May 31, 2014
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Dust II: Elysian Kingdom
Chapter 4 — Need
The double doors of the regal palace slowly and quietly creaked forward as Dust pushed on them simultaneously. The opening revealed an incredibly spacious foyer filled with several regal-looking pillars that stretched up to the top of the high ceiling. The pillars were aligned in rows on either side of the entrance and ran down the hall, stopping before two rounded staircases that led up to an indoor balcony with a set of twin doors at the top in the middle. There were also pillars in each corner of the room, as well as a door in the middle of both the left and right walls. Similar gold designs like the ones on the outside of the palace lined the inside walls as well, complimented by a few purple and pale yellow-colored banners that hung from the ceiling. Above the double doors on the back wall there was a surprising stained-glass mural of none other than Dust himself, triumphantly standing with Ahrah and Fidget at the summit of the Everdawn Basin.
"Wow.. This is unbelievable," Dust said as he walked somewhat cautiously forward across the smooth, glossy floor, scanning the area in awe. Each one of his steps let out a faint sound that echoed quietly through the entire room.
Just then, two guards came bursting through the doors on either side of the room, wielding decorated spears. One of them was a towering muscular guy with tan-colored fur, a thick face, a dark brown mohawk, and small but sharp green eyes. The other was slightly older while much skinnier and shorter, with navy fur and brown eyes. His slicked-back hair was grey and so was his slightly-lengthy beard.
They both glared in Dust's direction and shouted almost simultaneously, "Halt! Who goes th-"
But their words were cut off at the sight of Dust's easily recognizable head full of shiny grey hair and pale turquoise fur.
"Good lord.. Is it really you..?" the blue one said with doubt in his voice. The larger one was speechless.
They both ran towards Dust as he finally found some words to offer. "Bean.. Calum.. Yes it's me. I'm alive," he said with a soft smile as his voice echoed.
Bean and Calum finally reached where Dust was standing and embraced him tightly. It was clear that they missed him and were so glad that he was back; however it was that he was back. Dust was just enjoying the warm feeling of interaction once again.
They both let go from the hug as Bean started, "S-So how are you alive? We heard that Ginger and Fidget saw your spirit rise from the volcano but- Oh Calum! Go wake up.. well, everyone! This is huge!" Dust's ears perked up at the sound of Fidget and Ginger's names. He really hoped that they both would come through any of the doors in the palace, eager as ever to see him.
"Right, good idea!" Calum agreed as he ran up one of the rounded staircases to the top floor and through the double doors in the middle.
Dust responded, "Well.. how I'm back I'm not really sure of, to be honest. Ahrah has a theory but he doesn't have much of a clue either."
"Hm, hopefully the Elder has a better idea.. I'm sure he'll be ecstatic to see you're back!"
"Yeah, it'll be great to see him again.. Fidget and Ginger too.. They're here, right?" Dust was concerned if they really were or not.
"Yes, yes!" Bean confirmed. "Oh my, Fidget is constantly telling us all these insignificant things about you when you were travelling together; it's the cutest thing! And Ginger has been so-"
But Bean was cut off by yet another door-bursting, this time coming from the twin doors of the second floor. As Calum held the doors open, none other than the unmistakable spunky orange and white Nimbat came flying through as fast as she could.
"Duuuuuuust!" Fidget screamed with teary eyes at the top of her lungs, before she collided with him right in the chest, pushing him back a bit. He gently wrapped his arms around her tiny body and looked downward at her.
"F-Fidget.. I'm so happy to see you again.." he said, closing his eyes. Bean looked on with a huge smile on his face as Calum came down to where they were standing.
She kept her face buried in his chest, hiding the tears that were now streaming down her face. "I.. I missed you so much, Dust.. I couldn't stop talking about you, and.. and I just KNEW someday you'd be back.. You took a lot longer than any of us wanted but, but I was right! ..I just-"
"Shhh.." She was stopped as Dust interjected and petted her head. "I know, Fidget. It's okay. I'm back now and I won't leave again, I promise."
Fidget finally looked up at Dust's eyes, with her tears now slightly dry. "Your face is the best thing ever to me right now, you big goof.."
"Even better than marshmallows? Wow, I've been promoted," Dust joked as he laughed quietly.
