The Forest of Purity

by PurificationArrow

In the time spent together, Nausicaä and Asbel’s feelings for each other start to grow. They also find a strange tree that is protected by an electric barrier. Suddenly, new problems begins to stir: someone is also after Nausicaä's heart, but who?

13. The Final Plunge, Chapter 13

December 29, 2008

Disclaimer: I don't own Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. I own Than, Aden, and Adena. And the kingdom Than rules.

Title: The Forest of Purity

Author: PurificationArrow

Rated: Teen

Genre: Romance/General

Summary: In the time spent together, Nausicaä and Asbel's feelings for each other start to grow. They also find a strange tree that is protected by an electric barrier. Suddenly, new problems begins to stir: someone is also after Nausicaä's heart, but who?

Notes: MERRY CHRISTMAS! AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Italics - Thoughts

Bold - Emphasis on a word

Bold and Underline - author's note

Chapter 13: The Final Plunge

--

It was dark.

Dark and terrifying. I can remember only one time when I had been plunged into a darkness this black, this bleak, this cold.

I closed my eyes and saw the flashes of red from the eyes of the Ohmu as they drew nearer and nearer.

The pounding of their feet on the ground rattled every bone in my body. Their rage-filled grunts filled my ears, and I could hear nothing else, even the quivering of Teito next to my ear.

They kept on coming closer, and even if I had wanted to move, I couldn't. I was paralyzed with fear, and I knew that death was drawing closer. Death that came in the form of enormous insects, blinded by rage that stampeded wildly until they perished.

Finally, I found the strength to open my eyes.

I was filled with a final burst of terror as I saw the eyes of the Ohmu, unseeing, unthinking as they continued to charge.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Until--

Blackness.

I didn't even feel the impact I knew was coming. The moment I opened my eyes, I felt undescribable fear, and then nothing.

I was floating.

It wasn't quite the sensation I had been expecting from being stampeded to death, but that is what it was.

My limbs, instead of feeling heavy, felt as light as a bird's.

I could see farther than I ever had before, and across the horizon, was a white shore. Its waves were silver, it's clouds were ivory, and a crowd stood at its shores. I could hear their encouraging calls, their sweet, smiling faces, and I could see the painless civilization they lived in.

I was tired. And I wanted to go somewhere to rest.

Somewhere calm, somewhere quiet, somewhere...restful.

I reached a hand in the direction of the shore, of the silver waves, the ivory clouds, and the kind people.

But I frowned.

There was something holding me back. There was something that was keeping me from going to the place where I could finally be at peace, instead of having to live a life filled with hardship and sorrow. Who was it? Why did they stop me?

I turned, ready to brush off whatever was keeping me anchored.

And then I stopped.

It took a moment for my mind to grapple for the names I was trying to think of. Then I found them.

"Lord Yupa? Mito? Obaba?" I whispered. "Why are you here? I just want to rest. I'm tired."

Obaba opened her mouth and began to speak. But the only problem was that I couldn't hear her. I couldn't hear any of them. Their mouths were moving, the were speaking, but I could not hear the sound that should have been coming out of their mouths.

"I can't hear you. What is it?"

Lord Yupa fixed me with the eyes of a grandfather, of an uncle, of a second, living father. he pointed behind me, to the horizon and the shore. So I turned.

The first feeling that blossomed in my chest was disbelief. And then sorrow. And then happiness.

My throat felt dry and cracked as I spoke.

"F-father?"

For the first time in years, I saw the kind, warm, brown eyes of my father. I could see his smile, and his warmth emanated. He too, floated above the silver waves of the white land. The edges of his features were disappearing.

"My sweet child. My Nausicaä." He said, in the deep voice that I had loved and missed.

"Father..." I gasped, and jumped forward.

I buried my face in his strong chest, and I felt his arms wrap around me, unperterbed by the poisons of the Toxic Jungle which had ailed him when he died.

"Nausicaä, what are you doing here? It is not your time." He said. "You should not be joining me just yet, my daughter. Go back to where you belong."

I felt confusion. I pulled away to look up at him. He was smiling kindly.

