[solved]Sanctuary

Chapter Seventeen: The Broken Seal

The sound of crickets singing their song amidst the night sky quietly drifted through the air while Su solemnly sat beneath the stars seemingly collecting her thoughts. She sat in front of the tent that TJ and Curt were resting in, tossing rocks into the water steadily washing onto shore and back to the ocean. She closed her eyes and sighed as the sound of shuffling erupted from the tent, very quietly, but not enough to prevent her ears from catching the sounds.

“Just go back to the tent and we I won’t have to resort to kicking your ass back into it.” Su muttered.

“Why so cold Guv’nor?” Curt sneered.

“I don’t have anything to say to you. So get out of my face.”

“I’m not in it yet. But by the tone of voice you’re taking, I take it that there’s something you wanna say to me. So why hide it?”

“Ever seen an angry God’s Governor?”

“I take it that it’d be quite the sight.”

Su immediately rose to her feet, twisting without a step and grabbing Curt by the cuff of his shirt. “You lied to us.” She snarled in a cold, crisp voice.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Curt responded with a shrug.

Su lifted him off the ground meeting his calm stare with her own. “You damn well knew that Rabana was a fake. There’s no way in hell that the real Rabana is that weak! Destroyer of cities? A King? Bullshit! If that was what he was, that one was nothing more than some shitty wannabe!”

Curt raised his eyebrows. “And if he was?”

“If he was, which he obviously was, I’ll let it go. Just this once. But you pull something like that again and I WILL destroy you. Got it?” Curt shrugged nonchalantly. Su dropped him and he stumbled to his feet. “Do you think I went through all that shit just to kill some fake Agasuras?”

“Should I be scared?”

She smiled with a hint of contempt. “Scared or not, I’ll keep to my promise and shed your blood mercilessly if you wanna play that game. I’ve killed humans and Agasuras alike, and if you feel like challenging that, let’s see how long you’ll last.”

Curt smiled impishly. “That’s no way for a god to act now is it? Shouldn’t you be protecting innocent humans like me, and those others that you’ve killed?”

“Innocent?” She snorted. “Anyone from the Dark Moon Kingdom or Owl Castle are anything but innocent. Rape. Murder. Slavery. You name it, they did it. Death isn’t good enough for them. And if it was, I’d be glad to give it to them again. But...killing stupid humans isn’t going to satisfy my revenge.. I want what they want.”

“The revival of their lord right?”

Su gave Curt a slow applause. “Congrats. Want a cookie?” He scoffed. “There’s only one way that he can be revived. I need TJ to make that happen. And when he is revived, I’ll destroy him with these hands. He’s made those idiots at Dark Moon Castle do his bidding; they soaked their hands in my people’s blood, so I’ll do the same. A hundred-fuckin’ times over! And until the day I get my revenge, there won’t be an end. As for you...you’re no human, and you sure as hell aren’t an Agasura. You're not one of us either...” She shrugged. “Not that I could give a crap. I’ll kill you anyway. So watch what you say.” Su drew her dagger and pointed it at Curt as her body was illuminated by a bright green glow, dispersing into a series of tiny balls and disappearing.

Curt smiled once more. “She has to be careful who she says these things to, or she might get herself into something way over her head.”

I've thought about a lot of things, like the characters, who appears and who doesn't, and of course, the events throughout. Some of the major decisions I made recently were one: The main heroine/character wouldn't use any of the traditional weapons. She actually fights with a katana, after losing her rapier in the invasion. Secondly: the main hero is gonna be named Salem. Thirdly: Heinrichter will make his first appearance there to foreshadow the beginning of Sanctuary. Lastly: There will be a crossover between Sanctuary and this project, for the DMC arc. I won't spoil it for you though lol. It'll take place in the present time in the main story. Also I'm thinking of naming it Innocence.

“Your first task is to gain control of your powers. Right now, all of your mana is knotted up in your chest. Because you don’t know how to use it, the flow throughout your body sucks. There’s enough to allow you to move freely, but there isn’t enough to let you cast freely. If we can spread that flow, you should be able to use it, and easily master any SP based water spells.” Su explained. “So you’re gonna meditate. Follow my lead.” Su sat on the ground and clasped her hands together in her lap while TJ followed suit. She closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Let the energy flow through your body. From the top of your head to your feet, let your thoughts go and just feel the energy around you. Once you get that sense of its being, take it in, and let it out.” She took a deep breath, then exhaled. “Mana is all around us. It’s inside of us, a part of us, our lifeblood. Don’t be afraid of it.”

TJ’s face cringed. “I’m trying but I just can’t. I don’t feel anything...”

“Then focus harder.” Su muttered.

