Mages and Knights
Summery: AU Takuya is the son of a poor farmer and on one day discovers he is an Elemental. Powerful people are out to get him so he travels to a School were he meets a lot of interesting people. And maybe fall in love with one of the strangest. Kouji/Takuya
Warnings: Digimon crossover, Cursing, Yoai, T rating
Chapter name: Forlorn Blackbird
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon
Author Notes: I know, I know. Where have I been all summer? Well, I've been a lazy butt and have been playing video games and sleeping but I'm here now! This chapter was a bit difficult to write because I've been in a slight slump lately as inspiration comes and goes in the randomest times.
Well, anyways, here you go.
Thanks as always for the reviews.
Raikou's hooves thundered against the rocky ground, his impressive weight digging unmerciful indents, as pieces of the earth were forced loose. His rider gripped the leather reins with inhuman force, squeezing the horse's sides is a desperate attempt to go faster. But the horse was at his limits, unable to comply with his rider's command. His black sides were heaving with the effort as streams of sweat rolled off, getting the leather saddle damp underneath.
Faster. They had to go faster.
The rider's cape flapped in the air behind him and black hair, as black as the horse under him, lashed freely like the crack of a whip. But this didn't matter to the rider. He had to get there. Soon. It wasn't matter of pride but a matter of desperation. Raikou screamed against the wind as he lifted his weight into the air, the rider arching into the air with him, over a shallow crevice and landed heavily with thunderous force, hooves skidding slightly on the loose rocks.
The rider cursed and pulled the reins sharply as Raikou scrambled for footing. The next second, the horse was racing across the expanse of ground as if the hounds of hell were chasing him. The rider snapped the reins repeatedly as the black stallion dashed in the direction of the falling sunset. The rider could already see the dark moon and bright stars making their appearance in the sky.
The rider cursed and brought the bandana over his face, shadowing his sapphire eyes. The pupils of blue eyes narrowed into tiny points as they looked on either side of them. Two other horses ran beside him, a Quarter Horse and an Appaloosa.
The Quarter Horse, Gabu, galloped piercingly alongside Raikou, carrying two riders on his broad and sturdy back, easily keeping up. Raikou's rider quickly made eye contact with the rider holding Gabu's reins, exchanging a meeting of sharp blue eyes. The other rider nodded quickly, his blond hair dancing around his head, and snapped the reins in his gloved hands, making the other rider behind him tighten his hold on the other's waist. Two to a horse was slowing them down but they had no other choice. As important as speed was allies were the deciding matter in getting out of there alive and in one piece.
Raikou's rider looked away, satisfied with the exchange and glanced to his other side, ignoring the wind and black mane in his eyes. The Appaloosa was leaner than Gabu or Raikou and his dotted hide made it easier to distinguish amid the darkening background. Mino had no halter or reins on his narrow head because they were not needed. A Wizard had no need of them to control a horse.
The Wizard upon Mino's back deftly moved his left hand, the one not in the horse's mane, in fast, sharp movement, leaving faint red letters imprinted in the air before they faded away seconds later. Raikou's rider, a Knight, could faintly hear the chanted words amid the shrieking of the wind and the thunderstorm of hooves. An inhuman howl answered the Wizard.
A quick patter of claws and a white shadow dashed past the horses and their riders, a snarl dripping from the fanged mouth. Raikou screamed and almost skittered to a stop but the firm pull from the reins refused the horse and forced it back on course, the rider cursing as the hooves resumed their beat. The shadow was too quick even for Knight eyes; the flashing of blue and white fur and unnatural spikes was the only. There was barely a noise as its paws skimmed over the uneven ground. Its nose was pointed to the slight left of the sunset, marking the way they were going. They didn't have much time left.
The sudden increase in the beating of hooves cam from behind, signaling that the others caught up with them. The wind pushed against them as if warning them to stay back but they pushed on relentless. They had a mission and they were going to see it through to the very bitter end.
They knew that if the sun set once more then they had no chance. Even at the pace they were going at it would be at least two more hours to get to their destination and once they got there things got dangerous. They wouldn't give their captive without a struggle after all the waiting they had done.
If the entire force of the Black Oracle was stationed at the location then they had no chance in hell but for the whole organization to be in one spot would have undoubtedly brought attention to them if only to notice the mass numbers. As far as the vision showed them, about half of the eighth of the force would be there and that was no less than a hundred and twenty men would be positioned. That was enough to make them outnumbered thirty to one and they had zero to none information about their numbers in Users.
However, despite the massive odds, they had three things going for them. One, the size of the castle. It was too small by far to house the entire enemy gathered there so most of the force should be stationed outside. While it made if more difficult to get in and out, for the most part the fighting would be done with a scale of four to one. There they had a much better chance of surviving. Two, they're a small group, no more than thirteen, and they could draw less attention then with a larger group. Meaning that if they managed to sneak inside then they had a greater chance of getting what they came for. Three, most of the enemy would be made up of regular people and would be easier to fight off or avoid. The Black Oracle couldn't have rounded up so many Users. That many couldn't and didn't exist.
But there were more factors against them than for them. If they were captured either outside or inside then they would be done for. There was no chance of getting past so many with their numbers and skill level if surrounded. When they got inside, if they were detected, then getting out was going to be hard. Very hard. Getting past attentive soldiers was harder then unaware ones.
They were only students, teenagers, and they were going against a fraction of the force that challenged the kingdom at an even level. To any others this would be suicide. It probably was. Most of the regular humans would be outside while the more dangerous ones and the Users would be inside. They were heading straight towards defeat and impossible odds.
But still they went. Why?
Kouji spurred his steed on faster as they all rode against the wind and the odds. He would not left Takuya down. Takuya gave him something that could not be replaced and, all be damned, if he let anyone take it away from him.
Guess only they know.
The warmth was a pleasant sensation on his face, gently casting a soft reddish glow on his skin. From behind closed eyelids he could almost see the source of the warmth as the light drew strange figures on his eyelids. There was a soft barely noticeable breeze that brushed so delicately against his back, blowing his hair towards the fire. He could almost hear the whispers of the wind.
For once in his life, Takuya was truly and completely content, not daring to move from where he sat, his arms wrapped around his bent knees. His fingers twitched every so often and the feeling of warmth would move slightly. His mind was pleasantly blank. For some reason Takuya couldn't remember anything bad or even slightly worrying as if it was all washed away by the constant breeze.
Takuya didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't know why but he just knew that if he opened them then the warmth, the bliss, would be blown away with the wind. His fingers yearned to reach out and touch that warmth and cradle it close to him almost as if to absorb it into his body.