"I don't...want to, Father. I'm tired, I'm scared. I don't want to go back." I replied, biting my lip. Almost at once, I felt guilty. I had never uttered such selfish words. I had no right to say I wanted and did not want. There were still so many people on the Earth that did not have even a fraction of the things I did. What right did I have to say such things?

"Nausicaä..." I heard my father say. "Nausicaä, look at me."

And I did. The eyes of my father were understanding, as they had always been.

"Be selfish, Nausicaä. You are allowed to be selfish, every once in a while, my child." My father told me, as if reading my mind. He had always had a talent of doing that.

I frowned. "But...I--"

He put a finger on my lips, and I went silent. He patted my cheek gently, as he would have done when I was a little girl in distress.

"My child, it is not your time to die. It will not be for a long while, Nausicaä. You know this already."

I did not know how to answer, so I furrowed my brows. What did he mean by this?

Again, as if reading my mind, my father smoothed down my hair lovingly. "Before the Ohmu came, you felt fear, didn't you?"

I gasped. Recalling back, yes. Yes I did.

"You felt frightened, nervous, lost, and regretful, didn't you, Nausicaä? Do you know what this means, my daughter?" my father asked.

I just shook my head, numb. I had become mute.

"If you still feel fear when you die, it means that it is not yet your time. If you did not feeling acceptance when you passed into this other world, then it means that you are not to die yet. You still have another life awaiting you back in the realm of the living." He said.

I....had another chance? Another life? But how could that be? I was taught that this life was the only one you were given. And so you had to live it out the best to your ability.

"While what we have taught you is true, Nausicaä, you still have another chance to try. You should not be in this land of silver and white just yet, my daughter. Go back."

I couldn't find words. My father began to back away, and I reached out to him, helplessly. I did not want to lose him yet. I had just gotten him back.

"Nausicaä, go home."

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. And I turned.

A pair of warm, chocolate eyes greeted me. They twinkled and winked; smiled and laughed; loved and cried. A hand was stretched out to me, waiting.

"Nausicaä, my beloved wind rider, let's go. Back to where we belong."

I closed my eyes. I still did not want to leave. I wanted to rest, and I wanted to go where there was no suffering. But...

I felt a pull from this person. As the planets were drawn to the sun by gravity, and the beings on Earth where drawn back to the ground by gravity, my gravity revolved around this person. The person that I loved. He was my sun; and my whole world.

"Asbel." I whispered, breathlessly, as I accepted his hand.

And I was plunged again into something else. But it was a world full of light and colors. It was...

Life.

-

"Nausicaä, are you all right?"

I opened my eyes blearily.

And the first thing I saw was a pair of warm, chocolate eyes.

It was Asbel.

I smiled, and, without thinking, wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close.

"N-Nausicaä?" I heard his voice squeak a little. I felt his arms come around and wrap around me, unsure and confused. "Are you all right?"

I held him closer. I buried my face into his shoulder and smiled. "Yes. I'm fine, Asbel."

"What's wrong? Why were you crying?" he asked, finally pulling away. When I looked into his concerned eyes, I smiled. I felt warm and content.

I....

Loved him.

"Asbel...can I ask you a question?" I whispered.

He seemed surprised and nodded. "Yes, sure. What is it?"

I smiled at him, which seemed to confuse him further. It made me almost laugh at his confusion. This was the Asbel I knew and loved. Not the Asbel I had been seeing as of late; the one that was angry and bitter. The one that acted like a cornered fox-squirrel.

"Were you jealous of Aden?"

My question was out of the blue. I knew, because the look on Asbel's face was surprised, shocked, and panicked.

He turned his head away.

"Wh-what are you talking about, Nausicaä? What reason do I have to be jealous of him?"

The way he said 'him' gave off such a sound of contempt that I knew it was true.

"Asbel."

I saw him turn slightly.

"Were you?" I repeated.

And Asbel was silent. He clenched and unclenched his hand. He was grinding his teeth in his mouth, and his eyes were sparking with indignance.

