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.

Fantasia
By Regina Wren

Part 6

 

 

The unexpected sound of horns was what made both Yasu and Ka-yu sit up. After spending the rest of the day in what was to Ka-yu a peaceful paradise, those horns cut through the night like a blade. In a second Yasu was on his feet by the window. Apart from the beeswax candle on the table, there was no other light on inside Yasu's place, and that flickering light seemed suddenly too small in the darkness beyond the window. The horns sounded again, and Yasu almost seemed to shrink from their call.

"What's going on?" Ka-yu asked, as he too left the table.

"Those horns mean danger. Something's coming..." his voice drifted off, and he stepped over to open the door so that he could see better outside.

Ka-yu followed him, his gaze sweeping quickly over the village. The hollow sound of those horns made him anxious and he knew he wouldn't be able to relax until he knew what was happening. It was mostly dark outside, but there were flickers of light where the fey were waking up, or possibly preparing weapons in defence of the unknown danger. Tiny, glinting lights in the dark, a taste of fear driving them.

The two watched their surroundings, warning horns growing more insistent as the minutes passed. Ka-yu noticed the fey move a little closer to him, before their attention was abruptly diverted.

A scream interrupted the horns, closely followed by more cries in the darkness. Then the area around them was alive with lights and activity. Fey swarmed from their dwellings carrying bows and arrows, crossing the garden township in leaps and bounds. For a moment the moon darkened as a shadowy figure lumbered into view: a familiar figure.

It was the same unmistakeable form that had startled Ka-yu and his horse, the same hulking gait that carried it. He remembered that darkness only too well. Blacker than the night, it stalked through the huge trees, fear and confusion seeming to radiate in its wake.

Dozens of silver elf-arrows flew at it, looking like shooting stars in the dark. But even faerie weapons had no effect on the demon. Arrows vanished in its body, swallowed by the swirling shadow, not even slowing it down.

Faerie scattered before its advance, spilling in all directions.

Yasu seemed frozen, simply staring at the chaos unfolding infront of his eyes, as though he were in shock. Their sanctuary had been violated. The one place they still regarded as safe now lay at the centre of all they fled from.

Ka-yu watched in despair as the charming forest-beings scattered, but it must have been worse for Yasu who belonged with these people. He reached around the other's shoulders and Yasu instinctively moved closer, though his eyes remained fixed on the confusion unfolding before them.

All of a sudden the demon seemed to get frustrated at the creatures scurrying around it. In mid stride one of the limbs functioning as arms rose savagely against a tree house. Wood splintered and screams echoed into the night. Torn vines tumbled loose and the broken remains of the house plummeted to the ground far below.

A lone faerie caught in the demon's thrashing arms hit that insubstantial shadowy hand and immediately went limp. Its light went out in a second, like the glamour had been sucked right out of its being. Only an empty shell of a body fell back to Earth.

Another blow to another tree house... the crash of shattering wood... more screams of pain soaring into the darkness.

Ka-yu understood now. A creature born of destruction, incapable of anything but wreaking more destruction and misery. An existence of pain spreading the only things it knew: anger, loathing, frustration... sucking the life and magic out of anything that came too close.

The garden paled and the trees withered as he watched. The rage of that demon lashed out on all sides, crushing dozens of houses and breaking entire branches off the trees with thunderous devastation.

And all around, the lights of the fey died where the demon touched them. Bodies falling to the ground as they grew fainter, like melting snowflakes in flight. Hundreds of lights flickering and failing in that impenetrable darkness.

Yasu gave a cry of anguish when he saw his people die, and in one swift move, spun to bury his face against Ka-yu's shoulder, as though by looking away he could stop the slaughter of his folk. Ka-yu kept his own eyes low, Yasu's voice warning about looking a Forest God in the eyes echoing in his head even as his arms came up to hold the other man. He was too numb to feel, and could only cradle the golden head against him, offering what little comfort he could. Waiting for the demon's fury to pass. What else was there to do?

Lights on the trees crumbled and faded in the shadow-creature's path, fey glamour fading like candles blown out by the wind. Hundreds of lights winking out all over the trees, and the darkness seemed all the greater because of it.