Title: Fantasia

Author: Regina Wren

E-mail: wren13 @ gmail.com

Fandom & Pairing: Janne Da Arc; ka-yu x yasu

Keywords: yaoi, romance, AU

Rating: Teens

Words: 19, 435

Status: Complete

Disclaimer: I don't hold any rights over anyone contained herein, except for the story, which is mine. And just because I should probably point this out legally: this is a fantasy, plain and simple, it's not meant to harm anyone directly or indirectly, I'm not making any profit from this, and it's only meant for entertainment and enjoyment purposes.

 

Comments: I drew inspiration for this from everywhere, from folklore to fairytales to grand fantasy. I drew inspiration from all the faerie and fantasy books I’ve ever read, especially Raymond E Feist's Magician, and Faerie Tale, C J Cherryh's Faery in Shadow, even Jakie Cassada's Court of All Kings, and an article in the Sydney Morning Herald called Away With The Fairies (Jul 28.02). Then the movies Princess Mononoke and The Last Unicorn. After that I incorporated aspects of traditional mythologies from the Celts and Australian Aborigines. In short, it's a bit of a hybrid.

 

 

 

Fantasia
By Regina Wren

Part 1

Beyond the leafy trees, the sky was no more than a pale shimmer. The broken sunlight threw dappled shadows onto the forest floor, and gentle breezes stirred the leaves. This was one of the deepest parts of the forest Ka-yu had yet been to. Here the traces of man became few and far between, and even the road lost its sense of permanency, becoming winding and uneven through the trees.

It was a strange place, this deep wood. People who had passed through here brought with them stories of magical creatures, ancient spirits, and fey folk. Here was the place where man faded and myth began.

Beneath him, his horse, Lady, snorted. Working as the Duke's hunts master meant Ka-yu was also the resident forester for the Duke's lands. Most of the time that simply meant patrolling the forests, keeping an eye out for illegal poaching, trespassers and the like without disturbing the wildlife. But even though he was a trained hunter, there were places in this forest where even he wouldn't go idly. The dark places that didn't belong to man but to the wild, and he knew enough to respect them.

It wasn't bad work. This job left him free to roam the forest all day, and he wouldn't have traded that for anything else. There was a peace to this place, one that was not often found elsewhere in the world these days.

And it never got lonely. There were usually plenty of animals to keep him company. Rabbits and porcupines abounded in the undergrowth, and coming across badgers and foxes wasn't unusual. Sometimes he even caught sight of a few deer among the trees.

But recently the animals had been vanishing, and now the days of seeing anything larger than a sparrow were becoming progressively less. Even the rabbits and squirrels seemed to have disappeared, and this at the coming of summer was more than a little worrying. At first he'd suspected poachers, but as the weeks went on and smaller animals began disappearing the whole phenomenon had just become bizarre. Something was wrong in this forest, which was why he was in this place now. Perhaps the deepest forest could provide some answers.

The stable master, Shuji, had reminded him before he left, "If you're going into the deep wood, stay on the road. You don't want to stray off the road in that place." Ka-yu knew the stories of course; everyone around here did. People left the road and vanished without a trace. The last time that had happened, the missing man was found seven days later on the church steps. He was confused and seemingly unaware that any time had passed since his disappearance, as though that week meant nothing to him.

At twenty-six Ka-yu was perhaps the youngest forester to ever work for the Duke, but in forests like this you learnt very quickly to respect the ways of the land. One wrong step on rough ground and you could break a leg, and it would be days before anyone found you. It always paid to be careful and not tempt nature. Ka-yu had learnt a long time ago to cooperate with the forest by keeping eyes and ears open, along with an open mind. Out here in the wild, away from people, things could happen that would never happen in the town or cities. That was why even Shuji's short advice wasn't discounted. Given the foreignness of the place, Ka-yu certainly had no intention of stepping off the road into that wilderness unless absolutely necessary.

Lady snorted again and Ka-yu stroked her glistening black neck in reassurance. She didn't like this darker wood, and the shifting light among the dense trees made her nervous. Faerie-light was what people called it because it almost seemed unearthly at times, as though the dancing beams came from some source other than the sun. Nevertheless, the rifle's weight on his back was reassuring, he noticed, even though he had only ever used it to put a dieing animal to rest and fend off rabid wild-dogs.

They had gone far into the deep forest now where there was nothing but the natural sounds of the forest. Still they hadn't seen any animals except for some swallows darting among the leaves. It was just a little disconcerting, as though something ominous hung over the forest watching and waiting. Ka-yu knew how to keep quiet so as not to startle the forest animals, but he hadn't seen too many of those in a long time. Almost like they had left or gone into hiding.

