Plateau near Yuno. As his eyes glanced over the land, Trian realised he had been watching a piece of history. This was the reason why Morroc had become a desert wasteland. He could see that the forests of Payon were unscathed. However, he remembered that Payon had not been a rich city in the past, and did not involve itself in political affairs. There was one other city within his sight that was unmarked by the carnage. It looked a bit like the current Prontera, only not as large, and it didn't have the huge walls that were so characteristic of the fort city. This must have been the beginning of Prontera's rise to power…

Before he knew what was happening, that clear globe he was within whisked him away into to a grand bathroom with pristine white walls. In the centre was a huge, ornate bath. It took him a few moments to realise there was a woman bathing in it. Flushing in embarrassment, he turned away. But his eyes were drawn back to her. Her smooth, white skin was as flawless as polished porcelain, her round eyes and silky hair adding to her doll-like appearance. She had the appearance of a petite Yuno born, but her purple eyes were more vivid than anyone else he had ever seen. Except for, perhaps, that little boy in 'Morroc'. However, as his eyes drank in her beauty, Trian realised something was very, very wrong.

He brought his hand up to his mouth in horror. The bath was not filled with water, but with blood. Red, dark and foreboding. He felt nauseous, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the grisly sight. As he stared at it, a skull floated to the surface. The woman scooped up the skull and held it close to her face. "Why, soon, there will be a lot more of you," she crooned, her small hands lightly touching its smooth dome. "You'll have plenty of friends to keep you company." She laughed madly, as if she had made a hilarious joke.

There was a soft tapping on the door. The woman happily hummed a tune before standing up, the droplets of blood running down her back like streams of blackened silver. She merely wrapped a silky robe around her body, the thin material clinging to her shapely body. With a casual flick of her wrist, the door slowly opened, revealing a tall, well dressed man.

The man bowed reverently. "The cities of Rune-Midgard have all surrendered in face of your great power, m'lady. Until now, they did not truly understand the wrath of a high wizard."

She grinned, sauntering over to the man. Trian would have been apprehensive of having someone who so openly flaunted her power approaching him. But the man stood his ground, even returning her smile. Trian, on the other hand, found the smile on her doll-like face unnerving. There was something predatory, something disturbingly…chaotic in her eyes. He shivered, having the sudden wild urge to run away from this place. The female high wizard was powerful and knew it. The earth rending display earlier was more than enough to prove that. Despite the fact it was obvious she couldn't see him, Trian could almost see what would happen if she suddenly could. He nervously backed away as she approached the newcomer, drawing closer to Trian at the same time. But, despite his worst fears, she did not notice him at all.

Bringing her hands to his face, her fingers ran along the line of his jaw before she kissed the newcomer passionately. The man leaned in to accept her show of affection, his hands encircling her waist. "There's no need to be so formal," she whispered, her voice low and husky. He smiled wanly as her long, thin fingers traced an invisible line down his neck. "I've told you hundreds of times, just call me Kathryne."

"Kathryne Keyron…the bringer of Ragnarok…"

Everything around Trian cracked and shattered like glass into a thousand pieces, returning him to the darkness again. Falling to the floor in shards finer than sand, they crunched under his shoes as he took a cautious step forward in the darkness. He couldn't think through the pounding in his head. Was the bringer of Ragnarok really a wizard, no, a high wizard? He wished he had paid more attention to his mentor's words; there was something in the back of his mind yelling at him to be heard. Something important, he knew. Something that told him he should be afraid of what was happening, very afraid…

Off into the distance, he could hear quiet murmurings and the flutter of wings. Unable to see anything in the darkness, he cautiously called out.

"Hello? Is anyone there…?"

Light hearted laughter floated towards him as the voices slowly faded away, as if their owners were happily skipping away. As he squinted into the darkness, Trian thought he could pick out a faint blue flame in the distance. Curious, he moved towards it. They seemed to form an unseen path, leading to who knows where. Having no other choice, he walked on that path, his eyes always watching for…something…anything that would help him to escape from the Stream…

--

Trian's condition was worsening. The darkness remained, but it no longer pushed Tyler away, allowing him to stay in the room for longer hours. However, Trian's magical aura had almost completely faded away. Tyler unhappily leaned against the bed. Mr and Mrs Lizray had informed him that Trian was also dwindling away physically. To Tyler, there was only the slowest of heartbeats and the barest flicker of auras that was telling him Trian was still alive. The wizard didn't talk in his sleep anymore, but neither did he toss and turn like he used to. Even zombies showed more signs of life than Trian did. It was almost as if the darkness was mocking him, allowing Tyler to 'see' Trian in his worst, when the darkness knew it had won.

