Ancients: Visions I

Resolved to unravel the true mystery behind her visions once and for all, Empress Ching, risking her life, decides to consult the prophet Sherniel, whose emperor, Gero, had just suffered a great loss from the Empress's forces in the battle in Leviathan. To her surprise, the prophet welcomes her openly and gives her his words. Is Sherniel just a disillusioned mad man the Empress had always thought he was, or was the scholar Emzo not telling her something, and that Sherniel really is a Prophet sent down by Destiny to unseal a revelation that will shake the hearts of all in Existence?

A hooded maidservant wore the darkness of night as she hurried through the Imperial Forest. To where she was heading no one knew. In fact, she didn't want anyone to know, and through her silent, quick steps she made sure it stayed such. She knew danger awaits her, in the forest where she now passes, and in the destination she was heading for. Yet she moved on alone. She remained unperturbed, but she was ever vigilant on anything that would come her way.

Without warning, something swift came past her. It barely missed her cheek and tore through her hood before she grabbed it. It was a needle. Suddenly more of them rained on her, but she evaded and caught them all.

Somewhere in her midst, a voice spoke.

"What insolence! A rogue maidservant dared to defy her Empress and defile her Sacred Forest!"

"True," the maidservant replied. "The Empress has indeed forbidden anyone to pass by her forest at night. You are just as guilty as I."

"Hah! For a lowly maidservant you speak proudly!," the voice remarked. "Do thou even knowest to whom thou speaketh?!"

"You words are fancy, fit for a noble," the maidservant commented. "Unfortunately I don't care if you are. I have an errand to attend to. And if thou must excuse thine presence...lest I disgrace thee."

From behind the maidservant a masked figure emerged. The figure held daggers on each of its hands. With rage it flew towards the maidservant.

"From this life 'til your next no words shall come from you--for I shall take your tongue that defiled our Noble Words!"

As the figure approached her, the maidservant threw the needles she have in her hand towards it. The figure sweeped the needles away, and drawing near the maidservant, prepared to slash her. The maidservant then took out two bladed fans and evaded each of her enemy's assault.

Trying to escape, the maidservant flew up. The masked figure followed, and on the tree branches they fought. Eventually the two stepped on a weak branch, and both fell to the ground as it broke.

The masked figure managed to stand first, and without delay approached the still lying maidservant. Just as it was about to stab her, the maidservant swirled up and hit away the figure's dagger. With the other dagger the figure attacked the maidservant who was as ever incensed to defeat her enemy.

In the chaos of their fight, the two came to a dreadlock. Willing to see the face of their enemy, the two took off the other's facade and prepared to strike each other.

What the now unmasked figure saw drained away the zeal from its hands as if it were cut off.

"Ching?!"

The Empress, unhooded of her guise, was just as shocked.

"Valerie!"

---

"How is the Emperor, Rey?," Sherniel inquired the nobleman who just bowed to him.

"He sleeps well, Sherniel," Rey replied. "Yet he remains as weak from the last battle."

"And your wounds?," Sherniel asked.

"Gina's gift of the earth's green proved worthy," Rey remarked.

Sherniel smiled at him. "You remain as humble as ever, Lord Rey. Even though the gift of your bloodline--your Eye--would be sufficient enough to heal you."

"It's not so," Rey countered. "The Angel's Eye, though powerful as it seem, is worthless without Destiny's will."

"And so is everything that exists," Sherniel added. "But Rey, dons't concealeth thee thy words cradle thy guilt. Rey...you still blame yourself for the Emperor's loss, do you?"

Indeed, Rey could not deny the Prophet's words. Visions from that battle in Leviathan remain fresh in his mind. How their ship sailed helpless against the enemy's imperial fleet. How Claro, once his ally, now almost took his life. How his ever reputed Eye, which could see through all deception, failed to save the Emperor--his friend, Gero--from falling for the Empress's trap. How, because of this failure, a comrade now suffers...

"Sherniel! Sherniel!," a woman tensely called as she entered the Prophet's tent. She fell on her knees in front of the two men and wept as she lamented. "Dear Prophet...Lord Rey...father...his pain thine heart cans't bear..."


The Paul that they found in his tent was worse than they anticipated. His body, trembling but rigid, winced in vain for comfort. His face was blue and pale, his mouth wide open like his eyes which stared at the ghostly forms of Death itself, though he could see not nor hear nor feel. He let out a sound--a screech or a hum it cannot be told, yet called neither pain nor guilt nor hatred, but of sheer emptiness.

Gina fell near her father and wiped his mouth off grime, cleansed by tears that flowed down her rosy cheeks, as well as from her father's own. Rey went near the two but beared not look at his comrade; he sat when his feet can endure his conscience no more. Sherniel knelt beside Gina and put his hand over Lord Paul's head. Murmuring prayers, light came forth the Prophet's hand and enveloped the Lord all over. Paul's contorted stature slowly diminished, and he fell into a slumber.

"For now, Paul will find repose," Sherniel remarked as he slowly stood up. Gina looked at her father's face. Despite his now peaceful image, Gina still was not relieved. Any moment, his father will suffer again. She will witness it all once more--the cries of a fallen man, not living nor dead, without emotion nor silence.


to be continued...

(Originally published at http://iam-datu.livejournal.com/26066.html#cutid1)