Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Violet Eyes ❯ The Journey Begins ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Weiß Kreuz. I probably never will, no matter what I do. <sobs>

Author's Note: Umm…. Got nothing really to say. Just my thanks to Sardius, who was that patient to correct all my stupid mistakes… -.- Have fun!!!

Summary: Ran's sister, Aya, gets ill after their parents have died in an accident. But no doctor in Torlossen can help Aya. So Ran decides to undertake a journey through the Stolen Land to Onafross, in hope the doctors there can help him. Will he ever get through the Stolen Land alive?

Warnings: NC-17, Hentai, Alternate Universe, Yaoi

Pairings: So far only Yohji/Aya(Ran)

Character's thoughts

//…// = telepathy

Chapter Four: The Journey Begins

"What… what are you?" I winced at that question, in which I could feel? the fear and confusion. I turned my head away, so I wouldn't have to look at him. What would he be thinking now? I remembered how he had held my hand. It had been an impulsive action, I knew that, but it had felt so nice. No one had ever done that to me.

Would he regret that now? Now that he knew I was a demon?

I didn't realize I was crying again until a warm hand gently wiped away a tear off my cheek. I looked up and gazed at those friendly brown eyes for several moments. Ken looked confused and I could clearly see the question in his eyes. I broke off eye contact and looked down. "I'm… I'm not sure what I am," I muttered. "Some say I'm a demon. I don't know. Perhaps they're right."

Ken reached out a hand, probably to push away my bangs, but I jerked my head away and stood up. Still not looking at him, I continued, "I'm responsible for my parents' death. I tried to protect my sister, but now she's dying as well. It's all my fault."

There was a silence for several moments, which seemed to be an eternity itself. Ken shifted uneasily behind me, before he asked, "What happened? To your parents, I mean."

I didn't answer immediately, hesitating if I should tell him. He was, after all, just a stranger, and a Sublime guard as well. If I told him, there was a chance he would immediately report me to the Arch-Perfect. Then I remembered he already knew I was a demon, so it didn't matter. He would report me anyway. That was his duty, as a guard of Ama.

"They fell of off their horses."

"That's all?"

I looked up rather surprised, to meet Ken's skeptical look. "They fell off their horses? Did you push them? Did you use special powers?" I could only stare at him, not understanding what he was trying to say.

"You weren't there, were you?" His voice had turned sharp. "You weren't there when your parents died. You didn't kill them. It was just an accident."

Slowly, the meaning of his words reached my mind. For one moment, I believed. I tried to hold on to that belief, but I knew he was wrong. "If I hadn't lived…" I muttered.

"If you hadn't lived, it still would've happened," Ken declared. "It was inevitable. It was Ama's will."

Ama's will… Ama's will…

Suddenly I was angry. If this stupid Ama hadn't been there, I wouldn't have had such a miserable life. "Hell with Ama's will," I snarled. "There is no such thing. There is no Ama, it's just a sun. It has no will." I immediately regretted those words. It wasn't his fault after all and I guessed he had always believed in Ama. His belief had become his meaning of life. And I had just taken it away.

At the same time, I somehow knew I was right. There was no such thing as a God. It was just a sun. I didn't know how I knew it, and it scared me. To hide my confusion and to try to be friends with Ken again, I reached out my hand. "Sorry. Didn't mean to say that. It's just…" I didn't finish my sentence, because I didn't know what to say. I just waited until Ken would accept my offered hand. He hesitated, then slowly grabbed my hand. I realized this must've been a great sacrifice for a Sublime, who grew up hearing all the goodness of Ama and now had to touch a demon of Sudema.

I let go of Ken's hand, knowing it caused him discomfort - not to speak about my own discomfort when it came down to touching people - and went over to my sister. We both didn't know what to say, but the silence was comfortable and I needed to think.

A dangerous plan began to form inside my head. There was a chance I would die, but if I didn't, I could help my sister. I could show everyone I was not a demon. "I need to go to Onafross."

"You can't," Ken immediately replied. "You need to pass the Stolen Land, you won't survive that."

Did I hear concern in his voice? No, must've been my imagination.

"I need to go to Onafross," I repeated stubbornly. "Only there I can find help for my sister. And I need your help."

"What?" Ken's eyes were almost bulging out in surprise.

He'll probably think I'm going to ask him to join me…

I smiled inwardly, finding it rather cute how this young, impulsive boy reacted at everything. "I need someone to help me over the border." I looked down at my sister and my face softened. "And I need someone to look after my sister. You're the only one I trust. I want you to hide her from Arch-Perfect Takatori." I didn't really trust him, but of all the people, I trusted him the most. At least he hadn't tried to kill me when he saw my eyes.

