4A/N: Here's chapter 2... I have to warn you that there's gonna be slash m/m. It's more of soft m/m so there's nothing much to worry about i guess? anyway, i'm already warning you here okay?
Chapter 2
World: Sable's subconscious mind
"Sable… Sable…"
She heard a voice – a familiar voice. She wondered whom that voice belonged to. It was cold, it was hard yet there was a tinge of warmth in it, but it's so faint, it could disappear.
Sable opened her eyes and saw darkness. She blinked and shook her head. She ran her hand through her hair and pushed herself up. Still darkness.
Again, she heard the voice calling her name and she shouted back, "Who are you!?" The voice stopped and the whole place suddenly lit up with lights, so bright that it hurts her eyes. She quickly used her arm to cover her eyes, trying to get a peek at the advancing figure towards her. When her eyes finally were accustomed to the lights, she let her hand down and let out a small shriek.
A girl stood before her with a sword in her hand. She could have passed off her Sable's twin if it weren't for her disheveled looks. Her hair was tied loosely at its end with a red ribbon and she was wearing a black collar shirt with matching jeans and brown combat boots. She was tanned and her skin was rough. Her black eyes were alert and sharp and you could drown staring into them. There was a long slash across her face from her right temple to her left cheek. Her lips were cracked and unsmiling. Yet, despite the fact that she looked horrendously out of fashion and might very well need to undergo some plastic surgery, there was a beauty surrounding her although it was faint.
"Did I scare you?" the girl asked.
"Who the hell are you and where am I?"
"Didn't Kendrick tell you?" the girl raised her eyebrows.
"Who's Kendrick?" Sable frowned, trying to remember while the other girl muttered something inaudible.
"The vampire. The blasted guy with long black hair that's tied up with a purple ribbon and lips as red as blood with eyes as green as the grass." The girl described in an irritated way.
Sable blinked. "You mean my master? Wait… you said vampire… what are you-"
"Good lord! Don't call him your master! Bloody hell! After what he did to me – no, wait. Us! – you dare put yourself below him!"
Sable retreated back using her hands to push her away. Everybody's crazy… her world was getting crazy… "Look lady," Sable said. "I don't know who the heck you are or where I am and I sure as hell don't believe my master's a vampire or the fact that vampires do exist as a matter of fact."
The girl sighed and stuck her sword against the black soiled ground. She rested her arm on the hilt and reached out a free hand to Sable. "Get up." Sable did as she was told. "First off, you're in your subconscious mind." Sable wanted to call her absurd again but she gave no opportunities and went on. "I am Sable. In other words, I'm you from the past during our last reincarnation. Kendrick, the guy who just bought you, has sent you to your subconscious mind to meet me so I may be the trigger for you to remember the rest of your memories. Granted, it's hard to believe or accept so just take what I'm going to show you as a dream. When you wake up and get back to the real world, you can decide for yourself whether to believe or not. But trust me dear, when we're done here, your gut instincts will tell you that all these are real even if you're too stubborn to believe it."
When the girl was done, Sable took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "I am a prostitute. I have two younger siblings to support. My life sucks, and I hate my job but it still pays, nonetheless. All these you're telling me? They come from mere fiction and right now, I think I've inherited some of my father's insanity…"
The other Sable shrugged. "I'm just here to carry out my job. Once you're able to accept the truth, my mind will merge with yours and hence you'll get back your full memory. For now though, just look ahead. There's something I need to you watch." She pointed ahead of them with the tip of her sword and there were images and sound. Their surroundings changed and Sable felt as if she was transported into another world. Beside her, she heard the strange girl talking as both of them continued to watch:
"In this universe, there exists four worlds, all of them made by the goddess of the celestial realms called Arkaál.
"The first world was called "Caleste". It was the world where Arkaál and all her angels dwell.
"The second world was called 'Earth', made through a freak accident while trying to make a world whereby magic was everywhere. Instead of creating creatures that possess the ability to conjure magic, what came out were beings that were slow at their movements and utterly useless, or so the goddess thought. Through time, the goddess noticed how evolution occurred amongst these creatures, now called 'humans' and finally how they became strong and powerful not physically but through intelligence.
"At the goddess's second attempt to create a world where sorcery and magic exist, a world called "Mystica" came about much to the goddess pleasure. Beautiful spells were cast everywhere and the world was glittery and full of amusement. It's inhabitants were perfect in every way and after giving it much thought, the goddess Arkaál decided to name the female creatures 'witches' and the male creatures, 'wizards'.
