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Welcome to a world of madness and mayhem. Relax, cut loose, let your creativity run wild. From Fanfictions to Roleplays, to game reviews, to discussions, let your voice be heard. Never let anyone stand in the way of your voice, but remember to reciprocate. Never keep another from speaking. Remember we're all friends here, lets have some fun and keep it within the bounds of respect. And also remember, sanity is a myth, we all reflect one of the thousand faces of madness...


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Crucyx
Topic Started: Oct 22 2008, 12:26 PM (1,310 Views)
blackhawk
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Raising Light
sorry for not having the tie for reading your second part i really have no time but i'll do read it because i like the first part,i know i am not with a much help because i am not the guy who can criticize something in a good way but i tell you it is really a good one i'll leave this job to cam (looks like i am leaving too much for you cam) he really is good in this job as i see at the top of the page
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Yaomi
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Gathering Chi
@Cam: I'd be honored to look at some of your artwork, I'll get started on it right away. Oh, and I'll try to post up the file as you asked.
@blackhawk: It's no problem dude, we've all got crazy schedules, but if you get some time, please feel free to hack away at it.

Alright, I know i promised to have this up like a week ago, so I apologize for the delay. Things have been rather hectic to say the least...

Alright, this chapters a little different, seeing as this is the wonderful internet, and I can do things here that I'd never be able to do in a book, I figured I'd let you all in on a bit of my creative process. I LOVE music, so I always have something going in the background when I do my best writing. Because of this, some songs harmonize with certain parts of the writing. In this chapter you'll come across something called the Dirge of Tears, if you're not a total nazi with the the note placement, the hook/chorus of the son Shinjitsu no Uta, actually matches the lines of the dirge, with some room for repetition of course. I'll try to attach the song, along with a copy of the chapter, I hope you all enjoy! :)

P.S: Almost forgot, Reyn's lullaby matches the hook/chorus of Feel Good Inc. by the Gorillaz, I'll try to post that one up as well

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Chapter 3


The suns shone brightly through the high windows of the convent. Due to the elevation of Araali’s quarters, the rays of sunlight were always the first things to greet her in the morning and they were always there. The tower’ rose past the clouds, and thus no ill weather kept the rays of light from gently waking Araali every morning. They enjoyed doing this; after all, Araali blessed them with song each day. They slowly but steadily cast their joyous light on Araali's room. However, on this morning Araali was not quite ready to leave her slumber. She snuggled deeper into her pillows. They were so soft and warm yet firm at the same time, like sleeping on her mothers arm. Her face was pressed into another pillow. Her bed itself seemed to be radiating warmth. She snuggled deeper into her perfect nest, a sanctuary from everything in her life except for this one moment. She stilled and let her mind go. She heard a rhythmic-thumping coming from the pillow she had her face against. She didn't pay it any heed, if anything it helped her relax even further. She inhaled deeply caught up in the afterglow of sleep, a pleasant scent wafting about her. A scent like... citrus? Her eyes snapped open in horror. The boy, Reyn, was sleeping with her! It was not a pillow that her face was buried into but the crook of his neck with her head resting on his arm. His other arm was wrapped around her and that beating, that soft yet steady thump, was his heart. It was his body was pressed so closely against her, sharing warmth. I should be repulsed, I should be sickened that I'm so close to a boy, to a Dra'Ka, she thought to herself, I should be finding a way to kill him! She tried. She tried to be disgusted, to be appalled, to be outraged. But in all truth she didn't feel threatened or repulsed. She'd never had any real reason to spurn males like the rest of the women. Why had they lied? The other sirens swore that males had nothing that she could possibly want, but it hadn't been true. It felt... good to be this close to another person. To feel the warmth and peace that radiated from another’s being in the early morning chill. She had never known such closeness with any person in her life save the few times her mother had snuggled and comforted her. To feel his heart beating against hers was entrancing, the rhythmic beat like an unending lullaby, quick then slow, quick then slow, like two heartbeats in one. Besides, he didn't seem bothered. From the looks of things he was enjoying himself. From his carefree and contented smile, she could tell that he was still deeply asleep. I wonder what he's dreaming about, she thought. And after a few moments she began to forget about everything. She forgot about the sirens, she forgot about war. For just a brief, impossibly fleeting moment, she forgot about everything, everything but the moment itself.
"I have only now", she whispred to herself, "I can worry about everything else later."
She didn’t want the moment to end, yet she knew it was inevitable. As it stood, it happened rather slowly. After a few more minutes she began thinking of lighthearted questions. Why does he smell like fruit? She chuckled to herself as she drifted in and out of sleep. She stayed that way for almost an hour, subconsciously clinging to this feeling, this feeling that she couldn't understand, that kept trying to slip through her hands like fine sand. Phoenix were naturally very aloof and solitary creatures. Touching and public displays of affection were frowned upon and thought of as very uncultured. So why was she so different from the rest of her kind? Why could she feel no hatred for this boy like all the other sirens? Why couldn't she see him as any other evil Dra'Ka? Why couldn't she care about any of it? This was not how she'd been trained. A proper Ben Tu lady did not concern herself with trivial affairs. In all that she did, she kept herself distanced. That was the natural order of things. Then why does it feel so unnatural, she thought. After feeling this closeness, she felt as if she had been deprived of... of what? It was so impossible to put a name to. Something more than just affection, or touch. It was closeness, being close to someone else, knowing them. She felt a fiery passion well up in her breast, a righteous fury. How dare they deny her this feeling! They could all burn in the deepest depths of Hell! She caught herself suddenly and suppressed the wild burning of in her heart. There it was again, that thing inside of her. The thing that burned for wildness. That made her long to scream when she should whisper, to run ahead when she should walk behind. A burning sense of freedom and joy that she longed to express. Early on in her life she had been taught to suppress that feeling, to call it nothing more than the phoenix in her that all Ben Tu had to learn to control. But it was more, so much more, like a fire that coursed through her soul, longing for release. Being near this boy, the only person she had ever been this close to, the boy who was as wild and untamed as she longed to be, made the fire grow inside of her at an all consuming rate. She longed to rip off the vale of cold formality and poise that had been forced upon her, she longed to be free. This boy will do it, Araali thought, he will give me freedom, my enemy and my savior. Araali stilled her wild passions once again and focused on her present situation, her moment of peace had escaped her, just like she'd known it would. What should she do? She should be spending this time practicing and readying herself in preparation for her High Examination. But what did it matter? She knew she would pass. The power of the Omraah that coursed through her veins felt as natural to her as the very air her lungs brought her with each breath. She was by far the best of all ten candidates that would take the High Exam. However, every other candidate was older, older in age, trained longer, more firmly indoctrinated, and her being so young was still a very controversial issue. Still, she felt confident that she could sing better than any of them, and in the end that was all that mattered. Reyn began to stir. Araali looked up at his face. He yawned, revealing a set of surprisingly clean teeth with an oddly sharper set of canines than usual. He opened his eyes groggily. He looked at Araali not at all surprised.
"Goodmornin. Sorry for gettin all over ya like that,"He smiled at her, golden eyes shining brightly, dancing with an indescribable light,"Just couldna help it, bad habit when Ah'm cold."
"That's okay. It actually felt sorta nice,"Araali blushed deeply, happy that her skin was dark enough to hide it. She hadn't meant to say so much,"I mean...it was..."
"No need for all that,"Reyn's smile chased away her embarrassment.
"Aren't you mad at me for last night,"Araali asked hesitantly. All of her grand thoughts of fighting had evaporated. It was easy to say those things when Reyn had been asleep, looking so harmless. But if he was conscious…, she still had the bruises from the previous night.
"Naw, It's okay. Life's ta short ta keep a grudge. Ah was na told ta kill ya or hurt ya, so Ah ‘ave no reason ta. An ya dona seem ta want another scrat, so Ah see no reason we canna be civil. Ah dona much blame ya for what happened last night. The pudj that God Emperor a yours spreads about us Dra'Ka are plenty. Ah'd probably try ta kill ya too if ya did all the things he said we did. Ya seem like smart people, ah jus get why ya follow that grottin bastard."
Without even thinking, Araali drew a short knife from a sleeve in her blouse and brought it to Reyn's throat, rolling on top of him and straddling his waist. Didn't think to check there. I must be getting sloppy, Reyn mused, so this is the trigger old granny was jawin about, damn crazy birds. Its not right to mess with your own kin’s head. Honestly I didn’t think It was real. An automatic mental kill order.
"Well if Dra'Ka didn't act so badly there wouldn't be rumors to spread,"Araali stated with a growing rage at Reyn's impudence. His negative talk of the God Emperor was indeed a subconscious trigger instilled in her from early childhood, as was the case with every royal born child, one of the God Emperor's latest ways of assuring obedience. She had been trained in the dogma of respect for the God Emperor from birth on and this kind of talk was grounds for immediate execution, still she struggled to keep a slightly less vehement tone. Reyn hadn't killed her last night when he had the chance. She’d actually been surprised by how quickly she reacted. Her hands trembled slightly with the effort it took her to fight against the trigger,"The God Emperor is a noble man and I wont have you talking bad about him while I'm here. I am the only heir to a High Lady, my mother. I'll have you know that Dra’Ka in Tovah killed my father. I wont blame you for it after how kind you were last night in not killing me and all, but dragons slew every person in that city. And if you ask me that's not so innocent at all. So just... just please be quite, or I swear… I swear I'll slit your throat right now!"
"So the chick has talons,"Reyn gazed at her with an expression of hurt and disappointment, but he saw the tremor in her hand and smiled inwardly. So they can fight the trigger, he rejoiced, So there’s hope for these crazy birds after all. Araali saw his expression and began to feel sorry for losing her temper with him and for threatening his life again. The feeling vanished when she thought of her father, a man she hadn't thought about for so long. She didn't think of him often, he had died when she was still very little, no more than a toddler. But whose fault was that, she thought as she glared at Reyn. It didn't matter how nice he appeared, he hadn't said a thing, not a thing when she'd confronted him with all that his people had done. She felt her wrath boiling in her stomach and this time she did not try to contain it.
"No comment Dra'Ka,"she growled.
"Make up your mind Ben’Tu, thought ya said ya'd slit my throat if Ah said anythin. Besides… somethings ya better off learnin on your own,"Reyn said in an infuriatingly calm tone,"It's na my place ta tell ya. Maybe when your older, and na so ignorant, ya'll get it. The worlds a lot more wazered than ya think."
“Look you stupid dragon,” Araali seethed,” Learn your place! I’ll tell you how the world is, it’s a place where Dra’Ka run about destroying lives, destroying families. You think you have any right to criticize me? You already reek of death! How many have you killed, how many fathers have you slain.”
"An Ah actually thought ya were different, but ya’re the same as all the other royals. Ya don't give a grottin pudj about what happens ta anyone else," Reyn spat letting his control slip for an instant. He saw Araali flinch and despite his anger, began to regret what he'd said. For all of the ignorance and self-righteousness he saw in her, he could see something else, the trembling of her hand. It must be hard to stop a mental trigger, yet she hadn't touched him with that knife. By all rights, his blood should’ve been on the sheets by now.," Look, all Ah mean is ta say that ya just don't have a right ta be mouthin off about somethin ya dona know anythin about."
Araali fought back a sob, Reyn's comment had stung more than he knew. What did he mean when he said that she didn't care? Who was he to judge her? How could he just sit their defiant and in no way show a hint of guilt when he knew what she said was true. What kind of creature could do something like that. And he had the nerve to condescend her, to pity her!
"Its because it’s true! That's why you cant say anything," she virtually screamed as a few rouge tears streamed down her cheek. Reyn saw this with distress, he hadn't known she would take it so personally," Tell me! Tell me now or I swear I'll kill you! Don't think I can’t do it!"
"Ah'm sorry," he whispered softly. From only his voice she could tell that he was not sorry for what she'd accused him of and it infuriated her. Reyn was merely sorry for making her cry. He reached up gently a brushed the few rouge tears from her cheek," Ah'm not the one ta tell ya this stuff, it wouldna be right. Ah'm not old or wise enough ta tell ya right. This isn't what ya want."
Araali was fuming now, the kindness, the tenderness, it was not what she wanted! She knew exactly what she wanted, who was he to tell her differently. She would show him. A wicked idea formed in her mind. The females in her family all carried a genetic marker that granted them astounding mental prowess, whether it be intelligence, rationality, mental dominance, and in rare cases, the ability to read thoughts, and prophesy. It was the latter two that Araali had inherited. She was not perfect at reading thoughts. Whenever she had tried it on the palace guards, things had not went well. She had sent more than one person babbling on a cot headed for the infirmary. Still, what did it matter? She would find out what this boy said he wouldn't tell her, what he had said she didn't want. What did she care if it drove him insane? I'll show him how much I want it, she raged. Without any thought towards gentility or compassion, she drilled her way into his mind. It was difficult, far more difficult than with the guards. It was like he had a steel wall around his mind. She pushed harder and realized that the barrier was made up of memories. Memories that he had repressed and kept from himself and others. Still, this wall of memories wouldn't stop her and she drilled harder and harder. When she began her final assault Reyn could feel the pressure, his eyes widened as she realized what Araali was doing.
"No stop, wait! Ya dona know what your doin! Ya willna be able ta-," Reyn stopped abruptly. As she finally penetrated the result was evident. Reyn almost leaped out of the bed, only Araali's weight on top of him kept him in place. He clutched his head and began screaming. Araali felt a twinge of pity, seeing the boy who had been so calm and collected, writhing in agony underneath her, reduced to tears. I can't stop know, she steeled herself and plunged into the boy's mind.
She was thrown into a sudden darkness. This was odd, Araali thought, this never happened before. The darkness was everywhere, above, underneath and beside her. If she strained her eyes hard enough, she could make out something far beneath her. She wasn't sure, but they almost seemed like doors, not just any doors. They were huge, like the doors on a palace; the word gate came to mind. She counted seven of these "gates". She would have gone towards them had it not been for a deep rumbling growl. Directly in front of her was a small child, maybe four or five, oddly enough, he looked like a younger version of Reyn.
"Who are you," Araali asked, not sure she really wanted to know. There was something odd about the child, something lifeless. Was it this child who had growled? The child turned to her, his eyes were the same as Reyn's, except that they appeared empty, devoid of emotion, devoid of pity.
"I am Reyn," the child said in a shocking voice, the voice of a thousand speaking at once,"I am the perception of Reyn that dwells in your mind as well as the perception that dwells in the minds of others. I am the keeper of perceptions. What is it that you seek."
"I… I want to know what Reyn wouldn't tell me," Araali put it as simply as possible. To be honest, she was too frightened by the strange-voiced child to say much else," I want to know why he doesn't speak of all the bad things the Dra'Ka have done."
"You seek perceptions of events," the strange child replied," But be wary. Your own perceptions may lay shattered by truth. Who can tell if you know only of lies and of half-truths. Know that the truth is heavy and it's claws dig deep."
With that the shaft of light widened and another child appeared, standing next to the first. This one looked the same as the first but for his eyes. His eyes were full of a frightening mixture of sadness and joy. She could not look into them for very long without tearing up and still wanting to chuckle.
"Who are you, and are you sad or happy," Araali wanted to look away from the little boy so badly, but she could not. Her eyes were transfixed upon his. She could only let those eyes tear across her soul with their tempest of emotion..
"I am Reyn," the boy answered cheerily but with an overall weariness, his voice carrying an oddly sing song quality to it," I am the Reyn that sees the truth. I sing the dirge of tears and the ballad of laughter. I am the keeper of memories. Why do I mourn? Because the truth you ask for is painful and the memories filled with despair as you shall soon see."
"Why would you make me see something sad," Araali asked, on the verge of begging to be released from the boys consuming gaze. At this question, both boys,identical, smiled at her coldly.
"Why? Because you asked for answers," the boys replied in unison,"Now you must bear the repercussions."
Without anything further to say, the second boy began to speak, or sing, Araali could not really tell. The song had no apparent scheme to it, just a jumble of slightly rhyming phrases, but Araali could still tell that it was a song in essence. As the little boy sang/spoke his sad yet eerily happy song, images of what he voiced appeared in his eyes and Araali was forced to watch.
"Well my little bird lets sing, lets sing this song today! You said you want the truth at least that’s what you say. So many stories, so much to tell. I’m really not happy you know, its somewhat a living hell. You've made me sing a sad song. Sad and lonely, sad and long. Well the first thing you asked for was Tovah. Don't look so surprised, I heard you ranting and raving, feeling so righteous and pure, but lets take a litte trip back, back, back, back!!! Can you see it on my eyes now, look here, looks like all the Dra'Ka are dead, dead, dead as a sack. Right with the Ben Tu! And probably your daddy too! You can always tell that old Dra'Ka armor, a bit too gaudy for my taste though. About as much help as a belle with a bow. If all the Dra'Ka are dead and all the Ben'Tu are dead, who did all the killing? An answer to that’d be thrilling? Let's just pan around to left, ahhh! There it is, just a bit above that cleft. You can see them marching away. Do you see their banners sway. If I'm not mistaken that's your Bastard God's family crest. Ohh don't stand there with your mouth open, he left his calling card on everyone’s chest. Pretty efficient them shock troopers, burned the whole grotting village. What you really should a been wondering is how your Bastard Emperor knew who killed who, when the whole city was burned and pillaged!”
"Liar,"Araali cried, still unable to break the boys gaze. The sickeningly cheery song bored into her head almost as she had bored into Reyn's. As a siren, she was especially tuned to music and sound. No matter how hard she tried she could not block it out. More tears poured down her face. It could not be true, it simply could not. The God Emperor would never do such a thing. She had spoken with him once when she was very little. He had seemed so nice. He had given her wounded Ben Tu pride hope for revenge against all Dra'Ka. He'd told her what she wanted to hear. But could it be true, was the proof standing right in front of her on the glistening surface of this boy's eyes,"How can you know any of this? How can you prove you not lying?!"

