A/N: Sorry it has been such a long time guys! Life just got busy and I had some trouble figuring out where to take the story. Enjoy!
Carmen's body shuddered. Alexander's eyes glowed with pleasure. Slowly she turned to face her brother. "Heirmenle laboath sirket!" Blue lightening flashed from her fingertips, sending him flying out of the cave. Chloe turned white when Carmen reached behind herself and ripped the large arrow out. Her blue eyes looked over it a moment before she cast it into the flames.
"Poisoned?" Eric questioned, dropping the shield and hurrying to her side.
"Of course. He wouldn't face me at full strength. He's too cowardly for that." Carmen pressed the medallion into his hands. "Don't either of you-" she looked at Kurama and Eric meaningfully "-dare try and help me." She strode to the entrance and leapt out.
The rain pelted her face, but she barely heeded it. She landed gracefully, facing her brother. "I do not want to kill you brother." She spoke loud enough to be heard over the brewing storm. Alexander snorted. "You always were a good liar sister. But I know you too well to be fooled." Thunder boomed and shook the ground beneath them with its power, but neither flinched. "We both know the reason you haven't killed me is because you are not strong enough. You have not embraced the gift that is ours alone – I have. And now I'm going to crush you with it." He leaned onto the balls of his feet and brought his arms up as if holding two knives.
Carmen didn't move, but the ground beneath her began to glow. "You cannot frighten me with words. You are a foolish boy playing a game you do not understand." She raised one arm to the dark sky, the clouds swirling like a tornado and reaching down to her outstretched hand.
Alexander launched. But before he could make contact there was a flash of blue and he shot backwards, crashing into a tree. Carmen lowered her arm, now holding a sword in her hand. She raised it above her head then stabbed it into the ground. It sent a shockwave through the ground, setting trees waving wildly as if in an earthquake.
Alexander tried to stand, but the ground wobbled so wildly he couldn't keep his feet. With a growl of frustration he punched the ground, sending a stream of orange energy flowing from him through ground until it shot up in Carmen's face.
She had to let go of the sword in order to jerk back quick enough to avoid the hit.
Alexander was on her in a second, the sword in hand and driving it towards her.
She rolled to the side, continuing to roll as he stabbed at her. "Not so cocky now, are you?" He shouted about the storm. Carmen suddenly tackled him, her blue eyes flashing angrily. "You think a sword gives you an advantage? I made that sword, you idiot! It won't obey you!" She clawed at him, trying to take the sword back.
Alexander whipped his head back and knocked it straight into hers, sending a jolt from the force through both of their bodies. It was enough to muddle her thoughts for a moment; it was all he needed.
"Carmen!" Chloe clamped her hands over her mouth. She couldn't believe that Alexander had just stabbed Carmen – with his own hand! Eric laid a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, though he himself was tensed and ready to assist if need be.
Carmen looked down at the arm protruding from her chest, then at Alexander's smug face. "Now who's cocky?" She spit blood in his eyes, grabbed the sword, and rolled off him, all in a split second.
Alexander swiped blindly at her, blinking the blood out of his vision.
Carmen leapt out of his reach, pressing a hand to her chest to stem the blood flow. She spit some more blood out of her mouth. She felt his energy growing and she closed her eyes, concentrating.
"Mert!" Alexander yelled, throwing his arm forward.
Carmen spun on one foot, raising the sword above her head with both hands and swinging straight down. The sword glowed blue as it cut through the ball of energy and sent both halves on either side of the demoness. Each half exploded behind her, sending dirt and debris flying.
Carmen opened her eyes, which glinted with an extreme coldness. "Die." Blue energy shot from her. Orange energy shot from him. When it met and exploded, the entire landscape shook.
Chloe stumbled and fell over, her heart pounding as rocks from the ceiling tumbled around her. She was vaguely aware of someone over her, shielding her.
"We have to get out of here!" Kurama shouted.