Fidget laughed and smiled widely. "It's been waaaay too long since I've heard your subtle sense of humor, Dust.." She finally left his chest and started flying next to him. It was then when the next figure started to appear through the double doors.
She was a young adult female, most recognizable by her beautiful orange hair in a large ponytail and her deep dark blue eyes. She wore a regal white and gold dress, with light blue arm-sleeves, ankle bracelets, and sandals. Dust instantly recognized her; it was Ginger, the sister of one of the souls that Dust contained inside of him.
"Ginger!" Dust yelled as he began to run towards the stairs.
"Dust..!" Ginger yelled back as she lifted her dress up slightly and started to quickly descend the stairs. She met Dust halfway and immediately wrapped her arms around him tightly with her head turned to the side and eyes closed. He returned the hug and sighed deeply. Neither of them said a word for a bit; Dust knew that Ginger was a girl that let actions speak louder than words.
"So you're really back.." Ginger said at last. "And this isn't some crazy dream.."
"Yeah, it's really me, Ginger. I don't know how, but this is real."
She sighed and began again, "..Fidget and I chased you for as long as we could but, your spirit was travelling so fast.. But that doesn't matter now, because you're back.." It was then when she quietly started sobbing into Dust's shoulder. He held her closer as her crying grew slightly louder.
"Oh Ginger, it's okay.."
"I know," she said as she held back the tears as much as she could. "I'm just so happy, everyone missed you so much.. and now the emptiness you left is gone.."
"I'm really glad to hear that.. I missed everyone too, even if I wasn't conscious to know I was feeling it," Dust said as Ginger hugged him tighter, still sobbing a little.
"Sen-Mithrarin! You have returned to us!" A loud voice broke through the short silence, as a larger grey-skinned figure with long white hair and large white eyebrows came through the doors at the top of the stairs. He was slightly hunched over and wore a similarly-colored garment to Ginger, but more robe-like than her long dress. He also held his trademark blue and yellow staff, which was topped with a glowing orb surrounded by a few small, floating, oval-shaped objects. He also wore a purple scarf and cloth belt.
Dust looked up in surprise and began walking farther up the stairs until he met the figure at the top step. "Elder Gray Eyes.. It's an honor to be back in your presence," he said as he bowed his head slightly with a hand on his chest and on bended knee.
"No, no! The honor is all mine, Mithrarin," the Elder responded humbly, mimicking Dust's bowing gesture as Dust looked back up.
Ahrah chimed in at that moment. "Ah, it's a pleasure seeing you again, my old friend."
"It is a pleasure to have you back as well, Ahrah," the Elder greeted the sentient blade warmly.
Fidget then flew up to where everyone was gathered, with Bean following. "Isn't this great, Elder?! Dust is finally back!" the Nimbat exclaimed with a smile across her face as she cuddled Dust's cheek. He slightly smiled back in her direction.
The Elder closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes Fidget, it seems our prolonged wait has paid off.. Now everyone, I'm sure you all have questions, as do I, but if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Dust and Ahrah alone; let them know what's happened in this time."
"Aww, why can't I come?" Fidget nagged.
"I'm sure you already know since you've actually been alive, Fidget," Dust responded jokingly.
"Hmph.. FINE," she said, playfully annoyed as she flew past the group back through the double doors. Bean and Calum bowed to the group and went back down the stairs then into their respective doors on either side of the foyer.
Ginger walked past Dust and the Elder slowly and then looked back. "Don't worry, I'll watch her," she said softly as she giggled a bit and continued walking the same path Fidget traveled. Only Dust, Ahrah, and the Elder remained on the balcony.
"Ahaha, as you can see, everyone's just as they've always been," the Elder said as he started back towards the stairs and began descending them, with Dust following him. They conversed as they slowly made their way to the twin doors on the ground floor of the foyer.
Dust sighed contently. "Yes, it's really nice seeing them again. And you too, Elder; you've certainly been busy these last couple years."
"No no, I haven't done much.. It's the work of all the remaining Moonbloods and all the citizens of Falana who were kind enough to help to build this palace for us; we really have them to thank for their efforts."
"Well it truly is a wonder," Ahrah observed.
