Note to readers:Hey everyone! Here we are on Chapter 99 can you believe it!? I know I can't! I hope you all have had enough time to catch up with the rest of the chapters. I thank you for your patience and support. New readers I welcome you guys with open arms! With the Phoenix Ashes's arch now finished we begin The Second Arc "The Black Power" arch. PLEASE ENJOY! AS I PRESENT TO YOU CHAPTER 99!
Chapter 99: A Cursed Destiny
Meanwhile In Zaloz...
Swinging open the doors to Derrith's room Yugi sprinted ahead as he felt panic slowly take hold of him. "I-I don't understand! What are The Wizards Of The Black Circle doing here!?" the scarlet eyed male cried running blindly through the large castle halls. {I'm afraid even I hold no knowledge of that Yugi...} Atem murmured softly within him. "Either way I HAVE to get out of here! If I remain in this castle I'll end up placing Derrith and the others in danger! But where exactly IS the way out!?" Yugi questioned as his eyes darted back and forth before he heard a whisper from nearby.
"Who's there?!" Yugi asked turning his gaze towards the voice. Just across from him Kindness stood waving him over. Not wasting any time the scarlet eyed male hurried over to her nearly out of breath. "K-Kindness...I-I have to...h-hurry and find...a way...out of the castle...can you help me please!?" Yugi asked. "Yes, follow me." Kindness murmured and ran in the opposite direction as the scarlet haired male followed behind her going down many sets of winding stair cases.
"Here. This is the entrance that leads to Juniper's castle." Kindness told Yugi as he looked towards the door. "Thanks. Sorry about all this but I just can't stay any longer...if I did I'd only place you and the others in danger...some really nasty people have arrived on Zaloz...and i'm afraid their after me and my friends...just do me a favor and stay in the castle for awhile...I don't want you getting hurt either." Yugi murmured. "Thanks for the warning...you be sure to be careful as well..." "Oh...and Kindness." "Hmm? What is it Yugi?" "...Thank...Thank you for everything..." the scarlet eyed male offered a smile.
"Of course...it was the least I could do...now go." "Right." Yugi nodded before he hurried off. "AND NEXT TIME I'LL PAY YOU BACK! THAT'S A PROMISE!" the scarlet eyed male yelled out to as Kindness watched Yugi disappear from her sight. "Take care...Yugi...Atem..." she whispered with a hint of a smile before he made her way inside the castle closing the doors behind her. At the top of the castle Derrith sat in the window pouring red wine into her class swirling it around as she took looked upon the scene before her while Weldon approached his sister from behind.
"Did you complete it?" Derrith mused upon his arrival. "NOW! What KIND of QUESTION is THAT my DEAR sister...!? Hmm?" Weldon snickered. "Your answer brother dear?" "YOU worry FAR too MUCH! But of COURSE I did, now no MATTER where he HIDES...we shall FIND him..." the BriarBlood assured her. "...Good...then we need do anything more...however...I do wonder what the poor dear will do...when he learns the truth..." Derrith pondered. "AH! Well ONE can not be SURE now CAN they? But MY bet's on HIM going BLOODY mad..." Weldon chuckled with amusement at just the mere thought of it. "...Yes...we'll soon see...won't we...?" the queen murmured as she took a sip of the wine in her glass.
Yugi continued to run until he finally arrived at Juniper's kingdom square where a large marble fountain was situated. The scarlet eyed male took his hand and gathered up the cold water and splashed some of it on his face. "Phew...i'm exhausted...I don't think...I've ever run that fast...since I was trying to get my puzzle back from Bandit Keith..." Yugi confessed needing a breather. {It would seem The Wizards aura is growing more faint in this particular area...} Atem pointed out.
"Yeah i'm noticing that too..." Yugi murmured as he looked around watching the people go about as normal buying food from the market place and talking amongst one another. It was then Yugi recalled what Daunte had mentioned. He had spoken of a magical barrier which The City Of White Magic Juniper contained. And those whom came within it that had powers of dark origin became rendered nearly powerless. "...I think i'm beginning to understand now...The Wizards Of The Black Circle's aura isn't as strong here because they arn't able to come this distance due to Juniper's barrier..." Yugi began.
