The Descended Shadow
Chapter X
A little piece of heaven
Disclaimer – Escaflowne is not mine; the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum . Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at
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……
Silence, the shallow silence consumed her very soul. She felt cold, though it wasn't just the cause of the weather or her sodden clothes. She took a deep breath, but it seemed to freeze her lungs. Her breathing was slow and shallow, the complete opposite of her minds workings. Her feet stood on the side of a bridge, before her the sheer drop, which spelled certain death for any poor soul who should fall from its heights. With a slight rotation of her shoulders she freed her jacket and let it fall to the ground with a sodden thud. Then she stepped forward, and fell.
As she fell she didn't struggle, but just allowed herself to fall towards the rapidly moving river below. She closed her eyes and with a ripping of material and flutter of feathers a set of angelic wings opened out of her back. Like the jerk of a parachute her freefall was brought to an abrupt crawl, and she began to glide across the open sky. The feeling, not like any she had ever experienced before… flying through the air it almost felt like she was the only one in the world, without a care in her heart. She smiled,
"I'm really doing it!" She cried out, "I'm really doing it!"
Her enthusiasm was short lived, as with a painful crunch and a shriek her wings gave out under the strain and her glide turned into a freefall. As she fell she cursed her stubborn attitude, her wish to fly. As she neared the river below she closed her eyes and waited for the end, but it did not come.
She felt someone grab her, and when she opened her eyes she was flying once more. She was held in the arms of a young man, his hair as white as his wings. As she looked into his face he smiled, though the smile appeared far beyond his years.
"What are you doing unfurling your wings in public!" He asked, in a brotherly tone, "Don't you understand what they would do to you?"
She completely ignored the question and the tone in which it was given,
"You're a Draconian? I can't believe I've found another one" She gasped, barely able to believe her eyes. He shook his head,
"And you are lucky I was there… " He reminded her,
"You youngsters, do you think yourself immortal?"
She clung to him tighter shaking her head,
"Who are you?" They glided low along the river out of the city. They were so close to the water Sadako could have touched it. She guessed he was right, what was she thinking trying that? And in such an obviously place, most people may have been asleep but what if someone had seen her? Thinking of this now made her feel very uncomfortable, she had been lucky, very lucky.
Eventually he sat her down on the rivers edge a mile or so out of the city. Over the tops of the buildings upon the eastern horizon she could see the beginnings of the sunrise. As she turned to confront her rescuer she noticed the thick forest that surrounded the rocky berth on which they now stood.
"Who are you?" She asked again, but this time he was more forth coming,
"Aosánach, that is my name, Aosánach" He answered. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes in concentration. As he did the beautiful pair of wings upon his back seemed to glow an even more dazzling white but slowly fading, one feather at a time. Eventually the glow had dissipated and he stood before her, unrecognisable as a draconian.
Her back was throbbing, and with a backwards glance she could see her battered wings weakly holding their shape. He followed her gaze before stepping behind her,
"What happened? Why did your wings…?" He asked but the answer made itself clear to him. Gently he passed his hand over them.
"This was your first time?" He asked, "But at your age?"
She nodded in agreement as he came round to face her,
"Why?" He asked, "Did your mother not teach you?" She shook her head,
"My mother wasn't…." She started and his eyes lit with realisation,
"You're a half blood… your father was a Draconian but your mother was a human?"
"Yes" She looked away as if ashamed,
"There is nothing to be ashamed of. Please, tell me what is your name?" He asked, she looked back to his returned smile.
"Sadako" She answered, but leaving the rest.
"What happened to your father? Did he leave you and your mother?" Aosánach asked, she shrugged her shoulders,
"That's one way you could put it" He sighed,
"So you never learned to fly but thought you just could?" He asked accusingly and Sadako grudgingly nodded,
"You cant just fly, your wings need to gain some strength before you can. Do you just stand up and walk one day?"
Sadako looked to her feet sadly,
"That's enough of the lectures," He said before indicating to her wings, "They are beautiful" She immediately looked up, she may have been unsure of his motives but she couldn't doubt his sincerity.
"But for now lets recall them" He instructed her, guessing she had no idea how too,
"First stand straight, and relax your whole body. Once your back begins to tingle let the energy flow through you"
Sadako wasn't sure why but she suddenly became very defensive of the man,
"Who are you?" She asked thrice,
"I told you, Aosánach," He answered
"That is your name. Who are you, and why where you watching me!" She asked, in this split second she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"I wasn't watching you," He told her, "I saw one of my kin in trouble and so I helped them as I would hope anyone else would" Sadako waved the answer off,
"So it just so happens that a Draconian was in the right place at the right time. Two of us, what are the odds of that?"
