Destiny's Fool

New chapter, new chapter, la dee da.

I wanted to reply to Nathaniel in his last comment: The one about Kit being too whiney? I just wanted to let you know that it will be addressed. ;) And it's a shame you don't like Jinn because he's my all time favorite character. *pounces on him and loves on him as he flails and tries to push her away*

Oh and I pronounce Katze like cat-zee.

I'm glad some of you seem to like it so much!! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! We're almost finished with the story at this point, with only 6 chapters or so left. :)

Oh hush, what fun would it be if I posted them all at once? X3

If anyone wants to shout angry things at the characters in the reviews after this chapter, I understand. XD;;

----

Kit couldn’t really say he was all that surprised when Jinn disappeared the following night. The others looked around for him, calling his name, wondering if something bad had happened to him.


Rose and Kit knew better, so they waited at the campsite while the others did their search. After awhile, they came back, dumbfounded.


“I suppose we should move out,” Branret sighed, “His stuff is gone, and he was acting really strangely yesterday. I’m relatively sure he left on his own.”


Kit didn’t offer an opinion one way or another. The others quietly discussed why he’d left and whether or not he’d return, but Kit didn’t tell them that he was nearly positive that Jinn was gone for good.


Branret glanced at Kit as he walked, head down, across the green valley that they were moving through.


“What’s wrong, beautiful?” he asked.


“I…” Kit started, then closed his mouth, “I’m sad that Jinn’s gone. I feel like it might be my fault a little.”


“Jinn left on his own, with no help of anyone here,” Branret tugged Kit close, kissing him on the forehead, “It’s no one’s fault. It was a decision that Jinn made and nothing we could have said would have probably changed it.”


Kit nodded, leaning against him.


The group marched on. Kit stared at Holy and Gate, who were holding hands, talking to one another in soft voices. Kit was envious. It must have been nice to know exactly who you were meant to be with.


“There’s a city up ahead,” Gate said, “It’s under Melanie’s control right now, so there should be inns for those who serve her. Which means the rest of the inns will be free of anyone who could be considered a threat.”


“Awesome,” Branret smirked. Kit felt his body tremble underneath him, so he moved closer to keep him warm. Though the Katze hadn’t been complaining, he got colder the more they progressed away from his desert home.


The city came into view ahead, and the party entered a large field of tall grass, the tallest blades reaching to Kit’s waist. As they waded through the huge field, Kit spotted movement up ahead.


“What’s that?” he asked, squinting.


Branret stood on tiptoes. “It looks like a group of Melanie’s soldiers,” he hissed, “But I’m not sure what they’re doing…”


Gate looked off in that direction. “Hmm, if I had to guess, since their standing in a circle, there’s something in the middle of them,” he said, “And the way they’re moving makes it look like their abusing said thing.”


“They’re up to no good,” Holy scowled.


Branret growled and ran forward though the grasses like a tiger in the Savannah stalking its prey. The effect was similar; the soldiers had no clue what was coming until Branret was there, pouncing on one of them, springing off of him and jumping on the next, clawing at him.


The soldiers were so surprised that two ran and the other two quickly followed, mildly wounded. As the others caught up, Branret was just turning to see what it was they were attacking.


In the center of the now flattened grass was none other than Dalune, unconscious and heavily injured.


Branret took several steps back. “What?! Him?!” he growled, “What is he doing here?!”


“The better question is, why were soldiers of Melanie’s army attacking one of her vice-commanders?” Holy asked, kneeling next to him and picking him up by the shoulders, looking him over.


“He was missing the last I had heard of him,” Gate replied, “I imagine he tried to run. For what reason… well, I can’t think of any that aren’t obvious.”


“What does that mean?” Kit asked.


“It doesn’t matter,” Branret hissed, “Leave him.”


“You wouldn’t say that if you had gone through half of what he had,” Holy said softly, brushing Dalune’s hair from his eyes, “He’s not a bad person…”


“He attacked my village, murdered my entire tribe except me,” Branret growled, “Attacked Kit and… he… well, he did other stuff I don’t wanna talk about!”


“He probably didn’t do any of that,” Gate sighed, “Someone else did, so to speak.”


“Who?!” Branret growled.