{What do you mean?} "Well thank about it...Ogron and the others ooze dark magic...so stepping into a barrier that works almost like a ward to such...would be quite risky for them...maybe even fatal...and the reason we can't sense their aura very well here is because they arn't in Juniper...but instead they're-" {On the other side...the place Daunte originates from...Agethrim...} Atem concluded. "Yeah...i'd say that's a pretty safe bet...the real question is...what are THEY doing here?..." Yugi narrowed his eyes.
{Well...whatever it is...it is certain it's not anything that will lead to others well being...} Atem muttered which only caused Yugi to frown. "So...what do you think we should do Atem? If we leave here and head back to Covenant...there's no telling what the outcome will be..." the scarlet eyed male bit down on his lip. The Pharaoh only let out a soft sigh. {In this situation...there's no true right or wrong answer Yugi...you must do what it is YOUR heart believes in.} Atem murmured before Yugi clenched his fists at his side.
"Well then! I guess I'm going to Agethrim!" the scarlet eyed male cried and ran as fast as he could in the direction of the Yin/Yang bridge. Without any further hesitation Yugi hurried across however the further he ventured the harder it was to breathe as the air all around him began to thicken with a potent miasma. With each step his body began to feel heavy like led and with a purple mist making it impossible to see ahead only made matters much worse. His strength giving out Yugi tripped colliding hard with the ground.
{Yugi! Are you alright?!} Atem asked as he got down beside Yugi as the scarlet eyed male struggled to lift himself up. "Y-Yeah...I'm just a bit tired..." he assured the Pharaoh. "...When Daunte said it would take three days to cross...I thought he was exaggerating...but I guess not..." Yugi huffed before Atem held out his hand. {Here...} "Thanks." the scarlet eyed male smiled and took the Pharaoh's hand only to yanked back down by something before Yugi's eyes widened.
"...Uh oh..." the scarlet eyed male began. {What's wrong?} Atem questioned. "My foot...it's...ugh...stuck...I must've snagged it in between planks when I fell..." Yugi murmured. {Then we'll just had dislodge it...hold onto me and I'll pull you out.} the Pharaoh advised. "Alright." Yugi nodded and held onto Atem. {...1...2...3!} Atem counted but when he yanked Yugi free the surface underneath them collapsed into the Black Sea below them and Yugi with it.
Yugi plunged into the pitch black water before he slowly opened his eyes. While holding his breathe the scarlet eyed male swam upwards and gasped once he reached beyond the water coughing the water a frigid hell as cold as ice. "...Well th-that w-was...un-unexpe...unexpected..." the scarlet eyed male's teeth chattered as his body shivered reacting to the sudden change in temperature. {Indeed it was...I was not expecting the part of the bridge to collapse...but we'll worry about that later...we need to get you out of the water...} Atem murmured as he gaze at Yugi with concern holding him close.
"Y-Yeah...thou-though...I-I'm begin-begining t-to seri-serious won-wonder if I-I'm cur-cursed..." Yugi shivered before he jumped hearing what sounded like cannon fire as shades of red pieced beyond the purple smog. "W-What was t-that!?" the scarlet eyed male cried as the Pharoah and Yugi turned their direction towards the sound echoing in the distance. {I'm not sure what that is honestly...perhaps we should attempt to get closer so that we can get a better view} Atem suggested. "G-Good idea..." Yugi nodded before he swam further out into the black waters. Suddenly the scarlet eyed male came to a hault as his eyes widened. Just beyond them laid a large ebony ship with the Black Family's crest upon it.
Back In Domino City...
"Bloom get behind me!" Kaiba spat as he narrowed his eyes revealing his hidden blades. "And as for you...i'm going to send you back to wherever you came from!" the CEO snarled and charged towards the stranger only evoking an amused chuckle from the firey red head. "You got spunk kid...let's see your moves..." Blaze taunted the blue eyed male. "You'll regret saying those words!" Kaiba hissed not backing down for even a minute.
"SETO WAIT!" Bloom cried before she narrowed her eyes and looked at rainbow flame tattoo. "Oh I hope this works..." the red head prayed as the faerie recalled the incantation Artemis Moon uttered upon its creation. "I summon the guardian's power... that keeps watch over the night...open this path before me...to pure starlight...I Bloom Faerie of The Phoenix Fire call upon stars of the Moon and Sun...COME FORTH WITH THIS FIRE IGNITE TOGETHER AS ONE! WINX CELESTIX!
