Fantasy Big Bang - Tag
Title: "Tag"
Written for: fantasybigbang
Summary: The forest surrounding the orphanage is supposed to be empty--that's what the Sister always said. Sure, there are rumours of ghosts, but all the older kids know that ghosts aren't real... right? So just what exactly is it that killed Maasa? When Kael wakes up, he finds himself under the service of a militant cleric named Penelope who claims that he is a demon and that he was the one to kill Maasa, who is worshiped as a goddess. It is Penelope's holy task from the Goddess to bring the demon forth to beg for forgiveness. She is accompanied by a former-cleric-turned-scholar, Richard, who is having doubts of Maasa's claims to divine origin, and after a time even Penelope begins to question that which she had believed in for so long.
Other: For those of you who have been watching this journal, you might remember the similar story that I posted a few years ago after I wrote it for my genre fiction class. Well, this is me returning to it, beefing it up, and making it ~better. Thank you so much to my artist and my mixer! I am extremely pleased with what you have created for me! ♥
Art: Photograph One & Two by akigarin
Mix: " I Reach for You With River Arms" by mychemical_lust
Part II | Part III
There comes a point in every culture's existence when they need to stop and think about their history. They must consider who it is that they follow, and just what makes this such a belief to put faith in. The only problem is that those of us who question the truth are labeled as heretics and subsequently ignored or banished.
Our great and honorable Lady has us believing that she loves and protects us all. That is why the clerics are trained in combat and go to war against those who do not share these ideas. How is it that a girl, martyred time and again for no discernible reason other than pure rage, can be the one to protect us?
She has us believe that there is pure evil in this world, and that Shades are the tempters to the weak of heart. That because she is so good and pure, she will walk among us again, only to be killed by this dark evil that clouds the hearts of all men. She has us believe that this is a selfless act meant to be an attempt to save us when really there seems hardly any logic to it at all.
Surely I cannot be imagining the flaw in this religion we are so fixated on. If Our Lady is so susceptible to the evil of the Shades, how are we to be any stronger? She tells us that every so many years she will give the Shades a chance to repent and love her again. But then she is killed without achieving her objective and must return to the land of the gods.
To do what? To lick her wounds and wonder how to make the Shades see reason next time?
How can we follow her if she cannot overcome our darkness - and how are we to overcome that very same darkness?
Many tell me that I have fallen victim to the Shades since I have left the service of Our Lady's Order. But I will let you all in on a little secret of mine:
I have never felt more free and in control in my entire life. And yet, for my own lady, the one who still has such faith, I will return once again to the world of the chains and rules of religion. Maybe this time the Lady will not succumb to our weaknesses, which are as good as her own.
The sky had been threatening rain all day long, though it never made good on the promise and simply remained a dreary grey and let the fog hang low to the earth. It covered the orphanage and church with a blanket of silence. Even the forest felt subdued in the pearly light of the early evening.
The boy in the church didn't bother to turn on the lanterns that hung on the walls, choosing instead to keep the doors in the back thrown open to work by the natural light. A faint breeze played with the hairs on the back of his neck and was just strong enough to relieve the stillness that had settled in between the pews.
He worked the mop in his hands in a steady rhythm, humming a song under his breath to keep pace to. His hands were aching and he was nearly done but that was no reason to slack off. If anything it only redoubled his efforts to get the last bit of floor cleaned before he allowed himself to rest.
“Kael? Kael where have you run off to?”
He stopped mopping, straightening his back and wiping his brow with a grimy sleeve. “In here, Maasa.”
A head appeared around the edge of the open door, the pale blond curls glowing with the foggy light from outside. “Are you still cleaning?” Her gaze lingered on the bucket by his feet.
Guilty, Kael attempted to hide the mop behind his back before he sighed and allowed himself to slouch. “I'm almost done,” he said, pushing the head of the mop at the puddle that had formed while he lingered. “But I'll need to help with the dishes after dinner as well.” With another sigh, he commenced scrubbing at a spot on the floor with renewed vigor.
Maasa emerged into the doorway, letting the light frame her so she became a silhouette. “You get in trouble far too often,” she scolded, though her tone was carefree. The trace of a grin could be seen on her face despite the back-lighting.
“And you hardly get in any trouble at all, which is quite amazing for how much time we spend together,” Kael returned, trying his best to not return her grin. He heard the light pitter-patter of feet and and turned to see the girl treading lightly down the center aisle towards him. “Oh, Maasa, please don't do that I just spent all afternoon washing the floors-”
She laughed, flitting down one of the rows and perched on the edge of the pew. “I won't get your floors dirty, you know that. Besides, I wanted to show you something.”
He sighed and shook his head, turning his back on her as he resumed his mopping. “Not now. I'm still busy paying my time for the last thing you tried to show me.”
“I had told you to be more careful because Sister Margaret would notice if you kept sneaking around like that,” Maasa said in a stern voice.
“But you-”
She shook her head and held up a finger to her lips. “You promised. Since I wasn't caught, you promised you wouldn't say anything to get me in trouble.”
Kael watched her for a few seconds, a helpless expression on his face before he looked back down at the floor. “So what is it this time then?”
“Promise me you won't get mad?”
“When have I ever gotten mad at you?”
“Kael, just promise me, okay? I won't tell you if you will only scold me about it.”
He bit his lip to keep back his response and nodded.
Maasa tucked her legs in beneath her and leaned forward towards the pew before her and watched Kael. “I found something in the forest.”
“Maasa-!”
“You promised!” she bleated, sitting up with an injured look on her face.
But Kael spoke over her, setting the mop aside and sliding onto the bench in front of her. “Maasa, you know you're not supposed to go into the forest. What if you had been hurt?”
She rolled her eyes. “You don't honestly believe in those ghost stories that Sister Margaret and the other children tell, do you?”
He didn't reply at first, turning his head to look out the door of the church. Just visible through the heavy fog were the thick shadows of the trees. “Well...”
“You're almost fifteen. You should be old enough by now to know that they're just stories told to keep us out of the forest!” She rolled her eyes again and grabbed on to his arm. “It's really not all that bad in there!”
Kael twisted his arm out of her reach and grasped her hands instead. “That doesn't change the fact that we're not allowed to go in there. It's dangerous in there - not just because of ghost stories, but there are wild animals or we could get lost!”
With an offended huff, Maasa slipped her hand out of Kael's and got to her feet. As she dusted off her frock, she said, “Well, I'm going. Tonight, after dinner. With or without you.”
“Maasa-” he repeated, but she cut him off by placing two fingers against his lips.
“If you want to make sure that I'm safe, then you can come with me.” She stepped away, heading back towards the open doors of the church. “I know you'll make the right choice.” Parting with a wink and a wave, Maasa spun around and disappeared into the darkening fog.
Kael remained sitting on the pew, staring down at his hands where they hovered over empty space. He clenched them into fists, then clasped them tightly and closed his eyes. Taking a steadying breath, the boy rose unsteadily to his feet and grasped the handle to the mop once more.
Once step at a time, he told himself. Of course, he already knew what choice he was going to make as soon as Maasa asked. It was just a matter of not over thinking it and giving himself away to the matron at dinner that evening.
“I can't see anything - is that you?”
“Ouch, that was my toe. Watch where you're walking, Kael.”
“Sorry I can't help it. Didn't you bring a light or something?”
Maasa's sigh carried back to him, audible over their clumsy progress through the dark forest. “We don't need one, Kael. I know my way well enough, and there is some light from the sky.”
“Then don't complain if I step on your foot again. How deep in are we going? I can't see the moon.” He paused when he felt her hand scrape against his sleeve, and he reached out to take it. “Are you alright?”
“Of course, I just wanted to make sure that you were still following me.” As they passed beneath a break in the trees, she flashed him a comforting grin and pressed on.
Kael didn't have time to return it before he stumbled on after her, thinking only to keep a firm grasp on her hand. “Don't let go of it, okay? We don't know what is out there, and we can't afford to get lost.”
She laughed. “Certainly not. Both of us can't get lost in here.”
He was about to ask her what she meant by that when the girl gave a triumphant cry and darted on ahead. He managed to maintain the grip on her hand and was forced to pick up the pace so that he wouldn't trip.
Despite how tight he held on, she somehow managed to slip away from his hand like a fish. “Almost there!” she chimed as she disappeared between a barrier of trees.
