Red Warning alert! If you don't like gay stuff, don't read this chapter, even though there is really nothing much at all.
"I think... that we should have a good talk”
"I have nothing to speak to you about!"
"Fine... if you do not fear for your lover's life. Don't say that I gave you neither chance nor warning!" And he turned, as if to leave the place.
"Alright then. Speak, and be prompt. I do not have much time to waste with you!" The other replied, and looked at him with such loathing that the devil would have received a better treatment.
"Hmmph..." The Sky God put up an act of sneering at his words, when the truth was, his heart was aching in its distress.
"Very well. If that is all you have to say, I shall be taking my leave then." The Sea God had no patience for him at all; such was the extent of his scorn for the former.
"We should end this feuding, this... war between us, once and for all!" Arian declared, thinking that if he did not do this now, there would not be another time ever again.
"And how, do you suggest, that we end it? After you have murdered your own sister, you have finally decided to stop then? Do you think you can escape without getting punished for your deed? No such thing will ever happen, as long as I am still here! I swear to Creator that I will make sure you pay for it, on my life!" Mariteus grabbed Arian by his collar, making his face turn purple at the strength against his neck.
"She's already dead. What do you expect me to do? Bring her back to life again? You know that's impossible, even if we were Gods in Yisheigai!" Arian managed to answer back at him, even with his constricted breathing.
"And who is the cause of it all, huh? You have done a grievous wrong to Eva, and us, and yet all you do is ask what you have to do? There is nothing that you can do to atone for your deed! Even if you could have brought her back again, it still does not lessen your sin, by one little bit! Not to say that she is gone from us, forever!!" The agitated Sea God increased his pressure on Arian's neck, and shook him as hard as his strength allowed.
"It certainly is no fault of mine that she had wasted her life away! She was the one who always provoked me into attacking her. She was the one who has to act like she was the Great Heroine, trying to attack me , the Powerful Sky God, when she was with child. She did not take heed of her old injuries that were still unhealed, standing in the way of whatever I try to do. And you say it is my fault?" He tried to convince Mariteus with his warped sense of logic, but failed, of course.
"AND WHO WAS THE ONE WHO CAUSED HER INJURIES?!! I can't believe that I am even talking to you, at all. I had thought that you had finally started to think reasonably, and yet you come up with this... I do not know what to call it! It is an indescribable insult to know that half the blood that flows on you is in me as well!"
"There you people go again. Every time you, and the rest of them talk to me, you act as if my opinions don't matter, or that you are sooo much better than me. You look at me as if I am some sort of lower being! I can't stand it any longer. If you think that my logic is warped, I owe it to the abuse that I have been taking for so long. For so long, that I have since lost count, and lost my mind along the way!!" Arian buried his face into his hands, trying to drown out the turmoil going on in him.
"Even so, it does not justify your horrible acts!" Mariteus was still unforgiving, as usual.
"You...you have changed! You used to hear me out every time I had something to say! You were the only one who treated me like a brother! Who took my opinions seriously, and did not laugh at my attempts to please Mother!" Arian pointed his shaking finger at Mariteus, accusing him harshly, unable to forgive him of this change in treatment.
"That is only after you plotted and schemed to take Claudine away from me. And you succeeded. Did you think that your opinions would still matter to me after what you had done to Claudine? Did you still expect me to treat you as an equal after you have burnt her to death, and yet had to gall to be so unremorseful afterward? The only thing on my mind ever since was how to punish you, and maim you into an unrecognisable creature! But... I am too tired...too tired of this façade, this eternal fighting between us. You are right. Let us end this."
And there was not a word spoken after that. A silence so deadly, that even the chafing of dust particles against each other could be faintly heard. The seconds ticked by, and not a movement from either of them.
Now if the reader thinks that they were just standing there, that is a misconception. In fact, they were engaged in a battle that was as intense, if not more, as a physical one. They were battling their wits, fighting with their chi, their God Auras, testing their perseverance. Whoever had a weaker determination would drop first. The slightest distraction could mean death for any one of them...
This had gone on for a good many hours, with neither of them adjusting positions, when distinctively, a low female voice could be heard asking for help.
"Save me, anyone. Please help me... I can't move at all..."
Mariteus, who did not know her presence, turned in the direction of the voice. I recognise that voice! He thought...
Silly God. Whoever turns his back on his battle opponent shall regret it, deeply.
