Kyo returned with a piece of neon blue chalk.
“Stand still and remove all unwanted thoughts,” He commanded. The feeling of high power wrapped around me. I could not disobey what he stated. Kyo’s thoughts then reached my head and I felt that my mind wipe blank. His thoughts filled mine and strange words echoed in my head.
Intus is orbis nos narro vobis dico
Penetro huic dico vobis
Kyo traced the chalk around me creating a huge circle. A magic circle. It seemed to glow as each of his strokes connected with each other. “Elders of the council we call unto you.”
A moment of silence I felt three people enter the room. I couldn’t see who they were but I their presences seemed to radiate and stand out. Memories seemed to voluntarily shoot into my head without my consent. The time I was bitten, the time I met Clarriesse, the time I saw Keru clearly all flew in. I shivered as the thoughts sent a ripple up my spine. I did not enjoy my thoughts being brought up. I knew the three presences could see what was going on and I didn’t like it one bit.
Just then the thoughts disappeared like being sucked by a vacuum. My mind released itself as a huge booming voice echoed in the room.
“We claim this worthy young one. A messenger will be sent there shortly to bring you to us. May your journey be safe.”
Kyo set the chalk down and sighed as I stood up on my sore legs. I could tell from the way his body moved that he exhausted himself.
“Kyo,” I whispered as I tried to find my voice. I was alarmed at what happened and it was as though my body was still trying to fight off the adrenaline rush.
Kyo smiled. “Relax. I’ll be fine in a little bit.”
I nodded as Kyo walked towards me. His arms wrapped around me like a bird would to keep and egg warm. I sighed with relief even though I didn’t know what the relief was for.
“You’re stupid you know that right?” I muttered.
Just then a quiet fluttering noise filled the room as a small white raven circled above us. Each time it circled around it would descend towards the ground. It seemed as though it was watching and observing before making a choice. Finally it landed on the ground after a few times.
“Sorry for the alarming appearance,” the bird said. “One moment please.”
I jumped back at the voice. A bird wasn’t supposed to talk let alone land the way it did.
Kyo called out towards the bird as if saying a code word. “Coruus.”
A moment and a lot of smoke later, a young girl with long white-blonde and blue eyes appeared out of the smoke. She wore a blue cloak that wrapped around her and hid her other features.
“Coruus is correct but in my human form I go by Luna,” She stated.
“Luna,” I repeated as if trying to remember it. I have heard the name in books but an actual human named that. It’s crazy. Did an American have fun with that?
“For your information,” she snapped. “I am half.”
“Half what?” I asked puzzled, still unaware that she read my thoughts like an open book.
“Half American,” She replied spitefully.
“Oh.” How did she know that?
“What do you think? Your thoughts can be read by anyone here! Keep ‘em closed because they are starting to annoy me.”
Well I am sorry that I cannot stop my thoughts!
Kyo placed his hands on my shoulders. “Can you try to be nice to her?”
“Yeah, she is here to help.”
“Mmmm,” Luna muttered.
I spun to face her instead of Kyo. “What is your problem?”
“Apparently you,” She replied. The tension in the room seemed to grow with every second of conversation said. Luna was mad and so was I.
I was about to come in with a comeback but Kyo turned me to face him and placed a kiss on my lips. Well that was one way to shut up a girl. “Is it too much to ask for?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, I’ll be good.”
He smiled then turned his attention to Luna. “Sorry for the wait. Shall we go?”
Luna spun around. “Follow me quickly.”
She placed on her hood then walked towards the wall without books. For me it seemed stupid to do that but she was leading us so I wasn’t going to complain.
“Lumen!” She yelled while tracing her hands along the wall. After her fingers left the wall the outline of a door appeared with light.
“Onward my guests to the council,” She stated.
Kyo urged me along as Luna took off through the door. The hallway looked like a giant cave, dark, cold, and creepy. Small torches lit the area with dancing shadows.
“Kyo are you sure we can trust her?” I asked.
“Yes,” Kyo replied with surety.
We continued to walk, silently, for what seemed like hours. The deeper into the hall the colder it got. Not enough to bother me but enough to give me a sense of insecurity. For one I didn’t trust a bird that changed into a girl bur Kyo did. Footsteps echoed in the cave, for better lack of words. I was starting to get impatient but I knew what would happen if I opened my mouth carelessly.