"No!" Eric responded. "We're safer in here than down there with them!"
"We're going to be crushed in here!"
"Fine! We'll take our chances down there with those two!"
Carmen lifted herself from some rubble, coughing dust out of her lungs. She blinked her eyes, every sense on the alert for her brother. She scanned the area around the newly formed crater and looked for any sign of movement. She leaned down and picked up her sword. She needed to end this, and soon.
Suddenly, she felt something, a tingle in her back.
Time seemed to slow almost to a stop. Every blink of her eye seemed to stretch for hours. She looked down. The tip of a sword stuck out of her chest. A single tear slid down her cheek and splashed on the metal. When she turned her head to look over her shoulder, Alexander was nowhere to be seen.
"Carmen!" Chloe screamed, tearing away from Kurama.
Eric turned pale. His lips moved, but not a sound escaped his chest. It felt like ten tons of bricks had been thrown on his chest.
Carmen fell onto her knees, her sword dropping into the dirt. She looked up sluggishly at Chloe running towards her. The corner of her mouth lifted in a smile, then her eyes closed and her arms went limp and her head fell onto her chest.
Chloe opened her mouth to yell when she saw Alexander suddenly looming behind Carmen again, his hand reaching out to grab his sword again. But before the girl could make a sound the strangest thing happened.
Carmen's fingers suddenly gripped her sword hilt and she turned and plunged it straight through Alexander's heart. She gripped his shoulder and drove the blade through until her handle hit flesh. "You were wrong to think I wouldn't kill you, Alexander." She murmured, her lips so close her breath tickled his ear.
Alexander's eyes were wide, but he smirked ever so slightly. "No…Cailyn…you loved…father….and yes..." With the last of his strength he turned his head and whispered in her ear. "She'll never…forget…me…" His eyes closed and he slumped forward.
Carmen caught him and slid onto her knees, cradling him in her arms. She kissed his forehead and laid him on the ground. "You were wrong." She whispered. "I loved you, brother. Rest in peace."
"Carmen!" Chloe stumbled to her knees beside the green-haired demoness. "Carmen, can you hear me?" She asked fearfully, the sight of the sword sticking out of Carmen's back making her stomach revolt.
Carmen looked at the girl, suddenly disgusted by her weakness and frailty. "Just pull this damn sword out of me." She snapped.
Chloe's eyes widened and she pulled back, shocked by Carmen's command and tone. "I-I c-couldn't." She stammered.
Carmen grabbed a rock and slammed it against the tip of the sword, sending it straight back. Her vision swam but she reached back, grabbed the blade, and yanked it the rest of the way out. She stood, blood from her palm dripping down the blade. "This is what separates someone like you from me. I do what has to be done – you sit there, terrified of your own shadow. You're pathetic." She pulled her own sword out of Alexander and walked back towards the cave.
Kurama could have ripped her head off, but Eric stood in his way.
"Stay, Kurama." He held up his hands unthreateningly. "She just killed her own brother, now she's got to kill her father. Can you really blame her for being upset?"
"That's no excuse." Kurama spoke coldly, his tolerance for Carmen hitting its max. "She cannot speak to Chloe like that and-"
"Eric, the medallion?" Carmen yelled, about ten feet from them.
Eric turned and tossed it to her. "We have to get to Chloe!" He took off running.
Carmen put her and Alexander's swords together and drove them straight into medallion. A white light shot straight up out of the medallion.
Kurama pulled Chloe to himself, shielding her even though Eric had already put of the protective barrier.
Chloe gasped as the thrumming in the ground picked up again, twice as fast as last time.
"How is she doing that?" Kurama asked.
Eric glanced over his shoulder at the two of them. "Her power is resonating in the ground, like an echo. It's more powerful now because she has access to Alexander's power through the sword he made. She's also upset and just wanting to get this over with, so she's pushing it as fast as possible."
Suddenly a figure appeared in the column of light.
