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By Amber Michelle K. and Rune Grey
It was a peace that was not meant to last. Impossibly far above those grass covered lands there erupted a great light, a brightness that stretched from horizon to horizon in an instant. That the world could survive such an event seemed impossible. In the last moment in which the world could possibly survive the light paused, and began to slowly fade away. A figure stirred among the grassy expanse, rising from the place where it had fallen a short time before. The light was the first thing that it saw... a new, unexpected beginning. The last remnant of another time, one that had started many ages ago... and would soon be forgotten again, as it should. But the Reborn was a relic, a remnant from a time when the world had been governed by a false god and its fallen followers... the figure had always though of itself as a part of that age, and that ending should have brought about its own destruction. Indeed, that should have been a requirement for the liberation of humanity from the reign of a cruel, uncaring god. And yet... survival, redemption, appeared to have been offered in a most unexpected way. The wind began to sweep across the plains once more, the long grass brushing against the Reborn's legs as it rose to its feet, eyes sweeping across the horizon in an effort to discern its location. The world had changed over the last few months, changed in ways that had never been anticipated. That the Reborn had never truly cared about these changes, only wishing to see its purpose completed, only made the realization that they had occurred even worse. Was there anything left in the world that would matter, the Reborn asked itself. It seemed as if its thoughts echoed in the heavens, the sky fading back from its former brilliance to simple twilight. Every fiber of being had been dedicated to its purpose, and in the end the ultimate sacrifice had been required to bring about the fulfillment of that purpose. That the Reborn lived now was... unexpected, to say the least. Had it been an act of conscious will that had brought it here, or had something else occurred in the heavens to bring about its return? Answers were the one thing that the Reborn did not have. And would not likely have for some time, if ever, in this broken new world. Broken... no, like the Reborn itself it had been sanctified to a new purpose. To find its own destiny, to break away from its `god' and become something more. Something more... but what? Was there any place left in this world that would accept a wanderer with such a dark past, even if they had only the faintest idea of what that past might be? There was only one way to find out... and that way was not to remain in this windswept plain, under the sweeping expanse of the starry universe... ***** Two months had passed. Two months since that final, cataclysmic battle that had resulted in the destruction of one of the most powerful weapons the universe had ever seen. Two months since that blinding flash of light had illuminated the sky as Zohar had been reduced to nothing. Two months since every gear, vehicle, and city that depended on the power of the slave generators had come to a grinding stop. In the aftermath of the final battle with Deus, the world had slowly begun to change. The events that had lead to the false god's restoration had slowly taken their toll on humanity, with thousands dying in each attack launched by Solaris, and tens of thousands mutating as a result of the nanite virus released by Krelian - their fate finally being fulfilled as they had were absorbed by the false god. The survivors were left to battle for their very survival, most of their cities smashed into rubble, their technology no longer operational, and monsters never before seen roaming the countryside. Despite these hardships humanity had survived, and was slowly beginning to rebuild. The three countries of Ignas - Kislev, Aveh, and Nisan - continued to attract survivors in the thousands. As each new refugee arrived, the hopes of the people continued to grow. Where the mere hope of survival had seemed impossible months ago, there was now hope for a new, better future. Perhaps it was fate that Nisan should once again become a refuge for those who were fleeing the dangers of the outside world, Citan mused. The efforts of the group that had joined together on the Yggdrasil to defeat Deus had also helped to speed the reconstruction of the city. Fei, Elly, Emeralda, Yui, Midori and himself... all of them had made this town their home, while Bart and the others had returned to Aveh to begin the reconstruction there. Would he finally have the chance to live a normal life, the life that he had come to enjoy back in those sleepy hills outside of Lahan? No, it would probably never be the same, not after all that had happened. But there was the chance that he would be able to reclaim some of the peace he had during that time. That he could live here with Yui and Midori and lead a normal life... not as the Guardian Angel of Solaris, or as Hyuga Ricdeau, but as Doctor Uzuki and family. Of course, his anticipation of such a happy event could not even begin to compare to his companion's. If