Ken nodded slowly. "All right then. When do you want to leave?"

* * * * * * *

"He's here." The voice of the ever-calculated Crawford cut through the silence.

Schuldich waved with his hand. "I know, Braddy," he replied irritated. "I have felt him coming from miles away." // And my, my… that kitten sure is confused. // He smiled, enjoying the fear and sadness radiating off his red-haired kitten. Humans were just so amusing with their emotions.

"What are you going to do about it?" Crawford inquired.

"Nothing. Not yet. I'll have my bit of fun before I deliver him to Takatori." He looked o up at the older man. "Got a problem, Braddy?" He grinned broadly.

"Quit that," Crawford snapped. A knife flew through the room, ending in a wall. Neither Schuldich nor Crawford paid much attention to it, until Farfarello spoke.

"I can have him killed." He pulled his knife out of the wall. His tongue flickered over the edge. Schuldich broke off eye contact with Crawford to look at this young man. From all the member of Schwarz, he decided, Farfarello amused him the most. The strange guy with his peculiar habits was always in for some fun. Crawford and the kid didn't even know the meaning of fun.

"No, leave him be. I want him to feel safe before I visit him again."

Farfarello shrugged. "You only need to ask."

* * * * * * *

It was dark and silent and Sudema's light shone triumphantly on us as we crept though the bushes. Ken walked before me, carefully finding his way to the river Torlau. On my back, I carried my sword and enough provision for a week. According to Ken, I ought to be able to find enough food in the Stolen Land. I believed him, simply because I wanted to believe him. If he were wrong, I'd find that out too late.

And why wouldn't he send you to your death? You're a demon after all.

Shut up, I told my inner self. I'm not a demon and Ken's too nice to lie to me.

A soft thudding and screams of fear and agony suddenly filled the air. I froze and Ken looked nervously around. "What's that?" I whispered. Ken raised his hand to silence me, and wanted to walk further, but I grabbed his wrist and repeated my question.

"Sshh," Ken whispered back harshly. He glared at me and reluctantly I did what he said. The screaming suddenly stopped and the thudding slowly died away. Ken listened intensively for another few moments before he rose and said, "That was a party attacked by the Unseen." His voice had grown strangely distant. "You may not believe in them, but they're real." He glanced at me. "Do you still want to go?"

I nodded. "I have to," I replied calmly, though my heart pounded faster and fear rushed through my veins. But I didn't show it. I had grown so used to fear; I even didn't notice it as we walked further.

"You have to walk about half a league along the river. There you'll find a ford in the river. Don't cross it by night, or the Unseen will have you. Only walk by day and make sure the fire's big enough to protect yourself." Ken fell silent and looked at me. He swallowed hard. "Good luck," he whispered.

"Hn. Take care of my sister."

Ken nodded and left. I stood there on my own.

Time to start the journey.

* * * * * * *

I did as Ken had told me and indeed after about half a league, the river got smaller and shallow. I decided to follow up Ken's advice, still remembering the screams of fear and agony. Besides, I better sleep now than exhaust myself further. I'd better not make a fire, or I'd have half Torbyrgi standing next to me.

It was difficult to get to sleep. I had left my sister behind under the trust of someone I knew nothing about. I was worried, continuously thinking of her, wondering if she would be okay. I turned onto my back, looking at the purple sky, gazing both questioningly and challengingly.

If I'm Sudema's child, then why does she do these horrible things to me? Why do I get the feeling I'm always rejected, no matter who I turn to?

Ama didn't accept me. I could live with that. But even Sudema rejected me, and that is what hurts me the most. I had the feeling I belonged nowhere. I lived, I breathed, I ate, but there was no one who accepted me.

Rather being a demon child than nothing…

Another thing that kept me awake was my sudden realization that Ama was an illusion. All my life, I was used to think Ama ruled over us from his heavenly throne above. People told me he was there and if everyone said it, it had to be true, right? But this morning, I discovered all those people were wrong. It wasn't their fault; after all, they only did what others told them. They were all mislead, by the highest person in Torlossen… Arch-Perfect Takatori.

Anger welled up. Thanks to Takatori, I had lived a miserable life. Thanks to him, my sister was ill. My parents were good people, Perfects, and they had to die. He told us they were now in heaven with Ama, but if there was no Ama, they were not in heaven. Thoughts raced through my mind, stirring my anger. Most of them were irrational and incoherent. But one though was very clear.