“Look,” Holy snapped, “Dalune is very much a victim of Melanie, probably as much as you. No one’s spared her cruelty, not even her son…”


“Dalune is…” Kit started.


“Her son…?” Branret finished as Kit trailed off.


“Yes, he has been most of his life I believe,” Holy remarked sarcastically, “That’s what I just said. And he hasn’t had it easy.”


“Rose,” Gate turned to her, “Can you heal him?”


“His energy’s improper for my technique,” Rose said, “But he looks stable to me. With a bit of nursing he’ll be fine.”


“Explain why he’s got it so bad,” Branret said in a low voice, “So I can know what justifies the murder of my entire race.”


Holy and Gate turned to one another.


“You’re better at storytelling,” Gate said, as though Holy had asked him a question. Holy sighed and stood up. Gate knelt down, as well as Rose, tending to his wounds.


“Dalune is Melanie’s only son,” Holy began, “He came to this world with her, and when he did he looked totally different. And I mean totally different. He looked, feature for feature, like his mother. Now he’s…” Holy sighed. “Well, for now I’ll just mention he looked different.


“He was a sweet boy. As soon as he got here, he had an affinity for Katzes, which, at the time, used to wander this world in great numbers. He disliked what his mother was doing to this world, and he asked her stop. Improper behavior for her up and coming Vice-Commander of the Suit of Fire.”


“That’s not the Dalune I met,” Branret said darkly.


“Why don’t you let me finish, then?” Holy replied tartly, “He defied Melanie at every turn, until he finally blatantly told her he didn’t want to be a vice-commander. Around that time, Melanie had learned a well-kept secret. That is, the ability to ressurrect the dead.


“She wanted to try out her newfound power, and she was just about to have a test subject brought to her when Dalune announced that he was quitting. The result was Dalune’s sudden involvement in her expiraments.”


Holy was quiet a moment, his face softening, trying to figure out how to proceed. “She did… horrible things to him. Painful, cruel, torturous things. And whenever he would die, she would transfer his soul into a new body.”


“Her own son?” Kit squeaked, looking upset.


“Yes,” Holy nodded gravely, “Melanie feels for no one, except maybe Lorenz.”


“So what does this have to do with him suddenly being evil incarnate?” Branret said, though sounded less fervent.


Holy just frowned at him and continued. “The way ressurection works is somewhat simple. If you die and your body is generally unhurt, your soul is just replaced in your body and your body is healed from any rotting it did. Of course, there’s a time limit.”


“What kind of time limit?” Kit asked, eyes wide.


“For the body, only as soon as the decomposing becomes too much for the body to be used,” Holy explained, “The soul also only lingers around the body for so long, so you have to capture it and replace it before it goes away.”


“But you said that she replaced the body…?” Branret asked, morbid fascination overcoming him.


“Yes…” Holy sighed, “She didn’t leave enough of his former body for his soul to be able to inhabit it, so she took someone else entirely and put his soul in their body. Except, that person already had a soul. It makes sense that when you put in a new soul, the old soul leaves, but unfortunately souls are stubborn. Instead, Dalune’s soul and the original owner of the body combined into one soul.”


There was a long pause. “What…?” Kit asked softly.


“Imagine if your personality and my personality were suddenly combined,” Holy said, “Completely and totally. Except, on some level, they were still separate. As in, I still feel certain ways about things and you feel oppositely about them. Confusing?”


“Very…” Branret said softly.


“Imagine how Dalune felt,” Holy said, “And that’s not the worst of it. The person she combined him with happened to be one of the meanest bastards ever to walk the surface of Aradon.”


“What happened then?” Kit asked.


“Well, Dalune was in total turmoil,” Holy continued, “He was both cruel and kind at the exact same time. Everything that he had been combined with was everything he wasn’t. Not that he had too long to feel sorry for himself, because Melanie continued her research and did it five more times.”


Branret looked at his feet. “That’s so…”


“Depraved?” Holy asked, “Inhumane? Sick? You bet. Dalune didn’t do anything wrong. Dalune wouldn’t. It’s those monsters and criminals that he was forced to combine with that make him horrible. Dalune himself was one of the sweetest people I had ever met.”


