I've returned with part one. Like I've been gone that long. I love writing this story. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it, and let me know what you think of it. You can reach me at either Mist_dark@hotmail.com or Mist_dark@yahoo.ca either one will work.
Thanks to everyone who's e-mailed me. I love hearing from you guys. In particular I have to thank Kenitra, Shade, Aeoros, Di, Tom, Matt and Aphrodite. And of course anyone else that I didn't add to that short list.
Legalities: I sort of think you should know this by now, but here goes anyway. This story in no way is supposed to reflect the sexuality of any of the members of Nsync. If you are to young, or it's illegal in your area, please leave now. Also if homosexual themes offend you, leave as well. Parts of this story are based of the RPG Rifts. All trademarks belong to Kevin Siembieda and Palladium books.
Enjoy the story, and let me know what you think.
Until next time, Rune
PART ONE
Mala couched in the shadows above the door. Her black body suit clung to her and blended perfectly with the darkness. As did the mask she had pulled over her head. It covered her hair and most of her face, leaving holes for her eyes. The lower part of her face was bared, but didn't give her position away. She was watching the guards below her. They weren't very good at their job. If they were they would have looked up at least once. Alternatively she was very good at her job.
The three guards in the room stood around a large table with a glass case over it. Inside the case was a statuette carved from a blue stone. The statuette was two hands tall and rested on a small pillow. From this distance she couldn't make out what the statuette was carved to resemble, but she knew from the description she had been given. It was of a feline of some sort. Most likely a jaguar. Her employer had been fairly vague about the details of the assignment, but insisted that she would knew the statuette when she saw it. As it turned out she had.
`Well let's get this over with,' she muttered to herself. She pulled out a dagger and removed a tiny bottle from her belt. She very carefully poured some of the contents of the bottle onto the blade of the dagger. When she'd finished she replaced to bottle.
A gentle movement sent her flipping through the air. She landed in front of the first guard. Without getting up, she spun quickly she knocked him of his feet. Spinning to her feet she kicked him in the head and he went limp. The other two guards had realized what had happened to their companion and moved to stop her, drawing their swords as they moved.
"Not a chance boys," she smirked.
One of the guards moved to grab her with his free hand. She moved forward, grabbed his arm, twisted it and punched it at the joint. There was a distinct crunching sound and the guard screamed in pain. Cursing Mala let him go and slashed his cheek on the way down with the dagger. A moment after he hit the floor his cries of pain stopped as the poison took effect. He was asleep almost instantly.
The remaining guard looked at her in slight alarm. He didn't try to grab her. Instead he slashed at her with the sword. He wasn't particular good and she easily avoided the blow. She kicked his wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon. Two kicks to the chest and one to the head had him on the ground.
"That could have been done better," she muttered as she sheathed her dagger. Walking over the unconscious guards she made her way to the glass case. She carefully ran her hands along the side of the case after searching it for any obvious magical traps. She didn't see any. Her hands were checking for mundane traps. There was one. She easily disarmed it and moved on.
Within moments the case sat next to the statuette. She glanced over her prize. She didn't want to screw up this far into the job. Once she was sure that there weren't any traps she picked the statuette up and tucked it under her belt. Since she had her prize there was no need to stay. She easily scaled the wall and slipped out the way she came in. She was long gone by the time the guards were roused by their replacements.
"Whatcha doing?" Justin asked as he walked into Lance's living room. He had dropped by a bit early for the get together Lance had planned. The rest of the guys would be there in an hour or so.
"Just thinking," Lance said wistfully.
"You're thinking about him again aren't you?" Justin asked.
Lance slowly nodded his head. "Yeah." He absently played with the engraved ring on his finger. "I miss him Justin. I miss him so much."
"I can sort of relate," Justin said. "Not completely, but enough." He sat down next to Lance on the couch.
"I'm starting to forget what he looks like," Lance whispered. "I remember his voice so clearly, and his touch. But what he looked like is starting to fade." He looked at Justin with tears in his green eyes. "I don't want to forget that."
"Use Cro," Justin said simply.
"What?"
"Use Cro," Justin said again. He got off the couch and walked over to the bookshelf. He pulled a white, rune covered book from the shelf. Walking back to the couch he took his seat. "He should be able to do this." He opened the book to a blank page. "Cro."
"It's been a while Justin," a dry voice came into their minds. It sounded very sleepy. "What do you need?"
"Would you conjure up a picture of Selvar?" He asked the book. "A really detailed one. I know it takes a lot out of you do to this in this world, but could you try?"
"I'll do my best," the book replied. "But it will take a while."
"No problem," Justin said.
The picture slowly took form. First the general build appeared on the page. It was of a tall man in flowing robes. Slowly features began to work their way in. High cheekbones. A pair of piercing eyes stared back from the picture. Long hair pulled away from the face. Colours made their way in as well. The robe was black, as was the hair. The skin was pale almost white. But what stood out the most were the eyes. The most beautiful shade of green flashed into the eyes.
By the time the other guys had arrive Justin was holding Lance in his arms while his friend wept. The picture stayed on Cro's pages. The book had drifted off, exhausted, almost immediately after the picture had been finished.
Justin looked up from the couch as his friends filed into the living room. They said nothing, but nodded their heads. They'd all seen Lance like this before. And they all knew that he just needed a moment to compose himself. He had broken down less and less as the months went by, but he still did occasionally. They knew that he had cried repeatedly in private, but never said anything. He didn't need their added pity. Just their support, which they all gave willingly.
The eleven Guardians sat in a circle in a clearing. Each of them sat across from their opposite, except the Guardian of the Forest. He had no opposite. His powers were their powers, and as such he had no opposite. They all regarded him with a sense of awe and respect. He was like a father to each one of them, and when he spoke they listened. He could force them to obey, but that was never necessary. They did what he asked because they knew what he asked was right. They didn't follow him blindly, but he never asked for something unless it was needed.
The circle silently watched each other before the Guardian of the Forest spoke. "My children," he began. "The time we have spent together has been long. Eons have passed while we have watched over this world. Civilizations have come and fallen while we sought to protect the balance from anything that would seek to harm it. We have remained neutral for almost out entire lives."
He stopped and looked around the circle. His gaze stopped on each of his `children's' faces. The look that crossed his own face could only be described as love.
"We have, however, broken our vow of neutrality. We broke it to save the balance. We would never have taken sides otherwise. The deaths that would have resulted if we had not taken action would have damaged the balance so severely it would never have recovered. But in doing so we have placed the balance in danger.
"Each of us has long known that there would come a time when we had to break our vow. And that time has come and passed. Each of us knew what would happen when that vow was broken, and I know that none of us would undo what has been done.
"The pain will be great my children. We will pay dearly for what we have done. Only one of us knows who it will be. And that child of mine shall not reveal who it is until the time has come to pass."
"One of us knows?" Fire asked.
Forest nodded his head. "Yes child. One of us does know."
"Who?" Asked Air.
"I have always known," Death said. "I know who of us will die. And I know that I can do nothing to stop it. Nor will I."
Earth looked at her with warmth in his eyes. "I know dear sister that you bare a burden that is far beyond that which any should care. I do not envy the pain that you have had to endure since the day you came into our fold. You have carried your burden well."
Death bowed her head. "Thank you brother." A tear slipped down her cheek. "Though I do not care for the pain that my silence may cause. Even though there is nothing any of us could do to prevent this."
The Guardian of the Forest looked over the circle. "My children. I have watched each of your grow since the day you accepted the offices that I offered you. You took them with little knowledge of the tasks you would truly have to perform. And you have never deserted your posts. You have taken each challenge presented to you and over came it. I could not ask for any more from any of you. Though you are not my flesh, you are my children.
"Go now. Take your love and what time is left to you to prepare yourselves for the loss that will come to us all. Remember your duties, but also remember that life is a precious and so easily taken from us."