But…but what if the warmth wasn't really there? What if the source of comfort and bliss was just a figure of his imagination and the light dancing behind his eyelids wasn't really there at all? Despite the feeling of the heat of his skin Takuya felt an unpleasant sensation grow in his stomach and he wanted to reject it, to push it away. That feeling didn't belong here. The doubt and uncertainty wormed its way from the pit of his stomach to his fingertips and back down.
Takuya didn't want to give into his unwelcome feelings but he felt the wind start pushing more insistently against his back and he started to shiver uneasily. The wind was no longer pleasant but harsh and cold. He didn't want to open his eyes and he knew he shouldn't. If he saw that warmth then it only would disappear if only because of Takuya's doubts.
A whimper forced its way out of his mouth as his mind started pulling him two ways. He didn't want to look but he wanted to at the same time. Just to make sure it was there. So many things he thought had been there disappeared as soon as he looked closer. Why should this be any different?
The light forced away any worries, any fears he had ever had and it made him feel safe. He couldn't lose this, not this. But the wind kept stirring the embers of his doubts, demanding him to look and see the farce of his wishes. The light was merely one of the many illusions that Takuya's mind kept creating. To sit there and bask in it would only make the light fade quicker.
Almost as if the warmth and light read his traitorous thoughts he felt it recoil slightly as if the wind was making it bend backwards. Away from him.
Takuya began to panic, his breaths coming quicker and heavier. His hands started rebelling, twitching and reaching out from the retreating flame. No! Why was the wind doing this? Why was it taking the one thing he had always wanted from him? No, he needed that flame!
He wanted his flame back!
As soon as Takuya opened his eyes the warmth and light disappeared, leaving him only to cold, unfeeling darkness.
Much like the first time Takuya had ever had one of these odd dreams he woke up with a start, banging the back of his head against the cold, slightly damp floor. Takuya cursed loudly as he forced his stiff body to sit up from his previously balled-up position in one of the corners of his new "home" so to say.
His heart was beating rapidly as the first sight he saw was darkness but he had barely time to panic before his pendant started glowing softly again. With that Takuya started calming down, annoyed with himself that he let a dream rattle him so much. If dreams could do this to him he could only imagine how he would react to whatever these goons had planned for him.
But he was off thinking that these guys were rude. How so you may ask? Well, for one, they kidnapped him and dumped him in a cell. That in all told of barbarians. And now that they had him here they had done little more that feed him cheese and bread. How long was he supposed to wallow in anxiety and boredom? Not that he wanted, mind you, from them to torture him or enslave him or whatever but a little action would be better than this void of boredom.
Takuya didn't know how long he had been stuck here but he could guess that maybe five to seven hours have passed. That was a lot of time to entertain himself doing little to nothing. To pass the time he had been playing with the dress he had found here, searching it and, on more than one occasion, finding fleas and little gross insects hiding in the folds of the fabrics.
Disgusting, yes. Disturbing, yes. Absolutely bored out of his skull, yes.
Takuya suddenly snorted and tossed the dress off to the side and moodily tugged at his chain. It rattled but refused to budge. He leaned against the wall behind him and looked at the ceiling, noticing a drip in one of the cracks.
And Takuya began counting. It was up to the little counting game he invented to keep him vigilant. He counted the number of cracks in the wall next to him and divided it by the number of fingers he had. Then he took that and added the difference of the one bug crawling around by the dress and the number of pieces left of the cloak. The resulting number was divided into three and multiplied it by how many rungs were on the chain on his left. He grabbed the number of faint yells from behind the wall and put it to the power of the last number.
Hmm, he got a 13.
Unlucky number if there ever was one.
Takuya nodded to himself, not really noticing the faint yells or faded footsteps.
If there was one thing that could be said about him it would be that he was the one to take liberties whenever he could. He was supposed to be guarding the northern side entrance of the manor from any unauthorized entry with his assigned sentry group, which was made up of two more members.
Which, if you asked him, was a complete waste of time. It would be suicide for anyone to try to force an entry or attack from this side. If anything, this would be the last place for anyone to think that the Black Oracle's main task force was stationed. Right in the middle of the kingdom was not a logical place for the greatest enemy of the kingdom to be but he wasn't the one calling the shots. That was the head honcho's job. He was just a mere sentry guard in a meaningless mission.
"This is so totally not cool!" One of his more annoying team members, Ete, was moaning loudly as he looked at himself through a small handheld mirror, sitting near the fire. "All this wind is messing up my 'do, man!"
Elect refrained from saying anything though he wished that he could barbeque that guy's utterly ridiculous hair that looked like an undulating wave. It was so big he was pretty sure he could surf on it. He looked up and frowned, opening his eyes from the feigned sleeping act he had been putting on in hopes to get Ete's attention off him and onto his more temper-ridden team mate.
And so far it seemed it was working.
"Dude, this food sucks! Back my crib the grub we have is two light-years better, man! I haven't slept in a bed for weeks, man, and my ass is-"
"Shut up! I can't take more of you're annoying voice!"
"Dude! My voice is beautiful! I am the meaning of beauty!"
"Sure, if beauty looks like my ass!"
"Don't compare my beautiful self against your hideous behind!"
"Should I compare it to a compost pile?"
And there they go again. Pinnochi, or more commonly called because of his small stature Puppet, had a fuse shorter than the size of his fingernail and he and Ete constantly graved on each other's nerves like sandpaper. It was probable that Puppet was unnecessarily cranky because of the inactivity lately. They hadn't moved from this manor in weeks and rumor going around said that something big was going down tonight. All the head honcho's were in the manor and plotting sinister things after all. That wasn't something that happened frequently around these parts. Not all of the big fish liked each other. Sad thing about their leaders is that they were power-hungry.
"You are so aggravating!"
"And you are so ugly!"
"Say that again to my face!"
"YOU ARE FUGLY!"
All this noise was giving him a headache and he gritted his teeth, refusing to give into the urge to knock both idiots' heads together painfully. He might get demoted if he hurt his teammates. Elect tuned out the loud ranting and looked down at the pocket watch he pulled out of his pocket. It was nearing midnight and soon his team would be relived of their position to get some sleep. Guarding this entrance was pointless anyway. It wasn't like anyone would come barging in. They would have to get through the rest of the outer force before getting anywhere near the manor.
He sighed and looked into the foliage of the tree above him. He didn't mind being part of one of the most notorious and oldest rebellion group. The Black Oracle, after all, had been around for more than three hundred years.
The only problem about this whole solider thing was that he had a girl waiting for him at home and he hadn't seen her in well over a year. She had promised to wait for him but he knew that a year was a long time to wait and he was afraid she had moved on. Elect looked down at the pocket watch and ran his thumb over the lily pattern on the cover. She had made this for him to remember her by.