anyone had earned the right to a peaceful, happy life, Fei Fong Wong would be that person. With Elly at his side, he could have asked the people of this city for anything they could have provided and they would have gladly provided it. That all he asked for was a modest home to continue his career as an artist in was proof that Fei wished for nothing more than what he had possessed back in Lahan. Well, except for one thing... "So, Elly is helping out in the cathedral again, Fei...?" Citan asked after a moment, his tone polite as he set his tea cup down onto the saucer. The cathedral had been one of the few major landmarks on the continent, let alone in this area, to survive. Unfortunately, surviving did not mean that it had escaped unscathed, and Elly had dedicated a good portion of her time to helping restore it... a tribute to all the people it had sheltered and inspired over the years. "Yes... I can't really blame her for wanting to see it restored to how it was before," Fei replied with the faintest of grins. He paused for a long moment to gently blow the steam off of his cup of cocoa, his expression slightly pensive. "We both have a good number of memories from there... I want to help, but... I'm not sure what I can do." The last several months had been among the happiest in his entire life, but Fei was still adjusting to being 'complete' once more, with all of his memory. Everything seemed to have a strange overlay, as if he had seen it before, in another time and place... The only real stable point for him had been Elly... always the same, no matter how everything else had changed. The thought brought a smile to his face, and he shrugged as he looked back to Citan. "Maybe I should try a little harder to find some way to help... this is our home now, and I feel a little... odd, to be honest. Not having some ordained destiny hanging over your head is nice, but it makes a guy feel a little lost..." Citan's smile was slight, but amused. "If you find you miss your former personalities too much, I am sure Midori would be happy to try separating them again..." He took another sip of his tea, adopting a long-suffering look. "Though it might be a bit hard on those of us who know how difficult you are on your own..." "Ugh, no thank you. I've had enough experience as a crazed red head for this lifetime... don't forget Doc, I do remember everything that Id has done..." Fei shook his head, making an almost comic disturbed expression. "He was more like a spoiled child, to be honest, and I don't think Elly would appreciate it if I started acting like that again." A soft giggle escaped Fei's throat at the thought of what Id would do in this time, with none of his Ether powers. He leaned back and sipped his cocoa for a moment, his face slipping back into a more pensive expression. "It's hard to believe how far we've come since Lahan, Doc... I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't lived it..." "I prefer things as they are now, I must say." Citan followed suit, though he set his cup gently upon the table, empty. While Fei was not much of a cook, he managed to follow Maison's instructions for making tea well enough. "I do not regret my role in these past events, but I certainly do not feel sorry that things have been resolved. My wife and child suffered more than they should have, while I served Solaris." He shifted and fell silent, trying to watch Fei without seeming to do so. It was an easy enough task... something he had mastered while assigned to watch the boy in Lahan. But this time, he did not look for signs of another face... No, this time he watched for... what? Anger? Discomfort...? Matters between them had not always been good, this last year. Fei shifted a little uncomfortably, and set his cup on the saucer with a faint click, his face pensive as he turned to look out the window. "I wish that I could say the same... while I can't complain that things turned out as well as they did, it just feels... a little empty, to be honest. I can't help but think that if I hadn't been so thick headed that we might have been able to save more people than we did. That maybe Elly wouldn't have had to be absorbed by Deus..." A soft sigh escaped his lips after a moment, and Fei turned to look at Citan. His eyes were filled with a faint regret, and his voice was subdued as he spoke. "But it all turned out fine in the end, except... I just wish there was some way we could have saved my dad." "Elly had to fulfill her part, Fei... and I think she is better for it. Frankly... if she has the capacity to so completely forgive Krelian, perhaps it means that we will all find it within ourselves, someday." He remained quiet for a moment after that, searching for condolences that did not exist. What could one say to that? Citan himself wished with all of his heart, at times, that he could have saved his own family... no mere words could really provide a satisfactory comfort for that. But... "You did as you had to, Fei. He willingly sacrificed himself to help you - that is the greatest gift any parent can bestow upon their children." Fei was silent for a long moment, lost in his own thoughts as he considered Citan's words. "I know, and... dad did everything that he could for