Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ Velvet Flames ❯ Wavering Faith ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

:: Velvet Flames ::

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sorcerous Stabber Orphen or any of the characters mentioned.

Rating: PG

Pairings: Orphen+Azari, Hartia+Krylancelo, Childman+Azari/Azari+Childman, eventual Orphen/Majic

Warnings: AU, possible shounen ai

Notes: Phew. And from here on we'll have different settings! Go figure.

I've been forgetting about Orphen's weird dreams lately, ne? I'll get back to those eventually, don't worry.

Hm . . . Anou . . . You'll probably notice that I switch from using Orphen to Krylancelo and vice versa at times, but when it comes to Hartia and most other people at the Tower, that's what they'll be thinking and referring to him as.

Um . . . Sorry if this gets depressing at times. I've been in a down mood lately because of certain complications in another fandom. The Pretear background music I'm listening to doesn't exactly help, but it IS oddly inspiring.

Ah! Speaking of Pretear, here's a couple interesting tidbits: The same guy that plays Orphen, Morikubo Shoutarou, also plays a character from Pretear named Goh. He's a Fire Knight. XD And the woman that plays the main villainess Takako, the seiyuu Horie Yui, she also plays Tohru from Fruits Basket and Fiena. ^_^ And I like Goh and Takako. They're interesting characters.

Eh. I know you're bored of my rambling. On with the fic.




Expelled. That had to be the most horrible word a faithful student at the Tower of Fangs could ever hear. To be expelled was akin to being beaten, for you were thrown out into the world alone. If you were young, you were more than likely to be near helpless.

Of course, if you were nine years old, it was practically death.

While not completely unexpected, it still came as a nasty shock for the small blonde boy. Everything had happened too fast after Krylancelo-- no, Orphen's-- outburst, that it made him dizzy and ill. Or maybe the sick feeling was because of the falling sensation in his stomach.

Almost right after the explosion Majic and the rest of Flameheart's students had been hauled back to the Tower. It had been a waste of time anyway, their teacher had said. Azari didn't concern them; they needn't have gone. It was only because the Elders had required it, so as not to make any younger students suspicious. Of course, now that Orphen had screamed out important information for the world to hear, it no longer mattered. The rumors would be even harder to stop this time, and this time Flameheart obviously knew he would have to take part.

Majic had nothing to say. He couldn't protest; he'd already tried that and had been slapped for questioning. He was frightened of Flameheart, especially as of late, and he knew it was stupid to ask why, but he'd done it anyway. All he could do now was tug on his robes and breathe quickly to try to keep himself calm. His face stung from the hit; it was likely he'd get another bruise.

Well, he'd finally found one good thing about being expelled. He wouldn't have to hide the injury from Kry-- Orphen.

Orphen.

Childish tears spilled. The act of weakness made his now-former teacher sneer.

"You have two hours to be out of my -- and everyone else's -- sight for good."



"Krylancelo!"

The brunette boy refused to acknowledge him. His eyes were fastened to the wall before him, his hand absent-mindedly twirling his pendant on the chain. Soft clinking sounds from the metallic links were all that could be heard in the silence, until Hartia finally spoke up again.

"Krylancelo, please . . . Why are you angry with me?"

Sienna-coloured eyes flickered his way. "My name is not Krylancelo," was all he said before he stood up and began to walk off.

Hartia hurried to follow him, eyes fastened on the pendant. The chain was whole, which seemed wrong because Orphen had broken it earlier. Also, the dragon didn't look quite as new . . .

"Where did you get that?"

"Took it," was the curt answer.

Hartia bit his lower lip. "But . . . Why? Whose--"

"It's Azari's," Orphen cut in, glaring at him. "I went in her room and I took it. I don't want MINE. It means nothing to me anymore." Then he slipped the chain around his head, letting the thick metal thud softly against his chest. He was no longer wearing robes, Hartia realized suddenly, but faded pants and a black sweatshirt that looked a few sizes too large.

"Kry-- Orphen, what are you doing?"

