Almost there, seven down and only one more to go. And would you look at that, my longest part yet and it was on not one but two different fight scenes and yet I didn't describe a single bit of the fight. Man, am I good or what? And once again, I apologize both for the atrociousness and boring read of the last chapter and for the fact that an update might not come on Thursday. I work till quarter after eleven Thursday evening and that really doesn't give me a whole lot of time for typing. So although I will try my hardest, if there isn't one that day, then Friday for sure.
If I really did own WKC, I would have the second game in English by now, I wouldn't be waiting another month or two to purchase it.
"No matter what happens when you enter the field of dance, by the end you will be jealous of the others. They will have some sort of grace, perfection, or sensuality that you believe yourself never to achieve and because of that, you may never show off what you have that the others don't." - Misunne, one Sin's Temptations star dancers, 5251 ADW (After Dogma War)
He remembered the last time he danced completely for her…
The walk through the maze like tunnels of the temple was tiring, most corridors brought you straight to dead ends and thanks to the abundance of monsters floating around the area, each corner the turned brought them into a new battle. Caesar had never been a patient person to say the least but by now his head was liable to explode with all the constant stops they made to backtrack to the beginning of that corridor to start another.
The only good thing that even came out of the exhausting goose chase was that he had finally managed to convince Eldore to tell them who he truly was. It had turned out that the old man was even older than he looked, older than him even; he had actually fought the Dogma Wars ten thousand years ago, and not only that but he had been the main protector to his queen. The only reason he was even with them right now instead of rotting in a hole some place, was that he had used forbidden magic to transport himself through time after her death to give guidance and counsel to the reincarnated queen. Who, not that surprisingly, was actually Cisna.
That fact alone seemed to surprise Leonard, but Caesar had actually expected something of the like. It wasn't everyday that a princess somehow managed to unlock ancient and forgotten powers that could break the Knight's seal. He would have actually been surprised if Cisna hadn't been the descendant to someone that powerful.
With the tale over though, they had begun once again on their confusing journey, the place was almost as bad as the first time he got lost in Greede's Underbelly when he was about eleven.
The only differences are that this place is cleaner and a heck of a lot more evil.
Amazing, pun not intended, they finally reached the main room, the throne room, of the temple. He was so close to Kara that he could feel it, there he knew he would have one last chance to convince her to stay and fight with them.
They all rushed into the great hall, weapons at the ready as they watched Grazel walk as calmly as can be down the flight of stairs, Leonard stiffening beside him as he realized what, or rather who, Grazel was carrying. For in his arms, lay the still body of the princess they had been sent to save, or at least, Eldore, Leonard, and Yulie had been sent to save. Caesar had had his own objectives for being in the party since the beginning, it just so happened that he actually enjoyed journeying with them and because of nothing else to do, rule in Greede aside, that he decided that helping rescue the princess would be fun, in an odd, demented sort of way.
Yulie had surprised him though when she had exclaimed that Grazel better not have harmed the princess, he had assumed that while she would be worried somewhat, she wouldn't really care seeing as the princess was moving in onto her territory and all.
"Listen to me, I have finally succeeded. The Knight's Ark is mine. It is only natural of course, after all it was mine in the first place."
Yeah I'm happy for you. Now just bring out Kara so we can take the princess, kick your silver haired ass and leave without any problems okay?
"You basterd. What have you done to Cisna?"
Leonard! Such language. Who knew that such an innocent guy such as yourself knew such naughty words?
Grazel actually laughed. "I'm afraid she resisted a bit too much, but I have ways of controlling people and she eventually succumbed and sang her little spell."
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now can you hurry it up now? I don't have all day like some twisted evil rulers that I know of.
"You've lost your mind."
No, really Leonard? I never would have guessed.
"Quite tragically I think she may have caused herself some… damage if you will when she tried to resist me."
"Give her back!"
You're a genius Leonard! Yes, let's just order the bad guys to hand her over. "Of course, no problem. Sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused."
"Oh, and if I refuse? Why don't you come and get her back yourself. Fight me for your precious princess, Knights against Knight.
"O Adolmaea, shining sovereign, supreme light of the ancient skies, grant me your power. Verto."
Ceasar watched the transformation stillbound, only two thoughts coming to mind as he watched the transformation of the Sun King, proclaimed the most powerful Knight of them all. Dude, I want his cape and… wait a moment, where did his mask go?
There infront of them stood the ever omniscient Sun King, his two capes fluttering in the empty breeze, giving the Knight an even more impressive and majestic air.
"That's him, the Sun King."
Well who else could it possibly be? You're mother?
"Well, what goes up must come down," Caesar had said instead of the words he was really thinking, ones that certainly would have put him at odds with the rest of the group right now.
To his surprise though, the Almighty Sun King really wasn't all that almighty. Neither he nor Leonard had transformed into their Knights yet and the Sun King was already growing weaker by the second. Caeasr was actually disappointed, despite his urgency to see Kara again, he had been hoping for a bit more of a fight.