“Then who am I to blame for the destruction of my tribe?” Branret asked quietly, nearly with an edge of anger.


“I don’t know,” Holy replied, “I just know that he tried to kill himself after attacking your tribe. So do not accuse Dalune of causing your pain. He’s still in there. Suffering. And Katzes were the thing he loved the most.”


“I need to think,” Branret said, turning and walking away. Of course. It made sense. Why Dalune was so obsessed with him, but why he was so cruel and hurtful towards Branret. The obsession was Dalune’s. The cruelty was someone else’s.


Kit frowned and followed after him.


“Branret, wait!” he called.


Branret slowed down obediantly, looking at Kit, his eyes a little lost. “What am I supposed to do now, Kit? I can’t hate him. I can only hate the people who he’s been combined with. Even then, it’s no garauntee all of them caused it. So who?”


“Don’t hate,” Kit said softly, “Just mourn and move on. You don’t have to return hate with hate.”


“It’s not so easy…” Branret whispered. Kit ran over and held him tightly.


“If anything, hate Melanie for creating what Dalune is and making him suffer,” Kit told him, stroking his hair. “If nothing else, try to help Dalune. If that’s even possible at this point.”


“Help him…?” Branret asked softly, “Of course. The ultimate revenge on the ones inside of him who hurt me. Dalune saved me. He told me that he knew I escaped, but he purposely allowed it. But the others that make up who he is now… If I could fix him, that would show them…”


“Maybe…” Kit whispered.


“Let’s just sit here for awhile,” Branret said, tugging Kit down into the grass with him. The two of them sat there for a long time, a tangle of limbs, staring up at the crystal clear sky.


~:~


Much later, Branret arrived back at the place where the others waited, Holy still nursing Dalune’s wounds. Kit was asleep in his arms and night had almost fallen. Branret saw that camp had already been set up, even his and Kit’s space.


Branret lay down the blonde boy and walked over, looking at Dalune.


“Feel better?” Gate asked.


“Can we fix him?” Branret asked instead of answering.


“What…?” Holy looked at him.


“Is there some way to fix him? To separate his souls from the others and get rid of everyones but his?” Branret continued, “Is there a way?”


“Not as far as I know,” Holy said, “Why do you ask?”


“How else am I supposed to get my revenge?” Branret asked, “I intended on sending the murderers of my family to hell. And all you need to go to Hell is a soul. So what’s it matter if his body’s still here? So long as the soul’s in Hell.”


Holy nodded. “I see,” he said, “But I doubt it can be reversed…” He looked at Gate, who just shook his head with a shrug.


“I could do it,” Rose said.


They all stared at her, surprised. Rose glanced back and forth from them, as though she didn’t understand their reaction.


“Just who are you?” Gate asked, “I’m eternally grateful for you for saving Holy, but the spell you used was unlike anything I have ever seen.”


“Yeah, we don’t know anything about you,” Holy agreed.


“That’s true,” Branret said, almost apologetically, “The only person who’s as much of a mystery in origin is Jinn. And even then, we know a few things…”


Desert Rose was silent. “I don’t feel it’s necessary to tell you those things,” she replied, “Do you want me to fix him or not?”


The three of them glanced at one another, asking a silent question. Finally Gate and Holy looked at Branret, who had known Rose the longest.


“I trust her,” he consented, “Please fix him Rose.”


With no further discussion, Rose walked over and knelt next to Dalune, placing her hand on his chest and closing her eyes. There was a long pause, when suddenly six differently colored balls of light drifted up from his body, darting around above it, occasioanlly diving towards it as though attempting to get back in.


“Which matches the color of the original Dalune’s eyes?” Rose asked.


Holy looked unsure, but Gate pointed with great certainty at the crimson ball of light, which sat in the center of the others, moving slow, tired circles.


Rose concentrated and the crimson orb was pushed slowly back into Dalune. She then pulled away and the last five were left to aimlessly wander around until, one by one, they faded out of existance.


“Let’s hope you were right,” Rose commented.


Branret let out a deep breath that he hadn’t realized that he had been holding. It was like a giant rock being pulled from his chest. He felt like there was no longer a need to worry about what had happened all those years ago. He felt… free.


