Sparks of War Chapter 6
Deception
By Limited Moon
"Stahn..."
Stahn looked behind him, it was Philia. She had a relieved look on her face, and seeing this reminded Stahn about what he liked about Philia, her beautiful smile.
"Uh...yeah?" Stahn replied.
"Where have you been...," Philia saw the Swordian in his hand and then looked at him surprised, "w...where did you get that?! It's a SWORDIAN!!"
"OH...her..."
"This one of your little friends?" Aretha interrupted in a sarcastic tone.
"I thought all of the Swordians died...I thought there were only 6!!!" Philia said to herself.
"Philia, meet Aretha, an Aetherian Swordian of the Dark Element," Stahn said.
Philia looked at Stahn in disbelief, "how on earth did you get THIS?!"
"Well, it's a long story, you see, the Aetherians made Swordians too and..."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"So Clemente came to you from the realm of the dead to help you get Aretha so you can avenge your gandfather? I don't know, Stahn, Clemente doesen't usually say things like that, he always said that to die for vengance is like dying for nothing, Stahn," Philia shook her head and she said this.
"It happened, I saw him and everything, and Aretha is proof!" Stahn held up Aretha in the air and then sheathed her.
"HEY! I don't like that, get me out of this stupid thing!" Aretha said in objection.
"Don't like sheaths huh?" said Stahn laughing.
"This isn't funny, GET ME OUT," argued Aretha.
"Well, Stahn, I still have my doubts, but I know you aren't one to lie, ESPECIALLY to a High Priest," said Philia, standing up.
They were about to go back to Bruiser's mansion when they heard a shout, it was Garr running out, shouting as the middle of the city seemed to explode. People began to flood out of Nuestadt as Garr got to Stahn and Philia.
"What's going on, Garr?! What;s happening here?!" Stahn immediately said as Garr got there.
"Urgh, some woman came into Town Square...she looked like a beast would, she...took...Chelsea...I tried to fight her, but nothing would hurt her...she's still there, Stahn, HELP US!"
Stahn unsheathed Aretha, "you better be ready to help me save Chelsea, what kind of magic do you have, Aretha?"
"I can use Dark Wind, but it'll take a while for me to get ready to actually begin casting it," Aretha replied.
"Ok, Philia, stay with Garr!" Stahn ordered.
"All right," Philia agreed.
Stahn rushed into the burning town of Nuedstadt, he instantly ran to Town Square, and sure enough, there was a woman waiting in the middle of it, with Chelsea floating behind encased in some kind of bubble.
"Well, it's he host and his little Swordian," mocked the woman.
How does she know this is a Swordian?? thought Stahn.
"Aren't you going to speak, or will you die without a noise, like a little mouse," she said with a smile.
"Urgh, let Chelsea go and stop this fire, or i'll kill you!"
"Ha, you can't kill me. I am Selene, the Destiny Keeper is what i'm called, or do you know of the legends?"
"I don't care who you are, let Chelsea go!" Stahn screamed as he charged at Selene. She simply raised her hand and Stahn was encased in a bubble, he tried to break free, but it was like solid rock.
"You cannot beat me, Aileron, besides, I am not here to fight you."
"huh...what do you mean?!"
"I only needed to draw you out, Aileron."
"Draw me out?! Why?!"
"This is the reason, Aileron, look at me..."
He couldn't resist looking into the green eyes as they grew brighter, soon a laser shot out into his eyes and penetrated his soul, she began chanting a powerful incantation, and began saying, "you WILL collect all the Dark Swordians. You will have no recollection of this, but you will do so anyway. The temples locations are, Southern Phandaria, Eastern Seinegald, and Western Aquaveil. This is your destiny, given to you by the Destiny Keeper, and now there is no avoiding it, Aileron."
"NO!" Aretha shouted, "YOU CAN'T DO THIS! THE CRYSTALS WILL BE DESTROYED!"
Selene simply smiled as she released Stahn of her control, he fell unconscious, "that's the idea, Aretha. Once these crystals are destroyed, he will fulfill his true destiny, you don't see it in him? I hear in your human years, you were a great spiritualist, just like I am. Oh, what use is that to you now, if you're just a hunk of metal! HAAHAAAHAHAAA!" Selene snapped her fingers, and a beam of light encased her and Chelsea's bubble.