He wasn't the only one who thought so either apparently, even Grazel seemed shocked when he had suddenly left the Knight's body and back to his real one.
"What is this? This shouldn't be happening."
The answer didn't take long to be solved. Cisna had recovered from her bout of unconsciousness rather quickly and was already speaking her spell, the blue light that trademarked her power enveloping her whole body, lips moving silently to words they couldn't hear nor understand.
Before anyone could move though, Grazel had risen in outrage at Cisna's actions and had run towards her, blade unsheathed, before striking her and watching her fall collapse to the ground, a steadily growing red mark appearing in the center of her stomach.
While everyone looked on shocked had what had just happened before their eyes, Leonard had already unsheathed his sword and was running to cut down the man that had in turn cut down the reincarnated queen. Before he could even make a single move towards the Sun King's pact-maker, someone else was already there, ready to block his strike before it even came down.
Kara!
Caesar was dumbfounded, he hadn't even noticed her entry into the hall much less her appearance between Leonard and Grazel until she was already there.
"Brother, you must retreat; I'll hold them off for you."
Grazel didn't even seem to notice her presence. "All my power, gone…" He then looked up at her with unbridled rage in his eyes. "I'll leave it to you to destroy them."
Come on Kara…
"Oh Dinivas, deliverer of dark and dread, ruler of the ancient shadows, grant me your power. Verto."
With those last words, Kara pulled the ark from its sheath, the sound of an eagle cry echoing around the hall that had heard no sound in almost twenty years. Unseen by the others, Caesar smiled. This was the moment he had been waiting for since Kara's reappearance. To talk to her unheard and alone, to convince her that he, not Grazel, was the one who really cared for her well-being, the one who had somehow managed to fall in love with a dancer back at a seedy tavern in Albana.
"Eldore…"
Eldore looked towards Caesar confused, wondering what the boy could honestly have to say at a time like this.
'" Go with Leonard to go grab the princess and do what you can to help her, You leave Kara to me, I'll distract her long enough to let you do just that."
To his relief, Eldore hadn't asked how he was going to manage to distract a hundred foot tall being of magic, he had only nodded and ran after Leonard who by know had already scooped the princess in his arms .
Caesar smirked. Now, it was his turn. "O Larvayne, vermillion drake, leveler of ancient lands, grant me your power. Verto."
Within seconds, he had turned into his Dragon Knight, overly large spear sitting comfortably in his hands as he stared his black counterpart down. No anger was involved in that stare-down though, only sorrow about what could have been and the resilient outlook on what could be. He was going to bring Kara back to them, back to him, if it was the last thing he ever did. Which, knowing the way she fought, it certainly might be.
Within seconds he had engaged her and to his relief, watched as the colored aura began to expel from their cheasts. So far, so good.
Knock knock, guess who?
…
Caesar grinned widely underneath the armour, he had known she wouldn't answer and pretend that she couldn't hear a thing. It was what he would have expected her to do. He let a pout take over his smile though as he blacked a swing from the right.
What, all I want to do is talk and you can't even give me that. I promise that's all I want to do.
… I won't talk to you.
Caesar actually faltered a bit in a swing, not that anybody would notice, they would all be too entranced at the battle between them to notice anything like a bad hit, not that he could blame them. The sight of two giant freakish suits of armour battling it out would do that to most people. In any case, he barely managed to recover and jump back from a swing that if he had been human would have cleaved him into two separate equal pieces. He expected Kara to make a jibe or insult him, not brush him off like a piece of brushwood. It had actually put him off guard.
Fine then. But if you won't talk then I will.
He could actually feel the mental shrug that Kara sent his way.
..Suit yourself, but don't expect me to listen.
Caesar disregarded her reply; it's hard to ignore someone else's voice when they were speaking right into your head.
The first time I saw you dance in Albana, it literally changed my life. It was at that point that you had changed from being someone who was merely insanely attractive into a mysterious woman who looked like and angel but danced like a demon. It was then that I knew I had to get to know you better.
Kara never answered but continued to swing her sword towards him, which suited him fine. If she had answered he probably wouldn't have known what to do.
I had even guessed who you really were back in Waterfall Cave. The way the Black Knight moved and fought, it reminded me so much of you, and yet I never told a single soul my suspicions.
Caeasr was glad to notice that Kara had almost answered an unspoken question there. Her strikes themselves were starting to slow down, just a minuscule amount, but enough to let him know that she was starting to let what he was saying really sink in.
Do you remember the night we sparred?
Kara didn't even have to answer that, if the hurried slice towards his head was any indication, she wasn't likely to forget the night anymore than he ever would.
We traded weapons with each other. Only those who have complete trust in the other can do that. To give another your weapon, your mark of protection, is showing the amount you believe and trust in the other. We both know that we could have both borrowed another spear and sword anyone, and yet we simply traded.
