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| [Introduction]
In Search of Lost Wings Rules: If you’re going to use code (italics, different colors, etc) make sure you end it in the same post or I’ll just go through and take all the code out. I’ll give you roughly a week to post before skipping you. Profanity and mild sexual content is allowed, just be tasteful. On a different note, Shades of Grey isn’t going to be posted for quite a while after all. My purse was stolen last night and the disk with it saved to it is in my purse. * sighs * So this is what I’m going to do… I have most of it already saved on my computer at home, so I’ll try to rewrite the end from memory, then I’ll send it to each of you and you can edit it/ tell me if I missed anything. Sound good? So if you have any questions about something that was in Shades of Grey and need me to look it up for you, I’ll do that. Like I said, I’m really just missing the very end. This story will take place two years after the last one, which means I will have to play with some character situations here. Hmmm, fun… Sorry if there’s any disagreements over how I handle this. I know the last one ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, but that’s good, right? Gives us a little room to play. To answer Iris’s question, no, you do not need to write in 3rd person if you are more comfortable with first. Anyway, I will have a first post as soon as I can. I’m going to go ahead and skip myself so I can give you all a chance to add any thoughts to what I have said here. Please do not start this instead of me; I am working on a starting point. If you fail to listen and start anyway, I’ll just delete it. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just warning you. Oh, and I did realize while reading over Shades of Grey that I did kinda sound like I had this big plan and just wasn’t sharing it. Sorry about that guys, but I never idd. I just get ideas, and sometimes I can’t apply them immediately and I don’t want to ruin it for you by telling before my next post, and I go about wording it wrong when I try to say so. Also, I’m sorry for any bitchiness you had to endure from me. It’s a pretty shitty excuse to say I’ve had some pretty stressful things going on for the last year and a half (that are still going on), but it’s the best excuse I have to offer. I’ll try not to let my bitchiness get the best of me, but every once in a while it’ll slip past, and quite frankly, you’re just going to have to bear with me. Let’s just try to treat each other with respect, ok? If I’m being a bitch, just send me an email and tell me. A lot of the time I don’t even realize I’m doing it. It’s kinda a habit I’m trying to break. With a false smile and a dragon’s tear, Tempest |
| Leo I awoke to the sound of my alarm blazing its music across the room. I extended my lazy hand and roled out of bed to the ground with a loud thud. My roommate woke up, yelling, "Damn, Leo! I'm trying to sleep over here." The girl next to him groaned. I didn't remember seeing him come in with a girl, then again I never did. He must've slept with half the campus by now. I threw my sheets back on my bed and stumbled into the bathroom for my early morning ritual. Post-it notes were stamped everywhere, reminding me of everything I had to do or did the previous day. Lately my memory had been failing me, and I just couldn't bring myself to go see a doctor. I jumped in the shower and washed my hair as I tried to recall the things from my past. It all just seemed like a blur, or a dream, like it didn't exactly make sense. The only thing that remained clear was her. I could never forget Tai, my angel. I kept a picture of her above my bathroom sink. I believe it was one of the only times she ever smiled. Maybe it was the only time. I couldn't remember. Why was she fading? I remember I loved her so, but I couldn't feel it any longer. Is that how she felt all the time? She could see it, but not feel it? It didn't matter anymore, certainly she could feel beyond what any human ever thought possible where she is now. I just hope she's looking down on me with approval. I know I'm looking up at her with hope. I can't believe it's been two years. I can't believe how good Becca's been doing and I can't believe I'm in college. Life has seemed to go by so fast, yet I hardly remember it at all. I need to hurry, class starts in ten minutes. I scrambled around for my feather for a while, afraid as usual that I had misplaced it again. Yet my post-its never fail. It was in my journal, the one I started writing memories in, but forgot that I was keeping, so it doesn't have many entries. I stuffed my journal in my bag and ran out the door. I was greeted by several, "Hey Leo,"'s from people I barely recognized as I made my way down the corridor. I reached the door outside and as I walked out, a huge gust of wind blew my feather away. I knew I was running late, but I just couldn't lose that feather! I chased it down the side of the building and into an allyway, where it finally landed on the cracked asphalt. "Oh, good," I said to myself, picking it up carefully. As I stood up, something white flashed by out of the corner of my eye. "Tai?" |
| ((Ahh, I'll guess I'll work with it. Been thinking on it and I can use this as an intro...)) When he turned, however, nothing was there, leaving him with the strangest, almost eerie feeling, almost nausia. The world tilted strangely, then straightened. He returned to his room; Perhaps he ought to take the day off... Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the door. After a long moment, he moved to answer it. There, leaning against the doorway, stood Tai, perfectly calm. Shocked was an understatement to the moment. She looked tired, worn... Her clothes seemed old and coated in dust. Sh ecarried a small pack on her back, and her long hair was braided back loosely. She smiled, "Well, aren't you going to invite me in?" She straightened and stretched her arms, her sleeves slipping to show the slightest hint of tracks on her arm. ((If don't know what i mean by 'tracks', email me and I'll explain...)) She readjusted her shirt. Her smile widened as he stared a moment before getting a sentence out, "But...?! What happened?! Where...?!" She took a deep breath, "I've been on the road quite some time now. I needed some time to think before I came back to you..." |
| It was as if a flood of memories tried to come back to me, yet couldn't. Like I had some sort of mental block. The only thing I could rightly pronounce was, "Why don't you come in? You look.....exhausted," then I thought that was stupid of me to say, and thought about kicking myself, but she smiled, so I let it pass. "Do you have any clothes I can borrow?" she asked. "Sure," I said kind of uneasily. I should have offered some to her first. I ran to my dresser and pulled out a long navy blue shirt and shorts. I handed them to her frail hands and said, "I have a shower if you wanna wash up." She nodded and I showed her the way. "What are all these post-it notes for?" she asked. "Oh, um, lately my memory has not been what it used to be," I said rather sheepishly, quickly pulling the hundreds of them from the mirror and walls. "When did your memory first leave you?" she asked, rather concerned about it. "Right after I left the asylum-," then I realised what I had just said, because for a girl who had no emotion before, she sure was expressing a lot on her face right now. "Asylum? Like, insane asylum?" she asked. "My adoptive parents had me commited right after you left. I don't remember a lot about that time. But this isn't about me, let's- talk about you," I tried. "She looked at me in a funny way and said, "When I'm finished in the shower, we can talk." "Ok," I smiled. I swallowed hard as I left the bathroom. There was going to be a lot of explaining for me to do. |
| ((Hmmm, I might fix that. Gomen. ) "Leo?" he woke to Tai's soft, far away voice. He opened his eyes, and slowly, Tai's image came into focus, hair still wet from her shower. "What happened?" |
| ((Look folks, I like Kia a heck of a lot, so I really hope you don't mind if I keep her. Thanks!!)) Therapy was working. Finally, that goddamn, blasted stutter was taking its leave. I think Tai had something to do with it. I mean, when she left...though that was about the wierdest thing... It had been a while since I'd spoken to Leo, though. He'd hardly been online, and I hadn't even seen him around town, which had been odd because he actively sought me out after Tai left. And he was the first person to notice that my throat had cleared up, which made me smile for the first time in about three months. I don't regret that, though. The throat, I mean. It was stupid, sure, but I'm through it and stronger for it. I wanted to see him. As in, really wanted to. Sure, I knew his heart belonged to Tai, but I flattered myself I had some kind of friendship. I'll probably never be over being sweet on him, but I'm used to taking a back seat. Anything to keep the big guys and their fists out of my solar plexus. They haven't been a problem, though. Now that I can talk, at least relatively normally, I outshine them in class, so all the teachers are on my side, even if no one else is. Oh, it's a sad life being little me. Maybe it was the whole "sad life" thing that made me go looking for Leo. That, and a sense that something was starting again. I couldn't say what, only that I was better equipped to deal with it this time. But I needed to see him. Predictably enough, he wasn't home. It's not like I'm stupid. I could have worked out that he'd be in college by now. I mean, I am! But it is kinda hell to guess which college. I guessed that he'd be somewhere where he could look after Becca, considering that she seems to be the only thing that matters to him now that Tai's gone. Not that it matters to me; Becca's an adorable little girl, and she's so lucky to have a brother like Leo. Hell, I wish he was my brother! But anyway, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that it was important to see Leo, and work out what my odd little sixth sense was telling me. And it could well be I'd have to check out every college in state to find him. It looked like it might be quite a search. |
