Call of Heroes
Part 04: Dark Agendas; Warriors Gather
By Dera

== Two Weeks Later ==================

    The continent of Sera was known as the land of the forsaken to the common people of Reath for many reasons. Few ventured into it's depths and returned alive. Those that did return were often half mad with fear and wove tales of the darkness they had seen. It was described as a land in perpetual darkness where it's humans lived as livestock for the Orc, wraiths, and dark Elven kind. Yet, for all the tales, the castle of Etah was never mentioned. For within it was the very being that all mortals of Sera feared since their birth.

    Dark golden eyes flashed angrily at Nagi who kneeled on hands and knees before the large stone throne of the large room. Attuned to the emotions of fear, hate, confusion, and anger, the Empress was no surprised to see them rising from her minion is wild spirals similar to water spouts. The Empress Chaos sneered down at the young sorcerer in contempt and pushed a strand of golden hair over her shoulder with a long clawed finger.

    "You failed in attaining Gensui's princess," she stated coolly, breaking the silence that had fallen since the sorcerer had finished reporting half an hour ago. "Failure is a weakness, and the weak cannot live."

    Nagi's head turned upwards and she felt a trill of pleasure at his panicked eyes. Yes, chaos of the mind was something she loved dearly. Chaos, fear, and anguish were the very things she fed upon. However, Nagi was one of *her* minions and such signs of weakness were not welcome in her courts.

    "Empress!" exclaimed Nagi, leaning father down so his head touched the ground. "I beg your malevolent forgiveness for my failure to bring back the Princess of Gensui. However, I did not stand a chance against the Hikaru Shi...."

    Chaos's large bat like wings twitched and for a moment her face contorted into a mask of pure, undisguised hate. Nagi stopped speaking and looked away from the hideous visage on the Empress's face.

    "Never speak that name in my presence." hissed Chaos, raking her nails over the stone of her throne as she stood.

    Nagi shrank back in fear as the Empress began to move toward him with one hand raised up into the air. 

    "Empress!" called a voice from beyond the large stone door, causing Nagi to inwardly sigh in relief.

    Chaos stopped mid-step and turned towards the door as a man in a long red cape entered the room. Nagi's eyes widened and he very cautiously edged away from the Red Priest of Hetad. To the unknowing person, the priest was blind and harmless. However, in the land of Sera the Red Priest, Rezo, was to be almost as feared as the land's dark mistress. More people had been sacrificed by Rezo in the name of Hetad then any massacre the Empress could have performed in all the lands. He was an unholy priest who killed for his god and drew his powers from their deaths. 

    "Ah, Rezo," greeted Chaos with a smile. "What brings you here?" 

    Rezo's mouth curved downwards gravely and he folded his hands loosely in front of himself.

    "A prophesy made by Hetad ten years ago has been told to the High Priestess of Tahane. The warriors are gathering together Empress, and unless you act quickly, your plans will go to waste." 

    Chaos frowned and went back to sit on her thrown, her black leather wings spread out around her like a cape. pondering, she planed a hand on her chin and brushed her claws over her face gently.

    "I had thought that we had taken care of the prophesied ones," she spoke aloud. "However .... however.''

    For the first time in Chaos's service, Nagi found Chaos looking over at him and smiling. Nagi's eyes grew wide and that smile caused more fear in Nagi then her anger ever did.

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    Relena gazed up at the winged stone statue above her in awe, admiring the way the wings billowed outwards around the young armored figure of one of Fanellia's ancient kings. In the statue's left hand was a shield gilded with a metal that reflected the clear blue of the sky and in it's right was a sword lifted high into the air as if the figure was challenging the gods themselves. 

    "That was Shezar, the Draconian warrior who first united the people of Ancient Fanelle against the Goblin king, Balek." informed Makoto, pulling up next to Relena on her white stag. "He was made it's first king nearly two ages ago and his heirs have continued onwards until this day."

    "You are saying that there are still Draconians alive?" asked Relena in surprise. "I thought the Emperor Dunkirk of Nigel wiped them out two decades ago."

    Makoto sighed and looked skyward a second in thought. She remembered well the tales her elders spun of the night when the treacherous Dunkirk broke his blood truth with the Draconians. Human greed had overcome his sense of truth and honor and he'd raided the rich cities of Fanelle seeking the rare metal escaflowne, the most valuable and strongest metal known to mortals next to the elvish metal, mythril. The more peaceful Draconians had been caught by surprise one ill fated night and nearly the entire nation was destroyed. All but a few handful of Draconians had survived the massacre. 