“How am I supposed to focus with everything that’s going on?! In that last memory I had to watch all of those people I may have known get killed right before my very eyes! The me of the past just ran away...completely oblivious to what had happened after I had left...you don’t know what it’s like to be in my shoes! You wouldn’t understand anything because you don’t have to suffer through-” TJ stopped as he could feel the earth trembling beneath him nearly knocking him off of his feet as it thrusted Su onto hers and right into his face as she lifted off of his feet by the collar of his shirt.

“I don’t understand? You haven’t seen anything like I have! Was your village attacked and burned to the ground? Was your entire family killed right before your very eyes? Were the only friends you had stolen from you?! I didn’t think so!” She let go of him and turned away. “We’ve all got a stake in this TJ. Someday, you’re gonna have to fucking grow up and realize that. This isn’t what it used to be. This isn’t just some stupid grudge match or something. This is the beginning of an all-out war, and if you’re not ready for it, you’ll only be fodder to a mere human. Now enough of that bullshit. We’re partners now. Your suffering is mine, and so are your victories. If you detach yourself from me, our contract will come undone and both of our souls will be torn to shreds! You like the sound of that?”

TJ lowered his head. “I...I’m sorry...I spoke without thinking. I was out of line to say something like that when I didn’t know anything.”

Su sighed. “First rule of being a mage: keep your emotions in check. If you let your emotions rule you, you won’t be able to control your spells. That’s why learning to meditate is important. If you can do that, you can master yourself, and if you can master yourself, you’ll become invincible.”

He nodded. “Let’s give it another shot. I’ll do better this time.”

“I expect results.” She sneered.

The two took their meditating positions adjacent to each other, sitting in silence for a few moments. Su occasionally gave TJ instructions like, “Inhale, exhale, release” and he skillfully followed them showing great strides in his effort to improve his mana flow. Su eventually stopped instructing him and began to walk around him, examining his stance, the extent of his focus and his flow. If he made the slightest movement or sound, she would axe kick him until he succeeded.

After little over an hour, TJ was able to meditate without batting an eye to the loudest of noises Su created, or reacting to anything she threw past him to invoke a reaction. She nodded proudly as she said, “Looks like you’ve got the basics of meditation covered. Keep what you learned in mind for anytime where you think you might need it. There’s always time to meditate.”

“I hope you’re sure about that.” TJ muttered under his breath. Su raised an eyebrow and he smiled guiltily.

First Epoch: Homecoming Hero
“She’s out there somewhere, and when I find her I’ll put this quest to rest.” (Talin)

The two silently rested in the snowy park. His feet crunched in the snow as he uneasily shuffled his hands in the pockets of his crimson hoodie. With one sneaker resting against the pole of the swing and the other resting in the snow, he silently stared down at his blue jeans from the inside of his hood. She sat a few centimeters away from him, her head covered by a small blue hat with a thin string holding onto the pom-pom. She wore a black goose-down jacket and black yoga pants. The snow crunching under her white boots; the sound being the only thing said between them. Her gentle green eyes stared into the snow beneath her heel.
“You know it doesn’t have to be this way.” He muttered.
“What other option do we have?” She asked.
“There’s so much more we can do! Running away from every problem isn’t going to solve them! We’re supposed to face them head on and overcome them! Isn’t that part of what love is all about?”
“I’m doing this because I love you!”
“This isn’t out of love Alyssa! This is out of fear! Fear of change, fear of acceptance, fear of facing the truth! Does our relationship mean so little to you? Do I mean so little to you?”
She stood up now. The pain and sorrow etched in her expression as her cheeks rolled down her face. “How would you know how I feel?! You’re not me and you’ll never understand!”
He turned his head in her direction but his expression remained a mystery beneath his hood. “That’s a good question. How would I know? You never open up to me. You’re all smiles behind a mask of what you really feel; what you really believe and what you don’t want me to see. It’s been two months since we started dating, and yet, I still know so little about you. Tell me something, tell me anything. Tell me a secret.”
“I have nothing to hide!” She snarled.
“You do.”
“And what would that be smartass?”
He removed his hood. “This.” He said pointing to his face. The young man’s face now visible, revealing a creature that was everything short from being human. His pale violet skin and long silver hair; his pointed ears and his golden eyes…”I’m not one to be taken for a fool Alyssa. I saw right through everything. You say you did these things to protect me, but who are you trying to protect me from? Your family? I’ve only heard about them, and it was the same for them. Your friends, you would always hide from me and meet them on the days where you said you couldn’t see me. And you too…you always met with that same smile but behind it I could see the fear in your eyes.” He sighed. “You didn’t have to agree to this. There was no coercion involved.”
“That’s not funny!”
He smiled. “You’re right. It’s not. I’m the worst aren’t I? In you I saw something that I hadn’t in others, and next thing you knew we were dating. Over the past few months I had always reassured myself that there was love, but that was just me and my wistful thinking. Every word you had said, I wanted to believe. Almost thought there could have been a future for us. But as fate dictated, it was never meant to be; for a Human and a Dark Elf to fall in love…the world isn’t ready for something like that, and you weren’t either Alyssa.”
“You have no right to be telling me what I feel and what I’m ready to do!”
He smiled somberly this time. “But isn’t it true? Can you honestly tell me that you’re willing to stick it out with a guy like me? Be honest, we’ve spent enough time together for me to tell when you’re lying.”
She glared at him. “Of course I can.”
“Take your time. I’ll wait.” He ensured that their eyes met as he awaited her answer.
“I don’t wanna talk about it okay?! I know what you’re going to say so just spit it out already!”
He sighed. “You were the one who called me out today with that thought in mind. But this is what you wanted the moment we began, isn’t it?” He smiled and her glare began to appear more vicious. “Alyssa, I think we should split up.”
She closed her eyes and turned away, for a moment appearing to have a slightly victorious smile upon her face. “You should find another person like you Talin.”
“Alyssa…” He said with a grin. “They don’t exist.”
She gasped, placing her hand to her mouth as she fell silent.
“That’s why people always look at me funny. The news people always approach me and question me, and everyone at every school I went to kept their distance. There isn’t a single place in this world where you’ll find a Dark Elf, next to here. Now that we’re in college, the students aren’t afraid of me, but rather, they’re just plain distrusting.” Talin explained.
“I…I should go…” She said, and then ran away.