| (It looks like Leo's a chick magnet! Score! Just kidding. I've always liked Kia, and I was trying to think of a way to add her in, but I wanted to wait for you to go because I wasn't sure where you'd start her. Now it looks like we can really get a 'love triangle' started, eh? But n e ways- here she goes...) "I- I'm not sure. I think I blacked out again," I said as I rubbed my forehead in an attempt to ease the pain. It wasn't working. "Oh, shit. Your nose, Leo, it's bleeding!" Tai said as she ran to the small kitchen area to find a napkin. I quickly pinched my nose closed and leaned forward. I hate nose bleeds- it happens every time! She came back with a few paper towels and kneeled down to assist me. I removed my blood stained t-shirt and threw it aside while she wiped my hands. "Thank you," I said. "What on earth is going on with you?" she asked, helping me up, "You're such a mess. I don't remember this Leo. You're different." If that wasn't a blow to my persona I don't know what is, "I'm sorry I'm not the guy you remember, but at least you remember me," I said. "So you are having memory troubles," she said, "What's been going on with you? When did this start?" "I told you, after I got-," this time I stopped myself, but it was too late, and I had to finish my sentence, "after I was released from the asylum." "Why were you in there?" she asked. "Apparently I went crazy. I don't really remember. All I can recall is getting shots everyday that pretty much paralyzed me. I sat in a chair or strapped to a bed most days. I think my adoptive parents visited me once, but I'm not sure. They wouldn't tell Becca where I was. I think she thought I abandoned her like our mom did. It took a long time for me to regain her trust- if she even trusts me. She visits a lot, I don't live too far away you know." I explained. Tai smiled, "She's stolen your heart away, hasn't she?" I blushed and habitually rubbed the back of my neck, "Yeah, I guess you could say that. She was all I had for a long time." "Go on," Tai said, seemingly interested in the years she had missed. I scratched my head, "How funny," I said, "I do remember more. I remember getting out and going home. The feather- they- they tried to take it from me but I hid it. I don't- I can't remember. Kia, I gave it to her. That means the one I have isn't real. I remember now, I gave it to her for safe keeping and told them that I had lost it. We gotta find her and get it back." Tai looked puzzled, "What feather?" I finally stopped and looked at her. I felt kinda sheepish. To me, it was almost like I stole a pair of her panties or something. "Your feather," I said. She laughed, "Why do you need a feather when you have me?" I looked at her intently, "Do you love me Tai?" |
| She sighed, running a hand through her wet hair nervously, "I don't know..." She started to pace, then froze, staring at him. "The time I've spent since I last saw you... it's been difficult. Sometimes I almost wish I had awaken in the first place..." SHe let her voice trail off the sighed, adjusting her sleeves nervously, something troubled in her eyes. "Forget it, ok?" |
| I wasn't surprised or as hurt as I thought I'd be. I just kept thinking she was hiding something from me; something big. And the more she toyed with her sleeves, the more I noticed something I didn't want to take notice of before. "How long has it been since your last hit?" I asked bravely. She wouldn't look me in the eyes, she turned away. "What are talking about?" she hissed. I could tell she didn't want me to pursue the subject any further, but I felt obligated, "I lived with shit like that for 18 years, Tai. I know what it does to people. Now, I didn't want to say anything before because I wasn't sure. But now I am, you need help." "Don't tell me what I do and don't need. You know nothing of it," she spat, wheeling around to face me, on the verge of tears. She held her arms self consciously and kept mumbling, "You know nothing of it, you know nothing..." Suddenly there was a knock at the door. |
| "But what..? When...?" Tai smiled cooly, just relieved at the change of subject. After a long moment of silence, she stood, "I'll let you two be- I've gotta find a place to stay for the night..." She left it at that, stepping past them, pausing only an instant as she reached the doorway. "Maybe I shouldn't have come," she whispered, not meaning to be heard. Her hands trembled as she closed the door behind her. |
| I looked at Leo in shock. He looked back at me, clearly equally stunned. For a few moments we just stared at each other, Leo clearly at a loss, me doing imperceptible voice control excercises under my breath to quell the nervous stutter I could feel just beneath my throat. "So, how's...I mean...how's Becca, then?" I asked, knowing it sounded stupid, but needing to break the awkward silence. Leo ran a hand through his hair. "She's pretty good," he said. "Growing up way too fast, though. She's...yeah..." he trailed off, not looking at me. "Leo?" I asked tentatively. "You okay? Did something...I mean, did you argue with Tai or something?" "What?" Leo asked, starting. "No, I...no!" "Then what is it?" Leo finally looked straight into my eyes. I felt my face redden a little as I realised that I still liked him as much as ever. "Jesus, Kia," he exclaimed suddenly, startling me, "I'm so glad to see you!" I blinked, feeling like the words had gone straight through my head. "I...jeez...thanks!" I said, sure my face resembled a cooked radish. "Seriously, Kia," Leo said, his face graver than I'd seen it in a long time, "you're like, my only connection to reality. I just...I need something that's not just wierdness..." He stood up. "Kia," he said, "will you stay with me a while? I think...I don't know...I want you here if Tai drops by again." "But why?" I asked, shocked. After what had passed between Leo and Tai, I didn't think he'd want anyone to see them together. Leo gave a funny little smile. He reached out a hand and let his fingers brush my throat. "For a mouse of a girl like you," he said, "you're sure good at setting things in motion." I concentrated hard on keeping my heart rate down. |
| ((Sorry about the skip on y'all, I'll put this back in the right order after i comment here. i just got this fabulous idea... but don't know quite how to word it for an entry. My intention wtih Tai leaving is not only to find a place to stay adn avoid the subject of her addiction but also that's she going into withdrawl and would want to change that, 'cause there ain't no way in hell withdraw would be fun. Do you follow my yammering? If not, email me and I'll explain...)) |
| ((Awesome! Not to sound wierd, but typing a scene of just Tai in say, a hotel room, going through withdrawls, would be awesome. You know, it's like a physical attack- they have tremors and night sweats and sometimes convulse or go into vomitting spurts. Maybe i'm just crazy, but I think I'm following you a bit. on another note, I feel like this whole thing is going rather smoothly. I feel like we all kinda have a feel for where someone wants to go when they end with a prompt, you know? Anyway, I think we read each other well, and I think this story is gonna be better than the last, despite how great it was!!)) I dropped my hand and turned, leading her to my 'kitchen' table. We sat, and I offered some coffee. "So what have you been up to?" I asked casually, to restart the conversation. She shrugged in that old, small way that I knew best. "Nothing much," she responded. At that moment I was more glad than ever that Kia was something consistant; she didn't change for anything, despite the fact that we hadn't seen each other in a while. "When did Tai get here?" she asked. I looked around, avoiding Kia's eyes, "Not too long before you," I said. "She doesn't look too good to me-like- she doesn't look healthy- I don't know," she tried saying, but after a moment stopped and turned a little red. "Yeah, I'm worried about her, that's for sure. That's why I need you here. You're the only other one in the whole world who knows what I know about Tai, and I just have this feeling that something's gonna happen," I said. "Like what?" she asked. "I don't know, really. Just- call it intuition, call it what you will, but something's gonna happen, and we'll need each other before the end." **ok, I just kinda made all that up from the top of my head, so I have no idea if that premonition of danger will fly or not, but, we'll see!** |
| (Yeah, i know what the side effects are. You're forgetting one of the early ones- paranoia. Just kinda a hard subject for me to write on... Anyway, I was thinking about this while I couldn't sleep last night and got a great idea...) Kia finally headed home around ten o'clock, having finally given up on Tai returning that night. Leo finally went to bed around 11. About an hour and a half later, a soft knock sounded on his door. Leo hurried to answer it. Tai stumbled towards him when he opened the door, apparently having had been leaning on it. he caught her by the shoulders, alarmed by her appearance. She was pale, her eyes wild and feverish; she reeked of alcahol. "Thank god I got here... There were these creatures that tried to stop me with bright glaring eyes and grinning faces..." She stumbled over the words the way she had stumbled into the room. his first thought her feverish skin and the way she trembled was that she had overdosed on something... heroin was definately a possiblity, maybe acid? If she'd overdosed on LSD she'd probably be dead and all the other halucigens he could think of didn't quite have this effect. She closed her eyes as he held a hand to her forehead- she definately had a fever. |
| She suddenly felt limp in my arms; a dead weight. I tried lifting her from the ground to maybe carry her to the couch, but somehow she seemed heavier than I expected, especially for one who seemed so thin and drawn. Suddenly she twisted, jolting from one side to the other, then her eyes opened wide and she screamed, "They're coming! They're coming!" I lost my grip on her in the midst of her fight and she fell to the ground with a hard thud. She smashed the side of her head on the corner of a wooden night stand, and dark blood trickled from the spot as she leaned over to me and clutched my legs, puking all over my brand new shoes. I could've kicked her I was so pissed, "Damn it, Tai!" I yelled. I don't think I had ever been so angry with her, yet I couldn't remember anything anyway, so I wouldn't know If I had ever been upset with her before. I slipped my soaked shoes off as Tai trembled by the nightstand yelling about the gremlins, but I didn't care anymore. I went to call an ambulance, but I wasn't fast enough- the pain came back as Tai's voice became fainter and fainter. I grabbed the swirling phone, but it slipped from my weak grasp. I knew I was falling, but I couldn't feel a thing. "911 operator, please state your emergency.....hello?.....hello?....we have pinpointed your location and are sending an ambulance now...." |
| THe next time he woke the room wasn't empty. He didn't notice her at first, watching quietly from the doorway... |
| "I'm n-not entirely s-sure, real-lly. I was h-hoping you'd hav-ve answers, actually." Kia said, coming to him, "why d-didn't y-y-you tell me you had a b-brain tumor?" I was stunned, grasping for words to explain what I didn't even know I had; what I feared might be. "You d-didn't know, d-d-did you?" Kia stammered. ((sorry guys if it takes me a while, I hate to hold you up, but I'm gonna be hom thursday!!)) |
| Dying. Dying. He couldn't be dying. He and Tai had saved my life. How could he die now? That was all that my brain could hold as I waited for him to answer. Gone were the speech excercises, gone was my new identity, I was a frightened mouse again. He took so long to answer. I was so afraid I'd hurt him, even though I'd only told him what he'd have had to find out sooner or later without me. His face paled and coloured again, he lay back in bed and his eyes flicked from mine to the walls, back and forth as though he couldn't even hold my grey-eyed gaze. "Becca," he said finally. "How can I tell her..." "Shit, Leo, I don't know..." I said, only realising a moment later that the reason my voice was steady was because I was concentrating too hard on not crying to be self-conscious. It wasn't working, either. My throat was burning, and my head was pounding, and even though the blood burning under the skin on my face took away all the feeling there, I knew that tears were running down my cheeks like rivulets. Leo's eyes were shut now; he couldn't see me crying. For a moment I thought he had succumbed to exhaustion, and then he moaned and said, "I'm so sorry, Kia." "W-w-why?" I asked, my voice now shaking with suppressed sobs. "For doing this to you. For sitting here dying like a lump in front of you." I couldn't help myself; the sob tore itself from my gut, an unearthly noise that left the inside of my throat feeling like sandpaper. I clapped my hand over my mouth to supress the sound, but not before Leo heard, and his eyes snapped open. "Jesus, Kia, I always suspected it, but I never..." he trailed off, with a wan smile. I was too busy trying to gulp some air into my lungs in between sobs to ask what he meant, but he continued anyway. "You've always loved me, haven't you? I should have known. But Tai stole my heart in the end, and now she's gone. You're the one who stayed, you're the one who's kept with me, and now I repay you by dying. I'm sorry. I swear, Kia, I never saw..." "Shut up!" I spat savagely. Leo started visibly, and for the briefest moment the old self-hatred flared in my gut like a poison, but I grabbed it and supressed it. I breathed heavily. "Leo," I said, speaking slowly and concentrating hard so that my voice was completely even, "you are not dying. You might have no brain left, and you're still not going to die. Love whoever you like, I don't care. I've been a mouse all my life and I'm prepared to stay one. But if you die, I will catch an angel and hold her hostage until you come back, so help me God." Leo laughed thinly. "An angel. You're so sweet, Kia." |
| When Tai woke the room was quiet, empty. Her eyes scanned the empty walls, empty inside. She remembered a time not so long ago- the last time she’d been in a hospital. She sighed deeply, flexing the arm with the IV in it, remembering the confusion as she felt emotions for the first time. “That’s an awfully hefty sigh…” A familiar voice commented dryly. She smiled, “Hey, Antony.” He grimiced, voice tight, “Don’t hey me, little girl… What the hell did you think you were doing?” She looked away. There was a long pause. “Well?!” His voice raised slightly. She sighed softly, voice soft, “Doesn’t it ever stop hurting?” He chuckled, “Apparently not, but I think this time I can help…” Her brow furrowed; she didn’t know about Leo yet. “What do you mean??” He laughed, voice bitter, “Arianna’s dead, Tai. She died a couple weeks ago in a car wreck. The other driver was drunk; she never had a chance…” There was a long, stunned silence before he spoke again, “I’m willing to make a sacrifice for you… I have nothing left to live for…” |
| It's funny how life works out, sometimes. How, when looking back on everything, you wonder what you could've done differently, even though it's too late and doesn't matter. My adoptive family visited me. "We'll get you the best treatment available. The doctors said if we try, we could prolong your life even more." they attempted. "No," I said, "That'll give me another month at the most, and I don't want the misery of it all. It isn't worth it." They looked so broken hearted, and I felt so guilty for their pain. "I'm so sorry to have brought this onto you guys. You've been nothing but gracious to me and my sister, and I can't help but feel like I've repaid you with nothing but pain. Mom, dad, you guys are my real parents, so thanks for not giving up on me." "No," they said, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to us. I don't want you to feel guilty for one second, it's not something you can help." "Well, I want to go home as soon as possible. Do what I can, while I am able too at least." I said, then looked at the door, "Let Becca in, I want to talk to her, alone." They nodded and slowly left. They seemed so strong, yet I wondered if their strength would leave them outside that door. "Lee Lee!" Becca cried as she ran to me. She jumped in my lap and I sat up to hug her. The sudden motions brought striking pain to my head, but I ignored it- or atleast tried to- as we hugged. "When are you coming home again?" she asked. "I don't know, soon, I hope." I said. "Good," she said, looking around, "Why are you here?" I took a deep breath, this was it, "Well, it's kind of hard to say." "Are you sick?" she asked. "Yes," "Very sick?" Deep breath, "Yes," "When will you get better?" "I won't," I said solomnly, "I'm sorry Becca." She looked at me with the most puzzled expression on her face. She just couldn't understand how it wasn't possible for every sick person to get better in a few weeks. In her mind I had mom and the doctor, and just mom alone is enough to cure everything. So it didn't make sense to her that even when I had both I still wouldn't get better. "Will you get worse?" she bravely asked. I paused, "Yes," Tears welled in her eyes, "Are you gonna die?" I shuddered at the sound of her voice saying it. I thought I would be sick, "Becca, please try to understand. I will die, yes, but it's ok. I'll be with Granny and Gramps in Heaven with the angels." Her at first hysterics had now calmed to whimpers, "Y-you already h-have an a-angel," she said, "Y-you don't have t-to go to h-heaven t-to be with them. You c-can s-stay here." My heart was torn to pieces. Tai could break it, but she had never made me hurt this bad. "It's not a choice, Becca. I can't stay. As much as I want too, I can't." "The angel can make you better, I know the angel can!" Becca stated triumphantly. "Do you mean Tai? Becca, I don't think she can even help herself right now," I explained, thinking for a moment about the girl, and wondering where she was at the moment. "The angel is not a girl. And his name is not Tai, either. He came from the cieling of my bedroom this morning and told me that you would be ok, and that I should not be afraid. He told me that I had to give you a message. He said I should say that you are not done, and you should not give up hope. You have quite a journey before you and that....and that....I forgot the rest," she said. "Becca, please remember for me, please. It's very important," I said. "Something about finding the pieces of you that Tai left behind somewhere," she said. "Peices of me? Where? What place, Becca? I need to know," I said, overcome by this news with joy and puzzlement both. "I don't know, Lee lee, I don't remember." she said. "But see, you won't die now, the angel said so." |
