Seth put his hands on sabyiens shoulders. "Tell me everything. Who the hell
was that? What did they mean? Sabyien, tell me."
"That was the creator of the this world, all the worlds. They monitor the
sword once it is pulled from a saint... they terminate the dimention."
"Terminate it..." Seths face paled. "But we put the sword back, we returned
things to normal...."
"No seth. This is not normal. Because I was revived and the sword broke this
world is to be destroyed."
"but... We fixed this..."
"Seth!" Sabyien shook him. "This is not fixed. Because of what happened this
world is to be destroyed! Don't you understand?! All thats left for this world
is destruction! We stand at the verge.... of neutralization."
"The nothing... the chaos... the void..." Ryo whispered standing
up. "Sabyien... I'm going."
"Going where?"
"The Gateway. It must be the way to get to Their state of being. If I can
defeat them... the neutralization won't happen."
"Not alone you won't ryo." Seth said standing. "I won't let you go do a fool-
hearty thing like that, not while I'm standing."
"Then maybe you should sit down." ryo looked him in the eye. "Seth I can'tt let
you go, I was the one who was having the visions, I was the one they were
speaking to... It is my job as... Eve."
Sabyien heard him speak the last words and was suddenly sweapt away by a flash
back, he was hiding in the gardens he could hear his mother speaking to his
father. He was trying to convince her otherwise but the tone in her voice held
such a willed tone that nothing he could say would stop her.
"As The Eve of this world it is my job to protect this dimension. so please,
Don't try to stop me." those were her parting words which ryo recited
exactly.
Sabyien looked down at him. he understood.
"Ryo...Don't do this." Sabyien moved to take both of Ryo's hands, "You don't
know what your doing. You could lose our life, I cannot let that happen!-"
"Saby!" Ryo gripped the guardian's hand tightly. "If I don't do something,
then this world will..."
"I will not let you go alone!" Sabyien almost shouted, "I love you...Let me
share your fate, I...I'm nothing without you..."
"And I..." Seth said, "...am bond to you Ryo, My life is tied to yours.What if
Fate desides to exchange your life for this world? If you offer that, then you
will kill me as well." The vampire sat down.
"We aren't completely bound yet." Ryo corrected him. "So if i die you aren't
comming with me."
"Ryo... be sensible." sabyien holds him by his arms. "You won't survive out
there alone."
"Thats why I can't let you guys go. I love you both to much." he looked at
them with compelling eyes. "Please... let me go."
Sabyien hung his head so that he would not have to look Ryo in the eye, "So you
would willingly end the peace that I've found with you? If you die, I have no
reason to exist here in this world...I'd be forced to continue a hopeless quest
for the Sword in a another world, Where I may lose all memory of you. Please
Ryo, please think this through..."
"I have..." Ryo began, "Sabyien!!" he yelled as the guardian suddnely backed
away from him and ran from the room.
Sabyien didn't want to Ryo to see his tears, he hadn't cried since he was a
child. Once out of the music room, he wandered the halls aimlesly.
So it begins once again, the cycle of the universe, turing on it's axus. His own
destiny to return to the search for the sword of light. To return home to
nothing but loneliness.
Sabyien found himself staring out one of the windows, the clouds where braking
up, a scattering of blue-sky here and there. He wiped his face, maybe he should
accept this, Ryo's distion, respect it as a true Knight would.
"I can't....I can't not when I've come so close."
Ryo Looked at seth with tears in his eyes. "I... Don't want either of you two
to get hurt seth... please... Understand."
"Ryo... do you know why you are here right now? Its because the guardian and I
were there to protect you. How long do you sensibly think you would last on
your own? Seriously, give it a guess."
Ryo said nothing.
"Ryo. you need our help."
The vampire was firm, He didn't accept Ryo's reasons for going alone. He went
to go find Sabyien, to tell him that he would join Ryo.
"Sabyien?" Seth walked into the bedroom, he found the guardian dressed in the
mission gear that Ariel had given him, he looked up at as he was tying the
sword's sheath to his belt. Seth blinked, "Where-?" Saby cut him off.
"I'm going to the gateway, please don't tell Ryo...keep him here."
"Your going alone? without any back-up?"
"I won't need back up." Sabyien said walking towards him."I'm not coming
back."
"Sabyien, Not coming back? That's foolish!" Seth put both hand on Saby's
shoulders. "You would leave Ryo and I While you face that thing alone? No! I
won't have it!"
Sabyien kisses seth deeply. "Seth If you love me, let me go."
"..." Seth let him go. "We should convince ryo ro let you."
Seth went downstairs there was a note on the table.
'Seth, Tell sabyien I'm sorry. What I do now I do so you won't have too.'
Sabyien closed his eyes and groaned softly. Seth frowned. "Would you make it
to the gateway in time?"
"Yes, I should be there before he does....Ryo doesn't know the way." Sabyien
started walking to teh gargage. "Seth? do you still have the bike?"
"Yes....but I'm coming along with you."
"Fine." Sabyien says grabbing two helmets he climbs on the chopper with seth
behind him and starts it up, the two drive along, "so where is this gateway?"
Seth shouts.
"Lazen castle. Where i was born."
"Fitting." Seth chuckles.
Ryo Walks through the city, once he reches a river he stepps out onto
it. "Spirit of the river guide me, please take me to the gateway between the
worlds."
Ryo closed his eyes, when opened them again he found himself in the river in
crountry, Looking around he walked out the water and saw a castle nearby.
Tearing down the roads at top speed, Sabyien had half his mind on the road.
The gateway was hidden under the water in the castles central foutin, getting
the gateway to open was going to be difficult, it required a lot of energy.
Saby slowed and truned down a dirt path, the surroundedings where starting to
become familier to him. This path connects teh main suply road leading to the
back of the castle. They should get there soon.
Ryo walked from the river to the castle, it looked on the edge of ruin but he
could tell, at one time, long ago this would have been a place of great power,
he pushed open the gate and looked around the fron gardens, he shivvered and
puled sabyiens jacket tighter around him. he walked n throught the front door
of the castle. he wondered why he didn't feel nervous. why in this dark,
secluded, dangerous place, he felt safe. as safe as he felt with seth and
sabyien.
"Sabyien..." he said alout, his voice echoing through the building. Ryo
continued to walk through the building exploring a bit. seeing faded and
moulded paintings on the walls, hre could see a man and a woman holding a
child the eyes were unmistakeable. sabyien as a small child. ryo felt himself
tremble looking into the vivid eyes unnerved by their intense stare. he
continued on until he found the door to the court yard; he walked outside and
stopped.
"Sadi? What are you doing here?"
The demon gatekeeper gave him a hard stare. "I was expecting the guardian to
come back....why are you here?"
Yes, these where the fields where he played as a child, and then hunted when
he was 13. Sabyien stopped and pushed back the visor looking at the ruins,
remebering the fromer glory of Lazen castle. "I have retuned...."
"Saby?" Seth said from the back "I can sence....something theing here."
"Yeah...so can I...Ryo must not be here yet." Sabyien pushed the visor down"
Hold on." He drove the bike through the long grass, he stopped at the back
gate.
Aboandoning the bike and the helmets Sabyien lead Seth through the back
rooms.
"I have come... to sae the world." ryo said clenching his fists.
"Un-armed?" sadi asked perking an eyebrow, "and without you're protectors?"
"I came of my own accord." Ryo stood bravely. "As for weapons I chose to use
mine own power."
"the one the creator gave you and can easilly take away now that you're
impure. vonerable, and about to enter their territory? Smart move." Sadi was
of course sarcastic.
Ryo crossed his arms. "Well what weapon should I take then smartass?"
"Here." he tossed him a shortsword. "use this."
"Thanks." Ryo approached the fountain sadi stopped him.
"You can't go through. You don't have enough power."
Hearing voices, Sabyien walked out into the courtyard. "Ryo!" Both Seth and
Sabyien said situltaiouly. Ryo truned.
"There you are Guardian, I was wondering when you'd get here." Sadi
said, "With your help we might be able to get the gateway open."
"'We?'" Sabyien walked closer to teh foutian. "I had desided to go alone."
Ryo spoke up. "Saby, what you do if you gone?"
Sabyien frowned, "What do you think...I'll make a bargin, if not, I'll try to
fight it."
SEth was listening, Sadi winced. "Guardian, this is not an enemy that you can
win against. The pathways alone would be confusing, you might not even make it
the realm of the Jugdement."
"I'm going anyways."
"Not alone your not..." Sadi said. "It's true the Ryo has the power that can
face it, but he dosn't know how to use it. Sabyien, you know how to use that
power, you must go with Ryo."
"This is all well and good, Sadi...but I'm not going to be left behind while
they endager themself on this mission.I'm coming too!" Seth said. The demon
frowned at him but nodded. "Very well, You'll need a guide...I'll guide you
to the realm of Judgment."
"Agreed." Saby muttered through gritted teeth. stepping itno the fountain as
did the others. from one of the spots sabyien took a drink from the water. he
could feel his soul slip from his body, the others followed suit. they were on
their way.
Ryo felt someone grab his hand. Sadi's voice came in his head. 'Hold onto one
another...you'll get lost if you dont'
Ryo reached out a felt a the cool hand of the vampire grabing it. 'ok, this is
very strange.' Seth's voice said. There was no word from the guardian. Ryo
couldn't see anyone but he could hear them.
'Ok, we are here...get ready.'