Tyler gently closed his hands over Trian's limp, skeletal one. It wouldn't be long now, until Trian finally passed over. He wasn't sure if he believed in life after death, but he hoped that if there was, Trian would have a better lot that the one he had in life here. The forties was a terribly young age to die for a mage; it was about the same as dying in the twenties for non-mages. It was the age where you could begin to carve your way through the world around you. There were so many things Trian could have done with his life. There were so many things they didn't have the chance to experience yet. There were so many days he wouldn't be able to cherish. It was such a waste…

He was so engrossed in his own thoughts it took Tyler a while to realise that Trian's nails was digging into his flesh as the wizard gripped his hands as tightly as he could.

"No…death…" Tyler heard him whisper, the faintest breath of sound in the silent room.

Tyler felt his throat close up. Was it determination to live, or was it just the last babblings of someone whose mind had long gone? Tyler gave a wry smile, gently prying Trian's fingers off his hands before he folded them closed. Trian was going to be gone soon. There wouldn't be anyone to shake awake in the mornings anymore. There wouldn't be anyone to bring him around Rune-Midgard and tell him with startlingly vivid descriptions of the scenery around them anymore. There wouldn't be a Trian anymore. Suddenly choking, he covered his mouth to dampen the sound. He didn't want the Lizrays hear or see him. Not like this. Not when he was on the verge of breaking down.

He was supposed to understand death, supposed to be able to accept it as part of life. All sages understood more of the way in which the world worked, allowing them to see that death was unchangeable. Because life was unpredictable, when their time came, it was the time they were meant to leave. Tyler knew that, but he was finding it difficult to accept, now that someone close to him was at Death's door. Did sages really understand more? Or was it just another lie, and were living as unknowing as everyone else, but pretending they could see farther? Tyler felt that since these past few months, there was so much he didn't understand, so much he couldn't come to grips with, so much he didn't want to accept.

He was never one for praying, but right now, he was praying for something, a miracle, anything. Tyler held Trian's cold hands in his own warm ones. Every moment that passed, every wisp of breath, every flicker of a weakening pulse seemed to be Trian's last. But the wizard still stubbornly held onto life.

Tyler's hands shook as he held onto Trian's thin, wasted hands. Tears slipped past his guard and soaked into the bed-sheets. "Don't let him suffer any more…"

--

A huge book lay open upon a pedestal, a ray of light dancing over its yellowed pages. Trian recognised it immediately. After all, it was Yuno's most precious artefact. The Book of Ymir, believed to have been created by the gods themselves, could not be moved from its pedestal in the castle it was stored within. No one had ever managed to decipher the mysterious words upon its pages, for some magic surrounded it making its words unreadable. That same magic had also allowed it to stay intact despite the centuries that had passed since its discovery. As he watched, the pages of the Book began to slowly turn. Cautiously, Trian approached the Book. As his fingers touched its ancient pages, the world around him disappeared in a flash of light.

When Trian opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on a stone platform, with the sky lazily swirling beneath him. The Book was still in front of him, its pages now flipping, blown by an unfelt wind. Behind it, an armoured woman carrying a golden ceremonial trident turned her head towards him. Her armour gleamed golden silver in the light. Two pairs of great feathered wings leisurely flapped behind her while her long hair floated around her, giving her a golden halo around her face. Laurels crowned her head, but her eyes were her most striking feature. They were not of the same colour, one a sparkling sapphire, the other an emerald green. Those eyes marked her as one of the beautiful yet dangerous warrior angels, the fabled valkyries. But as her mismatched eyes stared at him, hardly a flicker of emotion passed across her visage, her face as still as the newly dead. Slowly, she raised her trident.

She spoke in a tongue Trian didn't understand. To him, whatever she was saying was simply senseless gabble. Until finally, "Trian of Yuno, City of Wisdom, hailing from the land of Rune-Midgard. Few have tread the path you now walk, and fewer still have had the honour you are about to receive. You have been deemed worthy to be reborn again, and by the grace of the gods, you shall return to Rune-Midgard as a high wizard!"

"Wait!" Trian cried out in alarm as she swung her trident down. A high wizard? Like Kathryn Keyron? "What are you talking about? I don't want–!"

Lightning arced from where the trident prongs connected with the grey stone, great cracks forming in the platform. Instinctively, Trian shielded his face with his arms, fearing the electricity would strike him. The paving beneath his feet crumbled away, dropping him into the empty sky below. In the blink of an eye, an angel with three pairs of glowing white wings appeared before him. Smiling, she whispered words Trian could not hear. He stared at her, uncomprehending.

