Fan Fiction ❯ A War of Three Nations ❯ Chapter Five: The Keepers of Light and Lightning ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: You know the drill! XD

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

A War of Three Nations

 

Chapter Five:Keepers of Light and Lightning

 

A day and a half later, the company arrived at the city gates of Jarner. Preia looked around wide eyed, her lips drawn in a wide grin. It was so different! Where the houses of Fayrie were made of marble, the houses of Gaia were made of dark wood, the streets cobblestone and neko-jins going about their daily business. It was almost overwhelming for one who had only ever seen two neko-jins before in her life.

Aceline paused by Preia when they stopped in the town square, King Rai's procession continuing along towards the other end of the city, towards the capital city Mirask.

"I'm going to get you a room and then escort King Rai back to Mirask before coming back. You're to stay here until I return, understood?"

"I'll stay here; you can trust me General Aceline." Preia replied, grinning at the general. The neko-jin nodded before trotting off to find a suitable inn.

Slipping from her saddle, Preia turned and leaned back against Night Runner, watching the many neko-jins passing by. Her left eyebrow rose when she saw that many of the passing people were sending strange looks towards her. 'You'd think they'd never seen an elf before.' she mused, then shrugged, looking around in excitement.

 

`I can't believe I'm in Gaia!'

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

The Gaian Mountains


Nakamura and his two companions arrived at the front of a cave near the top of the tallest mountain.

"Holy hell it's cold," Ishikawa said, wrapping himself tighter in his cloak.

"The eye is looking inside the cave," Nakamura said, taking the first steps inside.

"So, you think he's dead?" Ka-Rosu asked Nakamura.

"I think he might be dead," Nakamura said. "I never said that he was."

"But even if he's alive, he's old. Do you still think he could help Malo?" Ka-Rosu asked.

"I never said anything about helping Malo," Nakamura said matter-of-factly.

"Nakamura, that's treason," Ka-Rosu said warningly.

"Relax. I meant the swords weren't going to anyone. We're gonna keep them," Nakamura almost laughed.

"Hey! Over here!" Ishikawa called from further inside the cave. Nakamura and Ka-Rosu rushed over to where Ishikawa was and gasped.

"He is dead. And he's been that way for awhile," Ka-Rosu said, looking at the skeletal remains of Touchi Takematsu.

"But look," Ishikawa pointed at the blade inside their master's ribcage. "He killed himself."

"Wouldn't you if you lived in this freezing cold?" Nakamura asked.

"So what now?" Ka-Rosu asked, but already knowing the answer.

"The summoning spell," Nakamura said in a low voice.

 

"I don't understand. It should've worked," Nakamura exclaimed ten minutes later, looking down at the ingredients to his failed summoning spell.

"Maybe you did it wrong, or maybe you used the wrong spell," Ishikawa said.

"Do not mock my intelligence!!!" Nakamura shouted, causing Ishikawa to jump back. "He chooses not to return."

"What does this mean?" Ka-Rosu asked.

"It means, I'll have to go and find him myself," Nakamura growled, raising a small dagger out of his cloak. "I want you to cast a revival spell in exactly twenty minutes," was all he said before plunging the dagger deep into his own heart.

Purgatory

"Master Takematsu!" Nakamura shouted, running around many spirits in his search.

"Mura?" Nakamura heard someone call him from behind. Nakamura turned around and came face to face with Touchi Takematsu.

"Why have you ignored my summons?" Nakamura asked angrily.

"I have my reasons," Touchi replied harshly.

"Why kill yourself?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"TELL ME!!!" Nakamura screamed. Touchi looked at him and grinned.

"What is it that you really want? You didn't come for your master. You want the swords don't you?" Touchi asked.

"Yes. I want the swords."

"Well, you can't have them. I'm sorry for giving you the swords you three have. But you won't get the rest," Touchi said with a smirk.

"You son of a bitch," Nakamura growled, earning him a deadly scowl from Touchi.

"I would be very careful if I were you. You're already treading on thin ice," Touchi threatened.

"You sent us on a search for something you have no desire of us finding. For what purpose were we sent out for if not to find the swords?"