He missed her so much it made him wonder if going off to the Black Oracle was worth not seeing her. Elect doubted it.
"I'm going to kill you!"
"This is so not cool!"
But there was nothing he could do about it now. The Black Oracle couldn't afford any of their soldiers leaving and spilling their secrets to the authorities. There were many things, after all, that the kingdom didn't know about them. If fact, there were many things that even soldiers in the Black Oracle didn't know about it.
Elect looked back up, willing the melancholy that settled on him to ease off, and he saw that there was a new moon hanging in the sky. According to legend, the twin Gods, Lobo and Kaiserleo, had a dispute over their birthrights. Kaiserleo disliked living in darkness all the time because it was making him blind and demanded a piece of light from his brother. After a long fight Lobo finally agreed and gifted him one big star and millions of little stars to light up the night.
Kaiserleo had been so pleased with the gifts that he reached up to touch the big star but when he did he darkness around him swallowed the star and robbed it of its light. The Lord of Darkness had been distraught and begged his brother to give the star its light back but Lobo refused to give more light. Instead, he made the surface of the star smooth like a mirror so that the moon would be able to reflect the light of the sun once it became night.
But the moon had a mind of its own and would only give all of its reflected light on the nights it was full. It would give no light when it faced away from Earth. So when the new moon appeared the whole night became its darkest because of Kaiserleo's longing for the full moon and light.
The new moon was a night for secrets and treachery because of the almost complete absence of light. It was a perfect night for whatever the leaders were planning. Elect faintly wondered what it would mean for the rest of the soldiers and him. At the worst they would kill all of them but such a large-scale massacre would surely draw attention so that wouldn't be it.
Elect sighed; did it really matter?
Not really.
His teammates were still squabbling nonsense as his eyes started closing. He might as well try to get some extra shuteye before they were relived. These days the big fishes were unpredictable and a little bit crazy, sending troops for pointless or too dangerous missions. His own commander, Dynas, had been getting more and more strict with his troops, pushing them into reconnaissance missions over insignificant estates and grounds that took weeks if not months.
He, truly, had only seen two of the six head honchos, Commander Dynas and his sister, Crusader were the only ones seen regularly by all sections and most of the time they argued to the point of a fistfight. And, some rumors say, that there is one person above those six who commander the whole of the Black Oracle. For the most part, Elect thought it was a rumor. It was a ridiculous thought. How could one person take responsibility for the organization?
It was preposterous.
"Not the hair! NOT THE HAIR!"
…
He should have stayed at home.
He flipped his red hair out of his eyes and yawned, going unnoticed by his teammates, both rolling around on the ground, screaming at each other and, hopefully, scratching their eyes shut. He briefly wondered why no one had had checked up on all the racket and frowned. All the teams were stationed close enough to hear clearly all of the noise and while many of them knew the dislike Puppet and Ete held for each other someone would have come and checked up on them.
The redheaded man sat up and looked around at the dark trees, squinting at the abyss. He could faintly see the telltale glow of fires around them but he saw no movement. He looked down and checked his watch, eyes narrowing at the time. It was past midnight now.
"Get off me, you smelly ape!"
"My hair will have its revenge!"
"Shut up both of you!" Elect snapped at both of them, annoyance creeping into his usually calm voice.
Puppet and Ete both froze at the tone of voice Elect had spoken in. He had never snapped at them before, not even when Ete ate all of the provisions on that one mission. They glared at each other but stood up, brushing the dust and dirt of them. Ete quietly bemoaned his once perfect 'do.
"What do you want?" Puppet said distastefully, pulling his red hat more firmly over his head.
"Dude, wind is giving chills," Ete muttered, pulling out his two cents of wisdom out of his gelled hair.
"Something's wrong," Elect muttered quietly, glancing around. "We should have been relived by now. It's too quiet."
Ete and Puppet both looked around, noticing for the first time that it really was too quiet. The only thing they could hear was the crackling of the fire and the rushing of the wind. Ete was quickly getting freaked out, shuffling closer to the rigid form of Puppet. Puppet quickly pushed away the idiot and pulled his knife from its holder on his hip, joining Elect in his vigil.
"There's been no movement for some time," Elect muttered to Puppet while Ete whimpered on the ground. "I just noticed it."
"We should check it out," Puppet affirmed, grinning widely.
"No," Elect immediately said, his hair falling into his eyes. "Our first priority is to guard this entrance until the next sentry group comes to relive us. We can't move from our post."
"Che," Puppet hissed, annoyed at having to wait longer.
"Um…d-dudes?"
"What do you want, brainless ape?" Puppet said exasperated and irritated with the orange-haired menace. Both of them turned to look at a quivering Ete, who was looking with wide eyes at a bush.
"Are b-bu-shes s-supposed t-t-t-o ha-a-ave e-eyes?" Ete stuttered, lifting a shaking hand to point at the bush.
"What?" Puppet said, incredulous. Elect narrowed his eyes and moved forwards, his foot accidentally snapping a twig.
At the sound a large blue and white creature rushed from the dark bush, leaping into the air. Ete barely had time to gasp before the creature was on him, knocking him onto the ground, away from the fire. Puppet yelled in surprise as Elect snatched the knife from him and advanced quickly, ready to defend his teammate but he stopped dead. The creature, draped in shadows, turned in his direction, showing him sharp white teeth that could only belong to a shark.
"Don't move," Elect said slowly, gradually backing up as not to appear threatening to the creature. Puppet froze on the command, eyes fixed on the animal. Ete also froze under the creature but Elect suspected it was because the man fainted. Really, the guy was supposed to be a solider.
The creature growled softly, sounding like a menacing bear, and brought its muzzle to Ete's unmoving form. Elect had to do something quick before he lost a teammate to a raid animal.
His eyes automatically moved to look at the tree above it and spotted the rotten tree branch. If he could hit it fast enough then maybe it would fright the animal off or knock it unconscious. It was a sketchy and hastily drawn together plan but it was the only thing he had. He wasn't a very good aim either.
Elect slowly switched the knife so that he held the sides of the blade and prepared to throw it, praying to any God that would hear him that it would hit the branch. But before he could do anything more a voice spoke from his right.
"Put your weapon down."
Elect almost dropped the knife from shock as Puppet cursed loudly, turning suddenly and causing the creature to snarl lowly. Slowly, Elect turned slightly, looking over his shoulder, nervous about the creature over Ete.
Elect's eyes widened as Puppet continued to curse under his breath. It was a kid. A kid with straight purplish black hair and sharp black eyes that gleamed purple in the fire light. At first Elect wanted to dismiss the kid but the boy held up one hand and Elect almost backed down right there.