me, even though Grahf was controlling him. But finding out that he was alive, and then losing him like that..." Fei's eyes closed for a moment, regret painted on his face as he remembered what had happened. "The best I can do is live the type of life dad would have wanted me to..." Silence filled the room for a moment as Fei tried to find something else that he could say. He shook his head after a moment, a happier expression on his face as he looked over at Citan. "Well, dwelling on things isn't going to help... have you been down to the Cathedral recently, Doc? I figured we could swing by and visit Elly, and see if she wanted to take a break for lunch? I heard that another one of the cafes in town has reopened, and I thought that Yui might appreciate not having to cook for once." Citan nodded, straightening in his chair. "A charming idea, Fei..." Again, that slight smile. "I will be sure to refrain from telling Yui that you are avoiding her cooking." ***** It was unusual for the great cathedral to be this quiet these days. More often than not there were two or three people here for one reason or another, and the incredible acoustics of this place provided a very low murmur in the background if one did not make the effort to remain quiet. Elly was not going to complain, however. She treasured the moments of silence that she could find in this place, a time when she could reflect on the events of the last few months. Even though Fei had wanted nothing more than to live a quiet life, their actions in the battle against Deus was bound to give them some measure of fame. And thus they had become almost the symbols of this town, attempting to rebuild something of a normal life out of the ashes of the old. A quiet smile crossed her face as she looked up at the great angels suspended in space above her, a single flame flickering between them as a symbol of their joining. As frantic as the last few months had been, Elly would not give them up for anything in the world... at long last, she had found someplace she could truly call home. It wasn't always a peaceful home, however... even this new beginning had its conflicts, and its demands. She loved this place more than any other home she had ever known, and she was determined to see that everything was resolved. Whispering footsteps scrabbled across the chapel in echo of someone's arrival, scattering that rare feeling of solitude and quiet like raindrops scatter the smooth surface of water. Elly was strongly tempted to turn and see who it was, but a small, lingering hope for a little more quiet time made her keep her back turned to the doors along the wall, and remain beside the column looking up at the symbols of Nisan. She seemed to be out of luck, though; the soft footsteps approached, muffled by robes that could only mean this was a sister. Perhaps they had another task to assign to her... "You are... Elly..." It was more of a statement than a question, uttered in a voice that might have been strong, but for its hesitation. "Correct?" With some reluctance Elly turned away from the magnificent sight of the angels in front of her, and allowed her gaze to drift down to the robed woman who was standing behind her. The Sister seemed almost withdrawn, as if she were afraid of being here. Elly put on her most polite smile and nodded, almost a half bow, in reply. "Yes, I'm Elly... is there something that I can help you with?" she asked, still smiling. It wasn't that unusual for someone to come asking for her help specifically, and the Sisters had been depending on some of her knowledge to help restore the Cathedral. But there was something odd about this one... "The sisters asked me to tell you that they are about to finish for the day..." The sister's eyes moved to meet Elly's for a split second, then darted away, focusing on the cross that hung from her neck. Something flickered in her eyes, but she half-shook her head and looked away again. "They bid you to enjoy the rest of your day, and asked that you not worry about them. Agnes will be leading the walkthrough at the hospital today." Rich, violet hued highlights glinted beneath the sister's headdress, barely visible against the dark material and the shadows that were so prevalent in this part of the cathedral. Elly sharpened her gaze, looking closer. Odd, indeed... though no stranger than this woman's seeming aversion to looking at her. Was she afraid...? "I'm sorry for intruding, but... are you feeling well?" Elly asked, taking a step towards the sister. Maybe it was just a trick of the light... or the frantic pace was finally getting to her and she was seeing things. After a moment she took another step forward, the loose sleeves of her sweater falling way as she half raised one hand to touch the Sister's face. The sister stepped back with another half shake of her head, her thin frame straightening. A thin hand fluttered up to tug at the cloth draped over her head, as if to pull it closer around her face. A very pale face... "I'm... fine..." The other's eyes were riveted to the ground, and Elly dropped her hand, catching sight of the grayish circles beneath the sister's lashes. Had she been sick, then...? Perhaps that would explain this odd behavior. The sisters might