Arian, who had planted her there, took the opportunity to inflict some damage upon his opponent. As always, this was his modus operandi. But Mariteus might have been a little too confident of himself to be amoured against such sneak attacks.
"Szzzzzzzzzeeeup!" The sound of the lightning whip could be heard all across the lands. Heart-chillingly sharp, the sound was.
"W...what? W...when did you ever manage to summon that lightning into your whip? You didn't even chant the curse, nor is there any lightning above us!" Mariteus stared at him in great shock, deeply injured from the impact of the attack.
"That...is a new tactic I learnt, just for you." Arian looked down on him, but with a surprisingly serious expression, as if he really meant it. One would have expected him to be smug about it, and yet...
"And I suppose I should feel flattered, no, honoured then? For you to learn a new tactic, just for me?" Mariteus muttered, with a scathingly sarcastic tone.
"You...WHY? WHY do you treat me in such a harsh manner? Don't you ever spare a thought for my feelings, even if I am your enemy? Why must you be so black and white about everything? There are many grey areas in life, not like what you think it is! If only it were so easy... if only it were..." Arian lashed out at his ? (enemy? Object of his affections?) in his desperation. Yes. He really did. With his lightning whip. And with an even stronger force this time. There was not a single thing that could withstand two strokes of his lightning whip at one shot, and not stand dangerously close to the end of his lifeline. And Mariteus was, of course, no exception.
Sputtering blood but still as cold as ever, in a chilling tone he replied,
"I have no intention and no obligation whatsoever of answering you that."
"I see that you are nonchalant about what I am saying. Good. Enjoy your peace, while you can. What I am about to reveal to you, shall change your life, you mindset, forever... whatever little that is left of it, I might add."
Mariteus looked at him silently, still uninterested about whatever truth Arian was going to divulge to him. Probably just some selfish whining about how other people look down on him blah blah blah blah...... Mariteus could be pretty hurtful if he wanted to be.
"Listen carefully. I will only say this once, and once will be enough, quite enough, I assure you.
What do you think is the reason behind my scheming and planning, to take Claudine away from you? To make her disappear forever? Use that oh-so-intelligent brain of yours to ponder for a minute! I can't believe it, the truth is right before your eyes, and yet you still are unaware of it? Are you really so dense, or are you pretending to not see it? Answer me?"
"HOW the hell should I know what is the reason you want to harm my Claudine? As if I should have any business as to what is the motivation for your sadism? Don't tell me to think! Keep your advice to yourself, you're the one who needs to think about the life your are wasting away!" Mariteus was the eternal preacher, even while there was more blood pouring out of his mouth than there was inside his body.
Arian looked at him with such a pained expression that he was taken aback, for once. He had expected him to be angry, furious even.
"Now will you please let me finish my words? For this one time, I ask you not to interrupt me with you scathing insults, your hurtful replies! Like you used to in the early days!
Have you ever understood what it is like to be me, in this Yisheigai family? Do you have the slightest inkling as to how many insults I have taken, how many sneers I have endured, and the things they say behind my back, or worse still, in my face? How it feels to know that your own mother thinks of you as inferior, no matter what you do to please her, no matter how hard you try to become the best among the lot? Even if you have done absolutely nothing to deserve this treament! You do not, and never will! No, you DO NOT roll your eyes at me! Listen to what I have to say!
...In the midst of this cruelty, only one had treated me a little differently, willing to at least look at me in the eye, and not speak badly about me behind my back.
What an irony it is! I can hardly stop laughing whenever I think about it! That only one who treats me fairly is only my half-brother. The rest of them, even your favourite Fire Goddess... You do not need me to elaborate; you have seen it with your own eyes the way they treat me! But why, why is it that in the end, you are the one who hurts me the most?"
And the block-headed Mariteus finally got into his thick skull what was approaching, fast, and was helpless to stop it. He could only stare at Arian disbelievingly, most reluctant to accept the truth... no ...why did this have to happen to him?
"It was inevitable, Mariteus. It was inevitable that I should feel this way. Why do you think I wanted to get rid of Claudine? Do you think it was because I like to torture innocent little mortal girls? Or why I had to kill Eva twice? And why I keep changing lovers like I change my breath? Or even why I was unable to accept Skylar's love, and reciprocate it? Do you think I like being a cold-hearted beast, a frivolous flirt? There is a reason behind everything, and you just only have to dig deeper below the surface to discover it!
And yet, like the rest of them, you are unwilling to do so. And now, like the rest of them, you have abandoned me, all on my own. I keep trying to make my existence felt to you, by making you hate me, loathe me. But I only end up suffering. I knew the outcome, and yet I still continued doing it...
