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Chapter 5: The Musician and Her Story

Whoa~! this took at lot longer than I thought... I got a writer's block from Phinbella and wasn't able to continue until today...

Anyway i wanna clarify things first... The title The Musician is Shaowee but is not implying that what is told is her story, well partly it is, but the Her in the title is for the first Iris Seeker: Symphony Alastair. She is a Ruin Walker(for LT players sake)

Anyway sorry to whoever reader that no surely existed...

Sorry~!

"Hello Iris Seeker"

The sound of those words echoed in my ear. As I was filled with horror of what everything means, is this all a trap? Am I going to die? What will happen to Luli? What the hell is going on! I just don't get it.

"Don't worry Iris Seeker she's not going to die… just hurt and hurt real bad." The scarlet haired woman said to me.

"What?" I looked at her furiously

"Look" she told me and I look at Luli horrified. She began twitching uncontrollably. She was screaming in anger she tried to take the dagger out her sleeve but it sizzled and smoldered her hand she screamed in pain and agony. She started to emit a black mass under her. I began to get nervous on what's happening so I struggled from the daggers that pin me, but Shaowee only threw more direct at my sleeves, pants and collar.

She walked towards me until my face meets hers. "See that? That's you in a few seconds from now."

"Wh- Wha-"

"Hyunmu is an undying monster. There is no way you can defeat it at all,"

"So you're saying you tricked me into getting here" I said hoarsely

"Oh, it gets worse once Hyunmu's body is destroyed it creates a black orb and possesses anyone inside its territory. Certainly that's you and your girl here"

"What are you implying?"

"In order to get rid of Hyunmu out of here body, I must drain all of her energy she has. But that means I must exhaust her and tire her out. That's why she'll get hurt. But I have to work one at a time so I don't want you in the way. And don't bother trying to let yourself free, once your taken into Hyunmu's possession you can't hold anything that is made to counter Hyunmu, And the daggers than pin you now, The Hyunmu Mountain Dagger, is a perfect example of what I'm talking about" She said while taking the dagger out of Luli's sleeve and bringing her to her feet by grasping her hair.

She screamed angrily trying to scratch Shaowee, Shaowee only let out a sigh as she brought up her erhu and strike Luli's stomach that made her flew a few feet away. She amazingly landed on her feet and brought up a devilish smile, her eyes now black with red terrifying pupils. Her face was now a pale green and her stare as cold as ice.

She brought her erhu and held it as if like a sword and sheath, her erhu bow in her side and her stance ready to create a critical blow. Luli ran towards her like a raged bull going to ram the matador. Shaowee pulled out a sword from her erhu, it was contained well, the sheath was the rest of the body and the hammer-like resonator the sword was thin and sleek the blade was reflecting light towards me. I couldn't see it properly but sure enough Shaowee hit her making her old clothes ripped and torn.

I was forced to watch helplessly just like before. I watch Luli fight alone with Invoke; I'm tired of not being able to help. Although Luli isn't really in her proper attitude I was still in her side even if it meant fighting alongside a monster, I was willing to do it, as long as Luli was unharmed.

Too late for that now.

Her clothes are ripped and a cut and sliced open the battle still wages, Luli, not giving up at all. As Shaowee practically threw her on each side as she cut, kicked or hammered her with her blade and erhu. I was so focused on Luli's injuries terribly worried for her that I forgot to set myself free.

I used my free foot as a bounce beam and dropped my Lamia Knuckles, I forced it back up making sure that the narrow gap between the two triangles are fit in the dagger before catching it with my hand. And with a twist the dagger broke into two the lesser side still pinned at my sleeve but was moved due to the twist and I was able to force it out of my sleeve

At first I thought Hyunmu had already taken over me and was a bit reluctant on holding the daggers. But if I was to break free from the daggers, I have no choice but to hold it. It didn't hurt at all I release myself from the daggers knowing that Hyunmu was unsuccessful on possessing me. But even if I was myself I'll still ally with Luli.

It was naïve and selfish and a bit ignorant but it was my decision, my naïve selfish and ignorant decision, to battle against Shaowee even if I'm not under Hyunmu's possession.

The battle waged long enough Luli grabbed her guitar and started bashing air as she try to hit Shaowee who evaded quickly, as Luli tried to play "Evil Sound" which causes midair light slashes on her enemy; Shaowee evaded all of them and played her own "Evil Sound" only to create multiple slashes direct on Luli.

Luli has finally given up and fell on the ground bruised, cut and bleeding. I ran towards her as Shaowee trip me and catch my stomach on her blade. She didn't draw it back causing a painful impact and a bruise rather than a cut.

"I told you to keep out of my way, yet you still did." Shaowee said as she pointed her blade at me.

"I'm not gonna let anyone hurt a friend of mine right in front me!"

I charged at her. Somersaulted on top of her and kicked her cheek. She got up and put her sword back in her sheath and readying a blow. She quickly dashed and drew the sword when she was near me in a split second my body reacted the sword meet the gaps of my knuckles and with the agile arc movement of the blade. I used her bent knee and jumped on the other side the sword still locked in my knuckles' gap. I landed on my foot and knee she was in an uncomfortable position of her arm extended backwards while the rest of her body was facing in the other direction. I twisted my wrist and hope that the sword will break.

But it didn't

She let go of her sword and used the erhu body to hit me in the cheek, then upward lifting me a bit. She got hold of her sword and drew it back. She pulled her sword and plunge in my shoulder clothe, it was so sharp that the moment it touch my skin I was cut and started to bleed.

"An Iris seeker that is dearth in power, intellect, skills, you're hardly one"

"You're the one who told me that I was the Iris Seeker why the hell are you making things so confusing!"

"Try hard Iris seeker, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Finish your quest and come back tell me what really happened, ask Iris what happened she'll know." she plainly said

"Why you should know the story yourself, you've been with her till the end of her journey. And you selfishly kept all to yourself and over time that selfishness will lead you to your own fall." I said angrily even devastated at her, I don't understand anything now like I'm back to where I started and have circled on the wrong path of information only to find everything more confusing.

"I sho-uld kn-ow the stor-y." She blankly answered, dropped her erhu and forced her blade even further into the wall where I'm pinned and my incision have deepened and bled more. My entire shoulder clothe was now covered in blood, I winced and placed my left hand atop the bleeding area.

"The end of her journey, I never was there I've never been there. The top of Bifrost, I never seen how wonderful it was supposed to be."

"What do you mean everyone knew that you saved Iris from the Demon King!"

"I did, but it's not the end of our journey then, The Demon King escaped and -" She trailed off her stare distant and almost oblivious.

"A firing- po-int, a flash of bl-ack and whi-whi-te" She says as she continues to look very distant. Her hands reach her temples massaging it softly.

"You can't remember anything?" I asked as if I was extremely stupid not to know it.

"I can't, the firing point is it even in Bifrost? I don't think so, the place is very cold and grimy Iris and Chon Palm continues to argue. That's all I remember the rest are fluffs in the journey." The scarlet woman continue

"There's more, I can see it in your eyes your hiding something please tell me, Tell me what happened to you and to Iris?"

"As Iris and Chon Palm continue to argue there was a firing point they both extend their arms directly at each other, I made a decision to hinder them both and step between them, then a huge amount of light and darkness flashed before me. I don't know who fired. It must be Chon Palm she hated me our entire journey. When I woke up months later, I was being nursed by two golden haired twins. My mind must have forgot everything that happened beyond that point because I can't remember their names neither their faces, only their smiles, smiles that cured me from a horrible fate." She stopped as tears fell in her eyes.

Even if I'm listening to this I can't even understand it, all I know is Chon Palm was the traitor in Iris' party the reason they plunged into chaos. Or at least that's what Luli told me.

"Go forth Iris Seeker. Find Iris for me please ask her what happened I can't blame Chon Palm for anything yet until she proves it. Please Iris seeker."

I nodded and gave her a look that should mean. Let me go.

She did and as she drew her sword back another slice opened another part of my skin causing it to bleed profusely. I immediately wanted to tackle her, to what she had done to Luli, not to me but to Luli. Instead I ran directly at Luli who was laid on the soft grass. Her skin a pale white rather than green, her eyes reverted back to normal and her warmth was eventually coming back. I gave a mental sigh of relief, As Shaowee approaches me sword held high and eyes blank. She had been possessed too.