be in awe of her sometimes, but none had ever seemed to be /afraid/ of her... "Sister?" she finally asked, subdued. Another violet glint peeped through the head cloth,a nd she had to resist the urge to reach up and pull the material away. Perhaps it was just the light from the stained glass window... A long moment of silence passed before the sister raised her head, and met her gaze. Her expression was smooth, a bit bemused... They stared at each other like that for an eternity, and just as Elly was beginning to think she was supposed to say something, the other's lips parted, and her soft voice emerged once again. "Crystalline, blue... like the surface of a lake..." "Um... excuse me...?" Elly blinked in almost utter confusion. She had heard this before, somewhere... it seemed so familiar. And yet it also scared her... The Sister smiled and leaned foward slightly, the hood of her robe falling foward to cast her face in shadow. Her voice was quiet, subdued, as she spoke again in a bare whisper. "Your eyes... They're beautiful..." "W...what...?" Elly resisted an urge to shake herself as she listened to the other woman speak. It was so familiar but... it was impossible. She had people act oddly around her, true, but not like this. What was going on here? The sister drew back slowly, bending in something between a bow and a nod. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, Elhaym... I've... The sisters will be expecting me to accompany them, so I must go..." She paused, as if about to say something else, but then backed away a few steps and turned to hurry away, back toward the door to the library. The whispery echo of her footsteps followed her into the shadows. "Wait, please... I want to ask you something!" Elly cried out, her voice still quiet in the vast expanse of the cathedral. She took a few, faltering steps after the Sister, one hand raised in front of her as the other woman's robes vanished into the shadows. Who had that been? The entire encounter had been so strange... it had almost seemed like... no, it couldn't have been. She would have known if it had... A loud click echoed, drowning out the faint remains of the sister's footsteps, and bright, painful sunlight flooded through the doors as they opened to admit the shadows of visitors. Elly's hand flew to shield her eyes against the sudden brightness, but the doors closed again immediately, and the sound of other people once again began bouncing from wall to wall. She looked up to them, and tried to blink away the purple afterimage of the shaft of light. "Elly!" Fei's enthusiastic call shouted itself back to him and he hunched down sheepishly, continuing in a softer tone. "Are you still working, or do you have a little bit of free time?" She smiled, weaving her fingers together to stop her hands from shaking. Hopefully she didn't look quite as shaken as she felt... "The sisters just told me that I wasn't needed any more today..." She looked past him, nodding to Citan. "Why, did you have something in mind?" "Well, one of the cafes is opening up in town today, and I thought it would be nice if we treated Citan and Yui to a meal, instead of the other way around." Fei chuckled slightly before he walked towards her. He paused for just a moment before he wrapped his arms around her in an affectionate hug, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Besides, I wanted a chance to spend the afternoon with you..." he added, but trailed off as he noticed that she was shaking slightly. After a moment he held her out at arm's-length, his eyes concerned. "Elly, are you alright? Is something wrong?" "Fine, don't worry - I'm fine." She leaned over and planted a little kiss on his cheek, willing herself to steady and shake off the effects of that talk with the mysterious sister... "I think it sounds like a wonderful idea... and I'm sure Yui needs a break from so much work. Shall we go?" The smile she gave Fei was reassuring, though she didn't quite feel as confident as she looked. It would be a shame to ruin his cheerful mood with such silly speculation though... and she could always tell him about her encounter later. Besides... wouldn't it be better if she found out who that sister was /before/ saying anything? For all she knew, the exchange had been a result of exhaustion on both her part and the other... When Fei looked like he was about to protest, she poked his stomach and gave him a gentle shove toward the door. "Lead the way, painter-boy. I'm hungry." ***** Elly's stomach was growling by the time she and the others finally got a glimpse of their food - she had never welcomed the sight of the serving boy more than that moment... But the little cafe Fei had chosen to eat at was incredibly busy, and they were probably lucky to see their meals in such a reasonable time. If one could call forty minutes reasonable, anyway... Fei seemed to know exactly what she was thinking,a nd he grinned. "Hey, they just opened... we're lucky they didn't run out of anything." "I know, I know..." She couldn't explain just why she had been so impatient - eating in Solaris had been much worse. Perhaps it was just the need for a distraction... Her meeting with that odd sister kept replaying in her mind; the glint of color, the