"The last world was a world that was not supposed to exist in the celestial realms. It was created only 6000 years ago when Arkaál banished one of her most trusted angels after finding out about the treachery that was done to her. She cast the angel to a world where sunlight only exist once every two years called 'Valekire'. The temperature was cold and the wind dry. The air wrecked of death and the angel's glorious white wings were turned into black glittering ones. Before banishing the angel from Caleste, the goddess created other creatures out of sympathy called vampires so that the angel would not be lonely. However, caused by her state of fury, these creatures, called vampires were made in a design of a devil hiding beneath the façade of an angel.
"One fine day, Arkaál realized her mistake in giving the fallen angel a world to live in instead of a solitary confinement. Jewels that could open up a path to heaven were created by the fallen angel. This stirred up havoc and worries in the whole of Caleste along with her angels. The goddess's advisors forbid her to enter Valekire, afraid that being apart from her own world and sanctuary would cause great harm to their goddess. Out of her sheer stubbornness, the goddess chose to enter the tainted world by herself. There, she fought with the angel who betrayed her.
"After long gruelling fights, the fallen angel fled but not before promising to return once more and retrieve what was his. Arkaál, weak and dying, tried to destroy the jewels. Nevertheless, no matter how many times she tried, the jewels would not break. Before she found a way to destroy it, the archangels came down and hurriedly brought her back to her sanctuary to heal.
"It was later known that the celestial jewels had hidden itself and cannot be found. It came as a relief to know that but that relief was not meant to be. A thousand year later, the celestial jewels reappeared again slowly but evidently opening up a gateway to Caleste. Much digging was done and Arkaál was informed that the traitor was on the move again.
"Desperate to stop him and forbidden to ever leaving her sanctuary and enter battle again, Arkaál was forced to summon two humans called 'Seekers', granting them the perfect body to undergo such a gruelling quest, in hopes that one of them would be able to stop the traitor and return, she will grant the one who manages to reach the jewels first three wishes. Accompanying and guiding each of the seekers are Arkaál's other creations, carefully selected by the goddess, from each of the world she has created including Valekire.
"After gathering the both the seekers, an enchanted sword that can only be wielded by them was given to each. The seekers, along with their knights: A witch or wizard for magical powers, a vampire for battle skills, and a historian for intelligence, began their quest.
"Despite the fact that both seekers cooperated and managed to kill the fallen angel, greed consumed them both. Knowing that only one was able to receive the three wishes, they betrayed one another and fought, trying to get rid of the other so they might be able to get hold of the jewels and have their wishes granted.
"As the door to heaven finally opened, only one remaining seeker was left, alone without her knights. The goddess descended from heaven and asked for three wishes. The seeker, crying with despair over the lost of her knights regretted what she had done and could not forgive what she and the other seeker had done and the bloodshed that continued even after they had killed the evil one.
"Her first wish was to restore all the worlds in the celestial realm to peace. The second wish, however, could not be fulfilled and it was to destroy the jewels, which made them into who they were as the goddess herself could not find a way to destroy them. Shaken with despair, anguish, and frustration by knowing that the goddess plans on finding new seekers and knights a thousand years later when the celestial jewels reappear again, the seeker made her second wish- a wish that shocked the goddess.
" 'My lady, I do not want anyone else to suffer what we have gone through. Because of this and maybe because it's a punishment that befits the evil that we've done after vanquishing the evil one, my second wish is for my knights and I to be reincarnated over and over again in a never ending cycle to be the seeker and the knights to guard the way to Celeste from anyone who dares to enter.'
"The goddess kept quiet for a moment. 'My child, do you know what sort of sacrifices you are making?' The girl nodded. 'But how would I know that you'd be here every time these jewels open the way to my world? These jewels hide themselves and never reappear in the same place twice for a thousand years! How can I be sure that you'd be here in time when neither of us could know where it would be resurfacing until it's too late? No, my child. I cannot trust you that deeply.
" 'But I'll give you a preposition. Your wish can be accepted if and only if another seeker and knights appear, just so in case you fail in your mission.'