He waved her off as he said, “Goodbye Alyssa.” He placed his hands in his pockets for a few moments, then glanced down at the snow and reached into it, scooping some up with his bare right hand. “Love…is like snow. When it begins, it gently rains down and it’s beautiful, spreading joy in its wake. Once the snowfall ends, it sits on the ground waiting to be trampled on. And time and time again it is, until it becomes nothing more than a nuisance…the bitter chill it brings becoming the enemy of everyone. Then it finally melts, and the weather warms up. The bitter winter finally comes to an end. What a sad existence it i-” He stopped talking as a stranger’s fist connected with his face and knocked him face-first into the snow. “Mice pumch Kama.” He muttered from the ground.
“You know, I worry about you when you get all emo like that.” A young lady said to him. She wore a white hat with cat ears, eyes, a mouth and a tail hanging from the back, a purple coat and blue jeans beneath it. Long silver hair tied in a ponytail over her shoulder and eyes with no irises or pupils met his. The sound of her sneakers was next to silent. “You know, when the winter ends its springtime right? The sun comes out…it’s a new beginning. But until then, I’ll be your light.” She placed her hands on his torso and attempted to lift him from the ground, but proved too weak to do so.
“You’re so reliable.” He said rising from the ground and dusting himself off. “That punch was just what I needed. But what urged you to come here Kana?”
“Just a hunch. What made you wanna have a breakup session here?”
He shrugged. “Wasn’t my idea. She wanted to do it where everyone wouldn’t want to be. In that case, right here. Though I knew it was coming, it hurt my feelings a fair bit.”
Kana smiled. “You always put on that front when you get your heart broken, but I know you better than that. You’re hurt deeper than that, admit it.”
He grinned. “You worry too much. I am one hundred percent fine.”
“If you confess, I’ll buy you Timmy’s to make you feel better.”
“I’m hurting. Hurting for Timmy’s.” He said with a devilish grin.
“You’re full of it.” Kana laughed.