Ryo let out a brief scream when he felt himself fall, it seemed that they fell
only a short distance. His feet hit the floor.
"Ok, open your eyes..."
Sabyien frowned, he let go of Sadi's hand. he looked around "A Maze...how
unoiginal..." he put a hand on the hilt of his sword. "So Sadi, which way?"
"This way." Sadi started to lead them, "but be warned. there are trials to
this world."
"Trails?"
"Tests that people have to go through to prove their worthyness to fight the
final boss... Atleast thats what its like in all the videogame's I played."
"this Isn't a videogame ryo, were in an alternate dimention about to fight a
giant monster to save the world... Fine." Seth crossed his arms. "Nerd."
"Face your enemy, face your fears, face yourself." Sadi started walking, "So
lets go."
Seth kind of rolled his eyes at that. but Sabyien walked in the direction that
Sadi pionted. "Let's get this over with..."
Ryo grined, the team leader he thought.
The vampire trailed behind Ryo, Sabyien and Sadi where in front. They
stopped..."This is a problem."
"What is?" Sadi moved aside to let the vampire through, ahead the hallway ended,
the bottless pit loomed before them, from the ceiling spiked balls hung from
differnt lenth od chains.
"Could you fly us across Saabyien?" Seth asked. his nose smelled gunpower the
spiked balls where full of them, hthe vampire had this feeling that touching one
would make it explode.
Sabyien scaned the room. "No...I won't have enough to room to spread my wings.
too many chains."
Ryo sighed. "Can't we just cut the chains down instead of hopping across them
like idiots? I mean those things blow up and we die. we fall and we die,
theres a ledge around this hole. lets walk around it."
Seth looked at Sadi impressed. "Crack that whip mon capitan."
Sabyien sighed spreading his wings. he plucked a few off the feathers holding
them like Kunai. he threw them the white feathers became blades and began to
slice through the chains destroying them. Soon the path was clear.
"That cleared the way enough." Seth said. the room was now clear of the chains.
Sadi had opend his large bat like wings and he carried Seth across Sabyien
opend his wings and picked up Ryo "It's our turn. hold on." Ryo cluched at
Saby as they flew across the void.
Landing, Sabyien tried to pry Ryo's fingers free from a lock of hair. "Ryo..."
Ryo finally let go. "I guess old habits die hard..." he blushed. "so where to
now sadi?"
"This way" He lead them down another passagethat seemed to snake arround and
defy physics. Finally they reached another trial. from the walls roof and
floor came long barbed spikes.
Sadi looked to seth, was the vampire humming?
Seth couldn't help but see the rhythem to the spikes patterns it matched the
song he hadn't finished writing yet.
"Everyone... move as I do." He began to walk across the room able to avoid the
spikes. the others followed as quickly as they could.
Seth was frowning, "This really reminding me of that game...."
Ryo looked behind him. "What game?"
The vampire stopped, everyone stopped and listened. "There was this castle in
eastern Europe where a cloven of young vampires where holding a group of
japanse tourists hostage. The Temphors had sent me to rescue them."
Sabyien shook his head. "Is that when that young man got of the idea of whip
weilding vampire hunter by the name of Belmont?"
Ryo's eyes widened. "Castlevaina!?"
The vampire smiled, "I wasn't supposed to tell him anything....but one the
young vampires shouted my name right in front of him. I didn't expect that
young man to take my name for his idea." Seth looked somewhat embarased, he
walked past them throught the next hall into a room where there where lettered
tile al over the floor. A door on the other side had inscription over
it. "Speak thy name and Enter."
"I think I got this..." Sabyien walked upto the door. "Sabyien!" But the door
stayed closed.
Ryo frowned, he looked around...the room was empty, no visable switches
or...he looked down at the random letters on the floor.
Ryo had an idea. he put his hand on the door and gave it a push like he did
under the cathedral in paris. the door didn't move. "Seth Is seth Belmount
you're full name?"
"No." seth shook his head. "I have another name."
"So speak it."
"Misha Seth Belmont."
Nothing happened. Sabyien frowned, his eye were on the floor unseeing, as he
tried to think...the letters drew his eyes...the letter on the floor.
When Sabyien moved to step on the "S" tile everyone else truned and watched him.
the guardian stepped on the next letter of his name, after he stepped on all the
right tiles. Sabyien looked up to the door. the sone door rippled slightly.
Walking up to it, Saby tried to push it open but he fell right through the door,
the stone rippled, "Sabyien!" the vampire rushed forwards, but the door was
solid. Seth pounded the door once before stepping back. "What did he do?"
Ryo looked at the letters on the floor. He stepped onto the letters sabyien
had, nothing happened. He tried his own and approached the door passing
through. he called back. "Find you're name on the floor seth!"
The vampire tried both his names, only the first one worked.
"'Say thy name' " Sadi muttered as he passed through the door. Sabyien was
adjusting his vest. "The words where in stone, I guess we had to spell out our
names in the stone tiles."
"Are there more puzzles like that Sadi?" Ryo asked, the demon shook his head, "I
don't know...They weren't here to last time I came."
"It like the Judge is playing with us..." Seth growled "I don't like it."
Sabyien nodded in agreement.
The halls again widened and the ceiling soared high over head. Sadi lead them up
a winding stair. After climing hundereds of steps they came into a lushly
furinshed room,but it seemed out of place. The thick caprets, the fine funiture
a strange mirrior dominating one wall...
Sadi and Seth explored the rooms, the two doors oposite eachother only opened to
bedrooms, there was no other way out.
Ryo was glad for the plush coaches, the climb tired him out. He closed his eyes.
Sabyien join him on the couch looking directly at the mirrior....his refection
smiled and winked at him. Blinking in suprise, Sabyien looked at Ryo, but Ryo
hadn't seen anything. He looked back at the mirrior again, Seth and Sadi walked
past him. "....Maybe I took a wrong turn in the large hall, I need to check back
there again...but I'm sure that it was this way." Sadi said. Seth nodded, "I'll
go with you. Sabyien, there might had been something we missed here, could you
check again?"
Sabyien nodded. "Ryo, your more familier with these games...would you come with
me?"
Sadi and Seth were already gone down the stairs, Sabyien and Ryo walked past the
mirrior...Suddnly, Sabyien saw his reflection run into the other room. Running
past Ryo, Saby followed his mirrior-self, the bedroom door slamed closed behind
him. "What the?"
His own relfection stared at him from across the room, smiling invitingly.
Sabyien was taken back, he'd never seen that expression before, somewhere in his
mind he woundered if he had this effect on others when he smiled like that. His
perfect double chuckled, "Why do you ignore me?" he asked, brushing a strand of
dark hair behind a pionted ear.
"W-what do you mean ignore?" Sabyien studdered, staring into his own vibernt
blue eyes. His relfection sighed, "You never aknologe me...your beauty."
My what?
Sabyien could hear Ryo pounding on the door behind him, he truned back to find
that his double was right close to his face. Saby gave a yelp and backed to the
wall knocking over a table. The reflection moved to corner him, putting both
hands on the wall, Sabyien's head between them. "Why don't you ever aknologe
me?" it asked. Sabyien tried to press himself to the wall, his heart pounding as
his reflection moved his face closer, one hand going up to caress his cheek, his
neck. Sabyien almost flinched at the touch, he let out a sigh. "H-how?"
"Just...be with me." his reflection said, then pressed his lips onto Saby's.
Sabyien's eyes widened, the realization of what he was doing, his mind buzzed at
him: I didn't know, I didn't know.
The guardian's hand went up to mimic the movment, to touch the lovly face that
was his own, the other arm going around to pull his firm body closer. His
reflection made a happy sound and kissed him deeper, tounge pushing pass his
lips.
Ryo continued to pound on the door trying to open it. he pulled out his sword
and began to swing trying to hack it down. he felt a set of arms wrap around
him and a head lite on his shoulder. his own voice came from behind him. "Why
are you chasing after him?" the saint swung again.
"He's in there alone..."
"Because he wants to be. if he wanted you in there wouldn't he have brought
you with him? be sensible. If he wanted you with him why didn't he let you go
to the cathedral with him?"
The sword slipped from Ryo's hands.
He freed himelf from the arms holding him and truned around to see himself
standing here. "!!!"
The other Ryo just dropped his arms to his side. "If he truly loved you,
wouldn't he bring you to Exodus when you died?"
Ryo took a stpe back, "He told me that I wouldn't be able to go into Exodus."
"How you know if you don't try? All you have is his word."
Sabyien pulled at zipper, exposing more skin. The other moaned as the guardian
trailed kisses along the bared shoulder, hands reached to undo the straps and
buckle holding the jacket and shirt closed, hands touched the places mainking
him gasp softly against the other's lips. How strange, Sabyien thought as his
reflection pushed him down onto the bed. Saby reached up to run his hand through
the hair of the one above him, marveling at the at the silky strands and at a
flushed face that was so well put together. His own eyes seemed to engulf him in
thier deep blue depths. Hands interlocked together as they continued to kiss and
explore. The relfection's free hand went down between them to rub the place
between Sabyien's legs.
Sadi was pacing up and down the vast hall. "There is no other door leading out
from here, other then the one that leads back."
The vampire was sitting on the stair leading upstairs where they had left
Sabyien and Ryo. he sighed. "Maybe Sabs had found another way out, let's go and
see."