"The gems, you fool. Find the gems and bring them to Malo."

Mortal Realm

Nakamura gasped for breath as Ishikawa finished the revival spell and began coughing something terrible.

"Did you find him?" Ka-Rosu asked.

"Do you know where the swords are?" Ishikawa asked.

"We don't need them. We're searching for the gems now," Nakamura growled, before slowly sinking into his shadow, followed by Ishikawa and Ka-Rosu.

 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Saleh rode non-stop through the night. Somewhat surprised he had not caught up to King Rai's escort yet, he shook off the thought of rest and continued riding well into the evening. Reaching the top of a higher hill, his eyes fell upon the Gates of Fayrie, which lay before him. "It's been awhile..." Saleh said aloud to himself, letting the light breeze carry his words down the hillside in its gust. After a few more minutes of traveling, he had arrived at the Gates.

As he approached, two guards arranged their spears in an X shape in front of Saleh and his steed. A third guard stepped up to the side of Saleh's steed and spoke, "May I see your papers?" the guard asked. Reaching into the satchel he wore around his back, he pulled a passport identifying him as a Knight of The Fayrie House. The guarded nodded to the other two and handed Saleh back his passport. Stuffing his passport away, he proceeded through the opening gates and galloped off into the sunset.

Riding through the night and into the following afternoon, he found himself staring at the Gates of Jarner. Riding up towards the gates, he again presented his passport to the guards, then proceeded through, riding into the cobblestone street ways of the city. Judging King Rai's escort had passed through this way to Mirask, he figured he would settle at the local inn and wait for Gaia's General to make an appearance. Trotting into the town square, still mounted atop his steed, he began looking off down the various alleys that would have an Inn...

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

It was becoming late afternoon and Rye was still wandering the streets of Jarner. He still didn't know what he was doing, but was waiting for some kind of sign, for he knew something big was brewing.

Rye turned into an alley and walked with his head low. When he raised his eyes, he saw something enter the alley in front of him. He thought nothing of it and looked down again. As the two walked closer towards each other, Rye looked up again and became very uneasy. What came closer to him was a man in pearly white armor and a gold cape, riding a horse. Rye's breathing became shallow and in a panic he turned around and walked quickly in the direction he came.

He must be one of Jarner's patrol guards. What do I do, they must know I've entered the city and want my head for it. Stand and fight? No, that'll get me into more trouble. Why won't they just listen to me when I say I mean no harm?

Overwhelmed by his own thoughts, Rye began to walk faster, looking over his shoulder from time to time. He knew he looked suspicious in a black, hooded cloak, and wondered if there was any point to running away. He found it unusual that the man didn't call out to him at all.

Once Rye had stepped out of the alley and into the street, he began to run, zigzagging in and out of the crowd, pushing people when he had to. He looked back to see if he was being followed and suddenly charged into someone, hard. He heard a female squeal under him as they both tumbled to the ground. Rye managed to somehow place an arm around her to break the fall, for when he raised himself from her body, he noticed it was a girl no older than 18 lying on his arm.

Wincing from a slight pain in his knees and arm he asked, "Are you alright?" as he raised her head and back from the ground. He brushed her black hair from her face, the touch causing her to open and reveal amber eyes.

 

The girl's eyes fluttered open to look into the eyes of the person who had bumped into her.

"I," she started, "I'm so sorry. I should have looked where I was going!" she squealed.

 

Rye stood up and helped the girl to her feet, brushing some dirt off her blouse.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

He looked behind him again and searched for the armored man. As much as he wanted to leave the girl there and run, he wanted to know if he had caused her any injuries.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault," he said not directly at her, but at his surroundings as he looked for his captor.

 

What are you looking for? she thought as she saw the stranger look about his surroundings.

"No, no. I'm completely fine," she said. "And you?"

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Having a sense of confusion within him due to the busy streets surrounding him, Saleh pretty much continued to turn around on his horse, almost as if he were looking for something (an inn). A little further off from where he sat atop his horse, his eyes caught the sight of what appeared to be a cloaked man who hurriedly exited the alleyway and bumped into a woman. Knocking her over, he accomplished the amazing feat of actually catching her before she hit the ground.