words that rang so familiarly within her mind... She'd spent a good fifteen minutes doing just that, nitpicking at the menu as a way to distract herself, and noting all of the dishes she recognized from her time as Sophia and the ones she thought the inkeeper had just made up to draw a crowd... It was just odd... and disturbing. She wanted to figure it out, yet part of her shrank away from the idea altogether, as if it knew that the truth was something she didn't want to see. And maybe her instinct was right... But... Fei's eyes slipped back to her after a moment, a hint of the concern that he had shown back in the cathedral shining in them for a moment. They both knew each other far too well to ever really hide a problem from one another, but Fei trusted Elly's judgement... if there was something important, she would tell them about it when she was ready. The painter gently touched his hand to the back of her wrist, a reassuring smile on his face. "It will only be a little longer, so..." A light hitch of his shoulders finished his comment before Fei turned back to Citan and Yui, his hand still resting on Elly's. "I'm not sure... have either of you tried some of the old Nisan cuisine here? Its actually rather good, with some traditional recipes that came from the old country of Nimrod." Hopefully Citan wouldn't notice that he was trying to make small talk, Fei thought quietly to himself. Doc didn't miss much, but at the moment some idle chatter was what they all needed to relax, and take thoughts away from problems and place them where they should be. On the food. "Nimrod..." Elly smiled, playing along for his sake, if nothing else. It was another distraction, right? "They had the best pasta, you know. Maybe it was the sauce, but it had such a delicate taste." She bit her lip and giggled, feeling a bit silly... it hadn't been the most intelligent response in the world, but she was just saying whatever came to mind - with obvious results. Yui raised an eyebrow, an amused turn to her lips as she regarded Elly. "Do you remember anything of the recipe? Father has some old books lying around his library. If you like it that much..." Elly blushed, bitting her lip to hold back another nervous giggle. "Well..." Gods, how had she ever made it in the military? If this was the way she kept secrets... A moment later Fei leapt to her rescue, the drink in his hand moving across the table as he gestured to make his point as he began to describe how only the best grains were selected to make the delicacy that was Nimrod pasta. Several times it seemed that his drink would escape the confines of his glass, and in making that escape land directly on either Citan's shirt or Yui's dress. Each time Fei somehow managed to keep the drink contained, drawing upon years of martial arts experience to ensure that the Uzukis were only half interested in his description for a dish that he honestly had no idea to make. "That is fine Fei..." Citan replied after a long moment, his eyes still on the cup in Fei's hand. "I am certain that we can discuss this later, when we are in a less festive environment. Please, have a seat..." "Of course Doc... sorry, I got a little carried away." Fei resumed his former seat, setting his drink on the table just long enough to reach over and lace his fingers with Elly's. She was still a little tense and distracted, he noted. There was another commotion on the far end of the resturant as the waiter began to make his way through the crowd with another heaping tray of food, and Fei used the distraction to cast another concerned glance at Elly, his fingers tightening reassuringly around hers. She threw him a grateful look as the waiter placed her plate in front of her, fork already in her hand; she was /starving/. If her stomach was left empty any longer, it would eat a hole through her spine. But first... "Citan, may I ask you a strange question? If you remember..." She waited for his nod to continue. "Do you remember the day you first met Miang? The first time you saw her? Not when she was in your division... but when the Commander first encountered her at Jugend...?" The look she received in answer made her draw back just a little. It was like he was looking right through her, and reading her mind... how did Fei deal with that? "I do have some recollection of that day, yes... I am not sure how much help it will be to you however, Elly. May I ask...?" "I'm just curious," Elly replied before he could finish, feeling a hint of heat creep into her cheeks again. "I had a... dream last night..." "A dream...?" Citan asked curiously, and leaned over the table slightly as he searched Elly's face for... something. "Well, I suppose that it is not surprising, when you consider everything that has happened..." "Everything that has happened...? What do you mean by that, Doc?" Fei asked suddenly, his voice reflecting a little more concern. The brown haired martial artist shook his head slowly, his fingers beating a slow stacatto on the table as he caught Citan's gaze. Citan nodded slowly, pausing for only a moment to push his glasses back into place before he began to speak. "Given Miang's... unique nature, and that she shared a body with you for a time before our final