Title: Dark Times
Author: Ageless Light
Beta-ed by: Nobody right now! But I'd like one! Please PM me if you are interested.
Characters/Pairing: Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole (OC), Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos.
Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Summary: The mission to Romania was just the starting point. Now that they have found each other, their stories were just beginning.
Rating: T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynames . com for my character names though. A nice reviewer PMed me and told me that the book the original concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.
Status: Continuous (Incomplete)
Category: A collection of one-shots.
Spoilers: This fic is obviously AU. However it is currentUp to Dark Slayer and including parts of Dark Peril. (The most recent novel in Feehan's Dark Series). This is the sequel to Dark Moments and I recommend that you read that first. You can find the story by accessing my profile.
Created on: November 28, 2010
Word Count: 1,816 (Total-20,700)
"Talk" – regular talking
Talk- Inner thoughts/ Flashbacks
"Talk"- Speaking telepathically
A/N: This installment is dedicated to Mcamastow and all of my reviewers! Enjoy!
Chapter 10
All Warfare is based upon Deception
The moon was bright and seemed unusually close this evening. A luminescent glow seemed to have settled on the Brazilian forest, making everything appear in an ethereal way. Amelyn's mind was troubled and upon rising from the earth she found herself at a familiar bridge overlooking the Crisis Center and the safety it provided; despite being nestled in a wild, untamed forest that was slowly becoming a battleground.
The flame and void technique that she was a master at was of no help and if her thoughts did not settle soon it would affect her ability to do her job. With an inaudible sigh she began acknowledging the troubled thoughts in an attempt to find peace.
(Scene Change: Flashback)
Green eyes in a hue usually described as viridian were gazing unfocused at the water. Torches were mounted along the stone walls but that never provided much light and instead small pearls of light, made from pure energy of those around, danced above. Their movement was hypnotic especially when one was looking at their reflection in the water of the Ways.
"What is wrong?" A voice that she had heard for well over 600 years called to her from behind.
Though her adopted brother, Stefan, knew she was troubled she refused to show it and carefully made her expression blank before turning around. One of his large hands caressed the facial hair on his chin before dropping by his side as he approached. It was in his eyes, clear for her to see: he was concerned for her.
Many thought her wise, others simply appreciated the unique perspective she could give from being the only one of her kind in the Empire. While she was definitely an outsider, something she was forever reminded of by the Kylierions, it was never like that with the Stormclouds, and later on with Niah and Ashelia.
To her though, she was not wise, but Stefan was. Being 600 was not considered old in their culture, but Stefan had aged beyond his years. He always seemed to find her when she needed him most.
"How do you do it? How do you know what the right thing is, always, and then do it?" Stefan refrained from frowning even though it was just the two of them at this busy intersection. Blue eyes took in the rigidity her stance and it was additional evidence to prove she was more than just troubled.
Time passed as he mulled over her question, because he would never say he always knew what the right thing to do was. Internally he debated on what he would say. To Stefan, true wisdom was never counseling someone one way or the other, instead one made sure the facts and options were laid out in honest terms, and then let the other person find their own way.
"I don't," He spoke plainly and paused. "It is important to never accept that your only options are bad ones." She did not speak but her eyes slid to his in a questioning manner before returning to stare into the scene before them.
Feeling that it was important to face her, he adjusted his stance and did exactly that. Their eyes connected and green clashed with blue.
"Throughout my life, not just when I was young, but even now, there are times, many times when it seems that hope dims and a person must choose between a bad choice and an even worse one. However, I have never believed that. I believe that a phrase would be appropriate from this current generation. Have you not heard a young one say, 'I am stuck between a rock, and hard place?' Though it is not elegant and leaves much to be desired, the philosophy is much the same. But as I said, that is not my viewpoint. The Empress, Niah, and Kenneth would agree with me. We all believe that if one has the force of will, truly has the intent, than you can make your own destiny. There is not only a bad and worse choice."
Though she understood what he said, it did not answer her question. Or did it, she wondered. A moment passed and she wondered that if she just believed she chose correctly, then maybe it was the right choice, just because she chose it. Compelled to speak, to make him understand how she felt, even when she couldn't understand it herself was important.
"But how?" She whispered softly, as if her admittance would inform the world she had been found lacking in some way. Her thoughts turned to Dominic and the options of change that were now in front of her. "How do you make a new path? How do you make the right path?" Time passed and there was no answer, just the soft lapping of the ripples in the water below. As each minute passed Amelyn, felt more on edge. She repressed the urge to ask again, knowing he had heard her. Finally, he answered, though much time had passed.
"People are often unhappy, yet they do not change when an opportunity presents itself, because the fear of the unknown is so strong. Many assume that if they make that change they could be putting themselves in a worse situation. My advice to you is to never give up. Do not let others, whether they are of the Empire or not, tell you something is impossible, right, or wrong. If you do that Amelyn, you will never be. Your path will not be new, nor will it be the familiar path you walked in the past. It will simply cease."