Completely unaware of the noble who was also in the busy town square, Saleh turned his steed to face the man who knocked the woman over. Somewhat suspicious of a pick-pocket attempt, Saleh trotted over quietly on his horse to a nearby stable. Handing the stable owner a large satchel filled with gold, he proceeded towards the two people on foot. Saleh closed the distance between himself and the two people silently, not giving away his presence until he was almost standing next to them.

"You there! Identify yourself." Saleh asked of the cloaked man.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

"You there! Identify yourself!"

Rye saw the guard dismount and walk towards him. He began to panic again and grabbed the girl's shoulders, a little more violently than he should have.

"Please trust me, I'm not a bad person, there's been a misunderstanding!" he told her, looking back again at the guard closing in on him. "Please, would you hide me?!"

 

The girl was shaken at the request. What to do? The warrior approached, and he appeared to be with the visiting court that had graced Jarner and caused rumors to fly, but as she turned to the man who pleaded for help, she knew almost immediately that he was telling the truth.

Maybe he's not a bad person, her mind warned, but that doesn't mean he hasn't done bad things, or will do them...

"Come! Follow me," she said responding to his desperate begging for help and took him by the wrist and ran away from the elf that had been making his way towards them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

"You there! Identify yourself!" Preia's ears perked at the familiar voice, but when she turned, the crowds simply blocked her vision.

'Was that Saleh?' she wondered vaguely, wincing when the sudden bustle in the streets took on a new wave of sound, hurting her sensitive ears. The thought vanished with a squeak as she was suddenly pushed and pulled be the throngs of Gaian's swarming around her, Night Runner whinnying in displeasure. Grasping on to her stallions reigns and patting his nose to calm him down, Preia turned to look around a bit.

"You alright Night Runner?" she asked, looking at her horse again. So preoccupied was she in calming her steed that she didn't notice the yellow gem around her neck beginning to give off a faint glow.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Rye let the girl lead him through alleyways and busy streets, glimpsing over his shoulder every now and then to see if they were being followed by the elven guard.

"I think we've lost him," Rye yelled out to the girl after a while, as they continued to run.

As they slowed down in pace, they turned into another alley. Rye poked his head out into the street in search of the guard. When he was satisfied with the thought of losing the guard, he let out a loud sigh, closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall.

"I am in your debt. Thank you," Rye said to the girl, before searching the street again for the guard.

 

"Don't mention it," the girl said to Rye's words of thanks. She caught her breathe and turned to him.

"Maybe now would be a good time," she said, making eye contact with the stranger, "to tell me who you are, and why you are running," She paused.

"Better yet, what are you running from?"

 

Rye adjusted his hood, pulling it further over his face, feeling a little uncomfortable by the eye-contact.

"Perhaps it is best for you not to know," Rye replied, as he turned his back on her, deciding whether he should walk away or not. He thought about telling her who he was but then imagined her screaming and running away.

"My name is Rye Netherdrake. I hope, for my sake, you don't recognize that name."

Shirala Netherdrake, the Neko-jin who bore a demon. But perhaps she is too young to know the story.

"I am unwanted in this city. Let's just leave it at that."

 

"For you to run so quickly, I would imagine as much," the girl said softly.

 

Rye could see the girl looking around nervously, and realized he had carelessly and selfishly involved her.

"I'm sorry for putting you on the spot. You are very kind for helping me, but please, forget you ever met me. You need not worry, they are after me alone."

Having listened somewhat to the conversation, Saleh stepped out from behind a nearby wall with his arms folded across his chest. "Rye Netherdrake huh? That wouldn't happen to be Netherdrake as in the son of Shirala Netherdrake would it?" Saleh asked flauntingly. Realizing that the girl hadn't a clue about Rye's mother, Saleh refrained from further talking about the matter.

Turning to the girl, Saleh spoke, "I'm sorry for being so rude as to not introduce myself. My name's Saleh and I am a royal knight of the Fayrie Court. It's a pleasure to meet you." Turning his attention back to Rye, he spoke again, "You, Rye, I wonder if you would answer me the question of why you keep running from me?" Saleh trailed off.