“Maasa!” he shouted, scrambling up the sudden incline that he had failed to notice in the dark. And then, as he broke through the final line of trees, he slowed his pace to a standstill to stare in awe. The forest, which pressed in thick on all sides, held back the fog from the wide clearing. In the center, illuminated by the half-moon, was a placid lake.
Maasa was standing by the edge, her hands locked behind her back as she leaned over to study her reflection. “It can be our own private swimming place!” she said, looking over her shoulder as she heard him approach.
As beautiful as the scene was, it was a little too still for comfort. Kael crouched down on the shore and shifted through a handful of pebbles until he found one that he liked. “I can't swim,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone and flicked his wrist to skip the stone out across the surface of the lake.
He watched as the water swallowed the stone as it touched down for the second time. After the subtle ploop, the silence settled in once again - thicker than before.
“Maasa?” Kael straightened his posture with slow, cautious movements. He glanced over to where she had been standing, then turned in a full circle to take in the entire clearing. “Maasa, where are you?”
Silence answered his question.
He forced a laugh, dusting off his hands and stepping away from the edge of the lake. “Alright, very funny. But now's not the time to try and play hide-and-seek.” His eyes scoured the forest for any signs of movement, but the fog hung so thick that he could hardly see beyond the first row of trees. “Come on, Maasa, let's get back to the orphanage. If we go now, we might not get caught...”
There was a crack of a branch to one side, and a flutter of wings to another. His head swiveled back and forth between the two spots. Then, dead ahead, the sound of muffled laughter.
“Maasa...?”
Again, silence. Kael felt each second tick by on the back of his neck. One... two... three...
She screamed, the high-pitched sound cutting right through the forest and settling in the pit of his gut. “Kael!” she screamed again, and his feet automatically launched into action.
The fog hit him like a wall, washing over him as he surged through the trees. The first thing to happen was that his moves became sluggish. He felt as if he was wading through sludge, and his breath came out in gasps as the fog pressed in against his chest to squeeze the air out of his lungs.
Something grabbed at the back of his shirt, and he started to turn around to see what it was but his feet were stuck to the ground - something thin and cold clamped around his ankles to hold him in place. Kael swung his arms frantically to keep his balance, but before he could topple over a hand grasped him by the neck and pulled him back to his feet.
Giving a choked and startled cry, he lifted his hands to attempt to pull the iron-like fingers that clamped around his neck, only to feel his nails scratch against his own skin. “What's going on?” he cried, still trying to search for the fingers around his neck.
Filthy little demon... A cool breeze whispered past his ear.
The grip around his neck pulled back and then he was shoved forward, stumbling as his ankles were released at the last moment.
“What is going on?!” Kael repeated, whipping around to see who it was behind him. He was only met with sudden blackness as hands clamped down over his eyes, cold and sharp. They forced him back several steps before swinging him back around to face the forest.
Come on, little demon. This way. The snapping branches sounded like clapping hands, and the breeze swirled between his legs as he tripped forward.
The first pair remained clamped over his eyes so he was unable to properly navigate his way through the forest. More of the invisible hands began to pull at his arms or push him from behind, and they seemed to have little regard for where they were steering him. They forced him on faster and faster until he had to run to keep from being knocked over.
As his speed increased, the sounds in the forest became more real. Instead of a hushed breeze, a chorus of voices echoed through the trees. The invisible hands clapped out a steady rhythm that matched his pace.
Follow the sounds of our voices, little demon.
Come see what you have done.
What he did? He hadn't done anything! “Stop it-!” Kael started to shout, but the cold fog hugged in closer and cut off his air.
“Kael... Kael, help me...” Her voice was faint, but it still able to cut through the other voices.
The boy stumbled to a stop, barely managing to keep his footing as the invisible hands pressed down on him and tried to keep urging him forward. “Maasa?!” He spun around in frantic circles, still unable to see. “Maasa, where are you?”
“Kael!” Her voice was a terrified cry, echoed by the taunting voices as they lifted in a fit of laughter.
Why... Why did he have to listen to her? Sister Margaret had warned them not to go into the forest and with good reason. Being fourteen, Kael had been certain that he no longer believed in the ghost stories that the older children told.
Little demon! This way.
He believed in them very much at that moment.
Filty little demon!
Kael let out a strangled yelp as the invisible hands began to push and pull at him again. “Where is Maasa?” he demanded, failing to keep his voice at a normal level. “Please, let me see her!”
The voices dropped to a murmur and the clapping stopped altogether. He was jostled about as the wind stirred around his ankles and disturbed the fog amongst the trees.
Should we let him?
Should we show the filthy little demon what he has done?
The poor child.
Poor, innocent girl.
His heart clenched at the words. “Please-” He lifted his trembling hands to his face, trying unsuccessfully to feel for what was blocking his vision. He merely scraped at his own face.
The chorus of voices rose up again, this time chanting Show him. He was pushed forward again, this time being ushered in a single direction until a pair of warm, clammy hands clamped down on his shoulders. He could feel the breath against his ear, so different from the breeze that he felt earlier. Worst of all, he could feel the body behind him, pressing in even closer than the invisible hands.
“You'll regret it.” It was a girl's voice, though any sense of familiarity was obscured by the malice in the tone, and the sharp annunciation of each syllable.
Despite the dim light of the half-moon, the fog amplified it so that it was enough to blind him for a few seconds. Kael lifted his hands, rubbing his face and blinking to become used to seeing again. He hesitated without looking up.
The forest was still.
It was the kind of silence that fills a room when everyone is holding their breath and waiting anxiously for the tension to break. Nothing was touching or taunting him now. Everything was waiting for him.
Slowly, oh so very slowly, Kael lifted his head. Before his brain could fully process just what it was that he saw, the boy wished very hard that he couldn't see. The silence only made it worse. He couldn't even hear the frantic rhythm of his heart - though he most certainly felt it.
Maasa, his dear, sweet little Maasa, was dead. She was pinned to a large tree, the wounds still fresh and allowing the streams of crimson to slip down her pale arms. Dark bruises wrapped arund her small neck, and her neck lolled against one shoulder. The girl's lifeless eyes were trained on him, accusing him of not being able to save her.
She had called for him, and he had not been able to even keep her in his sight. They had just been together mere seconds before - how could this have happened?
“Filthy demon!”
Something hard struck him on the back of his head, sending him down on to his knees. Startled as he was by the blow, his brain had finally caught up and he let out an anguished wail as he collapsed. His cry was enough to snap the forest out of its dream-like silence. The voices of the ghosts that had chased him through the forest swelled up around him in outrage.
His trembling fingers lifted to his face, once again trying to claw at something that wasn't there. Unable to turn away from the terrible sight, Kael doubled over and tore at his hair and skin. The tears burned his eyes and diluted the droplets of blood under his fingernails. His body ached and his head spun so quickly that the ground under him seemed to tilt.
Maasa... Poor Maasa!
He kept crying, long after the scream had turned his voice hoarse and it came out as a choked sob. “M-Maasa, I'm so sorry-!”
The voices danced around him, stirring the leaves on the forest floor with their passing. Tag! Tag! The ugly demon is it! Don't let him get you like he did our poor Lady.
Poor, dear Lady.
Tag - you're it!
Little demon, little demon - tag, you're it!
“N-no! It's... I didn't-” Kael dug his fingers into the wounds he had scratched into his cheeks, trying to focus himself. “I didn't do anything!”
The hands pressed down onto his back, forcing the boy's face into the dirt. But he didn't resist, biting onto his fingers to keep from crying out again. The atmosphere grew heavy as the chill of the fog squeezed his chest and head.
“Go to sleep, little demon.” Fingers, sharp and hot, caressed his hair. The voice was softer than before. “Go to sleep.”
Gasping for air, Kael struggled against the pull of unconsciousness. Painfully, breathing in his tears and blood, he managed to lurch to his feet. If he could make it back to the lake, then from there he could find his way back to the Orphanage. From there he could get help and-
His earlier path was easy enough to follow, as he had left a trail of broken branches in his wake. The voices seemed content enough to let him go, chasing after him with further taunts and cries but the hands did not try to restrain him.
He tumbled down the short slope that led to the lake and managed to catch himself before he tumbled into the water. Kael was on his hands and knees, struggling for breath and rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand.
For the first time, he noticed the blood smeared across his skin. Blinking in surprise, he leaned over to peer into the surface of the lake. His watched as his reflection touched the scratches he had made on his cheeks with a detached feeling.
The shadows shifted in the forest. There was a crunch in the pebbles on the shore as someone stepped up behind him. He caught sight of golden curls reflected in the surface of the lake, but before he could twist around to see who it was, a pair of hands planted themselves on his shoulders.
“Go to sleep.”
Kael was shoved, hard, and his weak limbs were unable to catch himself as he tumbled into the lake.
“Kael...?”
He wanted to respond but he couldn't. His body felt stiff, his throat burned, and he couldn't see. Only this time, he knew his eyes were closed. There was something soft surrounding him like a blanket, but it was cold and silky.
“Kael, I hope you'll forgive me for this when it's all over.” Fingers brushed against his brow, and he could feel himself relax.
He tried to reach out a hand. The voice sounded so sad. It reminded him of Maasa. Don't cry, he wanted to say. Maasa had a bad habit of crying easily though he had always been around to comfort her. It bothered him that he couldn't help her now, nor could he help this voice that sounded so much like her. Don't cry, Maasa.
“I'm sorry, Kael.”
There was a brief stab of pain, but the cool water chased it away and he floated into unconsciousness.
Kael woke in a haze. His memories were fuzzy, as if he had woken from a bad dream. There was a weight pressing down on his chest, seeping in through his nose and ears to make his entire body heavy. It was silent again, but not the same kind of anxious silence as before. Before?
Maasa!
He jerked, gasping for a breath that didn't come. He felt his mouth open, but his lungs couldn't pull in the air.
It was a dead silence - there was nothing else in the darkness with him. Despite how he thrashed, the movements sluggish, there was not the slightest sound.
A slight ripple of light came into view above him. The ripples grew larger and larger, and the darkness above him began to pale.
Kale blinked. He was lying on his back, staring up at the dappled sun light that was filtered through tick foliage. The vision was obscured by rippling water.
He opened his mouth to cry out again, and this time a stream of bubbles escaped with his cry. He still felt like he was bound by something - something that was holding him down despite his struggling. I'm going to drown, he thought desperately.
After a painfully long moment, the invisible chains that had held him down broke and he was able to burst through the water above him. Kael gasped for air, floundering for a few seconds before he could regain his breath.
The water sloshed around his chest, a welcome sound from the silence. He attempted to rise to his feet, but his legs were too weak and he still couldn't breathe properly.
“Demon! You will submit to my will!”
His heart froze in terror and his head swiveled around as he tried to find the source of the call. The voice was different from the one in the forest, a strong, female voice, filled with confidence and command. Nothing like the sharp and wicked one, or the imitation of a sad of Maasa.
His gaze finally settled on a young woman with short red hair. She glared back at him from where she stood safely on the shore.
“I... what?” he finally managed. His voice was still raw.
She stepped closer. “I'm bringing you into my service, Demon. If you agree to do my bidding, you will be allowed to see the Goddess in hopes that she will forgive you and remove your curse.”
Kael shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Still, he didn't trust himself to be able to speak. He attempted to rise to his feet, but the young woman was faster.
She closed the distance between them in three quick strides and her fingers wrapped around his neck. “You will agree to this, Demon!” She easily lifted him a few inches from the lake floor.
He gave a strangled yelp, struggling against her sharp grasp. “Please. I-I only... M-Maasa's hurt, and-”
Just as quickly as it had come, the grip was gone and he fell back into the water. Kael gasped as the air flooded back into his lungs, swallowing a mouthful of water along with it. His head jerked back up as a flash of metal caught his eye.
She gripped a crossbow in her hands, training the arrow right at his chest. “What did you say?”
“M-Maasa! I have to save Maasa!” Kael scrambled to his feet, only to be met with the butt of the crossbow striking his temple. He cried out in pain and sank back into the water, clutching his head.
His reflection stared piteously back at him, moving to-and-fro as the water sloshed around his chest. It was then that he noticed the two red scars tracing down his cheeks. They had been there when he first ran to the lake... He lifted his hands to touch them. They didn't hurt; in fact, he could barely feel them. They had stung so badly earlier. But they shouldn't have healed so quickly...
“Those scars are the symbol of your curse. My Lady knew that the only way to get rid of you would be to sacrifice herself. After you killed her, the spell to effect and you were sealed away here.” The young woman once again had the crossbow trained on his chest as she stood directly over him. “So will you submit to the conditions, or will I be forced to break Lady Maasa's wish and seal you back again?”
Kael stiffened, lifting his head to stare up at her. “Lady who?”
“Lady Maasa. Don't try to act ignorant-”
“Lady of what? What do you mean I killed her? Curse? You think these are from a curse?” He pointed angrily to the scars on his face. “Is this some kind of joke? I was in the forest with Maasa, when suddenly I lost sight of her. Next thing I know, I'm being called a demon and she's pinned to a tree.” Kael shook his head. “If there is a curse, and if there is a demon, it's not me. But it certainly got to Maasa. And I need to make sure I figure out who-”
“You speak lies, Demon. Don't think that by lying I'll let you go.”
He gave a frustrated sigh, smacking the surface of the lake. “You're not listening to me-!”
There was a sound from between the trees back on the shore. The two of them tensed, and the young woman whipped around while pulling the trigger on her weapon. She was greeted by a solid thunk as the shaft buried itself in a trunk.
A surprised and somewhat laugh echoed back. “Penelope!” It was a man's voice. “You almost hit me.”
“Call me that again and I won't miss next time, Richard.” Despite her sharp words, her body relaxed just a bit.
He laughed again, finally breaking through the line of trees to stand on the shore. He ran a hand back through his hair and gave a heavy sigh as he glanced between the two in the water. “Is the little demon giving you difficulties, Nelo?”
She snarled, immediately going on edge once again as she took a step back. “He dared to say my Lady's name. And he acts as if he doesn't know what he has done!”
Richard arched an eyebrow, giving Kael another look. “Well, is that so surprising? They used to be friends. Lady Maasa still regards him highly, or she wouldn't keep giving him so many chances.”
Unsure of how to interrupt, Kael raised his hand like he would had he been in class. “I... don't really understand what is going on here...” he started, hesitant. He remained seated - seeing as the last two times he tried to get up the Nelo woman had attacked him. “I'm not a demon. Maasa is my best friend... or... was my best friend. From the orphanage. We grew up together. I would never do anything to hurt her.” He looked down again, staring at the red lines on his face.
“Friends,” Nelo muttered, her lip curling at the word.
Richard, on the other hand, crossed his arms over his chest and gave a thoughtful hmmm.
Realising that he was still allowed to speak, Kael went on. “You don't have to believe me.” His gaze shifted to where the man stood on the shore, his expression placid, before glancing back at Nelo. “I was so scared by what I saw in the forest... I still am,” he corrected as an afterthought, shivering as the memory overtook him. “If it means helping Maasa, then I will gladly assist you.”
She looked almost surprised, but the expression was quickly replaced by a confident smirk. “Wise choice, Demon.” Nelo turned around sharply, wading back to the shore and shoving her crossbow into Richard's chest.
Hesitating another moment longer, the boy rose unsteadily to his feet. “What do I have to do?”
She dug through her bag, which had been resting on the shore, and drew out a small cloth-wrapped item. “I will have you swear your loyalty to me and to the Lady on this holy relic.”
His face paled. “T-then that's...”
“A bone from her finger, actually,” Richard commented from where he stood to the side, still gripping the crossbow. He had an uneasy expression on his face, but Kael wasn't entirely too sure why he was looking uneasy.
Nelo held out her hand. “Come on then, Demon!”
With a startled sound, Kael stumbled through the shallow lake to the shore. He stopped when the water sloshed around his ankles before settling back into stillness. “Just... a question. How long did you say it was that I've been in that lake? Since I-since Maasa-”
“About two hundred years,” Richard spoke up, stopping Kael's stilted sentences. “There's more, of course, but we'll have time to talk about it later.”
He tilted his head to the side. More? More than what? Still, he reached out and received the bone fragment in his wet, upturned hands.