confrontation with Deus, I would not be surprised if you shared a few of her memories. But since she was destroyed along with Deus, they probably are not very complete ones... "We, being Khar, Jessie, and myself, first met Miang in Jugend while we were still in training. None of us knew it at the time, because she had just possessed her new host as Khar was passing down the corridor. For some reason she collapsed when she transfered, and Khar caught her. None of us really thought anything of it... her host had not been the most robust young lady. "Maybe it was luck that Khar caught her, or maybe she had planned all along to meet him that way. But that was the first time any of us had met her..." Citan quietly sipped his tea as he finished the recitation, his eyes moving between Fei and Elly as they digested what he had told them. Odd that this subject should come up now... not that it had any great bearing, but... "Did she seem... sick, or disoriented...? Or maybe... 'flustered'? I don't really know the word I'm looking for..." Elly was afraid she sounded like a fool, but the questions were out before she could really stop herself from speaking. They had to be wondering why she was asking this... The way Citan was watching her made it obvious. But she wanted... no, needed to know. Something just wasn't right, and she needed this puzzle piece... "She was rather unsteady, and understandably so, I imagine. I did not hear everything that passed between them, but Kahr said later that he had not wanted to leave her, because she looked so frail and disoriented... I did not think much of it until now." Citan speared a strip of chicken with his fork, glancing up at Elly over the rim of his classes. "Does that help...?" She nodded quietly, taking a bite of pasta to avoid the need to say anything. If there was a reward for blatantly obvious attempts to hide something, she would have taken it... That encounter had been more disturbing than she thought - usually her composure was better than this. But she'd have to say something, now... Fei looked concerned, and she didn't think Citan /or/ Yui believed for a second that she was asking this just because of a dream... They were polite enough not to say anything, but a blind idiot would have realized that something was wrong... and they were both far ahead of /that/. Too far ahead... Sometimes it seemed that Citan saw a little /too much/... "Well, dwelling on the past isn't going to do us much good... we need to consider the furture!" Fei replied triumphantly, and leaned over to spear one of the meatballs off Elly's plate. He waved it enticingly in front of her for a moment, a teasing expression on his face. Across the table Citan simply shook his head before he and Yui began eating their own meals, obviously giving up on any attempts at serious conversation with Fei at the table. "Elly... you don't have to tell me now but.. later, please. Let me know what is bothering you..." The meatball passed in front of Elly's eyes a couple more times as Fei used it as an excuse to lean close enough to her that he could whisper without seeming conspicuious. "I don't want to see you upset like this..." She gave a quiet nod, before reaching up and capturing Fei's fork with her own. The mischevious grin on her face told her dining partner exactly what would happen if he persisted in this little game. With a mock sigh of defeat, Fei relinquished his fork and leaned back, the faintest hint of a smile crossing his face. ***** The moon was high in the sky, a lone eye in the vast indigo tapestry of stars that blanketed Nisan. The sky hadn't quite been dark for weeks, though she couldn't remember why... some disturbance in the sky, the other sisters told her, but she found that when she tried to recall, her mind shied away from the vision that came to her eyes. No human being liked to look upon darkness so close. With a faint sigh, the sister twisted the end of her headdress around her fingers, and pulled it from her head slowly, relishing the almost-ticklish feeling of her hair falling loose from its bonds to spill over her arms. If Agnes saw this, a sister uncovering her head out in the open... she'd receive a tongue-lashing harsh enough to go down in the history books. But she didn't care, at the moment. Perhaps she was used to stifling, constrictive attire, but that did not mean that she had to subject herself to such torment all the time. And no one was around, at this hour of the night, instead choosing to rest fast asleep in their beds, and dreaming of better days gone by. The gardens were a quiet place, especially at this time of night. Most of the insects that would have filled the night with sound had long since quieted, leaving only the whisper of the wind slipping over the walls and across the green leaves. The sister leaned backwards against the wall surrounding the garden, letting the evening-cooled stone steal away the warmth of her stifling vestaments. It had been so long a time since she had been able to relax like this... Her meditations were interrupted a moment later by the sound of stone striking stone, the faint click of a rock falling onto the cobblestone path from above. The sister raised her head, her eyes casting upwards to try and catch sight of whatever had caused the unwanted interruption. It dropped to the ground silently the moment that she saw it, its body obscured beneath the folds of a long, tattered cloak that hung around it like a dark shroud. Try as she might, she could not see the figure's face, wrapped as it was in both the starlit gloom of the evening and the shadows of the concealing cloak. For the longest moment it stood there, unmoving, its gaze fixed on her face. Though she felt no real danger, the sister stepped back, free hand grasping at the wall for support. Visitors were not allowed this far into the church grounds past nightfall, and this figure was indeed a stranger to the grounds. He did not... 