Bloom cried out as her tattoo came to life before her very eyes and engulfed her in colored fire transforming her into an evolved version of her Celestix form her entire outfit made out of pure flame wrapped around her body with her hair pink with blue highlights and diamond eye shadow that glistened around her eyelids. A crescent moon on her left cheek with two stars surrounding it. Her wings also made up of the same flames which burned in her a new power upon the likes no one had ever seen. Like a butterfly bursting from within its cocoon.
"...WOAH!" Bloom exclaimed as she looked herself over. She felt two times no THREE times stronger than she had before. Everyone staring in awe as they came to see the commotion coming from outside the door. "...HOLY FUCK!" were only words Blaze could utter. "...Now...what was it you were saying about playing with fire?" Bloom mused as she walked over towards the stranger. A bead of sweat fell down Blaze's face. If he did take her on it was almost certain he'd lose. "Well THIS wasn't part of the plan...guess I'll just have to improvise..." the red head mused before he quickly vanished into flames right before Kaiba could get to him.
"...Well that was anti climatic..." Bloom mused before she reverted back to normal. "Tell me about it...just what the hell did that freak of nature want with me anyways?" Kaiba scoffed. "I don't really know...but if he does show up again we'll be ready for him!" the faerie exclaimed before she paused seeing everyone had been watching them. Without even a word Carlos fell backwards out of pure shock as Selina quickly caught him before he could hit the floor. "Carlos!" both Bloom and Selina cried.
"It must've been too much for him to handle..." Akiba whispered to Takuna. "Probably...but now we have a bigger problem..." "...Yeah I know..." Akiba frowned worriedly. "Well that's a normal reaction for a human being exposed to magic all of a sudden..." Raeger admitted. "Yeah. I probably would've passed out to when I heard I was a faerie if they had transformed right there on the spot..." Roxy agreed as she petted Loore whom noticed something on the floor and hopped off the faerie lap making her way over to it.
"Well I hardly blame him. The beauty of a faerie would overwhelm anyone's heart." Stella giggled. "Modest as usual..." Roxy sighed. "I didn't mean to cause him to pass out though!" Bloom cried worried over her friend. "He'll be fine...it's not like he didn't know about the exsistance of magic...but seeing a powerful display of it...made it a little TOO real...if you know what I mean..." Selina tried to explain. "After what I've seen...that doesn't phase me one bit..." Duke deadpanned.
"Uh guys...we got a problem..." Loore spoke up. "A problem? What do you mean Loore?" Bloom questioned before the familiar pointed her paw in the direction of a small fire with something burned within it. "IF YOU WANT YOUR BROTHER BACK COME TO ZALOZ" it read within the flames. "...Brother...?" the faerie questioned before she gasped and looked around. "Wait!? Where's Mokuba!?" Bloom questioned before Kaiba stormed over and looked into the flames. Unable to contain the boiling rage inside him the CEO slammed his fist into the wall next to him causing it to crumble. He was so full of anger that he couldn't speak. Not one single word.
"...So that's what...he meant by improvising..." Bloom murmured before she turned her head as Joey came inside the room with Aster following behind him. "HEY EVERYONE! JOEY'S BACK! AND I BROUGHTA FRIEND!" the blonde beamed before he paused noticing the heavy tension in the room. Aster tilted his head before he walked over towards the firey message. {That's a flamogram...Blaze's handiwork...no doubt about it...he was here...} Aster concludes before he eased himself back up to his feet.
"What dis fire doin in da middle of da room like dis...?" Joey questioned. "You tryin ta roast marshmellows without meh?" the blonde teased but silence was the only thing that followed. Ok NOW he was begining to get creeped out. "...Anyone...?" Joey questioned before Duke walked over. "Will you please just shut your mouth for once in your life?!" Duke whispered loudly. "Kaiba if you havn't been too dumb to notice is on the verge of murderous intent..." the dice master informed the blonde.
Joey only raised his brow in confusion. "Why's dat? Cuz one of da male nurses hit on Bloom or somethin? "No you idiot! Look closely at the floor where the flames are..." Duke muttered still keeping his voice down. Slowly the blonde did as Duke instructed before he twisted his mouth. "AH...I get it...notta again...what does dat make like da 6th time...he's goin fer a world record..." Joey muttered under his breath. No wonder Kaiba was steamed. Even Aster didn't understand why Blaze would have to kidnap someone in order to full fill his orders.
