Other Fan Fiction ❯ Black Roses ❯ Reap Your Fears ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: chickenlover2 
Non Anime: Other Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 04.24.2006 | Updated On: 05.05.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 170 | Status: Work In Progress
Non Anime: Other Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 04.24.2006 | Updated On: 05.05.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 170 | Status: Work In Progress
He could see his fears. They were clear as day but dark as night. He wished they would fade, he didn’t want them. He wished that they would dissolve like so many other worthless things. Like his childhood. His humanity.
Yet, they plagued him.
His mother and father turning from him in a cloud of disgust. Faceless people grinning at him with taunting smiles. Cold waters taking him deeper and deeper into their realm. Reaching for someone with a bloodied hand, only to be shunned.
He knew it wasn’t wrong. Killing. It was necessary to kill so someone would survive. He knew he wasn’t the first to enjoy taking the life of another. To feel such power, like a god. Like the very god of death, swinging his scythe, reaping the souls of the weak.
Nevertheless, his fears were there. And in this dark void he grieved for himself. His tears freezing on his face and heart beating slower each time, preparing to freeze over. When his dreams ended, he could not show his fears. He had to freeze them before he awoke.
He wouldn’t let them see him the way he was now. Weak.
Weakness was the one thing that he did think unnatural. The one thing that could fell even the mightiest. Something that almost always lead to death. A vulture preying upon all. Sparing no one.
He wanted to break free. He would capture this fear. He would lock it away. He would come back to it later. If only to kill it.
He would reap the very soul of fear.
~~~
Gladiator sat downstairs and waited for Evange to wake up. He knew he shouldn’t let the boy sleep too long. Death was only a short step away from sleep. But how easy it would be to let Evange slip away. To let the boy’s weakness take him and allow the world to survive just a bit longer.
But...Evange was Gladiator’s only child. A child he hadn’t seen much of, nor cared for since the ‘news’. But his child nonetheless. And he didn’t want to just watch him die. It would be cowardly, to just let Evange slip away.
No, Gladiator rose from his chair. He took the steps slowly, hoping some duty might call him away. None did.
As he reached the top floor and looked to the bed where Evange lay, Gladiator wished some member of his family was still alive. Evange looked so unlike Gladiator that it almost made the hero hope that he wasn’t the father of this monster. But, of course, Lady Grey refused to lower herself. She would never have birthed the child of some servant, no matter what.
Still, Evange was beautiful in a way even Lady Grey envied. Gladiator had complained that men were not meant to be beautiful. Women were supposed to be beautiful and men handsome. That was how the Albion world worked.
Evange was only a rarity. Something unique, stunning and disturbing as a black rose.
“Boy!”
The hero raised his hand to Evange’s face, hoping to wake him with a small shake. There was no response and the boy’s face was ice cold despite the heavy blankets.
“Dead?”
Was it possible that Evange actually had died? Had left Albion in peace?
“No...I do not die so easily, Father.”
Evange had opened his dark eyes, for once, not glaring at his father. It was a tired stare with drooping eyelids and sleep glazed eyes.
“Boy,” Gladiator took his hand back slowly, “You are to be at the Guild at sunset.”
Evange wiped the sleep from his eyes but couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of cold deep within. As he sat up, Gladiator got ready to flee the home, stopping at the top of the staircase for a moment.
“And boy...don’t forget to dress warm. There should be some heavier clothes in the chest.”
And so, the boy was left to himself. He was vaguely amused by his father’s show of concern but didn’t dwell on it. He got up from the bed, nearly falling back when the blankets slid away from him and left him in the cold. His shakes rattled him hard and Evange was forced to finally sit on the bed.
“Damn it.”
It had always been the bitter cold and the fuming hot that had weakened Evange the most. It seemed he was born fairly weak. And he hated it.
When the boy could finally move, he went to the chest. Wherein he found organized stacks of clothing ranging from women’s dresses to the strongest of armor.
He finally decided to take some dark robes. He liked the colors and they looked heavy enough.
“I think...this outfit suits me quite well.”
And wouldn’t Gladiator get a nice surprise when he saw Evange walk into the guild with the exact opposite of his own light clothing? Which meant that, yes, Evange had chosen to wear the Dark Will Users Robe. And it truly seemed to suit him.