| ((contenuing from where I left off... Sorry about the skips everyone, you know i couldn't resist...)) "What are you talking about?" Tai asked, "What do you mean, make a sacrifice? What's going on?" Anthony sighed again, running a hand across his face in frustration, "I can't really tell you the details... I... I've taken steps to assure that he will not die..." "Who's dying?!" He shrugged, "I just wanted to say good-bye, since I'm not gonna be around anymore, ok? Hard to stick around with out my soul... I'll be.." He smiled and pointed down- in Hell. "He'll be here soon enough to explain everything..." "Who, Anthony? what's going on?" He smiled, answering just before she turned away at the sound of a nurse entering the room, "An angel... He'll expain everything..." When she looked back, he was gone. |
| ((Hmmmmm)) Kia visited twice within the next couple days, his family, more. Never Tai. While he could not deny his curiosity, for a time he could not muster the energy to care. He woke the morn the day before he was to return home, for the most part at peace with the realization of how his life was to end but for one nagging thought that grew more important each day: Where was Tai? He found it strange that Kia at the very least had not mentioned her. Had she purposely avoided the subject? He resolved to ask Julie, the nurse who brought his food (if you could call it that) in the morning, as soon as he saw her. As though summoned, the young woman arrived, full of her usual inane chatter. He patiently waited, nodding, for a break in her monologue before interrupting her. “Julie…?” She looked a little surprised, “What can I do for ya?” He voice was a little timid at first, growing more sure as he spoke, “Do you know, the girl I was with when I called the ambulance… do you know where she is, I mean, is she okay?” The young woman looked more surprised, almost perturbed, “Gee, I don’t know what happened to her; she checked out yesterday, I think. Maybe she’s at one of those rehabilitation centers the Doc strongly recommended she go to… Why, hun, friend of yours?” He sighed and looked away, “I don’t know…” 0***0 He woke midafternoon, drowsy at first, snapping awake at the sight of a familiar figure standing by the window, lost in thought. His voice was soft and uncertain; she started with surprise when he spoke up. “Tai?” She smiled, the expression not quite reaching her eyes. She wasn’t sure she was ready to say good-by, possibly forever. She sighed inwardly, this had to work, she had to have faith. Anthony had shown faith. She knew his soul was the sacrifice that made this possible, that allowed the angel to interfere. “Hey…” she said softly, calmly. He breathed deeply, “What took you so long getting here; I was worried…” “I got held up. There was a… disturbance…” She didn’t quite meet his eyes at her explaination. “Look, I can’t stay long. I just have to deliver a message…” “…okay…” She looked relieved, “An angel will come to you. He will ask you questions. He will ask what you want from life. Answer honestly, and depending on whether you answer as I did, he may instruct you to take action. It would be… wise to do as he says.” He gave her a puzzled look, “When?” “Within the next few days…” she sighed softly, “I need to leave soon, but I must give you something first.” She pulled a small vial full of glow and passed it to him. “Drink,” she commanded. With scarcely a moment’s hesitation he did so. A little tension eased from her expression as he did it. That, at least, would assure he would be tumor free with in the week. The angels called it ‘Lillith’s Tears’, named after an old Ligerian legend and made from select magicks and a bit of soul, Antony’s to be exact. She stepped forward, her expression telling him there was one more thing. Before he could speak, she leaned over and kissed him, soft and giving. The reason for the action was more than selfish… With a kiss she transferred to him every feeling, every memory, every worry and desire she had felt since he had come crashing into her life. He would need it on the journey ahead, and if he did not follow the path that brought him back to her, she didn’t want them anyway… He did not realize he had closed his eyes during the kiss until he opened them to her walking away. He called after her. She glanced back, but continued on her way. He was struck silent; her eyes were empty, cold. She left the hospital, uncertain as to why she was there in the first place. Hard as she tried, she could not remember why… |
| Everything was new to me now. The things I had once cherished but thought were lost forever had come flooding back to me in one moment. I remembered, for the first time in a year. I had pain, joy, anger and sadness of the deepest kind; and this was new. It wasn't there before, ever. Feeling rather adventurous and renewed, I left my humble hospital bed which had become such a needed place for me in the past week. I removed the IV, it was a longer needle than I thought. Walking to the window, I swiped open the heavy, ugly shades and saw real sunlight for the first time, again. A sudden a very bright white light came before me, fading into a shadow, and then a man. A very beautiful man. He had no wings, but he was an angel indeed. "I have come with news for you," he said in a calming, alarming and authoritive way all at once. "I know," I stated, surprised at the returned strength in my voice. "You are to be tested, of every way and form, until you succeed and unless you fail will the testing then stop. I am your first step, you will go through seven." the angel at my window said. I nodded undauntingly in response, and he continued, "Your will for life itself and all its essence, has it ever or will it ever leave you?" "No, as far as I know, it hasn't. And as far as I've come, it hasn't" I responded. "And yet you were ready to die 10 minutes ago?" the angel asked. "Do not be decieved. It is alright to die, it is nothing to fear. Here, I live physically as one self, and after death, I realize I shall live on in another sense. I shall always live on, death is only an illusion which plagues the human mind." I said. "I do hope you have overcome this plague, and that you are fearless as you say you are. I give you this vial, it has a guide in it for your journey. You will find the child without a name, and her kiss will bring your trinity the everlasting life it deserves." And with that, he was gone. The light didn't fade, it didn't disapear, it just wasn't there anymore,; nor was I. I found myself in a city I had never seen before, still in my hospital gown. |