Nelo drew a pendant out from under her shirt, muttering to herself as she rubbed the surface with her fingers. When she spoke aloud, her voice was deep and even. “Dear Lady Maasa, I, your humble servant, do your bidding. By following the words which you have given us, I will deliver this guilty demon to you, so that you might spare or condemn him. If this is still your will, I ask that you please give a sign.”
Unsure of what to do during the whole process, Kael closed his hand around the bone and bowed his head. Maasa... Maasa, I don't know what I did wrong, but I hope this will help you forgive me.
Richard tensed, his eyes narrowing as he looked around at the forest surrounding them. One hand dropped drew back to the quiver slung over one shoulder, and he readied a bolt in the crossbow. “Something is coming...”
Kael realised that the water of the lake was getting cold. Strong undercurrents wrapped between his ankles without disturbing the surface. “What-”
The icy water closed around his foot and, with a forceful tug, yanked Kael down.
He gave a frightened cry, trying desperately to hold on to something as he was tugged back towards the middle of the lake. Kael thrashed, trying to kick his leg free, but it only resulted in the grip tightening. “H-help!”
Without waiting another instant, Richard hefted the crossbow up and took quick aim. He released a bolt at the water, but it did little to relieve the grip. Tossing the crossbow back at Nelo, he drew his sword and was bounding down the shore and into the lake as well.
Before he could make it very far, Kael was yanked under the surface of the water - an icy hand pinching the back of his neck so that stars spilled in his vision. He continued to struggle, water spilling into his lungs as he choked against the grip.
The lake suddenly seemed a lot deeper than it had before. The thought quickly evaporated as his survival instincts tried to gain control of his limbs.
Soft fingers caressed the side of his face, sending a wave of relaxation through his entire body. He was struggling to keep his eyes open and his mind from slipping, but there was such a strong feeling of comfort in that touch. It was the same one that Maasa used to give him when he was having a bad day.
Is that you...? he thought, wishing he could speak it and hear that she was okay and that it was just some big nasty trick - but he would forgive her for it just like he always did.
But the water didn't recede. In fact, it only seemed to grow darker and heavier. At least it wasn't so cold any more. He could feel someone else in the darkness with him.
The memory of fingers pressing against his cheeks returned. Next to his ear, Kael could feel the light brush of chilled lips. “Tag, little Demon. You're it.”
Penelope stood on the shore, her eyes wide with shock though she tried to come off as annoyed. “Well? Have you found him?”
Richard was letting the fear show in his actions, frantically searching through the shallow waters of the lake. “It's not that deep, Nelo, if he was still here I would have found him.”
“It's not like he could have just disappeared!” she snapped, and he could detect the faint trace of hysteria in her voice. She had asked for a sign. Isn't that what she had been given? The thought seemed to occur to her as well, and she covered her mouth with her hands to try and stifle a gasp. “You don't think-?”
“What, that it was your gracious Lady that dragged him under?” He couldn't disguise the sarcasm as he straightened his back. “I told you right from the beginning that there were too many things off about this whole legend.”
“And that's why you're no longer part of the church.” The cool, angry demeanor was back in place. She still looked a bit ruffled, but her voice and expression were once again under control. “Besides, this must mean that my Lady is not pleased. Perhaps it was the wrong time to try and summon the demon...”
“Not pleased?!” Richard rounded on her, forcing himself to sheath the sword before he started to wave it around. “Penelope, a boy was just dragged under a shallow lake and I cannot find him, and you are worried about if it was the right time to summon him or not?”
She scoffed, putting her hand to her chest in an affronted manner. “That was no boy, Richard. That was a demon. He came from the land of the Shades and that is where he has returned.” Penelope narrowed her eyes as he stood before her. “You really have been infected by the Shades, haven't you?”
He threw his hands in the air. “How have you become like this? There's not an ounce of pity left in you.”
Taking a step back, she continued to glare at him. “Pity has no place in the hearts of warriors. Did you ever think that maybe you were too soft? And that is why you were kicked out of the church?”
Richard's hands clenched into fists. He had to bite his tongue to keep from retorting. In the silence that stretched between them, though, it was hard to miss the sudden sound of activity in the water.
He whipped around and immediately took back off into the lake. Easily cutting through the shallow water, he reached the center just in time to catch the boy as he jerked up into a sitting position.
“Hold on, I've got you,” Richard said, kneeling down and grasping his shoulders.
The boy gasped, sucking in a harsh breath of air and clung to the arms supporting him. After another few breaths, he started to cough.
“Are you alright?”
As if suddenly realising where he was, the boy shoved away from Richard's grasp and jumped to his feet. “Where is she?” he shouted, looking around wildly. He took an unsteady step, then toppled to his knees. It didn't stop him from searching frantically through the water - hands outstretched before him as he groped about.
“Where is who?” Richard rose to a crouch, reaching out to try and grab the boy again.
“Maasa!” He whirled around, looking between Richard and Penelope. “She was just here. I was pulled down, and I - I felt her-” His voice faltered, and his chin dropped to his chest.
“It's just the three of us,” Richard said, voice soft. He took the boy's hands in his own. “What's your name?”
He looked up, surprised. “Kael,” he replied, sniffling.
“I'm Richard. The grumpy woman on the shore is Penelope, but call her Nelo or she'll bite you.”
Kael managed a faint laugh, the hint of a smile wavering briefly before falling away once again. “Nice to meet you.”
“Are you going to be alright?”
He hesitated, then shook his head. “It's all a little much, you know? I see my best friend dead and pinned to a tree, the next thing I know I'm in a lake being called a demon and accused of murdering her.” Kael glanced up at Penelope across the lake, then back down to Richard.
It took a few seconds before he realised that the boy was crying. He gave the hands in his grasp a reassuring squeeze. “Nelo might be a stickler for the rules, but she's a great woman. She'll take you to see the Lady. And... hopefully... you'll be able to get your questions answered.”
Kael furrowed his brow and sniffled again. “How is it possible to see Maasa? She's dead. I thought that was the whole point of-” He cut himself off, then indicated to the marks on his cheeks.
Richard hesitated, then shook his head and rose to his feet. “I'll explain along the way. At least, the best I can. I'm an expert enough on your story. Or well... her story.”
Taking a moment to try and steady himself, Kael finally opened his eyes and nodded. “If it will help to understand Maasa.”
“There's a good boy,” Richard said, patting him on the shoulders and giving a broad smile. “You certainly gave us a fright there. It's a shallow lake but I couldn't find you in it.” He urged Kael back towards the shore.
“I'm not too sure what happened either,” he admitted. “It was... very dark and cold, and I could feel Maasa with me.” His voice faltered when Penelope gave a pointed cough.
“Lighten up, Nelo,” Richard called. “Look, this must mean that the Lady is appeased, right?”
She frowned, though there was a hint of relief in her features - and he was quite sure that if she knew it was there, she would kill him for seeing it. “Then this trip wasn't a total waste. Kael, was it? You are to obey my commands during this trip. Don't think that just because you act innocent, I'll believe it. Nor should you get too comfortable with us. You are, in essence, a prisoner. Is that understood?”
Kael held her gaze for a moment, then let it drop and nodded his head. “Yes, Miss.”
Richard couldn't help the snort of laughter, though he did his best to try and disguise it. “Oh, come on, Nelo. He sounds like a scolded school boy. Names will be fine, Kael, don't worry.”
“Richard!” she shouted, shooting him a glare.
He held up his hands to fend off her anger. “Listen, it will be easier on all of us if we get along. It's a tough road from here to the Capitol, and if we can't play nice then it will get even more difficult.”
“Richard,” Kael said experimentally, before turning and saying, “Nelo.” His posture seemed to straighten, and his hands balled into fists at his side. “I promise I'll uphold my end of the bargain.”
Penelope gave him a startled look, then sighed and shook her head. “Alright. Fine. Let's go. We've wasted enough time already.” Shooting one last dirty look in Richard's direction, she stormed off into the forest - leaving a trail of broken branches and mumbled curses in her wake.
With a laugh, Richard started to follow after her.
“Um...”
He stopped, turning to give the boy a questioning glance.
Kael opened his mouth once, then snapped it shut and looked down at his toes. “Thank you.”
Richard smiled. “You're welcome.” He reached back and grasped Kael's shoulder for a moment, before using it to guide him in to the forest.