~~~
“You’re not serious. He already went through. He’s ready for quests if he wants them. There’s no need for him to come back.”
Gladiator ran his hand down his face. He hated to deal with the new Guild Master. The man was nervous around him and even more so when Evange was mentioned. The Guild Master was skilled however and could train well enough. Most of the apprentices liked him well enough too.
“I’m only asking if you will take Evange in and help him with his first few quests.”
“But, sir, he’s already been through the Guild. What am I supposed to teach him?”
“I asked if you would help him with his first quests. That’s all. Surely as Guild Master you can manage that?”
“Please, sir. Evange is disrespectful to everyone here, including me. It is hard to make him listen to me. I’ve always wondered how he did pass the last test. But, let me assure you, I was ready to rejoice when he did leave. And now you want to force him on me again? There’s only so much an old man can take.”
“You’re younger than me. And you will take him. Perhaps he can help you teach new arrivals? It’ll keep him busy at any rate.”
The Guild Master lowered his head and shrugged. He didn’t want to fight with the hero.
“Alright. I’ll help him as I can. I only hope that if I set him to the task of training that he won’t scare everyone aw...”
Gladiator looked at the Guild Master when the man stopped in the middle of his sentence. He quickly followed the Guild Master’s gaze to the figure standing at the entrance of the guild.
“Oh Avo.”
There was Evange, swathed in black robes. And he knew exactly how the outfit would compliment his attitude.
“NO! He c-cannot come into my guild dressed in-in the very robes of Skorm!”
“They’re just dark robes. They have nothing to do with Skorm. And you seem to forget the I was the one to build this guild. It’s my guild and if I tell you to allow my son in, then you will. Understand?”
The Guild Master took a step back, shaking his head up and down.
“Good. Now, don’t forget, Evange needs a title. Let him choose without you breathing down his back. I want him with a new title before he starts training. Goodbye.”
Gladiator disappeared in a shimmering blue light, leaving the Guild Master by himself with the approaching Evange.
“Oh, Avo, please save me from this beast.”
~~~
“Brr! It’s cold here!”
The girl rubbed her arms, talking to Kuyo at the same time. The two had landed just little away from Hook Coast. Kuyo didn’t want to be seen.
“You’d think they could put the Guild up somewhere more warm or something.”
The dragon nudged the girl towards the dim town. He didn’t want to listen to her complaints.
“Yeah, I’m going. Wait for me, right?”
Kuyo blinked and turned away.
“Um, okay. You don’t have to stay right here. But, stay kinda close, okay?”
The dragon didn’t turn back around. He lifted his wings to the sky and sailed away in answer to the question. The girl looked as he disappeared into the dark night.
“Guess I better find this guild. It’s really cold out here.”
A shiver ran down the girl’s spine as she passed into the town. Few people were out tonight but the girl could almost feel someone following her.
She stopped under a lamp post, trying to hear footsteps behind her. She tensed as she heard boot on snow coming towards her.
Great, I have no weapons and no Kuyo to help me.
“Excuse me, Miss? May I ask if you’re alright?”
The girl turned to see Elisa behind her, clutching a thin cape around her.
“Huh?”
“I saw you come in, you seemed cold. Do you have a place to stay?”
The girl took a moment to collect herself.
“Um, I was hoping to find the Guild.”
“You plan on fighting?”
“Fighting?”
“Well, most people who join the Guild go to become fighters.”
The girl almost cursed at herself. She wasn’t thinking about how she was going to explain wanting to join the Guild. She had only thought about present events rather than the explanations of the future.
“Oh, yeah. I’m hoping to, er, find what I really want to do at the Guild. I’m still not sure I want to become a hero.”
Elisa covered her mouth with a gloved hand. Even then, her laughing was easy to hear.
“I’m terribly sorry, Miss. But, the only hero in Albion is the great Gladiator. And his son is going to become the next hero. The Guild doesn’t train heros anymore, you see. Only fighters and I think a few scholars.”
“Oh.”
This was something new. From what the girl had learned before, anyone could become a hero after passing through the Guild. At least, that was how the Guild had operated before being rebuilt in Hook Coast.
“I forget my manners tonight. I’ve already laughed at you and battered you with questions. Please forgive me. I’m Elisa, I usually run errands for the towns people. May I ask your name, Miss?”