| ((I'm gonna be a little unorthodox here, because poor Kia feels a bit left out of the loop. I hope you don't mind me tweaking the plot!)) When I left Leo's bed, I told him I'd capture an angel and hold him hostage until Leo got better. And I was crazy enough to believe I could. I'd never believed in angels, not really. Where was my guardian angel when I was born with a tongue that didn't work properly? Where was my guardian angel when I couldn't get my mousey hair to stay put or my jeans to fit right on my skinny frame ihn a world where looks were everything? And where the hell was my guardian angel when the world made me hurt so bad I took a razor to my own throat? I couldn't answer the first two. Maybe I just didn't have a guardian angel then. It didn't really matter now; my speech was much better than it ever used to be, and I'd grown into my skinniness and had a figure as good as any I could wish for. But when I took that razor to my throat, when I looked into the mirror and hated the face I saw so much that I wanted to die, then I knew who my angel was. She may not have realised it at the time, but Tai saved me, because when I looked into that mirror I didn't see my face but hers, and I didn't want that beautiful angel to die. Yes, Tai was my angel when I needed one most, and when I left Leo's bedside I was so mad and so blind with grief that my brain started to rush off without me. I needed to capture an angel to save Leo, so I'd capture the only angel I knew. Tai wasn't hard to find; there was only one hospital in the area and I figured from what little I'd worked out that Tai would be in it. It was too early for her to have been moved to rehab, so she had to be in A&E. And so she was. She was sleeping when I found her; I went to wake her, but I couldn't. There was something unusual about her as she slept; I couldn't put a finger on it. Something completely different to the Tai I thought I knew. "Unearthly, isn't she," a man's voice said from behind me. I spun around, steadying myself on the side of Tai's bed as I almost lost my balance. I thought I recognised the young man I was now facing, but that couldn't have been the only reason my heart was suddenly thumping. His presence was...significant. "It's okay, Kia," the young man said gently. "I won't hurt you. My name is Anthony." "I know," I said, not knowing how I knew. Anthony smiled. "You...you know Tai," I said hesitantly, and I found myself having to concentrate more than usual to keep my voice steady. "Yes," Anthony said, "I know her. We're...well, Tai and I go back a long way. We owe each other many debts...so much so that I don't think either of is sure who owes who anymore." I didn't believe in angels. My brain had been making stupid connections all day. But Anthony saw right through me, and a small, crazy part of me believed it knew why. "You're like her, aren't you?" I asked him, not looking at him. "I guess I must be crazy to believe it, but there's something about you both...Jesus, how in hell am I being this stupid? I don't even believe in angels, but right now I need to catch one and I haven't got anything except my bare hands and a bunch of stupid ideas in a brain that isn't working right. How am I supposed to hold an angel hostage if I'm just a little mouse and you're..." I tailed off, feeling a tear slide down my cheek. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this," I murmured, choking the words out past the lump in my throat. "I don't even know why you're here. I don't know why I'm here. I don't know..." Suddenly there was a hand, warm on my chin, tilting my face up. Anthony's eyes were an inch from mine. "Kia," he said softly, "listen to me and please don't cry. You and I both are here because I was waiting for you. I called you here. And Kia..." he paused, his eyes searching mine, his fingers tracing my cheek and wiping the tear away, "Kia, I would not have been waiting for you if I was not already your hostage. What do you want me to do?" |
| There were people all around, walking and talking through these empty streets. There were stands all about, selling hotdogs and cotton candy and funnel cakes. I must have been in the middle of a fair of some kind. Nobody seemed to notice I was there. It was the strangest thing. I tried to stop people to ask where I was or what was going on, but they completely ignored me. Or maybe, I just couldn't be seen. Out of nowhere I heard a loud whinnie, and from behind me came a big, red horse with a white blaze down her face. She stopped and peared at me with intelligent eyes. She bent down her head and mouthed my hands gently with her lips, then stomped a foot and turned away. "Wait," I said, not wanting the only thing that could apparently see me to walk away. She turned her head towards me, almost smiling, if horses can do such a thing, and nodded her head. It was as if she wanted me to go with her, so I took one hesitant step forward. I was never big on horses, my life had never allowed me to be around them. Yet there was some sort of mutual understanding between us, a knowledge that we would both partake in this journey, and neither of us could do it alone. Walking up to her side, I placed one hand along her back and grabbed a peice of mane with the other. I looked at her and she still looked at me, almost willing me on her back. I jumped up, my stomach landing partially on her back. She nudged me on the rest of the way with her head. When I finally became situated between her withers, clenching that bit of mane with all my might, she looked straight ahead and started on her way. We trotted through the park, down the street, onto the sidewalk, passing all sorts of people that never saw us, despite the sight we should have made. I didn't know where we were going, but I felt confident that we would get there. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A man looks to his wife as he shows her the morning paper, "Did you hear about what happened at the fiar last night?" he asked her. "No," she said, taking the paper from his grasp with her small, delicate hands. "The Generals famed trick horse 'Red Summer' died in terrible bridge accident last night. They said she was 15 years old. Everyone down there is real upset- they haven't found the body yet either. All they know is she fell right through the bottom of that rotten old bridge off Fairbanks and fell straight into that river." he explained. "Oh, that's terrible," his wife said, setting down the paper. On the cover was a picture of a big horse with a white blaze down her face. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Suddenly the horse took off at a full gallop, but I was not afraid, and somehow I did not fall off. The heavens opened before us in a bright, blinding light, and we ran to it and were swallowed up into a warmth that I had only felt one other time. A warmth that reminded me of Tai. |
| They'd taken the wrong half- of all the foolish things to do they'd taken his demon half as sacrifice unstead of his angelic half. Or had they done it on purpose...? Anthony didn't know or care. His only concern when Tai had started going into withdrawls- of course she went into withdrawls, sh4e couldn't even remember she had an addiction- was getting her taken care of... ...and now this girl, Kia, was here... ...it had begun. Tai would be sent off to rehabilitation, only instead of going to a center, Anthony had arranged for her to be with a new friend of his that had been in that line of work long ago. Tai was to go live with an angel named Ezra. Anthony would help this girl... ...and the boy would be tested. He sighed. he did hope it would all turn out. |
| Suddenly the light ended and I felt very cold. We landed on a dark cliff, and an eerie moon hung above us. I dismounted and peered into a looming forest before us, unsure of where to go now. I heard a noise come from it, like a twig snapping and a snarl. Something was coming toward us; something evil. Shivering, I turned to face the horse that had brought me here. She had become big with fear, her eyes large and round and ears erect. I was afraid she might turn and run, so I reached out my hand to comfort her, yet I myself was beginning to feel the fear take hold of me. "Who's there?" I demanded as I stepped toward the darkness and its presence. My strained ears picked up another slight sound, a growl, perhaps. Only it came from the left of the sound that was emmited earlier. The rustle of leaves, the soft sound of trodding feet that stealthily hunted; they surrounded us, and we were afraid. Not knowing what consumed us, or would sooner or later do so, I slowly lifted a fallen branch from the ground, but without removing my eyes from the darkness around me. It would be a small and perhaps futile attempt at some sort of self defense against whatever it was we were about to face. But hey, I had slayed a demon with a fire poker, so why not the unknown with a stick? The growling grew nearer, and the horse behind me stopped her feet and whinnied slightly in fear. Before any attempt at defending myself could be made, I was harshly thrown to the ground and savagely bitten by the thing that finally leapt from the darkness. They were attacking my horse now too, for I could hear her cries from behind. Yet I knew she would get away, this was not her fight, they were not after her. Before my thick branch was of any use to me I had suffered many slashes and terrible bites. My wounds stung fiercely and I had become disoriented. Yet, without fail, my instincts kicked in, and before another savage maul could be made of my I swung upwards like some famous baseball player, and knocked the ascending wolf through the air. It seemed to me there was a pause. A disbelief seemed to ring throughout the pack of beasts, as if they couldn't comprehend their prey fighting back. I stood, savagely I wiped my bleeding mouth and took my stance before the largest of them, "I didn't go through the pits of Hell itself," I yelled as I swung, "I didn't fight a mind devouring cancer, I didn't lose my family, my sister, my life- to be taken down by a couple of stupid dogs," I stopped breathlessly to face the last standing one, "No, I've come too far for that." We leapt at each other; he at my throat and I at his. We clashed in midair and tumbled over the cliff. Rocks embedded themselves in my back as we crashed down its side. We landed in a large, thrashing river where we were forced to seperate. Struggling to stay afloat, I searched for the animal that had attempted to take me down, he wasn't getting away if I had anything to do with it. Had I time to stop and think I would have realized the battle that had been raging inside