There was no way she could ignore something like that. No matter how well you played the part of a friend, someone who truly despised him and wanted to kill would have never given him their sword. That was just one thing that nobody did, to die by the weapon you lived by was the greatest failure and embarrassment anyone could ever hope to endure.
Or that night in Baccea…
Caesar… don't you dare go there…
He ignored her. This was for her own good. We kissed. I didn't do that simply because I hoped it would make you stay. I did it because I had wanted to, had wanted to for the longest time. And guess what, you had wanted it too. Why else would you kiss me back? Anyone else would have cut me down right then and there.
Stop it Caesar.
Somehow he felt a memory from her resurface, one that she probably didn't want him to see but on a subconscious level had left it bared for him, a meeting that she had taken place with Grazel not that long before they arrived at the temples entrance. And all of a sudden he realized why she acted the way she did, why Kara refused to believe his words, why she was even helping Grazel in the first place.
No, I won't stop it. I won't ever stop. You're being brainwashed by lies and hatred meant to make you feel ostracized, like no one would ever love or understand you.
Caesar I mean it. Stop it now.
I'm here to prove you wrong. To prove to you that someone does love you and understand you. Understand what you've been going through and how you feel.
"Caesar! What on earth are you doing? Why aren't you attacking her!"
For a moment, Caesar almost actually jumped in shock, he hadn't realized that during the last few minutes his Knight hadn't made a single move in offense. All he had been doing was just thoughtlessly blocking her hurried strikes, all in an attempt to make him shut up.
He heard Yulie's voice again. "Get in there now Leonard! You have to help Caesar!"
NO! He almost had her, just a few more minutes and he could have convinced her but the other's still didn't trust her. He doubted that they would ever truly trust her again. He had to keep on trying, for her sake and for theirs.
Kara, please, just listen to me. I understand you, I know how you feel, I feel the same way you do about everything. You're right, they will fear us for the power we have, I'm scared of the power we have but I can promise you that no matter what, someone will love you. I lo…
And in that instant, Leonard came from behind in his own Knight and gave Kara a single slice of the sword across her back. She had been so intent of Caesar that she hadn't even noticed him until it was too late, until she had already fallen to her knees and had started transforming into her normal body against her will.
No Leonard! I almost had her! You've ruined everything!
In shock, he left in Knight's form, the ark returning to where ever it hide until he had need of it again, and looked towards Kara in horror where she lay unmoving on the floor. He felt relief fill his entire body when she slowly began to push herself off the floor and into a shaky standing position. It was then that he noticed the confusion that filled her eyes, her gorgeous violet eyes, when she looked directly at him.
It was then that he realized that he still had one last, final chance to convince her.
"I remember now, Kara. Once, long ago…"
He heard his name escape in a single shocked breath. "Caesar…"
"We were raised in Sinca Village." He lifted his palm, as if imagining hers in it once again. "I remember holding your hand, running through meadows of flowers. They were happy times. And Setti, I remember our brother too.
"Kara, what Setti is trying to do isn't right."
"It's true, our brother had been blinded. The Knight's have blinded him."
Of course, you would bring the Knight's into this Leonard wouldn't you? You don't even have any clue why I'm doing this do you? I'm doing this to save Kara, and all you're doing is reminding her why she was fighting alongside Grazel in the first place.
Amazingly enough, Leonard's words seemed to actually help. He was lucky for that, if they hadn't Caesar would have had to kill the White Knight pact-maker himself.
"We can help him. Together we can bring him back to his senses, you know we can."
Kara's next words actually had him jumping for joy inside. "Yes."
Yes yes yes yes yes yes.
"Lady Kara, will you betray our lord?"
Yes! Yes yes YES!
"It's over Shapur, I cannot follow your 'lord' any longer."
He hadn't even gotten over the initial part of elation when he had already roughly been brought back to the solid ground of reality. Her pained gasp of surprise when Shapur had literally stabbed her in the back effectively destroying everything he had tried so hard to do.
NO! No no no no no no no. This wasn't supposed to happened. No no no no no.
"Kara!"
At that moment, he had began to run towards the man who was trying to kill her, all rational thoughts emptying from his mind.
He watched stunned as Shapur caught the collapsing Kara around the waist and holding her ear up close to his mouth so she could hear every word he wanted to say.
"Betrayal cannot be forgiven. How can you of all people not understand what our master is trying to do? You pitiful fool."
Get away from here you greasy little snake!
"Oh Dinivas, deliverer of dark and dread, ruler of the ancient shadows, grant me your power."
Shapur smiled down at the dying dancer before him, relishing the words that were leaving his tongue. "Ah yes, your power, I think it shall be mine now…
"Verto!"
No!
Woo! Cliffhanger! If you can call it that. I'm just going to assume that the people reading this have already played and beaten the game so they know exactly what will happen next chapter. Almost done, I'm so close I can taste it. Also, preview time!
He remembered the first and only time he ever danced alone...
Sounds intriguing yes? Well review because they really do make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and they give me a better reason to actually sit down and type this all out in one night. I swear this thing is going to be the death of me,,,