Dedicated to Prisim. Check out her NaNo story, Lady of the Mysts ^_^
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Chapter 2 - Chaotic
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The beginning of the ceremony had gone smoothly enough.
The spirit Mythic, Emmiline, had taken up her position with a confidence Nazine could only wish he had. She stood on the rune-inscribed rim of the portal and raised her key without hestiation, speaking clearly and precisely just as Nazine himself had been taught to do. He studied her every move, watching as she immersed herself in the ley she called from the portal's depth.
Nazine could barely blink, watching as Emmiline entered the dangerous part of the ceremony.
No one breathed as the ley formed a tether, a flowing river from the heart of the portal to Emmiline and curled into a white shell around her. It was so pure in colour that it split the spectrum and sent individual colours flying in every direction. It grew thicker, hiding Emmiline's body, and Nazine caught himself muttering under his breath.
"Come on," he whispered, unable to help it. "Use your key. Don't let it overwhelm you. Push it back."
A nearby member of the Order snapped her head around. "Quiet, initiate."
Nazine bit his lip. If they didn't see Emmiline's crystal light soon, it'd mean--
Relief exhaled from at least five nearby people including himself as the ley began to turn a pale blue, the same colour as Emmiline's crystal key as she took control. The colour grew into a brilliant glow, bathing the inner ring of the sanctuary in its brilliant sheen.
She did it!
Then, everything went wrong.
Nazine felt it before anyone else realised Emmaline was in trouble. His gut clenched. A void entered his mind, the subconscious part of him that touched the ley as something deep within the portal rumbled, sending ripples through the air that made him shiver. There was a hole within the sea of order, a bubble that shouldn't have existed rising to the surface faster than anything he'd ever felt.
Nazine clenched the arms of his chair. "Cayden--"
He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. As the word left his lips, the bubble surfaced. Murky streaks of black and brown polluted the pure shades, and before Nazine or anyone else could react, it was racing up the river and straight into Emmiline's key.
She screamed as her light was swallowed. Nazine was frozen in terror, knowing he should do something, knowing he should get up, try to help, when Cayden was in front of him, sword free of its sheath.
"Chaotic!"
Cayden's shout snapped Nazine out of it. He stood up, feeling his own ley burn within him, ready to ignite when Cayden held a hand out behind him, never taking his eyes off the spot where Emmiline was being consumed.
"Nazine, you stay out of this," he said. "I can't--"
"I can help!" said Nazine. "What are you going to do against her?"
Cayden was shaking his head. "I'm trained to do this. You aren't. I can't do what I need to do if I'm too busy making sure the chaotic isn't going to kill you to take it down."
"That's not a chaotic, Cayden!" screamed Nazine. "That's Emmiline, we were talking to her ten minutes ago!"
"And now, she will not hesitate to kill you!" Cayden said, the tip of his sword grazing the ground. "You know as well as I do that it's going to come straight after you. Chaotics sense sources of ley. They have no purpose other than to devour it in any way possible, and that puts you on the menu."
Nazine blinked his eyes, barely able to keep his emotions in check.
"What do you want me to do?" he whispered.
"I want you to stay here and not move unless you're in direct danger or I tell you to. The chaotic will come after you, and I can use that to put her down." Cayden put a hand on Nazine's shoulder. "It's what she would have wanted, Zin. She wouldn't have wanted to hurt anyone."
Nazine managed a nod.
Cayden charged in, three of the other white-armoured Order guards at his side.
*+*+*+*
Rena had heard about chaotics in rumours and whispers, but she'd never seen one in person.
She'd never planned to, either. They'd been all the convincing she'd needed to decide to steer completely clear of them. And honestly, nothing she'd heard in those rumours and whispers could remotely compare to the monstrosity that had appeared in the place of the Mythic before her now.
Black lightning crackled around the chaotic's crumpled form. Gone was the serene, pale blue of her garments and key, replaced by a hard edged navy that seemed to drag in the air around it. The portal behind her was in complete disarray, its smooth surface lost beneath the raging waves, the clear depths tainted by chaos.
The chaotic stood. Raised her head. The void of her eyes examined her surroundings, completely calm even as several of the Order's guards raced towards her, weapons drawn.
Some instinct made Rena crouch as the chaotic turned her way.
It didn't make much difference. The chaotic's empty gaze locked on her position, the pale smudge of her lips curving up into a smile.
Rena flattened herself out. Her head tucked back against her body, every muscle in her tensed and ready to run.
The chaotic jumped.
Rena matched the movement in the same heartbeat. Her back legs pushed her body to the side, hands out and ready to catch herself as she rolled and scrambled back to her feet, looking up just in time to see the chaotic pass through the railing and land where Rena had been a second before.
Spirit, realised Rena. She was a spirit Mythic, some kind of banshee. Physical isn't going to do much to stop he--
As if sensing her thoughts, the chaotic drew in a deep breath and screamed.
The world around Rena seemed to shatter. She lost her balance and staggered to the side, barely able to keep her eyes on the chaotic while the chills from its scream wracked her body, shutting it down.
