Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ It's in the Blood ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own any of the characters in SSO.

This is set after Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Revenge. This is based off the Anime only and the English ADV versions at that. Warning Spoilers!

WARNING - Angst ahead and some character torture in this chapter.

Chapter 15~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*

This Hunter's spirit and stamina were dumbfounding. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get to the core of her individual strength or her faith in her friends. It was very important he either break her spirit or gain some other leverage over her, otherwise he wouldn't be able to find any of the other demons. His army had been scattered and buried so deeply that he couldn't dig everywhere to find them, he needed her to find their locations.

He looked over to the table where she was strapped. He'd had to release one of her arms so she could take in some water and food. He'd been bleeding her too much, but he realized he was running out of time. The Deep Dragon pup was aware something was wrong and had returned to the town. He didn't think it could communicate with the sorcerers, but they might figure out something from the creature's anxiety.

This was the day of the funeral. He was giving her a general running commentary of the events happening around her funeral. He also told her they would be leaving for a new location soon. She seemed to be ignoring him and whispering something. She'd moved her free arm up to clasp something on her neck.

"Get Orphen Leki. Get Orphen…tell that stupid sorcerer I'm not dead, that what they saw was a trick and that he needs to get off his lazy butt and rescue me. Tell him to be careful."

`Hell and damnation,' he realized his mistake now. `The chit had a Wolven talisman and was calling the Wolven to her. No, that isn't what she said, it is worse. She using the damned Wolven talisman to communicate with that sorcerer with the weird name.` He started advancing towards her with his orb.

"Get him, Leki, or oh, damn it I can't remember your Wolven name, so I don't know how you can find me, but I can't hold out much longer. Tell him there's a d.." She became aware of Garik standing in front of her, "…what."

"It's your funeral and that Orphen guy, your lover, didn't even care enough to come. He's already replaced you, so you mustn't have been very memorable. He must really have hated you. Who knows? Maybe he wanted Agan to get you out of his life." Still grasping the pendant, Cleo screamed "…No! No more! I won't believe you, Garik!"

"That measly pendant only works when you hold it." He breaks an empty beaker on Cleo's wrist causing her to release the pendant and creating several new cuts on her arm "Volcan! Dortin! Take her away, and rip that thing off her neck."

Volcan and Dortin undid the straps holding her body to the table and took back to her cell. Once there Dortin gave her a rag to wrap around her wrist. She had little else to do, except ponder the events that led to her current predicament, and berate herself for her own stupidity.

//Flashback//

"Now, what do you want from her? Another sister like Azalie or something more?"

"Another sister." Cleo gasped at Orphen's words and ran out of the suite and down the stairs, `They say be careful what you wish for, now I know…. there's no hope for anything more.' With her hopes completely shattered, she forgot the reason she needed to speak with Orphen in the first place.

She stepped outside the inn, disregarding the buzz in her ears that was going at a shriek. She froze when she saw a cloaked figure with red eyes standing above her. Before she could scream, a gag was placed in her mouth and her hands and feet were bound by rope. She watched as the stranger turned to something standing in the shadows behind him. He took her dagger from her boot and cut the palm of her hand. He caught a fair amount of blood in a vial. When he moved the vial her hand bled some on the ground. He then he poured the blood on the forehead of the figure. He chanted "By the Blood, Breath Life and Likeness." The figure changed to appear exactly like her. The only difference was the pendant given to her by the Wolven. He turned, and she was picked up and dragged behind a tree by someone else as Agan and several others approached. Inwardly, Cleo screamed, "Orphen!"

To Agan he said, "She got separated from the sorcerers, it was as I suspected, she's not the one I needed, it's the apprentice. She's all yours. Hurry, you won't have much time. They're aware she's gone." With that, he thrust the gagged and bound `fake' Cleo at Agan. He smiled wickedly. grabbed `her', and took off running. They were barely in the next yard when Orphen, Hartia and Majic appeared.

She heard Orphen's scream of frustration and heard Majic point out the way the false Cleo had been taken. She knew that meant the others wouldn't realize someone other than Agan had taken her. `Orphen' she silently screamed, `please, know it's not me. I love you, please be able to tell.' She felt the world shift as her kidnapper teleported them away from the inn. Although she couldn't see them, she thought she heard Volcan's and Dortin's voices.

She was thrown in a small, dark cell, which stank of old blood and other unmentionable things. As her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, she become conscious of another cell, just across a hallway, with someone in it, a young man, maybe Majic's age. He spoke, "Cleo? Cleo Everlasting? Is that you?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Why did he take you? You can't be a Hunter, you're a girl. Is he going to use you against us as blackmail?"

"I don't know. Who are you?"

"You mean you don't recognize me?" He said with mock indignation and slight grin. "I mean, it's only been 3 years and I'm not looking much like myself. I'm Erin, Erin Ongoing."

"Oh, my god! Erin, I thought you were dead! Where are we?"