“Uh, I guess you can. I’m,” the girl paused to recall the seldom used name, “Leah.”
Elisa nodded and smiled, “I can take you to the Guild right now, or you may stay at the inn for the night. The Guild Master is usually very irritable at night.”
“Well...I guess I can stay at the inn. But I don’t have any gold.”
“Don’t worry, the barkeep is very nice. She’ll just put it on your tab, I’m sure.”
Leah followed Elisa through the dark main street of Hook Coast, feeling guilty about having to lie to these people. They hadn’t done anything against her. They welcomed her and they would accept her in time.
I wish I could just live here.
Of course, Kuyo might not be so welcome. And Leah could not live without her lifetime companion.
~~~
“Marta? Do you have some room left?”
Leah stayed behind Elisa as they made their way through the tavern. A few men eyed them, some were drunk enough to call out, but most kept to themselves. Marta, the barkeep, emerged from upstairs with a wide smile painted across her full lips.
“Ah, Elisa! You gave the food to Gladiator?”
“Yes.”
“Good, I wouldn’t want our dear hero starving. Now, what was that you just said?”
“Would you have any beds left? Leah needs a place to spend the night. I’m afraid my uncles would not be very polite to a young lady like her.”
Leah tried to shrink behind Elisa as Marta circled them.
“It’s a 100 gold, just for you. But I suppose you want me to make you a tab?” Leah nodded, “You new people always come with no money. How you end up here, I’ll never know.”
Leah was led upstairs and shown the multiple beds, “Take which ever you want. Just try to stay awake till I’ve closed up. The men wouldn’t actually do anything, they’re all cowards, but I’m sure you’d rather not have several drunks clustered around your bed just looking at you.”
“Um...No.”
“You can stay downstairs until I close up.”
Marta made her way down the stairs while managing to berate several patrons who were trying to sneak out without paying. Leah realized Elisa had vanished and she was alone.
“Maybe I can ask someone downstairs about...”
Her eyes widened as she replayed her conversation with Elisa and the chatter between Marta and Elisa.
The name Gladiator had come up. And Gladiator was supposed to be the father of Evange...and if Gladiator was here, perhaps Evange was, too. Leah would be able to get rid of Evange without searching the whole of Albion.
“I’m so lucky sometimes.”
A violent fit of sneezes shook Leah.
“Or maybe not...”
~~~
Yet, they plagued him.
His mother and father turning from him in a cloud of disgust. Faceless people grinning at him with taunting smiles. Cold waters taking him deeper and deeper into their realm. Reaching for someone with a bloodied hand, only to be shunned.
He knew it wasn’t wrong. Killing. It was necessary to kill so someone would survive. He knew he wasn’t the first to enjoy taking the life of another. To feel such power, like a god. Like the very god of death, swinging his scythe, reaping the souls of the weak.
Nevertheless, his fears were there. And in this dark void he grieved for himself. His tears freezing on his face and heart beating slower each time, preparing to freeze over. When his dreams ended, he could not show his fears. He had to freeze them before he awoke.
He wouldn’t let them see him the way he was now. Weak.
Weakness was the one thing that he did think unnatural. The one thing that could fell even the mightiest. Something that almost always lead to death. A vulture preying upon all. Sparing no one.
He wanted to break free. He would capture this fear. He would lock it away. He would come back to it later. If only to kill it.
He would reap the very soul of fear.
~~~
Gladiator sat downstairs and waited for Evange to wake up. He knew he shouldn’t let the boy sleep too long. Death was only a short step away from sleep. But how easy it would be to let Evange slip away. To let the boy’s weakness take him and allow the world to survive just a bit longer.
But...Evange was Gladiator’s only child. A child he hadn’t seen much of, nor cared for since the ‘news’. But his child nonetheless. And he didn’t want to just watch him die. It would be cowardly, to just let Evange slip away.
No, Gladiator rose from his chair. He took the steps slowly, hoping some duty might call him away. None did.
As he reached the top floor and looked to the bed where Evange lay, Gladiator wished some member of his family was still alive. Evange looked so unlike Gladiator that it almost made the hero hope that he wasn’t the father of this monster. But, of course, Lady Grey refused to lower herself. She would never have birthed the child of some servant, no matter what.
