Fiery ambition couldn't take her down. Stubborn as she was, Jessie ran to the resting places of the five souls. Her ambition caused her loss of friends, but she didn't mind. Her mind was secluded from most of the world, anyway.
She curled up beside him in their bed, the twilight whispering sweet dreams to them. She twitched slightly, watching herself uncontrollably drift back to the site of the ancient resting place of the five souls.
Morning came soundly, the extensive Chrono family gathering to the feasting hall for breakfast. Jessie and Ian arrived with Dragoon's family, hoping to get early seats. Dragoon had a wife, Victoria, and an infant son.
"Jessie! Wait up!" came a male voice, strong and masculine. Ian sighed and shook his head, halting behind her. "I don't see why you come here. The legend will never be true," he said softly, having high hopes in trying to convince her otherwise than her own thoughts.
"Ian, you wouldn't understand," she said, waving her hand about toward the stones, her burgandy hair falling across her shoulders. "These were in those dreams I had!" she sat at one of stones, an ancient symbol of a human body with catlike features.
Ian's expression hardened slightly, his pale icy eyes gazing at her. "Please, Jessie... If the legend were true, wouldn't something happen by now?" he coaxed. He placed his large callused hands into his pockets, sauntering over to her slowly.
The rain started up again, beating upon the two with a raging force, as Jessie began to weep. Indeed, she was lost in the depths of her own dreams, struggling to break free. Answers and a new way was what she was striding for, however she didn't know how to get to any of them.
Jessie licked her lips, her blue-green eyes studying him closely. "I'm so sorry, Ian," she swallowed hard. "I am blind. I'm sorry for treating you like this. I realize running out at dinnertime was very selfish."
"You're forgiven. I'm scared that you are thinking more about this than you really should be. It's not healthy for you to skip meals over this," he gave her a comforting smile. "Let's go home for now and talk about it, okay?"
Jessie's eyes lightened up, collapsing into his arms. "Do you actually mean this?" she asked, gazing up into his ice-ridden eyes.
"Of course I do," he smiled, pushing tresses of burgandy hair from her face. "There are other things we need to talk about, too."
She smiled. "Like what...?"
"You'll see when we get there, my dearest wife," he muttered, placing a gentle kiss atop her forehead.
He led her through the forest, coming back to the Chrono Mansion, home to the extensive Chrono family. Barely a word said upon the way, they entered the large well-carven double doors, intricately detailed with battle-angels, swordsmen, dragons, even other mystical creatures.
The halls were filled with statues of each of the Chronos by blood. The brothers Jin, Britian, Dragoon, Lugain, Ian, and the sister of them all, Cleo. Paintings were set across the walls of the past generations of the Chrono family.
Scampering throughout the halls were the wives of the Chrono brothers and their children. They would take heir to the well-famed Chrono Mansion. Ian and Jessie were unsure if they should make heirs to the mansion, since there were many already. Dragoon had a child and heir; Lugain had the same. The issue wasn't quite clarified with some of the other siblings, since the Chronos had many enemies.
Jessie sat at the base of Ian's statue, overthinking her sudden behavior. Ian sat across from her, taking her hands. His expression was built with comfort, almost torn from her odd acts.
He silently led her up to their room to talk about the twilight's reverie. Duo, one of the adopted Chrono brothers, brought up some warm sweetened herbal tea to ease the moments. He soon left to help the other brothers.
"Ian...do you...think I'm crazy?" Jessie looked down at her tea, toying with the string of the teabag, bobbing it up and down in the strong mixture.
"I know you're not crazy. If I thought you were, I wouldn't try to help you," he admitted, pursing his lips afterwards.
A moment of silence fell, another Chrono brother, Dragoon knocked on the door. "I couldn't help overhearing," he sighed looking at the two, "but I found something in one of my books about the ancient soulsite of five abandoned souls of Fierceness, Innocence, Beauty, Darkness, and Cunning."
"Could I please see it?" pleaded Jessie, gazing at him. Her eyes were worn from worry about herself, Dragoon could see.
"You need your sleep Jessie," he said, turning to the chamber doors to leave. "I'll let you look upon it in the morning," Dragoon said, exiting the rooms belonging to Ian.
The chiseled pictures upon them began to glow, the first one glowing a steady light jungle green. It was the picture of the human-like creature with catlike traits. Jagged lines coarsed around it, as if signifying fierceness and braveness, possibly a bit of ferocity, too.
The second rock held the soul of the child, one laiden with innocence and special powers. The aura from its chiseled beauty was almost in a rainbow, depicting cheerfulness or perkiness. One that was always willing to help and ail those around. A mysterious line behind the child was still to be contemplated. Objects surrounded the youth, an odd object the shape of a cat head, another object the shape of a necklace, and another shape of a sword.
Next, a smaller rock, the third in number, appeared, glowing from its edges as Jessie peered closely at it. It was of a woman, heiroglyphs surrounding it signifying her hair like the sun, skin as fair as a high one, and characteristics of a dove. In her stick-like hand she held something resembling possibly a whip or rope.
Jessie walked on, her eyes trembling under what she saw. The fourth stone glowing with a strange darkness. A dark figure with a meteor figure looming over it. "What...I don't understand..." whispered Jessie. Her dream seemed too real for her senses. This figure looked as if a threat, with a long weapon in its hand.
Jessie slowly stepped to the last rock in the circular pattern, the fifth soul stone. This soul was carved in the form of a pirate, galliantly at the stern of his ship. A very clean pirate indeed, in dark uniform and pale traits. "This is strange...ancients from the 15th century? Who could...?" Jessie shook her head, studying the stones closely again.
She stepped lightly towards the middle of the circlet of stones, each of them having a strange aura about. Something about Jessie's presence had changed them. Each of the auras fell towards the center object, attacking her with a ravenous force. Before she could scream--
She lept up, her nightclothes falling from the weight of her cold sweat. "Only a dream..." she muttered, brushing back her hair from her eyes.
Ian sat up, glancing at her. "That nightmare again." Not a question, but a statement. "Are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine..." she slumped back down into the covers, Ian rolling back over, finishing his sleep. Her gaze met the ceiling, her thoughts buzzing about in her head. I'll try again , she told herself.
Ian led his wife to her seat and sat beside her. Her eyes held wear, and a hint of sorrow. "What is wrong, Jess?" he asked, putting his hands on her shoulder, holding her close. "You're worrying me..."
"I'm sorry, Ian. I didn't get enough sleep last night," Jessie yawned, turning back to the table, nibbling soundly at her food. She glanced at Dragoon, who sat directly across from her. "Do you have the book?"
"Of course I do," he smiled, sliding the book across the table. "Be very careful with it. It is a relic of our family," he added.
"I understand," she said, eagerly snatching up the book, thumbing through the pages. "I'll take very good care of it," she muttered, her voice slowing as she came to the pages. A beautiful diagram stood with the five figures, in full illustration. Through the next few pages were biographies about the five individuals.
Ian peered over her shoulder looking at the pictures. "These people were....real?" she glanced curiously towards Dragoon.
"I'll be damned if they weren't. You should check that out yourself," he noted, standing from his meal. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be sparring."
Ian and Jessie nodded to Dragoon. Jessie squinted at the book, reading aloud:
