Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

“I heard Sid’s back” A familiar voice emerged, growing thick in the air.

Sid turned around and found a tall light tanned man standing in the stepping way of the staircase. He wore a charming smile and his eyes sparkled it's special brown.

“Ikuto” Sid greeted with a soft smile and her cheeks warming.

“Thank you for bringing my lil sis back” He smothered a laugh.

Ikuto crossed the distance and stood in front of Sid still smiling, placing his hands on her shoulders. Sid Tried not to blush or back away; Ikuto never touched a female since the beginning of the family and Sid knew this because she and Ikuto started the orphan family. But no matter how hard she tried, her heart quickened and her increasing breathing deceived her. However, his smile remained and he didn’t look as if he regretted approaching her.

What is he thinking? Sid thought. What am I thinking?

“Did they read your mind Sid?” He then said, still with a distant smile, but disconnected from the one he wore before.

Sid schooled her face “No, big brother” She spoke, stern and strong.

He nodded slowly. Not long after his smile returned to his face and the cheeky gleam hit his eyes.

“But” Sid inserted, everyone returned gleams of interested at her and then she felt the unease overcome her again, she swallowed her fear “They said that I wasn’t going to die, that my blood...lives with the poison” Sid decided on her words, trying to copy the Magic’s source of wisdom to make her look smarter.

Ikuto thought about this, humming from deep concentration. Then his expression lightened and a smile tugged at the side of his lips.

“Well then, you and Row are safe. But those Magic’s might come back to get ya” He finished, his smile wavered and the excitement before didn’t quiet touch his face; neither was he touching Sid at all, anymore.

But his gaze was observing, looking at her deeply and Sid couldn’t hold his gaze, she shied away and directed her attention to the uncoloured floor. She saw his hand flicker up and she snapped her head to look at him. His hand moved closer to her face and Sid couldn’t control herself; with her heart racing and blood pumping, she couldn't move, she nearly fainted. When he brushed his hand across Sid’s rosy cheek a sting twinge and Sid flinched. Ikuto palled away and smiled.

“You got a little cut” He smiled wider, as if it was funny that Sid got hurt; well if it was, then it should be getting old, Sid always gets hurt. “Wash up, we got dinner soon” He turned to Miko and his voice changed, more formal “Are you going to join us for dinner?”

Sid looked around Ikuto to see Miko’s expression; it was disappointed, as if something was wrong. But the question was quite simple.

“I’ll like to” He then replied, with a half hearted smile.

Amu wrapped her arms around Miko and rested her cheek on his shoulder. A deep longing pulled a nerve in Sid and she was unaware of her facial expression.

“Sid, are you alright?” Amu asked, clearly worried.

Was my expression that bad? Sid thought.

But she then hated herself for allowing her face to show her thoughts; Ikuto turned his around to address her. Sid’s heart launched, wanting to escape. She quickly gave a short nod and rushed to the stairs not slowing to see their questionable expressions. Not wanting to see his questionable expression.

 

“Goru!” the cry came from behind and before Goru could turn around, a hand hit his shoulder and he jumped in alarm.

As Goru made a half circle on his heals, his eyes revealing his good friend Rove; huffing and puffing for air. Then he realised that Rove must of attempted to run after him. Goru suppressed his laughter.

“I see you didn’t catch up to her” Rove inserted.

Goru looked down at Rove in surprise. Rove never likes to complain about people escaping; well Goru now knows that Rove don’t mind people escaping if he didn’t have to run after them. Especially because he has the lungs of an older Mage, not as powerful as himself; Goru smiled at his simple complement.

Letting the smile disappear, he remembered the question “Well, she’s fast and knows the lower area better than me” Goru blamed.

“Us” Rove corrected.

“What now?”

“Well, the guild should be informed about the little mishap. You want to do it, or should I?” Rove asked, looking a little disappointed.

Goru shook his head frantically; then placed his gloved hand on his head, so that his palm rested on his forehead and concentrated as he heard Rove’s mental call. The voices echoed in his head, projecting from the top of his skull - where his hand laid - the power flowed from his rak and into his head, Goru felt the connection between him, Rove and the Lord as if he knew exactly where they was; and that was possible to find out.

-          Haren. Rove called.