The boys toon changed and grew ever so slightly more somber

"You ask for some damn depressing songs, I'll give you that. Questions I wouldn’t expect from a girl or for that matter even a rat. Oh well, I guess it cant be helped. You arrogant and incessant whelp. By nature Reyn's a traveler, he never stays put long enough, so its no great surprise that he's been to old Tovah, more or less stumbled upon it. But that doesn’t make a load of sense so now you think I’m full of it. But I guess your wonderin how he'd of seen Tovah burning, that happened a good six years ago, and he's no older than you are! After all, a toddler can’t wander quite that far. Well consider this, Reyn is a to'juk, working directly under the Dra'Ka Council of Elders. Now I'll tell you a little secret.But you have to promise to keep it. One of those elders has the ability to share memories. And his are even worse than mine. For a long time its been his family line that preserved the Dra'Ka's history. Not of late mind you considering the Dra’Ka are history. Now he of course showed these memories to every to'juk under the Council which includes Reyn. Not so much to his pleasure, but more to his bane. This memory is originally from a man named Ganak, one of the handful of pre to'juk soldiers that left Tovah alive. Sure wasn’t pretty how he survived. Well with that question answered, we have the question of why? I know you're asking it to yourself over and over again in your mind. Why? Why? Why try? Ask your Bastard God! He’s not much more than a clod. You see the Tovahvites have always had a friendship with the Dra'Ka. And it was because of this friend ship, that they would meet their makers. One of the earliest supporters of the Dra'Ka when your Bastard God's genocide erupted. That's why they were made example of, less he once again be interrupted. And don't think their the only ones, trust me there were others. Kishna, Tahhe, So'deru, all of them Ben’Tu brothers. So good child don't blame Reyn, he didn't kill your dad. Can you finally see it now? Your Bastard God is bad."
The boy looked on at Araali blankly, save the turmoil of emotion that lingered on in his stare.
"You shells of a person don't know what its like to loose someone you love. I died a little bit the day Tovah was destroyed. You have no idea what it feels like when a dad dies. So don't judge me. I still blame you and your people for what happened. You don't no what its like to loose your dad. I'll bet that when Reyn goes home, he can just cuddle up with both his parents! He doesent know! He doesn't know what its like to sleep in just one pair of arms, wondering what happened his father."
Araali was frantic now. Her image of the world was crumbling around her. She let her tears stream freely down her face unashamed. The two boys gave her the same chilling, joyless, smile as they had before. The song resumed its original upbeat and cheerful tone and for at least a moment it began to carry a distinct rhyme and pattern.

"Must we never end, this song, this song for which you asked
Have you yet not learned the truth, the truth in which you bask
We have but one tale left to tell, a tale that does hearts rend
The last tale we will ever tell before we start to end!"

As if on cue the first boy turned and raised his shirt over his head. He was the mirror image of Reyn, although several years younger, and Araali knew that the true Reyn would have the same mark. The symbol was very simple and looked old. It took her awhile to comprehend what she was looking at. Despite the symbols oddity she remebered it from an old story her mother used to read her. It was one of the pictures from the book her mother had read to her out of. But it was impossible. They were all dead. If this brand was real then it could only mean one thing. This boy was Idwali. Now the second boy’s song became incredibly passionate, it kept only a rough driving rhythm and became one passionate melody. Araali had stumbled across the mental shade’s dirge of tears. For the first time he himself began to cry. Now the was no more hint of joy in his tempestous eyes, only an abyss of loss and sorrow. He shook as he sang and the images that appeared in his eyes became more and more graphic. The song became more cryptic, and the voice of a boy was no more. Araali could not tell where it came from, it was ageless, genderless.

A symbol tells a story, better than a word does.
It tells a story that's better left unheard

If blood is what you do seek, then blood it wont fail to give you

Should one be damned for what his soul must be
Should life be taken, just for a memory

Learn just what the price of ten thousand souls will buy you

Once there was a family, happy and cherished
Once love and joy, before it all vanished

Is it really easy to watch all that you know dissappear

What happens to a child that sees his family die
Crush what's held dear, call his life one grand lie

Father, mother, brothers, sisters all burn in one pyre

To watch all of your loved ones, slaughtered and trampled
To know their is nothing, you can ever do

To watch those that are your loves, give up their lives to save you

So please stand tall and tell this one to his face he is cruel
Cruelty is eternal, just look at the cruelty in you