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Ryo shouted jumping on his reflection as they continued to
tell him these things, his hands went round their neck and he began to
strangle them Hitting their head against the floor. the reflection didn't
struggle, and infact seemed to enjoy it. Ryo shouted again. "He said i had no
place there. I believe him." His reflection smiled and broke. the mirror
infront of him cracked revealing a door.
Ryo got up from the floor he looked at the new door. At that moment, SEth and
Sadi came back up, Seth saw the new door and whisled. "How did you manage to
find that?" the vampire looked around."....here's Saby?"
"Sabyien!" Ryo sprang for the locked door, "He got trapped in there."
Sadi stood back and watched as the vampire kicked the door open.
Seth took one look inside and reeled back in shock. "Saby...?"
The two on the bed looked up, the Sabyien on top looked up suprised. "Seth?"
Ryo pushed past the stuned vampire and peered through the brocken door. "What
the hell?!"
"Ryo?" The bottem Saby pushed the other one off him and sat up, the other Saby
seemed to back off a bit reluctenly. The Sabyien who got up pulled his shirt
closed, his face red. "I-I can explane this..."
"...If you would listen to my reason Ryo." the other finished, he was also
pulling himself together.
Seth looked at them. "Ok, which one is the real Sabyien?"
"I am." They both said, then look at eachother guiltly, he one on the right
frowned. "I am the real one Seth."
"Damnint. Which ones which?" Ryo asked looking at both of them.
Sadi smiled looking at the reflection. "Seth do you smell that?"
The vampire took a breath. "Yes...What is it?"
"A fake."
"A doppelganger?" Seth frowned,
The real Sabyien took a step forward "Yes, he came out of the mirror and...."
"What where you doing?" Ryo asked, which Sabyien blushed a even deeper shade of
red.
Sadi looked over Saby's double. "What's more important....what do we do with
him?"
The reflection looked up. "If it would be alright, I'd like to go with you."
Seth crossed his arms, " I don't know...you might turn on us."
"Oh I won't....I promise." it said, looking at the real guardian with warm
smile. "I won't turn on anyone, you have my word on that."
Sabyien looked uncomfortable, "Well....what do we call you?"
"You may call me 'D' " the reflection said, glancing at Seth. "for that's what
he called me."
Ryo looked etween the two and throught 'Narcascistic much? Geez... was that
incest or masterbation?' he shook his head.
"Lets get movng." Seth started to pull open the next door it lead to another flight of stairs.
"No man... no... thats just so wrong." Ryo complained.
D chuckled at Ryo. But Sabyien didn't want to face either of them right now he
quickly took the lead and started walking up them. D and Seth were the last ones
to go up. D had bent to take a small shard of the mirrior and he put it one of
the pockets in his vest. "The magic of the mirrior allowed me to get free. " he
explaned to the vampire, who just nodded and followed him up.
The stairs ended at a landing full of stone stautes, every single one the same.
An entryway lead to another long hall, this one too, bordered by more stautes.
The hall way seemed to go for miles down.
Sighing Ryo truged along behind Sabyien, D had moved up to Sabyien right side
and they where talking.
"D, tell me what you know. Anything at all would be helpfull"
"I'm sorry, I've been trapped in the mirrior for so long...I don't know anything
about this place."
After walking for more then an hour, Sabyien called a halt. Ryo greatfuly
dropped to sit on the floor. Sabyien sat up againt the wall, closeing his eyes
to rest and meditate.
During the stop, Seth flirted lightly with D, who retuned the vampires advances
with a breathtaking smile. The mirrior being then sat beside Sabyien leaning
his head on the guardian's shoulder, his eyes on Ryo. "How is it?" he asked the
boy.
"How is what?" Ryo asked, puzzled.
"Sex with the Guardian."
Seth gave a snort, trying not luagh as Sabyien's eyes shot wide open.
Ryo looked embarrassed, "He's uh... Quite a handful I guess..."
The others began to laugh. Sabyien blushed.
"Will you show me?" D asked Saby.
"I don't know about that" Sabyien answered, his face still red.
"Maybe some other time?"
"I guess...." Sabyien then stood up, "Let's go."
Ryo groaned, "More walking? does this hallway ever end?
They continued to walk down the hall, Sabyien could see that the end was in
sight. The large doors uphead.
Seth saw D 's hand shoot over to the pocket where he had put the glass-shard. He
called loudly "Stop! We are walking into a trap!" D had his sword unsheathed and
was looking around at all the stautes. The others also stood ready.
"These stautes up ahead are differnt....I can smell a magic on them..." D slowly
walked ahead of Sabyien and triggered a gate to fall in between them. The
stautes on D's side of the gate came alive. They advanced on the trapped being.
"Damnit!" Saby shouted trying to open the gate to go to D's aid. the barrier
wouldn't budge. Seth and Ryo tried to help him but even with their strength
combined there was nothing they could do to get the gate to budge.
