Shadow of the Sun
Ch. 7: One Rainy Day…
Raped and drained of an innocence, a gift we've lost time. Still I gaze through this one rainy day, alone with no one by my side. Open skies are falling; tears are coming down, like a drop of rain falls to the ocean and comes back around…One rainy day…
The night sky was blanketed with dark clouds in the distance, thriving with testimony of the impending storm. Bolts of lightning danced across the night sky, weaving in and out of the sheltering clouds.
"No…!" Quistis breathed in a barely audible voice.
She stared wide eyed and in shock as the creature's piercing crimson eyes burrowed deep within her soul. She watched as the creature wasn't even looking at her, but through her.
"…………" Quistis opened her mouth, not knowing what she would say, but none the less no words came out.
Raging flames illuminated the surrounding area, casting away the various shadows concealing the creature's identity. The small blonde watched in horror as she caught a glimpse of the soulless expression on the creature's face.
Quistis froze in terror as the demon approached her slowly, watching, examining her. The blood red skin that oozed over its body made her own skin crawl in revulsion. As the creature's presence neared the frightened young blonde, her eyes fell upon distinct patterns and patches of a deep violet and black that crept along its arms and legs. Even the sinister wings that dripped from its back were secreted in this black disease.
The demon ceased in its tracks, only feet before Quistis. The small blonde could feel the thunderous rhythm of her heart roar throughout her body. Quistis started to shake violently, unsure if it was from the cold night air or fear. Sweat congregated upon her palms as anxiety swarmed her body.
A gust of wind whisked by Quistis, fluttering her honey locks in its wake, soon thereafter it raced towards the creature in front of her, buffeting the demon's wings allowing them to spread to their full impending width.
The creature tilted its head back and let out a horrible high-pitched shriek into the abyss of the night. The ear-piercing sound was deafening.
Quistis felt an intense pressure build up inside her skull. A wave of nausea washed over her, as the sound was unrelenting.
"What is happening…!" Quistis frantically yelled. Blood gingerly began to trickle from her ears and run down the sides of her face, dribbling off her chin, muddling into a small pool on the ground below.
The sound was so concentrated that it caused blood to leak from her nose and soon welled up in her cerulean eyes. She blinked once allowing the blood to spill down her cheeks as if they were tears. She tried raising her arms to cover her ears, but her body was unresponsive.
"What…is going on! Ahhh…why can't I move!" Quistis yelled in her mind desperately trying to bear the excruciating pain ripping through her head.
Quistis felt her knees go weak and then soon buckle. She collapsed on the ground; a cloud of dust encircled her. She curled up into a ball trembling viciously. The creature stopped and his lifeless scarlet eyes fell upon the small girl lying at his feet.
"Could this be it? Is this…how it ends…?" Quistis asked, fearful of the answer.
Quistis felt the merciless pressure in her ears and head cease. She struggled to lift her head to see what the creature's next course of action was. As she gazed through weary sapphire eyes, she watched in horror as a dark shadow loomed over her, getting closer and closer as time endlessly passed.
A powerful force wrapped around her neck and she was ripped to her feet. Her hands instinctively grabbed the hand already occupying her throat. She gasped for air as she tried to pry loose the demon's grip. She could feel her life being strangled from her body, as her lungs screamed for oxygen.
Quistis felt a forceful jerk forward as her head snapped backwards. Her eyes barely crept open, only to reveal she was face to face with this hideous creature.
The never-ending disease of blackness spilled across the creatures face, almost producing an armor like mask with large devilish horns that leaked from the sides of his skull creating bat-like ears.
The demon seemed to smile as the small blonde gasped in pain. Quistis saw the creature's pointy razor like teeth that were once concealed within the depths of its mouth. She watched in fear as the demonic smile faded and the creature opened his mouth wide baring his teeth in a feral gesture, allowing her to get a good look at its weapons of choice that were going to tear through the soft tender padding on her throat, letting her warm life to surge through him.
With a cackle of lighting, a massive explosion from the lab startled the creature, causing him to drop his prey and jerk his head to the right. Quistis fell to her knees and gasped for much needed air. Her lungs were on fire from the lack of oxygen.
Still gasping for air, she struggled to her feet, and wrapped her fist around her whip. Slowly she raised her head and her eyes immediately fell upon the side of that creature's face and when they did everything seemed to stop.
"It…can't be…" She wheezed in a raspy whisper, due to the damage done to her throat and vocal cords only moments ago.
What she saw on the side of the demon's face made her question everything in her life. It was though she was swallowed up by a void of ice cold darkness. Her once striking ocean colored eyes began to well up with a sea of tears as they gazed listlessly at what seemed to be a black enigmatic marking, tattooed on the side of the creatures face.
Her grip loosened on her whip as her hand fell limply to her side. She took a step forward causing the creature to turn its attention towards her once more.
Fresh tears fell from the heavens, soaking the small blonde in a cool mist, as they began to mix with her own.
She reached out her hand, desperately wanting to caress the side of the creatures face. The demon stared at her intensely watching her every move, almost fascinated by her actions.
As her steps brought her closer to the demon, its devilish smirk slithered back onto its lips. Almost as soon as it appeared the smirk vanished and the demon once again lashed out placing an unyielding grip on Quistis' exposed throat.
Quistis grabbed the monster's hand with her left, trying to gain just a few more seconds of air. She raised her right hand and tenderly placed it on the side of the creature's face.
The creature furrowed its brow, as it frowned in confusion.
"Ze…Zell!" Quistis breathed as tears savagely began streaming down her pale rain soaked face.