-          Yes Rove? A Voice answered.

-          The girl got away. Rove replied; clear disappointment was heard in his mental voice.

-          We knew something like this was going to happen.

Silence answered the following seconds.

-          We will need to plan what we do next, return to the guild and we’ll talk. Haren’s presence disappeared.

Goru opened his eyes, light flooding his vision. Soon he could make out Rove’s figure and then features; His eyes sparkling green, with a radiant sun ray that coloured his face an odd sickly shade, with a dark shadow underlining the lower part of his eyes, he looked in need of a few hours of sleep.

“We better head back” Rove then spoke, interrupting Goru’s thoughts.

“You promise to get some sleep?” Goru asked.

But Rove just turned and started down street; not answering the question. Goru knew he’ll have a tough night too, knowing that something was worrying Rove, but he couldn’t bring himself to think that the girl is the reason. Goru sighed and followed Rove’s long cased shadow.

 

Miko walked into a fairly large room; a table, hugged by eight chairs, none looking related and one small stool. Miko smiled as he stroked the spine of his chair and sat down, the room was all but empty; family members were running around washing themselves and getting dressed for a group dinner.

Soon the door opened, there stood a dark figure but Miko knew who it was and stood in respect. The man strolled in, wearing a beautifully contained clack. Hundred of rushing feet fumbled in, they took their normal seats and Miko realised that Amu sat down to his right and Miko’s left was occupied by Kira. Everyone but Sakura and Kairi, then they appeared in the doorway, with dishes of food. Sitting them down randomly on the table and rushing to their seats.

Miko moved his attention to the few dishes of food, on one of the dishes closes to him was two loafs of bread, the next plate moving along the table, nearest to Amu " and the person sitting opposite to Amu " Sid, was a dish fall of red meat and the last dish was too far to make out.

“Eat” The command was sounded and the family slummed into eating.

 Miko ate with care, not wanting to take too much, but enough to seem not rude. He ate with delicacy. Looking up he laid his eyes on the person opposite to him; Kairi, who was digging into the food with satisfaction written on his face. Miko remembered the first time Kairi meet in the family.

    Kairi came running from the distance and crumbled at Ikuto’s and Miko's feet, he begged Ikuto, asking if he saw his cousin and named her Amu. Ikuto took him in and vowed to help the young man, Kairi didn’t speak for three days and after the forth he fell completely apart. Miko set out one day; looking again. He saw a young woman thief something from a stall in the market, so clearly that the shop keeper gave a chase to return his food; Miko followed and then cut in when he caught up. The keeper wasn't really bothered by the theft, as long as it was paid for, so Miko paid the money and turned to the woman thanking him for the rescue. He remembered her brilliant smile, bright deep brown eyes wide, looking in them as if they were forever tunnels and her blond hair falling long and bright, even brighter then Sidicus’s. It was love at first sight.

   Redeeming his vision, Miko laid his eyes on Amu’s face; the same face of perfection that he saw not so long ago. Miko smiled in delight, his true love is sitting next to him and Miko always use to tell himself that he’ll never love, never get the chance.

 

“What do we have, fellow Mages?” Haren asked, his face serious; brows burrowing into his eyes, shorting his view.

 Rove stood in the middle of the grand hall of the guild; it truly is grand, with golden pillars reaching up and unfolding into a glass roof. Haren’s foot prints echoed loudly in the hollow room as he moved closer and Goru stood slump, shifting his weight uncomfortably. So Rove took it on himself to break the news.

“As Goru pointed out, the girl we caught had some strange force about her” Rove declared.

“The virus?” Haren asked.

“No. Her body is made not to react to the virus” Rove described, hesitating; deciding whether to caring on.

   Haren stood at a reasonable distance away from Rove and Goru; about four steps away. He rested one of his finger tips on his chin, while tapping his toe anxiously. His eyes lifted from the gaze of the floor to lay on Goru’s face then Rove’s.

   Rove only wished that he knew what Haren was thinking, it haunted him to know there was more then just losing the girl; Sid. He remembered, it was clear in her head that she wanted to be known as Sid. Other names flooded into his head when he was checking her body for the virus, such as; Row, Ikuto and Amu. Maybe they were her friends, because they couldn’t be her family, she told him that she didn’t have a family. But then Rove was getting nosier, there was something else that scared him though. What if she becomes one of these monsters? Loads of people die, so why she any different Rove?