Bloom figured it was best to just leave Kaiba alone for now. She knew better than anyone that he was like a ticking time bomb when he was pissed off. "So um...Joey who's you're friend there?" the faerie questioned with a smile. "Oh! Uh right! Dis is Aster. A few years back he went ta Domino High school with Yugi, me and da gang. But den he went ta study abroad. And now he's back! Aster dis is Bloom." "Nice to meet you." Aster bowed politely in response."It's a pleasure to meet you Aster!" Bloom smiled brightly before Joey introduced the rest of the group one by one. Slowly Kaiba turned his gaze away from the wall and towards Aster.
Now that he thought about it. He recalled Wheeler and the others palling around a student that resembled the kid but then one day he just up and left without a word. Little by little the CEO began to diffuse his pent up anger before he paused as he felt a soft tap on his shoulder only to see it was Bloom doing the tapping. "Come on, let's go for a walk. There's a beautiful garden up on the roof that i'm just dying to see!" the red head urged before she took Kaiba's hand in hers and led him away from the group. Unable to protest Kaiba allowed her to do as she pleased.
"Wow! Just look at all the flowers and plants!" Bloom beamed and walked over sniffing one of the white roses. "Flora would love it up here! I'll have to bring her next time." the faerie murmured before she turned towards the suns raised allowing the breeze to blow against her gently. "...The breeze feel so nice..." the red murmured enjoying the weather. Kaiba watched Bloom silently. Although he still had yet to understand it the faerie always seemed to place his heart at ease.
"...I just...don't get it..." Kaiba muttered. "About what?" Bloom questioned softly. "How can you remain so calm and act as if nothing's wrong?! You just fell out a window and were in the intensive care unit and yet it's as if nothing ever happened!" the CEO exclaimed frustrated clenching his fists at his side until his knuckles turned white. "I feel like...everything i've ever known is crashing down upon me...I've ALWAYS just been Seto Kaiba the CEO of Kaiba Corp...and nothing else...in fact that's all I thought i'd ever be...I was content that way...but then I recieved that letter...and met you...after that happened...nothing was ever the same..." Kaiba only frowned as she looked downwards. "...I've been afraid to ask this...for awhile now...but...do you regret it...? You don't have to sugar coat it either...just because it's me...I just...have to know..." the faerie murmured before she paused as she felt Kaiba's arm wrap around her warmly from behind. Afraid if he let her go that she might vanish also.
"At first...all I had was my obsession...to be the greatest duelist that ever lived...reclaiming my title back from Yugi that he took from me...even when Atem returned to once he came...I couldn't bring myself to accept my new reality...so I slaved endlessly to search for a way to bring my one and only rival back from the dead...to settle things once and for all...that was ALL I had to hold onto...I had no other purpouse...but then...I met you...and all of that changed...it's only then that I realised...why I was so obsessed with chasing the Pharoah and Yugi's shadow...the real truth was...Yugi and Atem...had something I didn't..." Kaiba began as the CEO slowly turned Bloom around so his blue eyes met hers.
"A reason...to exist beyond a purpose...I didn't understand it back then...but the bond between them is what made them so strong...to be able to withstand whatever crossed their path...it was made clear to me when Atem returned to the world of the living...they had a love that transcended time and space...even death couldn't break the ties between them...to be honest I thought the very notion of love or romance was just utter nonsense...it was just to help the weak find reasons to run away from true strength...so do I regret it? No...despite what happens from this point on...I know I can overcome anything...BECAUSE I have you..." Kaiba told her as she stood there nearly speechless.
"...Seto..." Bloom murmured as she gazed upon the sweet smile that he only showed to her. "I feel the same way..." she confessed before each leaned in towards the other sharing a sweet yet tender kiss gently breaking off after a moment. "B...By the way I have a favor to ask..." Kaiba murmured as he averted his gaze from the red head with his cheeks tinted red. "Hmm...?" "...Would you mind...if I held onto your pendant for a little while longer...?" Bloom paused before she only offered him a sweet smile. "Sure..." she murmured. After all he was going to need it if he was going after Mokuba. He didn't need to say anymore.
"...Amazin..." Joey murmured softly as he watched from a crack in the roof's door. He'd had never thought it was possible. But here it was right smack dab in his face. It was the first time Joey had actually seen Kaiba smile. Instead of that grin that always creeped him out. "Is everything ok?" Aster questioned as he came up behind the blonde causing Joey nearly to jump out of his skin.