 

Rye felt as though his blood froze, when the knight named Saleh mentioned his mother's name.

He looked at the girl's confused face then back at the arrogant looking knight.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble, please believe that," Rye said, to both Saleh and the girl. "I cannot help the tainted blood that runs through these veins of mine. All I can do is give you my word that I'm here to help. Something is wrong here, I can feel it, and I only want to find out what it is and warn the people of Gaia."

Rye turned to Saleh and held out his arms. "I understand if you still wish to apprehend me," he said quietly, vaguely noticing the girl bow before skittering off quietly.

 

Noticing the girl skitter away, Saleh let out a low sigh. Speaking again to Rye, Saleh spoke, "As for you, please do not feel so ashamed... friend. Even if I did want to arrest you, which I do not wish to, I don't have the proper authority here to do so. As I said, I'm a Royal Knight of the Fayrian Court, not the Gaian." Saleh looked over his shoulder momentarily, looking to see if he was still in view of the stable's he left his steed at.

Turning back to Rye, he continued. "To be honest with you, Rye, I thought you were trying to pick-pocket that girl when you bumped into her. That was when you first attracted my attention. I see now that it's not the case, so please don't think I'm out to get you..." Saleh paused briefly, deciding to let what he said sink in.

 

Rye let out a breath of relief. He thought there was something strange and different about the Knight and realized he was Elven. Saleh was one of the first elves Rye had ever seen.

"I would never dream of picking a girl's pocket," Rye added, looking sternly into Saleh's eyes.

All of a sudden, Rye felt a sudden, yet pleasant heat on his shoulder. It couldn't have possibly been the sun, for they were standing in the shadows of an alley. Reaching his hand under the cloak and onto his shoulder, he realized the heat source was the crystal keychain he had inherited from his mother, dangling on his shoulder from the hilt of his sword.

His face screwed up with confusion as he threw the right side of his cloak away from him, to reveal his sword. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed the crystal was glowing and it was hot to touch.

"What the hell?" he asked himself, before looking at Saleh.

Then, a thin stream of light shot from the crystal, down the alley. Rye stared at it for sometime, thinking. Then, just like the gut feeling that told him something was wrong in Gaia, a feeling told him to follow the light.

Knowing that his feelings had never failed him before, Rye followed the light path down the alley, without saying a word to Saleh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

The humming at the back of her mind was the first sign Preia noticed that alerted her to something amiss. Something in the air just felt... strange, was the only word she could use to describe it. The air around her made Preia feel slightly light headed, and her eyes suddenly felt suddenly heavily.

The second sign was the sudden burning sensation against the skin of her collar, a yelp escaping her lips as she snapped out of her heady daze, hurriedly pulling and searching for the source of the heat. She found it when she pulled on her necklace's cord, the yellow jewel shining brightly.

"What the... ouch!" Preia hissed, dropping the jewel against the material of her shirt and shaking her hand to try and get rid of the burning sensation. She froze when she felt a sudden tugging at her soul, pulling her towards a nearby alleyway. Eyes narrowed, she hesitantly walked forward, wanting to find out what the feeling was.

When she reached the corner, however, she paused. What if it was a demon? Or some sort of trap? Her hand automatically went to the sword at her side, the young elf gulping quietly.

'I guess I'll just have to check...' and, though slowly, she took the final step around the corner...

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Falling into a jog, Rye hurried in the direction of the light, as though it may disappear at any second. As he came closer to the end of the alley, the light began to dim.

"No, no!" Rye cried with frustration.

This made him pick up a little more speed, but this only made the light dim quicker.

As he turned the corner at the end of the alley, he bumped into someone. He managed to catch himself but the girl he bumped into wasn't so lucky. A natural reaction caused him to reach out and grab her forearm, before reeling her in with the other arm around her waist.

"Whoa, I'm very sorry, are you alright?" he asked her, feeling a little moronic for slamming into another girl.

Rye's voice caught in his throat when he realized he had bumped into a lovely, blonde, elf.