   Haren suddenly moved and Rove was broken out of his trance of Sid. “We are going to need her, hmmm” mumbled Haren, mostly to himself “Can I ask of you two to retrieve her again?” Asked Haren.

 Rove nodded his head slowly, with images and thoughts of Sid pouring in. Then Rove looked up, redirecting his attention to Haren “Yes my lord” Rove said with an instant smile crossing across his face, but he couldn’t help it.

 

   Goru looked over at his good friend and felt a slight disappointment. Now Rove is never going to sleep, Goru presumed that the little unnamed girl was the reason to Rove’s worries and that Rove isn’t going to get any sleep tonight.

“My lord?” Goru inserted.

“Yes Goru?” Said Haren, coating his words with a questionable tone.

“May we sleep for the remainder of the night?” Goru pressed.

   Haren’s face lighted up with a half smile, reminding everyone of his charm and profession. “Please do, I wouldn’t want my seekers falling asleep on the job” Haren then turned around on his heel “Oh yeah, goodnight Rove and Goru” Then he moved on towards the large doors that stood at the end of the hall.

“Night my lord” Rove replied.

Then Goru repeated it like one of the many echoes in the room.

“Well off to the bed chambers” Rove said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“Come along then” Goru nudged Rove.

   Starting down the hall way to the far right door, their footsteps faded as they entered the small hallway and carried on in the dim light, turning a left with Goru leading.

   As they turned the sharp corner Goru jumped “Ahhhh!” two separate screams filled the air. Goru fell forwards landing on the figure, which shocked him first. They screamed together as they landed on the floor and Goru held himself up; hovering over the small girl.

   He was glad that he didn’t squash her; she looked too fragile, with her spiked up white hair and turquoise eyes. Goru presumed that she was from Vinor, the city north of the Kingdom of Lucia.

   A cough was sounded and Goru remembered that he was lying over a young woman.

“What in the name of Kingdom Lucia” Rove announced.

“You can get off of me now” The girl spoke high pitched and obviously annoyed.

   Goru started shifting his weight to move onto his legs “Oh, sorry” When Goru got to his feet he looked down at the girl, so small. He held out a hand, offering her a help up, she looked insulted by the offer but then sighed and chucked her hand out in return. Lifting her was easy for Goru; she hardly weighed anything and didn’t struggle.

“What is a young girl like you doing running around the hallways at night?” Rove pressed with a demand in his tone.

“Err” She went red and kept her sight on her feet; Goru couldn’t help but realise they were quite small too. “Err” She continued “I wasn’t spying on you!” She shouted, her head shot up looked straight at Rove’s face with her eyes wide and that’s when Goru also noticed that the shape of her eyes were very Lucian, but curved up slightly at the tip.

    However, before Goru could say anything, she shoot around another corner and left pattering of her footsteps shattering down corridors.

   He heard Rove sigh and turned to regard his facial expression. It was hard and thoughtful; almost disappointed. “That’s Yuki alright” He muttered while shaking his head back and forth.

“Yuki?” Goru repeated.

“One of our new mages’”

“Vinor?”

“Probably. You know her twin brother” Rove continued while moving down the corridor until they turned a right. Goru’s interest was bizarre.

    Why was he so interested in someone that admitted on following them? Maybe he was just taken off guard that someone in the guild would even consider doing it in the first place. But why? So many questions hit him that he never would of thought, but she won’t like him. Is it the thought of him liking her that he is manipulating the thought of her liking him? Goru only confused himself further, but he didn’t care, he wanted to know. Even if his up all night.

 

    Everything was just too quiet and Kairi couldn’t take it no longer, looking down to find Sakura exactly where he left her; buried into his side as usual. He sighed, only to be interrupted by a slam. Kairi’s head shot up and then he felt an empty warm area on his side where Sakura’s head laid. Realising a stole on the floor and Sid standing up, her face struck by a disturbed annoyance.

“I can’t stand this” She muttered under her breath, directing the speech to Row; who sat by Sid’s side.