Having incapacitated its prey, the chaotic closed its mouth, leaving Rena with a final shiver that glued her to the ground. It stalked forward, taking its time, but without the sound of its scream, Rena could hear voices coming from the inner ring.
"Why's it interested in the outer ring? It should be going for the phoenix!"
A voice behind her, a guard on the wall. "There's a girl!"
"The hell's it want a girl for?"
The chaotic grew closer.
Rena knew she had to do something, but she couldn't move. Her body felt sluggish, like the banshee's cry had shut it down. The effort it took from lifting her head alone was enormous. The chances of being able to stand up and run were non existent.
Effectively cornered, Rena felt her body tingle.
You're not getting me that easily.
Her fingers warmed as fire licked their tips and the chaotic reached her, standing over her with its head tilted, expression amused.
"My first snack," she said, her tongue brushing over her lips in a way that made Rena's insides squirm. "I can sense the delicious, delicious ley inside you."
Rena clenched her fingers. As the chaotic leant down, trying to figure out the best way to crack her open, Rena lifted up her arm that felt like it was made of stone and thrust it at the chaotic's chest.
The stream of fire left her hand, hitting the chaotic on her left shoulder. It snapped its head around and hissed, seemingly only annoyed, but the fire quickly began to do its work on the loose, ceremonial clothing.
The use of ley shocked Rena's body into action. While her fire greedily ate away at the chaotic's clothing, Rena scrabbled across the ground, trying to put as much distance between them as possible as even more shouts added to the confusion.
"The girl is a Mythic!"
"What by the great horns of the dae is she doing there?"
"Doesn't matter! Get her out before the chaotic gets her!"
They kept shouting, but Rena ignored their words. The momentary distraction caused by her fire had worn off, and the chaotic was watching her with those hateful black eyes. A shaking Rena tried to pool her ley, to pull off some kind of illusion in the seconds she had, but the action sparked the chaotic into action.
Faster than Rena could move, the chaotic was on top of her, legs wrapped around her waist and pushing her back against the ground. The charred scraps of the chaotic's clothing came to life, wrapping around Rena, seeking the ley inside her body.
"How do I get it?" screeched the chaotic, eyes flicking over Rena's body, her long nails scraping against Rena's skin. Rena caught the chaotic's shoulders and locked her arms, trying to buck the chaotic off her body. "How do I get it!"
Once more, Rena tried to call her fire. Embers formed at her fingers, singing the clothing she was in contact with, but the chaotic seemed unconcerned. Instead, the use of her ley drew it in.
"Aaaah, the crystal," said the chaotic, her fingers reaching greedily for Rena's key that lay on the ground beside her neck as Rena desperately tried to keep her away. The chaotic's own key, the crystals now black, nearly hit Rena in the face. "Give it to me, let me have it!"
"Lady, did anyone ever tell you that you're insane?" spat Rena, still trying to summon enough ley to do some damage with her fire.
The chaotic couldn't reach her key, but neither could Rena keep this up forever. The chaotic was far stronger than her, and as soon as it stopped trying to take a shortcut and realised it could just scream at her again, this was over.
I didn't think I'd die like this. Each breath was becoming harder to make as the chaotic's knee crushed her chest. Didn't think it'd be a chaotic breaking my key that... that...
Rena's arms gave way. Her elbows slammed into the stone ground and the full weight of the chaotic fell on her. It recovered quickly, and Rena shivered as she felt its fingers wrap around her key, the sound of it scratching on the floor beside her ear.
There was something else other than the scratching and the gleeful squeals of the chaotic on top of her. A voice that rose up, urgent and demanding her attention.
"Take its key!" shouted the voice. "Take the chaotic's key!"
Rena wriggled out an arm and strained to reach the chaotic's key that was resting just under her jaw. It took a second, but Rena's fingers closed around the cold metal and crystal, and she pulled it for all she was worth.
The chaotic didn't like that. The black pits turned on Rena.
"Give it back!"
"Throw it to me!"
Rena didn't question it. With whatever direction she could manage, she awkwardly extended her arm above her head, releasing the chaotic's key and hoping to the nine that it'd roll to the owner of the voice. The chaotic went into a flurry of activity trying to disentangle itself from Rena, who grabbed its wrist and pulled it back down.
The chaotic lost its balance. An elbow or a knee whipped around and slammed into the side of Rena's head, setting the world spinning around her. She felt nauseous. It was all she could do to cling to consciousness and hope that whoever had told her to take the key could save her with it.
Above her, the chaotic froze. The effect it had on the air froze as a new voice entered the fray.
"Do not kill it! If the chaotic is under control, leave it alive and restrain it!"
Rena lost track of what happened next. Everything was blurry, her head was buzzing and she couldn't find a reason that she should ever stand up again. Continuing to lay right there on the stone seemed all too appealing.
I really wish I could do a full invisibility illusion right now.