    "A young princess of the family survived and gave birth to a son who is said to roam these lands in search of a way to rebuild Fanelle," continued Makoto when she realized she'd failed to explain the continued Draconian race. "The trees speak of him, but I have never met him."

    Relena nodded and gently prodded her horse towards the western gates. 

    "Makoto, may I ask you a question?" she asked after a few minutes of quiet riding.

    "You may ask, but I might not answer it," answered Makoto honestly, eyeing the young woman curiously.

    Relena nodded in acceptance and looked at the trees bordering the glade, "I've heard that Elves can speak with the trees and with Areth through them. Is this true?"

    Makoto smiled and nodded, "It is true that we can speak with the trees, but that is only if we touch them and communicate with them mentally. We cannot talk to Areth though. She has been asleep since the beginning of our existence."

    Relena nodded, tucking away the information for another time, "It is a pity the trees cannot talk aloud. I am sure they could tell us many splendid tales of the beginning of Reath when all was as new as a newborn child."

    Makoto chuckled and waved a hand towards the tree line to the left, "The trees are always talking to us, Lena-sama. One need only be still and listen. Even now their song sings in the breeze."

    Relena smiled and nodded, "I will remember that.''

    The tall elf nodded and Relena watched her quietly in contemplation. The Elven race was certainly a mystery in many aspects. However, she felt that perhaps she could learn to understand their ways and strange manners. Suddenly Makoto seemed to shiver and her long ears twitched. Long slender hands reached back to where Makoto's bow hung folded neatly to a clasp on her back next to her quiver of arrows and gracefully removed it.

    "What is it?" asked Relena in alarm as she watched Makoto open the bow and then pull out an arrow.

    "We are being watched," answered Makoto casting her eyes around the trees about them. "Something dark is watching us. I think it will avoid attacking us in the open, but I would be more at ease if we could reach the gates before darkness falls."

    "Then let's move quickly," Relena said determinedly, spurring her horse into a run.

    For a moment Makoto watched the priestess as she rode and then she turned her head to the south where they'd come from. A man stood in the tree line in a dark colored armor and from below his face mask she could see a malicious smile. She stared at him a few moments to show she wasn't afraid of him and then spurred her stag to follow Relena. For now, it was not the time to fight a dark elf.

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    Sora blinked back tears as the wind stung them like tiny daggers. She turned her face into the soft gray fur of the wolf beneath her and looked over at the red haired girl riding a black wolf next to her. Hikaru's eyes were wide with pleasure and Sora found herself imaging her howling up into the skies like the wolves she lived with. Bright crimson eyes turned to Sora and the girl smiled excitedly.

    "Don't worry, Sora. We should be catching up with Shin and his friend sometime today!" called Hikaru brightly. 

    The red wolf in the lead suddenly stopped and the two other wolves stopped close behind him. 

    "What is it Satoru?" asked Hikaru softly.

    The wolf's ears twitched and it looked back at Hikaru silently. Instantly her eyes traveled up into the sky and narrowed in search. 

    "Eagle!" exclaimed Hikaru elatedly.

    Sora frowned in confusion and looked skyward to see a golden white eagle flying towards them with a white falcon and a black condor. She blinked in surprise and looked over to Hikaru who had dismounted from Masaru and had moved to stand by Satoru. 

    "I thought Eagle was a man," stated Sora, getting off of Kakeru and moving over to Hikaru.

    "He is, sort of," said Hikaru slowly, and looked over at Sora as if she was seeking approval. "Eagle Vision is the king of the birds. He lives in the mountains that surround Fanelle. In ages past his people worked alongside the Draconian race. Now, their race is thinning.''

    "How did you meet him?" inquired Sora curiously.

    Hikaru gave a smile that spoke of devotion and admiration and looked up towards the oncoming birds.

    "When I was fourteen I was separated from my brothers here. I wondered the mountains to the south for days. Then I stumbled across Eagle who had been wounded by a hunter's arrow."

    Hikaru's eyes flashed in anger and Sora placed a calming hand on the smaller girl's arm. For a moment Hikaru fumed silently, and then the familiar bright smile returned. 

    "I was able to mend Eagle's wing and he took me back home," Hikaru continued, her eyes almost seeming to glow.

    "You love him," realized Sora in awed surprise. 

    Hikaru blushed and looked away, "I love him.''

    Sora smiled softly at the shy admission and gently hugged the girl over the shoulders.

    "Love is blind and blessed, never take it for granted dear Hikaru."