Part II | Part III
Written for: fantasybigbang
Summary: The forest surrounding the orphanage is supposed to be empty--that's what the Sister always said. Sure, there are rumours of ghosts, but all the older kids know that ghosts aren't real... right? So just what exactly is it that killed Maasa? When Kael wakes up, he finds himself under the service of a militant cleric named Penelope who claims that he is a demon and that he was the one to kill Maasa, who is worshiped as a goddess. It is Penelope's holy task from the Goddess to bring the demon forth to beg for forgiveness. She is accompanied by a former-cleric-turned-scholar, Richard, who is having doubts of Maasa's claims to divine origin, and after a time even Penelope begins to question that which she had believed in for so long.
Other: For those of you who have been watching this journal, you might remember the similar story that I posted a few years ago after I wrote it for my genre fiction class. Well, this is me returning to it, beefing it up, and making it ~better. Thank you so much to my artist and my mixer! I am extremely pleased with what you have created for me! ♥
Art: Photograph One & Two by akigarin
Mix: " I Reach for You With River Arms" by mychemical_lust
Part II | Part III
There comes a point in every culture's existence when they need to stop and think about their history. They must consider who it is that they follow, and just what makes this such a belief to put faith in. The only problem is that those of us who question the truth are labeled as heretics and subsequently ignored or banished.
Our great and honorable Lady has us believing that she loves and protects us all. That is why the clerics are trained in combat and go to war against those who do not share these ideas. How is it that a girl, martyred time and again for no discernible reason other than pure rage, can be the one to protect us?
She has us believe that there is pure evil in this world, and that Shades are the tempters to the weak of heart. That because she is so good and pure, she will walk among us again, only to be killed by this dark evil that clouds the hearts of all men. She has us believe that this is a selfless act meant to be an attempt to save us when really there seems hardly any logic to it at all.
Surely I cannot be imagining the flaw in this religion we are so fixated on. If Our Lady is so susceptible to the evil of the Shades, how are we to be any stronger? She tells us that every so many years she will give the Shades a chance to repent and love her again. But then she is killed without achieving her objective and must return to the land of the gods.
To do what? To lick her wounds and wonder how to make the Shades see reason next time?
How can we follow her if she cannot overcome our darkness - and how are we to overcome that very same darkness?
Many tell me that I have fallen victim to the Shades since I have left the service of Our Lady's Order. But I will let you all in on a little secret of mine:
I have never felt more free and in control in my entire life. And yet, for my own lady, the one who still has such faith, I will return once again to the world of the chains and rules of religion. Maybe this time the Lady will not succumb to our weaknesses, which are as good as her own.
The sky had been threatening rain all day long, though it never made good on the promise and simply remained a dreary grey and let the fog hang low to the earth. It covered the orphanage and church with a blanket of silence. Even the forest felt subdued in the pearly light of the early evening.
The boy in the church didn't bother to turn on the lanterns that hung on the walls, choosing instead to keep the doors in the back thrown open to work by the natural light. A faint breeze played with the hairs on the back of his neck and was just strong enough to relieve the stillness that had settled in between the pews.
He worked the mop in his hands in a steady rhythm, humming a song under his breath to keep pace to. His hands were aching and he was nearly done but that was no reason to slack off. If anything it only redoubled his efforts to get the last bit of floor cleaned before he allowed himself to rest.
“Kael? Kael where have you run off to?”
He stopped mopping, straightening his back and wiping his brow with a grimy sleeve. “In here, Maasa.”
A head appeared around the edge of the open door, the pale blond curls glowing with the foggy light from outside. “Are you still cleaning?” Her gaze lingered on the bucket by his feet.
Guilty, Kael attempted to hide the mop behind his back before he sighed and allowed himself to slouch. “I'm almost done,” he said, pushing the head of the mop at the puddle that had formed while he lingered. “But I'll need to help with the dishes after dinner as well.” With another sigh, he commenced scrubbing at a spot on the floor with renewed vigor.
Maasa emerged into the doorway, letting the light frame her so she became a silhouette. “You get in trouble far too often,” she scolded, though her tone was carefree. The trace of a grin could be seen on her face despite the back-lighting.
“And you hardly get in any trouble at all, which is quite amazing for how much time we spend together,” Kael returned, trying his best to not return her grin. He heard the light pitter-patter of feet and and turned to see the girl treading lightly down the center aisle towards him. “Oh, Maasa, please don't do that I just spent all afternoon washing the floors-”
She laughed, flitting down one of the rows and perched on the edge of the pew. “I won't get your floors dirty, you know that. Besides, I wanted to show you something.”
He sighed and shook his head, turning his back on her as he resumed his mopping. “Not now. I'm still busy paying my time for the last thing you tried to show me.”
“I had told you to be more careful because Sister Margaret would notice if you kept sneaking around like that,” Maasa said in a stern voice.
“But you-”
She shook her head and held up a finger to her lips. “You promised. Since I wasn't caught, you promised you wouldn't say anything to get me in trouble.”
Kael watched her for a few seconds, a helpless expression on his face before he looked back down at the floor. “So what is it this time then?”
“Promise me you won't get mad?”
“When have I ever gotten mad at you?”
“Kael, just promise me, okay? I won't tell you if you will only scold me about it.”
He bit his lip to keep back his response and nodded.
Maasa tucked her legs in beneath her and leaned forward towards the pew before her and watched Kael. “I found something in the forest.”
“Maasa-!”
“You promised!” she bleated, sitting up with an injured look on her face.
But Kael spoke over her, setting the mop aside and sliding onto the bench in front of her. “Maasa, you know you're not supposed to go into the forest. What if you had been hurt?”
She rolled her eyes. “You don't honestly believe in those ghost stories that Sister Margaret and the other children tell, do you?”
He didn't reply at first, turning his head to look out the door of the church. Just visible through the heavy fog were the thick shadows of the trees. “Well...”
“You're almost fifteen. You should be old enough by now to know that they're just stories told to keep us out of the forest!” She rolled her eyes again and grabbed on to his arm. “It's really not all that bad in there!”
Kael twisted his arm out of her reach and grasped her hands instead. “That doesn't change the fact that we're not allowed to go in there. It's dangerous in there - not just because of ghost stories, but there are wild animals or we could get lost!”
With an offended huff, Maasa slipped her hand out of Kael's and got to her feet. As she dusted off her frock, she said, “Well, I'm going. Tonight, after dinner. With or without you.”
“Maasa-” he repeated, but she cut him off by placing two fingers against his lips.
“If you want to make sure that I'm safe, then you can come with me.” She stepped away, heading back towards the open doors of the church. “I know you'll make the right choice.” Parting with a wink and a wave, Maasa spun around and disappeared into the darkening fog.
Kael remained sitting on the pew, staring down at his hands where they hovered over empty space. He clenched them into fists, then clasped them tightly and closed his eyes. Taking a steadying breath, the boy rose unsteadily to his feet and grasped the handle to the mop once more.
Once step at a time, he told himself. Of course, he already knew what choice he was going to make as soon as Maasa asked. It was just a matter of not over thinking it and giving himself away to the matron at dinner that evening.
“I can't see anything - is that you?”
“Ouch, that was my toe. Watch where you're walking, Kael.”
“Sorry I can't help it. Didn't you bring a light or something?”
Maasa's sigh carried back to him, audible over their clumsy progress through the dark forest. “We don't need one, Kael. I know my way well enough, and there is some light from the sky.”
“Then don't complain if I step on your foot again. How deep in are we going? I can't see the moon.” He paused when he felt her hand scrape against his sleeve, and he reached out to take it. “Are you alright?”
“Of course, I just wanted to make sure that you were still following me.” As they passed beneath a break in the trees, she flashed him a comforting grin and pressed on.
Kael didn't have time to return it before he stumbled on after her, thinking only to keep a firm grasp on her hand. “Don't let go of it, okay? We don't know what is out there, and we can't afford to get lost.”
She laughed. “Certainly not. Both of us can't get lost in here.”
He was about to ask her what she meant by that when the girl gave a triumphant cry and darted on ahead. He managed to maintain the grip on her hand and was forced to pick up the pace so that he wouldn't trip.
Despite how tight he held on, she somehow managed to slip away from his hand like a fish. “Almost there!” she chimed as she disappeared between a barrier of trees.