"Yikes! Bud dun sneak up on meh like dat...it ain't good fer meh heart..." Joey cried as he placed his hand on his chest. "Oh sorry." Aster apologized. "Ah nah! No worries...though I am troubled by all of dis..." "...You mean the message in the flames?" "Yeah...I guess I should probably fill ya in on everything's dats happened...but believe meh it's even wackier dan what I wrote bout in meh letters ta ya. Den again...it may not seem SO crazeh considerin what ya shared with meh...are ya still...missin...ya know...yer memories?..." Joey questioned.
Aster had told him a long time ago that much like the case with the Pharoah he had lost all of his memories. Not only that but he could see things before they happened. It sounded insane at the time but after everything they'd been through nothing seemed impossible anymore. "...Yeah..." Aster answered softly nearly being knocked over as Joey slapped the blonde on the back. "I see, dun sweat it! I'm sure you're bound to member something eventually!" he assured him. "...Right...thanks Joey..." "Dun mention it!" Joey grinned before they both paused watching snow slowly starting to pour down on them from the sky.
"Hey look snow! How bout dat! Eh Aster!?" Joey exclaimed before Aster looked up towards the sky. Suddenly a pained gasp escaped the blonde causing him to be brought to his knees. Quickly Joey got down to Aster's side almost immediately as Aster clutched his head crying out in pain. "ASTER! ASTER! WHAT'S WRONG!? BUD TALK TA ME!" Joey cried as worried glistened in his eyes. Aster could only faintly hear someone call out to him as vision of snow piling up onto the ground flashed in his head the snow. Blood dripping slowly staining the pure white snow a deep crimson red.
"ASTER! SPEAK TA ME!" Joey cried again and reached out touching him before Joey gasped as a flood of images poured into him only to disappear as soon as he removed his hand. {...W...What da hell...was dat...?} the blonde questioned as he felt his heart pound in his chest before Aster finally broke from the trance he was under. Quickly Joey turned his attention back towards Aster. "Bud! Are ya alright!? You were seriously freakin out!" Joey exclaimed. "Y-...Yeah...I think so..." Aster huffed nearly out of breath feeling his heart race as well.
"Come on...I'll help ya up." Joey offered and held out his hand. Aster only nodded softly before he grasped his hand being pulled up to his feet. "Thanks...i'm not sure what happened just now...but I think i'm gonna go lie down for a bit...excuse me..." Aster murmured and turned around leaving. {If only I could tell him...everything...} Joey could only watch Aster's back until he was out of his sight. The blonde swallowed hard. Just now. What he saw. It almost mimicked that dream he had been having for the past several nights.
But what exactly did it all mean anyways? And why did he react that way from just coming in contact with him. And why did his heart ache watching him walk away? He didn't understand ANY of it. Joey reached out cupping his hand catching snow flakes in his palms. It was if he was remembering something in his heart that his mind refused to reveal to him. The blonde looked over towards the flowers nearby and let out a sigh. "...Why do I feel...so damn conflicted...? It's as if...one part of me...is screamin ta go after Aster...and another wants to go find Flo...what's happening to me...?" Joey trembled falling to his knees as he held his head.
Meanwhile Near Chris GoldenWater's Manor...
"It's no use! We've been all over Domino City and we havn't found a trace of either Layla or Marik!" Flora cried out as she took a seat on a nearby bench most of her energy already spent. "They've gotta be around here somewhere!" Amourette exclaims. "After all most people don't vanish without a trace." the blunette spoke up as she continued pursuit. "But I asked the trees and flowers, but they couldn't see them either...I'm REALLY getting worried..." Flora confessed.
"...They couldn't? Then...could it be...that they're in a pocket dimension...?" Amourette questioned more to herself than to Flora. "...A what now?" "Uh...well...it's like a place that exists outside normal time and space...that may be the reason we can sense their presence but not seem them." the blunette explained. "Well if that is the case then HOW do WE get to them!?" the faerie questioned. "We have to find out where the dimensions link to this world is...if we do that then we can help them escape!" Amourette told Flora.
"Then I guess we better keep looking and see if we can find anything that even looks a little bit suspicious." Flora murmured as she eased herself up from the bench and began to search the area yet again. "Right!" the blunette nodded and aided her in her quest. Though the task nearly seemed impossible. "You said you can feel their presence right?" Flora mused. "Mhm...more or less...though it's not very strong because of the interference of the barrier...protecting the dimension..." Amourette murmured.