Not knowing quite what to say, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "There are a lot of elves in town today."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Preia hadn't expected to have someone run into her as soon as she turned the corner. A small "Ooof!" coming out in a squeak, she closed her eyes in preparation for impact with the ground.

However, she instead felt a strong hand grab her by the fore arm and spin her a bit, another settling around her waist. Keeping her eyes closed, Preia vaguely wondered if she had run into a pickpocket of some sort.

"Whoa, I'm very sorry, are you alright?" The voice came from the one holding her, and though she felt herself shiver at the tone of the male voice, Preia forced herself to open her eyes and look up, sea green orbs widening with a small gasp.

The man who had caught her couldn't have been much older then her own 18 years. He was more handsome then any of the men she had met in her life, and though usually one to shy away from men in general, she couldn't help looking over the raven-haired mans face. Her eyes narrowed, however, upon noticing his own ruby gems. She had never known anyone, even a neko-jin, to have such rare colored eyes...

"There are a lot of elves in town today." His comment snapping her once more out of her daze, Preia looked up at him again, a question spilling from her lips before she could stop herself.

"Why are your eyes such a vibrant colour?"

 

Hearing the words that came from the elven girl's lips caused Rye to snap back to reality.

He stood up straight and adjusted his cloak, pulling the hood over his head.

"They're a trait from my father. I guess I'm lucky," he said bitterly.

He barely noticed that the stone did not glow or burn anymore, but was still warm. What does it mean?

"Again, sorry for running into you, it was careless of me. You're not hurt are you?"

 

Preia was taken aback slightly by the sudden bitterness in the males tone, but she simply stood up and smoothed the material of her shirt and cloak. Grasping the yellow gem in her hand, she glared at it silently, as if expecting it to give an answer as to why it had suddenly started acting so strangely.

Sighing, she dropped it and turned back to the neko-jin (she assumed he was a neko-jin... he certainly wasn't of elven descent) when he asked if she was hurt.

"No I'm fine, it was probably my fault anyways for coming around the corner so suddenly," she replied, raising an eyebrow at him. "And what's wrong with your eye colour? It's unique and very entrancing." Preia felt like whacking herself on the head after that line. God, stupid much? She sounded like a little girl with a crush on a prince.

Coughing into her palm to try and keep her blush back, she swung her other arm out in front of her, hand out stretched.

"So, sorry about that. I'm Preia Louinia, from Fayrie," she smiled friendly, figuring she'd may as well be nice since he did keep her from landing on her ass.

 

Rye's lips formed a genuine smile, but before he could reply, the girl held out her hand to him and introduced herself. Rye wasn't sure what a man should do in such a situation and was tossing up between shaking her hand or kissing it.

Hesitantly, he shook her hand saying, "Rye Netherdrake, nice to meet you. What is a young elf doing in Gaia?"

 

"Having a little bit of freedom," Preia replied, pulling her hand back and clasping the two between her back. Suddenly remembering that she had left Night Runner in the town square, Preia blanked.

"Shit!" she cursed, whirling and running back towards the mouth of the alleyway. Not expecting to run into anything, she raced headfirst into a person, being pushed backwards by some force. Landing on her but, Preia looked up and growled.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?!"

"Quiet stone wielder! It is for your best interest that you stay with me!" the old gypsy women bellowed, cat eyes narrowed at Preia. The young elf growled and scooted back till she was right in front of Rye again, getting up and un-sheathing her sword, holding it protectively in front of her. Once more unnoticed, the stone around her neck began pulsing in the close proximity to another of its kind.

"Please guardians of light and lightning! I beg of you, trust me! The demons of Malo are coming for you and the stones!" Preia raised a blonde eyebrow.

"Lady, what're you on?" the gypsy women sighed, looking to Rye with begging eyes.

"Please young lord, it is for the protection of you and milady elf. Should the demons find you, I know not of what they would do!"

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shadow, Ka-Rosu and Ishikawa walked out of a house, the residents having met their death to the trio, and found themselves on the main street of Jarner.

"Ishikawa, you go South. Ka-Rosu you go west. I'm gonna search the north side," Nakamura said, before the three split up.

Ka-Rosu melded in and out of buildings, passing the crowd by while searching for the tiniest glint of unnatural light he could find.