“Maasa!” he shouted, scrambling up the sudden incline that he had failed to notice in the dark. And then, as he broke through the final line of trees, he slowed his pace to a standstill to stare in awe. The forest, which pressed in thick on all sides, held back the fog from the wide clearing. In the center, illuminated by the half-moon, was a placid lake.
Maasa was standing by the edge, her hands locked behind her back as she leaned over to study her reflection. “It can be our own private swimming place!” she said, looking over her shoulder as she heard him approach.
As beautiful as the scene was, it was a little too still for comfort. Kael crouched down on the shore and shifted through a handful of pebbles until he found one that he liked. “I can't swim,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone and flicked his wrist to skip the stone out across the surface of the lake.
He watched as the water swallowed the stone as it touched down for the second time. After the subtle ploop, the silence settled in once again - thicker than before.
“Maasa?” Kael straightened his posture with slow, cautious movements. He glanced over to where she had been standing, then turned in a full circle to take in the entire clearing. “Maasa, where are you?”
Silence answered his question.
He forced a laugh, dusting off his hands and stepping away from the edge of the lake. “Alright, very funny. But now's not the time to try and play hide-and-seek.” His eyes scoured the forest for any signs of movement, but the fog hung so thick that he could hardly see beyond the first row of trees. “Come on, Maasa, let's get back to the orphanage. If we go now, we might not get caught...”
There was a crack of a branch to one side, and a flutter of wings to another. His head swiveled back and forth between the two spots. Then, dead ahead, the sound of muffled laughter.
“Maasa...?”
Again, silence. Kael felt each second tick by on the back of his neck. One... two... three...
She screamed, the high-pitched sound cutting right through the forest and settling in the pit of his gut. “Kael!” she screamed again, and his feet automatically launched into action.
The fog hit him like a wall, washing over him as he surged through the trees. The first thing to happen was that his moves became sluggish. He felt as if he was wading through sludge, and his breath came out in gasps as the fog pressed in against his chest to squeeze the air out of his lungs.
Something grabbed at the back of his shirt, and he started to turn around to see what it was but his feet were stuck to the ground - something thin and cold clamped around his ankles to hold him in place. Kael swung his arms frantically to keep his balance, but before he could topple over a hand grasped him by the neck and pulled him back to his feet.
Giving a choked and startled cry, he lifted his hands to attempt to pull the iron-like fingers that clamped around his neck, only to feel his nails scratch against his own skin. “What's going on?” he cried, still trying to search for the fingers around his neck.
Filthy little demon... A cool breeze whispered past his ear.
The grip around his neck pulled back and then he was shoved forward, stumbling as his ankles were released at the last moment.
“What is going on?!” Kael repeated, whipping around to see who it was behind him. He was only met with sudden blackness as hands clamped down over his eyes, cold and sharp. They forced him back several steps before swinging him back around to face the forest.
Come on, little demon. This way. The snapping branches sounded like clapping hands, and the breeze swirled between his legs as he tripped forward.
The first pair remained clamped over his eyes so he was unable to properly navigate his way through the forest. More of the invisible hands began to pull at his arms or push him from behind, and they seemed to have little regard for where they were steering him. They forced him on faster and faster until he had to run to keep from being knocked over.
As his speed increased, the sounds in the forest became more real. Instead of a hushed breeze, a chorus of voices echoed through the trees. The invisible hands clapped out a steady rhythm that matched his pace.
Follow the sounds of our voices, little demon.
Come see what you have done.
What he did? He hadn't done anything! “Stop it-!” Kael started to shout, but the cold fog hugged in closer and cut off his air.
“Kael... Kael, help me...” Her voice was faint, but it still able to cut through the other voices.
The boy stumbled to a stop, barely managing to keep his footing as the invisible hands pressed down on him and tried to keep urging him forward. “Maasa?!” He spun around in frantic circles, still unable to see. “Maasa, where are you?”
“Kael!” Her voice was a terrified cry, echoed by the taunting voices as they lifted in a fit of laughter.
Why... Why did he have to listen to her? Sister Margaret had warned them not to go into the forest and with good reason. Being fourteen, Kael had been certain that he no longer believed in the ghost stories that the older children told.
Little demon! This way.
He believed in them very much at that moment.
Filty little demon!
Kael let out a strangled yelp as the invisible hands began to push and pull at him again. “Where is Maasa?” he demanded, failing to keep his voice at a normal level. “Please, let me see her!”
The voices dropped to a murmur and the clapping stopped altogether. He was jostled about as the wind stirred around his ankles and disturbed the fog amongst the trees.
Should we let him?
Should we show the filthy little demon what he has done?
The poor child.
Poor, innocent girl.
His heart clenched at the words. “Please-” He lifted his trembling hands to his face, trying unsuccessfully to feel for what was blocking his vision. He merely scraped at his own face.
The chorus of voices rose up again, this time chanting Show him. He was pushed forward again, this time being ushered in a single direction until a pair of warm, clammy hands clamped down on his shoulders. He could feel the breath against his ear, so different from the breeze that he felt earlier. Worst of all, he could feel the body behind him, pressing in even closer than the invisible hands.
“You'll regret it.” It was a girl's voice, though any sense of familiarity was obscured by the malice in the tone, and the sharp annunciation of each syllable.
Despite the dim light of the half-moon, the fog amplified it so that it was enough to blind him for a few seconds. Kael lifted his hands, rubbing his face and blinking to become used to seeing again. He hesitated without looking up.
The forest was still.
It was the kind of silence that fills a room when everyone is holding their breath and waiting anxiously for the tension to break. Nothing was touching or taunting him now. Everything was waiting for him.
Slowly, oh so very slowly, Kael lifted his head. Before his brain could fully process just what it was that he saw, the boy wished very hard that he couldn't see. The silence only made it worse. He couldn't even hear the frantic rhythm of his heart - though he most certainly felt it.
Maasa, his dear, sweet little Maasa, was dead. She was pinned to a large tree, the wounds still fresh and allowing the streams of crimson to slip down her pale arms. Dark bruises wrapped arund her small neck, and her neck lolled against one shoulder. The girl's lifeless eyes were trained on him, accusing him of not being able to save her.
She had called for him, and he had not been able to even keep her in his sight. They had just been together mere seconds before - how could this have happened?
“Filthy demon!”
Something hard struck him on the back of his head, sending him down on to his knees. Startled as he was by the blow, his brain had finally caught up and he let out an anguished wail as he collapsed. His cry was enough to snap the forest out of its dream-like silence. The voices of the ghosts that had chased him through the forest swelled up around him in outrage.
His trembling fingers lifted to his face, once again trying to claw at something that wasn't there. Unable to turn away from the terrible sight, Kael doubled over and tore at his hair and skin. The tears burned his eyes and diluted the droplets of blood under his fingernails. His body ached and his head spun so quickly that the ground under him seemed to tilt.
Maasa... Poor Maasa!
He kept crying, long after the scream had turned his voice hoarse and it came out as a choked sob. “M-Maasa, I'm so sorry-!”
The voices danced around him, stirring the leaves on the forest floor with their passing. Tag! Tag! The ugly demon is it! Don't let him get you like he did our poor Lady.
Poor, dear Lady.
Tag - you're it!
Little demon, little demon - tag, you're it!
“N-no! It's... I didn't-” Kael dug his fingers into the wounds he had scratched into his cheeks, trying to focus himself. “I didn't do anything!”
The hands pressed down onto his back, forcing the boy's face into the dirt. But he didn't resist, biting onto his fingers to keep from crying out again. The atmosphere grew heavy as the chill of the fog squeezed his chest and head.
“Go to sleep, little demon.” Fingers, sharp and hot, caressed his hair. The voice was softer than before. “Go to sleep.”
Gasping for air, Kael struggled against the pull of unconsciousness. Painfully, breathing in his tears and blood, he managed to lurch to his feet. If he could make it back to the lake, then from there he could find his way back to the Orphanage. From there he could get help and-
His earlier path was easy enough to follow, as he had left a trail of broken branches in his wake. The voices seemed content enough to let him go, chasing after him with further taunts and cries but the hands did not try to restrain him.
He tumbled down the short slope that led to the lake and managed to catch himself before he tumbled into the water. Kael was on his hands and knees, struggling for breath and rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand.