Seeing that He wouldn't be able to get free, D looked over his shoulder at the
statues. "Sabyien, Get everyone as far away as you can....I'm going to cast the
Heaven's Wrath spell.."
Heaven's Wrath? Sabyien grabed the bars."D! You won't be able to survive that
spell! That is-"
D reached between the bars and pulled the guardian into a kiss. "Don't worry
about me." He said letting go and truning to run into the very middle of the
hored.
"D!"
Sabyien was pulled back by Sadi as he watched the mirrior being raise up a hand
and yelling out the words "HEAVEN'S WRATH!!"
The ground shook as the piont of light in D's hand erupted,
A moment later, Sabyien coughed and sat up, the blast had destoryed the all of
the stautes and the gate. Dust covered everything. the other got up coughing all
covered in dust.
"What was that spell?" Seth asked, doing his best to brust the dust from his
eyes.
"The Heaven's wrath spell....the strongist spell that I know, I wouldn't have
had the stength to cast it in this life-time..." Sabyien said. "D is probly
dead."
Sadi frowned, "How can he be dead? He's your reflection..."
Sabyien nodded, he walked over the fallen gate and looked throught the remains
of the statues, he found D lying wounded and broken on the floor. He was covered
in dust and blood. D wasn't the perfect image of the guardian anymore.
"The way is clear." he said as Sabyien lifted his head.
"Thanks to you." Sabyien said, "That was stupid, giving your life to do
that?"
D smiled through the pain. "I can't die...Here.." He pulled out the mirrior
shard."Take this...don't forget...you can call me anytime you need my help."
"Ok." Sabyien took the shard of glass. "I won't forget."
Sabyien removed his jacket and lay it under his doubles head. "Rest here. We'll
come back for you." the double closed his eyes with a worn out breath whispered
"No you won't..." Sabyien stood up wiping his eyes. he turned to the others.
"Come on. Lets keep moving." he continued to walk ryo seth and sadi behind.
They opened the door. inside was a room with no floor. the four looked down
into the abyss. Sadi shoved ryo forward as if to push him in but held him in
place. ryo hit him.
"Asshole."
"Wonder how deep it is." Seth said pulling a packet of matches from his jacket.
he lit one and threw it in. the match lay on the floor illumination the glass
that lay across.
"Its an illusion." Ryo stepped out onto the floor. and jumped a little. "Its
not real." he looked up at the roof he could see stars glinting in the
distance, the others followed him into the room. the door slammed shut behind
them.
"There no exit." sadi muttered then turned to sabyien. "Could you light this
place?"
The guardian opened his wings they gloowed in the darkness illuminating the
room, wat ryo had thought were stars were in actuality eyes belinging to a
gaint plant almost squid like monster. Seth jumped into Sadi's arms who
instantly dropped him.
"Idiot."
At the bright light, the eyes blinked. There was movemt abovethem as the vines
dropped to reatch for the light. Sabyien jumped to one side. "This thing must be
sensitive to the light." he said stepping asid again to aviod another reaching
vine. "Anybody got any suggestion?"
"We might have to defeat this thing to advance." Ryo said, he was growing even
more concerned for the guardian.
"In that case..." Seth shot a blast of light at the plant-squid. It seemed to
make a quealing sound and dropped 3 seed pods which chracked open to reaveal and
insect-like tangle of vines. they started hopping in thier direction.
"Nice going Seth!" Ryo yelled as sprang aside to avoid the hopping things.
The vampire was also trying vainly to avoid them and the grabbing vines. "Well,
it seemed like a good idea."
"Now that?" Sadi asked, he had grabbed one of the bugs and was trying to rippit
apart.
"Use Fire! this thing are plants aren't they?" Ryo said.
Sabyien nodded, "Right! " he stopped and flicked out his hand. "Flame shot!" A
fire-bleam hit on of the insects, it burned away to ash.
Seth and sadi had taken care of the other ones. But that still left the main
monster to deal with, it was still whipping it's vines around at them.
"What do we do now?" Seth yelled, narrowing avoiding getting hit. Ryo thought
fast, we gotta to try and find a weakness to this thing. He saw Sabyien slash
one of the vines the thing shuddered, and groaned. Ryo thought he saw something
open up towards the left side....a small flower-like opening.
"SETH!" Ryo shouted running towards him. "Throw me up there!"
Seth looked at him but still got himself ready in time and ryo using the
vampires Strentgh was launched up towards it. Ryo Arched up towards the small
opening. he summoned up what power he could Releasing it in a controlled
blast. The monster screamed in agony as ryo began to fall. the monster comming
down with him.
"Look out!"
Everyone scrambled out of the way, but Ryo couldn't get away in time. Sabyien
used his sword the hack'n slash throught the tangle of vines to free RYo.