Ishikawa leapt from rooftop to rooftop while scanning through the crowd below, hoping to see even one stone wielder. 'The things I'm gonna do before taking that gem,' he thought as he jumped over the town.

Nakamura walked through the crowd with his hood low and his cloak tightly wrapped around his body. He didn't like exposing himself, but he felt it to be the best course of action if he was to find a stone wielder.

That's when Nakamura saw it. To his left he caught sight of two different colored lights. They were hard to notice, but Nakamura couldn't have missed them.

Nakamura grabbed a random passerby before he sank into his shadow and appeared in the alley behind the old gypsy, his hand clasped on the young girl's mouth.

"Please young lord, it is for the protection of you and milady elf. Should the demons find you, I know not of what they would do!"

"May I give them a hint?" Nakamura asked, drawing everybody's attention to himself and the girl. "I believe we would do something sort of like this." Nakamura removed Morthoseth from under his cloak and shoved it straight through the girl's back and held her above his head on the blade as a champion would his trophy, her blood pouring down atop his head.

"For shame, you old bat. Where do you get off ruining someone else's surprise?" Nakamura asked, dropping the girl off of his blade holding the tip of Morthoseth to the gypsy woman's throat.

"And don't try to escape stone wielders. The alley entrance is already blocked." Nakamura said.

At that moment, the stone foundation of the building on either side of them formed walls blocking any possible escape from the alley. Ka-Rosu stepped out of one of the walls and smiled. Ishikawa dropped down from the roof and landed beside Ka-Rosu, closing in the two stone wielders, the gypsy and the blonde haired swordsman between the three demons.

 

Saleh was overcome with feelings of disgust as he watched the demon stab his sword through the common girl's back. Wincing, he stayed hidden behind the nearby corner; faintly detecting the three demons' didn't know of his presence. The situation had changed quite a bit since Preia, nobility of the Fayrie house, were present. `I'll have to protect them and the others by any means...' Saleh though to himself.

Waiting for the closest demon to finish exchanging his words with the old gypsy woman, Saleh stepped out from the corner quietly. Not having much distance to cover, he ran at the demons back and plowed him into the nearby wall using the weight of his armor to guide the force behind his tackle. Doing this opened up the alleyway behind the demon, who was stuck between the wall and Saleh's mass. "Hurry, please run!!! I'll hold them off as long as I can! No... no time for emotions, please, JUST RUN!!!" Saleh said under strain of holding the demon to the wall.

 

Nakamura tried desperately to push away from the wall, but the weight of this new foe was too much. So instead, Nakamura sank into his shadow against the wall and rose up out of the shadows on the ground.

"That was very sneaky." Nakamura said, pressing the man against the wall from behind with his sword at his neck.

"Ishikawa! Ka-Rosu! collect their stones." Nakamura barked.

Ishikawa moved towards Rye while Ka-Rosu moved towards Preia.

 

"Not in your life, demons!" the old gypsy woman barked, stepping in front of the jewel holders. She muttered something and through what looked like an earring onto the ground, a blast of light pushing the demons back and blocking their view. When the light was gone, so were the others.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Reappearing inside what appeared to be a witch's hut, Preia stood a bit shocked in between Saleh and Rye.

"Don't you worry about them following us; this place is protected by an anti-demon barrier that prevents them from tracking us or shadow-morphing inside. In fact, should they so much as touch the barrier they will poison themselves," pulling out a stool, the old gypsy sat down and looked at the three others seriously.

"Now, you all have an immense responsibility upon your shoulders, but we'll talk about that later. First, I want to know how you two came to be holders of those stones," focusing her eyes on Rye, the gypsy gave a small smile. "Now, why don't you start by telling us where yours came from, Rye Netherdrake?"

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

And yet another chapter finished! Now that she's in Gaia, Preia's gotten herself into a mess! What's an elf to do? XD

Amariahellcat

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

XD Big mess indeed! *mutters something about none of her posts being in the chapter* Anyway, on with the stuff.

 

With all my respect (I'm lame, I know XD)

 

I remain,

 

Snowy