Sorry people. School and other things have been slowing me down but I finally have time to write part 7 of this chapter! R&R and enjoy.
Disclaimer NiGHTS and other related trademarks © Sega or Sega Saturn.
Kate, Airin, Carol, Zero, © Me MaximumRide-Angel.
Chapter 10, One Vampires Choice Part 7: Back to Battle.
Carol's POV
Airin and Kate helped me inside to the hospital and set me down on the nearest medical bed. I tried to assure them that I was fine but Kate said that even self regeneration wasn't enough to restore what had been inflicted on me. And she was right; if you were standing in front of me you would probably faint. My face had been damaged severely and my arms and legs were busted up really terribly. I had scars everywhere on me and I had an "X" shaped mark on my back that didn't heal.
"Carol I'm sorry but….you can't fight in the next battle tomorrow" I stared at her with absolute horror,
"Kate...y-you can't go out there without me! You….and everyone… You'll get slaughtered!!" Kate pulled away from my determined gaze and squeezed her arm.
"We can manage" was all that Kate had to say, or at least…that's all she could say. I glared at her, she twitched as if she could feel my anger, and I wanted to help them. They wouldn't last a minute out there without me! They just wouldn't. When Kate turned back to me she saw things she did not want to see, my fate…my determination; and most of all…..my death. Kate's eyes were about to overflow over in tears.
"Stop it!" She yelled directly at me, now I felt stupid and mean; my look at her softened just a fraction.
"Kate what's wrong?" Her fist clenched,
"Stop looking at me like that!" she ordered, "It makes me worried!" I turned over in my bed and snapped my eyes shut. I heard a deep sigh like Kate had now relaxed, I peered over my side but when I did Kate was gone. I felt like I had just lost a friend, my insides felt sicker than they already were. I was ready to jump out of a window and kill myself, but I knew that wouldn't solve anything. But why had Kate said that? That the way I stared at her makes her worried? Was I being too harsh or was she seeing things that I can't? All I wanted to do was sleep right now, sleep and pretend that conversation never happened.
………
When I woke up I was feeling good, my scars did not go away but the pain had died down by a bunch. I decided to get up and see how everyone was; we had to be ready for anything. Although it was unwise to walk around with such injuries but I am stubborn, I will admit that. The first I saw was Airin he was having a private conversation with a few other ghost who happen to be his cousins.
"Did miss temper managed tell you not to go anywhere but the hospital?" I twirled around to see Raven standing there tapping her foot. Her chain bracelet hands resting her black leather covered hips. All I could do was manage a weak smile (Raven didn't do much but scowl and sneer these days.)
"Well you know me, I can never stay in one place" She scoffed,
"Got that right, but listen…there's a little favor that I need to ask of you." She placed her arm on my shoulder and walked with me,
"What kind of favor could I do for you?" I asked back sounding a little rude, Raven's face didn't move. Instead her eyes only focused back on me,
"Something I don't have time to do myself. I had a little run in with a few powerful nightmares over there. Two boys and one girl," I didn't pull away, something about Raven…was making the anger rise in my stomach but also it was keeping it at bay. Finally she released her grip from around my shoulder and stepped away pointing about 15 miles due north from where me and her were standing. Then she tossed me something, it was made from leather but it felt like soft lace. I stared at the item skeptically before holding it high, ready to toss it back to her.
"I don't need your lous y..."
"You'll thank me for it later." I rolled my eyes not believing one word. Raven always lied so why should I believe one word she says now?
"It's not what you think" Raven answered as if reading my mind, "It may seem like some old piece of junk but....has anyone ever told you that looks can be deceiving?" Again my eyes rolled over; pfft...looks can be deceiving, what a joke. But something inside me was screaming that Raven was right. Ignoring the tiny voice I gave Raven one last look, she only waved her hand as if signaling me to get a move on. "Hey wait" Raven said catching me, I turned around.
"What" I asked back, Raven lowered her look to a glare,
"When you meet this nightmare she'll look sweet, she'll smell sweet, and she even dresses like and angel. She even looks like a goddess. But she is the nightmare of fate and prophecy; she does have an ugly side Carol. Don't forget that."
(Meanwhile))Writer's POV)
"SHE"S GONE!" Kate screamed barreling into the meeting room. Airin had to side step in front of her in order to stop Kate's ranting.
"Kate..." Airin said exhausted, "What's got you out of control?" Kate breathed in deeply, she sounded like she was about to throw up.
"It's Caroline....." Kate said still slightly exhausted, "She's disappeared!" That jarred Airin; he got Kate to stare straight at him.
"Kate" He said again with a deadly serious tone, "Tell me exactly what you heard." Kate shook her head finally catching her breath,
"Not much, but I did pick up she went off on a job for Raven!" Half of their monster allies gasped, Airin's eyes flashed with anger, Ravens supposed errands were a death wish. Anyone who dared go out and do something for her was looking for something to scar them for life. Airin slammed his fist against the wall,
"Dam it!" Airin cursed under his breath, "I never wanted to be in this position again." Kate peeked around him until she was within his range, she raised a confused eyebrow.
"What do you mean again?" She asked looking worried, Airin didn't reply, he simply turned away and marched toward the door, his pace picking up with every step. Kate ran up to him and grasped his wrist fiercely, "Where are you going!?" She asked alarmed, Airin lowered his head as he knew that Kate would never let him out of her range of help. Kate and Airin had been there for each other for almost an eternity; so she had grown to helping and caring for Airin like a brother. But he had to do this alone...Kate knew this as well but she couldn't let him go....more or less, Airin was using every ounce of courage and willingness to go without her this time.