“We’re here,” Luna stated after some time.
I stopped moving and sighed. We finally arrived. Luna snapped her fingers and a set of red cloaks similar to hers appeared on us.
“What the,” I cut my voice off.
“Show your respect!” Luna snapped. “You’re about to enter the sacred room.”
Folding my arms, I snickered at her but still continued to follow. The sliding door ahead of us opened and we entered a spacious room. Gold chandeliers with pure diamonds seem to encircle the room. Pure white marble encased the floor. A giant table filled the center room and there seated eleven people all looking different in appearance.
“Welcome back Coruus. You have done you job well.” The one that spoke seemed to show his leadership over all the people around. He sat at the head of the table. He was tan like and held deep brown hair that was tucked back into a ponytail.
Luna bowed and quickly took her seat next to a red headed girl.
Then the leader stood up. His arms spread wide in greeting. “Welcome,” He gestured. “To The Council of the Elders.”
Kyo bowed in respect. “We humbly ask for you service, Zaid.”
Zaid chuckled. “No need to be shy, Be yourselves.”
Just then a tall guy with black hair and blue eyes stood up. He was wearing the cloak that everyone seemed to wear.
“Let me introduce you to the elders,” He stated. “I am Stephan. The red-headed girl over there is Rosa. The red headed guy if Efrain.”
“Yo!” Efrain motioned. His French accent seemed to ring in my ears.
Stephan moved his hands towards the couple next to Rosa on the opposite side of Luna. “Those two are Akito and Reina. They are second in command.”
Akito nodded when he was acknowledged and Reina smiled.
“Nice to meet you,” She stated. “Rose…Kyo.”
My eyes widened. Reina a total stranger with long brown hair and blue eyes seemed to know my name. Akito laughed while moving his white-sliver hair from his rich blue eyes.
“Don’t be alarmed,” He said. “We all know your name.”
I sighed. Well then that is nice to know.
Stephan cleared his throat to catch the attention of us all. He smiled then continued introducing each other. “This is Jacob, and there is Angel, Ryoma, Kaname, and Zen.”
Each showed me a sign as they were acknowledged, such as waving a hand or nodding or even shooting me a smile. When Stephan was done he took his seat once more.
“Thank you Vespertilio,” Zaid said. “Now on to business. What can we do for you young ones?”
Kyo stepped forward. “Clarriesse has her plan to change the balance of the divide and world. Tension was hard as it was and she has destroyed it. We would humbly ask if you can bring her plans to an end and give us some assistance to get Rose back to her original body.”
“Rose back to her original body?” Reina asked. “What do you mean by that?”
Kyo shot his eyes towards me. I knew what he wanted me to do. They wanted proof and I could give them that.
Can you do it?
With the table right?
Kyo nodded in reply. I took in a deep breath giving me a chance to think about what I was going to do. Here goes nothing. Moving as slowly as I wanted I breathed my way towards the table. I let my blue-green eyes close. This was how I was going to do it. Then moving through the table I walked.
“What matter of...” Rosa asked.
I took in a nervous breath as I moved out of the table. Voices rang around the room. After I was out of the table, I collapsed to the floor. Everyone was wondering what happened and what was going on. I am alright. I will be back to normal in no time. I repeated the same words over and over in my head trying to convince my mind that somehow I was ok. Knowing that I was not a physical being, to a point, made me run with fear.
Kyo entered my head cutting off my rapid thoughts. He smiled slightly as he pulled me into his arms. Every single time that I needed someone he was there to show me that he had my back.
“What is going on?” Luna asked. It seemed as though her anger towards me faded in a blink of an eye. She was concerned as everyone else was in the room.
I stood up out of Kyo’s arms not bothering to keep myself in a grip that would keep me away from talking. I cut his thoughts off and pushed his presence out of my head. I was the one who needed to explain things.
“By means,” I stated out loud to catch everyone’s attention. “Clarriesse took my body.”
“By body,” Luna said. “You mean your body, body right?
“If you mean your physical body then yes,” I replied. “She took is and is using it to run rampage. I don’t know how this might help but I just want to fix things.”
“Clarriesse as in Princess Clarriesse Ankara de Mareia, right?” Efrian asked.