" 'But my lady! You can't let this fight between both seekers to go on forever! All these bloodshed caused by our sense of greed! How can you bear to see so many innocent lives gone because of us?! Surely you can't say that the past would not repeat itself! You, my lady, have created us with great flaws especially that darkness that dwells in us! Why?! Why did you create us like that when it's supposed to be apparent to you that it's no good?!' the seeker argued growing more and more furious as the questions lingering in her heart rolled out from her tongue.
" 'My child, there are things that are unavoidable and some I could not explain, and this is one of them. That's the only way that I can see for me to grant your wish and at the same time give me peace.'
"The seeker's fingers curled up into a fist, choosing to say no more, admitting defeat. 'If that's the case, let Keegan and his knights reincarnate to be the other seeker once more. It would be better than letting others bearing our heavy fate.'
"The goddess looked down at the seeker apologetically. 'Very well. Your second wish is granted. You have one wish left. Think carefully, young one.'
" 'Grant our soul peace till the time has come for us to be reincarnated and awaken again to carry the burden of our fate as seekers and knights.'
"The goddess winced inwardly, her heart heavy as she granted the seeker's final wish. Lucius, what have we done? It's because of our own selfishness we've brought disaster to the worlds that we both loved so much! The goddess questioned in her heart and her only answer was a sweet deep laughter and a radiant face that can know only be found in her memories…"
The images disappeared and the strange girl stopped talking. Her eyes were sad and both hands now gripped the hilt of the sword so tightly that her hands were shaking. Sable's own emotions were also too strong for herself and she started crying. She could feel the pain, the sadness and the agony from the seeker as if she was the one there instead of being just a third party. "Why am I crying?" she asked, and touched the tears that trailed down her cheek.
"It's because deep down, you remembered your first battle. A warrior will never forget his first bloody battle. You remembered how you – we've – suffered and what it was like to have someone die by your hands for the very first time."
"But all these aren't supposed to be real!" Sable threw her hands up in frustration.
The strange girl started to tear herself and wiped away the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "It's real and you know it, you just don't want to believe it. You think that you're some low life scum but you're not. You're the reincarnation of one of the seekers destined to search and gather all the celestial jewels, get your three wishes and restore peace to the universe."
"You're absurd!" Sable screamed.
The girl shook her head. She took in a deep breath and let one a long sigh. "My job is done and you should return. Think about it, you know that all these are real and you know that you're meant for something else – not just selling your body."
Sable looked at her in the eyes, still crying while her body shook. She placed her hands over Sable's eyes and again came that same searing pain. Sable screamed and writhed before the same familiar darkness swept over her eyes and then her mind…
World: Earth (White Zone)
Kendrick sat himself down by Sable's bedside and looked at the clock. It had been 3 hours and it was about time for her to return. His eyes flickered to the photograph on the table beside the bed and he could feel his heart contracting itself so tightly. Sable was standing in front of him, clearly unable to smile but still forcing herself to do so. His eyes fell back on Sable's disturbed sleeping face and he reached out his hand to touch her skin only to quickly retract his hand. His fingers curled into a fist. What right do you have to even touch her, Kendrick? You who had betrayed her. You who had left her for the enemy – another man for that matter – and even now still hold lingering feelings for him! But most of all, you who've caused her failure and ruined the world for a thousand years! A voiced shouted inside his mind.
Kendrick pushed himself up abruptly and clutched his head. There it was again – the annoying voice inside his head. It was always reminding him of his sins – sins that he could never be forgiven for, sins that had been carried down from a thousand years ago until now.
You know you'll meet him again, Kendrick! The beautiful blonde boy whom you have left Sable for! What are you going to then? Betray Sable like you did the last time? Ruin the future of the universe again?
"Shut up… shut up… shut up!" Kendrick hissed at the taunting voice.
From behind, he heard a scream. He whirled around and saw Sable sitting straight up in bed, wailing hysterically. Her whole body was shaking and her hands went gripping the bed sheet tightly. Somehow grateful that Sable's awakening made the voice stop; he hurriedly walked towards her and knelt down on the floor so that he was at eye level with her.
"It's alright. Stop crying…" he said softly. He wanted to touch her and hold her in his arms but he knew he couldn't. He did not dare to.
Sable turned to look at him, into his red eyes. Oddly, they don't look as intimidating as they should be. "Wh-what the hell was that dream about!?" she shouted in between fits of sob.
