Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifice ❯ The Path To Power ( Chapter 33 )

XxXxXx

Sacrifice

By: Melissa Norvell

Chapter 33: The Path to Power

XxXxXx

"Where are we?" Hiroshima asked as the mark of his curse disappeared.

"You were transported a short distance away from the Forest of Illusion," Vespa informed.

"There was no way we could have won that fight," Keiji spoke up. He was a little irritated with Vespa for stacking them against odds that great. She knew perfectly well that she had been asking them to perform the impossible and the witch had practically sent them out to die.

"If I see another vine again, it will be too soon," Chichiri sighed in relief. He was happy that no vines had been where they were now. He'd seen all of the plants that he could take for a life time.

"You will be going back," the witch advised.

"What!?" The blonde exclaimed.

"We need to get a special jewel from a forest nearby."

"Again with the forest thing?" Ko was a little irritated that everything they had been doing revolved around plants of some type. She had begun to grow sick of foliage. "Come on, we just got out of the forest."

"Will this be as big of a problem as fighting Flora?" Fife asked.

"No, there is a keeper of this jewel who lives in a small shrouded forest nearby. His name is Xanadu," Vespa informed.

"Xanadu? Then the jewel you're talking about is the Multiterranian Jewel but that jewel is huge! It has to weigh at least five tons," Musashi told her. It seemed as if their tasks were getting more and more ridiculous. There was no way that they could do what Vespa had asked them to do.

"Do we look like some sort of superheroes? How do you expect us to get that jewel?" Ko asked sarcastically.

"Not get it, simply talk to him. He will instruct you on what to do next. If this is successful then you should be able to get a huge advantage on Flora."

"We're eventually going back," Hiroshima informed.

"It would be good to rest as well," Tsurugi added.

"Well, we can rest on our way to Xanadu. If all we have to do is talk to him then it should be easy."

"Xanadu is a very kind and peaceful creature," Vespa told them.

"What does he look like?" Azmy asked. After all, if they were looking for someone to talk to, then they should know what they look like so wires do not get crossed.

"He, in general looks like a giant Chameleon with a ridge of plates sticking up from his back, much like a Stegosaurus, whiskers like a Koi fish, massive claws and a long tail with a fish fin on the end of it. He also has large, lazy eyes with long light colored lashes," the witch told her.

"Do his eyes do that creepy thing?" Chichiri wondered aloud.

"Creepy thing?" Keiji didn't really know what he was talking about.

"You mean move independently?" Fife asked. Most people would think that it was creepy so he was just throwing answers out there.

"Yeah, because I won't be able to stare him in the face with his eyes going everywhere."

"No, he can only see one direction at a time," the red-haired witch smiled a little at his strange behavior. She didn't think he'd react normally to Xanadu but this was a little unexpected.

"Well, guess we should get going," Chichiri said as Keiji turned to the legend and gazed at his still-wounded body.

"You didn't heal."

"I'll be fine."

"I'm healed completely, so just stay out of my way when we get into the next battle," the green-haired boy informed. This offended the angel. Did Keiji just state that he was weak simply because he'd not been healed?

"Excuse me?" Hiroshima intoned, his voice growing cold and a little raspy with anger. "I don't back down from anyone, especially some punk brat like you."

"You're hurt too badly to fight. I think you need to rest."

"That's a matter of opinion and I don't give a fuck about yours," the angel fumed and trudged off towards the direction of the forest.

As everyone walked in silence, Undine finally decided to comment from her position at the back of the group. She had stated that she felt bad. Azmy, who had been close to her agreed that she had also felt badly because everyone healed except Hiroshima, he must have been going through a lot of pain.

"Believe it or not, Hiro-kun actually has a lot of fight left in him. He looks worse then he actually is," Tsurugi informed. He wasn't about to give up on Hiroshima just because he was in a weakened state.

"He's been through a lot, hasn't he?" Fife glanced at the angel, who agreed.

'More then you'll ever know.'

XxXx

In a clearing on the other side of the forest, Fable stood in front of the massive lizard known as Xanadu. His skin looked like an oyster pearl against the sunlight and shone in many shades ranging from pearl white to pearl pastille green. He rested a top of a large, round sphere that looked like a pink pearl itself. Xanadu had asked her what her wish had been and Fable asked him if he could be allowed to carry it out this once. He agreed to grant her wish and told her that he would keep his word. She thanked him and turned to walk away but he stopped her.

Fable looked over her shoulder and asked what he wanted. Xanadu then questioned her as to why she wanted this specific wish to be carried out.

"We all have goals and dreams. My nature and actions will always remain unknown until I feel the time is right. I can assure this, I have a reason and while it may not seem clear or even valid by most standards, I appreciate the fact that you trust me without question," she told him.

"I will not pass judgment on anyone and while it's the gods will to judge it is not mine," Xanadu replied, his voice booming, yet kind.

"Even if I stole something precious from Flora?" The furry-eared girl asked.

"What I do has nothing to do with the gods. Everything happens for a reason and endeavors whether they be selfish or selfless are all determined by time and will. Remember, there are points in time where even the gods are wrong to misjudge their own creations," Fable was a little shocked that someone who was so divine thought so out of the box. Her eyes were a little widened and she nodded to his words. "The actions of humans have always been a mystery, so much so that even the gods could not understand them."

"Yes and I don't think they ever could," the girl agreed. "No one can completely understand you, no matter how much they try."