my own mind. This was not typical "Leo" behavior. I didn't master beasts of evil and kill with my bear hands. I didn't seek revenge while fighting rapids. I knew not of such things- these weren't actions of a normal 18 year old teenager. Yet it was what I thirsted for, and what I did. We both scrambled to the bank, and attempted to rise to our feet in order to continue our fight, yet we stumbled to the ground, unable to rise. My eyelids sank as I watched the yellow eyed beast glare at me through its own tired eyes. We both were neither victorious, nor defeated. I awoke to a sucking or huffing sound upon morning. My open eyes found a large black nose in my face, and I would have sprang away or swatted at it, had I not been so incredibly sore and weakened from the night before. The memories from that fight suddenly came rushing back to me, and for one crashing moment I thougth I was done for. Yet the huffing turned out to be sniffing, and the sniffing turned to licking. I slowly rolled my aching body over, and to my surprise the same yellow eyes from last night were still pearing down at me. Yet they were somehow different this morning. They seemed kind today, gentle. Stiffly I sat up, placing a hand on my aching head, "What is going on?" I said as I looked at my hand, which was now a padded, white paw. I raced over to the water to look at my reflection, "This can't be," I said. I looked to the other wolf, who sat contentedly on the grass. "Welcome to my world," she said, standing and trotting toward me. "Wolves can't talk," I said. "Yet I am," she replied, seemingly grinning at me. "I don't understand, didn't you just try to kill me last night?" I said. "Yes, but it is too late now. To kill you would be futile. You were stronger than originally guessed, which means you will continue on your journey," she explained, "come with me, there is much you need to know." She bounded down the riverside and I followed, effortlessly running, faster than I ever could in my human form, gliding over grass and sand, never tiring, the stiffness suddenly gone from my healing wounds. |
| I rushed down the high street, narrowly missing careering into a man with a briefcase and forcing an old lady off the sidewalk. I was late, later than I'd ever been for anything. Okay, so that was only fifteen minutes, but I still didn't like it. Something told me that being on time was important. I was a little afraid. Anthony was...awe-inspiring. It wasn't that he was the best-looking person I knew, or the most powerful. It was the fact that he had said he was my hostage. That gave him more power over me than anyone else. But scared as I was, I didn't have it in me to refuse to see him again. He asked me to. I burst into the cafe, breathing heavily, my hat tipping precariously on my head. I looked around slowly, looking for Anthony. "I didn't think you'd be late, Kia," a voice said from behind my left shoulder. I spun around, suddenly nose to nose with Anthony. "I didn't mean to be late. I was held up." I took care to make sure my voice was steady. "It's alright. Come sit down." We took chairs in a corner, and Anthony leaned close to whisper to me. "Kia," he said, "I have to tell you something. Leo's gone." I stared at him, my heart thudding. Then, in an instant, I was on my feet, shouting. "No! You're wrong. You promised me! You said you'd do whatever it took, you said you'd do it for me. Why couldn't you manage that? Why?" People were turning to stare. Anthony waved a hand and they turned back to their coffee, some with uncomfortable blushes. "Kia, sit down," he said. "Or the illusion that this is a lovers' quarrel will wear thin. Leo's not dead. I did what you wanted. It's just not simple." I sat, too shaken to protest. Anthony continued. "We gave him back his memories, his health, everything. But you don't just recover with a click of your fingers. You have to prove...it's difficult. I've done all I can, I just had to tell you that it's up to Leo now. He's gone to face the tests." "Then I'm going too," I said without thinking. "Kia..." "He can't do it alone. It's too much. I might be a mouse but...well, even mice can bite if they need to. I'm the only one who really knows...I'm the only one who's worked it out..." I looked back at Anthony, straight into his eyes. They were strangely bright and shimmery. "Kia," he said, "I...I don't want you to get hurt. I..." But the determination I felt must have shown on my face, because a moment later he waved his hands and the edges of my world started to fade and dim. And the last thing I saw as my vision faded to white was a tear running down Anthony's cheek, and the last thing I heard was his voice... "I love you, Kia." |
| "My name is Esca, wielder of Earth-bound Spirits. I have a message for you, and then you will carry on, alone," the big wolf told me as we came to a place where the river emptied into a lake, which was surrounded by soaring mountains. "A message? What is it?" I asked, thinking that perhaps what she had to say would help me piece together the broken message of Becca, and find what I was looking for. "Your sisters' message, though incomplete, was enough to get you started. Now I must spur you on," Esca said, as if she read my mind. "What you are in search of, is not Tai herself, but her lost wings. Go and find them, and you both can be whole." Suddenly I felt thrown into the air by a force I had never known before. It was a force to be reckon with, and before I knew it, I had landed in the lake, drowning, perhaps. My brain felt disheveled and knew not which way was up. I struggled to swim, yet felt wieghed down by yet another force; something from the bottom of the lake. I held my breath until I thought myself to pass out. And when I could take no more and thought my lungs would catch fire despite the water, I inhaled; and continued to do so. Then I exhaled, and realized i could breathe! Upon opening my eyes I became surrounded by creatures out of simple dreams and fairy tales. I saw mermaids all around me, swimming in circles, creating a wall of bubbles. They all ceased at once, as if on command. Then, in front of me, this wall of mermaids split. It wasn't until this moment that I realized I Had stopped sinking- I simply stayed in one place. An old yet great and commanding merman swam forward. He wore what appeared to be a rough looking corral crown, and in his right hand carried a giant Triton. In his presence I felt he was bold and confident, and I knew him suddenly to be their King, very great, and very old. He spoke no word to me, and yet I understood. I was to follow him, this would be the next step in my search for lost wings. ((Sorry if it took me so long to go, you guys. I should be able to get on consistently now! thanks~ Iris)) |
| ((Sorry I've made you wait so long then have nothing... I blame it on my computer- it's been horrible lately- working on getting it fixed)) |
| ((Ah, that's alright, I don't mind going again. Maybe I can start giving this story something to adhere to, lately we've been going off in tangents)) He led me long through the deep water, speechless and silent. I stole glances every now and then behind me to find that we were being followed by the group of mermaids and other sea-dwelling creatures. It seemed to me that the group grew in size as we travelled; that other creatures began tagging along. Once, a group of rather large and gray looking whales joined in. They easily doubled the size of the group. Frightened of them for their enormous size at first, I soon came to realize they were quite calm and friendly creatures. It was the same for the rest that joined in, also. Giant squid and octopi, sharks and fish of all kinds, dolphins, whales, serpants and eels, they were everywhere and all around. Quite abruptly we came to a stop. Before us was a giant rock, metalic in nature and shiny, though little light now emitted. The Mer-King pointed his hand and I understood somehow that like the great king Arthur and his Excalibur, I was to pull the long and narrow sword from its holding place in the stone. I placed my hands upon it and with all my might began to withdraw the blade. Once completely out, I held it out to the king, but he did not recieve it. Then just as harshly as I had been propelled into the water, I was now thrust out of it. I felt no pain, just enormous pressure. I came flying from the surface, still grasping my sword, and landed on a black sanded beach. For a moment I lay there, sopping wet and on the ground, when I heard from behind me the heavy and heated breathing of a familiar foe. |