"Let go Kate" Kate shook her head wildly her face pleading for him to take her along,
"I'm not letting you! If I have to stop you to keep you from doing rational things then I will!" Airin could not believe his ears. Kate was willing to give up everything for him; she couldn't care...even if it took her own life to accomplish it. I long and grief filled pause filled the room, accompanied by stunned silence. Finally with a trembling hand Kate let go, her hand moved slowly as if she would grab him again at any moment, but her hand remained by her side still shaking from the fear that the thought of Airin going alone brought her. Airin sighed and refused to give her a goodbye look, Airin walked through the doors to the outside and he swear he could hear Kate in tears.
(Meanwhile, out in the deserted battle field) (Carol's POV)
It was taking me forever to find this damn nightmare, which apparently was causing Raven so much trouble that she had to have me to take care of it. Finally I spotted someone, a white haired girl about my height leaning against a broken fountain. She had on elegant white robes and her cheeks were coated with tears. Her hands were gloved in something you might see a woman getting married wearing, her eyes were a shining amethyst. She looked absolutely beautiful but somehow deadly, but something about her.....was making me fear her...... when she saw me her eyes widened and she slowly began to hide behind the cherry blossom tree.
"Wait" I called after her "I'm here to ask you something!" She moved farther, only her face now was visible. What am I supposed to do?! I needed to talk to this girl, then she seemed to calm down just a fracture, she slid a little bit into view.
"You wish to ask me something?" She said the word "me" as if it was a bad word. I nodded slowly and walked a few inches forward,
"Yes" I replied her face seemed to relax as she eased out from behind the tree. She resumed her leaning position against the tree and then a voice hissed inside my head. The girl's eyes were flashing a bright purple,
I am Lucia (lu-shi-a) the voice said. I clutched my head as the voice spoke again, speaker of fate and knower of all, approach and ask. I thought my question in my head;
Do you know a girl named Raven? I asked the girl, a wave of anger crashed over my mind but the voice retained its patients.
Unfortunately yes The voice answered for the girl...she seek to challenge me and failed. Wow, now wonder Raven wanted me to kill this girl; she had beaten Raven at her own game. I decided to ask something else How come Raven wanted to fight you?
She was a brave child but an ignorant one none the less, I agreed a hundred percent on that.
So...you're saying Raven's choice was stupid? The voice sounded hasty but slow,
Her choice to fight me was hers and hers alone, I may be the speaker of fate but there is little I can tell you before my time may come to leave this world for a while. This girl seemed pretty harmless to me but...No...Wait! Got to stay focused! Raven wanted me to kill this girl, I remember her warning, she may even look like a goddess but deep down she is evil. Then I took in a huge breath of air and said nice and clear,
"I'm going to kill you" I said to the girl, this time Lucia used her mouth
"You are going to kill me?" She asked back confused, I breathed in sharply,
"Yes I am cause Raven asked me too," The girls eyes seemed to show me things I did not want to see. The deaths of my family and friends and the destruction of my world and my home, but that had no effect. I reached for my pendant but a wave crashed over me before I could pull. It was water, one of a vampires natural weaknesses, when the wave stopped I kneeled down to the concrete breathing heavily, my body burning with intense pain. The girl walked toward me and bared her fangs,
"I will.....curse your fate" she reached for my neck when I heard something behind me. I turned to see Airin flying toward me with incredible speed. The girl turned angry,
"Ignorant child!" She screamed raising her arm as it bubbled with energy, "You dare to interfere with my binding!!" Airin swooped down and tore my pendant right off.
"I'm not a child and the name's Airin!" The moon turned from silver to cold red as the dark clouds around me swirled like a vortex. My hair reverted to the color of the moon itself as my eyes seized to their vertical red slits. My true nature had been revealed. When the wind stopped I turned to Airin regarding his actions, then I turned to Lucia her face struck with fear and fury.
"So much energy...you....are a VAMPIRE!" she at first looked surprised but then she smirked,
"A pity your friends choose to interfere with fate, they should stop pushing themselves and die!" I scoffed and shook my head in disbelief,
"You don't need to worry about my friends; they could finish you off with their eyes closed."
"Really...." Lucia said then her face turned remotely hideous, "I'd love to see that proven! Vampires may be tops on the ground but nightmares have the air! You...have no chance of victory!" I at first had trouble finding her but she wasn't that quick,
"Heh fool....you're too slow,"
"And you're all talk!" We both shot up into the air, I was ready to strike her down, she had waited too long to attack.
"You fell for my trap; you really are unwise after all." She simply laughed and raised her clawed hand,
"Just die!"
"Humph....know your place!" I yelled kicking her square in her gut as she plummeted toward the ground slamming into the dirt and ashes. When I landed I scoffed at my dead opponent and turned to Airin,
"Carol....." he said surprised, I swiped the ruby from his hands and before reattaching it I smiled,
"Airin that was pretty clever....for a ghost; I have to admit I'm impressed,"
"For what?" He asked back immediately, I traced his cheek with my delicate fingertips,
"For believing in me," I said reattaching the pendant and falling into Airin's arms.
Chapter end.