She attacked me at full might all that I did was evaded letting her exhaust herself eventually, then I remembered that Shaowee is a skilled swordsman and for her to exhaust means I have to at a very I-can't- breathe state of exhaustion. I managed knock her sword out of her hand and smashed her erhu sheath to pieces the resonator no split in half. It contents poured out. Inside it is a pinkish water pitcher. I was looking at it very carefully when she tried to hit me. I blocked her incoming attack and grabbed her arm and pulled it at my side my knee came along through her stomach instinctively moving I hoist myself up through her bent knee and landed on her shoulders as she plummet to the ground to impact twice as heavy since my feet where on her shoulders. I was about to hoist her up but as I touch her clothing the black orb has went out of Shaowee body and flew to the abyss. For the first time of today, sleep hit me; my eyes became heavy and my movement lacking energy. I started to feel dizzy in and my vision was blurred and unfocused. Exhausted and Sleepy I walked towards Luli in the pile of destroyed wood, Unable to carry myself further I knelt down and closed my eyes unaware that my hands are in the pink pitcher it started to glimmer and I watch it glow lethargically.

An Iris Memory Fragment? or Shaowee's?

~Story of the Pitcher's Contents~

Water, I look up it was Belos. I couldn't see myself, I can't control my vision.

The memory wasn't from Iris neither was it from Shaowee. It was from someone else, someone I don't know.

I suddenly hear a ghastly voice... "Ah, so you've found me, Thank you"

Nostalgia came over me. "Are you the one who was calling me?" I ask remembering that I started looking for Iris when a voice told me I must find her.

"No, I'm Sorry but I also heard voices before I set on a journey with nothing to lose and nothing to gain. Voices that must've spoke to you as well."

"Who are you?" I ask wearily

"I am an Iris Seeker" It said

It was suddenly dark we weren't on Belos anymore. I don't think we are still in Jienda…

The Iris Seeker was sitting across me on a large pink pitcher much likely her memory piece. She was wearing a red traditional Chinese dress in her emerald hair was a camellia hairpin striking out; she had a sheath of arrows on her back and her hands hold a very strange bow that has been under flames. I was sitting on the sand glass that I found at Fairy Castle. Her pitcher was pouring an endless amount of water… I hear the sound of it but not the sound where it's supposed to hit something. Well it was an endless abyss but why am I on the sand glass I found?

Answers race to my head… If she was an Iris Seeker where is she? Corelle did say something about Iris seekers to die, but what is the meaning of the sand glass? So it means when I die this sand glass will contain my memory?

She looked up to see me scared "You're terrified aren't you?"

"Wait if this is your memory whoever you are. How can I talk to you?" I asked confused. She didn't answer

"I see you've found my pitcher; I can't remember the last time someone actually held me." She said happily crying…

"My name is Symphony Alastair; I came looking for Iris a year ago… But my journey's conclusion was never realized. My Story started with Iris and ended with her, I-I I'm a failure" she broke and wailed hands on her face covering her said shame.

"No you're not. Your journey ended with Iris right then you accomplished your goal as an Iris seeker." I said trying to stop her sobs.

"It's not what it looks like." She said uninterestingly

"You said it was long ago when someone actually held you. Meaning you also have no company since then, so If you have a story to tell I'll be delighted to hear it."

She looked up to an endless abyss the only thing existing is me, her, her pitcher, and my sandglass.

"My story started with Belos. I woke up being nursed by him. I wanted to find Iris she called to me in my dreams and told me where to find her. I started my journey. I battled many monsters along the way. By the time I was asked to find Muwen, He followed me to the lair of the Evil Dragon and helped me defeat it. I couldn't have done it without him, so I invited him in my journey. Somewhere along the way I happen to fell in love with him, but he was oblivious to it." She trailed off. I looked at her with queasy eyes

"Oh it gets better. After a while of hunting down several other Iris' Party members, we have finally found the person who knows all the answers. Gatia Sue. She agreed to help us if we defeat the Ocean King for her. It was then I knew everything that I did was a mistake."

Gatia Sue the sorceress of water and evil.

"She knew who I was and what I am but I never told me. We defeated Ocean King for her and she tagged along with us to the reason of Iris' proclaimed death. Chon Palm

"Chon Palm hated me, I tried to talk to her calmly as possible trying to get information but she continues to assault me. When I finally got the upper hand of our fight she created a big black orb of darkness that destroyed the entire Kaimara Research facility. As it collapses I tried to hold on to something or someone. But I only found him and Gatia Sue in each other's arm-"

She cut off, her head turning red either from blushing or anger. But it's most likely anger.