He sighed with a shake of his head,
"Don't believe the humans talk of our near extinction" Aosánach suggested, "There are more of us than they know… so many hidden in their cities, even from those closest to them" She released her hand,
"There are many more Draconian's?" She asked, and he nodded,
"Yes"
Lowering her guard again she followed his original instructions. First she wondered if she was doing it right but then the tingling starting. She closed her eyes and did her best to follow his abstract directions. As she relaxed further she could feel the energy flow through her whole being, and though she could not see it her own wings began to glow and dissipate. As the feeling vanished she looked up to him as if asking his approval,
"Good"
With a backwards glance she too found that her wings where nowhere to be found, and with a sigh of relief she sat upon a rock. She hadn't noticed before but looking out over the river was nice. It was very fast flowing, and the river was turning. Being at the butt of the flow, this appeared to be the only place stone could gather without being carried out to sea. The sun was now high enough to lighten the city. She shook her head, being inside the city she was unable to appreciate the beauty it offered. The buildings where all built symmetrically, rising up towards the hill which acted as the bastion of the castle. The towering walls and coloured banners of the castle dominated the highest points of the city, its soldiers smaller than specs from this distance. From the roofs of some of the houses new plumbs of smoke had started to rise as her people awoke.
Although not surrounded, large areas outside of the city were dense with trees, which formed thick forests that spread into all the countries around Cesario including Fanelia, Fraid and Deadalus. They looked beautiful. To her surprise she actually yawned, reminding her she hadn't slept at all the previous night. Some things had been heavy on her mind. She hadn't realised how down she looked until Aosánach commented on it,
"What's wrong?" He asked, she looked up hastily,
"Just things" She answered, trying to keep details to a minimum, but he pressed her again,
"Anything you want to talk about?" He asked. She shook her head,
"Not really" A feeling of gloom appeared to come between them for a time but after a couple of minutes he broke it.
"What brings you to these parts?" He asked lifting a particularly flattened pebble from the ground. She thought for a moment before adding,
"I've just been wandering, you know," She answered looking up, "See the world and all that"
"Where is it your from originally?" He asked, she guessed it was her accent that had given her away again.
"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me but I guess you could say I come from Fanel" She paused for a moment, but Aosánach stepped in,
"Fanel?" He commented, "That unusual" Sadako got a perplexed glaze in her eye,
"Unusual?"
For a second he appeared uncomfortable,
"Well, there aren't too many Draconian's around there anymore. Not many at all"
"Why not?" She asked almost instinctively. When Sadako started something she seemed to have a need to finish it, whether it is for good or ill.
"Their king, most of the humans don't know this but he too is a Draconian, or at least a half-blood. His dominion over that country, his relationship with the humans while he ignores his own people appears to many to be a betrayal" He answers, to which Sadako didn't respond,
"There is still a lot of bad blood within our people towards the humans. Many times they have attempted to exterminate our people; many thousands have died by their hands"
"Are you one of them?" Sadako asked, she already knew the answer but she still asked it with a morbid feeling. He sighed and sat beside her,
"Yes I am" He answered, "I don't want to punish them, but I will never trust them. Our people had already suffered so much, but then to be persecuted by those who where made from our own flesh"
"What?" Sadako asked, surprised again,
"Yes… I suppose you wouldn't know our history either… when Gaia was first created each Draconian gave a piece of themselves, this flesh was used to create the people of Gaia. Different cultures formed from the different families, families turned to nations to alliances. Since ancient days they have long lost their wings, and turned on us"
"If that is true how do we know who where made from Draconian flesh and who are Draconian's themselves?" Sadako asked,
"Believe me, there are ways to know"
"So everyone on Gaia came from the same seed? The same nation?"
"Correct, from Atlantis" He added, "Our home" Sadako removed her gaze from his. Although he was a young man there was something haunting in his gaze, something chilling to her. They traded polite conversation for a while longer but Sadako could feel herself drifting from his words until eventually with a nod of her head she fell asleep.
………
Sadako found herself looking into the abysses. It was a strange feeling, for she couldn't see anything but darkness around her. At first the darkness offered only silence, but slowly shallow beats and clashes returned. The sounds of war. Then as quickly as she had found herself there she was gone. There was a loud bang and her eyes where opened wide. She jumped into a sitting position and in a panic looked about her.