Bright red and violet Demonic runic bands, Demonic energy transmogrified into wide ribbons of light with orders inscribed, wrapped around his pale hand and snaked all the way up his arm to lightly encircle the neck. The bands themselves didn't move but the inscriptions flashed and moved, changing form as the kid relayed instructions to the creature.
A Wizard and a daemon by the looks of it.
They were in deep, deep shit.
The Wizard seemed calm and not the least bit disturbed at the horse-sized daemon crouching above an unconscious man. The kid looked directly into Elect's eyes and he could see that nothing they said would shake him and let them go. How the hell did a Wizard get deep through the forces enough to attack them?
Slowly and carefully, with both human and daemon eyes on him, Elect crouched and set the knife on the ground and stood up cautiously, feeling the situation slip even more from his grasp. He just hoped that Puppet wouldn't do anything stupid that would count against them. He had to relay this to his commanders somehow and warn them they were being invaded. But how?
"I'll ask you some questions," the boy said softly, the runic bands fluttering. That was not good. "And you'll answer them."
Elect decided to be a bit daring. "And if we don't?"
"Then your friend will be eaten," the boy said calmly.
Almost as if the daemon understood it dug its claws into the dirt and started nosing Ete's covered chest, gnawing on the ruined shirt. If Ete was awake, Elect mused, he would be bitching about how it was his favorite shirt and daemon germs were getting all over it. Puppet muttered something behind about 'let him get eaten.'
"Okay," Elect said, slowing his empty hands. "Ask away."
The Wizard studied him for a moment. "Who are you and what's your profession?" Rather easy questions.
"Name's Elect Niiro," the solider answered evenly. "Black Oracle Sentry O-Guard, ranked 37th, group Dynas." He saw the kid's eyes narrow slightly and motion to his side. For the first time Elect noticed that the kid wasn't alone but that there was someone standing behind the kid that nodded their head.
The kid nodded back and looked directly at Puppet, who glared back, wordlessly ordering him the same. Just answer the damn question, Elect thought rather frantically. He knew what Puppet was like and he never took well to orders even from superiors. He wasn't a very good solider. Elect wondered why he got stuck with two of the worst soldiers as team mates.
"…Pinnochi Guujin," Puppet finally said, gritting his teeth with effort. "Black Oracle Sentry O-Guard, ranked 28th, group Dynas." And with that he fell silent, glaring balefully.
The shadow behind the kid nodded again and the runic bands tightened around the Wizard, flashing. The daemon's head retreated from Ete's unmoving body and snarled at them, dripping saliva from its massive jaws.
"Who's your active commander?" the kid questioned.
"…Commander Dynas, third Viola Knight," Puppet answered this time, crossing his thin arms.
The boy frowned at that, his brows furrowing and looked at the other shadow in confirmation. They apparently gave their consent because the boy looked slightly worried. It was obvious that they didn't expect a Viola Knight. The only ones who were directly under the Knights who guarded the king, the Fivar Knights, were the group of court Knights who called themselves the Viola Knights. They were known to be more rambunctious and troublesome than the Fivar as they were mostly rouge Knights who banded together. It was a bit odd, Elect had to say, for a Knight of Dynas stature to be in the inner circle of the Black Oracle.
It should put a kink into their plans- whatever they are.
"What are the recent Black Oracle activities?" This question was harder to answer. Hm, how to put this…
"No idea," Elect said cheerfully then backtracked as the kid narrowed his eyes. "All we've been doing around here is useless spying missions. We've been stationary for weeks now." Puppet started muttering again at the injustice of being solider doing nothing.
"You know nothing?" the kid asked suspiciously then looked at his sternly. "It is impossible for a force of this size to remain stationary for so long without a cause circulating around immobile soldiers or the inner circles. Now, I will ask again. What are the recent Black Oracle activities?" This time his voice was sharp and unyielding, demanding a good answer.
Elect sighed. He really didn't need this crap to be happening to him. "All we know is that all of the main force leaders are in the manor for something. That's all we know as a fact, Wizard."
The kid seemed to be thinking carefully, intelligent eyes scanning his face. The daemon growled softly over to the side. The shadow behind the Wizard murmured something then disappeared into the trees. The fire was crackling softly in the background and seemed to want to go out, draping darkness around the daemon. Not something Elect was comfortable with.
There was a rustle in the foliage and two shadows appeared, not moving forward but enough to see the hostage soldiers. There was a telltale glowing around one of the shadows, Elect noticed with a growing alarm. They had to get away and warn the Commander before-
"Then we no longer have a use for you," the Wizard said calmly.
The glow of the shadow grew and shot from the trees. Elect and Puppet barely had time to step back before the light slammed into both of their chest. Elect instantly felt the rush of sleep settle in his chest as his legs lost the will to stand up. He heard Puppet fall next to him before he, himself, fell asleep.
"Let's go."
The door burst open and rebounded off the stone wall with a loud crash, startling Takuya so much he bumped his head painfully into the wall. Sharp stars flashed in front of his eyes as he scrambled to his feet, hearing several loud and heavy footsteps stomp in his direction.
Almost as if on instinct Takuya, still half-blind, started jerking away from the noise, his feet sliding slightly on the damp floor. But instead of getting away from the danger the only thing he managed to do was crash into another wall when the chain yanked him back. Pain bosomed from his shoulder as it contacted with the damp stone, disorienting him even more, if that was possible.
"Gassoffinit," Takuya half-shouted as two sets of hands grabbed either of his arms tightly; jerking him to his feet so much his feet missed the floor and now dangled an inch above the floor.
Now Takuya wasn't the one to be manhandled without his permission so he did the only natural thing and started yelling loudly meaningless, but angry, words while kicking and squirming.
The two people holding him aloft grunted and strained not to drop Takuya and he even managed to nail one right in the shin (even though he had been aiming to hit higher than that to tell the truth). The guard buckled slightly but remained standing and his grip on Takuya's bicep turned painful. Takuya, while not the sharpest tool in the shed, still managed not to activate his magic, knowing that it would hider him. He flailed widly, starting to feel panic seep into him.
"Just hold him still," an irate female voice snapped. "If you harm him it'll be your heads for breakfast tomorrow."
Instantly, the hold on Takuya tightened to the point of squeezing-his-soul-out and it forced Takuya to still or not be able to ever feel his arms again. He grunted softly and reluctantly swung in the air, feeling some blood flow into his arms as the holds relaxed slightly.