| ((I'm so glad this thing has picked up again! Not that I've been hugely active myself over the past however long *embarrassed cough*, but I've missed Kia.)) The light blinded me, sending spikes of pain lancing through my eyes and into my head. I ground the heels of my hands into my eyes, writhing, oblivious to the feeling of the ground beneath me or my hair over my face or anything except for the horrible, blinding pain. From the ache in my throat I might have been screaming, but any sound I might have made was drowned by the deep, echoing voice that was both outside and in my head at the same time, filling all of my being that was not already overcome by pain. "This is not your place, Kia," the voice said, the sound driving my heart rate up so far that in the same instant I both feared and longed for it to burst and kill me. But my heart beat strong, though wildly fast with terror, and the terrible voice continued. "You interfere in a trial that should be undertaken alone. You seek to sabotage the tests which can only redeem when taken purely and fairly. If any power in heaven and earth could kill you now, it would have your body lying broken for vultures to feast upon. "There is a power in you, Kia, that does not belong in the frail and pathetic body you bear, and only that power saves you from death. Know this, Kia: it is with reluctance that you are allowed to remain here and help Leo with his trials, because nothing can be done to prevent it. But for your sins in coming here, you shall be cursed until you succeed in your quest or until the forces of Nature and Supernature see you dead. You shall be cursed to be blind, and to see." The pain in my head suddenly spiked outwards, so that I could feel my limbs jerk rigid and the joints crack under the sudden strain. And then, just as suddenly, it was gone, leaving a vacuum so complete that I could feel myself falling inwards, collapsing in on myself and tumbling what seemed like hundreds of feet through nothingness. Gradually, feeling returned. Slowly I became aware of how my body was twisted into a strange position on the ground, how my skirt brushed my legs, how my hat had fallen so that it cushioned my head against the grassy earth. Gasping at the pins and needles that began creeping through my skin, I maneuvered my way into a sitting position, curling my legs beneath me, and putting my hat back on. I blinked to clear the last of the whiteness from my eyes, and blinked again. And once again. I was blind. And then, behind me, I heard a growling, and what I saw in the whiteness where my sight should have been was more terrifying than anything my eyes could ever have seen. |
| "When first I faced you it was with nothing but a fire poker. Tell me, what kind of chance have you against a sword?" I spoke as I wheeled around to face my demon, seeing him for the second time. Only this time he seemed greater and more terrible than before, and I felt that this challenge may bring about both our demise. In retort to my comment a burst of flame shot from his nostrils as he screamed his battle cry. Narrowly I dodged his blast, rolling on my back as I attempted to swipe at the demons scaley, ugly flesh. I stood, and readied myself for another assault. Yet I was not swift enough, and the huge ugly monster knocked me off my feet and sent my sword swinging into the air. For a moment I lost my sight, and as I attempted to regain my position, I felt a harsh stinging sensation in my side. I gagged, and doubled over in pain, falling to my knees as the blood came up through my mouth. This creature had stabbed me with one of his great claws, ripping from my body two ribs, and exposing my entrails to the world. I bled more than I thought humanly possible, and I reached for my side and felt the empty hole where there should have been flesh. I felt as though in shock, and looked up at my enemy, who hatefully watched me suffer. "Why do I have such enemies? What have I done?" I cried out in despair. "You fell in love with an angel, Leo. That was your trespass." a strangely familiar voice spoke out. "Kia?" I cried as I watched her tiny silhouette approach the demon. She lifted the fallen sword and stabbed the monster in his heart, sending him into a dying frenzy. He seemed to shrivel and dry up as he wailed in pain and dissapeared. Kia ran back to me, "Get up, Leo. We must go now," she said. "I can't. Can you not see this wound?" I begged of her, surprised that she would ask me to stand at all. "I am blind," she said. "Oh, Kia. I am sorry," I said, touching her face. "I did not want to drag you into this." I said, falling back onto the hillside. "Where are you?" Kia cried, scrambling on the ground to find me. I became too weak to answer, I only watched as she searched. Her hand found its way into a puddle of my blood. She lifted her hand to her face, "Tell me this isn't yours, Leo." "I failed..." "tell me this isn't yours!" "I'm sorry..." "Leo, listen to me. You are not going to die. There is a tower at the top of this hill, a wizard lives there. He can help." Kia pleaded as she lifted my bloody head onto her lap. Things seemed blurry and the pain had finally ceased. I was no longer conscious, yet I wasn't altogether unconscious either. There was no where to go, and nothingness approached me. Tears streamed down Kia's face, and as she sat there, head bowed, voices arose in the distance, and a light shone over the horizon. The Angels were coming with aid. |
| A great rush a wind blew across them as a single angel approached from the sky, bathed in light. He landed next to them and lifted Leo into his arms. "Come," he said with a soft smile. "This journey is not over yet." He held Leoo against him with one arm and Kia th eother. His blood stained bright against his white garb. He carried them to a tall, white tower and ducked through an upped window, tucking his wings as he landed. He Gentlly placed Leo over an unfamiliar symbol in the middle of the room, and once he had let go of Kia, headed back for the window. At the window, he paused, then turned back to them. "Rest, both of you. When you wake, all will be well." He smiled, a hint of sadness in the expression. "I am Ezra, and am personally in charge of your case. I will be watching." He dove from the window outside, and when Kia ran to look out, he had already vanished. He faded from that world and returned to Earth where he was suppose to be taking care of Tai. But the moment he entered his home he could feel it was empty. Still, he called her name and seearched, finding the home as empty as he had sensed it. "Shit," he whispered. |
| (since my char is dead-or about to be- right now, I'm switching to third person for just this addition, k!) Kia turned back to the lifeless, pale, cold body that lie on the great stonework before her. The room suddenly felt cold, and Kia knew she was alone. She pressed her back against the cold of the stone, sliding toward the ground as she closed her eyes, crying unto herself. "Do not be sad," a small, innocent voice called. Kia faced the direction of the voice, startled, "Who's there ?" she asked, taking in the presence of this child. "Do not be afraid," the girl said, "Open your eyes, and believe you have sight." Kia did so, and could not believe that her sight had returned. The girl looked almost familiar to her, like she should know who this child was. She had dark, almost faded black hair that tangled its way down to her waist. Her eyes entranced Kia, being a shade of blue she never thought possible. Her skin seemed white, almost colorless; yet delicate. She was thin and wore a white cotten dress that reached the floor. She was short, and could not be more than five or six. "Who are you?" She smiled at Kia's question, "I am what you have been looking for," she pointed to Leo, and looked at him indifferently, "he gave everything. He sacrificed everything he was, all he knew, and all he believed in for something he could not comprehend. He focused, he fought, and do you know what? He still does not know for certain what lies at the end of his journey." Kia glanced from Leo to the girl and back again, "No, it couldn't be." "But it is," she said, smiling. She kneeled over Leo's body and placed a hand on his chest. Light streamed from between her fingers and out of his chest. Leo's back arched as more light spread through and out of his limbs. Kia rose her hand to her face to block the brightness of it, yet there was no escape. She knew she had been blinded once again. |
| ((I'm confused. Mightily. But I guess I ought to make the best of it!)) I wanted to scream with frustration, even as I fought to throw off the painful whiteness blocking my vision. I screwed my eyes shut and ground the heels of my hands into my face, knowing that I had to open my eyes and believe I could see, but unable to do so. But more than anything else, I needed to see, needed to understand what was going on. I knew that if I could not understand this, now, I had lost all I ever had to live for. The pain of the white light almost unbearable, I forced myself to take one of my hands away from my face. I groped in front of me, my stomach lurching with nausea as my hand trailed through a puddle of what could only be Leo's blood. Gritting my teeth, I snatched my hand back from the sticky, congealing mass and groped along the floor once again. I concentrated all my attention on keeping the movement of my fingers light and fluttering, so that when I sensed rather than felt where the delicate ankle under the cotton dress was in front of me, I could work my hand into a predatory claw without distracting the little girl's attention. Or maybe she understood what I was doing all along, and chose to let me assume I was taking her by surprise; I could not see her face to judge. Wrenching my thoughts from the pain lancing through my head, I focused myself until my whole body was tense as a coiled spring. I waited, hardly breathing between the awful pain and the concentration on my new role as predator. Then, when I knew I could bear it no longer, I struck. I grabbed the girl's ankle and held on fast, even though I could feel the delicate bone warping under my vice-like grip. She did not struggle, but in my maddened state I interpreted her slight movement as a move against me; I snatched at the hem of her dress, and she came down on top of me, the snap of her leg painfully loud. "What have you done?" I whispered, my breathing heavy and my voice menacing. "What are you?" Even though I could not see anything, I could feel the tears in the little girl's heart as she turned her pale face towards me. "A child of aeons, Kia," she said softly, her voice sending recognition spiking through my gut. "I am a child of aeons, and I have done what I must to come home." |