Laughter rang in the distance but neither of them noticed it. Amelyn found herself moving her head slightly. Whether it was in acceptance and understanding, confusion, or rejection of what her brother spoke she was not sure. Instead, she whispered one word as Stefan moved away to leave her to her thoughts.
"Destiny." When she spoke he did not look back or show any acknowledgment that he had heard her and merely journeyed deeper into the Ways.
Hours passed.
And she had still not moved. A voice that she rarely hear reached out across the distance and spoke upon their private link. It was unclear if Stefan and said anything, but Amelyn suspected that nothing passed under the nose of the Empress without her knowing of it. So she wasn't so shocked when her ruler contacted her.
"This Dominic sounds formidable." Her voice was calm, and it soothed her. "But, I doubt the sun rises and sets on his wishes. You are not perfect and neither is he. In fact there is very little that is perfect in this world. Learn and experience what you can, but do not lose sight of yourself."
And with that the Empress withdrew from her mind, leaving Amelyn to think further upon what lay ahead.
(Flashback Ends)
(Scene Change)
The stakes had risen in the dangerous game the preternaturals played. What happened in the Amazon rainforest would decide how the rest of the world acted. The chess match had already begun but some players were not aware of it.
While the chess match slowly started to build up, the master vampires' suspicions increased. The Malinov brothers were confident, arrogant, in their dealings, and rejected the idea of another race infiltrating their side, let alone defeating them. However, their allies, and other masters were not certain of their eventual victory. To decrease tensions and to ensure their plans would be successful in the future they made sure all vampires, not just the new ones that joined, prove their allegiance.
Former friends, ones he considered brothers that stood at his back and fought with him, were now surrounding Dominic Dragonseeker looking disgustingly pleased with the task they were just given. The parasites in his blood were not screaming, but whispering, tempting him to commit heinous crimes. Actions he swore to protect the world from. It was sickening and so seductive. Thought of Amelyn kept him strong but did not completely stop the urges.
A small whimper brought his attention back to his current dilemma. The frightened girl further incited the monsters surrounding him. As she struggled against her bonds, blood escaped from her wounds, scenting the air heavily. Even the masters were losing control of the situation. He was alone, there was no one close enough to help him, and it would be impossible for him to fight all of these creatures alone once he was discovered.
Draining the humans before them was just one of the requirements he and some others would have to do to continue to prove their loyalty. An achievement he had gained miraculously in the past. Inflicting pain, torturing the victims was also more than expected.
This meeting was to close to the battle he had after being discovered with Zacarias a few weeks ago. There was no way it was a coincidence, but he thought he had acted rather well and escaped notice as a Carpathian spy. It was possible that the Masters did not really suspect him, specifically, as a traitor but were just being paranoid. Regardless of their reasoning's, it became clear that the exact side he was on would soon be discovered.
Which left him with too few options. If he passed from this world, trying to fight his way out of this meeting, Amelyn would pass as well. Yes, they would be reunited and together, but could he separate her from this world, and all that she lived for? What about the innocents in front of him? If he did not fight, horrific fates awaited each and every one of them. On the other hand, he was unmated, hence why the parasites still ran in his blood, and he had not been discovered yet.
Could he in fact, inflict harm, mete out some sort of misguided sense of entitlement the creatures had to those captured in front of him and survive the night?
(Scene Change)
The emotions threatening to consume her lifemate had slipped through to Amelyn and wrenched her out of her thoughts. Usually, he blocked his meetings, sparing her pain, not realizing how much she still suffered from their parting, and the fire that ran underneath his skin. Barriers were erected in her mind. Block by block they were placed firmly keeping out the decision she made within an instant. A part of her reached out to those she trusted, those she needed by her side. It was dangerous, and if she had been in her right mind she would never have involved her Princess, the one she was sworn to protect, in such a dangerous mission.
Conversations stopped in mid sentence, actions were halted and everyone re-directed themselves immediately. Rest, food, and other basic concerns that needed to be met were ignored as were important duties. Personal feelings overrode their professionalism and all answered her call, joining her in some way as she launched herself into the sky.
That completes the latest installment from Dark Times. Yay and update! I apologize for not updating in over a month, especially since I said i would be updating even quicker than usual. The reason for this delay was because my computer crashed...again. I just can't seem to win. LOL. I apologize for the formatting problem at the begining of the chapter, but for some reason i just cannot get the title centered. I'll go back and fix it soon though. Anyway, please leave your thoughts/comments/questions and advice in a quick review. Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
~Ageless Light
***Notes****
All Warfare if based upon deception-is a quote from the Sun Tzu's The Art of War. I choose this quote because it really represented what was going on with Dominic and him spying on the enemy. As well as the internal debates...one could say even the warring sides, from within both Amelyn and Dominic and how that affected them as a couple and especially how Amelyn decieved and lied to herself.
The flame and void technique- refers to a meditation exercise where one calms the mind by throwing all of their emotions and chaotic thoughts into the flame they visualize in their mind. As they throw each thing in, it grows, until it has consumed all and vanished leaving a person void of random thoughts and in a state of deep meditation.