The two quietly sat down in a nearby Tim Horton’s sipping hot chocolate at a two-person table. Talin glanced around catching people as they quickly attempted to turn their stares in various directions to avoid his watchful eye.
“You’re still thinking about it, aren’t you?” Kana asked placing her hot chocolate back down on the table.
“What gives you that idea?” He said while his eyes darted towards another pair of people caught staring.
“I’ve known you for like all our lives.” She smiled. “Ever since you came to my rescue, the two of us have been stuck to each other like a pair of Siamese twins.”
Talin grinned in turn. “After I showed those bullies these guns, they weren’t gonna come back for more.” He raised his arms and began to flex, though even without the coat there was not much for him to show off.
She smiled impishly as she took another sip of her drink and whispered, “I’m moist.”
“Hrk-“He looked absolutely mortified as he nearly slammed his drink down and violently coughed while choking on his drink. “S! S!” He shouted between his coughs while pointing at her.
“You’re so cute when you’re choking.” She laughed.
“Ahh…nearly died there. This is a family establishment you know. That kind of vulgar talk isn’t for this place. Also the floor of Timmy’s isn’t quite what I had in mind for my deathbed.”
“Okay, okay I’m sorry. Why don’t I do a bit of ‘Clairvoyance’ for you as an apology?”
He smiled. “You really don’t have to. I know you try not to grab too much attention with it, Miss Oracle.” He sneered.
“Keep calling me that and I’ll tell everyone at your college your nickname, Solace Seeker.”
Talin frowned. “Okay fine, you win.” While she rummaged through her purse he took a glance outside. Even after living here my entire life, this place still feels so strange to me. Everyone says that twenty years ago, in the year 2000 an unusual event occurred that caused something to bridge a gap between this world, the Human world, and the world where every other race came from, Azenham. The humans refer to all of us as Azenhamians, but for those who don’t want to try and pronounce that, they just call us Azen.
Kana continued her fruitless struggle and gestured for Talin to be patient, where he smiled back at her in turn.
Somewhere along the way, I wound up here, but I was much too young to remember any of it. My whole life I was raised by my two foster parents, Harlin and Mona. Though they’re the same race as Kana, they treat me as if I’m one of their own. Sadly though, I never knew my real parents. I’ve only ever seen my mother in pictures, and in the mirror artifact she had left for me before she disappeared. When I turned thirteen, Harlin told me that when the event occurred and the two worlds came together, my mother gave me to them and prayed for them to join everyone else in their quest to go to the human world, and that she would stay behind. She…just wanted to keep me safe from the danger that pursued her…but what it was that was after her, she never told them. Just disappeared forever into the maelstrom of people. As for my father…I’d be damned if I knew anything of him, let alone anyone else.
“Found it!” Kana’s sudden shout caused him to snap out of his reverie immediately. “Alright, come now, gimme your hands. I wanna add them to my collection.”
“Oh that’s hilarious!” Talin remarked sarcastically. He held out a hand and she placed it upon a crystal ball between them on a table. She placed her hands upon his and closed her eyes as he followed suit. Beneath the sleeves of her coat, two gold bangles were revealed, and upon his the same. Unfamiliar markings were inscribed on each.
Kana and I…we go way back. Back in grade three, she was being bullied by some of the boys in our class. It didn’t surprise me at all that all of them were human. So I went over there and I got in their way. I couldn’t just stand by and watch while three guys picked on a cornered girl. The cowards…thankfully, she wasn’t hurt, so she was able to get up and run away before they could do anything to her. They weren’t too happy about that though, so they beat me up right after. I wound up walking away with a swollen eye and a bloody lip. According to them, I got off easy that time. Next time, I’d be real lucky if I was that fortunate. After that, they beat each other up a little and told the teacher. How could one kid take on three others? Didn’t matter to her.
The funny thing about that is there was a next time. The same guys followed her during gym class the next day somewhere where the teacher couldn’t see them. They planned to rough her up for sure this time, assuming that I wouldn’t show after the first beating. But they were wrong. The moment I stepped foot near them, the smallest of the three grabbed Kana and said he’d hurt her real bad if I tried anything. That made me kinda angry; I yelled at them, and that gave them a real holler. And then…
Talin frowned. Flashes of the earth trembling around them and pieces of the pavement being tossed about flashed in his mind for a mere couple of moments. I…can’t remember what happened then. I remember the boys running away crying, and Kana was okay…she wasn’t scared or anything. After that, we became close friends. She told me about her knack for Clairvoyance, and the artifact that allows her to clearly take a glimpse into the future, her crystal ball. Humans didn’t believe she could do it though, because their tales say only witches do that, and witches aren’t real. Magic isn’t either, except for the silly tricks that ‘magicians’ perform. But I believed her anyway, and she proved it to me.
I can’t help but feel something else is missing from my memory though…I remember the boys telling the teacher, and I saw the principal. I got in really big trouble, and then Harlin and Mona had to come in and talk to her. Then these creepy authorities took me to this place and…then…they…
He tightly closed his eyes as he attempted to remember. Familiar words rang in his mind, but only bits and pieces of what he could remember.
“…gic does not exist…”
“You will forget…”
“…powers are not real…”
And then something completely unusual happened. He saw himself walking along a crowd full of people, and in that crowd he could see his mother waiting, waving to him, calling out to him.
“Come back…”
“Mo…mother?” He asked.
“Come back…”
“Hang on mother! I’m coming now!”
She slowly began to fade away with the crowd.
“Come back…”
“Don’t go! Mother, wait! Mother!”

“Mother!” Talin suddenly cried out.
Kana looked mortified, but confused at the same time. “I uhh…seem to have stepped on a landmine here.” She said awkwardly. “Sorry.”
He laughed nervously and gestured not to worry. “It’s alright, no worries. Let’s just get out of here because I can feel the stares on my back. Not too fond of that.”
“I’m with you comrade.”