Now that he was still and his vision returned to normal he managed to see the owner of the female voice. The first thought that sprung to his mind was- spider. The woman was tall and thin with the whitest hair he had ever seen thought it was obvious she was still in her mid-twenties. She was wearing an odd red dress and purple belt with a matching sunhat, shading her very pale face. Takuya couldn't tell the color of her eyes because they were hidden behind dark-tinted glasses. He had never seen glasses like that before. What could she use them for?
Just they way she stood and watched him from behind the dark glasses reminded him of that spider he found in the corner of his room that one time when he was six. It had been watching him from its sticky web like it had been watching him for a long time without him noticing it. The woman was standing there with her lips curled slightly like she had been watching him from behind shadows. Like she knew everything about him and had been slowly curling her sticky web around him while he never noticed or even suspected she had been watching.
In fact, as she walked like she was walking on a web, carefully testing the ground like she was looking for the non-sticky parts of the web. She walked towards where Takuya was staring at her, where he so mesmerized that he wasn't even struggling anymore, and smiled at him. Takuya instantly reeled back in horror. The smile indicated many things and none of them were the slightest bit pleasant.
"Little Takuya," she murmured, gently touching his face with gloved hands. Takuya's head snapped forwards and would have bitten off her fingers if she hadn't moved them quickly. The two brutes holding him shifted and tightened their grip but stilled when the woman waved at them casually, still smiling.
"Just as feisty as ever," the woman continued silkily. "I would love to catch up with you but time is running low and your services are needed." She hummed slightly as Takuya's wide-eyed look and crouched down, fingering the rung that connected Takuya's chains to the floors.
"…Catch up?" Takuya spluttered, finally finding his voice. "I've never seen you before in my life!" He almost wanted to kick at her but that would be a very bad thing on his part so far. The guards didn't look like they minded ripping him a new one with their bare hands.
Even though he really could see her from his position he heard her chuckle. "We've met before little Kanabara but it was so long ago. I wouldn't fault you for not remembering it." There was a slight flash of green and blue light before he heard the chains jingle before the woman resurfaced, holding loosely the rung that was attached to his chains n her slim hand.
She grinned widely at Takuya's look of stupidity. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you. The anti-magic Enchantment still resides in the shackles."
She nodded to the guards. They began to walk forwards with the woman leading the way as if leading a dog. Takuya felt the men slip slightly on the damp stones and fervently wished they slipped and fell horribly to the ground but, as many of his wishes go, it didn't happen and they continued to walk.
The sudden glare of torches and glowing runes turned him slightly blind again as he squinted into the brightness. After spending untold hours in a dark gloomy cell the brightness of the halls were a little too much for his eyes. But he didn't want to close his eyes in case they walked by any possible escape routes. Takuya's brown eyes adjusted quickly to the change though so he did spend too much time dwelling on that. He wondered when he would walk on his own.
As if answering the thought, the guards lowered him onto his feet. They even waited a bit as Takuya scrambled for his footing before the woman yanked on his chains, almost tripping him.
"Hey!" Takuya snapped but the woman only smiled.
Takuya was at least grateful that they allowed him to walk. It had been getting really uncomfortable swinging in the air like that. Takuya eyed the hallways as they walked, noting for the first time the very faint footsteps of people inside the building and the sounds of bustling, metal on metal. What was going on? Where they been attacked or something?
They were passing a long, narrow hallway that was slightly steeped upwards, meaning they were leaving the "dungeon area" or so Takuya had deemed it. The air was slowly loosing the cold musty smell that Takuya had gotten used to after a few hours and was being replaced with warmer air, probably because of the torches. Takuya walked on stiffly, not used to moving after not moving for a long him. He was pretty sure his butt was still asleep.
They finally reached a pair of stairs and, Takuya found out, it was a very long pair of stairs. By the time they reached to top the guards had to practically carry him up the last few hundred steps. Takuya looked around the placed that they entered and found that it resembled the hallways of Kalvis. They were in another hallway with stone walls and torches, nothing too exciting except the curious runes carved into the stone. Some of them looked like decorations while others were glowing, giving off light and, to some extent, warmth. Takuya couldn't help but think that Takato would have loved to look at them.
As Takuya glared at the back of the woman he couldn't help but think that she did look somewhat familiar but he couldn't exactly put his finger on it as if recalling a dream he had when very little. Was she a relative? No, his parents never mentioned a white-haired young aunt or cousin. A passing-by traveler that he had met as she passed through Izumai? It was possible though not many travelers passed through the little village. Not much happened around Izumai. It was the only possible way for Takuya to have met this woman so why didn't it feel right?
He would have remembered a woman like her. Definitely.
Takuya and his little entourage entered into large domed area with several branching hallways and he could hear even more clearly the noises of struggles and yells. The guards and the woman began walking even faster, the chain pulling Takuya along harshly. Geez, she didn't have to push so hard! It wasn't as if he was going to vanish even though he wished it would happen.
Takuya didn't really remember much after that, only that everything seemed to blur together into one giant mess of colors and sounds. He was only faintly aware of the sensation of being carried again. It was like his brain was disconnected from the rest of his body, including his eyesight. He thought that, maybe, someone had put another spell on him. What was with people putting spells on him? Some sort of jamboree of put-spells-on-Takuya thing?
Then suddenly the world was clear again.
Takuya shook his head slightly and quickly looked around, feeling dread. He was in the middle of a large area made of smooth stone with no cracks of divisions without any furnishings, making him feel like on an island. He noticed that he no longer had the chains on but the shackles still rested ominously on his wrists. The ceiling was high, ten feet higher than the Great Hall at least, stretching into a dome that felt like it would cave in and crush him at any time it wished.
There was only one window in the enclosed room and it was pretty big, stretching from the ceiling to the floor and hovering just above a small wooden, locked, door. The glass was similar to the spider woman's glasses, black-colored and impossible to see through. It however was letting in some of the light from outside through, turning it a slightly morbid purple color and highlighting the group of people sitting at a long, hardwood table.
There were seven of them total not including the spider woman. She stood at the end of the table, right next to a tall, sly-looking man with long orange hair slicked back and wearing clothes of varying bright colors. He seemed to have some red makeup on around his eyes, highlighting his eyes almost to the point of bright lights. He didn't look too dangerous but the way he was caressing his sword like an old friend would make anyone nervous and the light in his beady eyes was not too sane. The spider-looking woman was smiling slightly and was handing the man Takuya's delicate-looking chains, who grasped them with a very wide grin. He then dangled them over the hilt of his sword like the greatest of accessories and placed the sword delicately on them wooden table in front of him.
He reminded Takuya of a clown.
Next to the clown-man was another tall but blond man with the nastiest frown Takuya had ever seen. His blue eyes glared right through Takuya with a murderous intent that Takuya felt was unfair. He wore a pressed and stately black and blue uniform with a regal red cape that had a jagged high collar. There wasn't a sword present but that didn't seem to bother him too much. Now he looked dangerous.