For the first time in three days, Krylancelo smiled. He stopped walking and looked straight at Hartia. "You're my best friend," he said in a soft voice, reaching out to grasp him by the arms. "You're the only one left that can help, Hartia. Please . . . "

Taken aback by the sudden emotional outburst, Hartia stammered, "H-How? What do you want me to do?"

Orphen lowered his eyes momentarily. "I'm leaving the Tower of Fangs," he said in a low voice. "Tonight. I'm sneaking out. I know how; there's a crack in the magical defenses." There had to be defenses; the Tower was chock full of precious items as well as knowledge that had to be protected.

Awkwardly, Hartia promised, "I won't tell," even though it hurt. His friend was leaving, obviously to try to save Azari on his own. If only he'd talk to Childman. Krylancelo had loved Azari so much, surely Childman would have explained to him what he had to Hartia.

"That's not it," Orphen said sharply. "Hartia, I want you to come WITH me."

Hartia's body went ridged. Go WITH him? He closed his eyes so that his friend couldn't see his inner struggle. To go with him . . . It would just be Krylancelo and he, just like he wanted. Over time . . . But then there was Childman. Krylancelo was his dear friend, but Childman was not only his teacher, Hartia knew that how HE was going to handle the Azari situation was RIGHT.

"I can't," he whispered brokenly, thick lashes lifting to reveal regret-filled golden eyes. "I'm sorry."

Orphen instantly let go of him, taking a couple steps back. His expression clearly expressed he felt betrayed. "Fine," he spat before turning on his heel and talking off in the direction of Flameheart's tower. "If you won't, maybe the brat will. At least SOMEONE will be able to back me up."

Now alarmed, Hartia ran after him. "Krylancelo, no, wait--"

"Shut up!" the brunette shouted without looking at him. "Don't speak to me, Hartia, if you're not going to help!"

Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, the red-haired teen burst into a sprint and tackled his friend to the ground. Orphen swore and tried to shove him off, but Hartia had the advantage both in the surprise attack and the fact he was slightly taller and heavier. He pinned his friend beneath him, shouting over his insults. "Majic is gone!"

Orphen snarled. "What the hell are you talking about?" he yelled back, nearly succeeding in throwing his friend off him. "DAMN it, Hartia! I'm warning you--!"

"Please listen," Hartia cried breathlessly. "Majic was expelled shortly after you disrupted the funeral ceremony!" Orphen finally stopped fighting him, staring at him in disbelief. The freckled teen was flushed, trying to catch his breath as he spoke. "Flameheart said he was useless as a sorcerer. Majic can't perform the Tower's spells. His mind refuses to tap into them properly.

"Not only that, but Flameheart's furious that he devotes so much time to you. He yelled at him for waiting outside your door every day when you locked yourself in. He--"

"He was outside my door?" Orphen interrupted.

Hartia pretended he hadn't spoken. "Somehow he found out that you were practicing illegal spells and that somehow Majic had picked them up. He had two options: report you or get rid of his worst student. Majic is gone, Orphen."

Orphen remained silent for a long while. Finally, he murmured, "Please let me up, Hartia."

Relieved that he wasn't lashing out at him, the taller boy complied. "I'm sorry."

Orphen clenched a fist, slamming it into the ground. "He knew," he whispered furiously. "He knew I was going to tell someone about his hitting Majic . . . DAMN it!"

Hartia sighed. "Krylancelo--"

"I'm leaving, Hartia," Orphen said shortly. "I'm not waiting anymore. I'm leaving NOW." With that he got to his feet, dusted the back of his pants and stormed off. Hartia just stood there, resisting the urge to ram his knuckles into his forehead. Shortly afterwards, when he told Childman about Krylancelo's running off, he was surprised at the response.

"Let it be, Hartia," Childman said softly. "There is nothing we can do to stop him. Perhaps he needs this. If we are lucky, he will somehow learn from his experience abroad." Hartia stifled the urge to shout back that Krylancelo wasn't like that. He was far too stubborn.

But he kept quiet. Childman was right about one thing. There was nothing they could do.