Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifice ❯ Jewel Guardian Xanadu ( Chapter 35 )

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Sacrifice

By: Melissa Norvell

Chapter 35: Jewel Guardian Xanadu

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"Greetings, children," the pearl-colored lizard told the group in a booming voice that was kind in tone. He sounded as gentle as a father would to his children. He gazed at them from atop of his sacred jewel, cloudy blue, large half-lidded eyes framed with long, pearl-colored lashes.

"I'm no child," Hiroshima stated.

"You are compared to me," Xanadu told him gently, earning a disgruntled noise from the angel.

'He's huge…' Ko thought as she stared up at the massive lizard. She'd never seen any type of being like him. His skin looked like glass and he was hardly slimy or ugly at all. It definitely wasn't what you thought of when you thought of a strange lizard. He was actually very beautiful.

"He looks like some big dinosaur or something…kinda freaky…" Chichiri said after a few moments.

"He seems so nice," Azmy contradicted his statement as Musashi said his name in an endearing tone. It was almost as if the two knew each other. Since the Wind Cavern brought news through the winds, it would have not only been possible but plausible as well.

"Hello Musashi, the winds told me that you'd be coming this way. I'm happy to see that you didn't come into contact with Fable," the being nearly sighed in relief.

"We did," Azmy replied.

"My apologies," Xanadu closed his eyes in rue, "she's told me of her plan but I was unable to stop her."

"Why? You're right there and you're freakin' huge! Honestly, who's going to try and get past you?" Chichiri asked. Even standing in front of him right now was a little intimidating. The blonde was just glad that he had a kind voice; otherwise he'd scare the hell out of him.

"I'm passive and slow-moving. Humans and other small creatures can get past me with ease. Throughout my course of existence, I've learned something," Xanadu stated.

"What's that?" The shy girl seemed interested in what he had to say.

"That humans will have their own hopes and dreams. It wouldn't be right if I needlessly stood in their way. In life, many goals and ambitions are interpreted through different eyes. There is no real good and bad. It's merely subject to interpretation."

"You have no sense of right and wrong, do you?" Chichiri asked.

"What is truly right and wrong? Is it the textbook morals and ethics laid down on you from childhood?" Xanadu asked. "A code of morality and ethics that can be interpreted in many different ways, what's proper to you is offensive in another's country."

"From another person's perspective, someone else's motives seem wrong but if you look at it through their eyes it's either not so bad or it isn't bad at all," Hiroshima informed.

"It's a matter of preference really," Fife said.

"But we didn't come here to ask about that. The point is, we got through Fable and it would be stupid and immature to stick the blame to you," The legend continued.

"Because I possess the object you seek?" Xanadu asked. It would only be a normal question. Many humans or other worldly beings in general would not want to anger the one who was going to help them.

"No, because you do what you wish and you have your reasons," Hiroshima felt a sense of identification with Xanadu on that aspect. The lizard was kind enough not to judge him, so he would not judge him either. Everyone had reasons for what they do in life and while he refused to help everyone at first, he never once persecuted them for their goals in life.

"I cannot pass judgment on anyone. I just make observations."

"You're so wise," Azmy stared up at him with adoration in her eyes. Even being with him now had taught her years of wisdom and a little different way of looking at people.

"Yeah, it's like you notice the things that people overlook," Ko would never thought about it that way either and until now, she'd judged Kabuto, Hiroshima, Fife and other people based on their goals in life. It kind of made her feel a little guilty about putting them down for things they felt were right in life.

"Got me to think," Chichiri replied.

"It's a good thing really," Tsurugi hoped that they would take it as insightful. After all, it would be a part of life that caused them to see people in a different light and hopefully think of the people around them in a different way.

"I don't want to burden you with my words. They are mere opinions as well," Xanadu replied.

"I find them true," Hiroshima defended.

"You, Hiroshima?" Ko looked to the man in slight disbelief. It seemed awkward for him to feel that way.

"What's so weird about it?" The angel crossed his injured arms and cast a glare at her.

"Yes, you do like to kill," Fife pointed out, raising a finger into the air as if he were making a point.

"I have my reasons."

"Yes, I believe that no matter how badly it makes you look, you cannot give up that reasoning. It's the essence of human life," Xanadu agreed with Hiroshima.

"We have our own goals and as a result, we cannot give that up," Undine replied.

"I assume you seek my assistance," Xanadu finally got the conversation back on track and reminded them of why they had been there in the first place.

"How do you feel about Flora?" Keiji wanted to know Xanadu's opinion because he seemed so wise. Perhaps he could even help them understand her.