    Hikaru didn't answer but placed a hand on the arms over her shoulders in a grateful gesture. A moment later the three birds landed before them and Sora was struck by their abnormal size. All of them were almost as big as Shin. The condor had a wing span that stretched out a good number of yards and the eagle was slightly less then that. The falcon was about half the other two's size and looked young.

    "We meet again Hikaru Shido," greeted a warm tenor as the eagle dipped it's head slightly.

    Hikaru greeted, "Eagle! Geo! Zazu! How are you guys? It's been so long."

    The eagle feather's puffed slightly in amusement, "We are doing very well, thank you. But if I may ask, why have you come into my lands?"

    "I am pursuing two travelers in order to return Sora to them," answered Hikaru simply, waving to her friend. "Have you seen them?"

    The condor nodded, "A few minutes from here two travelers are watering their horses."

    "Don't forget about the other two who are racing this way," added the falcon quickly. "I've never seen someone riding a white stag in these parts."

    Sora blinked in surprise, "Shin and Seiji don't ride stags. They'd be too heavy in their armor."

    "Then your companions must be the two young men by the river. If you like, we can accompany you there," offered Eagle politely.

    "Please do!" exclaimed Hikaru excitedly. "We can catch up with each other."

    Eagle laughed and his feathers puffed around him again. Then a most wondrous thing occurred before Sora's eyes. The three birds changed into three young men. She blinked and then blinked again. 

    "Wow."

    "That's what Hikaru said when she first saw us," laughed Eagle, a tall fair haired man. "Shall we be off?"

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    Shin stood in the cool water of the stream in silence, pondering what his next actions should be. He'd been sure they would have found some trace of Nagi's progress in their travel across Fanellia, however they hadn't found a single foot print, let alone camp fire. Shin had a feeling that either Nagi knew how to use teleportation. 

    "Shin, you'll catch a cold if you stand in that water too much longer," warned his companion from beneath a tree on the shoreline.

    Shin looked over the golden haired warrior and a half smile on his face, "Don't worry about me Seiji. You always said I was part Nymph."

    Seiji gave a dry laugh and Shin realized that his friend was probably as worried as he was about the situation. A falcon cried overhead and Shin looked upwards.

    "It's one of those birds again," commented Seiji, sounding suspicious. "I am not sure whether it is a good thing to see birds like those two times in a day."

    Shin nodded in agreement and headed for shore while a howl of a wolf reached their ears. Seiji's eyes narrowed and he stood to his feet. Together with Shin, he moved over to their horses and retrieved their weapons.

    "Shin!" screamed a female voice from the trees as three wolves bounded into sight with four riders on them. 

    "Sora," gasped Shin, dropping his trident. "SORA!"

    Seiji stared in shock at the approaching riders and at Sora who was waved madly at Shin. The falcon landed on the saddle of his horse and he looked at it carefully, noting the intelligence in it's eyes.

    "You were looking for us after all, noble bird. Thank you for leading her back to us," thanked Seiji sincerely, rubbing a finger under it's bill.

    The bird gave a contented cry and it's eyes sparkled, "Thank you, but it was Hikaru who found Sora."

    Seiji stared at the bird in shock, "What are you?"

    "A falcon of course," laughed the bird. "My name is Zazu."

    "Shin!" exclaimed Sora's voice once more and he looked over to see the girl leap off of a gray wolf's back and run to Shin with open arms.

    Shin embraced her and then leaned down to give her a kiss.

    "I was so worried. How did you escape him?"

    Sora smiled and hugged him tight, "Hikaru appeared and rescued me."

    "Hikaru?" echoed Shin, his accent elongating the u of her name.

    A girl with a long rope of red hair smiled, "That's me. It's nice to meet you."

    Shin blinked in surprise, "You beat Nagi?"

    Hikaru laughed in embarrassment and rubbed a hand behind her neck, "I guess Nagi didn't like Rayearth."

    The young blonde haired man chuckled softly and rubbed his hand over Hikaru's head fondly. 

    "Hikaru is far to modest. Allow me to introduce ourselves," said the young man bowing. "I am Eagle of the Autozam. This young lady is Hikaru Shido, Dragon Knight of Triground. Behind me is Geo from the southern boarder and atop the horse by your companion is Zazu from the northern boarder. There is a fourth, but he was unable to make it out with us today."

    "Autozam. Then he is one of the descendents of the ancient birds." thought Seiji in surprise, looking over to where the young falcon sat. "Why didn't I realize it before?"

    The Autozam had ruled alongside the Draconians in Fanellia. They'd held the power to change into human forms and held the ability to speak. They had been wiser then many humans and much like those of the goddess Tahane, they had once been advisors and messengers to the entire world. however, generations of interbreeding with other races had caused the bloodlines to thin and the Autozam's to fade from the world view. 