"Symphony, do you know why did you need to find Iris?" I ask hoarsely

"Actually no… It just felt right, like what I'm supposed to do ever since I ended up in Belos."

"I shouldn't tell you this shouldn't I?" she said tears forming in her eyes.

"No, go ahead, Pour your heart out." I said smiling cutely. Well at least I think.

"I was such a jerk to do it even if I know what was going to happen… I confessed to him." She said her tears are pure waterworks.

"And in the end he still chose Gatia Sue, and to think I risked my life to many for him so many times and end up being severely rejected." She wailed even harder.

"By the time we went to the top of Bifrost in order to find Iris. There was something strange about it. The time loop was oddly less distorted than the rest of space in Bifrost. The gravity was stable and the moon illuminates more amount of space than the rest of the Bifrost tower. It was strange the moon actually scares me. It reminds me of blood."

"Huh? Why?" I asked shocked and confused

"Because in front of the moon, He was killed along with me." She said, her skin became a very pale white, her hair wet, her aura cold and terrifying. I jerked back on the unstable sandglass I was sitting on. She only smiled dreadfully as everything was being dyed in blood.

"He died; I killed him, under the moonlight that shone upon me. Gatia barely escaped me before I plunged into darkness into the abandoned Tiamat's lair. I was trapped in an oblate decanter, the water escalating it way upward filling it. As it was filled and my breath couldn't detain itself anymore, I catch a glimpse of light I grabbed it and let it shine at my hands before closing my eyes."

"Now, to answer your question earlier. This pitcher doesn't contain my memory. It contains my soul. Don't worry you'll be with us soon. He's here you know. He is the one making the flowers in her forest, while I make the water. You too will be part of this forest, but I wonder how long we must wait for our land to be fulfilled."

I looked horridly at her. She was waiting for me to die to fulfill her much cared land or forest. Something I cannot understand.

"I-I" I stuttered.

"Shaowee defined you not ordinary right? She's right you know… Think hard about it. I think you'll find that comment affecting you more than the fact that you will die." She said maniacally

"Everyone dies, no one is to that exception, but the question is when will I die? That will be decided by me!" I shouted as I try I focus energy at my hand creating a large ball of blue energy and blast it to her.

She burst up in blue flames as well as her pitcher. But she never screamed of struggle she just sat there smiling. I was scared, scared of dying, scared of what was to come, but I started this and I'm not gonna end it because of some weird girl named Symphony decides to scare me.

In the burning blue inferno she was in. I make out four simple words from her mouth.

I found her, Iris

Before she vanished completely and I roused up to find the pitcher in Shaowee's hands.

"If you're planning on continuing your journey I can recommend someone who can be a great companion and a useful tool. I mean you're bound to lose some money some time if you continue like this. And without money where will you sleep?" She asked

"I can tell that you can sleep in the ground by yourself but I don't think you wouldn't like to let her suffer right?" She said pointing at Luli who was still laid on the floor."

"Someone you know?" I asked calmly my heart became calm after a few minutes.

"Someone that the Dark Moon Princess knows, you'll need him to put some reason into the that stubborn princess' head."

"Okay then. How can I find him?"

"He lives at the Dark Moon Castle so I'm not sure about that, the place is been a wreck since Iris last visited there. So just ask some villagers, they should know the mechanic who lives at the castle."

"Can't you just give his name so I can easily find him?" I asked sarcastically

She laughed. "I'd rather not, let's put some hardships on your journey for a bit."

"Finding you in the first place were arduous I think I already have some hardships on the way starting with this one here." I said as I pick up Luli cradling her onto my back and walking out of the portal out of Hyunmu's room.

"Going Somewhere Iris Seeker?" she asked me my face still pale and my body was still shuddering.

"Yes, I'm going to find Iris."

Hope you liked it! that really means much to me!

Also I am making a Halloween special on this Fanfic... Its for Spooky Village instance but I don't know if I'll post next chapter first or the Halloween special. The Halloween special also has no connection to the entire plotline, it only has some love moments and creepy moments too.

Halloween Special: A Kiss for the Pumpkin's Candy

Next Chappie: The Dark Moon of the 16th Day

*TYRO*