"...yes." He finally replied in a stubborn voice. He choked out the single word as though it were bile in his mouth, and he didn't want to confess to it.

So then, I did the only thing that I could. The only thing that felt right.

I laughed.

It was a peal of girlish laughter, disbelieving, happy, and gay.

Asbel waited silently in embarassment for me to stop. He didn't look at me, but I could see his eyes through his bangs. His face looked embarassed and almost pathetic. I smiled, and reached out a hand. I held the side of his face in my hand gently.

"Asbel. Dont be jealous of him. You don't need to be." I told him.

He seemed to pout. "Why?" he grunted.

Asbel didn't seem convined, so I hugged him again.

"Asbel, I love you."

He made a surprised noise and turned to look at me with wide eyes. "You...?" he whispered. Deep inside, I, too, was surprised. To realize my feelings in such a manner was very unlike me. To confess them was even stranger. But regarding the past incidents ever since discovering the kingdom of Harasa, I had come to terms with the turmoil in my heart.

I nodded and gave him a smile. "I love you."

He seemed speechless and his mouth flopped open and closed, like a fish, gasping for air.

"Nausicaä, I--"

Suddenly the door slammed open.

I squinted against the light, and shielded my eyes with a hand.

A guard was standing there, his face covered by the helmet he wore. His voice was gruff as he barked at Asbel and I. "Get up. Both of you. The Prince wishes to see you now."

Together, Asbel and I rose to our feet.

My heart was hammering inside my chest, and it felt as though there were a weight pressing down on me. Our adventure here was reaching its climax, and it forced my heart to attempt to thunder its way out of my chest.

But then...

Asbel took my hand firmly in his.

He held it tightly and didn't let go. As the guard pushed us down a dark and unfamiliar hall, he still didn't release my hand. Every time the guard's hand shoved us forward, he would squeeze my own hand in reassurance.

I smiled. I knew what he was saying to me.

'Don't be afraid, Nausicaä. I'm with you.'

The guard stopped us. "Wait here," he ordered. "The Prince will be meeting with you shortly."

He exited the room, and we were left standing in the middle of an empty throne room, still finding comfort in each other.

Then, a guard announced. "Entering: Prince Than, ruler of the kingdom of Harasa." The doors slid open, and I could hear the footsteps of boots, that signalled the approach of Harasa's ruler.

'I'll be with you, always. Now,'

Than appeared, and stepped up and sat in the highest seat.

"Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind."

'And...'

"And Asbel of the Kingdom of Pejite. You are hereby, by the will of the kingdom--"

'Forever.'

"Sentenced to death."

Asbel squeezed my hand again, glaring fiercely into the eyes of Than.

"By whose decision? Your nonexistent council? Or the will of the remaining people of the kingdom you killed?" Asbel growled, his voice full of contempt.

I saw a flash of anger and hurt lance through Than's eyes. For a moment, I felt pity.

"Silence."

Than's words were bitten out like a burning whip. Asbel was quickly knocked to the ground.

"Asbel!" I lunged for him. Three broad-swords greeted me, their blades menacing and sharp.

"The two of you will be used as the final sacrifices to the barrier which protects this place." Than announced, standing up. "Thus far, 998 people have died in order to keep the barrier protecting Harasa--and keeping my sister's spirit contained here--safe. But with these two final sacrifices," he gestured to Asbel and I. "No longer. With the deaths of this Princess and Prince, my sister will come back to life to fufill the prophecy and bring sanctity to this kingdom once more."

"Open it." Than ordered.

The guard that had brought us in nodded and drew his sword. I instinctively flinched and drew back, away from the deadly weapon.

But the guard did not go for me; nor did he head for Asbel. Instead, he went to the center of the room, where the symbol of Harasa's kingdom was inscribed. He raised his sword, and with a grunt, drove it into the cricle on the inscription.

There was only a short pause before the rumbling began.

The ground opened up, and I began to feel a sinister wind sucking at my clothes. It raised goosebumps on my arms, for I had never before felt a wind that was evil.

Than had come down from his throne and was joined by the guard who stood dutifully behind him.