"As the angel with different colored wings stated prior- she does what she wishes," the lizard replied. Even though Hiroshima's wings had been cut off, he could still see the tufts of feathers that hung from his back. "No doubt she's angry and honestly, I can see why she would be. Pain has a tendency to be so great that it causes wrath and anger. Of course, what can you do when the world hates you?"

The very last sentence somehow struck the legend somehow, causing him to frown deeply and cast his gaze at the ground. Ko looked at him with inquisitive blue eyes. 'Couldn't be…It just couldn't be…' There was no way that she could take that look as one of regret…Was he actually feeling sorrow because the world hated him?

"What exactly does this jewel do, Xanadu-sama?" Fife asked.

"It's a magical jewel that can do most anything. It will only do one thing, however, unless you wish to take the same journey more than once," he advised.

"Really?" Azmy put a finger to her lips and blinked.

"It would waste too much time," Undine informed. If they wanted to get back to Flora, then they would have to use this one trip to their advantage. They didn't really have any time to make the same trip over and over again.

"We'd have better odds, but we'd risk a lot," Hiroshima replied.

"It would be worth it though," Chichiri stated.

"Or would it?" The legend asked in deep thought.

"I don't know…" The blonde was now confused at Hiroshima's contradictory statement. He started to think about what he'd said and then began to look frustrated because he couldn't seem to make any sense of it. "You're confusing me!" He wailed as the angel behind him looked highly irritated with a vein popping out of his head and closed eyes. His balled fist trembled and his eyebrow twitched. He then punched Chichiri in the back of the head harder than most would deliver that type of blow. The blonde cried out and bent over with his head in both hands.

"That hurt! You don't know your own strength!" What he said was true. Hiroshima had only though it to be a small blow that would simply shut him up but it was not the case. It nearly knocked the signer's brains out.

"From this point, you have several options, you just have to chose whichever function will benefit you," Xanadu explained.

"Which areas will this effect? Will it affect the City of Plants entirely or just Flora herself?" Undine wanted to make sure of the range on his spell. Certain spells did certain things. One misjudgment in the second battle could very well cost them their lives. She didn't want to make any dire mistakes.

"It depends on what you use. Certain spells will perform certain tasks." It was just as she'd thought.

"And every spell has limitations," Fife brought up another point.

"What spells do you suggest?" Keiji asked. Maybe Xanadu had one that he knew would benefit them more them others.

"You can temporarily disable her for an hour."

"Too risky. What else do you have?" Hiroshima asked. An hour's time could easily be screwed up. He wanted something that would deliver more results.

"Decrease her powers by half. You can also increase your powers by half."

"But would they only be increased for the time that the spell is put into effect?" Fife asked. It was crucial that they know if their powers were permanent so they didn't overestimate themselves in battles that took place later.

"I'm afraid so," the lizard closed his eyes, "that spell isn't permanent."

"It wouldn't work anyway," Ko stated.

"Oh?" Xanadu looked at her.

"There are members of this team with curses that wouldn't allow any type of augmentation to their powers or physical being. It wouldn't be fair if we couldn't all benefit from it."

"We'd have to cast a spell on Flora or the city," Tsurugi stated.

"Right, what if we cast one on the city to where everything that isn't in the forest couldn't help her?" Chichiri asked. Since Flora got her powers from plants, she'd be at a huge loss if the plants could no longer help her. They could possibly beat her that way.

"You mean confine her powers to just the forest?" Fife smiled quaintly as he looked in deep thought. "Seems interesting…"

"Only one flaw, she's most strong in the forest," Undine informed.

"Whatever we use, it can't have loopholes. If we do then we'll find them," Azmy stated.

"If we do that we'll disable her power source. She gains power from all plants because they are connected to her. A lot of plants are grown in this city. According to my calculations, the number is greater than those which reside in the Forest of Illusion. After all, the forest is just a magical shroud and not all trees in it are real. I have a high suspicion that it's not even really a forest," Tsurugi told everyone. He had noticed that when they were in the forest that there was a high amount of illusion and hardly any real trees. If that was the case then Flora would be weaker than they thought.

"What?" Chichiri asked as he turned his full attention to the angel.

"No forest has such repetition; the trees can't look that similar. It's an optical illusion to cause confusion. It's a part of why many people have died here. Flora has enough power to maintain that illusion."

"If we defeat her then all of her illusions should go away," Hiroshima replied.

"Then we'll learn the truth about all of this," Ko said.

"What's there to learn?" Undine asked as the girl frowned. She had succeeded in making Ko look stupid. She hate how Undine seemed to have that power over her.

"She's obviously hurt by humankind. They use her plants, her children as a resource. Their greed is what corrupted her. It's quite sad."