"Carmen?"
Her blue eyes turned onto him without a hint of remorse. "I'm sorry Father. Your crimes are too great. By the gods of the old world you are hereby stripped of your right to life."
"Sweetheart, please! I'm sorry for what I've done!" The man cried out, terror shining in his eyes.
Chloe gripped Kurama's arms, her eyes shimmering with tears.
Carmen didn't even blink. "As judge and executioner I now carry out your sentence. May the gods have mercy upon you." She twisted the swords.
The medallion exploded in a burst of blinding light.
When it dissipated all that could be seen was Carmen, her hands hanging limply at her sides.
Eric dropped the barrier, just watching her.
Carmen closed her eyes for a moment, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Good-bye…Father." She opened her blue eyes again, turning and looking at her companions.
"Carmen, for your crimes against humans and against Spirit World, you are hereby placed under arrest!"
Carmen looked at the six men from the arena now surrounding her again. She looked past them to Chloe for a moment; the girl avoided her gaze. The demoness felt a pang in her chest, unrelated to her physical wound. She was so tired. "Very well. Arrest me." She gasped in pain as her arms were bound tightly behind her back. She caught Eric's eye for a brief moment before a cloth was placed over her eyes and her world went dark.
"Be careful!" Eric shouted, rushing forward. "Can't you see she's injured? Badly? She needs medical attention immediately!"
"That's not our concern." A portal opened and the seven of them disappeared through it.
Chloe rushed up the stairs in the back of Eric's tavern. "Haru!" She burst through his door, sucking her breath in sharply.
Haru was laying on the bed, pale, his eyes closed. They opened when she came through the door, and he smiled weakly. "Thank god they found you before she-"
"Shh. She didn't hurt me." Chloe sat on the edge of his bed, taking his hand in hers. "What happened to you?"
Haru squeezed her hand. "Alexander found me. He was really pissed. I guess he thought he'd take out some frustration on me."
"How badly are you…how bad is it?" Chloe swallowed hard, a little afraid to hear the answer.
Haru smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about me. Would you get me some water?"
She nodded and left the room. She stopped outside his door, fighting back tears. She walked slowly down the stairs, the tears threatening to spill over. "Kurama, how bad is he, really?" She asked, sinking into a chair.
Kurama sat down facing her. "He's dying, Chloe."
Chloe covered her face, the tears finally spilling over. No. She couldn't lose Haru. He was everything to her. Without him, she had nothing. She lifted her head suddenly as a thought crossed her mind. "Could a goddess heal him?" She blurted out.
Eric's hands froze on the glass her was wiping down.
Kurama cocked his head. "There aren't any around, though I guess-"
"I know where one is." Chloe swiped at her cheeks. "The river that Carmen went down when she was being chased by the assassins. It's guarded by a river goddess. She's the one that saved us and sent us down the river."
Eric relaxed a little and set the glass down. "But she has no reason to save his life, and-"
"Yes she has." Chloe interrupted, looking at him. "We made a bargain with her for her help the first time. Haru had to return to her when we'd finished everything with Carmen. He won't be able to do that if he's dead, so she'll have to help him."
"What does she want with Haru?" Eric asked.
Kurama couldn't believe his ears. A goddess?
Chloe shrugged. "I don't know. It happened so fast we didn't have time to question. But I'm sure of what she is. We have to take him to her. Now." She stood up, a determined look on her face.
Kurama looked at Eric, who looked back. Finally Eric tossed the towel on the counter. "We've got nothing to lose. The boy's dying anyway."
Chloe splashed the water again, growing increasingly annoyed. "Morana! Where are you?" She yelled, kicking at the water.
Kurama watched her, silent, his mind already rehearsing how to tell her that perhaps she'd been mistaken, that-
"Stop kicking at the water like that. You look like a fool."
Chloe turned to the right. Morana now stood facing her, arms crossed.
"I don't take kindly to being called like some dog d-"
"It's Haru." Chloe interrupted, stumbling back to Eric, who was holding the unconscious boy. "He's dying."
Morana was at his side in a moment and turned his face towards hers. "Haru?"
His eyelids fluttered for a moment, but he didn't wake up.
"What happened to him?" She asked, hurriedly trying to get a look at his wounds.
"Alexander, Carmen's brother, got to him. Can you help him?" Chloe's stomach was in knots.
Morana paused for a moment when she heard the name Alexander. "This is most certainly Alexander's work. Give him to me." She took him from Eric and returned to the river, wading in. Once she was waist deep she set him down, letting him float gently on the water. She placed one hand on his chest, the other on his wound. Golden lines like ribbons began glowing, starting at her legs and spreading up her body, down her arms, and then began wrapping around Haru's body. The river stopped moving, every drop at Morana's command. Haru's skin began glistening as water crept up his body to his wounds, filling them.
Chloe shifted from foot to foot, biting her lip nervously as she watched, her lips moving in silent prayers.
Morana lifted her face to the sky, the golden lines glowing ever brighter. Her lips moved, although those on shore couldn't not hear anything of what she was reciting. Suddenly the river began flowing again, seeming to take with it all the golden lines on both Haru and Morana. The goddess slid her arms underneath the boy and lifted him out of the water, walking them back to the shore.
She placed him back in Eric's arm, her eyes lingering on his face for just a moment before she turned away. "He's fine now, he just needs some sleep."
"Thank you." Chloe exclaimed, unable to hide the relief in her voice.
Morana turned to her. "I told you he would have to return to me." She looked Chloe up and down. "I've healed his body. Now leave."
"Wait, Morana." Chloe ran forward, stepping in front of the goddess so she could look into her eyes. "Thank you." She meant it from the bottom of her heart. "But…" She summoned up all her courage. "If this is all you had in mind, why did you do it? Why would you bother to heal him?"
Morana looked down at the girl, then back at Haru. "He's my son." She said simply, stepping around the girl and walking back towards the river.
Chloe's eyes were wide. "Y-you're his mother?" She stuttered, in shock.
Morana began wading into the water. She took one more look over her shoulder. "Why do you think I was condemned to this realm? Take good care of him." She bobbed under the water and disappeared.
The clock ticking pounded in Chloe's ears. She was sitting by the bed, staring at the sleeping Haru. He hadn't woken up since Morana had healed him at the river hours ago. She scooted down a little further in the chair, her eyelids closing despite her best efforts. She didn't even stir when Kurama opened the door.
He took in the scene before him, touched by her devotion. She had refused to leave Haru's side, swearing to the heavens that she wasn't the least bit tired. Yet there she was, passed out in the chair. He lifted her gently out of the chair and took her to the next bedroom, laying her carefully on the bed. He pulled one of the blankets over her, his green eyes lingering on her face.
"Kurama?" Eric pushed open the door, pausing when he saw that Chloe was sleeping on the bed.
Kurama waited till they were out in the hall with the door shut to speak. "What is it?"
"What are you going to do for Carmen? You know she will be put on trial, and probably executed."
"There's nothing I can do."
"I don't believe that. You can speak on her behalf." Eric's eyes flashed.
"Nothing I would say would help her case."
"I know you don't understand her reasoning all the time, but you should trust her."
"I don't. Everything she's done has been for her own gain, regardless of collateral damage."
Eric raised an eyebrow. "Because you're so perfect yourself. I'm disappointed in you. All of you." He turned and disappeared down the stairs.
Kurama shook his head. He couldn't understand why Eric was so loyal to Carmen.
"Kurama?"
He turned around.
Chloe stood behind, her eyes still a little bleary from her nap. "Carmen will be executed?" Her lower lip trembled.
Kurama shrugged. "I have no idea of everything that she is accused of. If her crimes are great enough, she will be. It just depends how dangerous they believe her to be."