"Alright then! I'll try my Celestix power! WINX CELESTIX!" Flora cried out before she was wrapping in stardust transforming into her faerie form. Amourette only stared in awe. It must've been SO cool to be a faerie and Flora was so pretty. The blunette looked at her back. She wondered what it would be like to have beautiful sparkling wings like that. Compared to Flora she was so plain. But the kind faerie couldn't help but notice the frown manifesting on her friend's face.
"Amourette what's wrong sweetie? You looked really sad just now..." Flora frowned in return. The blunette only shook her head. "I-It's nothing! I was just thinking to myself is all!" Amourette quickly tried to cover up her real feelings. "A-Anyways! Did you have an idea Flora-Chan?" the blunette questioned the faerie. "Yes I think so. When we became Celestix faerie's we gained the power to travel in-between dimensions and planets...so if I use that ability I should be able to find the connecting point between the two worlds..." Flora told her.
"Then go for it!" Amourette exclaimed. "Here goes nothing! PETAL VORTEX!" Flora cried as she mustered all her power to summon a storm of pink and white petals that looked like stars shooting across the sky. "Oh whisper of the flowers lead me to where our friends hide!" the faerie called out before the petals changed direction and struck against a statue situated on the mansion it emanating a faint glow. "FOUND IT! AMOURETTE NOW!" Flora exclaimed.
"OUI!" Amourette cried out before she summoned lightning into her hand and crafted from it an bow and arrow aiming it toward the statue. Sending a bolt of lightning towards the statue the blunette hit it with one mighty blow before the statue broke the dimension hiding their friends shattering like a broken mirror. "FLORA! AMOURETTE!" Layla cried as she turned her gaze towards them before redirecting her focus back on Bakura.
From her feet to her head Layla was covered in wounds beat up while Marik lay at her feet in a pool of blood unconcious not moving a inch. The dark skinned faerie barely seemed to be holding on exsausted from her battle with Bakura. Quickly Flora caught Layla as her feet gave out from under her the faerie of flowers ready to take her place. Bakura however only paused sensing something before he only grinned laughing. There was no need to waste anymore time of the likes of them.
"It would seem today lady luck favors you...but make no mistake...I shall be back..." Bakura warned before he vanished in darkness. But Amourette was troubled by the smile he wore. Either way there was no time for that. She had to act quickly or Marik would be lost to them and hurried to his side. "Layla! What on Earth happened to you two!?" Flora cried out worried. "...Bakura...ambushed Marik...trying to get the blood scroll in his possession...but pulled him into the shadow realm...so I tracked him down and used...my powers to get in...but I couldn't get us out...he had complete control...and he struck Marik down...it was all I could do...to hold him off...even with my new powers..." Layla trembled as tears flowed down her eyes. "P-Please we have to help Mar-Marik!" the dark skinned faerie pleaded.
"...It's no good...these wounds...a healing spell...won't work..." Amourette shook as a bead of sweat trickled down her face. "W-Won't work! What do you mean!?" Layla screamed as Nabu's sacrifice flashed through her head. She couldn't! Not again! the dark skinned faerie struggled to move but could barely budge from where she sat. {...There's not any choice...forgive me for this Layla...} Amourette pleaded silently before she lifted Marik up and pressed her lips fully against his kissing him.
"A-AMOURETTE!?" Flora cried out horrified yet shocked. Even Layla's mouth hung open trying to process the scene playing out before them. "H-How coul-How Could y-" the dark skinned faerie couldn't even finish her thoughts. "Layla! Wait just a moment!" Flora exclaimed as Layla was about ready to tear the blunette limb from limb. Both faeries paused as they gazed forward watching as the blood seeping out from under Marik began to slow the gashed on his body mending themselves rapidly. Almost as if time was flowing in reverse.
{I...Is this enough...?} Amourette questioned before she slowly unlatched herself from the tomb keeper's lips. "...H-His wounds...they're..." Flora began. "...Completely gone..." Layla finished flabbergasted. What just happened? "I-I'm terribly sorry!" the blunette blurted out bowing in apology before she huffed out of breath holding her chest. "I...I didn't mean...to upset you...Layla...but...that was...the only way...to save him..." Amourette explained winded.