She appeared to be back in her room in Fanel. Although it was definitely the same room, it appeared almost derelict, the room itself without light nor candle. The only light that did enter the room was a fiendish glow of red from outside her window, a glow which played with shadows across the walls of the classically decorated room. Pulling herself from the bed she approached the window cautiously. Ducking down beside it she peeped out, and gasped. The Fanel she knew was nowhere to be found… everywhere fires where burning, people where screaming, swords where clashing. From where she was spying a glance it appeared that the first two walls of the city had been overcome by whoever was attacking, all that was left there were the burnt reminisces of the buildings that used to be homes and the torches that lit them.
The third wall, the cities final defence was awash with activity, hundreds of figures running across it, even more arrows in the air… and an unknown enemy battering the city. The fires obscured their banners, their colours left unknown; the moon glowed red as the flames. The sounds of battle would have been deafening even to the veteran on the battlefield. She was disorientated, scared, and unsure of what was happening but she pulled herself to her feet, run through the door and into the hall beyond. Even the large stone corridors failed too block the screams and shouts, in fact they appeared to be amplified.
At first she wasn't sure where she was going to go, or who she was going to see, but forcing her legs as hard as she could she ran towards Vons office, and hopefully her father. The more the seconds ticked by the more alienated she felt. The castle didn't feel like the castle she knew, more a warped version of it. Even the paintings on the walls appeared to gawk at her, their once proud faces twisted into shadowy horrors.
She skidded to a halt outside of Vons office but to her surprise she found two Fanelian guard standing underneath the arch that allowed entry, sealing the room off. She shouted to them,
"What's happening?" But they didn't even acknowledge her existence. She couscously stepped towards them, their swords already drawn. She walked right in front of them but they appeared to look right through her. Stepping back her confusion turned to astonishment, 'What's going on?'
She was about to shout in one of their ears when a noise from down the corridor caught her attention. The two guards automatically turned, their swords held fiercely. Down the corridor Onoír stepped out of the shadows, his trademark blue coat around him but it was stained red. His sword was at his side but she could see it had been used. He wasn't the same as the Onoír she had seen in Nimura's duel; he seemed so much older, so much harder. When the guards saw who he was they lowered their swords, even sheathing them.
"I wish to speak to the king" Onoír ordered but it fell on a deaf ears,
"Nobody is allowed to see the king sir, Madams orders" Onoír shook his head,
"I don't care what she told you then, it was Merle who sent me here" Onoír reiterated but still they refused.
"I'm sorry sir" Onoír sighed,
"So am I"
In a flash his sword was removed and the guard furthest from him fell to the ground, mortally wounded. The second guard's eyes widened in realisation and made for his sword, but grabbing him by the shoulders Onoír bridged the gap between them and slid a knife into his stomach. The guards' eyes bulged, and while trying to hold onto Onoír slid onto the stone floor. Onoír bowed his head,
"It didn't have to be this way"
Sheathing his sword again, Onoír tried to open the doors to the king's study but finding it locked took a deep breath and gathered his strength. With a single kick the old wood cracked and broke allowing him entry. Sadako watched him disappear inside. Her heart was pounding; she wasn't sure what she was seeing.
Slowly she approached the door, and looking through the darkened shards of the wood she found Onoír supporting a second figure out of the room. It was Von. She knew it was him but he looked different from when she last saw him. His beard had been left untended, his hair tangled, not straight or groomed as it normally would be. He looked exhausted, wrapped in a dense fir coat, of a darkened shade of grey. As they passed the two guards Von spat,
"There are traitors everywhere… where is she?" Von asked his voice acidic,
"Merle? I left her directing the battle with Alexander, from the tower 'Babel'" Onoír answered,
Von laughed,
"I will put an end to this treason myself. First, we deal with her, then to the Chapel" Von told him.
"Why do you want to go there… you don't mean too…?" Onoír stuttered,
"It is time it returned" Von commented his voice dry, "It is the time of awakening"
"It is sad that it has come to this… our city in flames, our own family turned traitors," Onoír said sadly. Von placed his hand on Onoír's shoulder,
"You're the only one I can trust…"
Onoír smiled slightly,
"Come on, she awaits you're coming" And with that sentiment the two ran on down the corridor. Sadako too ran behind the men, but her shouts fell on deaf ears. She guessed neither of them could see, nor hear her but why? Was she dead?