Still, Evange was beautiful in a way even Lady Grey envied. Gladiator had complained that men were not meant to be beautiful. Women were supposed to be beautiful and men handsome. That was how the Albion world worked.
Evange was only a rarity. Something unique, stunning and disturbing as a black rose.
“Boy!”
The hero raised his hand to Evange’s face, hoping to wake him with a small shake. There was no response and the boy’s face was ice cold despite the heavy blankets.
“Dead?”
Was it possible that Evange actually had died? Had left Albion in peace?
“No...I do not die so easily, Father.”
Evange had opened his dark eyes, for once, not glaring at his father. It was a tired stare with drooping eyelids and sleep glazed eyes.
“Boy,” Gladiator took his hand back slowly, “You are to be at the Guild at sunset.”
Evange wiped the sleep from his eyes but couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of cold deep within. As he sat up, Gladiator got ready to flee the home, stopping at the top of the staircase for a moment.
“And boy...don’t forget to dress warm. There should be some heavier clothes in the chest.”
And so, the boy was left to himself. He was vaguely amused by his father’s show of concern but didn’t dwell on it. He got up from the bed, nearly falling back when the blankets slid away from him and left him in the cold. His shakes rattled him hard and Evange was forced to finally sit on the bed.
“Damn it.”
It had always been the bitter cold and the fuming hot that had weakened Evange the most. It seemed he was born fairly weak. And he hated it.
When the boy could finally move, he went to the chest. Wherein he found organized stacks of clothing ranging from women’s dresses to the strongest of armor.
He finally decided to take some dark robes. He liked the colors and they looked heavy enough.
“I think...this outfit suits me quite well.”
And wouldn’t Gladiator get a nice surprise when he saw Evange walk into the guild with the exact opposite of his own light clothing? Which meant that, yes, Evange had chosen to wear the Dark Will Users Robe. And it truly seemed to suit him.
~~~
“You’re not serious. He already went through. He’s ready for quests if he wants them. There’s no need for him to come back.”
Gladiator ran his hand down his face. He hated to deal with the new Guild Master. The man was nervous around him and even more so when Evange was mentioned. The Guild Master was skilled however and could train well enough. Most of the apprentices liked him well enough too.
“I’m only asking if you will take Evange in and help him with his first few quests.”
“But, sir, he’s already been through the Guild. What am I supposed to teach him?”
“I asked if you would help him with his first quests. That’s all. Surely as Guild Master you can manage that?”
“Please, sir. Evange is disrespectful to everyone here, including me. It is hard to make him listen to me. I’ve always wondered how he did pass the last test. But, let me assure you, I was ready to rejoice when he did leave. And now you want to force him on me again? There’s only so much an old man can take.”
“You’re younger than me. And you will take him. Perhaps he can help you teach new arrivals? It’ll keep him busy at any rate.”
The Guild Master lowered his head and shrugged. He didn’t want to fight with the hero.
“Alright. I’ll help him as I can. I only hope that if I set him to the task of training that he won’t scare everyone aw...”
Gladiator looked at the Guild Master when the man stopped in the middle of his sentence. He quickly followed the Guild Master’s gaze to the figure standing at the entrance of the guild.
“Oh Avo.”
There was Evange, swathed in black robes. And he knew exactly how the outfit would compliment his attitude.
“NO! He c-cannot come into my guild dressed in-in the very robes of Skorm!”
“They’re just dark robes. They have nothing to do with Skorm. And you seem to forget the I was the one to build this guild. It’s my guild and if I tell you to allow my son in, then you will. Understand?”
The Guild Master took a step back, shaking his head up and down.
“Good. Now, don’t forget, Evange needs a title. Let him choose without you breathing down his back. I want him with a new title before he starts training. Goodbye.”
Gladiator disappeared in a shimmering blue light, leaving the Guild Master by himself with the approaching Evange.
“Oh, Avo, please save me from this beast.”
~~~
“Brr! It’s cold here!”
The girl rubbed her arms, talking to Kuyo at the same time. The two had landed just little away from Hook Coast. Kuyo didn’t want to be seen.
“You’d think they could put the Guild up somewhere more warm or something.”
The dragon nudged the girl towards the dim town. He didn’t want to listen to her complaints.