“Their coming back” Kairi was taken off guard to find a different voice hit him; a small and cute one. Looking down, he found Sakura, staring at Sid; feeling Sid’s and Row’s eyes staring back and maybe even more.

“Who?” Thundering a demand Kairi knew that Ikuto was in the room and braced at his thought, with Kairi’s muscles bulking strong around Sakura; as a protection reaction.

“Magic’s” Sakura answered, so sure. Kairi never really understood how she knew these things, but she always sensed bad fortune.

 

   Sid just stared, with fury building hard and strong; rage for how many the magic’s killed, claiming they were healing the City. A grump came out of Sid and then all eyes were on her. Cursing herself, she braced herself for the worse.

“Well big brother” Sid splattered, out of pure hope, reinforcing every word with extra demand “What is the family going to do to save our home?”

Ikuto looked at Sid; at first disturbed that anyone choose to talk to him that way, but then the words hit him, ‘our home’. His face light out with a smile, but his eyes still screaming anger from a challenge.

   What have I done? Sid asked herself. Your getting to attracted to the thought of a fight; an unwanted fight, or are you getting attracted by something else.

   Sid looked up at Ikuto; his eyes still light up with a challenge, his face still light up with a charming smile. For once in Ikuto’s whole life, he finally looks like one of the family and it brought a heart ache though Sid. Tingling through her stomach and draining her face from blood; leaving her cold.

What’s the matter?

   Then the question grew into a voice. “What’s the matter Sid?”

Finding reality again, Sid regained feeling; blood returned her cheeks with a flustering pink colour and her body grew hot. Then she realised who spoke. Ikuto stood in front of her now, with only a foot to space a gap in between them. Sid’s heart skipped, trying to swallow but she found out that her mouth as already dried.

“Hmm, Sid” Ikuto paused and Sid raised her head to check his facial expression; clear with a tease and still his eyes shone with a challenge. “I think you don’t look to well. You sure you want to put up a fight"“

“I’m"” Sid tried to insert, however Ikuto just continued, overlapping Sid’s words.

“With Magic’s” His smirk grew. Sid knew that he was only testing her, seeing if she would take the bait so that the whole family would see the scene of her cowering down. Well after Sid’s little scene of demanding, Ikuto obviously wanted to show who’s boss. But Sid’s all to sure about this plan; the Magic’s heal, not fight and even if they do fight, a battle against Sid’s family would be nothing. Over pride came from her thoughts and her smile showed it.

“I’m ready to fight” Sid spoke, loud and proud.

“Are you sure?” Ikuto asked; with his teasing grin.

“Are you sure Ikuto?” Then the room hushed in gasps from everyone but Sid and Ikuto. No-one calls Ikuto by his name but Miko and Miko is hardly around.

   The room was disturbed by a shallow laughter and Sid searched for the source. Finding a young man walking steadily to the commotion, with arms crossed and a grin stretched as wide as Ikuto’s.

“You got a run for your money Ikuto” Miko said, the grin fading into a friendly smile as he stared at Ikuto and then so did Sid.

Ikuto laughed and then looked down at Sid “Hmmm, Sid. I always knew you was gona make it hard for me” His eyes gleamed and his smile changed somehow; it softened, into a friendly smile almost. “What do you think Miko?” Ikuto asked, not looking back at him; his stare fixed only on Sid’s face and he crept closer ever so slightly; but there was no more space to move anymore closer. Sid swallowed hard, with her heart beating loud in her ears; she hardly heard what Miko said.

“Well Ikuto, it’s up to you. But, who will stand up to these Magic’s if we don’t?” Miko’s words are always wise. Sid captured sight of Miko; his dark hair next to his pale skin, almost complementing it, but with his features, he didn’t need the dark hair to complement his skin.

   Sid realised the room was empty, but the family filled the room a second ago didn’t they?

“I think we should ask Sid” Ikuto said, his grin widening. The room was silent apart from the foot steps that retreated to a halt then a door creak and then slammed. Sid guessed she was alone with Ikuto.

   Swallowing hard again; butterflies filling her stomach and her cheeks flushing warm, Sid couldn’t believe how close she was to Ikuto and yet, she wasn’t close enough.