“Yeah,” I said slightly unsure. I didn’t know Clarriesse’s full name.
“We need to know how Clarriesse-”
Zaid was cut off by a scream that seemed to emanate from my mouth. I fell to my knees as a familiar sensation ran around me. My vision blurred and images filed into my head.
“Clarriesse,” I muttered.
“Rose what’s up?” Anna asked.
A laugh escaped my mouth. “Don’t worry. I’m just spacing out.”
“Sorry,” Subaru said. “I didn’t mean to...”
“Don’t say sorry. Karma will get you back. It’s all great. I am glad we could hang out.”
“What are best friends for?” Anna said with a wide grin.
“This.”
Just then Clarriesse’s voice rang and Subaru was being held up.
“You’re not Rose are you?” She stammered.
Anna stood frozen. “W-what?!”
“You’re going to die by my hands!”
“ANNA RUN! FIND THE REAL ROSE!” Subaru yelled.
Before I could get anything else out of the conversation said the images stopped. I shook my head and screamed.
“She has them, No this cannot be happening. ANNA, SUE!”
“Rose breathe!” Kyo screamed. I felt sweat drip off my face as my lungs filled themselves with rapid breaths of air. I followed his words and took the notion to calm myself down before talking.
“Clarriesse has Anna and Subaru,” I stated.
Kyo looked at me then up at everyone. “Send a search for a girl named Anna Sylvastien.”
Zaid stood and took action immediately. “Lupis and Coruus go. May you return in safety.”
Luna stood up and changed into a bird again. Kaname removed his cloak and his brown hair and blue eyes changed. A wolf was standing in his place.
“GO!” Zaid commanded. Luna and Kaname took off going out the door we had just arrived in.
“It’s okay Rose,” Kyo whispered. “They will be fine.”
Zaid looked at me with wondering eyes. He nodded and then walked towards me. “May I?”
The question was asked for me but Kyo answered. “You May.”
He moved himself away from me and Zaid moved to my eye level.
“Kyo,” I whispered. He was about to do something and I didn’t like it.
“You will be fine.”
“Relax Young one,” Zaid commanded. His deep voice reverberated and I stopped my thoughts. He placed his right thumb on my forehead.
“Sino an viscus ut quis est necessarius videor.”
His finger sunk into my mind and I felt my body stop moving altogether. His presence felt familiar like the three that had entered my head earlier.
Kyo! What is happening?!
Zaid’s voice entered my head. Be not afraid. I am only finding out everything that has happened to you so we can fix the problem. In what felt like days a recap of my memories flooded my head. They started with the time I was bitten then moved quickly. The one scene that seemed to be staying on my mind was the ritual Clarriesse did. The feelings of being ripped apart flew through me as I heard her voice echo with the words that made me the way I was. Terrifying emotion swept my thoughts.
After each memory flew by and caught up to the present Zaid removed his thumb off of my head.
“Peace be unto you dear girl,” He whispered just enough so that I could hear him. He then stood up and turned his attention to Kyo.
“Your connection to her is more than expected,” He stated with amusement. “A bond yet unbreakable.”
I smiled slightly. I was still in shock to see my life literally flash before me. Zaid know knew everything that had happened. He knew my innermost feelings and fears. I never wanted anyone to do that. I knew though he was just trying to help but with the ritual falling into my mind like a puzzle I was not about to do anything.
Kyo wrapped his arms around me. “You are here Rose.”
“I know,” I replied.
Zaid paced around us for a couple of minutes examining our position. His brown eyes looked sincere but even then I felt scared at his glare.
“Kyo,” I asked wanting to catch his attention towards me.
“What?” He asked back quietly.
“Can we get up now?”
“Sure.”
He pulled me up in one swoop as people began to swarm us.
“What was that?” asked Jacob.
“I,” I stammered.
“Jeez everyone back off! You’re going to suffocate her,” Rosa yelled. It was then everyone took a step back.
“Watch out gorilla is on the run!” yelled Efrian from beside her.
Rosa raised her arm in spite. She smacked her hand across his face. “Why do you do that?! I AM NOT A GORILLA!”
“You sure act like one,” He mocked back. He took the notion to move as far away as he could from her.