They continued through the castles darkened, deserted corridors meeting nobody else. It appeared that even the royal guard where nowhere to be found, her halls left empty, the noise of the battle still raging outside. Both Von and Onoír drew their swords as they continued out through the castles door. Sadako heart missed a beat as the sights reached her eyes, the gardens, the statues, everything was scar'd. Large boulders, most likely catapulted into the city littered the ground, trees burned and the bodies of men and women lay upon the grass and paths. Not even the castle had escaped damage, huge holes scaring its side. The fountain, she and Nimura had sat beside on many occasions was in pieces, its ornamentation scattered across the path; its waters long stopped running.
Beyond the city was burning, Gymelef's and soldiers fought to hold off their enemies, as others ran from the battle. Von and Onoír on the other hand didn't appear fazed by the sight at all, and with an attitude only possible from a heart of stone they continued, leaving the dead and wounded to their fate.
They marched down the stairs into the city, ever coming closer to the battle, their swords held tight in their hands,
"It doesn't look like they have breached the walls yet… we have time to deal with this before they do" Von commented and Onoír nodded,
"First you deal with the enemies in your own mists, then those beyond"
The screams and battle became ever clearer in their ears as they eased closer. Within moments they had entered the Courtyard of the Kings, the complete opposite of the castle and its grounds. It was a hive of activity, people running, and screaming, fighting, and dieing all around them. None with sympathy for his neighbour, only for themselves. They ran passed all of these, not a second glance to those in need. Dwarfing over the courtyards far side was one of the cities three massive turret complexes. Its central tower, the tower 'Babel', their destination.
Entering the massive structure they where once again in darkness other than that light which the torches provided. Round and round they jogged up the narrow staircase, spiralling upwards into the towers high defences. After a few levels, rooms opened out to the side of the staircase, used for defending. Half way up the turret, four levels up, they left the staircase and the turret. The complex was made up of three turrets, the central tower, Babel, being used for the control of the battlefield due to its high visibility and stark defences.
Bridges of stone connected the towers to its neighbour, and it was one of these bridges they had just escaped onto. Taking a deep breath of the smoky air Von looked up at Babel, towering over the rest of the city. Strangely his eyes where distracted away from it and to the battlefield just beyond the walls of the city. He saw it just in time, a catapults boulder heading towards them.
"DUCK" Von yelled, and fell to the ground. Onoír however failed the react in time.
The bolder smashed the tower Babel with a defining crash, and with enough pressure went right threw it. The hole left was massive, and at least two levels high. Unfortunately it was too much for the tower. Seconds, which seemed like a lifetime later, the tower, seemed to crumble under its own weight, its stone falling, and the tower itself falling from the sky. Hundreds of tons of stone began to collapse, falling into the city below. There was a violent shaking of the ground, like an earthquake, and Onoír who was still on his feet was knocked off them. He attempted to grab the railing that surrounded the bridge, but fell.
It seemed the entire battle stopped for just that moment, unable to look away from their doom. There was a plumb of dust, which enveloped the city… and then the tower was gone. Von raised his head, coughing up dust. He looked up at where the tower used to stand in awe,
"At this rate they wont need to breach the walls… they'll crush us all" Von commented, but when no answer came he looked around himself for Onoír.
"Onoír?"
At first Von panicked calling out Onoír's name again, and again but slowly the realisation began to dawn upon him…he had fallen. Once this had occurred to Von he ran to the side of the bridge and looked down to the water that flowed under it… far under it.
Sadako watched Von fall to his knees, as he took harsher breaths. He placed his head in his hands, and muttered, to himself though Sadako couldn't hear his words. Sadako could feel the pain he was in, and so she approached him. She knelt down beside him and wrapped her arms around him. Instead of holding onto him her arms passed through him like he wasn't even there, but she knew it was her who wasn't there. Von remained in that state for only a few moments before getting back to his feet and speaking words of respect,
"Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris"
Once Von had spoken these words it was as if nothing had happened. His mind was straight on his one goal… not vengeance, not hatred, but preservation for his city and its people. Breaking into a run Von crossed back along the bridge, which only partly survived the towers collapse, and back into the tower they entered the complex through. Sadako was following in suit, charging behind Von, but he was going at such a speed she could barely keep up. Even so she was not glad to get out of the tower, and into what she knew was waiting for them.
The courtyard may have been in chaos before, but now the only word to describe it would be pandemonium. People were scared but now they appeared to be in a blind panic, most running at the castle as fast as they could. There were a handful of soldiers in the courtyard but what could they have done to calm the situation? Her face felt like it was burning, the heat from the hundreds of fires engulfing the city.
Von, unfazed, continued into the courtyard, and through the sea of faces, none of them paying them the slightest bit of attention or respect. Sadako didn't know where he was going now, for he wasn't returning to the castle. Having made it through the courtyard they ducked into a street, and ran down it. While Sadako followed she couldn't help her eyes turning from left to right, ruins to debris, she shook her head, 'How could this happen'. A couple of hundred meters down the road they turned to the west, and ran next to the cities walls. Far ahead of them Sadako could see what she guessed was Von's goal, a large towering building of magnificent beauty. It appeared the fires made its glass sparkle, making its stained-glass windows all the more haunting. A massive chapel.
Von slowed, and looked up towards its high towers. He hesitated a moment, before charging right on in. Sadako was about to follow him in when a voice stopped her,
"Leave him be" came the voice of her mother, "You don't want to see what he's going to do in there" Sadako wheeled round, to see Hitomi watching her from the middle of the rubble that infested the cobbled street. For a second she believed it was her mother, but when she caught sight of the cruel smile, she knew that it wasn't her…
"You again" Sadako commented almost indifferently,
"Yes, me again" Hitomi replied.
Sadako narrowed her eyes angrily before making to turn,
"I meant what I said, don't follow him," She said, and Sadako turned back,
"What's that meant to mean?" Sadako asked suspiciously,
"Its better you don't know… but wouldn't you rather know what's going on? What's happening here and now?"
"What's there to tell this is a dream, nothing more!" Sadako told her forcefully laughing her off. Hitomi slowly shook her head,
"This isn't a dream… it is reality, just it hasn't happened yet" Sadako looked to the Chapel, before tearing her gaze back to Hitomi, refusing to believe her words to be that of the truth,
"How can this be the future? How could this happen to Fanel?" Sadako asked angrily, "How could this happen to my father?"
"Reality speaks for itself," Hitomi told her, "Ask yourself this, if this were a dream, why would I be here?" Sadako thought for a moment,
"That isn't proof, you could be just another part of the dream"
"Smell the smoke, feel the flame, this is no dream! This will be your reality soon, in weeks… Fanel will burn and all you have come to hold dear will be turn to ash" Hitomi told her, her voice almost as heated as the fires around them. Sadako's heart rate increased a little, as she looked around her once more, the fires, the screams, and clash of steel. Above them the moon reddened by the smoke, the debris and destruction… if this truly was reality, how could they prevent it?
Hitomi smiled, knowing just what she was thinking,
"You want to change the future? You wouldn't be the first but do you really believe you could do it?"
"You mean there is a way?" Sadako asked,
"Yes, and you have the power but will you do it?"
"I would do anything! Just tell me what!"
"Alright I will tell you. It's quite simple really. Kill Nimura Kosime," She told Sadako.
"What!" Sadako asked angrily, "What has Nimura got to do with this?"
"That isn't important, all that is important is that if you don't this will be the future. But if you do, this city will be spared"
Sadako started to have trouble breathing, the very thought was sickening to her,
"I…."
"It is one life for a thousand, or does your father mean so little to you?"
"How do I know you are telling the truth?" She asked, barely able to get the words out,
"Simple, you don't" Hitomi told her, "But you don't really have a choice you?"
Upon hearing these words Sadako turned to her fiercely,
"You're lying" She told her, "Showing the future in a vision is one thing, but to give me the power to change it? You are playing with me!"
"I will leave you with this, but please don't use your petty reasoning to try and understand my motives. The real question you should be asking yourself is this, 'What if you are wrong?'"
With that said Hitomi faded away leaving Sadako. It was with a bewildered fright that she looked around herself, now alone in the field of battle. She turned to the Chapel, but before she could move the ground shook with a tremendous inhuman roar. Every window in the Chapel simultaneously shattered, showering her with shards of glass. Her eyes widened still further as she watched, the roof of the Chapel caving in, its walls straining under the pressure. Over the crashing sounds she cried out,
"VON!"
From the ruins a shaped emerged collapsing still further more of the Chapel in on itself. As the dust cleared the figure became all the more haunting. The giant was a silvery golden colour, and what appeared to be giant metal plates covered it. Upon its shoulders, chest and face gems of an emerald green sparkled in the red of the flames, a long scarlet cloak, trailing behind it. In its hand it held a massive sword, nearly as tall as it was. Sadako had never seen it before but she instantly knew what it was she was looking up at. She muttered its name under her breath,
"Escaflowne"
………
Her breath heavy, Sadako woke with a start. Her heart was racing in the panic, her mind sluggish. She opened her eyes but forced them shut again as the sun appeared blinding to them. She lay for a moment, what she was seen playing out again in her mind. She was not sure of what she had seen, a vision? Her mother had spoken of the visions she had had but they only showed her the future, or the past. She never motioned anyone speaking to her within them. Was it a vision or was it something else?
