This is the first chapter with a new feature that I can actually add since I have received a review, YA::drum roll: and the new feature is:
Space to address reviewers:
Anonymous: YES, a reviewer besides the friends that I goaded into reading the story. Thank you for the input! Sometimes I think I may try to fight more into less, condensing the story and switching back and forth in perspective, in an effort to advance the story perhaps faster than it should be. I'm beginning to realize though that a lot of story can happen with a lot of things happening or a lot of people being involved. You may notice less and less switching between perspectives as the 3 main characters, Lana, Glenn and Janus, become farther and farther apart in some instances but closer in others. Anyway, I'd like to just say thanks again for the input, enjoy the read!
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Chapter 12: Bargaining with FateThe moonlight of the night didn't reach to cover the world in a soft blue glow as it normally did. Instead dark clouds blotted out the moon, plunging the land into a seemingly unnatural darkness. Still, the animals carried on with their nightly lives; the hoots and chirps of birds, the howls of wolves, and the growls of things worse than that. Bushes and trees rustled as a slight breeze blew throughout the forest and valleys beyond, further creating the illusion that the woods were a living animal. By mystic definition any humans that came upon this scene would promptly run away with their tail between their legs, but mystics were made of sterner stuff! The normal infantry of Slash's squad marched stoically on, believing in their leader and the four fearsome fighters that had gathered for this hunt.
With the lightened troop load, and a little help from magic, the squad had reached the woods well before the next morning. While none of them had slept they were all energized and ready for battle, bloodlust some called it, but Slash was proud of the endurance of each mystic here. He just hoped that they found their target before that energy faded; give mystic soldiers too long without killing something and their morale went down faster than a wingless gargoyle.
"It will take some time to search the woodzzz," stated Asrar as the platoon of soldiers made their first steps in the Cursed Woods. The Naga, like most Nagas, had her human body end at her waist and the rest was a snake's tail. Above the scales, she was clothed in a black robe that hid most of her figure, a figure that most Naga's vainly tried to accentuate. Her long purple hair was braided into a complex pattern that, to anyone else, was simply a pretty looking style; in truth it was a complex arcane symbol that, this time, represented the "Fire" spell. Each time she did her hair it was a different rune.
"The trees will make it easier to stay hidden though," commented Shitaki as he silently walked to stand with his Naga companion. His Fang, a combination long sword and saw, was strapped across his back and his grey cloth armor made nary a sound even if he walked across a room on broken twigs. Due to his avian features, chief among them being his feathers, beak, and piercing eyes, no one really knew what facial expression he might be trying to make or even if he made facial expressions. The lack of outside clues made one always assume the swords-bird was deadly serious.
"Bob likes trees," smiled Bob as he trotted past the others and patted a tree on the side, "But Bob likes hiding in trees too." Bob, like most imps, was on the small side, at exactly 3 feet 10 inches, and wore the simple leather armor of a scout. A bandolier, with small throwing knifes, was strapped diagonally across his chest. His green features were as green as the trees leaves and that, coupled with the brown leather armor, gave Bob a good chance of never being seen in these forest environs.
"Let's find something to kill already!" stated Bjarni, punching the nearest tree and leaving a large, fist size, indent. Besides the tattered pants and belt that the gargoyle wore to cover his sun colored skin, he was unarmed and unarmored. The simple white straps that covered his knuckles were worn and brown, attesting to their use and frequent exposure to blood. His wings were nothing more than stubs that protruded from his back, victims of a terrible pit fight long ago. Some legends said gargoyles could turn to stone, but the overly-violent pit fighter seemed like he was stone at all times. Spears, swords, and other sharp instruments of destruction bounced harmlessly off his hide.
"This will indeed take some time," admitted Slash as he caught up to the rest of his group, leaving his horse, and an attendant, at the edge of the woods, "Let's try to make it easier, can you locate him with a spell Asrar?"
"Zzadly no. It izz called the Curzzed woodzzz for a reazzon," stated the Naga sorceresses, "Zzome magiczz don't work, zzome do."
"Bob smells fire," chirped in the imp as he ran and pointed in the direction his nose was leading him, "Maybe they have food."
"I'm sure they do Bob, lead the way," laughed Slash as Bob took off at a trot through the woods, followed closely by the rest of the soldiers. Though the fire was not at all visible, or the smoke for that matter, Slash had learned long ago to trust in the imp's finely tuned senses. Perhaps that was the only reason the general included the childlike Bob in his group, it might also be the fact that he killed just as good as any of them. In any case, if there was fire then that meant something human was nearby; mystics weren't dumb enough to keep a fire burning throughout the night as a beacon to predators.
"Finally, something to kill," simply stated Bjarni, a small smile plastering his face, and for once Slash found himself in agreement with his violent companion. He was looking forward to killing that annoying frog.
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Lana finished the last form, eyes still closed, and slowly let her breath out as she sheathed her sword back in its' plain scabbard. The other memories that inhabited her head had, for the time, become quiet. The exercise had again, like many times before, calmed her mind and pushed all her worries away. All except one, handling the sword again brought back the cold sensation of the hermit she'd killed. Never before had the sword actually been a weapon to her, equipment in a fast paced sport perhaps, but now every strike and slash brought to mind bloody gashes.
Turning around to the silent Spek, who currently was roasting the hares on a spit over the small fire, she noticed that Glenn had fallen asleep during her practice. A knowing wink from the shape-shifter as she sat down made her think that perhaps the knight hadn't gone to dream land on his own volition.
"Simple sleep spell does wonders," chirped in Spek as Lana sat down, "The food should be almost done."
"That's good," sighed Lana, placing her sheathed sword across her lap, "Feels like I've ran around the Chronopolis several times."
"Your practice seemed different than normal, not sloppy or anything just….," shrugged Spek, "Just different I guess."
"Every time I hold my katana now all I can think about is that it's a weapon meant to kill," explained Lana, sliding the sword partially out of the sheath to let the firelight play across the blade, "Yet when I practice it still feels like an extension of myself, another part of me. It doesn't feel like a weapon."
"That sounds deep," chirped up Spek before bringing a stick of roasted hare to Lana, "Right now though I need to know what's going on. Start at the beginning and tell me everything that's happened between then and now."
"I'd like to say the beginning was at the Chronopolis when I vanished from Janus," said Lana, taking a bite out of the roasted meat, "but I don't think that's right. I think this started a long time ago, we just didn't notice it till now."
"Well, try to explain what you can and we'll leave the history to those old farts at the station," urged Spek, absently looking out into the dark forest that surrounded them.
"Have you ever heard of the Black Wind?" asked Lana, the question brought a small nod from Spek as he returned his stare back to the young mage-hunter.
"Janus told me about it, though I think he told me the melodramatic version," stated the shape-shifter.
"I too can hear the Black Wind, I heard it when Glenn was attacked," explained Lana, "Then IT sent me back here to save him, I think."
"That doesn't make any sense, how can you hear the black wind and how could you have heard it when frog died? We are in a station that is separate from any one time period, there should be no relation between time here and time there," Spek argued, Lana simply shrugged, "And what do you mean by 'IT' controlling you?"
"I really don't know why I can hear the Black Wind, I believe it's linked to my ability to see aura's, but then again I'm no mage so I don't have the slightest clue," explained Lana with a shrug, "The best I can describe it really is being used, like someone just comes and jumps into my body and uses me for what it needs and then jumps out. I'm still in it though, I can see and hear everything that's happening, but I just can't stop it. It's more than that though, sometimes I just know things. Before, whenever I tried to question IT all it did was make me feel confident again. Like suddenly I had faith in IT, for no reason at all"
Lana tried to explain to Spek but by the end of it she was just frustrated by the lack of details she could explain. Instead of continuing she simply snapped her sword fully back into its' sheath and sighed, "It's like someone is messing with my body, my mind, and my feelings. Everything it does is out of my control, and it's pissing me off."
"Maybe I should go first after all," stated Spek after he heard Lana's confession, "Well, in a nutshell, Janus and myself came back to rescue you from being kill by another team of Observers sent here."
"I don't think they could kill me if they wanted to," stated Lana with dull eyes, remembering what had happened to the last person that had tried, "But why would they want to?"
"Belthasar sent back a secret team of Observers to rescue Frog from his attackers, their orders were to kill anyone else from the station they saw in order to keep their secrecy," explained Spek.
"His names Glenn, not frog," simply stated Lana, glancing at Glenn's sleeping form across the fire-pit, "And where's Janus at? He isn't hiding back in the woods scowling at us from a distance is he?"
"Well I'd hope not," laughed Spek, turning around and looking into the darkness just-in-case, "He went off on some other task, I think he means to go kill whatever it is that attacked frog in the first place. Seemed real angsty about it, like it was his fault or something. Anyways, our dear wizard said he'd find us once done."
