Well... not sure how to excuses myself other than telling you that there were many problems like computer breaking and files being lost so that why it took 5-6 MONTHS to complete chapter...n8 ;)...so I had to rewrite it when I realizes that the file was lost. But enough about that I didn't give up and I kept going so here it is...chapter 8 finally done. Hope you enjoy it, it was a pain to make and I'm pretty sure I'm going to piss off every paranorman fangirl with this but I don't care lol. Thank you everyone so much if you waited so long and followed me since the begin in really meat so much too me. So let me know what you think in the reviews and I promise that chapter 9 will not take this long because I'm now flying solo...enjoy.
(Southern forest, December 13, 1713)
Agatha awoken to the site of the three morning suns greeting her in a cascade of warmth. She then got up from her bed still disoriented from last night's nightmare which shiver her bones and turns her skin pale. Trying to regain her thoughts she manage to crawl out of bed and changes clothes. Afterwords she walked towards the main hallway to see Ripa packing a small sack full of supplies. Ripa looked back to see Agatha and said "Morning Aggie." "Good morning." Agatha replied. And then she remember. For today she begins her month long journey through the wilderness to a ancient forerunners structure know as "Mount of Divine Truth".
Ripa, taking notice of Agatha's nervous look ask "Is everything all right Aggie?". Agatha turned towards Ripa and said trying to be as discreet as possible "No Ripa I'm just thinking about this journey and how it would make me a better warrior." With a smile Ripa only replied "Hm..." After some breakfast they traveled to the edge a large and dense forest. Agatha marveled at this gran sight which seemed to have come out of a story her mother told her long ago. Ripa look down at Agatha, keeled down and gave her a small Sangheili curveblade. And with a hand on her left shoulder and said " Aggie, this where I leave you my child. This is the day you are no longer the little scared girl I found on that dark place long ago. Today you become what you were destined to be." Ripa then pointed to the curveblade and continued. "And this...this will lead you but not without..."Ripa paused as he pointed to her head. "This." He then hug and with a smile and said "May we rejoin each other in time." He then left Agatha as she entered the dense forest
After some time past and as night drew ever near Agatha found shelter under an old tree that fell long ago. As she looked around she notice the beauty of the forest that surrounded her and how it reminded her of the woods on her home world. How the trees stood tall to taste the nightly breeze. Or how the moss she sat on felt soft and and steady. And then she looked up to the stars and wonder if her mother was looking down upon her from the havens thinking of her. And in that moment Agatha felt something as if her mother was there right beside her. She then closed her heavy eyes and fell to a deep sleep. That night in the dark corners of her mind Agatha dreamed of what is to come. she saw the Sangheili in a ever less war against her race, the human. She saw planets burning and innocent dying and ships falling from the skies. And then she saw halo in all its beauty above anything the covenant could ever offer, and then all she saw was a bright light and the numbers 1,1,7.
(Southern border near state of Chava, December 30, 1713)
The forest was quite, the air was misty and steady, and Agatha ,hiding behind a bush, narrowed her vision upon a lone stag. She started slowly raised her wooden spear ,that she made weeks ago, and threw it, hitting the stag's heart. She ran to the stag and keeled down beside it. She looked at its dying eyes and plunges her curveblade into the stags heart and whispered " Forgive me." And with her curvebalde she skinned the creature. Although she has done this before it stills left a fowl smell in her mouth and stomach. But she needed food and the fur this stag has may be used for warmth on the Sangheilin cold nights. Afterwards she took all she needed and left the bone and other organs for other animals to feast upon. As the hours pasted and night approached Agatha emerged from of the forest in which a great and rusting river rested in front of her. As the last sun vanished behind the distance mountains to the west Agatha sat ,with her spear in hand, on a stump looking for a way to cross this great river.