"...I don't understand...exactly WHAT it is that you did..." Layla confessed. "O...Oh...right...as Elementals...we can control elements...but advanced users...can also manipulate aura...when healing magic isn't enough...we can transfer our aura into someone of our...choosing...by making...direct contact...to mend critical...or even fatal wounds...but...in exchange...we use...a lot of...our...mana...or magic you could say..." Amourette told Layla out of breath. It was amazing. Despite how fragile Amourette seemed she was actually a lot tougher and more powerful than either of them could give her credit for.
Layla only felt her eyes swell up with tears as they flowed escaping down her face. Without any further hesitation the dark skinned faerie got to Marik's side and held him close weeping with joy. "I was so afraid...I was going to lose him...just like I lost Nabu..." Layla sobbed. Flora began to open her mouth before Amourette's voice broke the silence. "Now way,I wouldn't let that happen...cuz you're my friend too Layla!" the blunette smiled warmly. Layla only smiled in return. "Best friends!" Flora added with a smile as she grabbed both of them in a group hug before Marik groaned slowly coming too. Flora and Amourette removed themselves allowing Layla and Marik to be alone. Layla hugging the tomb keeper tightly crying tears of joy.
"Isn't that great...Layla...?" Amourette smiled as a sadness glistened her eyes as her own tears fell down her cheeks. She too being reminded of the love she lost. A feeling she never wanted ANYONE to experience the way she and Layla had to. Flora frowned as she remembered Joey's words to her. {"Amourette's got alot on her plate...dealin with da loss of da vampire king an all...Turns out day were actually an item...who woulda thought it huh? I just can't imagine da pain she's goin through...more dan anythin...I tink she needed someone ta listen ta her...ya know?"} Flora slowly walked over to the blunette and hugged her close to her as Amourette wept bitter sweet tears.
Back In Covenant...
Yuki sat on the couch back in Raeger's cabin with a bunch of test tubes with different colored liquid in them mixing each vile into the other with immense focus. So much so that he wasn't even using energy to blink. With crystal set out in front of him the black haired male took one of the several crystals and dropped it into one of the bigger vials emitting a pink fog briefly. Slowly Yuki picked up a spoon and began to stir the mixture with great precision.
"Yuki's been at it for three days straight now..." Techna murmured watching him among the others left behind. "My guess is that he understands Kaiba's desire to protect Bloom in his own way." Froste spoke up as he crossed his arms. "That's why he's giving it his all to help him in his pursuit for strength." Froste continued. "Maybe but there ARE limits you know!" Techna argued.
"Speaking of which has that girl woken up yet? You know the one we found three days ago out in the snow..." Musa questioned as she sipped the coffee in her hand. "No not yet." Bright shook his head as he tended to to the fire place. "Who IS she anyways?" Cupid questioned as he walked inside with his arms full of fire wood. "She's Katori the princess of Elixer which Lord Loric rules over." the knight explained.
"Elixer huh? So the little girl is pretty far away from home isn't she?" Cupid mused. "Well we probably won't learn anything else UNTIL she wakes up. Up until now I thought Stella was the only one who could sleep like a log." Musa giggled slightly. "Either way it's quiet without the others around...and i'm afraid I havn't been able to gather much data either on the gems we're looking for ...I've been TRYING to create a program that will help pinpoint their location...but it's more difficult than I thought it would be..." she sighed heavily.
"I doubt it'll be THAT easy..." Froste interrupted with a scoff. "I have to admit...he's got you there Techna." Musa murmured. "...I take you're referring to The Gems Of Destiny..." Yuki murmured as he shoved a spoonful of pudding in his mouth that was situated on the table. "Yes that's correct." "In that case...*chew* I already *swallow* know *gulp* where one is...*slurp* Yuki informed them washing down the pudding with a cup of coffee placing sugar cup after sugar cube in it."...EH!?" nearly everyone cried out at once. "reaching it...however...*slurp* is another...matter *munch* entirely..." Yuki added in afterwards.
"...Wait are you referring to the legend of The Black Power?" Bright questioned. "Mhmm...you've heard of it as well?" Yuki mused. "The Black Power...could it be like the Black Gift the impherial faerie's gave to us Techna?" Musa questioned. "I highly doubt it...my calculations show at the very least it's precisely 0.3% that it's the same thing." Techna countered before Cupid waved his arms."YOOHOO! LOST OVER HERE! What the heck are you guys talking about anyways!?" Cupid questioned as his head spun around.