The grip on Quistis' neck loosened momentarily and those once bottomless scarlet eyes gave way to the recessive crystalline orbs beneath.
"Zell…" Quistis called to him once more as a smile curved her lips. Quistis watched as the demon's seemingly fragile mind had begun to shatter. His eyes went blank, as though he was searching himself, searching for this Zell…
Suddenly those prominent marine colored eyes focused back on the small blonde still held tightly within his grasp.
"Zell, its…me," Quistis coughed, as air was becoming more and more desperate.
As she uttered his name the demon's eyes twitched and his death grip tightened. Quistis' eyes closed in pain as her life was being squeezed out of her.
The creature's now azure eyes became cloudy as blood spilled into them, once again creating those same dark piercing crimson eyes. He spun around and tossed Quistis into a nearby tree.
Her body was violently hurled backwards through the air. She hit the tree with so much force that the remaining oxygen left in her lungs was vehemently pushed out.
"Aaahhh…" A yelp of pain exuded from the small female. "Why…?" Quistis questioned in her mind, as she laid face first on the ground motionless.
Quistis struggled to get up, but her body was so torn up that any movement she made, even breathing caused tremendous pain. She managed to steady herself on one knee.
She looked up and saw the creature just standing there, his posture rigid and unresponsive, gazing upon her with its same soulless expression.
"Ze…," was all she wheezed out before violently coughing up blood. A bright red pool, puddled on the ground before her.
She spit out the left over blood that was in her mouth on the already wet spongy earth beneath.
She wiped off the remaining blood dripping from the corner of her lips. "ZELL!" She yelled with all her might. "What's happened to you? It's me…" Quistis pleaded desperately.
The creature shook his head and turned his icy glare towards the injured female once more. He cocked his head slightly towards the side and smiled an insane grin.
Slowly he strode towards the kneeling blonde. Within inches of his target he stopped, gazing down at her.
"Zell…" She called as she struggled to her feet.
The creature bent down, and placed his face right next to her ear. Quistis could feel his hot breath slither down the side of her neck, sending chills running up her spine.
Without hesitation he buried his fist into the petit blonde's abdomen causing her to slump over his arm. Quistis felt her body go momentarily limp and began to involuntarily fall, but before she hit the ground a kick slammed into the side of her face, propelling her through the air.
The creature's breathing quickened to short emotional breathes; his chest rose and fell with rapid succession. Rain glazed his body, causing it to shimmer in the slight light caused by cackling lighting bolts.
Despite excruciating pain Quistis rose to her feet, slightly swaying side to side. Her once perfect hair was torn from its patented ponytail and draped across her face, slightly shielding one eye in darkness.
The demon gazed at the blonde's piercing eye. He took a staggered step back and clenched his head, as past visions swam behind his eyes.
"Come on Quisty, leave your hair down…please…for me…" The short blonde pleaded with his ever reluctant girlfriend.
"No…It doesn't look professional, and I have to go teach class in a few minutes." Quistis lectured in a stern voice, but couldn't help but smile when she saw how cute the slightly taller blonde boy looked, sticking out his bottom lip, pleading with her.
"Oh alright…but only for you Zell." She giggled as Zell wrapped her up in a loving hug and excitedly planted a rather sloppy wet kiss on her cheek.
The demon shook his head violently, desperately trying to clear it of all thought. He jumped back startled at realizing Quistis was only feet away.
"Tell me! Tell me who I am!" Quistis yelled almost incoherently, none the less startling the creature with her vehemence.
The demon let out a high pitched shrill, but not like the first, this was one of desperation and pain.
Quistis ducked a wild roundhouse kick, but got caught with a severe spinning sidekick in the solar plexus. She was once again hurled through the air and slammed on the ground forcefully.
The creature stood there trembling as he watched the young blonde lay motionless on the ground. His lip quivered as his breathing became sporadic.
Only by shear willpower was Quistis able to rise to her feet once more.
Another flash of past events swam before the demon's eyes, as he gazed at Quistis. Instead of continuing his attack, he let out a painful scream and leaped up to a nearby branch, frantically trying to flee.
Though her body was utterly exhausted, through shear willpower she ran towards the branch and gazed up at the creature so far above her. Droplets of rain continued to fall as it soaked every inch of the young blonde while it mingled with tears, blood and sweat.
Quistis watched as the creature's once lifeless expression slowly altered to that of human. She looked upon him softly able to see the pain gleaming through his eyes.
"This is a real fight, come on…Look at me…" Quistis started hastily. "Tell me…Tell me who I am?" Quistis said in almost a whisper, as her own emotions welled up in her throat.
Time seemed to stop, and one second felt like an eternity. As rain cascaded down and lightning danced across the sky, it was just the two of them, searching one another for answers.
"Qui…Quistis…" The demon finally replied in a raspy tone as his head fell towards the ground.
A warm smile washed over Quistis' rain glazed lips.
"Zell…" She called as she finally gave way to her severe injuries and collapsed to the ground, falling into a shadowy void of nothingness.
A/N: Wow that chapter took FOREVER! I am very sorry that it took so long, I hope you all can forgive and are still going to read and review. Hopefully I still have my knight, otherwise this so called "king" will have to give up his crown and lay his body to rest. So Q-n-P you had better believe this chapter is dedicated to you, without your support I don't know where I'd be. That goes to everyone who sends me reviews, I appreciate them a lot! And will always give those who send me reviews praise in my next chapter, so just look for them in my Author's Note section. Please keep sending me REVIEWS! Q-n-P I bow to thee, and prey you return. Later...