She laughed without any sound, reaching out to hold his face with her soft hands. He tried to say something, but she silenced him by pressing a finger to his lips. Her smile was serene, of absolute happiness, absolute joy. It left a strange ache in his heart, a strange envy over something he felt he could not achieve. But he couldn't bring himself to dislike someone so at peace with herself. It just wouldn't be right…

Still smiling, the angel gently wiped away his tears and spoke to him. Her voice was warm like the summer sun, flowing through him before it slowly settled as a contented feeling in his stomach. Something about her made him feel that the world was still beautiful, despite its flaws. Leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his.

"Good luck," she bade him, fading away.

As if in a dream, Trian brought his hand to his face. He could still feel her lingering touch along the side of his jaw. And all too suddenly, blackness returned and he hit the water. Panicking, Trian thrashed about in its murky depths. Breaking the surface, he cried out in fear as black shadows tried to drag him back down into the darkness of the river. The shadows were clinging to his arms, to his legs. He fought down his terror as it rose with the river's water level. Soon, the shadows would not have to drag him down into the water if it overwhelmed him. All around him, the glowing letters of the Stream hung in the darkness. They watched, their presence mocking him and his struggle to escape.

Clawing at the shadows gripping him, thrashing violently to somehow loosen their grip, he tried everything he could think of to make them let go. Trian tried in vain to reach for that faintly shimmering light so far above him. He wished furiously that he would be able to escape from this place. And miraculously, his wish was granted. Suddenly, the shadows let go of him. Hope fluttering in his chest, he tried again to reach that light. He was so close! Nearly…there…

But as his hand came nearer to that light, he didn't see the shadows reform into a dark snake. Hissing furiously, it spat, "Don't forget, boy! You belong to us!"

The serpent wound itself around his left leg, hissing viciously. Just as Trian's hand closed around the light, the snake sunk its fangs deep into his leg…

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Rosa came running the moment she heard the scream of agony rip through quiet Yuno. Her stomach churned in fear as she recognised her son's cry. In the time that had passed since the assault on Geffen, he never seemed to have nightmares of any kind. Although his 'sleep' could only be described as fitful at best, Trian never seemed to be in pain. That agonised cry could only be an ill omen…

She burst into the room, Aleran and Tyler following close on her heels. She skidded to a halt in horror as they saw their son sitting up and clutching his side, where something black and pulsating seemed to be attacking him. Thick, black and horribly misshapen, it clung to his left leg, slowly crawling its way up his body with long, thin tendrils of darkness. Almost immediately, she put her hands together in prayer, a prayer she had often used to purge darkness and evil. "O glorious God, please grant me strength to wield your light to cleanse my son of this darkness that does not belong–"

An angel appeared before her, glowing faintly with a white aura. Rosa's eyes widened in surprise. It was a rare vision, seeing the angel known as Gloria. It was written that Gloria had once been a mortal woman who had endured innumerable hardships. But she bore her hardships with grace, without anger, with a pure heart. She had given so much to the world when the world had given her nothing at all. When she died, God descended upon her and immortalised her forever, becoming the revered angel known as Gloria. Smiling warmly, the angel lay her hands onto Trian's shoulders and looked up at Rosa. Whispering something Rosa could not hear, Gloria unfolded her white wings. All three pairs of her wings encompassed them all in her divine embrace before fading away, leaving Rosa with nothing but the memory of that serene smile.

"– Lend me the holy light of your Magnus Exorcismus!"

Fleeting images of three angels appeared before them, circling over Trian. Two of the angels raised their swords, the third raising her trident. In a brilliant flash of light, they disappeared and a huge cross began to glow under Trian. Trian cried out as the holy energy struck him violently, pushing him back down onto the bed. But it seemed to have little effect on the darkness. It shifted its shape, becoming a serpent with a gaping maw. She began to pray again, but Trian gasped out, "No! Don't…Magnus…"

She watched in horrified awe as the serpent grinned at her before slowly sinking back down into the darkness whence it came. Slowly, the blackness stopped pulsating, leaving behind only shadow clinging to their son's left leg. Not believing her eyes, she watched her son struggle to sit up, seeing his purple irises for the first time in many long months. Finally giving in, Rosa cried tears of joy, rushing to her son's side, hugging him tightly in her arms. She felt Aleran and Tyler join with her, their happiness and amazement as evident as her own. She felt Trian's thin, wasted arms wrap around her, hugging her back. His wet tears slid down his face and soaked into her shirt. The family was complete once more.

"You're back…After so many months of hoping and praying…you're back…"

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Author's Note: I was actually going to let Trian read the Book, but then the last time I rebirthed was ages ago, and I couldn't remember the Book's words Dx And I'm not feeling creative enough to put some message and stuff, so I totally skipped it xD Another time, perhaps.

One more chapter before the end. Comments and criticism appretiated.