"We've been captured by the Demon Lord, Garik. He was imprisoned by the Heavenly Ones a thousand years ago, but someone let him out, about two weeks ago. Even during his imprisonment, he apparently had information on where all the Demon Hunters were located. Once free, he immediately set about finding and destroying the families, before they could become aware of his re-awakening. He took a few prisoners, but Alik and I are all that are left. He's been taking blood from both of us for something. I think he's weak, well, weak compared to what he could be, and needs something in our blood to help him regain his strength."

Applause sounded in the corridor when Erin finished. "Very good reasoning. You are correct, except for the fact she is also a Hunter, the only female one. You, lad, have almost out-lived your usefulness, since you can't seem to sense anything." Cleo winced at the pain the vibration in her ear was causing, "And you, my dear, are the key to regaining my strength. It is good you know Erin. If you wish his continued health, you will cooperate with me."

"I will not cooperate. Orphen will rescue me and you'll pay."

"Ah…He may try, but he will not succeed. He has to know who took you first."

"He'll figure it out, he's smarter than you. He will always come for me."

"So…. he loves you?"

"Well…He'll protect me. He always does."

"It seems I've struck a cord. He doesn't love you, but you love him. How pathetic."

Cleo looked down, unable to hide that particular hurt. `No, I won't let him have that advantage over me.' She looked back up, "He's never let me down and he won't start now." She spit in his face.

He wiped his face with the cloth of his cloak, reached through the bars, pulled her forward by the collar of her dress, and knocked her into the bars. "You will not do that again, or I will truly show you the meaning of pain. I really don't want to do that because I need you healthy, well, fairly healthy." He touched her skin and everything went black.

When she came to, her head was screaming in pain, and she found herself strapped to what felt like a table, except she was in an upright position. Her right arm was stretched out from her side. There was a cut, which was slowly bleeding, drip by drip, into a beaker, already partially filled with her blood.

She saw him in a corner of the room and he let her know he was aware she was awake. "It is good to know that I still have a very useful effect on you."

She looked at him, confused, "What effect?"

"Well, I call it the Demon effect. New Hunters cannot take the sensation of being near a true demon for several months after they start growing into their abilities. If the demon touches them, they blackout. Very useful for subduing young ones like you."

"It is good you were only out for a few moments," he announced, as he approached the table. "Your friends have already caught up to Agan and have very nearly cornered him."

He brought the orb close to her. She realized he was watching Orphen, Hartia and Majic as they caught up with Agan and her double.

"As you know, I handed you over to Agan, so when he gets cornered, he'll have nothing to lose. There's nothing quite like a desperate man to do something drastic. My goodness, your beloved sorcerer is quite resourceful. He has cornered Agan already. This should be very interesting. Shall we watch?"

He allowed Cleo to see the hazy images of Orphen and Hartia chasing Agan into a room. She saw "herself" being dragged by Agan until they reached a dead end. He turned and shouted something, cutting "her" throat. Garik moved the orb away so she couldn't see anything for a moment.

"Oh dear, there seems to have been an accident. You have my condolences, you appear to have died."

He brought the orb back into her vision and she saw Agan pull the trigger to shoot Majic. She then saw Orphen attack Agan and have to be physically pulled away from him before Orphen turned to comfort Majic.

"Well, look at that. He didn't do anything to Agan for killing you, but he came after him fast enough when the apprentice was threatened. He obviously couldn't be bothered to avenge you, but the boy seems to be another story. He doesn't even seem to care that he's covered in your blood."

She was crying inside over the hurt that was going to cause her family. She kept telling herself that Orphen would not have reacted the way Garik said. He cared for her, even if it was only as a sister. He wouldn't have only reacted because Majic was attacked. He wouldn't. She kept rolling that thought around her head, because if she stopped believing in Orphen, Majic and Hartia, he'd win. She had to be strong for them, for herself.

He kept her tied to that table for the next two days, as her blood flowed into many vials, which he carefully stored away. He briefly released her to allow her to take in minimal amounts of food and use the chamber pot. He spent the time weaving illusions trying to break her spirit.

She saw illusions of Orphen and Azalie together, Orphen, Majic and Leki killed in a fire, her mother and sister being tortured, and the one he did over and over, the one that very nearly broke her, Orphen saying he wanted her out of his life because of all the trouble she caused and that he hated her for it.

He showed her images in the orb of Orphen helping her nemesis from her school days, Nerilissa, with her shopping bags. He continued the images to show Orphen going out with her and having a romantic evening. He showed Orphen passionately kissing her. "See how quickly he replaced you," Garik taunted. Cleo still refused to believe what he showed her.

"It's not true," she cried even as that doubt lodged itself in her heart. She knew Nerilissa would do exactly what she saw, and then some, if given the chance, but she trusted Orphen not to give her that chance.