For the first time, he noticed the blood smeared across his skin. Blinking in surprise, he leaned over to peer into the surface of the lake. His watched as his reflection touched the scratches he had made on his cheeks with a detached feeling.
The shadows shifted in the forest. There was a crunch in the pebbles on the shore as someone stepped up behind him. He caught sight of golden curls reflected in the surface of the lake, but before he could twist around to see who it was, a pair of hands planted themselves on his shoulders.
“Go to sleep.”
Kael was shoved, hard, and his weak limbs were unable to catch himself as he tumbled into the lake.
“Kael...?”
He wanted to respond but he couldn't. His body felt stiff, his throat burned, and he couldn't see. Only this time, he knew his eyes were closed. There was something soft surrounding him like a blanket, but it was cold and silky.
“Kael, I hope you'll forgive me for this when it's all over.” Fingers brushed against his brow, and he could feel himself relax.
He tried to reach out a hand. The voice sounded so sad. It reminded him of Maasa. Don't cry, he wanted to say. Maasa had a bad habit of crying easily though he had always been around to comfort her. It bothered him that he couldn't help her now, nor could he help this voice that sounded so much like her. Don't cry, Maasa.
“I'm sorry, Kael.”
There was a brief stab of pain, but the cool water chased it away and he floated into unconsciousness.
Kael woke in a haze. His memories were fuzzy, as if he had woken from a bad dream. There was a weight pressing down on his chest, seeping in through his nose and ears to make his entire body heavy. It was silent again, but not the same kind of anxious silence as before. Before?
Maasa!
He jerked, gasping for a breath that didn't come. He felt his mouth open, but his lungs couldn't pull in the air.
It was a dead silence - there was nothing else in the darkness with him. Despite how he thrashed, the movements sluggish, there was not the slightest sound.
A slight ripple of light came into view above him. The ripples grew larger and larger, and the darkness above him began to pale.
Kale blinked. He was lying on his back, staring up at the dappled sun light that was filtered through tick foliage. The vision was obscured by rippling water.
He opened his mouth to cry out again, and this time a stream of bubbles escaped with his cry. He still felt like he was bound by something - something that was holding him down despite his struggling. I'm going to drown, he thought desperately.
After a painfully long moment, the invisible chains that had held him down broke and he was able to burst through the water above him. Kael gasped for air, floundering for a few seconds before he could regain his breath.
The water sloshed around his chest, a welcome sound from the silence. He attempted to rise to his feet, but his legs were too weak and he still couldn't breathe properly.
“Demon! You will submit to my will!”
His heart froze in terror and his head swiveled around as he tried to find the source of the call. The voice was different from the one in the forest, a strong, female voice, filled with confidence and command. Nothing like the sharp and wicked one, or the imitation of a sad of Maasa.
His gaze finally settled on a young woman with short red hair. She glared back at him from where she stood safely on the shore.
“I... what?” he finally managed. His voice was still raw.
She stepped closer. “I'm bringing you into my service, Demon. If you agree to do my bidding, you will be allowed to see the Goddess in hopes that she will forgive you and remove your curse.”
Kael shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Still, he didn't trust himself to be able to speak. He attempted to rise to his feet, but the young woman was faster.
She closed the distance between them in three quick strides and her fingers wrapped around his neck. “You will agree to this, Demon!” She easily lifted him a few inches from the lake floor.
He gave a strangled yelp, struggling against her sharp grasp. “Please. I-I only... M-Maasa's hurt, and-”
Just as quickly as it had come, the grip was gone and he fell back into the water. Kael gasped as the air flooded back into his lungs, swallowing a mouthful of water along with it. His head jerked back up as a flash of metal caught his eye.
She gripped a crossbow in her hands, training the arrow right at his chest. “What did you say?”
“M-Maasa! I have to save Maasa!” Kael scrambled to his feet, only to be met with the butt of the crossbow striking his temple. He cried out in pain and sank back into the water, clutching his head.
His reflection stared piteously back at him, moving to-and-fro as the water sloshed around his chest. It was then that he noticed the two red scars tracing down his cheeks. They had been there when he first ran to the lake... He lifted his hands to touch them. They didn't hurt; in fact, he could barely feel them. They had stung so badly earlier. But they shouldn't have healed so quickly...
“Those scars are the symbol of your curse. My Lady knew that the only way to get rid of you would be to sacrifice herself. After you killed her, the spell to effect and you were sealed away here.” The young woman once again had the crossbow trained on his chest as she stood directly over him. “So will you submit to the conditions, or will I be forced to break Lady Maasa's wish and seal you back again?”
Kael stiffened, lifting his head to stare up at her. “Lady who?”
“Lady Maasa. Don't try to act ignorant-”
“Lady of what? What do you mean I killed her? Curse? You think these are from a curse?” He pointed angrily to the scars on his face. “Is this some kind of joke? I was in the forest with Maasa, when suddenly I lost sight of her. Next thing I know, I'm being called a demon and she's pinned to a tree.” Kael shook his head. “If there is a curse, and if there is a demon, it's not me. But it certainly got to Maasa. And I need to make sure I figure out who-”
“You speak lies, Demon. Don't think that by lying I'll let you go.”
He gave a frustrated sigh, smacking the surface of the lake. “You're not listening to me-!”
There was a sound from between the trees back on the shore. The two of them tensed, and the young woman whipped around while pulling the trigger on her weapon. She was greeted by a solid thunk as the shaft buried itself in a trunk.
A surprised and somewhat laugh echoed back. “Penelope!” It was a man's voice. “You almost hit me.”
“Call me that again and I won't miss next time, Richard.” Despite her sharp words, her body relaxed just a bit.
He laughed again, finally breaking through the line of trees to stand on the shore. He ran a hand back through his hair and gave a heavy sigh as he glanced between the two in the water. “Is the little demon giving you difficulties, Nelo?”
She snarled, immediately going on edge once again as she took a step back. “He dared to say my Lady's name. And he acts as if he doesn't know what he has done!”
Richard arched an eyebrow, giving Kael another look. “Well, is that so surprising? They used to be friends. Lady Maasa still regards him highly, or she wouldn't keep giving him so many chances.”
Unsure of how to interrupt, Kael raised his hand like he would had he been in class. “I... don't really understand what is going on here...” he started, hesitant. He remained seated - seeing as the last two times he tried to get up the Nelo woman had attacked him. “I'm not a demon. Maasa is my best friend... or... was my best friend. From the orphanage. We grew up together. I would never do anything to hurt her.” He looked down again, staring at the red lines on his face.
“Friends,” Nelo muttered, her lip curling at the word.
Richard, on the other hand, crossed his arms over his chest and gave a thoughtful hmmm.
Realising that he was still allowed to speak, Kael went on. “You don't have to believe me.” His gaze shifted to where the man stood on the shore, his expression placid, before glancing back at Nelo. “I was so scared by what I saw in the forest... I still am,” he corrected as an afterthought, shivering as the memory overtook him. “If it means helping Maasa, then I will gladly assist you.”
She looked almost surprised, but the expression was quickly replaced by a confident smirk. “Wise choice, Demon.” Nelo turned around sharply, wading back to the shore and shoving her crossbow into Richard's chest.
Hesitating another moment longer, the boy rose unsteadily to his feet. “What do I have to do?”
She dug through her bag, which had been resting on the shore, and drew out a small cloth-wrapped item. “I will have you swear your loyalty to me and to the Lady on this holy relic.”
His face paled. “T-then that's...”
“A bone from her finger, actually,” Richard commented from where he stood to the side, still gripping the crossbow. He had an uneasy expression on his face, but Kael wasn't entirely too sure why he was looking uneasy.
Nelo held out her hand. “Come on then, Demon!”
With a startled sound, Kael stumbled through the shallow lake to the shore. He stopped when the water sloshed around his ankles before settling back into stillness. “Just... a question. How long did you say it was that I've been in that lake? Since I-since Maasa-”
“About two hundred years,” Richard spoke up, stopping Kael's stilted sentences. “There's more, of course, but we'll have time to talk about it later.”
He tilted his head to the side. More? More than what? Still, he reached out and received the bone fragment in his wet, upturned hands.