I'll kill him. I'll make him pay for what he has done.

* * * * * * *

I woke up with a headache; I had probably slept with my head on a stone. But as soon as I got up, the pain went away. I ate a little from my provision and washed my face with the cold water from the Torlau. It bit into my face, but it was surprisingly refreshing. It gave me the courage to cross this boundary between Torlossen and the Stolen Land.

I knew it was foolish to go through the Stolen Land on my own, even insane to do it, but I chose not to think of that as I picked up my bag. If I started to think like that, I would turn insane from fear and I couldn't have that happening. I had to find someone who could cure my sister. I had to find help for her to get better. It was my only way of proving I was not a demon.

I crossed the river barefooted. The water didn't get higher than my ankles and I didn't mind the cold. I did mind, however, the sharp little stone lying at the bottom, pricking into my feet. That was rather unpleasant and when I reached the other edge, I was bleeding from several minor cuts. Thank Ama they stopped bleeding soon!

The sun shone brightly upon the green fields of the Stolen Land. Birds filled the air with their sweet singing and the sweet scent of all kind of flowers seemed to be everywhere. It was hard to believe that at night the Unseen walked here, killing every person daring to cross the boundary.

Like me…

But right now, there were no Unseen. There was only a peaceful harmony, calming me down and giving me the feeling; life was worth living after all, 'cause I now had a goal to achieve. Finding a cure for my ill sister, proving to the rest of the world I was not a demon, 'cause there was no Ama to reject me. And finally, I would get my revenge on the Arch-Perfect, because of all the lies he had told and for his attempt to have me executed. Not one minute had I thought that Takatori might be deceived as well. Even if I 'd thought that, I would've rejected it immediately. A powerful, all-knowing man like Takatori couldn't be deceived.

After three leagues of walking, I arrived at the edge of the forest. The trees stood high and majestically, thick and old, demanding quietly respect of all mortal creatures, because they had seen too many seasons passing by to notice, they had seen too many wars to care. They had a knowledge nothing else had and they guarded it silently.

I decided to take a short rest. My feet started to hurt and I was hungry. This forest offered a nice place to sit, while I could use the trees to lean against. While I ate, I tried to estimate where the main road could be. It was now about noon; I had only six to eight hours to find the main road and a way hut. One wouldn't survive long if he stayed just in the forest, unprotected. I had no idea how the main road found its way through the forest and I had no map. I even didn't have a compass.

Nice work, Ran… How do you plan to find Onafross?

Shut up! If I find the main road, I don't need to worry about that.

What if you don't find the main road?

I swallowed and tried not to think of that. Of course I would find the main road. I had to. To stop further worrying, I decided to think of Aya. I folded my hands and started to pray, like how the people had taught me. When I realized what I was doing, I let my hands fall to my lap. It was no use to pray anyway, it wouldn't be heard. It was just an empty sign.

I got up, collected my belongings and continued my journey. A strange silence hung in the forest, pressing heavily onto my shoulders. The birds were gone, nothing moved, except for the leaves when the wind blew softly through the tops of the trees. It seemed nothing lived here, only the trees, and I felt like an intruder, disturbing the peaceful quietness. I felt a bit uneasy about that, but at the same time, I felt excited, like I entered a mysterious place only a few had ever seen.

It's like I'm walking in the Forbidden Forest, beholding its strange and mythical beauty.

I grinned. Actually, I was walking in the Forbidden Forest. The punishment for that, was death, the protectors were the Unseen. Then I sighed. I hoped the Unseen would leave me alone.

* * * * * * *

I looked around, unsure of where I was. I ought to have crossed the main road by now. I ought to have come across several wayhuts for the night. But all I found were trees.

The sun was almost down and I had to find a place to rest soon. I calculated that the chances of finding the main road or a wayhut were almost zero, and decided to rest here for the night. There was enough wood for a huge bonfire and I still had my katana. If the Unseen came, I was at least able to defend myself.

I dropped my bag and collected some wood. When I was on my way back, I thought I saw something moving. I stood still, but I didn't see anything. I shrugged and moved on, thinking it had probably been a trick of the light. I dumped the wood on the ground and tried to make a fire. After a few attempts, the orange light flickered and started to burn into the wood. I fed it with more wood, until the fire lightened up the place, throwing mysterious shadows onto the ground, which I chose to ignore. A shadow couldn't do much, so there was no reason to be afraid of them.

I ate and laid down on the soft, mossy ground. I stared into the fire, listening to all the noises the forest was suddenly filled with, and slowly, very slowly, I sank into a blessed oblivion sleep.