"Your place in his bed wasn't even cold when he found another woman to fill it. I'm sure he finds her more pleasing, considering her more obvious charms." Cleo thought to herself, `It's not true. Obviously, Garik hasn't seen everything accurately or he would know we weren't lovers.'

She also realized that since they thought she was dead, no one would know to rescue her, or Alik and Erin, for that matter. She had started testing out the straps, to find weaknesses when Garik had her thrown back into the cell she was in when she first arrived.

She tried to escape and it almost worked. Dortin approached her and gave her some food, of a sort, and Cleo was able to knock him back. She picked up the keys and fled the room. She got Alik and Erin out of their cells, using the keys. They were making their way towards the opening of the cave, when they all flinched at the roar from deep within the cave complex. They made it out of the cave and were hurrying to the cover of the forest, when Garik appeared out of the air, right in front of them. He grabbed Erin by the neck and threatened to kill him if they didn't go back to the cave and their cells. Once he had them locked back up, he hissed that they would pay dearly for that attempt.

Shortly thereafter, he took her from the cell and strapped her back to the table. He took out some surgical knives. Although he healed her as he went, he made good on the threat that she was going to pay for her escape attempt. After several hours, he returned her to her cell.

Even more than before, she knew she had to get away, and was still working on ways to free herself from her cell, when she heard sounds of fighting and spells coming closer. It was Orphen. He figured it out and was going to save her. He burst into the cell to free her. She could barely stand, but he took her in his arms, held her tightly, smiled, and said, "I love you." Just then, they both saw Garik enter the room. Orphen thrust her behind him and started to power up a spell, when Garik moved so fast he wasn't easily seen and yanked Orphen away from her. He grabbed Orphen by the neck and lifted him off the floor. Cleo started to run towards them and watched as Garik bared his claws and sank them deep into Orphen's chest. "No!!!" her voice and soul screamed as Garik, ripped Orphen's heart out of his chest. Cleo fell to the floor crying.

She heard Garik walk up to where she had crumpled. He knelt and shoved something wet into her hands and said, "This will probably be the only way you will be able gain his heart."

Cleo just lay there, wishing she would just die, until a thought planted itself in her head. Orphen would not just blurt out how he felt. That meant, the person who released her wasn't him. It was just another illusion. `Damn, that was good. You almost had me, you bastard.' She slowly stood up, leaving what he'd dropped in her hands on the floor. He was still standing over her. Deliberately, she looked directly in his eyes and said, "He's still alive. That was an illusion. You can't control me and you'll never break me." She then spit in his face.

She was yanked off her feet by a painful grip in her hair, and held dangling before him. "Fine. Not everything I show you is an illusion. Try to escape again and I'll make sure you know it's real. You may not believe this is Orphen, but even if it's not, the next victim will be. And after him, I still have your familiar, your mother, your sister, the apprentice, and that silly comic book hero wannabe. You are going to help me find my army."

"Oh, and just so you know it wasn't a complete illusion. `Reveal that Which is Hidden'." She saw Orphen's body transform into Erin Ongoing. "Since your own pain doesn't seem to motivate you, this is your punishment for your escape attempt. Don't make me skin the younger boy alive in front of you." She fainted.

//End Flashback//

`I've got to escape. He's talking about leaving here, that it's too close. That means I'm not far from home.' She tested the strength of the bars of her cell again. She was still standing there when Dortin came up with the keys and helped her out of the cell. "Come on, Miss Cleo, you're getting out of here."

"Why are you helping me?"

"That Garik guy scares me. He had been controlling me, until you hit me when you tried to escape. I came to my senses then, but decided I'd better play along until the right opportunity came along. I think this is the best we're going to get. I'll get the boy."

"Is he …err, Garik, still here?"

"No, he's gone for the moment."

"I'll be right back. There's something I must do. Go on and get Alik."

Dortin, accustomed to obeying orders, simply nodded and handed Cleo a metal pole. He knew that Cleo would need something to help her walk. She started back towards the room where Garik had kept her for endless hours, and bumped in to Volcan.

"What are you doing out of your cell?"

"Dortin let me out."

"Get back in your cell! I'm gonna be richly rewarded for preventing you from escaping again." Volcan started to shout when Cleo smacked him with the pole and gave him a kick in Dortin's direction.

"Go find Dortin and leave me alone."

Volcan was walking in search of Dortin, still muttering about the beating he'd taken at the hands of Cleo, when he saw Dortin carrying the boy and quieted down. Even he knew children shouldn't be so mistreated.

Cleo had just returned to Volcan, Dortin and Alik and they were starting towards the cave opening, when she remembered something. She grabbed the pendant and said "Leiakipenipu." When nothing immediately happened, she harrumphed. `I guess it isn't instant. Or I'm still getting it wrong.'

Dortin carried Alik and periodically Cleo had to use him for support, since neither Alik nor Cleo had much strength and the activity was draining what little they had left. They were sneaking up to a corner to check what was around it, when they heard faint footsteps.