Clear as Crystal
February 24, 2008 at 2:45 pm (Aiyana Stories, Danek, The Coming)
Clear as Crystal
“You must go!” the feminine mindvoice said sternly, “You know I can make you.”
“Yes, I do know, and I also know that at any time I could simply drop you into some lake and leave you,” the young man replied, apparently to a sword which hung from his belt.
“Ah, but then I would simply make you swim down and fetch me,” the mindvoice said in satisfaction.
The young man growled and muttered something unintelligible under his breath, “Fine, but we do it my way, is that clear? No more situations that I can’t control, no more weird things happening that I don’t understand. If I don’t get straight answers to my questions then I will definitely drop you down the deepest well I can find, and I won’t look back.”
“Yes, oh great, and mighty master, clear as crystal master.”
“And no sassing me neither, Ericka!” he said.
The sword did not reply.
The man snorted indelicately, and began walking down a long and muddy road to a place no one dared to go, The Forest of Darkness. As he walked he began to think on the strange things that had happened since he had found her, or had she found him? He then looked back to how he had come across her in the first place, it was an unusual tale to say the least . . .
The ManLicher
February 24, 2008 at 2:43 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
The ManLicher
Janin put me back down upon the ground and turned just as a man tumbled out of the underbrush, apparently on the run from something.
He looked at us in surprise, then behind him and said, "This is an awfully bad time for introductions, see, I’m being chased by a bunch of weird little creatures, they are very small, and very vicious. And, uh, it might be a good idea to run," and with those few words he himself took off. Janin once again lifted me up and ran after the man.
The stranger led us a long way, many times we could hear strange sounds behind us, the creatures we thought, but never close enough to truly worry about. Finally we stopped for a rest, "I think we may have lost them," the stranger said.
"Probably not," Janin replied.
The stranger looked rather annoyed at this.
"What’s your name anyway?" Janin asked.
The man looked at him strangely at this, "My name is Danek," he said before turning to begin looking about for obvious signs of pursuit, when he had completed his search with nothing apparent either way, he joined us once again, "It seems we are safe for now, but we’d best move on and get to the edge of the Dark’s lands."
Suddenly Danek whipped around, pulling a knife from his belt, at the very moment that Kazhera leaped from the shadows, pouncing on Danek, "ManLicher!" he growled ferociously.
"Werebeast Demon!" Danek shouted at the same time, bringing his knife forth and slashing at Kazhera with it, while Kazhera, deftly avoiding the knife, struck Danek with his bare hand, knocking him to the ground.
Warrior of the Dark
February 24, 2008 at 2:42 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
Warrior of the Dark
I waited impatiently for his return, needing to know what was out in that dark abysse.
Suddenly I heard a sound as of a puma trying to imitate a wolf, then, "Janin!" Kazhera shouted wildly, and a flurry of movement as Janin rushed to help him.
"It’s the Dark Warrior!" Janin cried in astonishment.
Then Kazhera shouted, "Janin! Get the girl and run! I’ll hold him off!" and he did, he held the Dark Warrior at bay with nothing but his own body and his battle fury, whilst Janin dragged me after him at a dead run.
Janin had to lift me into his arms because I simply could not keep up, but even with my weight in his arms, he was supremely fast, it was as though we flew, his feet never seemed to touch the ground, like he were as fleet footed as Hermes.
I was amazed, he was one of the most unusual, astonishing men I’d ever met! He was kind, and considerate, he was a fascinating and enchanting person. I kept wondering who he really was, and what he really looked like.
Then Janin came to a sudden stop, he looked about as though trying to spot something. Soon I began to hear it also, a crashing sound, as of someone running fast with no care for the noise made.
Forest of Darkness
February 24, 2008 at 2:42 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
Forest of Darkness
"Kazhera, we’ll have to stop soon and wait till morning," Janin said.
"Why?" Kazhera responded condescendingly.
"Because," Janin said irritated by the other’s tone, "Not everyone can see in the dark. I for one could use some rest. We will stop soon, understood?" he asked, his eyes daring Kazhera to disobey.
But he didn’t, he simply bowed mockingly, and turned to search for an appropriate place to wait out the night.