   Ikuto’s hand rose and brushed her cheek. “Well?” He shattered the silence in harmony with his charming voice.

“We fight” Sid spoke, not trusting anymore words; just encase she stutters on the dryness that her mouth is in.

  Sid realised her lips pulled into a smile and then she couldn’t see; her eyes not forced closed, but by will. She felt her heart flutter as she realised a soft sensation touching her lips. Opening her eyes to check what it was, she realised Ikuto’s red lips pressed against hers; his pale skin, white with features so familiar to her, but closer up, more fine. Ikuto was clearly a man of beauty. Sid closed her eyes and enjoyed her moment.

 

   A draft hovered in the sitting room; everyone shuddered, but Miko handled it. It was just like a gentle warm breeze, brushing the skin on his cheeks and legs where the cloak flattered in the wondering breeze.

   Hearing the door begin to open, a smile grew across Miko’s face.

“Fighting isn’t always the solution Ikuto” Miko said, still with a wide grin.

   Ikuto appeared in the doorway with little Sid in front of him; with her wide blue eyes resting on Miko’s face, it scared him for a second. It’s like its day one again, the same new eyes staring, so untrusting. But that same old smile forced its way across Sid’s face.

“Pa!” Sid always managed to sound excited every time she shouted the titles of her family. An Overwhelming feeling came over Miko. Family. He sighed hard and heavily. Then a feeling of comforting came strongly; Miko looked up at Ikuto and smiled lightly at his concern.

“Well, what do you suggest old friend?” Ikuto asked in his jokey voice and Sid just looked up at him bewildered. The family didn’t really hear Ikuto and Miko talk so openly, Miko mused. Maybe Sid was frowning from the ‘old friend’ thing; Sid is a bit too connected to the thought of our little friendship get-together as a family.

“I did say, let Sid decide” Miko reminded Ikuto as they moved over to the main sitting area; where all the family currently sat, all eyes on Sid.

   Sid looked up and around at everyone, like a little mouse stepping out into the sunlight for the first time; so small, so cute. She swallowed ruff and her cheeks flushed bright red again. Miko rolled his eyes and directed his attention to Ikuto’s face. The feeling strong of apologies, with a hint of sly humour burned inside Miko; Even though Ikuto’s eyes laid on Sid’s face still, Miko knew Ikuto has changed; the feelings overcame Miko and he found it hard to not feel the same way, but forcing his own eyes on Amu he relaxed himself with a couple of breaths.

Wow, this is how it felt for him at first sight. Miko mused to himself.

“I take it we’re gona fight our way out of this or me n ma sis here will run for it” Row’s obvious ascent filled the room and then Miko was stabbed with fear.

    Quickly shooting his eyes at Ikuto he saw Ikuto’s eyes staring straight back; wide eyed, as if someone kicked him in the gut. But within a second he breathed again, not wanting to attract eyes. But the horror of the feeling that Miko was aware of; losing someone close was too much and even Miko found it hard to start breathing. Chocking on the free air that hovered around his mouth and lungs, he gripped the wall, then steadied himself for a couple of minutes; feeling faint and light headed, but still unsure if it was his own feelings or someone else’s.

“We’re fighting Row” Sid said, dully but informative; a little better then what Ikuto and Miko managed to do.

   Little murmurs filled the room, but Ikuto was too shocked to silence them. He stared emptily at Sid’s face; searching every detail, every feature on her face and he memorised it. Miko couldn’t help but screw half his face up confused.

Why are you remembering her face? Miko asked.

    Ikuto’s eyes leaped up and looked through Miko; as if weren’t there. Ikuto’s face hard and the feelings filled with anger; but not anger for Miko, only anger to protect.

 Ikuto must have felt a slip of my disrespect for Sid when I was thinking.

“In a couple of hours we will march to that building. We will mark our rights and everyone’s rights. We will make sure that we will survive, we always do. Our family is gifted, our family is why we are here and no-one will change that” Sid spoke grand and beautifully “So what will we do?”

“We will fight” Chanted Amu.

“We will fight” Row joined in.

   Soon enough everyone but Ikuto and Miko was chanting. Ikuto just stared at Miko and Miko knew from Ikuto's face, that he was locked in deep thought. 