The Guardians nodded at their father's words. Each stood and embraced him. When all had hugged him the Guardian of the Forest stepped back. Each of his children embraced their kin before stopping with their opposite. Earth with Air. Fire with Water. Life with Death. Day with Night. Plant with Animal. Each of the couples pulled the other into a tight embrace. A few flashes of light filled the clearing as the Guardians left with their loves.
The Duke rummaged through the desk. Finding what he wanted, he pulled the key from the draw and stood from his chair. The Duke wasn't an impressive looking man. Short, barely five feet tall, and pudgy. He was in his early fifties. His once dark hair had long since gone gray. What was left of it had at any rate.
He made his way over to a large portrait on the wall. The painting was of a beautiful woman. The small brass plaque read `The Duchess Laura". The painting captured every ounce of the woman's beauty. She wasn't just the way she appeared. The way she seemed to carry herself added to the beauty she possessed. The sigil of the Duke rested in the corner, proving that he had painted the portrait himself.
The Duke carefully removed the painting from the wall. Behind it was the metal door to a safe. The key he had just removed from the desk was inserted into the keyhole and twisted. The door swung open revealing what the contents of the safe.
Inside were several rolls of parchment. He pulled them out and walked back to the desk. Setting them down he moved back to his chair. He unrolled one of the parchments and glanced down the words written on it. Sighing he rolled it up and set it aside. He grabbed another and repeated the process. Soon the pile of parchments set aside was far greater then the one of ones that hadn't been looked at yet. Eventually there was just one left. The Duke took the remaining one. He was about to unroll it when the door to the study opened.
The new comer was a young man dressed in the colours of the guard for the estate. The man looked at the Duke with surprise on his face. He clearly didn't expect anyone to be in the study.
"My Lord," he stammered as he closed the door. "I did not expect you to have returned so quickly. I thought you would not be back until next month."
"The world is full of surprises," the Duke said coldly. He slipped his hand into his robe and pulled out a small ball-like object. With a flick of his wrist he sent it flying at the guard. The ball hit the floor and exploded in a cloud of gas. A moment after it exploded the guard was unconscious on the floor.
Calmly, the Duke unrolled the remaining parchment. His eyebrow raised as he looked at it. This one wasn't covered in writing like the previous ones had been. Instead it was another portrait. This one was of a young man with short brown hair. Blue eyes stared at him from the paper.
"It would appear our Duke is something of an artist," the Duke whispered to himself.
He gathered the other parchments and returned them to the safe. He locked it and put the portrait on the wall where it had hung before he had removed. The key went back into the drawer. The Duke dragged the guard behind the desk so that he wouldn't be clearly visible if someone looked into the room.
"Now I hope you won't mind me borrowing your face for a little while," the Duke whispered to the sleeping guard.
He straightened and began to change. He grew almost a full foot taller. At the same time his shoulders broadened out and the pudginess that he'd had before disappeared. Hair grew from the bald spot on his head and completely changed to become blonde. In less then a minute he had completely taken the guard's appearance.
"And now for the clothing." The robes of the Duke altered themselves to become exactly like the guard's uniform. The new guard removed the sword and belt from the sleeping guard's waist. Belting it around his own waist the copy was complete. "It should be much easier to get out of the building now."
Working his way over to the desk the new guard took the rolled up portrait and tucked it under his belt and made sure that his shirt hid it from view. Glancing around the study one last time the new guard left the room.
Since he blended in perfectly no one stopped him as he walked the halls. The exit was on the other side of the building, but it didn't take him long to get there. He looked over his shoulder once and stepped out into the light of the late afternoon. Making sure that no one was looking, the guard slipped into an alleyway next to the building he'd just left.
A few moments later an elderly woman clothed in a blue dress left the same alleyway. The guard never left it.
The embers of the fire burned lowly. The shadows of the night crept in around Pyre as he stared into what was left of his fire. He didn't bother putting more wood on it. He didn't need to. He'd just used the fire to cook with, and he'd eaten his meal hours before. Normally a fire was needed to scare off any predators that might decided a camper was a good meal. But he wasn't worried. Few things would willingly mess with a dragon. Of course, he was in his human form, but it wouldn't matter. He would survive any attack that came upon him while he slept, and would wake in more then enough time to retaliate.