Ryo tried to escape the gnawing thrashing teeth. he put his hands on it and
cried out. "PURIFY!" The monster hissed in pain as light exploded through its
body trying to escape the attack. Seth and sadi grbbed the saint and pulled
him out from under it.
"Did that finish it?" Ryo panted,
"I think it did...." Sabyien said, then winced as a bright flash of light
transported them to another room.
Seth blinked the spots from his eyes. They where now in a grand hall, a figure
in black robes sitting on a throne a pair of scales in one hand a sword in the
other the roabes hood covered most of the face.
"You've all done well to get this far." said the female voice from the throne.
long milkwhite hair streamed out from behinth the hood. "I am Fate, the judge
who desides which worlds will live and which will die....YOu have come here to
stop this, no?"
Sabyien frowned. "I am Sabyien of Ashalona, the sacred blood of the ancints. I
am the Perserver of Balance, I ask for an apeal on the earth's final judgement."
he said formaly.
The lips under the hood smiled sweetly. "My dearist child...What argument
would you put forth to change my mind?"
Ryo stepped forward "Fate... I am The Saint Ryo, Swordbearer and eve of this
dimention. I humbley make a request that you spare this world. It is not the
time for this world to end. Surey We may strike a bargain that may protect
this world."
"Child there is no deals to be struck, nor bargains made to stop this. Surely
as you claim to be eve, birther of this world you will understand. even one of
your great power will die, it is natural. would you raise thy voice, the one
given to you By none other than mine own self to stop the course of nature?"
"Yes."
"Alone?" The askedwaving their hands, before his eyes sadi seth and sabyien
began to fade away, this was only a delusion but it still gripped the boy with
terror.
Sabyien seen a seal glow under Ryo's feet. The boy's eyes looked off into the
middle distance.
Fate raised a hand to stop Saby from reaching out to Ryo. Sabyien and the others
were forced to hear the converation.
"No, Ryo....your not alone." Saby said, not knowing if Ryo heard him.
Ryo sank to his kneestrembling. "Ok kid think this through think come on...
there has to be a logical solution..."
Seth looked up at Fate and cried out. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"
"Simple my dear pathetic vampire. to show him his fears. to show him there is
no hope."
No hope?
Sabyien gripped the hilt of his sword tight. "No...that's not true....there is
always hope."
Sadi frowened. Seth was getting angeryer. The guardian took a step closer to the
throne. "Is it not true that I am both the perver of Hope and war?"
Fate didn't answer right away. "Yes...and your presnce on earth jepordizes it's
balance....Guardian of Balance." She said a little sarcaistily. "I'll give him
the choice....."
"What choice?"
"Both the lives of the Sword-barer and the Guardian."
"Why!!" Seth yelled. "Why them?"
"Becuase thier love for one another upsets the Comic Balance of the the enitre
multi-verse."
"THATS INSANE!" Seth shouted rushing foreward. Sabyien arttemted to stop him
but the vamipre avaded him. Rushing foreward swinging his sword. there was a
flash seth was sent flying back he hit a wall.
"foolish vampire. Do you wish to die that much? sleep in the oblivion." they
fired a blast at seth sabyien went to move in the way when he was pushed
aside. sadiron took the full force of the blow.
"SADI!" Sabyien watch in shock as the demon crumpled to the floor. Seth knelt
over the body, "He didn't deserve that."
"That was his choice..." She said.
Sabyien pulled the sword from the sheath. He pointed it directly at at her. "You
talk about choices....what if I made a choice to renounce my title as
Preserver?"
"You cannot Sabyien, you must always be the Preserver of Balance."
"What if....what if for this world...Let me continue to live in this world as a
mortal man."
"The you will have a short life, my grand-child...." Fate pulled off the hood
covering her face.
Sabyien's knees weakened he fell to the floor. "Elysion!?"
Fate smiled, "No, I am not Elysion...I am one of the ancients, The mother of the
first Eve of Ashaland. Grandson, would you also destroy the hope in that world
too?"
"My....grandmother?" Sabyien was stunned. But he pulled himself together
quickly. "Yes, I know that I will have a mortal life, but I want to share it
with Ryo. Please let Earth and Ryo live." he stood up, "My immortal life for the
boy."
She touched one side of the scale, it tipped over on one side. "It is done...you
are mortal....but it still needs more balancing. " She turned to Ryo, who hadn't
heard a thing. "Saint-child, would you give your life for the world? The
Guardian is no more...he has made a sacrifice, for you to live to make this
choice."
Ryo paled. Sabyien? dead?
"The Guardian is no more?" Tears ran down his face. Sabyien
"What is your decision?"
"I will....accept" Ryo said, what else could he do.
The white-haired woman smiled. The scales tipped to balance perfectly. "It is
done..." her words faded away.