"I won't be done till Glenn is healed again, you know that right?" Lana asked, "I certainly hope Janus knows some healing spells if he wants me to get out of here anytime this month. I don't think IT will let me leave otherwise."
"Man," sighed Spek, exasperated at his overly serious student, "There you go talking like Janus, like there's some kind of entity guiding all this."
"Can you really say there isn't?" asked the mage-hunter, poking the fire with a large stick, "I'd think that the past few days would be enough to convince you."
"It certainly convinced me," she said softly, hugging her legs to the rest of her body while continuously prodding the fire.
"So am I in trouble at the station then?" asked Lana finally.
"Don't worry about that till we get back to the station," stated Spek, "Besides, some remodeling should be going on while were away and the place might be under new management when we get back."
"That so…," softly spoke Lana, throwing her prodding stick in the fire to join its' flaming brethren. Something Spek had said to Glenn earlier sparked a question in the young mage-hunters mind, "What was with that part about saying you were Crono's squire anyway?"
"Don't worry he won't put two and two together, besides it's a few years yet till they meet one another," said Spek, trying to push her worries aside.
"But what if..," asked Lana as she turned towards the smiling squire, who interrupted the worrying observer-in-training with a shushing sound.
"I'll worry about that, you on the other hand should get some sleep," stated Spek, his voice covered in magic as it reached Lana's ears, "You need it kid."
"Damn spell casters….," mumbled Lana before her curled frame was silently sleeping. Spek simply smiled and leaned back against the outside of the cave. It was going to be a long night and someone had to stand guard, just in case. He'd get his explanation tomorrow, there wasn't any rush.
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"How do you feel Janus?" asked Schala as she bent down over the young prince. Janus blankly looked back up at his sister, staring into her deep blue pools of blue, not exactly sure why she was asking about his state of being. Being the younger of the two, of lower ranking, he was obliged to report it none the less.
"I'm fine Schala," he responded blankly before realizing he was lying in his comfy feather filled bed. Lying in such a comfy bed was not the problem, after all it was hard to find fault with such a relaxing resting place; the problem was that he remembered walking through the Azura garden only moments ago. Turning his head to the side and looking out the window he spotted the setting sun. Moments ago it had been midday out.
"Schala, what happened?" asked the young boy, still too perplexed to rise from the bed. Schala plopped down on the bed next to him and fiddled with his long blue hair before answering.
"It's probably time for an explanation," Schala sighed as she nervously rubbed the back of her neck, "You know how you've been blacking out like this Janus?" she asked, grabbing him under each arm and lifting him up to sit in her lap.
"Mmm hmm," nodded the prince, remembering days when it seemed the whole day would go by without him having gone through it.
"Well, you know how I sometimes have black outs?" Schala continued, combing Janus' hair as she talked. Janus nodded, but not enough to disturbed the combing.
"Well, we are special Janus," she started before turning him around to face her, "We get to help people."
"Help people?" repeated Janus, still unsure how blacking out the whole day helped anything.
"Here, let me show you," said Schala as she hefted the young boy off of her lap and onto the floor, "It's outside so you have to walk alittle, are you feeling well enough to do that?"
"I'm fine," responded the boy before following Schala as she grabbed his hand and led the way. Down the marble staircases, paste the plush purple carpet pathways, passing by the scholars and servants, down a short path from the palace that was little used by anyone else, until they reached the Azura garden that had, in the past, attracted many a visitor. Beneath the small hill sat lake Azura, also lending its' name to the garden, where the waters of Zeal would make a gravity induced journey to the surface of the world.
In the garden there was a place for each plant that existed on the planet, or only on Zeal. Wild ferns, giant oak trees, a small group of pine trees, a variety of exotic flowers. Many stories told of how the first King of Zeal created many of the plants and flowers that now bloomed regularly here, and throughout the magical kingdom. There were still empty plots of land as Zeal was, if anything, open to having more of a good thing. Eventually, if another flower was to be made the inhabitants hoped that it would first make its' appearance at their collection.
"I don't see anything," stated Janus as Schala lead them through the garden, or 'The Plant Collection' as it was often called by the small prince.