"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Aretha protested as the light encased Selene and Chelsea.
"I just did...hahahaahahahaa!" Selene said, then the light disappeared, wth her and Chelsea. The fire disappeared, the damage repaired itself, everyone who died began to wake up...it was as if it had never happened. The bubble lowered itself to the ground and disappeared, throwing the unconscious Stahn on the ground. Garr and Philia soon came running into Town Square in disbelief, as did Bruiser, Karyl, and Rutee. They gathered around the unconscious Stahn.
"Stahn! What happened to him!" yelled Rutee as they gathered.
"He doesen't have a scratch on him, and he's breathing okay..." Bruiser said feeling Stahn's neck and arm for a pulse.
"...! Where's Chelsea?!" Garr remembered, he searched around the Square, but there were no signs of her, anywhere, "that...witch took CHELSEA!!!"
"That's the least of our problems," Karyl said, "what if she comes back, we have to stop her!"
"Karyl's right, but first, we need to get Stahn into the mansion," Philia said, she took Aretha up into her arms. I'll need to take care of this Swordian.
"Swordian?!" Garr looked as if he had seen a ghost, "why, if it wasn't for the black blade, i'd say that was Igtenos!"
"I'll tell you all about it later," Philia said, "first thing, we need to get Stahn in the mansion, now!"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Stahn was placed in the care of Bruiser's personal nurses and the group sat in the large dining hall worried, Philia decided it was best to tell them abut Aretha now. Aretha was silent though, even when Philia tried to talk to her. Even as she told them the story Stahn had told her, Aretha never spoke.
"So, there are four of these Aetherian Swordians, maybe we could get one for each of us, and maybe save Chelsea..," Garr said.
"It's not that simple, I remember Aretha saying the Swordian's were guarding something, but I don't know what..."
Aretha was still silent. Stahn walked into the room, with no sign of what had happened in the Square on him.
"Stahn! You're okay!" Philia said in happiness.
"Philia, we need to save Chelsea now, there's no need for this lollygagging, she could be killed," Stahn said sternly.
"Stahn, you sure you're up to it, I mean..?!" Philia said worriedly.
"I'm fine, Philia," Stahn interrupted.
He sat down in one of the chairs at the dining table. Philia sat down beside him, eyeing him as if she wasn't sure it was him.
"Stahn, I know we need to save Chelsea, but where could she have..." Garr began.
"Chelsea was taken to Western Aquaveil, in a temple. That is the witche's temple, and she took Chelsea there, she told me this," Stahn interrupted.
Bruiser eyed him suspiciously, "I've been to Aquaveil and there's no temple there at all."
Karyl nodded, "Hey, i'm in a royal family there and explored it all, there's no temple there Stahn."
Stahn simply looked into space, "there IS a temple there, trust me..."
Philia eyed him, "I don't think Stahn would lie..."
"Yes, I wouldn't lie...to you all, you're...my friends," Stahn said with a seemingly empty smile on his face.
"Well, we can't all go, someone needs to stay here in case she returns..," Garr said.
"I'll go with you, Stahn, Chelsea's a good friend to me," Karyl volunteered.
"I'm going," Garr said, "I want to get that witch for this!"
Bruiser smiled, "Ah, don't worry, you all go, me and Rutee can hold down the fort."
"Thanks, Bruiser," Philia said.
"Yes....thanks...." Stahn agreed with an empty smile.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"SO, SELENE, HE WILL USE THIS AS A REASON TO GO TO RESVOND TEMPLE TO FREE THE SWORDIAN, I LIKE THAT," Throx told her in the dark basement of the castle.
"This is going more than perfectly," the figure said, "but it had better stay that way, Selene, you know how much I tolerate failure..."
"Have I failed you before, master?" Selene said, smiling.
"Heh, this little victory has given you confidence, but don't take it to your head. Wont the Swordian advise them against it?!" the figure asked.
"I took care of the Swordian, when she wakes up, she wont remember why she was sealed up...ahahahahahahaaa!" Selene laughed.
"Good, excellent...now act 2 must begin...uwahahahahaahahaa!"
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