"Who goes there!" said a deep ,torn, and broken voice from behind her. Agatha turned with spear raised at the strangers throat. She saw what look to be an elder male Sangheili with his face marked with scares, his eyes seem hollow, and his face seemed lifeless and broken. And in his hand was a curvebalde, slightly bigger than Agatha's, aimed at her throat. "I'll only ask once more childling. Who are you!" Childling was what older Sangheili called children but it always got to Agatha in a fowl way. But she answer trying to be polite yet firm. "I am Agatha Prenderghast and I have come by the words of the prophets to reach the Mount of Divine Truth!" Though she rarely used her last name she believed it was necessary at this point. In the year she has been in the covenant she gained great popularity for being concerned a "goddess" but she hope few people knew her family name. As her world echoed in the night the old Sangheili ,with great hast, kneel down and with remorse said in his torn tone "F...forgive me holy one I...I did not realizes who you were. I will not let this go unpun..." Agatha held up her hand and said in a kind tone "Enough! You are forgiven. Now you could help me by showing me a way across this rive." The old Sangheili, with fear in his voice answered "M...my apologizes Holy One for it is late and I am need of rest but..." he added "...there is a path on the other side north from here I will take you there when the suns arises and even then it will take a days journey." Agatha put a hand on his shoulder hoping to would calm him down enough to stop this annoying praise. With her hand still on the Sangheili shoulder said "Very well. Take me to your camp for I grow tired and hungry and this stag would do nicely for a meal wouldn't you say?" The old Sangheili stood up and cocked his head in confused manner. There was a slight moment of silence before he answered her and he then said "Y...yes o...of course. I'll take you there this way." Agatha then asked. "what is your name?" The old Sangheili replied "Ussa. Ussa Chavamee." "Well Ussa lead the way." Agatha said lifting the back leg of the dead stage as Ussa pick up its front legs.
That night Agatha and Ussa sat near the camp fire as the air was filled with merrymaking and laughter as they told one other tales of old and new. And, to Agatha's surprises, Ussa's face lite up with life which Agatha believes has not been this way for a long time. After some find stage meat and drink she set up a place to rest for the night and stared up at the stars hoping that her mother was looking back at her, knowing that her little girl was safe. Then she felt that strange feeling again as if she could feel her mothers presents near. She then heard a slight crack of leafs and turn around seeing a white mist flowing away with hast. Agatha ignored it figuring it was just fog from the river and soon found her self drifting to sleep.
As the three suns came to met her in the morning she saw Ussa making some breakfast. Agatha got up and walked towards him. Ussa notices and said with a smile "Good morning Holy One. Here have some food you will need in the days to come."Agatha smiled. She thought of how they first met and how he was seeming broken and tired. And now he seemed overwhelmed with joy as if he was a newly born Sangheili seeing the world for the first time, and this made Agatha feel a happiness in her heart that was not felt since she was a little girl. She sat down next to Ussa and ate side by side. After they were done they taking down Ussa's tent and packed all the pots and dishes used from the night before and loaded it all in Ussa's small fishing boat. And later loaded themselves and made hast to the north. The ride was filled with silence with only the sound of Ussa's paddle hitting the water ,softly riding along the banks of the river.
As night came upon them Agatha stared at her curveblade and studied it with great interest and entitlement. As she looked down upon its silver metal as the reflections of the two moons shins bright within the blade. She looked up to Ussa and saw a slight song in his heart ,which pleased Agatha. Afterwards Agatha saw the path that Ussa told her about. As they docked on the banks Ussa gave her some food to last for a week and some water pouches full of water and he told her that there rivers along the path so water shouldn't be a problem till the desert that is said to be where the mount sits. As Agatha stepped off the boat Ussa said with kind and warning words " Great Holy One I must tell you of a great danger that may await you in the deserts." Agatha, annoyed by that title, looked backed to him and said "Well, tell me then." she demanded with a kind tone. He lend on his paddle and replied " It is know as the Kaiju a fearsome beast that roams in the deserts of sangheilos." Agatha nodded. They said their last good byes and she dispersed in the darken forest.
(Near edge of the forest, Chava state, January 11, 1714)
The forest was still dark and dense as before but something in the air was different, and Agatha felt it. She could feel the a irregular heat flow though her body and a dryness in the air. She garbed a water pouched and after drinking as little as she could she saw a light in front of her and decided that's her way out. The crack of leaves and sticks where the only sounds that accompanied her till now where she now hear the chopping of sand and dirt. The light was bright and shined in Agatha's eyes, blinding her as she raised her hand to block the suns light. And then the trees no longer covered her in shade as he dropped to her knees and her hands were now covered in sand. See looked up to the sight a baring wasteland of red sand and yellow skies. There were some rock formations and even mountains here and there but largely scares. Agatha picked herself up and dusted the sand and dirt off her robes, or what was left of them, and continued her quest towards the mount.
A day pasted and Agatha could see nothing but sand and the occasional rock formations along the horizon and the mount was nowhere in sight. She walked with rusted and tired legs ans was struggling to stay upon her legs for she was sleep deprived and was hungry. Holding her stomach she took the last of the food that Ussa gave her and gulped it down and then took her water pouch and did the same. Yet she did not rest, she continued onward, without rest, without thought, she just, pressed on. The land suddenly became barring and flat with only two cliffs on each end, and the soil was cracked which made numerous shape and in uncountable numbers.