"Will you take me to go see her?"
Kurama couldn't believe his ears. "Why do you wish to see her?"
Chloe rubbed the back of her neck. "Because…she's my friend. I don't want her die. Least of all thinking that I…thinking that I'm mad at her."
Would her ability to forgive ever reach a limit? "Very well. I'll try, but I can't promise anything."
"Carmen?" Chloe wrapped her fingers around a couple of the bars.
Carmen was lying on the cot in the corner, her back to them. "What do you want?" She didn't stir.
"I wanted to see you, before…before your trial."
Carmen lifted herself of the cot, hunching over a little and walking gingerly over. She grabbed a bar tightly, it seeming to be the only thing keeping her upright. "What for?" She looked between Chloe and Kurama. "Did you come to get me out of here?"
Chloe shook her head. "No, we-"
"Then go away." Carmen stumbled back to her cot and laid down carefully.
"Carmen, we never wanted this to happen to you."
Carmen was back at the bars in a flash, eyes blazing. "Is that true, Kurama, you never wanted me locked up? Then why did you sick those filthy Spirit World security on me when I was weak?" She turned her fierce blue eyes on Chloe, who shrank from her gaze. "And you, if you didn't want me locked up, why did you say nothing when they came to arrest me? Huh? Answer me that." Her face went pale and she sank to the floor, clutching her chest where Alexander had stabbed her.
Chloe looked at Kurama. "You called them?"
Kurama looked at Carmen for a moment, then at Chloe. "I had to, Chloe."
"Because your master ordered you to." Carmen snapped, pulling herself to her feet. "Well, now you've gotten your revenge for all the horrible things I've done to you. Congratulations."
"You put my family in danger, Carmen." Kurama's eyes were cold, dangerous.
Carmen snorted, her eyes looking to the guards who were coming down the hallway for her. "Your family was already in danger. If I hadn't destroyed the medallion, Raidon would have destroyed your world."
The guards unlocked the door and two grabbed her arms, taking her out. "Go back to your precious families and you just remember that they're safe because of me!" She snapped over her shoulder.
Chloe grabbed Kurama's hand. "Come on, we have to go."
Carmed had turned several shades paler by the time the guards dragged her into the judgment room. They shackled her hands to a pole in the center of the room and left. Koenma and six others sat along one wall. Chloe and Kurama slipped in, joining the small crowd along the opposite wall.
"Carmen, you are charged with crimes against humans and against Spirit World, for theft, for murder, and for treason. In order to ascertain the truth, a psychic will show your memories to determine the truth. If there are extenuating circumstances or you are proved innocent, you will be released. If the accusations are true, you will be executed immediately."
Carmen tensed imperceptibly. "This is outrageous. You cannot go into my mind and show whatever image you choose out of it." She snapped, glaring at the psychic approaching her.
"You are a criminal, Carmen, we have every right." Koenma nodded again.
Carmen felt a sharp pain in her chest and grabbed onto the pole, closing her eyes. She could feel the psychic in her mind, but her physical wounds made it impossible for her to concentrate enough to fend off the invasion. When she opened her eyes the one blank wall in the room was lit up like a television screen, only this time the movie was real – these were her memories. She looked over the edge of an embankment at a village. She could see one or two of the farmers stepping out of their doorways, stretching, the first people to have risen for the day. The view shook slight then the tip of a sword came into view.
Carmen's jaw tightened. She remembered that village well – it was the first time she had killed in cold blood.
Suddenly the view saw only the sky as she leaped over the edge. She decapitated the first farmer from behind, running silently to the other and swiftly cutting his throat. He gave a gurgled cry. She whirled around, moving swiftly towards the village leader's house. She leapt into a tree and from that into a bedroom, stabbing both the occupants of a bed before they could cry out.
Kurama turned Chloe around. "You don't need to watch this." He rubbed her arms when he saw that she flinched every time the sound of sword cutting flesh resounded.