Kazhera led us quickly past scouting parties, darting from shadow to shadow, he carefully avoided detection, yet he seemed to want to be found, just so he could fight them.
He eventually brought us to a strange tree, whose roots lifted it up off the ground providing a perfect shelter. There was a gap just large enough for the three of us to slip in and rest, as we settled in, I, of course, was shifted to the back, with Janin and Kazhera near the only entrance.
It was near the time of false dawn when I woke quite suddenly, I couldn’t figure what had woke me until I heard it again, it was the sound of metal on metal, a soft clinking. I tried to shift to try and learn where it came from, but I was pushed back down, "Hush up, and don’t move," Kazhera whispered hoarsely, "You will only get us caught," I then felt him turn, "Janin, I will go see who or what is out there," then he was gone, as swiftly and silently as the wind.
Hole in the Wall
February 24, 2008 at 2:41 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
Hole in the Wall
"Kazhera, where are you going? The gateway is that way!" Janin called to him.
"Who needs the gateway? I’ve got my own door!" Kazhera called back. Janin sighed as he guided me after Kazhera.
Kazhera led the way down a little used corridor, that was becoming quite busy. Kazhera quickly dealt with the first few guards we came across and hurried us onward looking for his way out.
I could feel a slight draft coming from somewhere up ahead. I was just wondering why it smelled so much like pine, when we came to an abrupt halt, "Kaylen, Kazhera’s led us to his ’door’, more like a hole in the wall really, but there’s a bit of a drop to reach solid ground, you shall have to hold on to me, okay?"
"Umm, all right," I replied uneasily, wondering how much a ’bit’ was.
Janin guided my arms around his neck, then he stepped out, and we began to fall, and before I could even think to scream, we hit the ground.
"Come on, we only have so much time before someone realizes we actually made it out, so move it!" Kazhera exclaimed.
So we immediately began the second half of our escape.
Kazhera led the way through an ever deepening forest, as the sun slowly made it’s way higher then lower in the sky. When the sun came to rest on the far horizon and we were still no closer to the edge of the forest, Janin finally called a rest.
Demon Brother
February 24, 2008 at 2:40 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
Demon Brother
Kazhera jerked away as if pulled by force, "Janin?" he asked hesitantly, "Is that you?"
"If it were not me, you would not have left your bloodhunt," Janin said. Kazhera thought about that a moment then said warily, "That is true," then more warily still, "But, how did you escape?"
"With her help," Janin said indicating me.
"Her? But – if I’m not mistaken – she’s blind, how could she have helped you?"
"Physical ailments mean nothing to the Elements of Magic."
Kazhera looked from me, back to Janin, "But her powers are untrained, she would be unable to control the outflow of magic."
"That is why I controlled it for her, she released the magic, and I directed it to accomplish the goal. Now will you quit being so suspicious and get us out of here?"
Kazhera glanced about then nodded decisively and turned about to lead us down another corridor.
Bloodhunt
February 24, 2008 at 2:39 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
Bloodhunt
For a brief moment I felt relief, thinking that Janin had returned, I quickly realized my mistake when I was roughly shoved up against the wall, "Who are you? And what do you know of Janin?!?" a harsh yet sensual voice demanded. I didn’t answer, I couldn’t, fear had sapped me of my ability to speak.
He shook me then, "What do you know of Janin?!" he demanded once more.
"Please! I – I don’t know! I -" he shook me again, and hit me across the face, causing my lip to bleed.
I felt him pause, then he suddenly leaned forward and took my bleeding lip in his mouth and began sucking on it, licking up the blood. I tried to turn my head away, but he grabbed a fistful of my hair and forced my face up to give him better access to the blood flowing down my chin. I whimpered as I felt sharp teeth graze my lip.
Then he slowly pulled back and traced a finger down my neck to the place where my life’s blood pulsed most strongly. I felt his breath sighing across my face he stood still for a moment, then bent to kiss the flesh of my neck softly, I felt his lips bare as though to sink his teeth into my skin.
"Kazhera! No!" Janin shouted commandingly.