After a few hours of trotting the ground Agatha could feel the ground shake beneath her. She turn and saw a massive four legged beast charging towards. The beast's skin was rough and with a dark red color and its teeth were sharp and its horns were long upon its crown. The Kaiju. Agatha, with great hast, evaded the Kaiju and swiftly turned, with spear now in hand, ready to strike. Picking itself up the beast turn slowly towards Agatha giving her a angry snare and ran towards her with great speed. Raising her spear Agatha defended her self against the Kaiju force. And as the spear met the beast's skin the spear broken in two and the might of the Kaiju send Agatha flying back, and hitting the ground as she rolled. She pick herself up and quickly grabbing her curveblade and then she saw its weakness, the top of its neck, and suddenly her eyes widen. Memory started to flow to her like a tidal wave. She remember her mother and her love and how it was all taking away from her by evil men. She remember the fear she had, the anger, the feeling of lost, and the feeling of being betray and forgotten. And the pain, a great pain. The pain she felt when their worlds called out for her execution and the rope tied around her neck. As the beast regained its footing Agatha felt her face, tears flowed down like a roaring waterfall. She let out a mighty roar as the Kaiju ran towards her. But her roar could not be found in any man nor earth itself, this roar can only be made by one species, the Sangheili. As the beast's horns came into touching distance Agatha jumped, with curveblade in hand, and landed on the Kaiju's back. She climbed its back to its unprotected neck as the beast whipped its head in a attempted to knock Agatha off. Agatha then raised her blade in the air and as she pushed it down towards the Kaiju's neck a tilde wave of emotions and thoughts came to her. The thoughts of her mothers and how those men came and took her away and send her to hang by the neck. She remember their words and how they seemed to shake the very earth as if it was the word of god. She remember their faces and saw them all upon the the neck of the beast. And with a fearsome battle cry she struck the beast down as it then came crashing down to the ground. As the beast now laid there dead Agatha picked herself up and garbed her blade out of the Kaiju's neck. She looked up to the sky with blood on her face and tears flooding out of her eyes. She then let out a even more terrifying than any she mustered before and would later be called the 'The cry of the gods' by the covenant. She then left still wiping the tears from face she left, and nerved looked back.
Two days pasted after Agatha's victory over the Kaiju Agatha, week and starved, she walked with shaken leg towards the mount but her mind was full of doubt. As the high desert wind blew in her face doubtful thoughts came to her mind and filled her heart with fear. She felt death breathing down her neck and all of her hopes were now fading before her. She fell on her knees and collapsed on the sand to await her fate and be taken by death. But the words that were spoken to her next were not of death's. She heard a soft female voice calling out to her, piercing her heart like a cry of pain. The voice seemed familiar to her but it could not be recognize by Agatha for the winds were strong and howling into the horizon, but the words she did heard. The voice said "Agatha. Get up. You must get up. For me Agatha get up." And with that she used all her remanding strength she picked herself up from the ground and kept pushing on. Afterwards she got the last of her water pouch when the winds died down and drank the last of the water and yet starving and weak she marched.
After two hours or so trotting the sand Agatha climbed a, what seemed to be, an endless hill, and then she saw it. The Mount of Divine Truth. She stared at the forerunner mount and marveled at its beauty and grace. The mount itself was a giant forerunner structure in pyramid shape and the sand around the mount was white and glowed as the three suns were high above the midday sky. She stumbled and practically rolled down the hill while trying to reach the foot of the mount. And when she came the the first step of the mount, she felt imitated and look up as the shadow of the mount that blocked the suns. Agatha tighten her fist and dropped her shack for she would not need it, but she keep her curveblade and the rags she had covering her body. She climbed the steps and with which step came a thought of doubt and to counter that doubt she remember the voice's word as if they were her mothers own. Then came every thought of her pain and suffering of her past she again counter with words from her mother and Ripa playing over and over in her head, and kept pushing on. After one hour of painful climbing and trotting she made it to the top of the mount. Here she was, finally after a month of pain, turmoil, striving and hunger she made it. She stood proud and mighty upon the mount and as the winds flowed through her hair she used the last of her strength of yet out one final cry. "Victory!" she cried in the Sangheili tongue. "Victory!" she cried out again. Her voice echoed out into the valley far and wide as if she was shaking the earth. And with her strength gone she collapsed on the mount's end. And as she was starting to lose her consciousness and vision she laid on her back, sightly laughing. And then she saw a purple blur and shadowy figures approaching her. She did nothing and closed her heavy eyes and fell under a spell of slumber.