He absently rubbed his thigh. Pierre had been wrong. The wound he had received five years early had healed. But it had healed with a scar. He was the only one of his kind to have a scar. It was unheard of. He didn't care though. The scar reminded him of Justin.
A tear rolled down his cheek. He knew that Justin was alive when he left this world, but he wasn't sure if he was alright now. Deep down he knew that Justin could take care of himself, but he still worried. He sighed.
"I suppose that's what being in love is all about," he whispered to himself.
Being separated from Justin was hard on him. to find someone and to fall in love with them always takes a toll on both parties. But to be pulled apart from the one you love is even worse. To complicate matters Pyre had no idea how to find Justin. He was a dragon. And magic came naturally to dragons. He could traverse the worlds to find his love, if he knew where his love was. Which he didn't. It was almost a personal insult that Pyre could get to Justin if he knew where Justin was. It was like fate had purposely kept that piece of information from him.
Sighing again, Pyre stared up at the night sky. With a frustrated groan he launched himself upward. Propelling himself into the sky he took flight. The sky took on an entirely different appearance during the night. The moon shone down and bathed everything in a silvery light. The forest was beautiful at this time.
He hadn't returned to Mexico. He didn't really know why. Though he suspected that Mexico wouldn't be the same without Justin. Another part of him suspected that the reason he remained in England is the hope that Justin would suddenly appear. It was funny what love would do to you. It would strip all rational thoughts from your mind.
He sighed again and turned back to his campsite. The fire had died completely by the time he landed. He didn't need the fire to see by either. He often pretended to be blind in the dark, but he wasn't. He could see even better then an elf could in total darkness.
In short order he had his sleeping area prepared and he lay down for the night. His last waking thoughts were of Justin. They always were. So were his first thoughts every time he woke. Anytime he was alone and he heard some one approach he hoped it was Justin. He knew it wasn't, but he still hoped.
"Forget the Renegade," the priest said. His robe swirled around his legs. "Let the other masters deal with her. My Master needs your aid."
The vampire stretched out on the couch she was lounged on. Her dress was a deep red, and was purposely cut to reveal a great deal. It barely clung to her body as she moved. A smile crossed her face. She was obviously trying to distract the priest.
"And why should I offer my aid to you?" She asked. "My children are precious to me and I stand to lose some of them if I help you."
"But think of the chaos you could spread. Think of the death and pain," the priest said. "Not to mention all of the people you could potentially bring into the fold."
Another smile laced across the vampire's face. "True. Keep talking."
"My Master wishes to see chaos rain across the land. With you as an ally we could do just that. Few things could stand in the way of your children."
"Very true," the vampire replied. "But what else do I get?"
"What more could you want?" The priest asked in shock. "Death, destruction, and chaos. They're all things you crave."
"Again true. But I want one other thing if you are to get my help."
"Anything I can give you I will," the priest promised. "My Master wishes to secure your aid."
"You."
"Pardon?"
"Don't play coy. I know perfectly well that your master doesn't insist upon chastity." The vampire slid her dress of. It wasn't difficult given the lack of fabric. "I want you to warm my bed. Give me that whenever I ask for it and my children and I will aid your master. There will be no question in that."
The priest leered at the nude figure before him. "Agreed. But I ask one last thing of you."
She arched an eyebrow. "Really? And what is that?"
"Your name," the priest said. "I must know the name of all of my lovers."
"Yesena," the vampire answered. "And yours? I also like to know the names of my lovers."
The priest stepped toward her and embraced her. "Sayer," he whispered into her ear moments before she tore the robe from his back.
TBC
Okay, that's it for now. Drop me a line and tell me what you think. The good and the bad. Either one will help me feed my e-mail addiction. Mist_dark@hotmail.com or Mist_dark@yahoo.ca
Until next time, Rune