Suddenly the birds stopped singing. The wind stilled as though a giant hand had cut it off and Ka-yu was immediately alert. Absolute silence fell around him and he reigned in his horse to listen. Lady stamped her hooves and tossed her head nervously while the hunter tried to calm her down. All around, everything was still, like the whole world had just died in an instant.

Lady trembled, refusing to move and disobey her rider, but Ka-yu could feel her muscles quake against his legs as he scanned the trees. There was no sign of anything that should worry her like this, only the silent trees and dappling sunlight, but Ka-yu was wise enough not to discount an animal's instincts. There was something out there that scared her, and judging from the stillness it had similarly frightened all the other animals into hiding.

"What is it, Lady? What do you feel?"

 

She snorted and sniffed the air uneasily.

The first indicator that something was coming was the flapping sound in the air, like a thousand wings beating against the wind. Everything after that happened so fast.

An explosion of black birds erupted from the trees with a heart-stopping thunder. That wave of darkness surged forward, helplessly enveloping Ka-yu and Lady within seconds. Beating wings and sharp beaks flashed past, wind rushing in Ka-yu's ears and all he could do was shield his face with his arms.

Lady reared in terror, all restraint forgotten, fear driving her now. She leapt up, fore hooves flailing the air, and Ka-yu was thrown violently from his seat. In a mad dash the beautiful mare raced off into the forest, just as Ka-yu hit the ground. Pain shot blindingly through his arm where he landed on it and stars momentarily clouded his vision. Reacting on instinct, he rolled out of the path of perceived danger to lie on his stomach. A glance upwards showed hundreds of soot-black birds racing above him. As he watched, they suddenly angled higher, their race through the canopy taking them above the trees, and Ka-yu scrambled to his feet lest any stampeding animals coming past trample him in their flight.

Then he saw it. The huge hulking form of inky shadow walking through the trees towards him. Shaped like a man, the giant seemed to be formed only of swirling darkness, as though absorbing the daylight itself.

Reflexively Ka-yu stepped backwards, his foot sinking into the soft turf of untrodden undergrowth. Shuji's warning about the road was long forgotten. In another step backwards, his heel slammed against a rock tripping up Ka-yu's balance.

The only thing he felt after he fell was the crashing pain when his skull hit a tree trunk, and then there was only darkness.



* * * * *



He was warm; that was the first thing Ka-yu noticed when consciousness seeped back into his brain. There was some kind of blanket around him - feather-soft - and he was slightly propped up against something. When he squinted through half open eyes, he found a campfire crackling by his side, but he couldn't focus on it; he could have sworn it was burning on bare rock without any kind of fuel.

Ka-yu groaned weakly. He was numb all over and he tried vainly to push that deafening pulsing out of his head.

There was a soft shuffling noise, and a face appeared infront of him. It was a young man no older than himself, but his mind was too hazy to concentrate on it for long.

A cup was wafted under his nose. "Here, drink this." It was more of a demand than a request and Ka-yu didn't have the strength to protest, so when the cup was pressed to his lips he could only do as he was told. The liquid tingled down his throat and immediately sent waves of warmth through his body, spreading into his bones, his muscles, until all of him was wrapped in that wonderful touch.

"Now sleep. You need to gather your strength," a comforting hand trailed gently through his hair, and Ka-yu found himself unable to do anything but obey.

Before his eyes slid closed, he noted the stars glinting above him, which told him he was still outdoors and it was night time. Then he lost himself to oblivion again.

Several times during the night he awoke, and each time the other man was there at his side to feed him from that healing tea. Somehow he slept better under that care, knowing that someone was there beside him, that he wasn't alone.

 

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

When Ka-yu finally woke up completely, it was morning. The sun blinded him for a moment and he blinked against the light. When he sat up his head felt wonderfully clear and rested, like after a deep, relaxing sleep. Tentatively Ka-yu reached up to run a hand over the back of his head, searching for the bruise. But there was no trace of any injury, like it had miraculously healed in a few hours.

Looking around, the clearing he was in was definitely not a familiar one. Emerald green grass stretched out on all sides, a gentle slope leading down to the edges of a little creek. Jade water-grass lined the banks, and water sparkled in the sunlight. The trees here were greener than any he had seen elsewhere, the sky bluer, as though the air of approaching summer was clearer here than anywhere else in the country. Small breezes rippled across the grassy floor, and wildflowers nodded their pale heads in that soft sea of green.

He knew the Duke's lands, and this place didn't look anything like that forest. But if he wasn't in the Duke's forest anymore, where was he? There was no way to tell, and if he were to start walking now he would probably get hopelessly lost.