Could you burn your people, if it was the right thing to do

The boy continued to pour out his sadness in his song that drove ever deeper into the wounds that Araali had reopened. Araali would bear the consequences of her ignorance. He told her everything. The genocide of other races, the massacre of Reyn's people, the lies and deceptions told by her beloved God Emperor. The way he tortured prisoners of war. The way he used dragon lives like cheap playthings and slaves, Drakkers he called them, subhuman servants. The way he slew Dra'Ka children one by one before their parents. How he displayed the mangled corpses of his victims in places he knew Dra'Ka would see them, using dragon corpses as torches, feeding them to wild beasts. He showed Araali what it was like to watch ones family slaughtered by monsters that a child could not possibly understand. He showed her what it took to burn the corpses of every person in ones life in the hope that they might find peace eventually. The strange boy let years of grief and torment flood Araali and threaten to drown her. In the boys blind grief his dirge reverted to something primal. He looked deep into Araali's eyes and did one thing that would truly show her the pain that he sought to convey to her through his song. He gave it to her, not all of it, but just enough to let her taste what real oblivion felt like. Araali recoiled as if she'd been struck. She was in no way ready to feel anything..., anything this horrible. The sadness she felt for her mother whom she missed, the pain she felt from the strange boys words, all were dwarfed in comparison to this beast of misery that ravaged her body and soul. It overwhelmed the fire that she had learned to live with, and it tore at her vulnerable mind. She felt as though the very fibers of her life were being shredded. And still it did not end. It was now her family that had been slaughtered, her friends that were hunted down and destroyed, her people being wiped out.
Now the shaft of light expanded yet again. A third boy identical to the other two, but in a way far more chilling, appeared standing by the second. In his eyes burned with cold and steady hatred and disgust.
"Who are you," she said simply because she knew she was expected to, but she kept her eyes fixed firmly to the infinite black void beneath her feet. She had no strength left to resist, she was almost completely numb,...almost.
"I am Reyn," the boy said, his voice lashed her like a whip. Cutting her deeper and deeper and continuously goading the beast of misery to devour what was left of her soul," I am the Reyn that has seen, and is angered. I am the one who hates others and hates myself. I am the keeper of hatred and malice."
"Why must you come to hurt me as well," Araali spoke and despite her best efforts, she could not keep the self-pity from her voice," Why wont you let me cry alone."
"Why do you cry," the boy replied, his voice icy and demeaning.
"Because I've seen cruelty like I didn't think could be real," Araali shook as she spoke.
"How dare you speak of cruelty,"the boy spat at her,"You who for your own selfish gain leave a boy writhing in agony and misery while you feed your curiosity. What a disgusting sight you are to behold."
"I know, and I'm sorry,"Araali wanted desperately for her ordeal to end. What did they want, what could she give them to make them go away? What did she have to say?,"I forgive the Dra'Ka for everything they've ever done."
"Forgive!? What is there to forgive!"the boy flogged her mercilessly, she could almost feel the welts that lingered on her spirit,"You live among a nation of ignorant murderers who take it upon themselves to play the role of gods! Who has given the Ben Tu the right to decide who is worthy of life and who is not? No one! And yet you persist in your stupidity! What will you do?"
It was true. All of it was true. What could she do but give up? Why struggle any longer. She began to fade, slowly but surely. It wasn’t hard; it was like going to sleep. All of a sudden, Araali stilled. What is this, she asked herself, is this the end? No. She could still feel something. She could feel a power. Her vision began to blur. The darkness, the strange children, all of it began to melt until she could see nothing, nothing but flame, fire, beautiful, relentless, unstoppable fire that rose up, consuming her entire being… and it felt good.
"Does it matter? I know I was a fool, but I know I can be better. I know your trying to break me, and you can't. What more can you do to me that I can't do to myself! I'm tired of this game and I'm tired of all of you,"Araali's eyes blazed now, she had let out a little bit of the fire that burned within her breast. It was the only force left that she could muster to survive this trial. She looked at the third boy directly and spat," And now let me tell something to you. Why should you hate yourself? If any of what you said was true and yet you still hate yourself, then you are the fool! How can a little boy be expected to deal with any of this! It is not fair and it is not right!"
The third specters rage increased ten-fold, and he let out a blood-curdling roar. The form of a boy dissolved and a shadowy thing of nightmare appeared in its place, large and sinister. Black, blacker than the abyss, so dark it seemed to absorb the light around it. A body that could not be identified, could not be labeled. It was something primal, the reason why humans were scared of the dark. Scared that this… this thing might be there waiting for them, hungering for them. It roared again and Araali could almost feel the fire that had protected her being extinguished.
"You insolent wretch, I'll end you here and now! There is no need for the fourth. If you will not be be broken, you will die," the nightmare being roared again and charged on all fours. In only a split second he was upon her, he reared back to strike and Araali shut her eyes tightly, her body too weak from her ordeal to try to resist. Just before the creature struck all became still again, but this time it was not some inner will coming to save her. She knew exactly what it was even though she'd never felt the sensation before in her life. It was Al'ka'hy, the pre-death awareness that was legend among Ben Tu soldiers. They believed that at the exact instant before death was absolutely certain, time stopped in the eyes of the victim. Some said that it was in this state that a Ben Tu could unlock the true immortality of the phoenix and thus become impossible to kill. Araali had no such ability. She would die and this new state of awareness merely confirmed that. Instead of trying vainly to find this secret to immortality, she took the chance to reflect on a few things. She had no fear of the Al'ka'hy ending. From what she'd picked up from the guards, it wouldn't end until she was ready, until she prepared her mind fully for death. She considered what had happened. She had come to believe that this whole ordeal was a teaching process. Why then would they kill her? It hadn't seemed possible to phase the specters, but the last one had gone completely ballistic and was now ready to end her life, had she really offended him that much? It took some time, more time then she would’ve liked to admit, but slowly the truth dawned on her. How could she of been so blind? She was not the only mind reader among the Ben Tu, in fact most of the God Emperor's interrogation squad was made up of mind readers or as they were called, mindwalkers. A to'juk had never been captured, but it made perfect sense for them to have a mental fail safe. This was designed entirely to kill mindwalkers. These Dra'Ka were much more clever than she gave them credit. To have completely created an assassin so perfectly willing to die, and take its killer with it. Maybe that was why Reyn had tried to stop her at the last minute. Could it be that he hadn't been scared of the coming pain, but for her life? She smiled, well at least she would like to think that, it was the only way she could give him the credit he deserved now.
She did not come out of Al'ka'hy as quickly as she'd expected. It actually took her a surprisingly long amount of time to come to terms with her death; she wasn't nearly as calm as she thought. It took several days; at least that was what her internal clock told her, although she did not grow hungry or tired. Death is only the beginning; she repeated to herself, I say good-bye to my loves. I will see you all again. When Al'ka'hy did end it came without warning, as quickly as saying goodbye. Araali was ready though, for some reason death was not nearly as scary as she thought it would be. She stood rooted back in the void of darkness, the nightmare specter looming over her, the other two specters hanging back. Nothing happened. At first she thought that perhaps she was still in Al'ka'hy but then one of the specters blinked, turned and gave his fellow specter a quizzical glance. Araali had a chance only to see this briefly, for in the next moment she found herself whirled up into a typhoon of light and darkness, blindingly invisible, deafeningly quite, she was tossed into an amalgam of everything and nothing. The tempest bore her upwards farther and farther into... what? All of her surroundings had changed, she was no longer in Reyn's mind, she knew that much, but she wasn't back in the convent either. She wasn't one the ground or in water, but for that matter nor was she in the sky. It was not a void and yet there was nothing, slowly things began to materialize. Soon walls began to form. In a few moments she could see that the walls and ceiling were made of polished wood, the floor was thickly carpeted. Now she found herself in the center of room. Behind her was a door, slightly ajar, as though she had come through it. Across from her was a fire, its light was supplemented by a seemingly random assortment of lamps. On either side of the room was a large cushy armchair. Other than this the room appeared to be empty, but that changed rapidly. Soon the space between the chairs began to fill with a medely of objects. From great swirling masses of light, to spheres of what appeared to be rock and water, entire planets. It had taken her awhile to recognize it but she had studied the heavens. These were planets, stars, entire galaxies. Last but certainly not least, two individuals appeared in their respective armchairs. In one, on the left side of the room, sat an elderly woman with silver hair and light blue, almost white eyes. She was dressed in a simple white robe. In the right hand chair and elderly man sat. He was completely bald and had the same light, light blue eyes. He was dressed in a jet black suit.
"Oh my, it appears we have a visitor," the old woman chuckled and gave a warm grandmotherly smile," Aren't you just a little surprise."
"More like a damn nuisance," the older man scowled," You'd think that we of all beings would at least be privy to our privacy."
"Tut, tut, tut, brother dear. You should know better than to act so juvenile in front of company," She smiled at him and turned again towards Araali," You must forgive him deary. He's still smarting from his loss on Xaris."
"Your one to talk about loss and victory," the old man chuckled and smirked at his sister," Did you not always say that we cannot be defined in such small terms. Victory, defeat, sister, brother. Why do you seek to confine us to such human terms? Before you know it you'll be saying your good and I'm evil."
"We must define ourselves somewhat or our poor mortal guest will be thrown back into Lakada. Any more time out there and she'll probably go insane," the elderly woman didn't seem at all concerned by this although it distressed Araali greatly.
"Not that it wouldn't be amusing," the older man smiled wickedly," There's your definition for you, I do enjoy playing the sinister dear sister."
Pyon... best word ever!!
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Yaomi
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Gathering Chi
(wow, it's so long I had to split it into two posts :( )