"That's because we aren't there silly," laughed Schala. At the back of the garden, where Janus most liked to visit due to the lack of people, there were several empty plots still awaiting plants. Each was a five foot by five foot square that was sectioned off from the other squares with a small raised concrete barrier that was about 3 inches tall and went down 3 feet into the earth. In one of the empty stalls however was a small black flower, barely blooming but just enough that the black petals could be seen. It was a small thing, barely 2 inches out of the ground, and there was only one of them. But Janus had never seen a black flower before.
"You created that flower," said Schala as she pointed at the small flora, "created a new plant all together. When it gets older who knows what it could be."
"That's stupid," stated Janus as he bent over to stare closer at his flower, "I don't even like flowers."
"Since it's yours, what do you want to name it," asked Schala as she bent down to examine it with Janus, "It's real pretty."
"I don't like flowers," pouted Janus again with a frown, "You name it."
"Ok," laughed Schala, standing up and putting her hand to her chin in a thoughtful act, "I think I'll name it after my little grouchy brother."
"You can't name it Janus," stated the prince, "That's my name, and I'm not a useless flower."
"Flower's aren't useless," scolded Schala, "You really should name it, it is your flower after all," said Schala as she rubbed the prince's head playfully, "Think about it, naming something is an important thing. The name reflects what it will become, if you name it something nice then it's sure to become a nice flower."
"I don't know any flower names!" fussed the prince, "I don't like flowers anyway."
"Well, think on it a bit," said the princess, "But promise me you won't forget about it."
"I promise, I promise," pouted Janus before looking away, "How does a stupid flower help people anyway?"
"I don't know," admitted Schala, "But little things add up to make something big after enough time. Maybe one day it'll give someone hope, or maybe it has some property that can heal sickness."
"I don't like making flowers," stomped Janus as the two royal family members walked away, "Why do we black out Schala?"
"Well, like I said, we are special. You know how seers can see the future?" asked Schala, "Well, it's kind of backwards for us. Time uses us to create the future."
"I don't understand," stated Janus. The two exited the garden and stopped at a street side vendor to buy some chocolate filled scones.
"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at explaining it. There are countless books on it in the library, why not take a look at them. Maybe they can explain it better," stated Schala as they stopped on a bench next to the walkway.
"I don't wanna!" pouted Janus.
"Stubborn boy," said Schala ruffling the prince's hair, "You want to help people right?"
"Ya..," mumbled the prince.
"Promise me you'll go to the library one day and read up on it," requested Schala as she finished eating her scone.
"Fine, fine, I promise," pouted the prince again, "Can I go to Enhasa now? Masa and Mune want to play again."
"Fine, run along," Schala jokingly chided, "Just promise me you won't become one of the sleeping scholars there."
"Argh, more promises," pouted the prince again, "I promise."
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The campsite was just up ahead. They were close enough now to see the fire light that leaked through the trees. First, regular troops would be sent to test the defenses and, if they proved tough enough, the general and his Four would lay waste to whatever was left.
"I don't know why we don't just charge in there," complained Bjarni aloud, not loud enough to carry too far but loud enough to earn him a reprimanding look from Slash.
"It izzz not wize to ruzzh an opponent without firzzt zztudying them," stated Asrar, beating the general to his own words.
"But what if they finish them off without any problems, then we don't get to kill anything," argued the pit fighter.
"Bob like gargoyle," stated Bob, jumping out of a tree and landing next to the group, "Bob likes to bash things too, can Bob go bash things now?"
"Silence, both of you!" hushed the free lancer, throwing both a serious look before glancing to their leader, "That is not your decision to make, follow the general and follow your orders."
"By magus," sighed Bjarni, "Fine, fine lets send them in already. If they kill everyone though I'm going to be right pissed."
"I'll somehow live with that," stated Slash with little humor in his voice. Mimicking the chirping of a bird native to most of the Guardia region, he signaled the group of eight mystics to proceed with the attack. In total there were four heavy infantry goblins, 2 spear carrying henchmen, and 2 more henchmen with swords and shields. In theory the goblins would keep the forces busy and the henchmen with the spears could pick out those that tried to either escape the four goblins or attempted to flank them. Meanwhile the two other henchmen would defend their spear carrying charges and take attacks of opportunity as needed.
Slowly his forces crept forward, moving as quietly and as cautiously as they could. Minutes passed before his forces breached the tree line and then went charging forward. The goblins shouted vicious war cries and the two shield carrying henchmen banged on their shields with their swords, the hope of all this sudden noise was to confuse and frighten the enemy. Slash smiled, "See Magus, you don't need an entire army to kill one frog."