It was only now that Ka-yu remembered all that had taken place. Lady galloping off into the dark forest, and that shadow, that thing, whatever it was approaching through the trees.

Someone was coming towards him, up from the direction of the creek; the other man that had watched over him last night, Ka-yu recognised. The lithe figure walked gracefully, hips swaying lightly, body strung full of confident energy as he moved. Golden hair hung loose past his shoulders, and clad in silver-blue shirt and trousers, he cut a stunning figure in the natural surrounds they were in.

But something told Ka-yu that no one would ever see this young man walking down the streets of a common town. There was something unusual about him, and so striking, in a way that a normal person could never be.

"Good. You're awake," He flashed a charming smile, full of cheer and delight. "How do you feel?"

Ka-yu considered for a moment. He wasn't in any pain, and amazingly well rested. If he hadn't been lying in a forest clearing and feeling wide awake while doing so, he might have dreamt the entire thing. "Surprisingly well," he decided at last. "Thanks for last night."

The man crouched by his side and reached for the cloth strips tied over where Ka-yu's arm had been injured. "It's no big deal," he shrugged lightly. "I mean, I couldn't just leave you there. Especially after..." he cut himself off sharply, biting his lip.

"After...?" Ka-yu wondered aloud. "That creature?"

Dark eyes glanced up suddenly, catching his gaze and holding it steadily. Eyes, serene and deep, black as onyx, gazed back at him searchingly. "You saw it?"

Ka-yu shook his head uncertainly. "I saw... something. Something huge and dark..." the memory made him grow cold. "Or did I dream that too?"

"No," the blonde lowered his head, returning to his work. "It was real. But most humans can't see it, even those with second sight."

It took a moment for Ka-yu to absorb that. Most humans? He regarded his companion closely. This man was beautiful, and out here in the deep forest, talking about a thing that according to all knowledge didn't even exist? But instead of being unnerved, Ka-yu felt strangely intrigued. Whatever was going on here was mysterious, and irresistibly fascinating. Perhaps it was his adventurous spirit taking over or the fact that he felt inexplicably drawn to this man. But whatever the reason he found he was a lot more comfortable with the situation than he had expected. Strange.

The makeshift bandage came off and Ka-yu glanced down to see the pale pink skin on his arm like a recently healed wound. The blonde regarded it closely, long fingers tracing lightly over the skin. "Does that hurt?" he asked, sounding exactly like a doctor examining his patient.

Ka-yu smiled faintly at that image. "No. That tickles."

The man laughed suddenly, his eyes sparkling, pleased and amused at once. "Good." Then he stowed away the bandage since Ka-yu wouldn't need it any longer. "My name is Yasu. I hope I didn't scare you last night."

Ka-yu wondered what he meant by 'scare,' but answered as honestly as he could. "No, I was glad you were there. Thanks," he held out a hand to Yasu. "I'm Ka-yu."

The sunlight falling onto Yasu's face lit up sparkling eyes that spoke of constant mischief and good humour. "Ok, Ka-yu," he stood and took hold of the seated man's hand. "Can you stand?"

But before Ka-yu could reply, he was hauled to his feet by an inhuman strength. With the ground under his feet he had expected to feel some kind of dizziness, but none came and he found himself quite able to stand without aid. Whatever he'd been fed must have been one hell of a medicine.

When he looked around, Yasu was already across on the other side of the clearing gathering up his small belongings into a compact little cotton backpack. The man could certainly move fast when it pleased him.

"Let's get going. We should move while the sun's still up," he announced cheerfully, hoisting his pack onto his shoulders.

"Why? Where are we going?" Yasu obviously intended for them to go together no matter what Ka-yu thought of the idea. But seeing as he was supposed to be finding out why the forest animals were disappearing, Ka-yu really didn't have a good reason to argue. He had a feeling Yasu knew a whole lot more about this forest than he did, besides which he had no idea where he was and could quite possibly be wandering around lost for days. Shuji's warning came back to mind. He had no desire to stumble around for days until he too was found on the church steps muddled and confused. But he also knew it was already too late to turn back. Everything about this morning told him that this was not his world. He didn't belong in a place where the trees were this green or the sky this clear, and certainly not where creatures as enchanting as Yasu lived.

Ka-yu bent to retrieve his rifle, still in its sheath, the only belonging he had, given it had been strapped to his back. He noticed though that a hunting knife was still strapped into his boot. Yasu hadn't removed that while he slept. Interesting.

When he straightened, the other was watching him. "Somewhere safe," he replied in answer to Ka-yu's question. "The day is ours. The dark is weaker in the light," he added cryptically, and with a toss of his golden hair he set off into the trees, leaving Ka-yu to follow him.