Confident in her eyes, she opened them a crack and then a little more, the bright light subsiding. She slowly turned her head, noticing the unfamiliar surrounding. On the side of the bed there was a small table, a new candle centring it. She also noted that her pendent lay upon the old wood. There was a large window looking over the bed, furnished with pale curtains. Rising out of the sheet, she looked right around the alien room,
"Where am I?"
Getting out of the bed she stepped over to the window, and looked trough the pristine glass. Below her was the city, Caderle, its windows glittering in the late afternoon sun. Turning her gaze to the door she eyed it curiously. She bridged the few steps to the door, on her way grabbing her pendent. She took the handle and was surprise as it turned and swung open with a creak. Stretching her head out the door she saw a long darkened corridor, with dozens of other doors opening onto it. She took a last glance at the room, and then continued out. She couscously made her way down the corridor, at last reaching the staircase to its far end. From below she could hear muffled voices, as she quietly climbed down the old wooden steps.
Once she had opened the door it became apparent where she was. The room she stumbled into wasn't busy but there were a dozen or so around the bar. Stepping up to the counter she mulled over in her head what she was going to ask the bar man but he saved her the trouble,
"I see you're awake? You must have had quite a night"
"What?" She queried
"Well your boyfriend brought you in here this morning. Paid for your room and all. A nice lad too" The bar man answered.
"Boyfriend?" Sadako asked, "What did he look like?"
"Umm, young lad, long white hair. Very strong though for a guy his age"
"What do you mean?" Sadako asked
"Well he carried you all the way here didn't he?" He replied
"Is he still here?" Sadako asked again looking around the scarcely filled inn house.
"Afraid not, he left just as soon as he made sure you were Ok. You have a good guy there" Her mind elsewhere she turned from him before he had even finished the sentence,
"Yeah, sure. Thanks"
As she now gave the room her attention she recognised it. To the back there stood a large wooden stage, a fire burning to its left. Looking back to the barman she realised she had spoken to him the day before about getting rooms for the night… was it Finn? She took several steps away from the counter when something else occurred to her and she veritable jumped back into the stairwell leading up into the rooms. Her heart was pounding,
"Nimura must be…"
Inching her eyes around the door she scanned the room, and next to the fire, facing away from her, her fears were confirmed. Memories of the night before flooding through her head. She had muddled it through time and time again but she just wasn't sure of how she felt. She took a deep breath; they would have to place such things aside for the moment… there were more important things to do. So after a moments delay she pushed the door open and joined Nimura by the fire.
She took the seat opposite him, and when he looked up from his drink his eyes appeared cold. He forced a faint smile,
"So where did you go to last night?" Nimura asked his voice far from welcoming. His eyes where red, almost as if he hadn't slept.
"I was thinking" She answered, "A lot has happened, I just needed to be alone for a while"
"Alone? Just you and your new friend?" Nimura asked, his words icy. She could feel herself get angry,
"That is none of your business," She told him, "What give you the right to talk to me like that?"
"What gives me the right!" Nimura shouted angrily getting to his feet, "What give you the right!" Sadako didn't answer and he turned ready to leave,
"Nimura. I'm sorry" She said, "I didn't…" He stopped a moment but didn't turn around.
"Don't worry about it…but I need. I need to think myself" And without another word Nimura was off, leaving her sitting at the table alone. Although they pretended not to she could feel the rest of the bars eyes upon her. When she could stand it no longer she left, taking a step out the front door into the cold air.
She let out a weak sigh, and leaning against the wall she closed her eyes. The cold air felt nice against her face, but she still didn't feel quite right. She kept them closed for quite a while before some rustling gave her incentive to open them. Her opening lids revealed to her a couple of men. One of them was dressed in the armour worn by the castles guards; the other though was most certainly not. Wrapped in a brown cloak, like he was trying to keep his identify hidden, Sadako could still see the richly clothes that he wore underneath it. His vest was made up of a darkened blue, but complemented by golden rims, the shirt he wore under that was almost whiter than white, and a sword to his side completed the look.
"Are you Sadako?" The man asked.
"Who wants to know?" She replied, sure there was more to this man than meet the eye. The man threw the hood of his cloak back, reviling the mans bushy brown hair. The long hair was worn lose, his dark green eyes piercing. His face was long, and clean-shaven.
"I do" He continued, "Are you her?"