One of the humans picked itself off the ground, or at least Slash thought it was human, then, suddenly, the fire went out. The war cries turned to cries of terror, of pain, and soon became desperate howls. One by one he counted eight bodies hit the floor. Slash squinted his eyes to hopefully obtain a glance whatever had killed his force so effective. The only thing he saw though was more darkness. Without the human's camp fire he could just see his four companions, barely, and wondered if any of them felt hesitant in attacking now.
"Yes!" shouted Bjarni, ruining whatever stealth they still might have had, "Our turn!"
"Can Bob go bash things now?" asked the small mystic with a look that could have melted even Magus' cold heart…well maybe not.
"Asrar, the usual castings please," ordered Slash as their sorceress did her best to make the fighters as deadly as possible. A casting of haste and protect would ensure that they were not only faster, but would stay on their feet a bit longer. Add in a spell to see in the dark and they were ready to go.
"Well, there's no time like the present," commented the general, "CHARGE!" With that, Slash and his Four ran head first into yet again another battle.
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"Lana! Lana!" screamed Spek, though the sound was rather muted to the mage-hunter. Then someone was shaking her, "Lana! Lana! Are you ok!?"
It was Spek again, still shouting, and it occurred to her that she should probably say something, anything, to push aside whatever the shape-shifter was concerned about. Instead she brushed Spek away and tried standing, pushing herself off of the ground with her sword once she found her legs to weak to stand on her own. Once she was shakily standing, sword still in hand, she took a moment to regard the situation.
"When did I grab my sword?" Lana thought aloud. Her body felt sore and she felt like she was covered all over with someone's spit. Don't tell me Glenn slurped me some more, moaned Lana to herself. Maybe that was producing the strange smell, slightly more metallic than anything. Looking around for Glenn she realized the fire must have gone out because she could barely see the concerned face of Spek as he was studying her.
"I hath found the 'spark stick' you spoke of," called out Glenn a few feet away, sending Spek hurrying off in his direction after he ripped his eyes from Lana, "How doth such a stick produce fire?"
"It's complicated," said Spek as he grabbed the stick from Glenn. Lighting it off and tossing it into the fire pit, the clearing was once again lit.
"Spekki…I mean Spek what happe….," stated Lana but stopped as the clearing was once again bathed in orange fire light.
There were holovids at the Chronopolis that depicted some of the larger battles of the past wars, letting the visitor stand about all the bloody and gory scenes. Lana's brain numbly attached itself to those instances as she stood in the blood covered clearing. Splashes of the stuff were thrown about haphazardly, tainting the grass, bushes, tress, and even her body. Looking down at her clothes and bare arms and legs she realized that the sticky feeling she was feeling was still wet blood. From her perspective, it appeared as if nothing had been spared the touch of the red liquid of life.
Slowly, as if in some kind of sick nightmare, she felt her face and hair and came away with more blood on her hands than she had before. Looking down at her sword, she noticed that blood drops where still dripping from it. The metal at the Chronopolis was made in such a way that nothing ever stained it, blood and other liquids simply ran off. Despite the blood, the smell was even worse; blood with exposed intestines and emptied mystic bladders all combined into one gut retching stench.
The smell, with the pictures, was too much and Lana fell to her hands and knees to retch up the small meal she'd been able to eat today. That only combined with the already sickening smell and she couldn't stop throwing up, even when nothing but dry heaves came out. In between heaves she tried to ask questions, tried to yell and scream, and even tried to cry. She couldn't do any of those until, after many minutes had passed, she finally gave one final retch and collapsed on the ground, narrowly avoiding her own vomit.
"Milady!" cried out Glenn as he attempted to move with his injuries, "Spek, do not let her lie else she chokes on any other offending retching." Spek quickly did as Glenn commanded and also dragged the tired mage-hunter back to the center of the camp. Somehow, she noted while being dragged, the circle around the fire pit was bloodless. She also noted that neither of them had blood covering their faces or bodies.
"What happened?" softly asked Lana once she was sitting somewhat upright against the back of the cave.
"These mystic soldiers just charged from the trees and then the fire went out," explained Spek, "I ran to cover Glenn and I could hear battle in the background. After that, well, you can see the results on the ground. You managed to kill all of them without getting cut once. Or at least I think so, there's too much blood on you to tell whose it is."