| "I am born of two worlds, I have no place in either, and yet I am crucial to both." she said as she stood, her leg seemingly healed. As she stretched her arms outward, tiny white wings stretched with them. They were a transparent white, something Kia hadn't noticed when she saw the girl. Yet now, though her sight had left her, she could feel their presence. Unwittingly Kia reached out to feel of them, overwhelmed by thier presence. As her fingers reached their tips, the wings dissapeared, along with the little girl. "Kia, what happened? Where are we?" I said dizzily as I forced my aching body into a sitting position and felt of my head. "Leo," Kia whispered, "You have wings." Taken aback slightly and not quite believing her, I reached my hand behind me and felt of velvet wings. I suddenly became quite aware of them and my ability to use them. Great power began surging through me and I felt as though my soul and body had been mixed with something, perhaps several things, and they all worked greatly in conjunction with each other. Standing, I flapped my great white wings once and sent a surge of air blowing through the tower. Kia smiled and reached up. I took her hand and held her close to me along with my sword as we leapt from the window and I found I could fly. ~*~*~*~ "What happened to you, who was that little girl?" Kia asked after landing on solid ground. "My daughter," I said steadily, peering intently at Kia's face for her reaction. For a moment she seemed shocked, and put her hand to her mouth in silent reflex as she gasped at this news. Tears came to her sightless eyes, and she finally spoke, "Why didn't you tell me?" "Because I didn't know. I-," suddenly I realized that I was about to say the one thing I thought I never would. The one thing I swore I'd never do, in all my life, to the one's I loved, to the family I'd created, "I wasn't there." Kia seemed to understand, despite what other thoughts raced through her mind, "It's not your fault," she said. "That's not for you to decide. I should have never let go of her," I said, angry at myself. "Anyway, there are bigger things at stake now than that. We need a plan, Kia. I need an army." "An army? For what?" she asked. "To fight the War, Kia. I finally understand. It all fits together now. We will face the War of All Time soon, and we need an army of angels. All of Hell will break loose soon, and we will be faced with an uncountable number of demons. On their side will be one Angel, not a fallen one, but a captured one. And I will have to kill him. Their will be one demon on our side, the one who lost it all. He must stay alive. You must lead us into battle, you are the only one with the foresight to do it." I explained. "But, I can't. I can't even see the hand in front of my face!" she exclaimed. "No, do not see with your eyes, Kia. See with your heart." "The fate of the entire universe rests on our shoulders, Kia. They cannot know my daughter exists, and we cannot let them kill their traitor. Do you understand?" I explained as I touched her face. "Yes, but where do we find such an army?" |
| The answer came to him, unbidden, a scrap of knowledge he had not known moments before, as though a mind were speaking straight to his. "We must recruit them from the four worlds- Heaven, Earth, and the fallen ones in Hell." "And the fourth?" Kia asked. Strangely, the answer to this remained elusive, all he knew, simply, was that was left for him to discover on his own. |
| ((Sorry, y'all that I let this die out. It's my fault, really. I've haven't been around online at all my favorite hang outs for personal reasons, but now I'm back and better than ever! Let's get this baby going... ^_^)) |
| ((**Brittany cracks her knuckles**...yep, leave it to me to git 'er going again....lol)) ((And hey, girl, i hope everything is alright with you- stay with us now!)) A great horn sounded upon the horizon, and Leo's mind traced back through all the events that had lead up to this moment. The message of his sister, or the angel, of the wolf. He had gone through and succeeded through five tests thus far. And his reward for passing these tests were demon wings, the knowledge of his daughter, and no longer journeying on blind faith. He finally understood how everything worked together; almost. "I have two more left," he told Kia as the sounds of a marching army neared. "Two what?" she asked him, listening intently to the medolic sounds of the approaching army. "You know they are all angels, right?" "Yes," he said, "yet I know not who the demon is. This still eludes me." Kia's brows furrowed, "Look at yourself," she said, placing a hand on his chest, feeling the presence he had become, "You are the demon," "And I must slay the Angel," he said. Looking across the large plains, Leo saw his endless army. They had come just in time; for he heard the demons approach. The forest before them trembled; almost in fear as the stomps and trampling of the demons drew near. Kia grimmaced, knowing the power they held. "They are so strong," she told him. "As are we," Trees fell as the demons sought their horrendous way through it. All at once they charged, and upon Kia's command so did the angels. As the two sides clashed, a great sound emmitted, resounding throughout the darkening plains. Fire and light burst through as demons and angels fell to the ground. Leo effortlessly fought his way through. His new powers and strength surprised him, and he worried not for Kia's safety. She held her own just as effortlessly as he, making precise split second decisions that even a person with sight would have trouble making. Yet, in the midst of it all, he stopped. His sword dropped to the ground, and in awe he whispered, "I half expected Anthony....but never you," With the arm of a slimy demon wrapped around her chest, Tai's pale, dead looking face lifted from its sad hanging position. Her eyes were black with evil, and giant, torn black wings stretched from her thin frame. Her black clothes were tattered, exposing her bruised and beat body. She looked at him with a dead, yet evil expression; and grinned. For the first time since the battle began, Leo felt terror race through his body. "Come and get me, boy!" she hissed with a voice that was not her own. Tai was possesed by Satan himself. Tai leapt forward and attacked Leo, sending them summer saulting down the hillside and away from the battle grounds. Leo's sword was momentarily knocked into the air, out of his grasp, but he regained it swiftly and sliced her shoulder. The cry of pain that emitted from her body was not the evil, dead voice he had expected; it was now Tai's. A flash of fear ran across her face, and he knew she was still in there somewhere. He raced for her, "Tai!" he screamed. Yet the posession regained her and smacke dhim wildly across the face. He was sent smashing into the ground, blod trickling from his lips, a tear streaming from his eyes. "If this is what I must do for life," he said, "Forget it. I choose death," he said, throwing his long blade into the ground. The eil Tai smiled slyly, having won exactly what she wanted. Yet as Leo turned away, he remembered something, "...and her kiss will bring your trinity the everlasting life it deserves..." Leo stopped dead in his tracks, "her kiss. He wasn't talking about the child. He was talking about Tai!" Swiftly he turned around and bolted toward a startled Tai. Yet she was too swift, and jolted his sword into his gut right before he reached her. Slowly he sank to the ground, grasping at her body. Tai kneeled down and looked over him, barely an inch from his dying face, "And the angel won," Leo smiled, puzzling the evil Tai. Quickly he reached up and forced her face to his, kissing her as hard as he could. A scream rang out; peircing the sky. For a moment all time stopped, and those battling looked upon the horizon to see a white light shining up to the heavens. Many began to rejoice as the demons started to fade away. ~*~*~ "How did you know?" she asked, suddenly surrounded by a white nothingness, and held closely in Leo's arms. "It was the 7th test," he said, kissing her again, this time gently. "We are whole again," he said. She placed her head on his chest, "Not entirely. There are still many battles ahead, and there is something I did not tell you," He kissed the top of her head, "It's ok, I know about your lost wings. They are mine, too." Tears formed in her eyes, "We must find her," she said, "I fear they may have gotten her," |
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