Sadako nodded,
"What is it you want?" The man looked around,
"Where is the other one, Robin? Is he not here?" He asked again completely ignoring her question. She snorted angrily,
"No he isn't, but answer my question" Sadako asked more forcefully. He shifted his eyes, piercing right into hers, and then bowed,
"I beg your pardon. My name is Alexander Wincer" He informed her, "I have been sent by the steward, to escort you to him" Sadako was quite taken aback,
"Yesterday he refused to see us and now today he sends you to get me? Why the change of heart?" Alexander rose,
"I will let him explain that to you himself. Will you come with us?"
Sadako thought for a moment. If she went with him, it could be a trap? But if she didn't and his actions where genuine she could be blowing a great opportunity. In the end she nodded,
"Alright I will come with you, but first your accent isn't from around here. Who are you?" She asked, that had been bugging her from the start. Alexander nodded,
"You are correct, I am not but all will be explained when we approach the steward" If anything this answer put Sadako more on her guard but she buried her distrust and motioned for him to lead the way.
"Is your friend not to come as well?" He asked before making off,
"No. I can handle this just as well without him"
He nodded in agreement and they headed off. Alexander led the way through the city but just as Sadako thought they where going to enter the castle they turned off the main road and into a small and highly insignificant looking house. Sadako looked around herself the basic cobweb ridden furniture and blinked.
"Aren't we going to the castle?" She asked, Alexander smiled,
"We are"
Alexander started to pass his hand over the floorboards before he caught something; pulling on the metal ring he lifted a doorway out of the floor. With a glance to the castle guard he lit a torch and descended into the secret cellar. With a clump she touched stone at the base of the ladder and looked around her again. They had entered a tunnel buried under the house. Continuing deeper Alexander motioned to her,
"Come on"
They continued along this tunnel for what felt like ages, but eventually they came to what appeared to be a very old staircase. Once they had climbed several stories Alexander came to a stop in front of a new wooden ladder. Taking his cloak off he wrapped it around Sadako to her surprise. She would have protested but he didn't give her the chance.
"What are you…?" She asked, but he just shushed her,
"Don't worry, just wear this while you're in the castle" Alexander told her. Grudgingly she nodded and with Alexander in the lead they climbed the ladder. The opening at the top of the ladder was covered with a collection of floorboards like that in the house they had entered the tunnel from but after lifting it a moment, as if checking to see if their was anyone there he threw it open and exited. With a cough Sadako pulled herself out of the hole and looked around the storeroom they now found themselves in. Staked to the high ceiling where crates, boxes and barrels but she didn't have the time to guess what was in them as she was hurried away again by Alexander. As they left the storeroom the guard who has accompanied them remained at the door.
For the next few minutes Alexander lead her through richly dressed corridor after richly dressed corridor, each of them looking like they would cost a fortune to decorate. Eventually they came to a stop in front of a grand door at the end of one of these corridors. He opened the door and motioned for her to follow him,
"In here"
As she entered she saw an old man seated at his desk in what appeared to be a small library. Books where staked on top of each other where they sat on the ground, space on the bookshelves that circled the room long used up. There wasn't a window in the room; light instead coming from a verity of candles which where on his desk and around the room. A couple of guards where by the door and with a wave of his hand he dismissed them,
They bowed and left. Once they had gone he took his eyes off her for the first time since she entered the room and looked to Alexander.
"Is this her?" He asked. Sadako was quite annoyed but bit her tongue with respect.
"She is," He answered and stepping forward he stood to the side of the desk. The steward nodded,
"Welcome to my kingdom, Sadako Kanzaki" He welcomed her, "I am Lord Grear Steward of Cesario, I believe you have come as a messenger from young master Fanel" She bowed for a moment, making sure to adhere to proper officiate with him,
"Yes sir, but how do you know my name? I only gave my first name at the gate"
"My dear, it is obvious whom you are" He answered, "I maybe old but I'm not blind yet. I knew your mother well enough to be able to see who you are. Before we start allow me to apologise for how you were treated yesterday" He paused for a moment, taking a breath before continuing,
"Fraid's spies are everywhere, and within my own people I fear. I couldn't allow him to hear of this meeting of ours you see" Sadako nodding now understanding what had happened,
"I am sorry, if we had realised we could have contacted you through less public means" Sadako apologised,
"It is I who is apologising. Not you. But that does bring me to my next question, where is your companion, this Robin who was with you yesterday?"
Sadako put on a smile to cover up the thoughts reminding her of Nimura had returned,
"Don't worry. He already headed back this morning" She lied, but she was sure he didn't pick up on it.