A shadow fell over her. Rena tensed, the same instinct that'd demanded she crouch before flaring up with a new intensity. She slid her feet closed to her body, knees raised, and pressed herself back into the ground.
"You okay?"
Rena blinked, trying to focus on the face of the voice she recognised. "My key is fine, thanks to you."
That got a laugh out of him. "What about the rest of you?"
"Other than being winded, bruised, and a whack to the side of the head, I'm also okay," said Rena.
Her eyes stopped watering long enough to get a glimpse of the man. A clean shaven face with dark hair that covered most of his ears looked down on her, one eyebrow raised in amusement. A long scar ran from his jaw, up and over his nose to cuve back across the top of his eye, but other than that, his skin seemed more or less flawless.
Hypnotising.
Rena barely stopped her reaching hand from stroking the side of his face. She froze it mid-air, wondering what exactly it was that she'd been planning to do once it touched him. From the look on his face, he seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"Aren't you going to help me up?" she said, hoping he'd buy the excuse.
The man in the grey armour shook his head and took the hand, pulling Rena to her feet. Upright, Rena swayed, unsteady on her feet. He steadied her, holding a wrist and a shoulder in a firm grip.
"Sure you're okay?" he asked.
Rena felt his pulse race under the thin barrier of skin that seperated them. It was an effort to keep her thoughts off it, her want to explore the energy it offered. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get the world to settle down around her.
"Mythic Rena!"
Rena didn't bother opening her eyes. She knew exactly what she was going to find standing nearby, waiting with hands on his hips like she'd drawn over the temple walls in crayon or something else ridiculous she hadn't done since she was a kid.
The man beside her cleared his throat. "I believe she's a little disoriented--"
He was interrupted. "Quiet, Cayden. You know as well as I that she shouldn't have been in the sanctuary to begin with, and I daresay her excuse for such trespass will be marvelous, to say the least."
Rena lifted a hand to her forehead. "I was following an Unbound, Cardinal Elijah."
"And what business did you have doing such a thing?" Elijah demanded.
"Making myself useful, as I believe you told me to do that last time I had the pleasure of speaking with you," Rena said as sweetly as she could manage, giving him the accompanying stare.
"Useful." Elijah shook his head. "Useful she says! Look at what use she's been to us so far!"
Rena followed his gesture.
No longer was the portal's surface like water. The clarity was gone, the ley hardened and resembling sludge Rena wouldn't have voluntarily touched with a giant sized stick. The previously glowing runes around the rim of the portal had faded to black marks. The sanctuary had lost the tinge a ley hotspot tended to give to the air around it.
Dead.
"It closed," whispered Rena.
"Oh, did it?" said Elijah. "Because I don't think anyone else noticed!"
Another member of the Order, a woman Rena didn't recognise stepped forward. "Don't take your frustrations out on the girl, Cardinal. It is not wise to use such a tone to a Mythic."
Elijah snorted. "She's hardly a Mythic, Melis. Did you know she's yet to learn what her Mythic is?"
No one seemed to have a reply for that answer. Rena endured the silence with burning cheeks, watching two members of the Order bind the entranced chaotic's key with some kind of ribbon until Elijah saw fit to continue.
"You know what?" Elijah waved a white-sleeved arm in Rena's direction. "I don't care. Bring her with us to local Order priory. We'll figure it out there."
The woman inclined her head. "As you wish, Cardinal."
Rena tried to pull away from Cayden's grip, only to have him pull her back when she almost fell over. "I'm not going with you to the priory."
"Yes, you are," said Elijah, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "You're in no state to wander around by yourself, especially if there's an Unbound in the area. Fight us on the matter and I'll take your key until you're in a more agreeable mindset."
Rena took a step back at the threat. "You wouldn't."
Elijah didn't flinch. "Keep pushing me and you just might find out that I would." He rubbed his temples. "Cayden, ensure Rena finds her way to the central carriage. The rest of you, keep the chaotic covered. Don't let anyone see what happened here, ensure the gates are closed..
He swept past her after that, apparently done with her. Rena didn't dare speak as the Order finished binding the chaotic Mythic and hustled her out towards the carriages, head covered.
Cayden started walking. Rena followed him, still unsteady on her feet. Her key felt like the chaotic had drained the ley she'd had stored. She felt helpless and lethargic, but at least her key hadn't been damaged.
Or worse.
Cayden opened the carriage door and practically lifted Rena inside, where her legs folded and collapsed the rest of her on the seat propped up against the wall. She heard Cayden's voice as he closed the door and his footsteps took him away from her, but she was too far gone to care.
Rena's eyelids gave in, and the interior of the darkened coach turned to blissful darkness.
*+*+*+*
A/N - Actionnn. Dramaaa. Near-death experiencesss. Really crappy writingggg. Hopefully you're not all bored yetttt. Weeeewww!
I'm trying some different ways of introducing info about the Mythics into the story. Let me know if it's just confusing or frustrating XD Next chapter might end up having more direct info =o
Let me know what you think about Rena so far? ^_^
Word count: 7520