“Yeah, I’m going. Wait for me, right?”
Kuyo blinked and turned away.
“Um, okay. You don’t have to stay right here. But, stay kinda close, okay?”
The dragon didn’t turn back around. He lifted his wings to the sky and sailed away in answer to the question. The girl looked as he disappeared into the dark night.
“Guess I better find this guild. It’s really cold out here.”
A shiver ran down the girl’s spine as she passed into the town. Few people were out tonight but the girl could almost feel someone following her.
She stopped under a lamp post, trying to hear footsteps behind her. She tensed as she heard boot on snow coming towards her.
Great, I have no weapons and no Kuyo to help me.
“Excuse me, Miss? May I ask if you’re alright?”
The girl turned to see Elisa behind her, clutching a thin cape around her.
“Huh?”
“I saw you come in, you seemed cold. Do you have a place to stay?”
The girl took a moment to collect herself.
“Um, I was hoping to find the Guild.”
“You plan on fighting?”
“Fighting?”
“Well, most people who join the Guild go to become fighters.”
The girl almost cursed at herself. She wasn’t thinking about how she was going to explain wanting to join the Guild. She had only thought about present events rather than the explanations of the future.
“Oh, yeah. I’m hoping to, er, find what I really want to do at the Guild. I’m still not sure I want to become a hero.”
Elisa covered her mouth with a gloved hand. Even then, her laughing was easy to hear.
“I’m terribly sorry, Miss. But, the only hero in Albion is the great Gladiator. And his son is going to become the next hero. The Guild doesn’t train heros anymore, you see. Only fighters and I think a few scholars.”
“Oh.”
This was something new. From what the girl had learned before, anyone could become a hero after passing through the Guild. At least, that was how the Guild had operated before being rebuilt in Hook Coast.
“I forget my manners tonight. I’ve already laughed at you and battered you with questions. Please forgive me. I’m Elisa, I usually run errands for the towns people. May I ask your name, Miss?”
“Uh, I guess you can. I’m,” the girl paused to recall the seldom used name, “Leah.”
Elisa nodded and smiled, “I can take you to the Guild right now, or you may stay at the inn for the night. The Guild Master is usually very irritable at night.”
“Well...I guess I can stay at the inn. But I don’t have any gold.”
“Don’t worry, the barkeep is very nice. She’ll just put it on your tab, I’m sure.”
Leah followed Elisa through the dark main street of Hook Coast, feeling guilty about having to lie to these people. They hadn’t done anything against her. They welcomed her and they would accept her in time.
I wish I could just live here.
Of course, Kuyo might not be so welcome. And Leah could not live without her lifetime companion.
~~~
“Marta? Do you have some room left?”
Leah stayed behind Elisa as they made their way through the tavern. A few men eyed them, some were drunk enough to call out, but most kept to themselves. Marta, the barkeep, emerged from upstairs with a wide smile painted across her full lips.
“Ah, Elisa! You gave the food to Gladiator?”
“Yes.”
“Good, I wouldn’t want our dear hero starving. Now, what was that you just said?”
“Would you have any beds left? Leah needs a place to spend the night. I’m afraid my uncles would not be very polite to a young lady like her.”
Leah tried to shrink behind Elisa as Marta circled them.
“It’s a 100 gold, just for you. But I suppose you want me to make you a tab?” Leah nodded, “You new people always come with no money. How you end up here, I’ll never know.”
Leah was led upstairs and shown the multiple beds, “Take which ever you want. Just try to stay awake till I’ve closed up. The men wouldn’t actually do anything, they’re all cowards, but I’m sure you’d rather not have several drunks clustered around your bed just looking at you.”
“Um...No.”
“You can stay downstairs until I close up.”
Marta made her way down the stairs while managing to berate several patrons who were trying to sneak out without paying. Leah realized Elisa had vanished and she was alone.
“Maybe I can ask someone downstairs about...”
Her eyes widened as she replayed her conversation with Elisa and the chatter between Marta and Elisa.
The name Gladiator had come up. And Gladiator was supposed to be the father of Evange...and if Gladiator was here, perhaps Evange was, too. Leah would be able to get rid of Evange without searching the whole of Albion.
“I’m so lucky sometimes.”
A violent fit of sneezes shook Leah.
“Or maybe not...”
~~~