Ryo felt himself drift away...falling, falling slowly...Sabyien
Ryo awoke on the side of the river bank, the long grass was familiar, a thick
fog covered everything 'Am I in the afterlife again?' he thought, sighing. He
sat up and saw Sabyien asleep in the grass some meters away from him. If he woke
him up then there would only a brief time to be together, so he just sat down
beside him.
Sabyien was dreaming, he dreamt of all the times that he fought for the Sword. A
hopeless cause, for each sword-barer he had fallen in love with, a forbidden
love that always ended in his death.
...You think me so cruel Grand-child?
He opened his eyes to Ryo's tear-streaked face. "Why are you so sad Kanni-meta
ka?" The boy just threw himself on on the man sobbing. Sabyien retuned the hug.
"Let me go with you....let me stay with you...Tell me that I can stay with you
forever...." Ryo said between sobs.
"I would like nothing more..."
Ryo took a deep breath."So your gonna take me into the Cathedral?"
"Yes...I'll take you there."
Saby and Ryo stood up, the fog was clearing a bit they could see the gate to the
Cathedral in the distance. Sabyien took Ryo's hand. "Let's go, there's nowhere
we belong now."
As they started walking a sudden loud splash from the river surprised them, they
turned to see Seth surface gasping for breath. They watched with wide eyes as
the vampire walked up the bank.
"Seth! what are you doing here? Are you dead too?" Ryo asked.
"What do you mean dead?" Seth demanded, he walked up to them dripping wet.
"We were about to enter Exodus Cathedral." Sabyien said, pointing behind him.
The vampire lifted an eyebrow. "That's no Cathedral, That's Lazen Castle."
Sabyien turned and gasped. It -was- Lazen Castle!
"But how...?"
"That lady, she told me: That you are no longer an Ashalaian, your a regular
human being, with no ties to to the sword....and Ryo's still a saint but she
took the sword's power from him....she said something about continuity." The
vampire shook his head and contiued, "Apparently, the Guardian and Sacrosanct
Sword can't continue to exist in the same realm." Seth shrugged. "I didn't
really get that last part, after she finished, she threw me into the river!"
"Seth... where's Sadi?" Ryo asked looking around the demon was nowhere in
sight. Seth looked him in the eye sadly.
"The demon is no more. he was unmade to save me." He shook his head. "There
was nothing I could do."
"..." Sabyien said nothing he reached into his pocket and pulled out the shard
looking up to the others. then down at it seeing it glint in the sunlight.
I can't die
"Seth?"
"Yes?"
"How much will it take...to restore Lazen Castle?"
The vampire frowned, "Quite a lot, the buildings are pretty run down Why?"
Sabyien looked at the ruins. "I want to spend the rest of my life here, where it began."
"I'll see what I can do." Seth sighed pulling out his cellphone calling to
gabriel to order transport for them. he turned to scope the surroundings, if
they started it by the next year the castle could be restored by the end of
the decade. he sighed. "And Gabe would you contact a contractor, we have a job
to be done." He turned to sabyien ad ryo then sat down between them.
"Gabe should be here in an hour. We can rest up until then."
A few days later, Jenga had her eyes closed, she was waiting expectantly.
"Ok open your eyes now."
In front of her was a birthday cake with 13 burning candles. The group started
to sing "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear
Jenga. Happy birthday to you." They cheered when she blew out the candles
Seth took a couple of pictures with his camera. urging everyone to get close.
"But how are you going to be in the picture?" Jenga asked. Seth frowned, he
gestured to the boat's captain, "Can you take our photo?"
"Sure Mr.Belmont."
The vampire squeezed into the front between Ryo and Linda. The Saint Maria's
captain snapped off the picture. Sabyien released Ryo and moved to cut the cake
for everyone. Of the Angles, only Ariel and Gabriel came.
The guardian made sure that everyone had a piece, later after the presents
where opened, Sabyien went out to the prow and leaned on the railing looking up
into the sunset-sky.
"Aren't you gonna join us for the games?" asked a voice behind him.
Saby turned to smile at Ryo. "I'll be right there." Saby followed Ryo below,
Seth greeted them, the vampire was fully bounded to the Saint. The ceremony had
taken place with the three of them together.
In the years ahead, Sabyien would continue to fight along side Ryo and
Seth....though he had sacrificed the sword, he had gained something
more...something much more then he had hoped, the love he had always been
searching for.
On the day of the Saint's death, Sabyien took his own
life. He couldn't bear the thought of living while Ryo and Seth lie in death.
The Four Angels took Sabyien's sword and buried it with along with him. Ryo and
Seth, his dearly loved companions rested in the tomb alongside him, eternally
bound together.
On the marble door of the tomb was written: "For the balance he maintained,
the three virtues he championed: Courage, Love and Wisdom...the sword 'Ashalon'
will forever protect this world."
The End
|