Kind of like a vampire.
A rather large and well-built man sat in the next chair which looked a little too small for his sizable bulk. This mountain of a man was decked out in full armor with a chest plate that size of a small table. He was huffing like he was getting ready to head butt his way through the stone wall and then wrestle an elephant. His brown hair stuck up every which way like a stray bird had mistaken his hair for possible food then attacked it when it found out it was only hair. Takuya did not want to see the sword a man of that size and stature would need. The guy looked like he could bend Takuya into so many pieces that there really wasn't a number for it.
Must be a Knight…or something.
On the other end of the table sat a thin man, a really, really thin man who looked like he would kneel over at any second and die. Shoulder-length black hair dangled in front of his face like it hadn't been washed in days. The part that unnerved Takuya the most was the man's eerie red eyes and the way they almost glowed out of his pale face. On a long thin finger was a gold ring with a set ruby on it.
He was possibly the devil.
The woman to the left looked slightly alike to the sickly-looking man. She had the same curtain of greasy black hair except it reached her waist. That was where the similarities between the two of them ended. She looked like she could glare the skin right off a daemon with those sharp black eyes. The woman sat tall and straight at an impressive height. A tight black dress drew attention to her curves and left little to the imagination. If Takuya squinted he could see the little batwing clip she placed in her hair. It was the exact same shade of black. On her finger was the same gold ruby ring as on the really thin man next to her.
And she was possibly the devil's wife.
A pair of big rose-red boots with metal plated toes rested on the table next to the other woman. Takuya could barely see the owner of the boots behind the actual boots because the chair was tipped back on the back two legs, rocking slightly. The woman looked young, possibly in her early twenties and was distractedly painting her nails pink with a small brush, occasionally blowing softly on them. Her blond hair was pulled into a messy bun, stray hairs dangling around her heart-shaped face haphazardly. A large pink rose adorned her hair, next to the mess of a bun. Takuya could tell she was wearing a pink and red short robe but the metal armor on her made it hard to see except for the rather poufy skirt of the robe. She also seemed to have a coiled whip hanging from her belt, swaying slightly with her rocking. Takuya got the distinct manner of an airhead from her.
Takuya was guessing she was that Knight…or something guy's sister.
The guy in the middle sat in a big cherry wood chair with a high backrest, taller than any other chair. Takuya was rather surprised to the appearance of the man who was obviously the leader of the group.
The guy looked like he was only a couple of years older than Takuya and maybe even not that. That huge chair swallowed the guy like a shark would swallow a salmon. The male had big blue eyes that were the highlight of his round face and soft blond hair that looked like it rustled in the slightest breeze. A soft white robe encased the delicate-looking individual and it gave him the overall look of an angel. He was just missing the wings and the halo.
The only thing that marred his angelic appearance was the odd purple tattoo on his right cheek. It looked like some sort of writing, a letter maybe but not one Takuya had ever seen before. The tattoo seemed to travel from his cheek down to his shoulder and chest, slightly visible.
And, all seven of them, were staring straight at him (except the girl with the rose. She was still painting her nails.)
The air was heavy with tension though Takuya was sure it wasn't only because of him. But it still gave him the creeps and made him feel venerable. He was without any weapons, allies, or magic. He had no means of defending himself against so many unfamiliar people. He was completely and utterly alone. And he didn't like it.
Takuya quickly looked back and saw that the massive wooden doors were closed and bolted securely. It looked like it was feet thick though it could have been his panicky brain playing things on him. The two guards two carried him here were standing like rocks in the middle of the doorway, holding aloft two sharp-looking spears that were as tall was he was.
Okay so going that direction wasn't an option but going thought the window wasn't looking very accessible either. There was no way out of this room without going through wood or glass.
He was trapped.
This was not good.
So not good.
There was a rustle of fabric that made Takuya instantly snap his head back to the front table. The young angelic bond was in the middle of standing up, a serene smile on his face though for some reason it made the hairs on Takuya's neck stand up. Takuya had always been one to go by instinct and instinct told him right now that he was the one to fear the most out of everyone in the room. It was an odd feeling because the blond hadn't done anything remotely evil. He hadn't even said a word yet. There was just something lurking in those big blue eyes that made him uneasy like a shadow.
"Welcome," the blond said calmly, still smiling at him. A couple of the others sited at the table shifted restlessly, mainly the buff man and the vampire-like man. "I hope you were treated adequately during your stay."
How can he stand there with that smile and say those words? Takuya had been stuck, prisoner, in a damp, dark cell -chained for heaven's sake- in a very foreign place without any idea if he was still in the same kingdom. There had ripped him from his school, his friends, and his dignity (he had been kidnapped after all) and all that was supposed to be "adequate"? He didn't care about Mister Bad-Honcho, he was going to give little Blondie a piece of his mind.
Apparently the anger was visible on his face because before he could open his mouth to spew his wrath the blond man with the red cape hissed lowly, "It would be wise for you not to talk without being permitted as your life is being spared only because of Master Luce's good graces. It would not do to displease him." The cold voice sent chills up Takuya's spine and it made him remember where he was.
Takuya slowly closed his mouth, fighting against every urge within him to yell at this. He even had to clasp his hands together to keep control, knowing at the back of his mind that if he triggered a temper flash it would backfire on him with icy vengeance. He had to find a way out, any way out of this. He wanted to see Kouji again if only one last time and tell him how much he meant to Takuya. Maybe it was sappy but with his probable death it was all he could think about.
He didn't want to die.
Luce, the blond boy, waved at a hand at the other evenly. "It is alright, Myotis, calm yourself. Anger is the only reasonable reaction we could expect right now." Luce turned to Takuya, smiling. "I understand that you feel somewhat off-kilter and confused, Takuya. But it would be best for you to listen to us." Even though he said it in a friendly voice Takuya couldn't help but feel that it wasn't a suggestion but a threat. A very realistic threat on him.
Suddenly the black hair woman spoke coldly. "With all due respect, sir. We are under a much redistricted time limit and by overcompensating the boy with pleasantries will only delay the inevitable. Whatever has penetrated our defenses came for one thing only. It is best for us to get this over with promptly." She looked at Takuya through heavily lidded eyes as she rubbed her ring.
"I, for one, agree with Lady Devi," the orange haired man crackled, rubbing the chains of his sword. "It would be nice to have him all for ourselves. It will be very nice to play with him, I can tell. I wouldn't want all of Arukeni's hard work to go to waste." He crackled loudly and the spider woman next to him smirked, pushing her glasses up with a finger.