* * * * * * *

Silence. A dreadful silence. It was so thick, I could almost touch it. The room was dark, though it smelled of trees, grass and flowers. So it couldn't be a room. But a forest couldn't be this dark or silent. I tried to see the trees, but all I saw was a pitch of darkness.

A single click of a nail.

A single flash of two large violet discs.

And I knew I was not alone…

I tried to move, but my legs didn't respond. I stood frozen to the ground. Then the soft, low thudding of horses galloping in slow-motion reached my ears.

They were coming…

I felt I was moving through the air, though I couldn't move a limp. The wind blew through my crimson hair, into my eyes and the tears flowing down my cheek were blown away. Then I came to a sudden halt, just near the river Torlau, the only bridge connecting Torlossen to the Stolen Land. Bathing in the violet starlight laid Torbyrgi.

Without knowing why, I turned my head towards the forest of the Stolen Land. A party, mounted, galloped over the hill, towards the bridge. Behind them were the Unseen, now no longer unseen, but half seen. Their silver manes waved along the wind. Each of them had two huge violet discs. They were chasing the people of the party…

I wanted to help, to say they were almost there. But I stood petrified to the ground, unable to bring forth even the smallest whisper. I was forced to watch their men being attacked, while safety was only a few feet away. Screams of agony and fear filled the air. A loud snap was heard when someone fell off his horse and landed with his back on a rock. Helplessly, he stared at the sky. His back was broken.

A horse passed me and I looked at the owner. Time seemed to freeze as I stared at the man's face. Blood dripped onto the ground and a mass of flesh and muscles moved as the man tried to express his pain. The skin had been torn from the skull. The image was awful and something I would never forget.

Then suddenly it was all over and I stood at a small lake. Before me stood Ken, playing with a sword. He seemed to be too busy to notice me and I looked at what he was drawing. Two circles, one inside the other, the symbol of protection from Ama. He looked up, his face serious.

"Don't think they're a myth. Sudema's children are real and they will come after you if you cross the border. You have seen what happens when they get you. Do you still want to go?"

I nodded and Ken moved away from the lake. Only now, I saw it was black, as if it absorbed all the light falling onto it. I stepped closer and looked at the surface. Images of my sister, my parents, unknown Perfects and Arch-Perfect Takatori appeared on the surface. I noticed I was falling forwards, into the lake, slowly but inevitably. I couldn't stop it.

I gasped for breath as I touched the cold water. I couldn't breath… Air, I needed air… Then I saw them, the Unseen, embracing me with their cold bodies, sharp nails touching my face. I struggled desperately. "NO! Let me go! Get off me!! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

* * * * * * *

"Noooo!!!!!" I sat straight up, sweating and shaking. The fire was gone and I was surrounded by darkness. A faint clicking of nails told me I was not alone. I grabbed my katana and stood ready for an attack. I didn't know where it was, but it seemed to me they were everywhere.

Then, just like in the dream, a pair of violet discs, huge and oval, appeared only a few feet before me. They wobbled, then split up into another pair, and another, and another. Soon, violet discs surrounded me, wobbling, changing from size. A soft hissing, like the wind, said, "Why… have you came to us…. Amaian?"

You can only see the Unseen when they're about to kill you.

Who said that? Probably my father or my sister, I didn't know. I didn't care; all I knew was that I was in danger. I took a step back and they took a step forward. I took two steps back; they took two steps forward, their silver manes drifting on along the wind. I turned around and ran away. The quick clicking of the nails behind me told me they followed me. And they were faster than me…

I ran on in blind panic, forgetting everything except the Unseen and realized I had to find a shelter. The image of the man whose skin had been ripped off flashed through my mind. I panted as I continued, not looking back at my pursuers.

Then, a huge black thing caught my eye.

A wayhut.

I ran into it, closing the door. I stumbled and fell on the cushions that was spread everywhere. Unable to move, I lay there. I didn't notice two green eyes was looking at me nor did I notice the wayhut rose up and started to move.

I'm saved…

* * * * * * *

"Your kitten's dead, Braddy. Just as you wanted." Schuldich opened his eyes and looked at Crawford. "The Unseen must've finished the job. You may come up with a nice excuse for that Takatori guy. My job's done."

"Are you sure he's dead?" Crawford asked.

Schuldich tapped on his head. "Can't feel his mind anymore, Braddy. Kitten must be dead. He can't hide. When do we get the chick?"

"Not yet, not yet," Crawford replied absently. "I first need to talk to the Arch-Perfect."