In the pit where the ground had opened up, was a pool of white, silvery light. Bright balls of light glimmered within it, circling the pool swiftly.

I jerked when Than rested a hand on my shoulder and held it firm. Absel, who was being withheld by a couple more of the guards roared angrily. He was struck once in the stomach, and sank down once more, paralyzed.

Than leaned me forward to the pool.

"Look at it, Princess. Beautiful, no?" he cooed in my ear.

"No." Came my firm reply. "Your people had to die for this. For what? A far-fetched idea that you had to contain a person's soul to the living world, because of your fear?"

"WRONG!" Than thundered. I jumped, and recoiled in pain when Than's grip tightened.

"You are wrong, Princess Nausicaä. I know that this 'far-fetched idea' of mine will work. Because this land--this land is the Forest of Purity. I saw it. It came to me in a dream my deceased sister sent to me, to guide my journey." Than's voice had become far away and dreamy. "It was....beautiful. It was the one place in the world where there was no taint. Life was bountiful and plenty, and the dangers of the Toxic Jungle do not penetrate."

He was silent for a while.

"That," he began again suddenly. "Is the ideal world my sister and I have envisioned. And it will start with one of the last sacrifices to the spell."

Than's grip tightened, and I felt him beginning to push me forward. The silvery light gleamed off my face, and I shut my eyes.

"Princess, get down!" I heard a voice ring out, suddenly.

Without thinking, I obeyed and dropped to the ground, out of Than's reach. At the same time, I looked up. My heart felt like it was freezing over as I watched.

Aden was rushing towards Than, a look of determination painting his features. He collided with his brother, and he wrapped his arms around him in a deadlock.

Time seemed to stand almost still as the two men sailed through the air, past me, and towards the pond of silvery fear. In mid-air, Aden turned to me, and gave me a smile.

It wasn't a frightened smile, or an insane one. He had accepted what had happened, and he was taking responsibility for the actions his foolish brother had made. And his gaze to me, was the apology he was offering up.

'Goodbye, dear Princess Nausicaä. Be the beacon of hope you were always meant to be, even before your birth.'

And then he was gone. Aden and Than had plummeted into the pool, and were swallowed by the whiteness of it.

The guards let go of Asbel in shock, where Asbel knocked them unconscious with a few blows of his fists. By the time Asbel joined me by the side of the pond, my legs had given out. I felt tears in my eyes, for the sudden loss.

"Nausicaä," he began solemly. "I'm so--"

A terrifying rumbling cut off the rest of his sentence. The entire castle began to shake and rumble, throwing the both of us off balance.

It was then that Lord Yupa and Mito came rushing out of a different entrance, holding our weapons and gliders. Mito was gesturing wildly. "Princess! Asbel! Hurry up! This place is collapsing!"

Asbel nodded at him, and then turned back to me.

Strangely enough, though, I felt as though something else were capturing my attention.

Still, I could feel his gentle gaze on me as he rested a kind hand on my shoulder. "Nausicaä, look. I'm sorry that this had to happen, but we need to mourn later. For the moment, we have to escape."

I continued staring into the pond of silvery light that Aden and Than had vanished into. Until finally, it became clear to me.

"I am....not going, Asbel." I replied, whispering.

The look on Asbel's face was one of utter shock. "What?! Nausicaä, what are you saying? This place is collapsing. If we don't escape, we'll be buried alive."

"No, Asbel. I'm not going. I can't." I whispered back, reaching a hand towards the pool.

"Nausicaä," Asbel's voice was pleading and lost. "I don't understand."

I touched the surface of the water, and felt a jolt run through me.

"I'm not leaving, because--"

'Because she cannot, Prince of Pejite.' I felt my gaze go blank. My ears could still hear everything--albeit almost painfully.

Asbel was probably staring at me in confusion. "You are...?"

'I am Princess Adena, the crown princess of Harasa--sister to Aden and Than of Harasa.' I could hear Adena say. Her words were coming from my mouth, and I was serving as a communicator from Adena to Asbel. 'The reason your beloved wind-rider is unable to leave this place, is because she is part of this prophecy. She has been, for the past thousand year Harasa has been in existence.'