At the same time, Luther and Saphira came rushing in. Kendrick's body immediately became erect and he stood up rigidly. Although still in an emotional state of distress, Sable still noticed how Kendrick became cold and distant again in the presence of the other two.
"You're awake!" the blonde haired girl said and crawled into bed with Sable.
"Don't sounds so darn cheerful, damn it!" Sable glared.
Saphira quickly wiped her smile away and pulled Sable into a hug. "I'm sorry that you had to see that hon."
"I-it's just a dream! Why am I being so worked up about it? Why do I feel as if it's so darnn real!?" Sable rested her head on Saphira's shoulder. Despite waking up from the dream, she could not get rid of the feelings of bricks on her heart and the stones on her shoulders.
"What did you see?" Luther asked in his gentle melodic voice.
Sable closed her eyes and she could clearly see her dream replaying itself in her mind. She allowed her dream to roll out from her tongue. "… and then I saw him. The- the other… seeker. We were fighting and all I saw were a blur of images and the sound of screeching metal just filled my ears. Kee-Keegan. He was laughing and there was something extremely wild in his eyes – insanity…" Sable whispered, suddenly feeling fearful as her lips formed the name of the other seeker.
It later when she noticed that the three people in the room were quiet and did not make a move. She looked up at them quizzically. "Did the past-you say anything else about Keegan? Are you sure she even mentioned his name?" Luther asked, frowning.
Sable blinked in surprised and backtracked. Wait, not once did the strange girl from her dreams mention a name besides Kendrick's. In fact, all the while when the story's being told, did she mention any name at all.
"She… never mentioned any names…" Sable whispered. Kendrick, Saphira and Luther exchanged silent looks. Her eyes feel back on the white sheets and in a trembling voice, she asked, "How did I know the other seeker's name? How could I even think up of such weird names such as 'Keegan'?" there it was again, the sudden extreme fear when she said the name like it was an abomination.
"That's because you're slowly and unconsciously regaining your memories of the past." Luther answered.
"But all these aren't real! There are no battles, there are not other worlds and there are no seekers!"
"And yet you somehow talked with a sense of confidence as if that all these are real just a moment ago." Kendrick began and leaned his hip on the bedpost with folded arms. "You said you watched the so-called movie in your dream from a third person's point of view and yet you did not use the word 'she' to address the girl in the movie. Instead, you used the word 'I', which means you know that you're the one in the dream. Or to have this said more accurately, you're talking as if it's not a dream but a memory from a long time ago." Kendrick concluded with finality, his eyes fixed onto the carpet.
Sable was confused and angry. Her mind was in an utter mess as strange images and memories continued to flood her mind. She realized that Kendrick had a point and she hated that it was true. It was hard to believe and clearly, she had the right not to. Her life was complicated and she did not need any more complications to make it worst. Besides, she needed proof. Everything was too surreal for her to be able to just give in just like that!
"This is unbelievable. This can't be true. My life's shit and I don't need anymore extra shit like you guys busting into my life! Here you come suddenly telling me that I'm some seeker destined for some big and important things!" Sable scrambled out of bed and glared at everyone around her. She pointed to herself and shouted, "Look at me! I'm a prostitute! I sell my body to men for money! Such fantasy things are absurd and even if they are true, it can't happen to me of all people!" For practically the tenth time today, she cried. "Look please, my dad's mentally insane, my mum's cold dead. I have two younger siblings who depend entirely on me and I swear to God that I will give them a life that's a million times better than mine!"
Luther stepped forward despite the warnings from Sable and grabbed her arm before pulling her into an embrace. He gently patted her hair and rested his face on her head. "It's alright… Just let the tears flow…" he comforted her. Sable burst into more tears for no one showed her this much of kindness before when she cried. She hugged him back and buried her face in his chest, letting her tears soak into his soft blue shirt.
Saphira bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying. She loved her seeker more than anything else in the world. Sable was not only her master but also a friend and a sister. To see Sable suffering so much and with the knowledge that she would suffer even more so long as the jewels could not be destroyed made her heart ache. She turned to look at Kendrick who had never left his position by the bedpost. His head was still hung low and his black hair covered his face, cleverly shielding any feelings his eyes could give away.
While Luther continued to silently allow Sable hold on to him for dear life, Saphira walked up to Kendrick. In her mind, she easily searched for a link – a bright line of lights – that linked her mind with the vampire's.