"Is that so. Well you have a message for me? Where is it?" He asked,
"It isn't written down. It is just this. Fanelia needs your aid, without the backing of other nations in the alliance our kingdom WILL fall. That is why he is calling all of his old friends and allies, for if Fanel falls it will not be the last city to burn. He calls upon you to remember Fanelia's past generosity, especially where the Wolves where involved" He let his eyes droop,
"I know this… and yet I know what type of aid he wishes but I cannot give it," He told her,
"But you have to! If Fanel falls, you maybe next!" Sadako burst out forgetting any form of officiate.
"I know, but I cannot steer my people into a war which may ravage our nation. I cannot!"
Sadako's fist was shaking,
"So you will do nothing" In her rage she turned her back on him, "This has been a waste of time"
"I didn't say I would do nothing," He told her. She turned back a perplexed look in her eyes,
"What?"
"I know the aid Von would like, soldiers, but those I cannot give. I will give him all I can in secret. Arms, preventions, and some men"
"That's where I come in" Alexander interjected,
"Yes, this brings us to Alexander's task"
"Earlier you asked who I was? Alexander Wincer, Captain of the Knights of Calea" Sadako's reached for her sword from its sheath,
"There is no need for that. Not all Austrian's believe Lord Dryden's story that Von killed our leader, and it is from the shadows that they too give aid. I am on a mission, like you"
"And just who sent you on this mission?" Sadako asked, her hand still squarely on her blade,
"Queen Milerna our true Monarch"
"You play treason to your king?" Alexander shook his head,
"The Knights of Calea have never been loyal to the king of Asturia. We fight for the Royal family, and the man who is seated on Austria's throne is not of that honourable bloodline" Slowly she let her hand fall from her sword,
"In a couple of days, once the supplies are gathered we shall be departing for Fanel" Alexander added with a smile, "Where we will hold the city, and protect its king"
Grear got to his feet,
"Young lady, although it has been a pleasure, you must leave before any suspicions are arisen"
"I understand"
"Rest assured that if anyone could protect Fanel it is Von Fanel. Continue your mission and God speed" Sadako bowed and turned again,
"Alexander will show you out" Opening the door for her they left the room. Once outside she took a breath of fresh air, and shook her head. She was drained. Alexander waved her ahead, and this time they passed out of the front gates to the castle. Several guards stood at the door, but as if they where statues they paid no attention to them. He pulled the heavy door open himself and waved her out. She stepped through it,
"I will protect your father," He told her this before closing the door. Her eyes widen she turned back to the door, but it was already sealed. She stopped and thought for a moment her mind a flurry of thought, feelings and memories. As she walked through the courtyard of statues, one thing question resurfaced,
"How?"
Finally reaching the staircase heading to the city she started down them but soon came to a stop. Upon the lowest steps Nimura stood, gasping for breath as he looked up at her. She smiled down up to him,
"Thank you"
The thoughts on her mind? 'They're feeling for each other, where not important in the grand scheme of things. They had a mission to do, and a kingdom of save'
End of Chapter Ten
………
Butch Cassidy
30.03.05 (Euro-Date system DD.MM.YY)
………
Author Message:
Well its official, we are now half way through the Descended Shadow. Chapters one through ten are completed and now I have eleven through twenty to do… I'm tied. I'm very sorry again for the delay in chapter ten. In my last message I mentioned University but now I have almost no time left for anything other than their work. Its not like I'm studying for a degree? J
Well with the end of ten we now enter a whole new part of the series, as events continue to unfold around Sadako and Nimura, and hopefully you will all bear with me as I write them! When it comes to Aosánach you should read back at chapter six's opening, as this was not his first appearance, and you can see the different stance he takes towards humans over Draconian's. I really do hope to have Chapter Eleven out in May at some point, as even with my other work, I am falling behind with Descended and I really want to keep moving forward with the story, or I will forget it all! I can barely remember myself what happened back in chapter Two, but I guess there is nothing for it but to look back again!
This is the space I would usually plug Butchs Fan Fiction Forum but I think I will do something a little different instead. I also run a 'no-budget' film Production Company in my 'not-so-free' time, and it too has been slowing me down. Right now we are working on our first serious attempt at a movie, which we hope to enter into our local film festival but I thought I would plug its site for a change. You can follow the productions; films, trailers, scripts, actors and all at Butch Video Productions at and both myself and Sundance are prominent in the films! See if you can spot us!
But for now I'm gonna watch a little 'Princess Nine', and go to sleep. By the way Christopher Eccleston is a gimp. And remember, keep on reading!
Butch Cassidy