Even though the words were coming from my mouth, I still did not comprehend. Neither did Asbel, I gathered.

'All this time, your princess, Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, was the beacon of hope the prophecy of my kingdom spoke of. The prophets, even before this horrible incident had occurred, knew that some time, some where, a light of hope would shine. Princess Nausicaä has already proven her worth when she died for the people of the Valley of the Wind. But this time, however, she is ready. Princess Nausicaä understands what she must do; because if she does not, then the people of Harasa who still breathe, will be damned for all eternity.'

"Nausicaä...." Asbel whispered helplessly. "She's speaking the truth, isn't she?"

I nodded my head, guilt welling up inside me for having to do this to Asbel.

'And it is now time, Asbel, Prince of Pejite--ancestor of my lineage--to part ways with Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind--savior of the people of Harasa. I can delay the destruction of the castle for three cycles of sixty seconds. Any longer than that, you forfeit your life. Please speak quickly...'

With that, I felt control return to my body, and my sight was restored.

I looked at Asbel, and then at my feet. He must be suffering so badly. And I was not sure if I could deny him if he told me to just leave these people and save myself. I honestly did not know.

Then, I felt his arms wrap around me. Warm, comforting, sorrowful, accepting.

"Promise me," he whispered into my hair. "Promise me that you will come back to me, Nausicaä. Promise that I will see you again--alive and well."

My lip trembled. I bit it to keep from sobbing. The tears were already cascading down my cheeks. "Asbel, I---"

"Promise, Nausicaä. Please."

I squeezed my eyes shut and returned his embrace.

"Asbel, I promise. I'll come back to you."

His hand touched the side of my face, and his lips pressed against my forehead chastely.

'It is time. Thank you, Princes Asbel for keeping her safe. Thank you for saving my kingdom and my people. Now go.'

Even before Adena was finished speaking, Asbel was gone. I held back a choked sob.

'Princess Nausicaä, please. Be strong. You gave your word that you would return. And now I give my word that you will live to see your beloved once more. Now, are you prepared?' Adena asked. I could see her ghostly image standing next to me, holding my hand comfortingly.

I sighed.

"Yes."

Adena smiled warmly and faced the pool.

And together, we leapt into the freezing white pool.

'Princess Nausicaä, thank you.'

--Asbel's point of view--

Almost a year has passed since Nausicaä and I parted ways.

I am with the children of the valley now, helping them pick Chiko nuts for the upcoming festival of the new year.

A good wind is blowing in the valley, and the air is clean and fresh.

I am staring in the direction of the Toxic Jungle we had left behind so long ago with a longing.

I miss you, Nausicaä.

I know now that I love you and--as corny as this does sound--I want to spend the rest of my life with you, wherever you may be--heaven or hell. All I want now is your return, your safe return so that I can--

I stop.

I squint my eyes to see off into the distance.

No....

It... it can't be.

........can it?

A wind glider is heading towards the valley--towards us. Someone is on it, steering it with practices agility and grace.

There is no mistake now.

Tears are running down my face now--but I don't care. Dropping the bag of nuts I had collected, I run towards the figure growing ever closer.

All I want now is your return, your safe return so that I can...

I see Nausicaä. She is smiling back at me--lovingly, warmly, kindly. In the way that I remember she always did. She made good on her promise--to return from the Forest of Purity.

Your safe return...

When she lands, she will share her stories of the pure land of the kingdom of Harasa. Of the people whose souls she brought salvation to. Of our adventures there. But the thing I want most is...

Her safe return. So I can gather her up in my arms once again, kiss her, and tell her I love her too.

I love you, Nausicaä.

-

(A/N:) END. Thank you so much for reading this story. It really has been a joy to write. While times have been difficult, I thank you all for your support and love for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as well as Asbel and Nausicaä themselves. Thank you once again. Have a Happy New Year! Happy Holidays to everyone!

Long live Miyazaki Hayao and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind!

Please review!

Sincerely,

-PurificationArrow