"We already know that," Ko spat, crossing her arms.

"I hope we can get her to feel better or at least cease some of the pain in her heart," Azmy looked quite sympathetic towards the goddess.

"She'll never get 'better'," Hiroshima told her.

"Why not?" The girl looked to him in question.

"She'll just withdraw herself from society if you do that. As long as people use her plants for their greed then she'd suffer the pain. Creatures like that were just made to suffer and be in constant pain."

"The only way to kill these feelings is for us to die or simply fade away," Tsurugi placed a hand on his chest and closed his eyes.

"What do you mean by us?" Keiji asked.

"Beings like us, angels suffer too. We take the burdens away from society. We are forced to stand by and do nothing because everything lies in fate's hands."

"Not always true, we can alter fate," Hiroshima spoke up.

"Hiro-kun…" The blue-eyed angel gave a compassionate look towards his boyfriend.

"We just have to make sacrifices in order to do so."

"I like Tsurugi's plan. I think we should do it," Azmy smiled and looked confident. It seemed like a really good idea and she somehow had a good feeling that they stood a decent chance against the goddess if they tried it.

"If the theory behind it is true, that is," The feminine boy replied.

"I'm positive that it is," Tsurugi confirmed.

"Since we've decided, then that is our request. Please disable Flora from gaining power from the City of Plants," Hiroshima told Xanadu while Musashi silently apologized for causing harm to the Goddess and looked down. Azmy asked him if he was alright and noted that he hadn't said much. He told her that he just felt bad about what they were fixing to do and earned a hug from the shy girl. She told him not to worry in a kind voice and that everyone would be alright and he certainly hoped so.

"Hopefully no one will die," she smiled.

"It doesn't sound good when you say it like that," Musashi told her.

She apologized and looked down. Some help she was. She just upset him further by saying something like that.

'Xanadu…You're jewel is so important. It regulates peace and is only to be used in extreme cases. This is why the Gods appointed someone as peaceful as you to guard it.' The Wind Cavern thought to himself.

"I shall grant this request. Please stand back," the lizard instructed as everyone backed up a few paces from the jewel, not really aware of what to expect. The large, pearl-like jewel began to glow a light lavender color. Everyone watched as the flow of light was emitted and bathed everyone in the warm glow. The light spread out to the City of Plants. Hiroshima closed his eyes as his form was bathed in the light. Warmth caressed his form as he let it wash over his injured body.

'It feels so warm.' He thought as the mark of the pentagram appeared in front of his form, preventing any of the magic from working on his body.

'Interesting…' Xanadu thought as he let his sights lay on the wingless angel.

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Fable was sitting in a dark abyss, holding what looked like a peony blossom as big as a dinner plate with a burnt orange center that darkened into pitch black petals. Staring at the blossom in her hands as she sat on her knees she said out loud that she had barely escaped and recalled the events of the chain incident.

'This curse…is one of God's will…There's no way that I can defeat it. Vortex!' She created a single suction of energy that she jumped into. The vortex sucked her form in at warp speed before the merciless chains tore through the ground.

She blinked at the flower she held in her hands. 'At least I got you…the last Chaos Flower in the city. Now I'll have close to enough…When I get Hiroshima back to Mistress Soel, I'll get my wish.' Her leaned back into a mass of black and burnt orange. A large pile of Chaos Flowers sat behind her. "As long as I keep these here with me, no matter how much Flora doesn't like it. I need these flowers…They are my only hope to escape my sorrow."

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"There, it is done," Xanadu's calm voice rang through after the lavender light soon dissolved.

"I was warm made me feel like I was taking nap," Chichiri sighed. The warmth from the light had made him calm. He had almost forgotten about his battle wounds.

"It felt good," Hiroshima's voice also held a calm air.

"So peaceful."

"That part didn't," the legend replied.

"Riiiight…" Ko rolled her eyes.

"Thank you so much! You're so kind Xanadu," Azmy smiled at the gentle giant.

"You're welcome, young one."

"You're not scary at all. I think that you're very beautiful."

"I've not been called that before."

"That would make two of us," Hiroshima murmured softly to himself, hoping that no one would hear him. Keiji looked at him momentarily.

"I think you're beautiful…my dear Hiro-kun," Tsurugi held Hiroshima's hand and the legend held it back. The blonde smiled in a comforting way at his love, trying to silently tell him that he was special to him.

"I bid you farewell. May fortune smile upon you in a quest to accomplish your goals," Xanadu told them with a smile on his features. Everyone walked away as they said their farewells as they headed back to the Forest of Illusion but this time, the battle would be different. This was their final battle and there was definitely no turning back now- for any of them.

To Be Continued…