XxXx

The group was standing in front of the forest. They had to walk quite a long way to get to it. Although it was large, it looked nothing like Flora's massive, tall forest with towering trees and a large canopy, making it look almost like a jungle in structure. This forest had short shrubs and normally sized trees that were spaced far enough apart to where a decent amount of sunshine could get through them.

Chichiri wore a depressed expression and stated that he really didn't want to go back in to the forest. Ko chided him by telling him that Vespa told them it would be easy. Azmy then asked about Ceres and stated that they did let her get away. Hiroshima then informed that she wasn't in that direction.

"I dread going into this place, even though there seems to be a peaceful aura surrounding it," Keiji stated.

The white-haired singer rested a hand on Hiroshima's arm, feeling his skin flinch at the touch. She remarked that he was cold.

"And that hurts like a bitch! Mind not touching it!"

"Excuse me for caring. Next time I'll stick my finger right in the tooth hole!" She fumed, irritated at being yelled at.

"I'll kill you," the angel glared.

"Are you cold, Hiro-kun?" Tsurugi knew that Hiroshima had lost a lot of blood and he may have been feeling more then what he was saying if his skin was as cold as Ko had stated. Even if he was an angel, he had to keep warm in order to not pass out.

"I'm fine," Hiroshima disregarded his kind nature. "I'll heal on my own."

"What about blood loss?" Fife asked.

"It's no big deal. I've lost more than this before. I know my own limitations."

"If you say so."

Slate blue eyes looked to the angel's battered form with a sorrow-filled look. Then, sudden flashbacks hit the girl as her eyes widened in fear at the ghastly sight of Elf Kaizer cutting off Hiroshima's wings savagely. She remembered it all in vivid detail. The blood, how his body slid down Pandora's Casket and the helplessness she felt from only being able to watch as the horrible act was committed. Azmy remembered herself praying. That is what caused the angel's wings to come off in such an untimely manner. She remembered her thoughts, 'please…please let Keiji be okay'. 'Why? Why did I do that? I'm so stupid…'

XxXx

'Damn…I should have went back and got that legend and some sexy slaves.' Ceres thought as she rode on her large, white feather as it sailed through the skies. 'Well if they lived…Why did I just leave? Mistress Soel is going to have my head if I don't get her that legend.' Dark blue eyes widened as she turned her feather around and rode back to where she had came from. "Better go back and do something."

XxXx

The forest was quiet, except for the crunching of leaves and chirping of birds. It was late afternoon and the golden sun had covered everyone with its evening glow. Undine commented that it was warm and Fife agreed that it was quite peaceful in the forest.

"Maybe there's nothing to be apprehensive about after all," Ko had been tensed up from being in Flora's forest and she didn't quite know how to act in this one. The singer decided that she could probably calm down for now.

"I wouldn't let my guard down," until Hiroshima had to wreck her moment of peace.

"Well, I don't think that Xanadu would have anything bad residing here. I know Xanadu and he's a very kind creature. He knows if you're going to cause trouble or not," Musashi reassured them. They didn't have a reason to be so tense. This forest was peaceful and nothing would be there that would hurt them or the guardian would have already taken care of the problem.

"Xanadu reminds me of a kind old man. He's very wise and won't judge you," Tsurugi explained.

"Won't he?" Hiroshima didn't quite believe his mate's words.

"Not even people like you," he smiled, which caused the angel to close his eyes and make a noise of protest and disbelief.

XxXx

Ceres stood in front of the barren land where she had fought everyone last. She had been more then sure that their bodies still would have been there after she'd blasted them like she did. When she cast gaze upon the land, nothing had been there. No trees or life or any kind and certainly no bodies lying around.

"No one is here. How could they have just gone like that?" Ceres exclaimed. She couldn't believe what was going on. "I wonder where they went…Oh great! Just wonderful! Now I have to track them down again," the sorceress fumed. "They probably used teleportation magic to escape and who knows where they could be now. I'd better get to searching for them."

She knew she had no time to waste if she wanted to catch them. Raising up her hand, she summoned her giant feather and launched it into the air, hopping on top of it and shooting off to look for the group of people. She could not let them escape. A determined look crossed her features as her long, black hair flowed around her.

'I can't return to Mistress Soel until I get that legend.'

XxXx

Hiroshima held his shoulder as everyone advanced down a small, winding dirt path in the forest.

"Everyone is certainly quiet," Fife spoke up after what seemed like a good hour of silence had passed.

"We're all tired, what do you expect?" Ko asked.

The legend looked behind him and Tsurugi commented that the sunshine felt nice.

"I still don't like it here. I get this feeling that we're not quite safe yet," Keiji commented.

"But it's so peaceful," the feminine boy smiled.

"Who cares? I hate peaceful. Bring on the chaos!" Hiroshima smirked. As long as things were peaceful, he couldn't have any fun at all. Things were way too boring if everyone and everything was at peace.

"I've had enough chaos to last my whole life," Ko sighed.

"I'll say," Chichiri agreed. "Hey, what's that in the road ahead?" He asked, noticing that someone had been standing there.

"What?" Keiji turned to look at who this strange woman was. Instantly he recognized the dog-like ears, long, dark hair and red dress. He had known there was a reason to be edgy, now more than ever. Nothing could ever be as simply as initially thought.

"Fable!" Everyone exclaimed at the sight of the red-clad female.

This could spell nothing but trouble.

To Be Continued…