'belong', though she certainly wasn't one to talk... The conclusion was simple - he was not supposed to be here. Not at all. But rather than running, as a sensible person would do, or shouting for assitance... she waited for the figure to make a move, trusting that move would not be to harm her or anything else in the vicinity. Perhaps it was foolish, but she did not think this person was here to cause trouble... If that had been the case, why would the visitor reveal itself to her? The figure waited for a moment more, as still as if it were a statue, or a shadow cast from the heavens above. Before the sister could consider anything else, the cloak rustled as the figure crossed the distance between them. The tattered edges swept lightly across her legs as the cloaked man paused in front of her, the shadowed face under the hood staring intently at her. The cloak shifted as the figure raised one hand, slowly reaching up to brush the sister's hair away from her face. She shivered slightly as she felt the soft leather of a glove brush against her cheek, the touch feather-soft. He paused for a moment before stepping away from her, unconsciously reaching up to pull his hood lower over his face. His stance seemed... surprised, somehow. Uncomfortable. "So you've... come..." Her lips formed the words, a mere whisper dropped into the silent night, probably not even heard by her cloaked companion. She didn't know where they came from... only that the moment she spoke, it felt as if it was the right thing to say. Gingerly, her hand moved to touch her cheek, where he'd brushed the alabaster skin. She felt as if she should remember this, somehow... It felt as if it had happened just yesterday, and her memory was slipping a bit too far again. But that couldn't be; surely she did not know anyone of this sort...? She was a 'lady of faith'... There was a faint whisper of noise in the background, so quiet that it could barely be heard. It was enough that the figure suddenly turned towards its, cloak swirling about its feet as it looked back towards the form of the cathedral. A masculine voice drifted into the garden, hauntingly familiar to the sister. Its owner was trying to be quiet, but the design of the cathedral often defeated such attempts and his voice was drifting rather clearly from inside of the great hall. "...don't know why we are here... it's the middle of the night. Can you at least tell me who, or what, we are looking for?" A feminine voice responded from farther off, also hushed... and somehow even more familiar than the man who had spoken a few moments before. "I just want to try and find someone here... I don't want to make a big fuss, thats why we are here so late. Just give me a few minutes..." The man sighed slightly, and there was a shuffling sound as he walked around for a moment. "That's fine... but I can't imagine anyone who you won't be disturbing if you wake them up in the middle of the night..." "Oh hush... why don't you go out and look around the garden. That should keep you out of trouble." The lady giggled softly, and there was the sound of a light scuffle as she pushed the man towards the door. "I'll only be a few minutes." There was a flurry of motion in the garden, and the sister turned to find the cloaked figure gone. There was another faint scraping sound, and she was able to make out the faint outline of that tattered cloak vanishing over the top of the outside wall of the garden as her visitor took his leave. And not a moment too soon as the man who had been speaking earlier walked into the garden, his gaze sweeping around as he took in the faintly lit beauty around him. "Oh... I'm terribly sorry!" he suddenly blurted out, a trace of embarassment in his voice. The sister froze as she realized that he had seen her standing against the wall, but he made no move to approach and actually looked a little uncomfortable. "I didn't know that there was anyone else in here... I didn't mean to disturb you..." The voice was naggingly familiar... no, infuriatingly so. But with the moon casting such faint light, there was no way she could see this second visitor without getting closer, and she had no wish to do that at the moment. "Don't worry, my son..." The phrase fell so easily through her lips that she was almost startled once again. But blurting out nonsensical chatter seemed to be her fate, tonight. "It is my fault for neglecting to make myself known." "Oh really, I... erm..." The young man paused for a moment longer before he began to slowly cross the path