Luce nodded softly. "Yes, she has done a very steady job over the past eleven years. I commend you." He inclined his head towards Arukeni, who bowed lowly and tipped her hat.
"It was a simple espionage mission, Your Grace. Nothing too… enduring," she murmured, sounding prideful.
Takuya couldn't hold it in anymore. It was making him crazy not to know how the woman was connected to him. "What does she have to do with me?" Takuya exclaimed indignantly, instantly drawing attention to himself. Takuya forced himself to continue despite the many eyes on him. He would stand firm. "I've never seen her before in my life!"
"Ah, it would be better if you explained it Pied," Luce declared, gesturing him forwards. "She is under your jurisdiction, after all." With a delighted giggle the clownish man stood up as Luce floated down to settle comfortably in his chair.
"With pleasure, my liege," the man –Pied- said excitedly as he leered at Takuya. "Did it ever occur to you, little chipmunk, that your family could never move out of your tiny little village? Or how it was obvious that you had magical ability but was never recognized? Hmm?"
In truth, yes, Takuya had wondered about it quite often back in Izumai. His mother had never, truly been happy there as she wished something better for her family that a little remote village off the edge of the kingdom. But even when she collected enough money for the move, after years of saving, there had been either legal complications or no board in the desired town. After several attempts she had given up on the thought, reluctantly going through life the same day after day. And even after all of Takuya's temper flashes not a word had spilled out of his village about his unusual ability. Not even passing travelers, as scarce as they were, had managed to spread the news. It had been boggling to a new Takuya and Mimi.
Pied must have read the answer on Takuya's face because he continued gleefully. "It was all the work of my little assistant." There was pride in his voice as he talked. "She was the first of the Oracle to discover you and your wonderful talent. All of coincidence, of course, but in what fickle ways fate moves. Not clear? No? Well, she had happened to be the closest Mage to your little village and your dearest parents wanted to make sure their little darling wasn't…cursed."
As Pied crackled happily all Takuya could do was gape at the pleased woman at the clown's side. She had given him so many clues and he never pieced them together. He had been so young at the time, only four, so it would be only natural to forget a face had had only seen once in his life but it still made Takuya seethe with unrestrained anger. She had been the one to make his mother miserable and his family live the same life when they could have had a better one. A strike against him was fine but one against his family… that he would never forget.
"Bastard," Takuya snarled but it only seemed to amuse Pied and Arukeni even more. "My family had nothing to do with this!"
"They may have not at that point, Takuya" Luce interrupted smoothly, saying his name like that of an old friend's. Pied immediately sat back down when the blond spoke, still giggling in malicious glee. "But they will be. That I promise you."
No. Not his family, please, not them. Please, anyone but them! Horror started to choke him. "What did you do with them?" Takuya shouted, unable to keep the panic and anger out of his voice. "If you hurt them-"
The buff guy started to get up, huffing loudly, reaching for something under the table but Luce stopped him with a wave of his hand. Luce had a slightly sad look on his face as if Takuya had just wounded him. "We haven't done anything to your family and nothing will continue to happen to them it you comply with us." He smiled as if he hadn't just sucker punched him in the gut.
"Y-you're blackmailing me?" Takuya chocked out, unable to believe this was happening.
"No boy," the thin sickly man rasped out in the most god-awful voice Takuya had ever heard. It was thin and reedy but it was so hoarse that it made the most appalling combination. It was like he had been sick for years without getting better. "Not blackmail. No. Something way worse, boy. Tradition."
Tradition? What did he mean by tradition?
Luce's smile suddenly dimmed down into a very thin and displeased frown. The instant that happened Takuya could practically feel the change of the atmosphere in the room, going from tense to frigid in a matter of seconds. Suddenly the young girl sat upright in her chair and slammed down her paintbrush so hard on the table that Takuya could feel the vibrations under his feet and she deftly plucked her rose from her hair. She crossed her arms so that the rose bobbed up and down next to her arm. She didn't say a word but the furious shine in her blue eyes was enough to make it clear she was not feeling very happy.
At the same time that the girl's chair legs hit the stone floor, the big guy next to Luce shifted threateningly, his eyebrows making a very stern 'V' above his nut-brown eyes. He turned his head sharply so that the whole room could hear his neck cracking harshly. It seemed like the kind of warning that thugs give just before they're going to go ballistic on your sorry ass. And, apparently, everyone else in the room got the same feeling because they all backed up in their chairs and sat extremely still as if the smallest movement could set the bomb off.
The sickly man didn't really look intimidated but his head was slightly bowed as in apology as the woman next to him, Lady Devi if he was correct, placed a delicate hand on his shoulder and spoke softly to Luce. "I apologize on behalf of my husband. His health has not been good as of lately, Lord Luce."
After a long tense silence in which everyone looked at the blond man and Takuya shifted uneasily on one spot as he glanced at the window, judging how thick the glass would be if he tired to jump through it, Luce nodded his consent despite the displeased look on his face. "Dynas, Crusader, stand down."
Almost as if a switch had been flickered the pink girl and the buff man relaxed slightly but the light in their eyes didn't change, still threatening. Luce sighed wearily as if this was all a huge waste of time before he smiled again, setting Takuya even more on edge. "Tell me, boy, how much do you know about the ancient Elementals?" Luce said as if warming up for a tiring hour.
The question suddenly triggered a flashback from when Tanshin asked him almost the exact same question from what seemed years ago. That same question had started the reshuffling of his old life into a totally new one and, for some reason; Takuya just knew that it was going to the same now. It hadn't really scared him back then but it was probably because he had had his family beside him and he hadn't been between several powerful enemies.
Before Takuya could answer he was interrupted by the woman, Lady Devi. "Sir, I fail to see just what a history lesson would do to achieve our goals. The boy has no need to know of the past."
"On the contrary, Lady Devi," Luce mused calmly, seemingly have gotten back his composure. "As such saying, it only takes what has happened before to repeat again by the same path. We will tell him and he will answer just as those before him have to our predecessors. It is unlike you to be so hasty, Lady Devi. Our unwanted visitors will not be able to find us easily and we shall be done by then, having taken what we worked so harshly for. Do not fret." And with that Luce sank gracefully into hit cushioned chair and gestured at Takuya to speak.
Takuya's uneasy feeling had steadily grown and grown the more Luce talked. Just the way he talked so calmly about the past made Takuya's gut feel queasy. Takuya knew without a doubt that they were connected. The past Elementals in Destiny's book and the Black Oracle's predecessors had to connect, be joined, somehow. If he just knew that then he would know what would happen to him. But, from what he had seen and read, Takuya wasn't so sure he wanted to know now.