"My, my, look at us arguing over form and completely ignoring our young guest. Unfortunately this brings up the problem of names," the older woman thought a moment," We're much too large to be encompassed by one name. In happy times you call me Freedom, but more often you call me Chaos."
"So then shall I go by the good weather Order," the older man smirked," Or will it be Slavery. Shall we try the dichotomy of Zeus and Hera, although that would bring into play some rather perverted notions, seeing that you have already given us the definition of brother and sister. Not that the Greeks would disapprove. Or perhaps we’ll play the game of Micheal and Lucifer. You do enjoy that one, but that merely implies a greater power still and for all that we know, we answer to no one."
"Well my young friend, seeing as we go by so many names you will have to settle with Sir and Ma'am. Will that suit you Araali," the old woman gave her another warm smile, ignoring her brothers doddering completely. Araali nodded her head vigorously, still too perplexed to speak.
"Leastwise she's not a noisy intruder," the older man smirked at her again," Are we absolutely sure her tongue made it out of Lakada. Well girl what do you want?"
"I... I didn't mean to intrude," Araali started, trying to sort out exactly what had happened to her," I was supposed to die. I was sure that I was in Al'ka'hy, but when I came out I was alive and then this happened."
"Bound to happen with all of the damn Easter eggs you hid in these people," the older man snorted.
"You shouldn't expect anything less from a fulcrum world," the older woman chided him," You probably don't have a clue what were talking about do you deary."
"No Ma'am," Araali bowed her head respectfully.
"Polite," the older man at last smiled with approval," Never a crime that one. Its good to see someone who isn't a complete sycophant. The last three were."
"Well let’s see, where do I start. There is no easy way to explain this," the older woman shook her head," Simply put we are all that was, all there is, and all that ever will be."
"You always did have a flare for the cryptic," the older man shook his head," A tad pointless though, seeing as there's a great possibility that she'll never remember a word of this."
"Nevertheless, there is also the possibility that she will remember," the older woman turned her head again to Araali," We may look peaceful at the moment, but in reality we are in a supreme conflict. A war that has no beginning and no end."
To demonstrate she held out her hand, the older man chuckled and held out his own hand. At first it seemed as though nothing happened, but in an instant, a massive discharge of nearly invisible energy erupted from either side of the room, they collided in front of Araali. Both energies were evenly matched, one side may push forward slightly only to be pushed back, until both were in a state of equilibrium. For a moment Araali could feel the depths of the power, a well of energy that dwarfed the mightiest stars, a power with no source or limit, and she understood. These two seemingly innocent people were not people at all. They were not male or female. She began to see that this entire display was only for her benefit. In reality these two beings were something entirely incomprehensible. They were the makers and unmakers of the universe. The elderly couple smiled. And brought the visible clash of power to a close, but Araali could sense that it continued. It was something that did not have an end just as it did not have a beginning. The old couple could see her realization.
"She's quite the bright young thing," the older man chortled.
"She is indeed," the older woman replied," You have a very good perception young one. Remarkable actually, but such is to be expected from a fulcrum planet."
"Excuse me Ma'am," Araali asked meekly," What is a fulcrum planet?"
"A reasonable question," the old woman nodded," You saw where our energies collided. That meeting place is at a fulcrum planet. Countless planets are swept up in our charge, but only the planet where we meet is important. That planet is our battleground. Your world, Ishtaa, is one of them. There have been many others, Xaris for example. Lodai, Ephil, Rigil IX, Pollux IV, Earth, there are countless in the past and future."
"So one of you is good and the other is evil?" Araali asked confused.
"We can not be seen in terms as meaningless as good or evil," the old man retorted," Such words become far to muddled up in perception. You may think me just a grumpy old man, and you may think of my sister as a kind little old lady, but these are just facades. We have both done things that you would probably consider the worst of all evils, but we have also saved and protected countless lives. In short, we do what is necessary."
"Necessary for what?" Araali asked losing a bit of her timidity.
"Necessary to maintain the balance," the older woman replied," where there is light, there must be shadow, where there is order, there must be chaos. Without balance one side would bloat and collapse upon itself destroying all, a thought that you can not yet comprehend."
"So was I brought here to maintain the balance on my world," Araali asked. Her excitement was growing. There were answers to be found here, destinies to be revealed.
"Aren't we a glutton for knowledge," the old man smiled.
"You have your role to play on the struggle on your world, but that is not the reason you are here now," the old woman reassured her," You were brought here by an Impossibility. You are one of the few beings who have actually broken one of our laws."
"I'm very sorry! I wasn't trying to," Araali said quickly, her old fear returning, although it wasn't a fear of death. She had made peace with death. It was a fear of displeasing either of these beings, in their displeasure, was a fate far worse than death.
"Do not worry yourself darling," the old woman consoled her," We are not mad at you, in fact you are to be rewarded. You stand as proof that even we cannot enforce our will upon all living things. A small victory for myself if I do say such a trivial thing."
"Ha ha ha," her brother grimaced," Give her a reward so we can get on with it."
"With what? With nothing? It is rare that we have a little surprise" She chided her brother gently," Patience brother dear. Come here Araali that I may give you this gift."
Araali stepped forward; she recognized that she had nothing to fear from this old woman, or for that matter from her brother. They were searching for much bigger game. If they didn't want her around, they could have destroyed her without so much as a thought. The old woman took her into both arms and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.
"There now," the old woman smiled," I have given you a gift that you wont understand for several years, but when it manifests it self, you'll know. The rumors of the Al'ka'hy aren't completely off."
"Careful about making immortals," the old man warned," that's just as much a curse as it is a blessing."
"Now I'm not fool enough to do that," the old woman chortled," This will only help to set things in motion."
"Set things in motion ehh?" the old man waved Araali over towards him. She came obediently, but not without some measure of trepidation, he reached out and placed his hand on top of his head," Don't be frigtened girl, I am not the Nak, nor is she. I have a song to teach you. You are a siren after all. I give you the song of opening. You'll sing it when it’s necessary and finally get things moving."
"Thank you both very much," Araali said genuinely, but something still ate at her," Excuse me for asking, but if neither or you is the Nak, the ultimate evil, then who is."
The elderly couple sighed in unison.
"Let us simply say that not all of our children have met our expectations," the old woman shook her head.
"Thanks in part to you and your damnable notion of free will," the old man scoffed," Humans are far to efficient at making there own demons."
"True, sad as it is," the old woman nodded in agreement.
"I'm sorry but I'm still confused," Araali spoke faster than she'd meant to."
"Not a complete surprise," the old man leered at her," I really do hope you grow out of this incessant curiosity."
"Now, now brother. There would be no point in her presence here if we didn't give her some knowledge," the old woman motioned for Araali to come back over,"My dear brother was right unfortunately. Victory and defeat are words far to small to define what it is we do, as is war. Balance does not always imply conflict. On your world, victory is not so much a matter of if the Nak will be defeated or not, but rather how it is defeated."
"In short, don't worry about it," the old man snorted," Its time you were getting back."
"Sadly I don't know where I was to start with," Araali gazed at both ancient beings uncertainly," I was in the convent physically, but I was in Reyn's mind mentally, and furthermore I was in Al'ka'hy spiritually. I don't know where or what I am right now."
"You'd be surprised how thin the barriers between the three really are," the old woman assured her," But no matter, we will return you to the exact moment before you came here."
Araali was about to ask how that was possible until the old man cut her off.
"Time is a complete and utter illusion developed by mortals," the old man scoffed," There is no such thing as time there is only Now and Now is where you choose it to be. Now off you go."
"Ishom kali fay ta, my little chick," the old woman chuckled. As soon as she spoke the strange words, the room dissolved and for an instant she was thrown back into the Lakada as the old couple had called it. In the next instant she standing again over the void and in front of her were the three specters. Where had she been, she had only the vague recollection of talking to someone, someone or something important. But now it didn't matter, there were still these three to contend with. The nightmare being was being pulled away from her and back to the shaft of light. He roared and howled and clawed, but the invisible force was relentless. As he was once again caught in the shaft of light, he shrunk back to his original form of a young boy and the hate and disgust in his eyes waned somewhat. Chains of golden light enveloped him, keeping him securely in place.
"Humph! So the sniveling worm has finally developed some backbone," the boy spat," Be happy the fourth interfered. Your life is spared... for now."
The light widened for what Araali prayed dearly, would be a final time. Now the fourth boy stepped forward and came right up to her.
"Who are you," Araali growled growing tired and weaker by the minute. The fire had come back somewhat, but it was hard to maintain and it was so busy holding back the misery that still threatened to overwhelm her, even after the period of time she couldn't recall for some reason. But this boy was different. His eyes most closely resembled Reyn's when he had been happy. He came up to her, spread his arms and hugged her, he only reached her chest. Araali had almost forgotten that these apparitions were barely older than toddlers.
"I am Reyn,"Araali almost collapsed as he spoke, still embracing her. His voice was so sweet and kind, just like the little boy he was. The beast of misery and pain evaporated with each word the fourth boy spoke. She felt her fragile existence slowly being mended by little, steady hands that radiated joy. Her heart healed rapidly until she could feel it beating once again, stimulated by the same warm hands,"I am the one who has seen shattered perceptions, full and half truths, and both rage and fear. But I am the kindness that resides in the hearts of others and most strongly in Reyn. I am the keeper of joy, and I am the most powerful of all those who dwell in this mind for I am Reyn."
"Thank you, thank you so much," Araali still wept, but her tears were of joy.
"You have formed a bond with Reyn's soul through your rashness. Use it well. You have faced and survived the spiritual Na'jah'rak, the black blade that pierces the heart, we are proud of you. Here is your reward,"as the boy spoke he squeezed her tightly, and as he did, she felt the extent of kindness and joy that lived not only in her heart, but in Reyn as well. It blotted out even the great black void over which she stood. The darkness turned to light, and as far as she could see there was joy, the visible form her mind gave to joy. It was so wonderful, so powerful, that Araali burst into renewed tears, but her tears were still of happiness,"Do you have anymore questions?"
"Just one, and I know this will sound odd, but really, what are all of you. Is this my imagination or Reyn's, are you ghosts? Are you just a trap? What are you?" Even though each had told her what he represented she could still not put together the greater picture. The boy holding her, released her and shook his head, as one does to a child who still does not understand after repeated instruction. Without warning each boy dissolved into grains of golden light, even the one that had been chained down, they swirled together to form one being. When the light settled she saw Reyn, the same age as when she'd met him the night before.
"We are... Ah am Reyn,"Reyn smiled at her,"Ah release ya from the prison a my mind, come visit again sometime."
With that everything flashed once and she was sitting back on her bed, in her room in the convent. Reyn was still convulsing, with one dry sob he stopped moving and came to rest. He was pouring sweat. So much so that his hair was matted to his forehead. Araali was surprised that it was him and not her who went through so much physical strain. Ever so gently, Araali used her blanket to sponge him dry.
"So that is what you feel," she asked unable to keep the shock from her voice. He merely nodded slightly,"I'm sorry I did that. It was cruel and hateful. I understand if you don't forgive..."
Reyn sat up and waved a shakey hand to hush her.
"Ya only did what anyone would do, if they had your talent. Ah shoulda just told ya. Its me who's sorry, Ah didna know what ya were doin till ya were almost finished," In that moment Araali felt the same kindness as she had from the boy in Reyn's mind," Ah'm just happy ya made it out alive, most mindwalkers go insane or die whenever they try that sorta thing with my muddled up head. If Ah'd a known what ya was doin Ah wouldn't a put all the blockers. But ya came at me sorta fast so Ah kinda got wazred ya know? But gods! Please practice that skill a yours… on somebody else. Ah been come at by plenty a mindwalkers, but a all a them, ya’re the only one who hurts like grottin hell."
Araali laid her head across Reyn's shoulder. He let her hug him tightly, rocking her slowly back and forth. Araali found that she could not cry. She couldn't weep for her guilt or because she had found in Reyn's mind the sorrow of an entire clan. Everywhere she turned expecting to find pain all she could feel was joy.
"Why does anyone ever have to suffer,"Araali whispered,"I heard my mom talking about something like what I just learned… a few years after my dad died. I thought she was just feeling bad, and was just trying to find someone to blame it all on. All along I was the one really doing that. Why does it have to be true?"
"Cause that's the grot life gives us,"Reyn replied solomley," But it makes us stronger, strong enough ta protect our friends and it lets us love happiness all the more. Afterall, what's the use a bein sad with so many things ta be happy for? At least thats how Ah look at it."
"Thanks Reyn, the truth doese hurt a lot, but its for the best. I guess your right, why chose to be sad when you can be happy,"Araali smiled.
"Good! Then that means no more being sad. Now's time for smilin and laughin while we're little and dona know no better,"Reyn began tickling her until she begged him to stop. They fell back lauging, strewn across Araali's large bed. Without really thinking about it Reyn began playing with Araali's hair as they stretched out over the low dias. Twirling it gently and watching it as it fell through his fingers.
"Why do you do that," Araali said laughing at the odd sensation.
"Dona really know ta be honest," Reyn shrugged," Dra'Ka girls dona grow their hair out that much. Matter a fact, Ah dona know many girls with long hair at all. Ah dona know why they willna grow it, cause it feels really nice when its all long."
Araali blushed. Once he'd dried her tears and the memory of her past pain was all but forgotten Reyn focused on what he would do next.
"You can stay for as long as you want, It'll be fun," Araali beamed not waiting for Reyn to even ask the question. Reyn nodded and thanked her with a slight whisper, somewhat embarrased, for all their famed independence, even a to'juk needed a place to sleep in between jobs and to be honest, Reyn didn't have any other home to return to.
"What are you gonna do while you stay,"Araali asked him. Reyn pondered this for a moment before replying.
"Well seein as ya cana fight worth grottin hell. Ah guess Ah could teach ya how ta do some proper scratin. That is if ya ever get off a me,"Reyn chuckled at Araali's expression and how quikly she scrambled to roll off of him.
"Wanna bet? I can beat you anytime, anywhere,"Araali's voice was full of pride. She, like most of her race, would never back down from a challenge no matter what the odds," I won't lose. That's a promise! I'll win no matter what it takes."
"Oh, lak last night. Ya should never make promises ya cana keep Araali. After all, it’d be sad if Ah had ta break that pretty little jaw a yours ta keep ya from singin those nasty little tunes,"Reyn hoped off the bed standing casually. He took the cornor of one of her more worn looking blankets and tore off a long strip of cloth. He used it to blindfold himself.
"This should make it a little more fair,"Araali knew he was being cocky but she knew it might be the only advantage she'd have. He'd beaten her so easily, almost lazily last night and her veins had been pumpng with adrenaline then. She made no complaint. She hopped of the bed about ten paces away from Reyn. She assumed the classic stance of any professional soldier, betting that he probably didn't know that she'd had any formal training. Scince he was blindfolded, she would get the first move. He'd have to start of defensively if he couldn't see. Without warning Reyn charged her at a frightning speed catching her completley of gaurd. He stopped nomore than an inch from her face. Before she had time to blink he was gone. How can anyone be that fast! Its not possible, she thought franticly,how did he even know where I was. She felt a light touch on her right shoulder. She spun around and looked in shock as the boy stood behind her without so much as a sign of exertion.
"That's not posssible. I know you didn't go around me. There's just no way you could've gotten behind me. I'd bet my life on it!
"Then ya'd be dead,"Reyn pointed upward and chuckled,"For birds fightin dragons, Ben Tu have a bad habit a never lookin up."
Calmly he resumed his former position. Again without warning he charged. She was ready this time. When he was nearly a foot away from her she dropped down and kicked hard in his direction. She knew he'd dodge it but she also knew in which direction he was going. She swung her body forcefully upward, lifting her entire body off the floor leading her right leg into another kick. This time she found her mark slamming her foot right into his rib cage. He gave a small yelp, more of surprise than pain. She elated, Yes! I've finally hit him. Unfortunately for her, Reyn recovered instantly. She was still in the air when she felt two legs wrap around her outstreched leg, flip her over, and slam her into the floor. She gasped in pain as the wind was knocked out of her lungs.
"Gods! That grotting hurt,"Araali forgot her pain realizing what she had said. Over her few years training with the male gaurd that she'd picked up a little bit of very unlady like speech. And it didn't help that Reyn spouted it freely. Reyn seemed not to notice or not to care.
"Much better but there's still a lot ya gotta learn. Gotta give it ya though, ya do learn fast," He massaged his side were she'd kicked him,"Ah'm probably not the best a teachers scince Ah really dona have a clue as ta what Ah'm doin. But scince everythin Ah'm teachin ya Ah made up, Ah guess Ah'm the only one who can. But… there is one thing ya have ta promise ya willna do. No matter how fustratin it gets try not ta take it out on me when Ah'm not game for it. Ah can get pretty jumpy sometimes,"Reyn gave her a disarming smile," Ah'd hate ta twitch and kill ya on accident."
"Sure, but do you have to hit so hard,"Araali rubbed her stomach and chest as she rose to her feet.
"If Ah didna hit ya so hard ya wouldna have a reason ta get better,"Reyn shook his head sagely,"No, if ya dona wanna get hit, get fast and get the hell outta the way. Ah think ya otta change inta somethin that wont get ripped so easy." He pointed in the general direction of her mid length skirt and long loose blouse. Araali nodded and walked over to her dresser. He was her teacher for now at least and she would do as he said. She selected a pair of loose trousers and a loose short sleeved shirt that cut off at her waist. She began to change clothes. Reyn blushed and turned towards the wall despite the blindfold when he realized what she was doing. As she dressed Araali thought of something.
"Reyn? How did you see me with a blindfold on. I mean, all those things you did were really complicated, plus, how did you know what I was wearing,"Araali really wanted to know that. If he could do that while he was blindfolded, what could he do with his eyes open.
"Well Ah knew what ya were wearing cause ya never changed from last night. The other part's a little harder to explain. Basically, everybody has a map a energy that goes around and through their body, it's your Wyr. It's pretty faint on most people, but if ya're really good fighter or someone who uses their Wyr a lot then its easy ta sense if ya try hard enough,"sensing Araali's dismay Reyn laughed,"Dona worry. You're a quick learner so it shoulna be ta long before ya can do it too."
"The first lesson is in agility. The key to any military success is mobility. At the same time it is also the key to physical combat. That is why it is so difficult to lay siege to an army. As long as you move, your enemy has no base of attack. So long as you’re aware of your surrondings, mobility not only keeps you from being struck and injured but it also gives your opponent no time in which to get used to his surrondings,"Araali marveled at Reyn as he spoke. He sounded like one of the textbooks from the library on the ground floor of the convent or like one of the gaurd captins speaking to new recruits. In the twinkling of an eye he turned from a carefree child to a sage military commander. His speech became older sounding, kurt, clipped and less boyish, leaving behind childish words for more precise speech. He even dropped his accent, suprising for someone she thought wasn't more than a commoner. His instructions were pursuasive, as if showing you why doing it this way would be better for you,"Araali, your first task is this."
Reyn pulled out a blackend piece of wood from one of his pants pockets and gave it to her.
"You must stop me from taking that piece of wood from your hand until you reach the window on the farside of the room. In a military situation this would simulate a supply team. You must reach your armies location in order for them to survive. But the enemy will go out of their way to stop you and starve your army. In personal combat, the wood simulates a document or an item you've been entrusted with. Ready, Go,"Araali took off with a run towards the window without a second glance. It was an easy run the window being nomore than ten yards away. She was almost there when she felt Reyn kick her legs out from under her. She stumbled and fell, the piece of wood flying out of her hand. Reyn lazily picked it up from the ground.
"You've got potential and good speed, but to master mobiliy you need to be aware of your enemies movement as well. Again,"Without a word she resumed the starting position. This time she was fully aware of Reyn beside her. Instead of running in a staight line Arrali stopped abruptly letting Reyn's momentum carry him past her. Without even a blink he pivoted and rushed her. In her suprise she dropped the stick amd he caught it before it even had time to touch the ground. And so it continued. Time after time he found more and more imaginative ways to rob her of the stick. With each faliure he would simply give her a word of advice and say again. At first Araali had been confident that this was merely a small part of their training, however as the hours began to pass, it became clear that this would not stop until she succeeded. She was starving, they’d had not food this day, and she was incredibly aware of it. The sun steadily made its voyage across the tranquil skies, and soon found it self centered directly in the window which Araali so desperately wanted to reach. The sun was her goal, her one desire. If only she could reach that supreme flame, she could cast this cursed wood into its boiling core. And although Reyn himself was beginning to tire, he remained relentless. There was no pity, no mercy. The enemy never took a break. It did not let you catch your breath, it did no let you stop for food. I hounded you, pressing you further and further with the one thought to destroy you. He could not help but make this point blatantly clear as he continued to defeat Araali. Araali was weary. She found the sensation odd, never having pushed herself to this point of exertion. No physical regimen she had went through matched this ruthless kind of training. She became obsessed with the thought of food, no longer was the stick or its importance her priority, she needed something more… basic. As her logic and reson, her strategy and tactics, all began to fade, an almost blinding realization overtook her. An answer brighter than the sun she longed to reach. Instead of beggining another ill fated run. She pivoted and kneaded Reyn hard in the stomach. With the pain of his hunger and her fist on his stomach it took him a few moments to recover. By the time he did Araali had simply walked over to the window and thrown the stick out. She expected herself to be angry, to be furious at what she’d been forced to endure. But she felt no heated rage, only and overwhelming sense of victory, she was almost drunk with the feeling. And somewhere, and animal desire grew, she had done well, she could eat.
Reyn watched the emotions play over her face, he grinned, she’d found it. The primal joy of a primal victory. There was her first lesson, for before he could begin teaching, he would have to do a great deal of unteaching. Slowly he recovered enough to walk over to the window where she stood and aimed a pained grin at her.
"Feels nice ya? That’s what ya gotta aim for. Forget all your high minded goals in a battle. Ya gotta stop thinkin like a human, and start thinkin like a beast. Let somethin within ya be your fire. Once ya have that feelin in your gut, ya’ll have na problems finishin a mission.”
“So that was what this was all about?” Araali asked. She knew the purpose of it. Her teachers talked of unlearning quite often. However she’d never experienced it, after all, she’d been so young when she first came to the convent,” So all of that mobility stuff was just a front eh?”
“Na totally at least, It’s still good advice. Just think a it like two lessons at the same time. Ya might wanna get used to it, Ah’ll probably do it a lot. Well in any case I guess ya had enough talk a runnin and catchin, huh? Don't blame ya myself. I think ya got the whole thing about bein fast,"He took off his blindfold and looked over the edge of her window down the sheer drop of at least one hunderd stories,” Well we still got some time, there’s plenty other things Ah could teach ya ‘fore the night comes.”
Arrali grabbed Reyn by the shoulders and with a burst of animalistic fury pinned him to the nearby wall.
"We eat now,"She roared. Reyn had been wonderfully trained to supress his hunger while enduring any sort of intense physical activity. Unfortunately, Araali had no such advantage. Reyn's training had demanded a lot on her part phisically. She’d never thought she experience anything as physically draining, as the Siren training had be spiritually and mentally.”
"If ya tell me where food is I'll go and bring it here,"Reyn squirmed in her grasp. He hadn't explored enough of the building to find the kitchen.
"Because this is my training year. I can't go to the kitchen. But I can pick my own food from the garden at the foot of the convent and if I can, catch one of the smaller chicken from the pens. If you get me some tomatoes, onions and a healty looking chicken or two I could make a decent soup. But we dont have a fire or cooking pot,” The simple thought of not being able to indulge her hunger almost brought her to the point of tears. She chastised herself for being so undignified, it was almost like she’d gone feral. This kind of unlearning…, this training…, it frightened her.
"Ya’ve got plenty a Wyr. Whyna use some a that White,"Reyn pointed to the large basin of cyrstal sand.
"I don't know what you're talkin about and I don't know what that funny lookin sand is for. They only told me that I'd learn what it was in good time. But who cares about pretty sand now, how will that get me any food!"Reyn looked at her like she was more than a litle bit stupid,"Well if your so smart tell me what it is!"
Reyn walked calmly over to the basin. He got down on his knees and spread both of his hands over the strange glisting sand that he called White. As if sensing his presence the sand began to swirl around the edges of the basin. Wyr, Araali suddenly remembered, something about that word... something she couldn't remember. Reyn's hands began to shimmer slightly, like he had a heat wave around them.
The now violently swirling sand dispersed instantly. In its place was a large raging fire and blakened cooking pot. Araali backed slowly away from Reyn. Something..., something had again triggered in her mind. An acculmanation of events.
"There we go,"Reyn smiled, obviously pleased with himself. He turned to Araali excpecting some sort of praise. Instead she was backing away from him with a freaked expression.
"You must go! Quickly!. Get the food,"She hustled him towards the window,"Go now! Just make sure no one see's you. I have to find something at the library."
Without a backwards glance she sprinted across the room and unlatched the door slamming it shut behind her. There was no more hunger, no more frustration, only a deep sense fo forboeding. These things that were happening… the shape shifting sands… She was not supposed to open the door for the entireity of her training year unless it was an extreme emergency. This definantly counts, she tought to herself, I remeber this from somewhere, but it was just a dusty old myth. That dusty old myth's starting to take shape. And there was something else, from a conversation she had about the Nak, but with whom, when was it? She turned to her full phoenix form. In an instant her seemingly oddly shaped human self was replaced by a glourious flame colored bird. Plumage radiant, with an ethereal shine that followed it into the deepest darkness. Armed with beak and talon seemingly honed to deadly sharpness. This was not simply some bird of prey, it was the bird of prey, a raptor surpassing all others. She soared into an abrupt opening with no floor and with a slight and graceful ascent, she curved into a dive. She raced past level upon level of living quarters until she reached the convent's archives. She banked only a few feet from the ground and tore out of her winged state and hit the ground running. The gaurds were taken completly by suprise. They had never seen a siren run so fast. Siren's were not easily spooked. There was little the awesome power of the Omraah could not stop. To see one looking so confused was more than a little unsettling. The gaurds liked Araali and seeing her so upset them greatly. Araali raced into the library, paying the calls of the gaurds no mind. She quickly lost them in the multiude of book shelves. The library was truly vast, spanning an entire level of the towering convent. One could get lost in the sea of books, the shelves and corridors seeming to twist and turn into infinity. Some say they did just that, the library given an unending amount of space by some arcane and ancient song. She didn't belive that anyone could possibly know all the books it contained, at least no one but her. Many were known to get lost in the maze of codex and scrolls. There was more than one instance were a siren got hopelessly lost and had to fly herself out. But Araali had spent a great deal of time among these books during her free periods. Thus she knew a more songs than even some of the most elderly of sirens who had been singing for centuries. It was because of her love of books that she had uncovered two artifacts of great importance that had been lost to the sirens for generations. One was a small thick book containg hundreds of ancient songs never sung by a siren of her lifetime. This she always kept with her on a chain around her neck. She figured that if her siren sisters hadn't known about it for so long, there was no reason to inform them now. The second was an ancient scroll that all knew of but few had ever seen. It was simply called First. She’d found it hidden in a hollowed out novel in one of the older parts of the library, a place that most likely had not been visited in several hundred years. In reality, First was an old story, the legend about the beginning of time where a battle occured between two warlike gods. One female, the other male. During this time the Dra'Ka clan known as the Idwali still existed. A mighty god gaurded over the band of roving dragon, they called him the Omraah, the same power the Ben Tu siren called on for their song. It was said that one day the Omraah took the form of a man and won the heart of the high preistess of the Idwali. After some time she bore a son. She raised the boy for a time, living happily with the rest of her people, and her husband who unbekownst to her was the deity to whom she devoted her life. Elsewhere, the two gods in their maddened struggle eventually mereged into one being. They became known as the Nak. Wherever they passed they fed on the rage and malice of peoples hearts turning them into demented beings bent on causing pain, known as the Nakish. The Nak soon discovered the Idwali and in their blind wrath destroyed them all. The Omraah was only able to save the boy from this the fate of his clan. Knowing the great peril the boy was in, he turned him to stone and placed him on the highest of mountains so that a thousand years passed as a day for him, thus ten thousand years came to past. The boy was a being of great power, able to control the heavens and mold Wyr. The Omraah left the boy and went to do battle with the Nak that was now putrifying the very world of Ishtaa itself. Although the power of the great Omraah surpassed that of the Nak and its followers, they were too strong to kill. So summoning all of his energy the Omraah created a wall of pure light to imprison them and the ones they had already infected with their evil till the end of time. The strain of creating the Barrier was so great that it cast the Omraah into an eternal sleep. Before he gave into the sleep, the Omraah invested his very life force into the planet itself and taught a small band of women how to use it with their voice hoping that they would one day set the destruction of the Nak and the Nakish into motion. His final words before falling asleep were:

To my children of times to come I give my love
And for the children I have lost I weep
Despite my sleep I leave you not without hope
Despite the coming darkness
In ten days the boy shall awaken
To him I give the sky, wild and endless
Through generations I will cause their to be another
To him I give the waters, both serene and raging
In time a girl child will be born of superior marks
To her I give the earth, steady and unyeilding
These ones are the Trinity
And my Sirens, you I have not forgotten, make peace with your demons
If you do not they will corrupt you and destroy you during the 2nd comming of the Nak
The first Crucyx will test you, the next witll purify you
To you I give a child, the one who will bring the fire, the Catalyst
She can not be stopped, can not be controlled, but she can be loved
Let the wind feed the fire, but cool the heart
May the Trinity and the Catslyst bring the Purifying Second Crucyx
This power, will rid the land once and for all of the Nak
For my wall, though formed of my blood and sweat will in its time die
I pray that my actions will spare you great sorrow


Heed these words my children, for in time they will be not but words in the wind

With his final words spoken the Omraah fell into his eternal sleep. He joined himself to the ancient world then known as Iishta and gained a vast well of power. Although he himself could not use it he hoped that it would serve his choosen few well: The Lord of Heaven, The Master of Seas, The Queen of Earth, and the Catalyst. He hoped that perhaps they would succed where he had failed and destroy the Nak once and for all.
Araali rolled up the scroll and concealed it in hidden pocket under her shirt she'd sewed there herself. Although she did not understand these words, she knew they were important. She resumed her walk through the library at a slow pace, deep in thought. If that legend was true then Reyn must be the boy that was sealed away for ten thousand years. That would explain his physical strength. She worried what that prophecy meant for him. She also worried about her own well being, she was a Siren after all. It would pobably be a smart idea to continue with her training no matter how intense it got. She began to ponder how Reyn might react to this prophecy, his past had obviously been quite painful, did he really need a painful future to worry about as well? Perhaps it was wiser not to speak to him of this. Araali eventually made her way to a secret window that she herself had crafted with one of her very first destructive songs. Flying steadily up to her room. Araali gazed at the shining moon and it's simple radiance. She was suprised at just how long she'd been training with Reyn. I hope he already started cooking, she thought the memory of her intense hunger returning to her. She alighted on the lip of one of her windows. Reyn was bent over the large pot stirring something and focusing intently. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and a pair of loose baggy pants. As Araali shifted back into her human form and stepped into the room as an intoxicating scent overloaded her senses. She wilted to the floor in her hunger and began to drool. The next thing she realized Reyn was feeding her and himself a delicous stew. Araali accepted his help without pride. She could be proud after her stomach was full.
"Ya must a been awful hungry to just pass out like that,"Reyn continued spooning the stew into his and her mouth. Swallowing she noticed that the stew was almost gone. She looked at Reyn puzzled. She couldn't of eaten all that,"Hey' dona look at me. Sirens can sure put away some food."
“How did you make something this good?” Araali sighed, content and happy with the delicious food.
“Pfft. Make? Ah didna make anything,” Reyn scoffed,” Thought it’d be quicker if Ah just went lookin for a kitchen.”
After the stew was completly finished the pot and fire dissolved back into the clear sand from whence they had come. Arrali and Reyn both crawled into bed, too tired to feel ackward. Aralli snuggled herself up against Reyn. After a bit of wriggling they both found a comfortable position and settled down enjoying the heat emanating off of eachothers bodies in the frigid night air.
"Reyn, why are you so nice to me, after everything I did," Araali asked, truly wondering if anyone could be that forgiving.
"Dona know really," Reyn awnsered truthfully," Your a good person Araali. Everybody makes mistakes. Plus, there's just something about ya that Ah like…. Araali? Ah dona think ya really ever let yourself go, sure there're a couple a times when ya come pretty close, like when ya get mad. But most a the times its like your hidin. Ah guess Ah hope ta make ya a bit more lively."
"Your funeral," Araali responded playfully. Reyn chuckled at that.
"Reyn, what do you remember anything from when you were really young,"Araali asked innocently trying to uncover an awnser to the some of the things she had read without arousing Reyn's suspicion.
"Well Ah cana remember much’ve anythin from before Ah was five really. Ah remember playin and laughin and havin fun. Other then that all Ah remember real clear is a song that Ah think my mom sang ta me when Ah was a baby,"Reyn awnsered groggily. Without further prompting he began to sing in a soft clear voice.