Chloe could barely keep tears back at the sadness she felt for those innocent people, so in anger she looked at Carmen. The green-haired demoness was looking at the scene playing on the wall, her jaw tight, but without any other indication that this made her uncomfortable. Within ten minutes it was over. The scene stopped playing. Chloe looked to the judges, one of who was scribbling notes down.
Finally Koenma cleared his throat. "You are hereby found guilty of the massacre of the village of Renoa. Onto the next accusation, please." He nodded to the psychic. "The massacre of Gorman."
"Carmen, you are hereby found guilty of the murder of the Spirit World detective Ren." Koenma convened with the others, whispering amongst themselves. They had spent the last two hours viewing memory after memory of the various atrocities Carmen was accused of. Nearly one hundred percent of them were true.
Carmen glared at the psychic as he stepped away, then turned to look at Chloe and Kurama. She knew a death sentence was forthcoming, why bother prolonging it? She could see tears in Chloe's eyes, and for some reason that cut her to the quick. With a heavy heart she turned to face her judges, her head held high.
"Carmen, daughter of Raidon, you are found guilty of numerous charges, involving murder, theft, treason, and destruction of Spirit World property."
"Doesn't she get a chance to defend herself?" Chloe whispered to Kurama in surprise. Kurama leaned down. "By showing the memories there is no need for that. If you did it, you did it, and if you didn't, you didn't."
"You are hereby sentenced to-"
"Wait!"
All eyes turned to the double doors which had burst open. Eric strode in and walked to Carmen's side. "There is something you must know about Carmen before you dare to pass judgment on her."
Carmen glared at Eric. "What are you doing?" She hissed. "I-"
"What, exactly, do you think you know that might affect our decision in any way?" Koenma looked and sounded annoyed at the interruption.
Eric walked forward and leaned over the table. He wrote something on Koenma's paper and turned it for the deity to read.
Koenma's eyes widened. "I-impossible! Do you have any proof?"
Eric nodded to one of the people watching. The woman stepped forward until she was near Carmen. She raised her hands, channeling her aura through her arms.
"This woman's power gives her the ability to replicate the sun's rays, without the intensity which would otherwise blind our eyes. She is now recreating the light from a sunrise."
A light suddenly shone from a ball of energy between the woman's hands.
Carmen looked at the woman, then down at the ball of light.
Everyone in the room gasped. Ugly, twisted silver scars now ravaged her previously flawless skin, every limb, every piece of exposed skin revealing new injuries. The worst to behold was her face. A thick scar ran from her right temple, across her eye, to her jaw on the opposite side. There were too many scars around her left eye to count, as if one or more people had attempted to gouge out her eye. The scars on her right cheek made it appear as if someone had literally ripped the skin off her cheek and had taken part of her neck with it.
Carmen turned her head, setting her blue eyes in Koenma.
He swallowed hard, not only because of the brutality of the scars, but also because of what the scars indicated. "Unchain her, immediately!" He ordered, almost panicking now.
The woman stopped shining the light and backed away.
Chloe could hardly believe her eyes. Just as suddenly as the ugly scars had appeared they had disappeared with the light. But why did Koenma suddenly seem so afraid?
Carmen pursed her lips as the chains fell away. She rubbed her wrists, and muttered something under her breath. "Damn!" She exclaimed when nothing happened.
"Has Alexander's poison not worked out of your system yet?" Eric asked.
Carmen glared at him. "No." She snapped. She turned her attention on Koenma. "I trust these accusations against me will now be expunged?" She asked icily.
Koenma nodded quickly. "Of course, your-"
"Don't try and flatter me now." She interrupted. "We're done." She turned and walked out of the double doors, the sound of their shutting the only sound to disturb the silence that now covered the room.
A/N: Okay guys, please review and let me know what you think! Also, let me know if you'd like to know Carmen's story. :)