"It's an ancient legend that tells of several outcasts that were exiled cast away from their worlds for committing the taboo of using Dark Arcane magic...spells of the Forbidden or Lost one..." Froste began. "A deity SO dark that it came from the very core of the Neitherworld's abyss...The Lord Of Necromancy...a lord between Death and Chaos whom has domain over ALL darkness...together this individuals sought to create their own source of power...one belonging to neither the Gods of the Beyond or The Neitherworld...and with all their power joining together..."The Black Power" manifested into exsistance..." he continued.
"In turn it was proven FAR too powerful for the likes of them to control resulting in a bloody end for them all...the darkness seeped into Zaloz and created a deadly plague devistating all whom lived there in Agethrim...in the end the Elders of Zaloz were left with only one choice...and that was to seal it away...in the core of Requiem's Inner Sactum...and the ONLY thing powerful enough to contain such malevolence..." Froste began.
"Would be a Gem Of Destiny..." Cupid finished as the expression on his face darkened. "Woops! I think I left some wood outside! Clumsy me!" the red head laughed before he made his way outside and closed the door behind him. Slowly Cupid trudged out into the snow as it continued to fall down. "Good evening Cupid..." a figure's voice echoed from nearby as Bakura emerged from the shadows. Cupid paused before a grin spread across his face.
"Well, Well if it ain't Death himself paying me a visit...by the way...that's quite the vessel you've chosen." the red head mused. "In that case I must too compliment you...I am quite impressed with how you were able to gain those children's trust with such ease...but now at long last...patience has paid off...The Phoenix has at long as revealed herself..." "Did she now? So who's the lucky lady?" Cupid questioned. "...Bloom...SHE is the one whom carries the flame that will spell out my demise...so I will act first an ensure that she doesn't become a thorn in my side..." Bakura muttered.
"Which is the part where YOU come in...manipulator of hearts..." Bakura muttered as he walked towards him ceasing movement as his head was turned the opposite side of Cupid's."So…what is it you expect me to do exactly?" Cupid questioned in return. Bakura only grinned as he held out a vile filled with a mixture of purple and pink liquid."Luckily I've taken care of that…you see I've taken the liberty to concoct a special mixture that should easily tilt the scale's of fate in your favor…one sip of this and she'll be powerless to resist your alluring charm…" Bakura mused and placed the vile in the palm of Cupid's left hand.
"I assure you it shall come in quite handy for this task…then once you've ensnared her in your spell…take her…doing so will seal away her powers and she shall no longer be considered a threat…and you of course shall be rewarded with your utmost desire…." The snow haired male whispered the last part in his ear before he vanished all at once. Slowly Cupid's gaze turned toward the bottle he now held before the red head shook his head.
"TCH! What's there to even think about!? I could care less of what befalls that naïve little girl…as long as I get what I want…I'll do anything…even if it means dirtying my own hands…" Cupid muttered as he closed his eyes tightly trembling. And yet. Although those were the words his mouth may have spoke. There was apart of him that was hesitant to carry out the deed he'd been bestowed. Cupid was the last survivor of his family. The heir to the Cupid legacy. For centuries they had bestowed love and hope upon others as their gift to those whoms heart truly connection and opened up in turn showing that kindness to others.
For the Cupid's possessed a rare and unique power to influence and manipulate ones heart. They could even see an individuals soul mate written above their head. But all that changed when a curse was cast upon their family. Should any Cupid ever fall in love themselves their loved ones would be struck down by death. Forced to watch their beloved die before their eyes as would they be doomed to by one Cupid watched his family perish at the result of their own doing. Unable to do anything as a child and as he grew into a young man things only worsened. He then came to a terrifying conclusion. That he'd be forced to remain alone for the rest of his days. But the bitterness and hatred of those blessed with happiness around him ran deeply indeed.
He cursed his nature when he could not grasp such a joy for himself. He was tired of that kind of life. That took everything away from him. It was for that reason that he decided he had to break the cycle of never ending pain and if Bakura held a means to that end then he would do as he asked. There was no choice. There was no other path for him take then this one. "...I guess...I really am cursed after all..." Cupid murmured to himself with a small chuckle as sadness and conflict glistened in his eyes. With one sweep of the wind Cupid too disappeared leaving on rose petals behind.
RATE AND REVIEW! And maybe I'll write another chapter :D