    "It is a pleasure to meet you," returned Shin, bowing slightly. "I am Prince Shin Mouri of the lands of Suiko. Thank you both for returning my bride to me."

    "Bride?" echoed Eagle in surprise, eyeing the young woman in surprise. 

    A darkness fell over the field and the small group fell quiet as a dark chill seemed to blow over them. 

    "This is an unnatural darkness that falls," said Geo frowning and pulling out a sword. "Be careful Eagle."

    "Sora, your bow," Seiji whispered, coming up next to her with the sacred object in his hand along with Shin's trident. 

    Sora and Shin took their weapons and watched as the others did as well. 

    "Zazu, fly to Lantis and tell him we may need back up," ordered Eagle, drawing a sword.

    "Right, be careful guys!" called the falcon flying up into the air. 

    Hikaru watched at her friend flew off and looked to her wolf friends who were growling softly and baring their fangs towards the trees. With a determined air she raised a hand over a jewel on her left hand. Light shot out into her hand and a red sword appeared in her right hand. Suddenly the landscape changed into a wasteland and a man in spider like armor stood before them.

    "Greetings humans," is spat maliciously. "My mistress wishes for your deaths and I have come to fulfill her commands."

    "You won't harm anyone here," returned Seiji, lifting his giant sword before him defiantly.

    "The foolish die young," responded the armored figure with a dark laugh and suddenly flung an object from his back towards them. "Tochimou!" 

    White webbing began to weave across the field, catching onto the ground and the trees that lingered around the area. The warriors cried out in surprise as the webbing also clung to them.

    "I can't move!" exclaimed Sora in fear.

    "You are pathetic. Nagi must be getting soft to have been defeated by you," the dark warrior laughed.

    Hikaru glowered at the man and very slowly raised her palm towards him, "Flame Arrow!"

    The webbing snapped away from the heat and she watched as the fire raced towards the spider man. However, he leaped out of the way in time and the attack sailed onwards into the grayness of the wasteland.

    "You attempt to hurt me with simple parlor tricks?" jeered the spider. "You cannot hurt Rajura of Gen Masho with such pathetic attacks."

    "I wasn't trying to attack you," retorted Hikaru in agitation.

    "She was freeing us," finished Eagle, raising four shurikan in his hand and throwing them with a deft flick of his wrist.

    The four flew towards their mark, igniting with a white fire halfway towards their target. The Masho evaded three but the fourth hit his left arm and exploded with light. 

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    Relena held the golden staff in her hand tighter as the unnatural darkness fell over the land. She could tell Makoto was on edge and wanted to ask what was out there, but the elf was obviously concentrating on avoiding the threat. Suddenly lightning struck the ground before Relena's horse and it reared up in fear. Relena cried out as she lost her hold and fell backwards, only to have two strong arms catch her midfall.

    "Relena, are you alright?" asked Makoto in concern, looking over her charge for any sign of injury.

    "I am fine," answered Relena, and frowned when she realized her horse was gone. "It seems White Cloud has been frightened off."

    Makoto frowned and looked around, "A storm is brewing and it's unnatural."

    Relena shivered at the sound of Makoto's voice. The elf sounded so dark and foreboding. She'd seen so much of the nature elf in Makoto, she had forgotten about the dark elf that was honed to hunting and the things of the dark. 

    "Well, well now," hissed an unpleasant voice. "What have we here. An elf and a priestess."

    Makoto's hand snatched the bow upwards in a flash and an arrow was instantly fitted to it's taunt string, "Who are you and why have you been following us?"

    The dark elf in the brown and black armor stepped from the darkness before them with a dark smile, "I am Anubis, the Yami Masho. I have been hired by the mistress of Sera to kill the priestess before the other nine can been awoken."

    Makoto pulled back the arrow and aimed it for the dark elf with a dark glare, "You would have to kill me to get to her."

    "It would be a pity to kill such a fine looking creature like yourself. However, since you stand in my way, I will have to deal with you as well," hissed the armored man raising his sword. "Koku Rou Ken Ankoku Cho Uhigiri!"

    Makoto's eyes widened a spit second and then she raised her bow, "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

    The two attacks of electricity collide between them and Relena instinctively raised the rod in her hand in a manor of reflecting a blow. The rod glowed and the wave from the two attacks collision was reflected by a golden shield now surrounding Makoto and herself. She stared at the rod dumbfounded. Makoto, however, was unfazed by the shield and lifted Relena up. She gave a sharp whistle and the white stag bounded over from where it had been hiding. 