Mah're, Mah're aheh re
Anat mo sha're bo'ide
Saya da'ma ha'ly'ay
I mek ni shi'ta 'irow

lo'a na'sha fa me'ri
Vah'da sho to jha Un'yi
Toji rey re'yn ah'eh
Mek ne re'yn ay'un

"Thats beautiful,"Araali yawned sleepily, the stresses of the day and Reyn's soft lullaby making sleep more and more appealing.
"Yeah, it's in mah old language. Maybe Ah'll tell ya what it means someday,"Reyn said, his mind pondering over how he could remember his mother's face, the person who had sung the song. He looked down at Araali. She was already fast asleep. Oh well, maybe another time,he thought to himself. He brushed away a single tear as it rolled down his cheek. He didn’t really like remembering that song, remembering that voice….Soon sleep claimed him as well. Both slept on, dreaming their own worried dreams hoping that tommorow might bring awnsers.

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Pyon... best word ever!!
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Cameron aka Cam
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Golden Blossoms
First, thank you so much for including the actual download. I rarey have time at a PC so I normally just copy and paste and then print it out or read it on my laptop. So thanks for that.

Second, music really does help and it's interesting how it can shape writer's tones and feelings. Personally, I use it more during artwork than writing but when I do it's normally soundtracks. Sevens if your wondering, my writing is almost completely inspired by the MGS4 Soundtrack. But I just wanted to add that before I start reading. Looking forward to it. Btw, no prob Black, its not like its a job or anything.
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EnigmaticSevens
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Elemental Crown
Actually MSG 4 is the basis for a great deal of your writing period lol. But really I do find that I listen to a lot of music intensely while working towards any artistic endeavor.
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"It is better to light a candle than to curse the dark." - K'naan
"Ningjiao wo fu tianxia ren, xiujiao tianxia ren fu wo." - Tsao Tsao (Better that I should wrong the world, than the world should wrong me.)
"Why should it ever end, why shouldn't we go on living forever." - Oyks
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Cameron aka Cam
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Golden Blossoms
Really sorry its taken me so long to respond but I finally finished chapter 3 today and I really did enjoy it. Seriously, I was reading it during class and couldn't put it down. Eagerly looking forward to chapter 4. My advice, join or start a fanfic!!
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Yaomi
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Gathering Chi
Oh yeah! I'm glad you liked it! I worry a bit about the pacing in that chapter, if i ever go to get this all published, I'll probably split it up into three chapters and add in a whole lot more detail. I think I wrote this chapter back in 8th grade or so. Although I go through the entire book every few weeks to edit and streamline it, my writing style has changed a great deal since then, and sometimes it manifests a bit too glaringly for my tastes.

Anyways, I'll have the next chapter up immediately if not very soon. (I've been trying to get farther along in my pre-forum edits, that way I can cut down the time it takes for me to post the new chapter.)
Pyon... best word ever!!
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Yaomi
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Gathering Chi
Alright folks, got his one in quick. Its a bit shorter than chapter 3 so you can all breath easier. Enjoy, and have a grotting good time :P