Nelo drew a pendant out from under her shirt, muttering to herself as she rubbed the surface with her fingers. When she spoke aloud, her voice was deep and even. “Dear Lady Maasa, I, your humble servant, do your bidding. By following the words which you have given us, I will deliver this guilty demon to you, so that you might spare or condemn him. If this is still your will, I ask that you please give a sign.”
Unsure of what to do during the whole process, Kael closed his hand around the bone and bowed his head. Maasa... Maasa, I don't know what I did wrong, but I hope this will help you forgive me.
Richard tensed, his eyes narrowing as he looked around at the forest surrounding them. One hand dropped drew back to the quiver slung over one shoulder, and he readied a bolt in the crossbow. “Something is coming...”
Kael realised that the water of the lake was getting cold. Strong undercurrents wrapped between his ankles without disturbing the surface. “What-”
The icy water closed around his foot and, with a forceful tug, yanked Kael down.
He gave a frightened cry, trying desperately to hold on to something as he was tugged back towards the middle of the lake. Kael thrashed, trying to kick his leg free, but it only resulted in the grip tightening. “H-help!”
Without waiting another instant, Richard hefted the crossbow up and took quick aim. He released a bolt at the water, but it did little to relieve the grip. Tossing the crossbow back at Nelo, he drew his sword and was bounding down the shore and into the lake as well.
Before he could make it very far, Kael was yanked under the surface of the water - an icy hand pinching the back of his neck so that stars spilled in his vision. He continued to struggle, water spilling into his lungs as he choked against the grip.
The lake suddenly seemed a lot deeper than it had before. The thought quickly evaporated as his survival instincts tried to gain control of his limbs.
Soft fingers caressed the side of his face, sending a wave of relaxation through his entire body. He was struggling to keep his eyes open and his mind from slipping, but there was such a strong feeling of comfort in that touch. It was the same one that Maasa used to give him when he was having a bad day.
Is that you...? he thought, wishing he could speak it and hear that she was okay and that it was just some big nasty trick - but he would forgive her for it just like he always did.
But the water didn't recede. In fact, it only seemed to grow darker and heavier. At least it wasn't so cold any more. He could feel someone else in the darkness with him.
The memory of fingers pressing against his cheeks returned. Next to his ear, Kael could feel the light brush of chilled lips. “Tag, little Demon. You're it.”
Penelope stood on the shore, her eyes wide with shock though she tried to come off as annoyed. “Well? Have you found him?”
Richard was letting the fear show in his actions, frantically searching through the shallow waters of the lake. “It's not that deep, Nelo, if he was still here I would have found him.”
“It's not like he could have just disappeared!” she snapped, and he could detect the faint trace of hysteria in her voice. She had asked for a sign. Isn't that what she had been given? The thought seemed to occur to her as well, and she covered her mouth with her hands to try and stifle a gasp. “You don't think-?”
“What, that it was your gracious Lady that dragged him under?” He couldn't disguise the sarcasm as he straightened his back. “I told you right from the beginning that there were too many things off about this whole legend.”
“And that's why you're no longer part of the church.” The cool, angry demeanor was back in place. She still looked a bit ruffled, but her voice and expression were once again under control. “Besides, this must mean that my Lady is not pleased. Perhaps it was the wrong time to try and summon the demon...”
“Not pleased?!” Richard rounded on her, forcing himself to sheath the sword before he started to wave it around. “Penelope, a boy was just dragged under a shallow lake and I cannot find him, and you are worried about if it was the right time to summon him or not?”
She scoffed, putting her hand to her chest in an affronted manner. “That was no boy, Richard. That was a demon. He came from the land of the Shades and that is where he has returned.” Penelope narrowed her eyes as he stood before her. “You really have been infected by the Shades, haven't you?”
He threw his hands in the air. “How have you become like this? There's not an ounce of pity left in you.”
Taking a step back, she continued to glare at him. “Pity has no place in the hearts of warriors. Did you ever think that maybe you were too soft? And that is why you were kicked out of the church?”
Richard's hands clenched into fists. He had to bite his tongue to keep from retorting. In the silence that stretched between them, though, it was hard to miss the sudden sound of activity in the water.
He whipped around and immediately took back off into the lake. Easily cutting through the shallow water, he reached the center just in time to catch the boy as he jerked up into a sitting position.
“Hold on, I've got you,” Richard said, kneeling down and grasping his shoulders.
The boy gasped, sucking in a harsh breath of air and clung to the arms supporting him. After another few breaths, he started to cough.
“Are you alright?”
As if suddenly realising where he was, the boy shoved away from Richard's grasp and jumped to his feet. “Where is she?” he shouted, looking around wildly. He took an unsteady step, then toppled to his knees. It didn't stop him from searching frantically through the water - hands outstretched before him as he groped about.
“Where is who?” Richard rose to a crouch, reaching out to try and grab the boy again.
“Maasa!” He whirled around, looking between Richard and Penelope. “She was just here. I was pulled down, and I - I felt her-” His voice faltered, and his chin dropped to his chest.
“It's just the three of us,” Richard said, voice soft. He took the boy's hands in his own. “What's your name?”
He looked up, surprised. “Kael,” he replied, sniffling.
“I'm Richard. The grumpy woman on the shore is Penelope, but call her Nelo or she'll bite you.”
Kael managed a faint laugh, the hint of a smile wavering briefly before falling away once again. “Nice to meet you.”
“Are you going to be alright?”
He hesitated, then shook his head. “It's all a little much, you know? I see my best friend dead and pinned to a tree, the next thing I know I'm in a lake being called a demon and accused of murdering her.” Kael glanced up at Penelope across the lake, then back down to Richard.
It took a few seconds before he realised that the boy was crying. He gave the hands in his grasp a reassuring squeeze. “Nelo might be a stickler for the rules, but she's a great woman. She'll take you to see the Lady. And... hopefully... you'll be able to get your questions answered.”
Kael furrowed his brow and sniffled again. “How is it possible to see Maasa? She's dead. I thought that was the whole point of-” He cut himself off, then indicated to the marks on his cheeks.
Richard hesitated, then shook his head and rose to his feet. “I'll explain along the way. At least, the best I can. I'm an expert enough on your story. Or well... her story.”
Taking a moment to try and steady himself, Kael finally opened his eyes and nodded. “If it will help to understand Maasa.”
“There's a good boy,” Richard said, patting him on the shoulders and giving a broad smile. “You certainly gave us a fright there. It's a shallow lake but I couldn't find you in it.” He urged Kael back towards the shore.
“I'm not too sure what happened either,” he admitted. “It was... very dark and cold, and I could feel Maasa with me.” His voice faltered when Penelope gave a pointed cough.
“Lighten up, Nelo,” Richard called. “Look, this must mean that the Lady is appeased, right?”
She frowned, though there was a hint of relief in her features - and he was quite sure that if she knew it was there, she would kill him for seeing it. “Then this trip wasn't a total waste. Kael, was it? You are to obey my commands during this trip. Don't think that just because you act innocent, I'll believe it. Nor should you get too comfortable with us. You are, in essence, a prisoner. Is that understood?”
Kael held her gaze for a moment, then let it drop and nodded his head. “Yes, Miss.”
Richard couldn't help the snort of laughter, though he did his best to try and disguise it. “Oh, come on, Nelo. He sounds like a scolded school boy. Names will be fine, Kael, don't worry.”
“Richard!” she shouted, shooting him a glare.
He held up his hands to fend off her anger. “Listen, it will be easier on all of us if we get along. It's a tough road from here to the Capitol, and if we can't play nice then it will get even more difficult.”
“Richard,” Kael said experimentally, before turning and saying, “Nelo.” His posture seemed to straighten, and his hands balled into fists at his side. “I promise I'll uphold my end of the bargain.”
Penelope gave him a startled look, then sighed and shook her head. “Alright. Fine. Let's go. We've wasted enough time already.” Shooting one last dirty look in Richard's direction, she stormed off into the forest - leaving a trail of broken branches and mumbled curses in her wake.
With a laugh, Richard started to follow after her.
“Um...”
He stopped, turning to give the boy a questioning glance.
Kael opened his mouth once, then snapped it shut and looked down at his toes. “Thank you.”
Richard smiled. “You're welcome.” He reached back and grasped Kael's shoulder for a moment, before using it to guide him in to the forest.
Part II | Part III