The group of three reached the ground floor, where the Elder opened the doors on the back wall underneath the balcony, and they went in. There were three more doors inside the long horizontal hallway.
"That room on the far right there is the infirmary," the Elder gestured. "If you are ever injured, Dust, you're welcome there no matter what. This middle room here is the facilities, for showering, bathing, and so on."
He then walked over to the door on the right and turned back to Dust. "This room is the new home to someone you should remember quite fondly."
The room wasn't like the rest of the rooms in the palace, or at least the foyer. It was damp and moist. It was almost pitch black, with only one faint flameless light mounted on the back wall. This light illuminated the room just enough so a deep hole in the floor in front of the back wall was visible. The atmosphere eerily reminded Dust of the same cave that he regenerated and woke up in, nearly sending a shiver through his body. He was starting to get the idea that the Elder didn't want to just tell Dust what happened when he was gone; there was something else.
"You'll have to excuse these conditions, it's how she prefers it," the Elder explained, chuckling softly to himself as he walked towards the hole in the ground and stepped down onto a metal spiral staircase. "Come on now, Dust! We have much to discuss!"
Dust was a bit uncertain, but he knew he trusted the Elder, so he followed. The staircase led down to another room, presumably the basement, that was even more dark and damp than the one above it. There were stalagmites and stalactites lining both the ceiling and the floor, complemented by only four flameless lights, one on each wall. This time, Dust actually did feel a shiver go up his spine.
As the group reached the bottom, a figure started to emerge from the darkness in the middle of the room. Its floating silhouette was made up of two arms, a head with one large horn in the back, a dress-like bottom half with no feet, and a skeleton-like apparatus floating independently behind it. As the light started to reveal a bit of the figure's features and colors, Dust recognized it.
"Lady Tethys..!"
The green-colored female spirit was surprised. "Dust? ..Oh my, is it truly you?"
"Yes, by some miracle, I'm back. It's nice but.. really a shock to see you here, to be honest."
"I know, but the Elder invited me to live here so I thought I might as well, for convenience and emergency reasons," she explained. "..As long as it was to my specifications, of course."
Dust looked around at the room again. "Yeah this definitely screams Cirromon Caverns."
"Alright you two," the Elder intervened, walking towards Lady Tethys and standing next to her, facing Dust. "Now that you've caught up, we should start discussing the matters at hand."
Dust was a bit confused. "'Matters at hand?' Is something wrong?"
Lady Tethys hesitated for a bit. "..We have some concerns. Elder, do you want to begin?"
"Of course," Elder Gray Eyes started, clearing his throat and closing his eyes. "We fear that something is amiss in Falana. It's been a very quiet five years ever since you ended General Gaius' vicious campaign. Now, I'm not complaining about those glorious years, but.."
Dust stepped forward. "But..?"
The Lady picked up the Elder's words. "A few months ago, I started to sense a small disturbance in the Life Thread. Nothing big, but I couldn't become attuned to a small number of souls. It's as if they were blocked out, like an eclipse. I don't even know if the bodies of those souls have died, or if the souls were removed from their bodies. I can't even derive any knowledge from them or locate where they are in Falana.. I honestly can't place what could possibly be doing this; no one has ever—as long as I've been alive, at least—been able to manipulate the Life Thread in any way. It is simply only for 'viewing'. Like a library, if you will."
"And then it got worse," the Elder continued. "More souls were being blocked out again and again at random."
"Basically, If you could view the Life Thread on a map, there would be a lot of haphazardly-placed blacked-out areas," Lady Tethys added. "And to make matters even more complicated, recently I started not being able to tell who's soul belonged to who. Even if I can see someone's soul that isn't blocked out, I can't even attach a name to it. It really is becoming more and more of a tragedy.."
Elder Gray Eyes concluded, "Which is why we're so blessed that you're back, Sen-Mithrarin."
"Wow.. this is just unbelievable, that something like this could happen," Dust responded with a heavy heart. "But I promise, I'll help all that I can-"
"But that's not all," the Lady interrupted.
The Elder sighed heavily. Dust's face was overcome with concern.
"If the source of this disturbance happens to be an individual, and they somehow gain complete control of the Life Thread.. they could separate Jin and Cassius' souls from your body, and you would cease to exist."
