Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Dark Night ❯ Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )

Into the Dark Night

Nagia

Chapter Nine: The Lamenting Mother

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Chapter named for the seventh room in the second level of Vagrant Story. Prelude named for the first room in the third level (Sanctum). Part 1 named for the twenty-fifth room in the seventh level. Postlude named for the second room in the sixth level.

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Prelude: Prisoners Niche

She can no longer smell time; He has bricked up the walls and sealed the door, so she has no light to see or smell. This does not matter for she can still hear the chanting above her, and unless He has changed His schedule, they only sing that particular chant at midnight every three days. She knows the words by heart. She chooses not to sing along, for it would be a sign of surrender. The chant changes abruptly, becoming almost ecstatic and perhaps even a touch impatient.
Such changes are almost never a good sign.

November 10, 1993

1: Salvation for the Mother

"Why Ryoko," Lloyd said almost conversationally, "I believe I have your daughter."

Seiji could say nothing to this mocking declaration of guilt. The villains who are beautiful and flaunt their powers are the closest to true evil, he reminded himself. Even as he renewed his vow to make the what-ever-the-hell-Lloyd-was to pay, he felt the situation spiral rapidly out of control. Nasuti's curses and Ryoko's tears only added to his feeling of helplessness.

"What are your demands?" Seiji asked sullenly.

"Why, there are none of course. I would, after all, hate to rip apart a family," Lloyd mocked.

"You know damn well you don't care!" Ryoko managed through her tears.

Seiji silenced her with a sweep of his hand. "If you are so loath to rip apart families, then why have you taken Ryoko?"

"It is necessary, Seiji. You have killed female Demons running rampant in the Human Realm, knowing that they have families. You killed them because it was necessary to the survival of Humans and the non-combatant Demons."

"It is not necessary to anyone's survival that Ryoko be kidnapped."

"Not to survival, no. But my people need her. They grow restless without a Priestess and only Ryoko will do."

"Then get rid of your goddamn cult you son of a bitch!" Nasuti screamed. She continued to curse, and rant about what she would do if she came within Singing distance of him. "You coward! You only contact us through the WyrdStone because you're afraid of what I could do to if I Sang. Siren magic won't travel through the WyrdStone so that's how you contact us! COWARD!" She spat.

"Sing anyway," Seiji said softly. "Siren magic won't travel, but Seirene magic does."

"Rightly said," she grinned wryly.

Her voice danced through his suddenly empty mind. It reverberated throughout. He tried to listen with only his ears, but the crystalline shards of her voice insinuated themselves into his head.

…Take my hand, live while you can. Don't you see your dreams lie in the palm of your hand? Please come with me; see what I see. Touch the stars for time will not flee. Time will not flee, can't you see…

Seiji shook off the spell, which was not an easy task, and noticed with pleasure that Lloyd had been unable to break the spell.

Nasuti's voice was soft, now, and sultry. "Come now, Lloyd. It would be so easy."

Lloyd's voice had lost its silky quality. "So easy."

"Yes, Lloyd. So easy to just tell me."

"Just tell you."

"Yes, tell me."

"Ask."

"Where are you, dear Lloyd?"

"In-"

"Where is that located, dear Lloyd? Help me to find it."

Postlude: The Gabled Hall

He smiles harshly as the servant trembles beneath His glare. His Queen shall soon return to Him in full strength, this He knows. He looks down His table, and laughs. His Circle shall soon be complete and this brings Him great pleasure. And then the sound comes. This sound that is not a scream disturbs Him greatly.

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The album I listened to while writing this is by Vanessa Carlton, called "Be Not Nobody" the particular tracks are "Wanted" and "Rinse".

Believe me when I say this chapter took me forever to write.