    Seeing that Makoto was trying to escape with his prey, the Masho began to charge forward to stop them. Makoto was faster though, and mounted the white stag with Relena in one smooth movement. Then with a click of her tongue, the stag bounded off.

    'We shall meet again, girl.' thought Anubis angrily. 'And we shall fight a real battle.'

    The two vanished into the trees and Anubis silently faded back into the darkness.

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    "Where did everyone go!?" exclaimed Sora, looking around the barren wasteland. 

    One minute they were all fighting the Masho and the next he had vanished and the others had quickly followed. 

    "Shin!"

    "Sora! I'm over here!" answered a distant voice.

    Sora lifted her bow defensively and headed for the place she thought the voice had come from. Everything felt so wrong. The sensation of something brushing against her back caused her to gasp and turn around and she bit back a scream as she found herself facing the fearsome Masho. 

    Instincts kicked in and she raised her bow, "Sinkyuu Ha!"

    The Masho avoided the blow and lashed out with one of the scythes from it's back. Sora barely deflected it and backed away, nearly tripped on the skirt of her already ragged wedding dress. Once again the scythe arched downwards towards her and she moved away, only to her skirt snagged. She yanked herself away from the blade and cringed slightly as a large portion of the front of her dress was torn away. 

    'This dress was my mother's.' she thought angrily raising her bow and releasing her energy attack once again.

    The Masho failed to avoid the attack this time and was flung backwards and vanished. She heard what sounded like Eagle crying out, but she passed it off as having imagined it and began to run for a hill near the center of the wasteland. She was almost there when she heard the sound of hoof beats on the ground. She looked around fearfully and saw an elf in green riding a white stag with a young woman in robes with the diadem of the order of Ceape on her forehead.

    She relaxed slightly upon seeing a priestess of peace, but she was disturbed by the horrified looks shared by both young women. The elf's eyes narrowed and she shouted something to her.

    "I can't hear you!" shouted Sora as loud as she could. 

    The elf looked positively fretful and suddenly leaped from the back of the stag. A bow was brought from behind her back and fitted with an arrow. She shouted something and the arrow was loosed from the bow crackling with electricity. Sora dropped to the ground in fear and winced at the feeling of the heated air as the arrow passed over her. It hit something behind her and suddenly the wastelands were gone and replaced with a ruined field. 

    "Supreme Thunder Dragon!"

    A second arrow rent the air, this time appearing as the head of a fierce dragon. Sora winced as the heat passed over and caused the fine hairs on her arms to tickle. A split second after that there was an explosion and a male cry of agony.  She looked back to see a small crater and then back to the elf.

    "What has happened here?" asked the elf urgently, kneeling down beside Sora. "Who was that man?"

    "Man? You mean the Masho?" inquired Sora, feeling bewildered by everything. "Where is he?"

    "He vanished after I struck him," explained the elf, looking worried. "He was the second one I've seen today."

    "There are more," asked Sora in a weak voice as the elf helped her to her feet.

    "Do not fear," comforted the elf. "I don't think he is after you. This said though, I would ask you what happened to your companions."

    Sora shook her head, "I'm afraid I don't know. Until a few moments ago I was in a barren wasteland. Then you shot your arrows and everything appeared like this."

    The priestess, still on the stag, sidled up beside them with a grave expression on her face. All over the field people lay unconscious and three wolves lay on the ground whimpering in pain. Dark spirals of energy occasionally rose from the ground and white strands of webbing could bee seen laying on the ground here and there.

    "This field reeks with the sensations of illusionary magic. It seems you all were enchanted," she stated gravely and looked down at Sora. "I am the Priestess Relena of the goddess Ceape. My friend next to you it Makoto of the Elven kind of Turdak 'Naer, and my bodyguard."

    "I am Princess Sora of Gensui," said Sora quickly, moving towards the place Shin lay with Makoto and Relena close behind. "I am afraid I don't have much time to talk."

    "Relena, see if you can help her. I'm going to get those people over there," commanded Makoto softly, moving away. "If trouble comes, erect that barrier you used earlier."

    Sora looked over the priestess curiously and noted that the priestess looked unsure about the orders. For a moment she considered asking what was wrong, but then pushed the question aside. She had help, and for now, that was all that mattered.  

================TBC=================

AN: This chapter is dedicated to J-chan (GirlChama) who recently turned seventeen. She's been a major encouragement to me and kept me on the straight and narrow. ^_^ lol. Here's to you J-chan. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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