Takuya didn't want to answer but he knew he had no choice. "Not much," Takuya slowly lied. "Just that they went extinct for a hundred or so years before I was born. They could control the powers of the Gods."
Luce looked at him like he knew Takuya was lying but he didn't call him on it instead nodding at him like he was a star pupil. "Roughly, yes, that is what Elementals are but, more importantly for us and for you, they have served an opposing force behind the doings. They have always served us. The Black Oracle."
What?
"For the past centuries Elementals have stayed by our side and done as we have asked of them without complaint. They have helped us start wars, finish those who would harm us, and fight in our stead." Calm.
No…
"The War of the Canted was started by felling an important trading city, Sylin, in 120. A Water Elemental wearing the kingdom's enemy armor felled that city by our orders. The war was your kind's fault, Takuya." Gently. Soothing.
No. No…
"The grand Enchanter, Mibea Iroka, was killed by an Earth Elemental as was the great Seer Fafdin. The army was crushed, thousands of lives taken, by a single burst of immortal power. A relative power to yours and all the kingdom understood was an enemy attack." Understanding. Pitying.
No. This can't be real. Can't be the truth…
"And our beloved king's family was pulled apart. Queen Naname and King Oumono, King Koushaku's birth parents, had four sons and the two eldest were killed by a Thuder Elemental and the third oldest shared a crueler fate, his body wasting away inside a forbidden rune. After the wretched incident Naname faded away and Oumono followed his queen not long after. Years of sorrow and death always will follow you Takuya. It is what you are."
This isn't real. This isn't real. His hands were shaking.
"…no, no," Takuya softly repeated, shaking his head slowly. His mind was a blank as if the words that had held on so weakly to the page suddenly were tugged away cruelly and all that was left behind was a page of white. He felt disconnect from his body, disconnected from this reality.
This wasn't real. It wasn't real.
Takuya was shaking now and there was an odd sound in his ears like the severe whistling of a tornado, blocking any other word. He knew Luce was still talking, he could see his mouth moving but he didn't hear anything. Tiny little voices started whispering in his ears, telling him to run, to hide, to stand up, to attack, to cry, to scream, telling him so many things his blank mind could not register anything. The fierce blowing in his ears was too intense. It hurt.
His body moved but he could feel it move. He gave no order to move but there he was, squatting on the floor with his hands over his ears, trying to block the horrible whispers. He couldn't see anything or maybe he just didn't care to see anything anymore so he didn't see the sudden movements of the Black Oracle nor did he hear the loud blare of a faraway trumpet.
The world moved so slowly through Takuya's blurred eyes but he couldn't make sense of anything. The wind was too cold for him; it wrapped around him and drowned him. Was he drowning? He didn't know. His mind didn't function enough to care. Takuya didn't move from his spot when the wooden doors blew open and odd green fire ran up the walls. Not did he hear the familiar cries of his name. Blurs, smudges of moving color, the sharp crack of steel against steel, the heart wrenching shouts of the people he spent hours with the past year.
Instead all he could focus on was his heartbeat. The heartbeat that was too fast, too harsh in his ears as if his whole body resounded with his heart beats, sending the wind in his ears inside himself. His lungs expanded farther than they have ever been, filling with the whistling, laughing wind as it dragged his consciousness down. This time he couldn't run. This time he had no escape. And this time he was scared.
An itch appeared on his skin, briefly, rubbing over the forehead of his frozen body. A burst of red light ignited before spreading and taking over his entire being. Run away. Hide away. The beast of the Gods is on its way. That's what the itch told him and its call was carried on by the crying and shrieking winds. It pulled on him from the inside, his last shred of willpower leaving scratches on the floor that showed his reflection. The gray moonlight invaded what was left of his senses, the itch and the moonlight pulling him both ways. He felt neither pain nor a strong enough reason to stop the invading forces pulling on him.
Takuya couldn't feel the floor under his feet not could he feel himself as if his body pulled itself apart into pieces so small he couldn't have a name. The pieces of his mind were swept away from the itch and the red light, taking refuge inside something that gave him respite. The river, the river of calamity and sad faces.
The sad faces were guiding him, steering him past shifting shapes and emotions, the colors of the feylines. So beautiful they were. The current took him in its grasp and took him further down, leaving behind the last shreds of his humanity behind and a great feeling of loss came on him. This feeling, this atmosphere grew before dissipating especially after a soft voice called out. It resounded around the river, creating the softest ripples.
He didn't know who it was but the voice was sad. Sad and heartbroken.
It called out his name or the name he once had.
Maybe he could have once known that voice as what was left his of heart responded, calling back to the desolate voice. It was calling out to him, telling him to come home. Home…
Where was home?
As the thought flew by the river he felt all the pieces of him, all the little spaces of the being called Takuya flow down the river. They fell in together, filling every space with a soft sigh. He felt himself become one again as his heart echoed the cry of home. He wanted to come home but there was something in the way of his coming home. His spirit, sad and in pieces, started to become whole and it gave him the faint shadow of answers, waving in the colorful river.
This being wanted to come home.
Takuya wanted to come home.
Is a home what you search for?
Do you hunt for it?
Is a home what you long for?
No.
He didn't long for a home. He didn't want a home.
A home you do not seek?
No place to call your home?
A wish for a home you do not call for?
No.
He doesn't wish for a home and he doesn't what a place to call home. Takuya doesn't have to seek for a place to call home.
Not anymore.
Where is your home?
Home is where the faces of his friends shone with happiness. Home is a place where you can let your guard down and bare yourself to the people you trust. A home is where you feel loved and wanted. Home is where you do not need someone to say "Welcome Home" because you already know you're there. He never knew it but he had been home for the past year. He had been surrounded by the people he came to love and trust and be loved and trusted in return.
Home was where Juri was. Where Kouichi was.
Where Diasuke smiled and Takato read.
Where Hazu joked and Tai laughed.
Where his family stood together.
Home was with them.
Where is your home?
My home is with Kouji.
The river rushed and splashed, the sad faces speeding him down the river of colors. His heart full and his spirit back in one piece, the river carried him towards a great light. The closer he got the faster the light spun, sending rays of light through his body. He spiraled out of control, the furious current tossing him around until he entered the shinning light, the air leaving his body.
And the first thing he saw was a pair of furious eyes, glowing a bright eerie yellow. And crack of thunder ran across the night sky.
A rather odd way to end the chapter if I say so myself but it will all make sense in the next installment of this fic. In the next chapter we'll see from Kouji and the others and Takuya will find out the answers he has searched for.
And that's all I'm giving you right now. Yes, I do enjoy torturing people.
Until next time,
Illusionwolf