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Chapter Four




"WAKE," Araali was torn from her sleep by a deafening roar. Her eyes popped open as she woke with a start. Without warning she felt herself being dragged out of her bed and thrown to the floor. She began to kick, bite, and punch at anything and everything around her. After a few seconds she realized that she was no longer being moved, that nothing had a hold on her. She looked around at her surroundings. Her bed, as well as her room, was gone. She was lying on a vast open desert. The sun burned high in the sky and roared its fury across the fine, shimmering sand. She slowly stood, already steadily sweating due to the overwhelming heat. She looked as far as she could and saw nothing except mile upon mile of golden dunes. A desert, something glorious, and yet at the same time so desolate. It stretched on like some ephemeral beast, seemingly lasting forever, and yet shifting with every second. Araali began walking compulsively in a straight line towards one of the larger dunes, feet dragging heavily through the sand. It pulled at her, as though it sought to devour her and make it part of the myriad of shattered diamonds that made its dunes. Each grain of stinging sand lapped at her feet, breathing its portion of fire. And yet Araali pressed one, undaunted, unfeeling. I must be dreaming, she thought in a strange way, as though she was separated from her body. Like a vision… she thought dazedly. She remembered her family’s list of possible traits… prescience had been on that list. She couldn’t quite remember what prescience was... something about the future…. Is this the future? Her still drowsy mind tried futilely to grasp an answer and all the while her body continued to walk. Slowly but surely she reached the crest of the large dune. She gasped in shock as she felt rather than saw legions of creatures flow pass her. There was coolness to them, almost like a breeze in the suffocating heat of the desert. Some were walking and some were flying low to the ground, too beat down by the heat to go any higher. Araali couldn't tell what they where, but they were many and at the same time few. Araali could feel their pride coming in waves as they flowed on relentlessly. But even as she felt their great pride she felt their pain just as strongly. These were all that remained of whatever they were. This was all that was left of their race. As the assemblies met in the desert an odd thing happened. A small figure left the main body of the crowd and sat down. The creatures put space between themselves and the figure until there was a gap between them of about a hundred yards. The figure began to chant in a language that sounded like gibberish to Araali. Louder and louder the figure chanted until it burst into blinding light. The light spread forth and consumed everything it touched, rushing past her as she stood on top of the dune. In an instant the light had consumed all of the figures in the desert and promptly vanished. She was left their standing on the dune alone. What is happening to me? Araali’s vision shifted wildly, throwing her off her feet. The ground she hit this time was cold marble. She was back in her room at the convent, but something was seriously wrong. Her room was almost totally dark, not simply dark as in the evening, when the moon still provided its shimmering light, but rather as though some otherworldly force has cast its hands over the heavens themselves. Where is Reyn? She tried to stand but her entire body felt impossibly heavy. The floor shook furiously. At first it was only a small tremble but it soon progressed into a series of intense tremors. The floor cracked with a sound like thunder. Before she knew it she was falling freely for what felt like an eternity, she could not shift, could not stop this downward descent. The rest of her vision passed by in a series of images. Creatures passed before her. Things of nightmares, tormented versions of soldiers of all different races. One image stood in clear focus though. Reyn was standing across from her. He was wearing the same clothes as before she had fallen asleep but know they were virtually shreds, underneath them was an odd sort of armor, but it too was riddled with vicious gashes. Through the deadly looking slashes in Reyn's clothing and armor she could see strange bronze marks all over his chest, stomach, back and face. He looked a little older and taller then when she'd first met him. He turned towards her and flashed her a brave smile. In that instant Araali found herself caught up in that feeling, the feeling from the previous day, the one she couldn't name. Without warning Reyn's form began to fade. She felt herself being torn away from him, forced back into the coldness of reality. It felt like someone was tearing her in half. She saw the same hideous creatures from earlier. They surrounded the quickly vanishing figure of Reyn. He fought wildly. Araali could see pride in his eyes, a pride that knew no fear, a pride that didn’t know when to retreat. He fought like a thing possessed, using powers no human could possibly muster. He fought desperately, ignoring hideous wounds. He fought, and he fought, and he fought. But despite his power, despite his ferocity, she knew it was futile. Horde upon horde of the hideous, nightmarish beings poured onto him and Araali… Araali began to scream. Screaming at an earsplitting volume. She knew Reyn was lost. But she could not let that happen. She could not lose him and she didn't know why. What was it that she couldn't bear to loose? It was his... his warmth. That feeling that she had felt when she awoke to find herself entwined with another person. That desire, that overwhelming desire to be held and to be safe. It was the only way she could describe it. But now it was gone, dying just as the sun does at dusk. But unlike the sun, there would be no return. She struggled, desperate to break free, to go to the boy she'd learned to call friend. But something grabbed her and carried her away. Tears streamed down her face and she continued to scream.
Reyn woke up with a choking gasp. He was breathing heavily and his clothes were soaked in a cold sweat. He didn't usually have nightmares. The one he'd just freed himself from was by far one of the most intense. He turned over to Araali. She was writhing and twisting about as if she too were having a nightmare. Araali's eyes popped open. She was staring blankly at the ceiling. She must still be asleep, Reyn shivered, creepy... He watched Araali's expression grow more and more horrified. She began to mew, then to groan, and then finally, to scream. Reyn clutched his ears tightly trying his best to block out the sound. A siren's scream was no small matter. No matter how much force he put into trying to block it out, it penetrated deep into his skull, it was a sickening feeling, as though he could feel his bones shivering. If she kept this up his head and her lungs would both burst. Without thinking he grabbed her and dragged her across the room and heaved her bodily into the pool of water. He leaned over the edge still rubbing his head. Araali came up sputtering.
Reyn kneeled over closer to her at the edge of the pool. The memory of the terrifying dream flooded Araali's senses. She lunged towards Reyn. Wrapping her arms around his neck and dragging him into the pool, hugging him tightly desperate for that warmth. Reyn floundered in the water for a second before calming himself. He struggled to keep them both afloat while shaking water out of his eyes.
"Ya gonna be okay?" Reyn smiled at her, sensing her fear though he didn't know why she was so frightened. A thought occurred to him. So what if she's frightened? Why did he care if she was okay or not? Why did he only want to make her happy? He'd never tried to make anyone feel better before, at least not with this much urgency. She had slandered his race and tried to kill him… three times! Why couldn't he bring himself to feel anything but kindness towards her, this silly girl so filled with pride, "Ya can let go a me now if ya want."
Araali blushed and released him swimming over to the far side of the pool. Humming a low song she raised a divider through the middle of the pool effectively blocking them from each other’s view.
"Since were both already wet I suggest we take a bath. That is your side of the pool and this is mine. No peeking, "Araali began to throw various items over the divider, desperate to forget her dream and play down her fear. Her old royal mentality was beginning to assert itself. How could she have acted so shamefully, "Here's a washcloth and towel to dry yourself off with. Hit the clear lever to add soap to the water. Hit the black lever to drain the water when you’re done and the white one to refill it."
Both began to bathe in an awkward silence. It took Reyn a moment to realize that he'd went form comforting a friend to taking a bath in the twinkling of an eye. Best to just go with it. He did not ask for an explanation of Araali's dream, he was quite sure that it was the cause of her odd behavior. He'd been raised to believe that dreams were omens from the gods. One did not tamper with such things.
Araali scolded herself mentally. What had she been thinking! This behavior was more than unacceptable. To behave so childishly over a silly dream, and to be forced to cover it up with an awkward shared bath. What was wrong with her? Having regained her composure, she tried to focus on making the most of her unexpected bath time. She bathed in silence, trying to let the warm water clam her down further. I should tell him. The thought crept in on her unexpectedly. It might do some good, talking about it out loud… Maybe Reyn deserved to know; after all, he'd been a part of it. She didn't want to frighten him; she still didn't know him all that well and if she scared him he might... leave. The thought caused her to shudder and at the same time she felt a sense of loathing build in her. Since when was she so dependent on another person? She'd always done fine by herself. Now she could barely comprehend losing the company of a mere boy. But he's the only friend I have, she thought sadly. Still, she had to tell someone.
"I dreamed about a lot of scary stuff that I don't really understand. I saw people disappear into thin air. I saw the convent destroyed. I saw monsters, so many of them. And I saw..." Araali hesitated, would it be wise to say anymore. She had to say it, it was becoming almost painful not to do so, “…you, you were fighting the monsters. You fought so much and tried so hard… but… but you couldn’t win… you died."
Reyn remained silent for a long time. Araali was about to ask him if he'd heard her, when Reyn finally said something in a small, barely audible voice.
"Then at least Ah died a good death and took plenty a them with me. It was just a dream. Dreams are always full a grot. Ya're just tired cause ya trained too hard," Reyn's voice was trembling slightly and despite his brave start he sounded more and more like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to reassure Araali.
"I'm sorry," Araali replied quickly," I swear I wasn't trying to scare you.”
"Ah'm not scared!" Reyn snapped. Araali flinched; even in the short time she'd known him he'd never spoken that harshly. Reyn calmed down slightly and even began to regret his quick temper.
"Ah'm not scared," he spoke much more gently and Araali realized that she had already said enough on the subject and kept quite.
Araali quickly grew impatient of the stale silence between them and regretted telling him about the dream entirely. She hadn't meant to frighten him, and she knew she had, no matter how much he said otherwise. She finished up her bath quickly and drained and refilled her side of the tub. She went to her dresser to pick out similar but dry clothing. She heard Reyn crawl out of the tub and dry himself. He found some extra clothes from the pack he’d brought down from the ceiling beams.
"So what's on for today," Araali asked hoping today would be at least a little less intense and that it would take their minds off of her dream.
"Well since ya got the whole speed thing down and ya seem ta have a better view a what ya’re fightin for, Ah think its time ta get ta the actual trainin," Reyn was happy for the change in subject but paused for a second as if rethinking his plans, "Wait a minute. Ah knew Ah was forgettin somethin. Ya donna got a weapon. Hand ta hand is fine an all, but Ah canna teach ya the good stuff unless ya got somethin ta fight with. Guess Ah'll have ta make ya a weapon."
"How," Araali asked confused, "We don't have any blacksmith in the convent. Even if we did I'm not technically allowed to leave this room."
"No worries, Ah’m a blacksmith. An all Ah need is some a that White and a drop a your blood, "Reyn walked over to the pit of sand. He scooped up a few handfuls and formed them into a small mound by her side.
Reyn drew a knife from a sheath on his back pocket. The blade was immeasurably sharp and the glistening steel seemed to be engraved with several strange golden characters. Reyn twirled the knife casually on the palm of his hand. Araali laughed at the trick. He tried to jerk the knife to a stop and came with in a hair’s breath of slicing off his finger. He laughed if off, but Araali could tell that wasn’t part of the usual performance. Reyn didn’t give her much time to dwell on his goof as he launched into his next lecture, "Wyr is your energy. The easiest way ta get your Wyr is through your blood. And this sand is White, as ya already know. Now if ya've got the right skills, ya can combine White and Wyr ta make all manners a stuff. Only a bit people can use it and that's me and ya sirens at least from what Ah know. Still donna see why they didna tell ya. White is anythin that's been completely purified, physically and spiritually, its very rare, that's why Ah was surprised ta see ya had so much. Ya wouldna believe how much Ah could get for a bag a that stuff. Anyway, when your blood touches it, the White is merged with your essence. We want ta make ya a weapon so Ah put my knife in the center a the mound with your blood. But, ya have ta be the one ta start the whole process up by hittin the raw with your active Wyr. Active Wyr is energy in motion. Usually ya just have to touch it and concentrate really hard on your hand, and sorta push the energy out. But Ah’m thinkin sirens might have it a bit easier. See all ya really need is a song, but it has ta be a personal songs, one a the ones that makes stuff happen. Tha song should be more than just your voice, but also a bit of your Wyr. Problem solved.”
"What if I don't want a knife but have no other example of what I want, "Araali understood the process well enough, and she knew exactly what she wanted, the only problem was that what she desired no longer existed, in fact it had been only a myth when she learned of it.
"What's wrong with my knife… Forget it, it doesna matter. The White just needs an example of a weapon. It'll determine the type of weapon that suits ya best, "Reyn knelt in front of the mound and pulled Araali down beside him. Taking her hand gently he opened up her fingers exposing her palm. Araali closed her eyes and waited for him to make the cut. Reyn released her hand and pulled out the strip of cloth he had used earlier as a blindfold. Her hand was bleeding freely from a near invisible cut right a cross her palm. It didn't even hurt.
"How'd you do that? I didn't feel a thing, "Araali continued to stare at her hand until Reyn took it and began shaking it over the sand. A small rivulet of blood dripped from her hand and splashed onto the crystal grains. Reyn took the blindfold and wrapped it around Araali's palm making it into a makeshift bandage.
"Ah told ya it was a good blade. Ah just tried not ta cut any major nerves. That'll heal in a few minutes. It was only a small cut. Now just sing your song. The one that ya think suits ya best, "Araali nodded and began. Her eyes were transfixed onto the mound of White, she let flow from her the thing her teachers called her Oversong, her own unique interpretation of the Omraah. In reaction to the drops of blood and the melody of Araali's song the White turned into a bright rainbow of colors, slightly lighter than the shades in Araali’s eyes. Reyn impaled the pile of White with his knife. The now multicolored sand began to quiver and vibrate. Reyn pulled Araali back with him to a safer distance. As soon as he did the writhing mound of sand exploded in a flash of light. A clear wave of energy propelled them back even farther. Araali shook her head dazedly from the sheer force of the aftershock. She looked at what now lay across Reyn's knife and smiled. It was exactly as she had hoped for. Reyn looked at her puzzled. Araali obviously knew what it was but he wasn't quite sure. It looked sort of like a sword. He'd never seen anything quite like it before. It was rather long, about half his height. It was as wide as Araali's wrist and was punctuated every couple of inches by a slight indentation. It had an odd curving shape, never staying straight for very long. A beautiful lavender flame decorated the entire length of the blade. Araali walked over to it and picked it up, accustoming herself to its weight. She felt a slight burning sensation just below her wrist. She looked and found only an odd looking tattoo.
"What's this Reyn? I didn't ask for a tattoo, "Reyn walked over and looked at it.
"Oh, Ah forgot ta tell ya that's the marker for your weapon. If ya're split up from it or it breaks your weapon will dissolve back inta White and reform at that spot, "Reyn showed her a slightly different tattoo at the base of his neck,” Tha sword is bound with ya. It’s only as strong as your Wyr, so Ah suggest ya keep trainin.”
"Can we have a quick fight before we start your lesson. I’d like to try this out and I need a good dummy, "Araali smirked at him, shuffling back a few paces. She placed her weapon in her dominant right hand tilting it slightly. She had only read of it in some of the libraries older books put she had learned so much about it in those books that it felt natural in her hand. It was Y’sir, the serpent god who was killed in the beak of the Phoenix deity Majar. It was written that after his death, Majar cast him into a bonfire. When the fire died, Y’sir had been forged into a beautiful blade. Araali had found the story in the library, and had talked about it frequently with the convent guards, who always loved a good tale. One of them had even made her a fake one of wood, just so she could use it during their fencing practice. She'd become very good at it, although the guards had made light of the fact that she was only proficient with a weapon that didn’t exist. She smirked inwardly, she might not get the chance to wipe the coy grins off their faces, but Reyn would make a good substitute. Reyn did a high back flip to his agreed position just to show off. Araali chuckled inwardly; she bet that Reyn would never believe that she’d been formally trained. He’d never see it coming,” Better stop all of your little acrobatics Reyn, you’re gonna need the energy.”
"Big words for a girl that just got a blade, "he placed his right hand lightly on the hilt of his knife crouching low. Araali got serious.
"You better strike to kill Reyn. Cause if you don't this'll be the last battle you fight in this life," she said with a bit more bravado than she'd hoped for.
"Oooo, Ah've got the quakes. Ah hope for your sake ya can back those big words up. If ya forgot Ah'm a to'juk, and an assassin since Ah could toddle, "Reyn gave her a ferocious grin revealing that set of sharp canines. He licked the edge of his knife, skilled enough not to draw even a single drop of his own blood, "Ya're either really good or really stupid telling me ta strike ta kill."
"You'll regret that Dra'Ka, "Araali shifted to her half form. Her fiery feathers formed a near indestructible armor on her forearms and legs. Her tribal symbol, more or less an enhanced birthmark, appeared on her left cheek. Araali thought of her mark. It alone carried the honor of her ancient tribe. In the old tongue long left unspoken, it meant "beautiful fire." The women of the tribe she descended from were known for their recklessness. She wore it with pride. She watched as Reyn also took his half form but this time with no scale blades. But even without the blades he was a ferocious sight. He needed no birthmark; the name of his tribe was branded on his back.
Reyn was not one to dwell on formalities or banter for too long. Now seemed as good a time as any to attack. His target was clear. He'd get behind Araali quickly. A blade across the throat humbled anyone. He hoped she didn't notice his quirkiness with the knife. He couldn’t use his real weapon; it'd be over much too fast. He charged at a terrific speed right at her. Just before he reached her he sprung a good ten feet into the air. Aiming a strong downward chop at her head. Araali brought up her weapon with both hands in time to block the blow. The sheer force shook her to her core. How could anyone attack with such power using such a little knife? Reyn wasn't through quite yet. He used the chop as a decoy and spun himself around and behind Araali. He was a little off in his landing and even Araali could tell he was used to fighting with something bigger. Despite this he quickly brought the blade lightly to her neck.
Although she could not help but be reasonably humbled, Araali was infuriated. True, the attack was powerful and effective, yet she could tell Reyn was fighting sloppily for his level. These were not the feints within feints within feints that he had fought with yesterday. She was positive now that this knife was not his normal weapon. Well then, I’ll just have to force him fight me for real. Without a second thought she flicked her wrist violently. Her blade suddenly split along each segment, turning from a sword into something like a whip. With a life of its own, it cast itself over Araali and plummeted downward towards Reyn's skull. Reyn heard the slight slithering of the steel wire as they left each segment. He simultaneously dropped his knife, pushed Araali forward, and propelled himself backwards. He escaped the full force of the descending blade narrowly but not completely. It slashed him across the chest leaving a nasty gash in its wake. Araali turned toward him smugly.
"Opps, did I hurt the little dragon with my naughty sword, "she rejoiced in her head at having humbled him. How dare he not attack to kill and with a false weapon! Deep down inside of her, buried under her pride she was horrified. She prayed to the gods that she hadn't hurt him too bad. That was a pretty deep wound she'd given him. Reyn grinned as her blade retracted back to its solid sword form, wincing only slightly.
"Well aren't ya just full a surprises. Ah shoulda known that weapon wasn't as simple as it looked, but it'll take a lot more than a little cut ta hurt me girlie, "Araali watched in awe as the wound she had inflicted healed itself at a rapid pace. How could a wound that deep heal in a matter of seconds, "When Ah say Idwali are killing machines Ah'm not bragging. The only thing that'll kill me is a major blow ta the heart or loppin off mah head. Ah heal too fast for anything else ta work."
"Why did you use a fake weapon, "Araali asked, still somewhat shaken by the regeneration.
"If Ah'd a used mah usual weapon ya would a been dead before Ah could stop myself," he answered nonchalantly. Araali shivered slightly; shocked that Reyn could be so unconcerned with the thought of killing her. She steadied the wild thought; perhaps Dra'Ka children had been exposed to so much killing in their lives that they were jaded to it now. She got the feeling that Reyn was not being cocky when he said he could kill her. After all he came from a race where he had been hardened by years of genocide. He was a to’juk; one of the few old dragon words that most Ben Tu knew, an assassin who had already taken several lives even at an early age. Despite this he was a nice boy, albeit a little rough around the edges. Araali shuddered; she had suffered nothing in her life that could be related to some of the physical injuries Reyn had probably endured. She was the single heir to High Lady Yaztar and had never been involved in a physical encounter except for the training she received from the guards. She wondered if she would of turned out as easy going as Reyn if their roles had been reversed.
Reyn waited quietly for Araali's little session of introspection to be over. When he saw her seemingly come out of it he nodded to her. He liked Araali despite her ignorance and pride. He didn't quite know why. He had plenty more agreeable friends, but she was different. It was just something about her that drew him.
"Like a moth ta a flame," he chuckled nervously under his breath, "If ya want Ah'll use mah real weapon now,"
Araali nodded. If she was ever going to learn how to fight on Reyn's level she might as well learn the hard way. Reyn shifted out of his half form and waved his hand. The knife that was lying on the floor evaporated into mist, returning to his hand. Reyn spun the knife around the palm of his hand rapidly, this time making no mistakes. With each revolution the knife dissolved more and more into mist. The mist whirled around Reyn's body blanketing him in white smoke. When it dissipated it left a glove on both of Reyn's hands and on both of his feet. The gloves were made of what appeared to be alternating bands of gold metal and bronze cloth. They came up to the middle of his forearms and just over his ankles. They terminated at the second joint of his fingers leaving the tips exposed, and at his toes leaving them open as well.
"Those are your weapons, "Araali said in disbelief, "They don't look very deadly at all."
Just as she spoke the words Reyn flexed his right hand, and the small bit of spinning knife that remained exploded into more white mist and formed a very odd looking sword, or more accurately, a very odd looking saber seeing as it was single edged. It was very long, slightly longer than Reyn was tall. The blade twisted slightly like a scythe but not as much. It sort of looked like a lightning blot but with a more distinct curve. No wider than three inches across the flat of the blade, it was quite narrow. The hilt was long too, almost a third the length of the blade, and curved inwards slightly, it may have been wooden, but Araali couldn't be sure as it was wrapped in the same alternating bands of gold and bronze cloth as Reyn's gloves. On the end was a simple loop of gold, dangling off the hilt. Attached to this loop was a flowing band of white, gauze like fabric, about as long as the hilt. It fluttered and swayed to and fro as though caught in a wind even though there was none. The metal of the blade was the same as the metal of the fake knife, steel engraved with golden characters. Araali also noticed that engraved and stitched on the bands of the hilt was the symbol of the Idwali clan and the wispy lines used primitively to represent wind. On the blade itself there were holes strategically positioned every six inches or so. Most odd was the way Reyn carried it. He held it just like a normal sword, a firm grip on the middle of the hilt, he did not have to support the blade in any other way despite it's length. Araali looked at Reyn, puzzled. Even she knew that fighting with the blade like that would make it slow and incredibly awkward to wield. Reyn didn't give an explanation but instead, with sword slung lightly over his shoulder, walked past her to the basin of White. He kneeled and placed his palm just over the surface; in a short time his hand began shimmering just as it had the previous day. Within a few seconds the White exploded outwards from the basin covering the entire room in a dusty haze.
"Alright. Ah think it's time ta begin today's practice. Today all ya have ta do is land one deathblow on me before Ah land one hundred on ya. Don't worry, this haze a White is filled with my Wyr and 'ill keep us from any real harm." Reyn walked about ten paces across from Araali. I wonder how this will go, Reyn thought to himself, I know she's had some sorta trainin, she's way too good for someone just startin out, but maybe I should go a little easy on her. One look into her eyes told him otherwise. Such a strong pride burned within that girl. Anything less than his best would surely offend her. He thought about her anger when he used his decoy weapon. There was something about this girl, a fire that burned within her that she was constantly trying to smoother. If she could let that fire out she would truly be a force to reckon with. Reyn felt excitement surge through his body. She may not have been very experienced, but she had an unstoppable will and was more than a touch crazy. This would be a good fight.
Araali did not hesitate this time. She charged Reyn in a berserk rush. She swung mightily for his chest. He dropped to the ground just as Araali had expected. She leapt into the air and brought her blade crashing down on the spot where she hoped his head might be. Her limbs rattled from the blow. She really hoped Reyn had been right when he said that neither of them could be killed in this haze. Without warning Araali felt two feet rocket her into the air with incredible force. As she rose high into the air she saw with pain-blurred vision Reyn leap up from under her. He grabbed her feet and used his weight to pump his feet again into her stomach. At the same time he flipped in mid air to launch himself higher as well. When they both reached the crest of their ascent he thrust himself toward her with a subtle twist of his body. With his long sword he slashed at her with unbelievable speed, twirling the blade around himself and raining down death. Araali couldn't believe he was able to move the sword so easily without gripping along the blade. The holes! There was a reason for the small holes all along the blade; they killed the air resistance before it was able to cause a slow down. They were both now falling parallel to each other, Araali on top Reyn on the bottom. Reyn continued his assault easily rolling so that he was on top. There he continued to slash and kick rapidly always finding his balance on thin air. Araali had to admit one thing to herself. This was absolutely beautiful. The way he moved! Every muscle working in perfect harmony, every slash flowing into the next, there was nothing she could do to stop or interrupt the chain of blows. With one final punishing strike he sent Araali crashing the rest of the way into the ground. He landed next to her, crouching. I must be dead, Araali thought to herself. She lay there for almost five minutes before she realized she was still among the living. The blade had not actually harmed her at all. She had no wounds or any severe pain. It was like the blade was made of air. She stood up wobbly.
"Hey, ya did say Ah wasna allowed ta hold back," Reyn steadied her, "Ah guess Ah got a little carried away. Must hand it ta ya though, ya make a great dummy if nothin else. Next time try ta move or somethin."
"Just how many kills was that," she was dreading his answer. After all of her talk she'd frozen up completely.
"Take a look at that wall if ya need ta know, "Reyn pointed to the wall on Araali's left. There the sand formed a number.
"Thirty two," she whispered shakily, "How did you do that. We weren't falling that long. No one's that fast, not even Dra'Ka."
"Ya may be right, "Reyn gazed at his sword nonchalantly, "Ah dona know how mah body does it and ta be honest Ah dona care. People are always fussing about how stuff works. If ya ask me, as long as it’s workin then that's the end a it. But Ah do have a few tricks. The holes kill a lot a resistance when it comes to movin it about, and it cuts wind when goin for the straight slash. It’s light as a feather too."
Reyn let Araali hold it. He was telling the truth, it was very light for its size, but Araali still had trouble managing it,” So what do you call it, the way you fight?”
Reyn thought for a moment, it was obvious that he’d never taken the time to name his particular fighting style,” Rey’eh… yeah that works. Rey’eh. It means ‘leaf on the wind’. Cause when you’re fightin, that’s what ya have ta remember, that your body’s a leaf on the wind.”
Reyn shook his head as if to clear his mind and with nothing else to say, took the sword back from Araali and attacked. She was ready though. She'd been expecting it even before Reyn began to talk. She blocked his first few blows but he eventually got around her sword and with one kick sent her flying towards the wall. Despite the pain Araali was determined not to freeze up. She blocked nearly half of his fierce volley of blows and was able to get in one counter strike that made him back off. She kept her sword almost constantly unhinged, whipping and twirling it around her body to deter Reyn from getting close enough to attack. She kept chanting the same words to herself, Rey’eh, Rey’eh, Rey’eh. A leaf on the wind. She was starting to see the meaning behind it now. Leaves don’t fight against the current, they float on with it! Better to move with an opponent, than to fight against him. Araali smiled broadly with this new understanding. She shifted her train of thought. Now instead of lashing out at Reyn, she waited, and let her blade float alongside him, moving as he moved, coiling around him lazily and striking in the blink of an eye. Reyn grinned; she was beginning to get the hang of it. Without warning he shot the speed of his movements up to an entirely new plane. Araali found herself overwhelmed. Leaves didn’t move this fast. The number on the wall was now an even fifty. Araali still did not give in. With each new attack that Reyn launched she was able to block more and more of the strikes until Reyn could land only one blow at a time. Now more than ever before, she thanked the gods that advanced fencing was one of the first things the guards had taught her. It helped with the basics, but after that, she virtually had to unlearn it. At first she couldn't understand exactly how this beating was training her, but soon she began to discern some very important lessons. No, don’t move there, move here…. Strike like this when he puts weight here…. Counter him after a hard strike, parry with a forward… Dodge the blade at the last moment, use every last second… She gleaned more and more information, so rapidly it was almost subconscious, all of it through one fight. Before she noticed it, ever so subtly, she began fighting more and more like Reyn, it seemed the only thing that worked. The leaf doesn’t have to move fast or slow. It just has to move. It can curve or it can jag, it can move forwards and it can move backwards. So can I. I am a leaf on the wind. Araali again looked at the wall. Despite her progress she could do nothing but look with dismay upon the current score. Reyn had still racked up more that ninety kills and she still hadn't landed one blow. A desperate plan was forming in her mind. She chuckled inwardly; I wonder what kind of reaction this'll get. After all, with some practice, anyone can snatch a falling leaf out of the air.
Reyn again charged Araali planning to land the few final blows that would finish off the training. He had to say that Araali learned really quickly. She'd blocked a good deal of his blows and that unhinged blade was becoming damnably annoying to get around. To his surprise Araali dropped her weapon to her side. He stopped charging to ask if anything was the matter, but before he could say a single word Araali wrapped both arms around him and kissed him gently on the lips. It was not much but it was more than enough to put him severely off guard. To Araali's great surprise Reyn did not wretch or twist away. Reyn's sleeveless shirt left a lot of skin exposed under his arm, so he didn't notice or care when Araali's sword went straight through his ribs and into his heart. Although it did not leave a wound or draw even a single drop of blood, it ended the game.
Araali watched Reyn blush deeply and shakily retreat a few paces back before falling flat on the ground. Araali smiled triumphantly as the haze retreated back into the basin from whence it had come. She walked over to Reyn and kneeled beside him.
"You gonna be all right. Didn't mean to embarrass you too much," Araali smiled and helped Reyn to his feet.
"Well... uh... Ah guess ya pass. Ah really thought that would take longer. Ah guess the rest a the day is free. What do ya want ta do," Reyn shuffled nervously from foot to foot. Araali chuckled, that had been even more fun then she had expected. Both of their weapons disappeared now that they had been forgotten. She thought for a while before answering his question. Due to her nightmare they had woken and completed their training a few minutes before sunrise. The thought of her dream chilled her. There was no proof that it had been a vision and she didn't want to dwell on it any longer. She should probably be training for her final exam but for some reason it didn't seem all that important any more.
"I can't really think of anything," Araali shrugged and waited for Reyn to think up something.
"Well Ah'm getting sort a crazy stayin in this room. Ah think we should go outside ta play," Reyn looked happy with his suggestion.
"I'm really not supposed to leave my room for this whole year unless it’s to get food from the gardens. And I'm not supposed to go into the city period," Araali said with more submission than she liked.
"Don't get me wrong, but aren't ya sorta a prisoner here, "Reyn asked a bit confused," Ah mean, Ah heard tha your God Emperor keeps the kids a high ups somewhere he can get ta them before their parents, ta keep the royals from rebellin."
"First of all he is not my God Emperor," Araali said with a renewed defiance that warmed her," but the other part is right. I'm a hostage on behalf of my family. This is also my training year so I'm not supposed to come into contact with any other siren. I'm supposed to be meditating, not out playing with you."
"We'll then Ah'm bustin ya out, "Reyn saw Araali's dismay," Donna worry, if ya still wanna be a siren, we'll just comeback before the year is out. If ya're not supposed ta see any other sirens, who's really gonna know where ya were at."
"Sounds... like that may just work," Araali agreed after a few moments, she packed a few things hastily that she might need in a light knapsack that she slung across her back," I guess you're right. No one's really gonna know, and after I become a full-fledged siren, they won't be able to keep me here. So, I'm in or out I guess."
Araali watched as Reyn walked up to the largest of the three windows that adorned the west side of Araali's room. The window was so low that there was no separation between the floor and the window's sill. Araali never dared to go too close for fear of falling off, but Reyn stood fearlessly gazing out at the still misty blue sky, untouched by the slowly rising sun.
"Do ya trust me Araali," Reyn asked almost casually, still gazing out at the sky. Araali thought for a moment before replying. Trust was rarely given freely between Ben Tu. It certainly took more than three days to cultivate. But… for some reason she felt a lot differently about Reyn. He seemed entirely sincere in his intentions, more so than even herself. He just drifted from day to day, floating off wherever the wind took him.
"Hmm.... that’s a tough question but I have to say I do at least a little, "Araali hoped Reyn was pleased by her answer.
"Alright, then ya shouldna have too much've a problem with this. Its just somethin we're gonna have ta do ta get past all your guards, "Reyn gestured towards the three wings of aerial guards, facing outwards on various levels of the convent. The guardians had been bred for their keen senses, and they could sense a person changing from human to beast. She hadn’t given much thought to them before, but now they posed a threat. It would be impossible to fly from the window very far, that would alert the guards, and she couldn’t very well lead Reyn down through the center of the convent, that would defeat their purpose entirely. Reyn seemed nonplussed by these obstacles. He got down on all fours and told her to get on his back. After a few moments of contemplation she agreed. At first it was awkward due to the fact that she was slightly taller than he was. Eventually she found a comfortable position with her arms wrapped loosely around his neck and her legs around the trunk of his body. Thankfully he was a bit heavier than she and plenty strong, so he didn't over balance when he stood.
"Ah gotta ask ya one more time, do ya trust me," Araali was growing slightly worried now but she nodded her head. Reyn felt it, "One more thing, whatever ya do donna shift form or ya'll kill us both. Just remember, Ah've got ya."
Before Araali could protest Reyn took a flying dive right out of the window…