Desertion
February 24, 2008 at 2:38 pm (Aiyana Stories, Escape, The Coming)
Desertion
Suddenly Janin stiffened, and said, "We must leave, now," he then got up and left me momentarily, during which time I heard things being shifted around, then the rustle of cloth.
When he returned, he took my wrists and helped me up, he then guided me through the room and out that other door I’d been searching for.
We went through several more doors before he said, "All right, we are now in the main corridor, if we can make it through here without getting caught we may very well do what no other has ever done: escape from the Palace of Shadows."
It seemed like forever to me, when he suddenly stopped and shoved me into a shadowy niche in the wall, "Hush!" he whispered urgently, "There is someone coming. Stay here and be quiet, I will go and check it out."
I nodded my head and waited in immortal darkness and everlasting silence. I waited and waited, until I began to think that he had deserted me.
Then suddenly, I heard a noise, painfully loud after the silence of eternity, "Janin?" I called softly, as I heard another footstep coming my way, the boots I heard paused a moment then hurried forward.
Healing the Curse
February 24, 2008 at 2:37 pm (Aiyana Stories, Dreams and Wishes, The Coming)
Healing the Curse
"Aghh!" I cried, scrambling up and found that though the body was warm and thus alive, it was unmoving. I sat back upon my heels for a moment, then reached out to find my hand upon the naked chest of an unconscious man.
My hand moved hesitantly to his face; I hoped to do what I’d seen other blind people do, to ’see’ this man by touch. I found he had a strong, smooth chin, high cheekbones, and a slender nose, his hair was soft and silky as I ran my fingers through it.
"You know I can feel everything you do? What are you doing anyway?"
"Oh! I’m so sorry! I was just trying to feel what you looked like," I said, blushing ferociously.
"That is alright, I understand. Now, if you would please help me?"
"But, I don’t see how there is anything I could do," I told him sorrowfully.
"But there is! You have power, even in my current state of being I can sense it! You just have to know how to use it!"
"That’s just it though, I don’t know! I don’t even know what you are talking about! I have no power!"
"You do! Trust me you do! You just have to believe in yourself. Now listen to me, all you have to do is put your hands to my temples and concentrate, envision a golden winged horse, breaking free of the chains which bind it, that’s all. Can you do that?"
"I – I guess I can," so I placed my hands as he had directed and I concentrated, picturing the horse just as he said. He soon began to twitch, he groaned in pain, like from the agony of near dead limbs suddenly being rejuvenated.
Then he suddenly grabbed my wrists, sat up, and pushed me back upon my heels. He coughed hoarsely, then spoke in a physical voice, "Thank you, thank you so much! My name is Janin," and though Janin’s voice was rough with disuse, it was still one of the most beautiful sounds I had ever heard.
"You’re welcome," I said a little uncomfortably, as he was still holding my wrists.
The Curse
February 24, 2008 at 2:36 pm (Aiyana Stories, Dreams and Wishes, The Coming)
The Curse
I moved along the wall, hoping to come across a door, I circled the room until I finally found one. I immediately went through hoping there was nothing dangerous on the other side. I then began to circle this room too, hoping to find a door leading out and away.
I felt that I was not alone, yet, that the presence posed me no threat. Then, I heard it, a noise that had no source, a sound that was not there.
It was a voice, it called for help, but it seemed to have long since given up hope of any such help. The voice appeared to come form everywhere and nowhere, form within my own head yet it was not my own thoughts.
"Help," the voice cried, "can anyone hear me?"
"I hear you!" I called out, not knowing if what I heard was real or imagined.
"Please, who are you?" the mindvoice asked, fearfully hoping.
"I’m Kaylen, who are you?"
"That’s not important right now, just please, help me!"
"How? I can’t even see where you are, I’m blind!"
"You don’t have to see, just use your other senses."
"I’ll try," I said, uncertain that this would work, but I released the wall, and I calmed my breathing, I listened intently for any sounds. I could hear the fight still raging beyond the door, but beneath that I heard faint breathing from the other side of the room, "Is that you?" I asked.
"Yes!" the mindvoice cried, "Now follow the sound!"
I did my best to follow it as he said, and it did seem to be getting louder but it was hard to tell. I thought I was getting closer when I suddenly tripped over a low cot and fell down onto a body.