through the garden towards her. "I didn't expect anyone to be out this late at night. If I'm interupting, I do want to apologize..." He had finally come close enough that she could make out some of his features... a strong, well defined face with a single rouge strand of hair falling down in front of it, the rest of his hair bound up in a single tail that fell down his back. His complexion was... darker than what she was used to, but... that also felt familiar. What was the most disturbing was that it felt like he should look this way for some reason. She pressed herself back against the wall, trying to keep as much in its shadow as possible. Even though she could see him quite clearly now, from the expression on his face and the odd tilt of his head it did not appear that he was able to see her very well. He shrugged and continued speaking, but did not step off the path to move closer to her. "My name is Fei Fong Wong... I'm here with a friend who's out looking for someone..." He paused for another moment, and smiled at her. "Well... erm... I'll be going, I don't want to disturb you... sorry..." "A moment, Fei..." She reached out impulsively, fingers grabbing the edge of his sleeve as he turned, before she realized what she was doing. She withdrew her hand immediately, clutching it to her chest as if burned. But, what was done was done... she had no idea what to say, yet... He turned to face her again, straightening his sleeve. "I'm sorry, did you need so..." She waited quietly for him to finish, but he remained silent, and intent upon her face. And it was only then that she realized she had stepped out of the wall's shadow and into the pale moonlight. Fei's eyes suddenly widened in surprise as he looked at her. There was a sharp clatter as he nearly tripped over one of the cobblestones as he stepped away from her, disbelief written across his face. Another awkward moment passed before Fei shook his head, an expression of relief crossing his face. "I'm sorry, you reminded me of someone that I knew a long time ago..." he finally replied, his voice a soft whisper that was still quite audiable in the stillness of the garden. "But they died during the war... forgive me, I don't mean any disrespect. I was surprised." His tone was surprisingly formal, and he emphasised his apology with a slight bow, apparently embarassed at his lapse. The flood of relief that rushed through the sister's body nearly made her faint. She didn't understand it, but her skin was prickled and chilled, as it had always been when she sensed something to be afraid of. "Don't worry about it... my son..." She pressed her lips together tightly, taking a wobbling step back into the shadow of the wall - her sanctuary. She didn't like the way he was looking at her... It was bad enough that she felt she should know him as something other than the distant figure that Nisan citizens credited with 'saving the world' - his expression had only made things worse. "... It would be best if you take your leave, son. It is late, and your father will be coming home sooner than you think." The moment she finished speaking Fei stopped, his eyes immediately sliding back towards her. He lightly bit his lip, and shook his head once politely. "I'm... afraid you must be mistaken. My father... died a few months ago. You must have me mistaken for someone else." There was a note of confusion and uncertainty in his voice now, her words having struck a spot he had not expected. "Have a little faith." She'd said it a million times... and he never seemed to learn the lesson. "I know he often leaves for long periods of time, but he always returns home. There was never a man more loyal to his family." A sharp ache stabbed her wrist and she forced her hand to unclench from her head cloth, wrapping the length of fabric around her waist so she would not clutch at it so tightly. If there were any wrinkles in the morning, she'd have to spend hours ironing the delicate fabric. "It worked out before, didn't it, my son?" "I know... he gave up everything..." Fei replied, his voice a stricken whisper as he slowly stared walking towards her. He raised one hand almost by impulse, his eyes fixed on hers... almost as if he were trying to look past them, and see her soul. "But, how... why..." He paused for another long moment, his eyes closed as he gathered his thoughts. She could have sworn that he was fighting an inner battle, desperate to find the correct course of action. Her words had brought to light memories that he had once forgotten... old, familiar memories... When he spoke, his voice was calm and steady, without a hint of the inner turmoil he felt. "Who are you?" She opened her mouth to reply... the obvious answer. After all, he should know who she was. But there was something... a thousand other voices rolling over her as one, all of them bearing another name, one that replaced what she intended to say even as she began speaking. "Come now..." She smiled, feeling as if she was watching herself speak from a long distance. "My name is as it has always been - 'Miang.'" ***** (Umm... to be continued. ^_^;) Flames are redirected to the Soylent Center, along with their authors... but if you want to contact me, feel free to e-mail us. |