With the departure of the two children, a small hole carved into the wall of Araali’s chambers as part of an intricate design, came alive with glowing white light. Several stories down, in the belly of the tower, a group of women sat in the center of a large room, lighted only by thousands of hovering images that floated around them. One of these women lifted her head, her eyes grew distant, and her lips began to move. Her fellow workers could hear no sound, but the message found its way to the desired ears.
“Song Priestess Kaheal, a message form Sister Matra of the Hawkeye council,” the voice had found its way back to the very heights of the white tower, and whispered into the ears of an older woman, dressed in glistening white robes. Austere and beautiful in her twilight years, the High Lady of the Siren Convent, Song Priestess Kaheal, had maintained her youthful figure, and her snow-white hair seemed to match perfectly with a pair of piercing sapphire eyes. She sat reclined on a couch, overlooking the city beneath her. Her lips moved in response, and her voice found the woman in the towers depths.
“Speak Sister Matra,” she spoke into the ears of her fellow siren.
“Siren Acolyte, Araali Nelay, daughter of Yaztar, has left her quarters in defiance of Sanctuary Law. Do you wish us to issue a pursuit order?” The Hawkeye Siren readied the pursuit command as she spoke.
“No, not yet,” Kaheal smiled,” Allow the dragon and the phoenix to dance a little while longer. Let us see how the prophecy plays out.”


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Pyon... best word ever!!
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Cameron aka Cam
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Golden Blossoms
Thanks! I'll be sure to read it.
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EnigmaticSevens
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Elemental Crown
Keep up the hard work Yaomi, I know you were hesitant to put yourself on an active deadline, but trust me It'll help you out a lot in the end.
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"It is better to light a candle than to curse the dark." - K'naan
"Ningjiao wo fu tianxia ren, xiujiao tianxia ren fu wo." - Tsao Tsao (Better that I should wrong the world, than the world should wrong me.)
"Why should it ever end, why shouldn't we go on living forever." - Oyks
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