 

Morning broke the sky into a mixture of beautiful colours; Kira stared at them in amazement.

We will fight. Kira chanted, remembering the speeches from last night.

   Everything stood quiet; the streets empty. Ikuto picked the back entrance to the mages guild to strike; no-one dared walk past the guild anyway.

“Its clear” A whisper sounded from Ikuto.

But how could he possibly know that. I know that Miko is up there spying, but how can they communicate? Kira struggled to understand.

“Oh s**t” the whisper hushed into a curse.

   Then Kira noticed three dark blue robed mages, emerging out of the back entrance; they took a couple of steps out into the back street and stopped.

 

   Staring in the reflective surface while fixing his long robe, Wren glanced down at his glove, which is called a rak containing his crystal soul-binder " where a mages source of power is kept. He couldn’t help not thinking about it. Every mage has a rak, but Wren finds it hard to recall ever seeing Lord Haren wearing a rak at all. Trying to jog every memory of the lord’s hands, but none.

   Suddenly a creek hitting Wren’s ears and Wren came conscious of a door closing; sending a cold chill through the small bedroom.

“Where have you been Yuki?” The question came to mind without thought and slipped through Wren’s lips slyly. He turned around on heel to face his pixy face sister.

“Err, I...I was looking around the guild brother” Yuki answered hesitant; which she normally did if something happened that she didn’t want to talk to him about. “Anyways brother” Yuki avenue over to the arm chair and slummed over the arm, with her legs thrown over the arm she just thrown herself over “You know what happened, if you were paying attention” A smile appeared over Yuki’s adorable face.

   Wren grinned at the thought of their twin telepathy; which allows them to see and hear whatever the opposite twin sees and hears. “You know I always do” Wren stepped forwards twice, hovering over the occupied chair. “And you should mind it. Rove went mad when Goru fell onto you. You might just get this Goru guy into trouble soon enough” But Wren couldn’t help but smirk “Oh yeah, what a cover up by the way”.

“Glad you liked it” Yuki giggled; eyes shut and a light smile tinted on her face once again.

   At that moment the door burst open, there stood Suki; panting for air.

“The...Kids...there...here” She panted in-between every word.

   Wren and Yuki just stared at the young female as if there was no meaning behind the words that she struggled all too hard to speak.

“The lord wants everyone down in the backstreet!” Suki shouted out of annoyance.

   Receiving the kick to get up, Wren and Yuki shoot after the messenger, following the faint echoes of her feet pattering on the floor.

 

“What is it that you guys want?” Lord Haren spoke loud and clear, projecting his voice over to the hiding shadows that stared back at them silently.

And yet it remand that way.

“Why don’t they speak?” Goru whispered back to Rove.

   However Rove was too wound up in his own thoughts to answer. Why are they here? Do they know what we think, or is it just because they think we’re bullying them?

    Suddenly a young woman leaned around the left corner, holding something. Then another young woman did the same on the other side. Two fling sticks flew towards us and crashed against our invisible shield, splintering into a hundred pieces. A whispering curse wisped it way over and they shoot back around the corner into the shadows.

“I guess they don’t want to be friendly” Haren said, sounding not too surprised.

Sid’s in that group too, what is she thinking? Rove pondered.

“What have we missed?” A young mans voice crept into the shield and Rove quickly identified the young mage Wren.

   A blur of mumbles answered and Rove started to get ever so tense the more real this nightmare became.

“Rove” Wren summoned.

“Yes?” Rove snapped out as soon as he heard his name.

“Is it true, about the kids?”

   Wren stood in front of Rove, Wren is standing so tall now; it was only about a year ago that he was a little shorter. Running off track Rove repeated the echoing question into meaning.

“I’m afraid so”

“I know you were on these guys case” Wren replied “you don’t honestly think that a rag will have the cure”

   How could he honestly know? No-one should know but the Lord, unless Haren told someone.

“Where you hear that from?” Rove’s face shifted from worry to suspicion so quick that Wren was thrown back.

   Then a small shy figure hugged around Wren’s side. Figures. Yuki stared at Rove with her big puppy dog eyes and her lip perched out.

“We’re going to have to watch our tongues now that you’re around” Rove directed purely at Yuki.

    A smile smothered across her face and she giggled.