"Master Rashi." the demon card returned to Rashi, who was
finishing off a group of golden fairies.
"Yes?"
"I delivered the message, and the gift was also received to her."
The demon smiled a chilling grin, but had no effect on Rashi.
"Good...now, return to your card confined, if you will." Rashi spoke
to the demon as if it were a good friend. The demon returned to its
card and Rashi spun around to face a large, dying tree.
He reached in and pulled out a large fairy (about 3 feet tall) and
ripped off her wings, smiling. With a glance of hatred, she burst
into gold and silvery flames. The energy left behind was absorbed
into his palm.
*****
later
****
Rashi stood atop a Large plateau, over looking the charted
territories on one side, and the uncharted on the other....
He looked hard across the charted side and focused in on two
figures walking through the abyss....
"What?!" he looked harder at the figures, focusing on Iñaki’s partner
the most. "It…can’t be..."
Rashi's eyes widened and he let out a gasp..."Xantus..."
Iñaki sighed at Xantus's silence and seeming refusal to move.
"Y'know what? Never mind. I'm tired anyway. I'm going to sleep.
G'night!" The silent figure watched as she lay down, caught slightly
off guard, but smiled a small smile and turned to keep watch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iñaki sighed slightly.
"Damnit, I hate dreams. They usually wake me up in tears..." She
looked around, confused by her surroundings.
"Iñaki..."
"Who's there?" She turned towards the voice, but saw no one.
"Please help me..."
"Show yourself or leave me the hell alone!" Iñaki turned to face a
bright shimmer, but nothing more was visible. She shivered
slightly. "Who are you?"
"You don't remember me?"
"I can't see you. How am I supposed to..." She fell silent and turned
away. "No, I don't. I remember your presence, but I don't remember
who it belongs to."
"You promised you'd never forget me."
"I probably promised it on this!" she screamed, brandishing the
armlet, a tear falling from her eye.
"...Yes, you did."
"Well, I don't even remember what it is." She took a deep, slow
breath, trying to calm down. "Please, either open my memory or leave
me in peace. I can't fear sorrow and pain every time I close my eyes."
"I'm sorry Iñaki... I can only help you remember. I wish with all my
heart I could open your memories, selfish as I am."
"Sid... Please don't leave me alone or questioning! Why can't I
remember you?"
"Please... Keep trying..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xantus looked down at Iñaki as she cried quietly in her sleep. Iñaki
sighed and became silent, another piece of a painful memory
replayed...
Rashi stood atop the mound and watched from a distance as Iñaki cried
in her sleep. He let his head slightly fall. "She's remembering
Sidneil." At the thought of Sidneil, Feniel and Folken returned to
his memory. He turned around and looked up at what would be the sky
and thought of the past few days...or months....in this shadow realm,
it seems all time is lost to him. He thought of his last moments in
Animelity. Then being in his own realm again. Then being sucked into
this one. His face twisted into a disgusted look as he remembered the
day he came to this wretched place.
A unicorn walked past him slowly, knowing he was there. He looked at
it with disgusted eyes. "I hate this place!" he screamed as he
hurled a fireball at the beast, leaving only its energy behind as so
many things have so far. He took it too. He walked to where the
unicorn once stood, and picked up its horn, which is always left when
a unicorn dies. He turned and looked down at Iñaki again and summoned
the demon card.
"Yes, master?"
"take this to Iñaki with this note. See she and that scoundrel Xantus
are not awakened, do you understand?"
"Yes master" and he was off.
As the demon flew in one direction silently, Rashi turned in the
other and started walking. He ended up walking through a dense
forest, lined with dark plants and full of dangerous creatures.
All seemed to move when he walked through, however. He sat by a large
lake that reflected an invisible moon and thought of the letter he had
just sent:
"My dearest Iñaki,
I am sending you this unicorn horn to protect yourself. If you keep
it with you, it will protect u from all evil and hatred. This world
is too dangerous for you to be unguarded. "
It went on to say:
"Also, watch Xantus. He is not what he appears.
With love,
Rashi Koherea"
A single tear fell from Rashi’s eye as he stood up and dove into the
water, chasing after a shining silver mermaid: to take her life.