"It wasn't me," said Lana weakly. Looking around from her position it was horrible, these mystics weren't just killed they had been disfigured and then killed. Simply eyeing the ground she could spot organs that had found their way away from their owner. In other places heads stared blankly up, devoid of any body attached below them, and Lana imagined if she looked into their eyes that an accusing glare would look back. This wasn't fighting, wasn't killing either, it was butchering.
"I'm pretty sure that it was, I mean look at you and your sword and then the ground…," stated Spek, now acting more and more like Spekkio and less like the meek squire he'd been impersonating, "Just putting two and two together."
"I said it wasn't me," stated Lana with fire in her eyes as she shook her head back and forth, only sending more bloody drops flying, "It couldn't have been me!" This time her statement was followed by tears instead as she pulled her legs close to her body and, having something to hide her face in, sobbed without wanting to.
"Milady, tiss alright now," stated Glenn, weakly patting her on the shoulder a few times and letting it rest there, "I again thank thee for defending mine body while it heals. Thou only did what was needed."
"Did I?" asked Lana between sobs, before pulling her head out and looking at Glenn in the eyes with her own tear filled gaze, "You've seen battlefields before, how many look like this?"
"All battlefields look the same lass," softly spoke the knight, "Tiss the nature of battle."
"It wasn't me though," sobbed Lana again, "It's not right!" Again she had been used, this time though she couldn't even remember what she had done. The proof of what it was though covered the forest grounds and Lana couldn't believe she'd been the one to commit such butchery. If only she understood what was going on, what was controlling her, then she could figure out a way to stop it. Then the words of the dream, nay the memory, came to her.
"There are countless books on it in the library, why not take a look at them."
"Of course!" Lana exclaimed inwardly, "Zeal's the answer. It always has been, Schala was from Zeal, Janus too, and she found a way to neutralize it. Maybe it's in one of their books." She was tired of being used; it was time for her to return the favor.
"Give me my sword Spekkio," said Lana coldly after wiping the remaining tears from her face, gaining an odd glance from both Glenn and Spekkio. The shape-shifter did as asked though and again Lana had her spotless katana back in her hands. Using it as a crutch to stand up, she shakily walked into the middle of the field, still disgusted at what she'd done, and pointed the sword in at her own heart.
"Lana!" exclaimed both Glenn and Spekkio.
"Listen whatever you are!" shouted the frightened mage-hunter, not sure if her plan would work or if she'd end up a skewered on her own sword.
"I know you need me and want me alive, well I want answers!" continued Lana, "Maybe you can't, or won't, tell me but I know where I can get them. I also know you can make time portals! You either give me a portal to Zeal, by the count of five, or I'm going to end whatever plans you had for me by falling on my own blade!"
"Lana, who are you talking to!" yelled Spekkio as he rushed over to her.
"Spekkio, stay back!" yelled the mage-hunter, "Stay back or so help me I'll plunge this right through my chest." The shape-shifter halted his advancement and slowly walked back towards the cave, keeping his eyes always on Lana.
"One," counted Lana aloud. A warm, good, feeling started spreading into her mind. It told her not to do this and that she really didn't want to go to Zeal.
"Stop screwing with me!" shouted Lana as she struggled to hold on to her conviction. She brought to mind the dead hermit, his lifeless eyes as he feel quickly to her blade, brought to mind the burning house of her parents, thought about the sorrow that Glenn must have felt at Cryus' death; she brought to mind the anger that it caused in her and she hurled this back at the warm feeling. The fury, the anger, gave her enough strength to bring the katana closer into her chest, drawing a small amount of blood and halting the invading feelings.
"Try that again and I'll do it," stated Lana with undisguised anger in her words, "Don't test me! I don't plan on being in Zeal long, after that then do with me what you will. I need answers though, I'll either get them or die trying." The feeling backed down, still present in a small corner of her mind but it wasn't getting any bigger or any more invasive.
"Two," she continued, tears welling in her eyes, "Three." The mage-hunter was seriously starting to doubt this idea but the alternative was to live a life being controlled whenever it suited IT's purpose. If five came around and there was no portal, it was better to die now than possibly hurt, or kill, something else.
"Four!" This was it, the last number, after this she'd either be dead or on or way to the answers she needed; the answers she wanted.
"Five," she said and drew back, preparing to push it in true. That was when it appeared, quickly the air snapped and popped around the group sending small particles flying and brightening the clearing in a red radiance. Soon space and time parted, allowing a glowing red portal to appear directly in front of the risky mage-hunter.
Lana blinked, surprised that it had actually worked and thankful at the same time. Turning back around to find Spekkio and Glenn staring slack jawed at the portal, she sheathed her sword and stumbled back to the two.
"Lana, do you have any idea what you are doing?" practically screamed the shape-shifter, his arms wide in the air and his voice back to the Spekkio normal.
"No, but I intend to find out," confidently said Lana as she grabbed her traveling pack and stopped next to Glenn.
"Milady, I doth not know what truly hath transpired here but I have one request. I wouldst like to travel with you," seriously stated Glenn as he shakily grabbed one of her arms, "Mine burden seems slightly easier to bear with thine company."
"I was planning on taking you anyway," stated Lana as she hoisted the injured amphibian on her back, "They got healers in Zeal and we should be able to fix you right up."
"Whaaaaaaaaa!" yelled Spekkio, reverting back to his true state, "You can't be serious, there is no way you are going to Zeal, especially with the frog, and that is final." With that the shape-shifter crossed his arms in a that's-that fashion.
"Spekkio," pleaded Lana as she walked to stand in front of him, "I need this."
"Do you have any idea what this will do to the time stream? Do you?" yelled back Spekkio, "No, we can erase the Frog's memory and put things to right. We'll go back to the Chronopolis without Janus, but we are not going to Zeal."
Lana paused, her conviction wavering with the evidence that Spekkio had presented. Observers weren't suppose to change history but keep it on the path they'd found it on when the Chronopolis had been created. She wasn't an Observer yet but the principles of keeping time in order had been ingrained into her for years on end, she had been raised on a time station after all. If the past was dramatically changed, then the present would cease to exist.
The bodies of the hermit, of the mystic warriors, still haunted her eyes though. What if next time it was Spekkio, Janus, or the friends she'd made on the Chronopolis? Lana had to do this, for herself, and for those around her. Strangely the invasive emotions fueled her on, took the worry that Spekkio had planted inside her head and threw it away. If the mage-hunter still existed then obviously the future must still be the same; her existence was proof that it was okay.
"Sorry Spekkio," Lana said with real sadness in her eyes, "This is one time when I can't follow your orders," as she said it she quickly dropped to one knee and rammed upward with her head as she could, sending the shape-shifter stumbling back. The attack stunned Spekkio, amazed that she'd do such a thing and how strong of a head butt that had been given her condition. His stunned amazement had been enough, for the two were gone and the time portal quickly closed.
Seconds after the red sparks died and the clearing was once again lit by only the fire, the Nu walked from the buses, still humming and marching, and stopped once he got to Spekkio's still stunned form. "So did I miss anything?"
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The blade had been fast, impossibly so, and Slash and his group had never stood a chance against it. They had been a group of babes in a battle, guaranteed a quick death at best and a slow one at worst. It wasn't the blade that startled the battle hardened general, rather her eyes. There was something…inhuman behind them, something that reminded Slash of the days he would look up into the starts and wonder what lay beyond. Of the helplessness he felt beneath the crushing infinity of the unknown.
"It is not your time to die yet General Slash"
The voice replayed over and over in his head, a voice that bore down on him with the past, present, and future. In it he saw his past, his childhood of growing up and managing with his keen insight in battle and quick mind. Saw the present, a reflection of his beaten and bloody form. Finally the future as he died in battle against the enemies of Magus.
You have things still left to accomplish, deeds to do and history to make.
There would come a time when the past would catch up to him; a time when a group of humans would ally with the frog and kill him. Not only him, remembered Slash, they would kill all that the mystics had fought for. Had those been real images, or ones implanted through magic? Was there any point in continuing to fight if he already knew when he would die?
Continue your role so that all those in the future have a brighter place to live, human and mystic alike.
If he didn't what then would happen? How could advancing Magus' goals bring about a brighter future for mystics AND humans? Should he trust the strange girl, the strange girl that held the universe in her eyes and time in her voice? Could he do any less than continue on?
Slash didn't know the answers to that, had never thought to the future, and the thinking was foreign to the mystic General. He did however know that doing nothing would get him nowhere; he'd have to find the answers for himself. He only hoped that Magus would let him live long enough to do so. Thinking on it again, Slash knew that he would not die by Magus' hand, knew he would die by no other hand till that appointed day.
"After all", reasoned the general as he walked on his way out of the forest, blood on his uniform and the future on his mind, "It's not my time to die yet."