I laughed and I felt myself naturally relax in this environment. They seemed to gleam making me feel like I belonged.
“How about this? We can have Rose do some fun things?” Efrain asked.
“Your ideas of fun always turn bad,” Reina stated. Everyone around seemed to nod in agreement.
“It’s harmless. And besides it will mainly hit me the hardest.”
Kyo looked at Efrian as if asking him if it was safe. Silence filled the room and Kyo nodded. “Fine.”
I smiled then stood up. Whatever this was going to be it better be fun.
“Okay first things first,” He stated. “Stay still while I draw this around you.”
Efrian traced a complicated circle around me. The pattern contained strange symbol and intertwined lines. I watch intently, observing the quick, complicated strokes that formed the shape around me.
“There,” He muttered once finished.
He shot me a smile then tracked a small pattern on his own arm and up to his shoulder. “Patefacio gap inter nos totus quod sino mihi imperium.”
A bright blue glow resonated form the blue chalk drawn on him and around me. Shock filled my face.
“Magus,” he said soflty.
Kyo walked around me for a second then stood by Efrian. He mouthed some words that I could barely make out.
“Be still and you’ll be ok.”
I smiled then recomposed myself. The bright glow seemed to resonate with my feelings. It grew until I was unable to see inside.
“Eo,” Efrian yelled. The moment his mouth opened with that word a huge sensation swept through me. It tingled all the war from my fingertips to my toes.
“Now,” He said straightening up. “I am going to redirect my power in you. Do not be alarmed that your body will move without your consent.”
He moved his arms in a circular pattern. My arms moved at his movement. I could tell we were connected like a tiny piece of thread that held us together. I let go of my controlling emotions and let my body move on its own accord.
“So what do you want to do?” Efrain asked with slight strain.
“Mmm,” I said lost in thought. “What about we make something fly?”
He moved my left arm up. The red cloak sleeve shuffled down it. As he moved me arms around with his motions the table in the center of the room floated up.
Surprise and awe filled my face. “That is amazing!” I cried out.
My voice broke all of Efrain’s concentration. The table shook then fell to the ground with a loud crunch. The marble floor was still intact, surprisingly. I jumped at the sound and winced. Whoops I didn’t mean for that to happen.
“Good going,” Stephan said. “Just your luck for that to happen.”
“I,” Efrain said. “Magus! I release you!” The pulling tread that connected us snapped and I felt my energy return but then it drained all too quickly. My knees came into contact with the hard floor. A wave of nausea seemed to spin my stomach.
“Rose?” Kyo asked.
I was about to reply as Akito stood next to my face. “May I?”
His tall stature reminded me of Kyo. His blue eyes and silver hair hung around his blue cloak. Akito’s eyes brightened as I let him do what he wanted.
“Relax now,” He whispered softly.
I closed my eyes; the relaxing sensation flew through me at his words.
“Pacis Exsisto unto vos… Relaxo.”
The Nausea disappeared leaving me with just a sense of happiness.
“Illic vos es carus Rose,” Akito said, his last words still hanging in the air.
His words registered in my mind as words that I could strangely understand. They were words of comfort. Peace be unto you.
“How do you know Latin?” I spouted out. I didn’t even know that it was a Latin until I had the words coming out of my mouth.
“All Council members know.”
Akito then smiled at me and pulled me up with his strength. He nodded his hair moving into his face. Then he removed his arms off my shoulders. I readjusted the cloak on me as he walked away with no notion of anything. Strange person I thought. He just did something strange and he just walks away. But he reminds me strangely of someone. Kyo. He looks the same. His eyes, his presence, and even his smile. I think that they could be related.
“You have something to say Rose?” Kyo asked. “You seem lost in thought.”
“Umm… It’s not important,” I stammered.
“I am sure it’s important if it has your mind wrapped around it.”
I cleared my throat and caught the attention of everyone in the room. “Is Akito related to Kyo?”
Reina’s face filled with shock. “No! You musn’t!”
Akito turned to face me and walked forward. He shot Reina a small grin that seemed to be filled with sadness. “They have the right to know now that it is brought up.”
Reina moved back accepting his decision. “But only those concerned.”
Akito nodded in agreement and his attention smiled back to me.
“Only you and Kyo may hear.”