Do you realise how close I am to the edge? Do you realise how desperate I am, to be confessing my feelings to you? I am putting my life on the line here; I have used up all of my courage and energy, just to tell this to you. Or I will surely kill myself, and everything else... like what you did so many eons ago. Only, it would be out of despair, utter helplessness, instead of rage.
But still , whatever stands in my way, whatever implications this has on my state of mind, whatever anyone else will think of me, whatever terrible things will happen, I do not care. I have reached the point of no return, way past that point.
Hear this. I will say it once, and only once. I love you, Mariteus. Ever since that day you asked me ‘What is the matter, Arian? Why are you crying?’, when we were still barely pass the age of ten. My desire for you is greater than my desire for life itself. You will find this hard to accept, and you might hate me even more. But I do not regret it. I will not regret it. And I will follow you, even if you die, even if you are unwilling to look at me again, speak to me again......"
Arian lifted his face close to his own, locking his lips against Mariteus’s lips.
Mariteus, due to his shell-shocked state, could not move an inch. And he was too fatally injured as well to do anything about it.
Time meant a different thing for them, most acutely at that precise moment. For Mariteus, it was the most horrible, confusing, and chaotic moment in his life. It seemed to stop moving entirely, prolonging his suffering, throwing his thoughts into complete disarray.
For Arian... it was never enough, this moment, no matter how long it was. He could never stop it himself, but if he doesn't... Mariteus will soon get the strength to repel him...
He finally let go of Mariteus. What self control! What endurance! What is she writing! Arian couldn't help praising himself, even while his head was still reeling from the after effects of the deep, passionate kiss (although he was the only willing party).
"I hate to do this. I would rather die than hurt you. But you leave me with no choice. The Creator leaves me with no choice! Inevitable! I can only give you that word! Be comforted, for it is better to end your life, than carry on suffering in this world, where mortals no longer believe in Gods. I bid you my last farewell..."
He swung his lightning whip above his head, creating a force-field of chi, wind and lightning around it. And lashed it unmercifully upon Mariteus.
Mariteus fell limp, the effects of the attack fully unleashed on him.
"I'm coming soon. Don't worry. You won't be alone, for long......" Arian gathered Mariteus' body in his arms, smiling tearfully down at him. "You shall belong to me... this time round... At all costs!!"
As he left, the female voice could still be heard. Still crying, but not for help. Instead, it was full of self-pity and guilt, for she had caused the death of her favourite son......
Argh...I had goosebumps all over my body when I wrote this chapter. That's because... I simply can't imagine those words coming out from any man's mouth, gay or not. And yet I defy my own sense of logic and produce such dialogue... I really need to cure my schizophrenic tendecies, fast.
On a different note... A wonderful person has just contributed to the titles of Chapter 8 and 15. I shall reveal her name after I have obtained her permission. If you want to know what they are, just change the chapter25 in the html address to chapter8 or chapter15. I really encourage more of such contributions, as a titleless chapter isn't really complete at all. Gives me a sense of not dotting the eyes of the dragon painting.
- Added comments on Sep 30 2001 -
And her name is......(drumroll)
Miss Nicolena Bigelow!!!
Due to her generous contribution, chapters 8 and 15 are happily flaunting their new titles to the rest of the titless ones...don't go too far, the two of you!!
Another thing is... here is the link to that Japanese horror movie "The Ring" which I promised to set up. But let me warn you first. If you aren't too keen about horror stuff, or are easily scared, there is going to be an absolutely chill-inducing picture awaiting you as soon as you visit the page... I am not exaagerating here. Don't say I never warned you.
However, if you are not at all scared of the picture, and instead would like to get a closer look, just go to the homepage, click on covers, and look for The Ring.
Basically, this site is actually quite cool, especially if you are a horror fan. It gives a wide coverage on many horror movies, and I think the reviews are the best!
One last comment. The background you see on this page belongs to the image galleries at Imagine.Metanet.com. (But not after a little adjustment to make the font more readable)
That's all for interesting links. Maybe next time I will introduce good links to Rurouni Kenshin and Saitou Hajime.
Ahh.....by the way, the standard disclaimers still apply......
More offerings to the Reader God
The Yisheigai Intro
Chapter 24
Chapter 26: "All I wanted to hear was sorry..."
The Yisheigai Gallery
The Storyteller's Tent
The Cursed Living Doll