Kendrick closed his eyes tightly and his lips turned into a snarl at the sound of Sable crying. He could not do anything to comfort her. He did not have the softness and gentleness of Luther nor did he have the warm brightness of Saphira. All he had was what a vampire should have – anger, darkness, intimidation and most of all, trouble and pain. After all, his kind was made in the image of a fallen angel.
"Kendrick!" He heard Saphira's voice in his mind. He opened his eyes and slowly lifted his head to stare into wood-colored ones. "Clearly, Sable's having it rough this time round. I swear to the goddess Arkaál that if you ever repeat your mistakes again, Luther and I will eliminate you without a moment hesitation. So I suggest that if you still have any lingering feelings towards Keegan, you better get rid of it."
Kendrick smiled with a perverse pain carved into the smooth features of his face. "Don't worry. Even if I still do love Keegan, I will never repeat my mistakes again." he stood up and walked towards the door. He knew that Luther had connected his mind with theirs so that he could listen to his conversation with the witch. Clearly, Luther had something to say about this too.
"Kendrick, please be careful with your emotions. You've seen the consequences when the wishes fall into Keegan's hands. You may love him, but bear in mind that he must be killed – either by your hands or ours." Luther eyed him from the corner of his eyes. Kendrick stopped short at the doorway and his shoulders shook as he laughed softly. He replied them with a tinge of madness and irritation in his voice, "As I've said, don't worry. I shan't put the universe at risks again. Besides, my fellow knights… I'm not even sure myself whether my whole heart belongs to Keegan alone. Maybe I still love Sable too as a lover. Who knows?"
"Kendrick! Don't you dare play with Sable's feelings again!" Saphira shouted angrily. Kendrick cut off his mind from theirs, waved his hands before turning to his right, and disappeared from the room.
Saphira was about to storm after Kendrick but Luther shook his head. Saphira let her anger die off and walked towards Sable who had finally calmed down. "Sable, listen to me. I need you so much and you mean the world to me. Believe in the strange memories that are returning to you and be my sister and friend once more. You have no idea how important you are to the universe – even heaven."
"You said you want to give a life to your siblings that are a million times better than yours. What if you could give them not a million but a billion times better? You can change the state of the universe with the wishes that will be granted to you at the end of the battle. You can wish for peace and for happiness and restore order to this dying planet. You have the chance and power to create a better world for your siblings to live in, so why not?" Luther pushed Sable away so that she could look at him and see how serious he was.
"You're talking cliché bullshit again…" Sable muttered.
Luther laughed. "No I'm not."
"What must we do or what must your eyes see for you to believe all these and believe what we have to say?" Saphira asked, starting to get a little desperate for Sable's trust.
Sable was silent for a moment. "I… suddenly had a memory of me in a pasture doing uh… magic." She muttered quickly in a monotonous voice.
Saphira perked up and her eyes glittered. Magic was her specialty and when there's magic, there's always her which means it has to be a memory that they had shared between them. "What kind of magic?" she asked eagerly.
Sable blushed, feeling foolish. "I was turning scrap of papers into tiny colorful birds that have long tails that seem to leave a trail of glitter behind them when they fly."
"Colored dust birds!" Saphira exclaimed and started reminiscing about that particular memory. Only both of them were sitting in the middle of a green pasture in the world of Mystica. There were flowers everywhere but no sign of birds. They decided to conjure up dust birds to further brighten up the mood. It happened before the betrayal of Kendrick and everyone was still happy – as far as happiness could bring them anyway with the battle in hand.
"Colored dust birds?" Sable echoed after her.
"Yes. You can even conjure one up now actually! You just need some unwanted object." Saphira quickly went and grab a piece of tissue paper and placed it in Sable's hand.
"What the bloody hell are you trying to make me do?" Sable frowned wearily at Saphira then at her fist with the tissue in it.
"You said you'd believe us if you could perform magic right? Well, you're going to do just that."
"Hey, hey. Hold on a minute!"
"Shush! Just follow my instructions. Trust me…" Saphira smiled mischievously. Sable turned to Luther for help but the man just shrugged.
"Go ahead," he said. "Follow what Saphira has to say. There's no harm trying."
Sable dropped her shoulders. "Okay…" she muttered unwillingly.
Saphira clapped her hands. "Well, first of all, you just have to do this…"
A/N: please review? It'll be much appreciated!