“I’ll watch him,” Branret told Holy, sitting down next to the sleeping Dalune, “You can go to sleep.”


Holy paused and nodded, tugging at Gate, the two of them settling into their sleeping spot and drifting off. After awhile, Rose settled down aways off from everyone else, looking to be asleep.


Branret stayed up, watching Dalune, willing what was left of his hate and anger to go away. Several hours passed that Branret knew he should have spent sleeping, but he was determined to no longer hate Dalune.


Branret stared at the boy’s face, when, to his surprise, Dalune’s eyes opened. It took Branret offguard, because they were no longer the deep brown they had been. They were now a bright crimson color, the same as the orb that Gate had picked out.


Dalune slowly glanced over at Branret. “Oh…” he said weakly, “Hello. Where am I?”


“Um, outside of some city or another,” Branret replied, “Don’t you remember? You were pretty badly hurt…”


“I was…?” Dalune asked, looking up at the stars, “No, I don’t remember. I feel sore but I don’t remember being hurt… Was it mother again?”


“No, not directly,” Branret said, “What do you remember?”


Dalune frowned. “I’m… not… sure…” he said, “I remember… dying. But… that can’t be right. No one remembers dying.” He snorted slightly. “I remember Mother torturing me. But I feel like that was a long time ago. But everything is so hazy…”


Branret smiled slightly. Maybe it was best he didn’t remember.


“I feel like I just woke up from a horrible nightmare,” Dalune sighed, closing his eyes. He looked at Branret. “Oh, I only just noticed. You’re a Katze.”


“I am,” Branret nodded.


“I finally get to meet one in person,” Dalune smiled a soft, mature smile, “Please don’t mind my saying so, but Katzes are such beautiful, wonderful creatures. I always said I would capture one and make it mine.”


Branret looked up. What an innocent thing to say. And how horribly it was mangled when Dalune was forced into another’s body.


“Thank you,” Branret smiled softly.


“So, will you be mine or will I have to capture you?” Dalune said with a friendly, bright smile. Branret blushed a little.


“I-I’m with someone,” Branret said.


“What a shame,” Dalune closed his eyes again, “I’m so tired. I don’t mean to go to sleep, especially now that I’ve finally met a Katze… You’ll be here when I wake up, won’t you?”


“I will,” Branret said with a firm nod.


“Thank you,” he said, “What’s your name?”


“Branret,” he said, barely loud enough to be heard.


“I’m Dalune,” he said. Before anymore could be said, he was asleep, looking more peaceful than he had.


Branret gave a sigh. What would happen when Dalune saw he didn’t look the same anymore? What would they tell him when he discovered that the Katzes were almost extinct and he asked why? How would he react if he knew it had been his hands that had destroyed many Katzes?


Branret worked it out in his head. If he asked about his appearance, they would simply tell him the truth. He was put in a different body by his mother. They would say that Katzes were destroyed by a very bad man. There wasn’t a need for him to ever know…


Except, he’d be recognized. And just because he didn’t remember now didn’t mean he wouldn’t remember later.


Branret gazed at him sympathetically, no longer having to force himself to no longer hate the crimson-eyed boy. He just felt a need to make him see that he wasn’t to blame for what happened. To tell him that it was okay. To completely separate him from the person who destroyed Branret’s tribe.


Branret stayed up awhile longer, falling asleep sitting up, staying right next to Dalune all throughout the night.


~:~


“Branret?”


Branret started awake, glancing around and looking at Kit, who was worriedly nudging him awake.


“Kit…” Branret yawned, “What’s wrong?”


“You never came to bed last night,” Kit said, frowning. “I was wondering if you were all right? Dalune didn’t try anything did he?”


“No,” Branret smiled a little, “Rose fixed him. He’s just plain Dalune now. Not the same person who destroyed my tribe.” Branret glanced over at him. “I feel so badly for him Kit…”


“I do, too,” Kit said, sinking next to Branret, “I wonder if we could get him into an inn in the city without anyone noticing? I’m not sure it’s okay for him to be out here…”


“We’ll try,” Branret said, slipping his arm around Kit’s shoulders, “I was thinking Jinn might have come back by now, but… I guess he might never.”


Kit was silent.


Branret kissed Kit’s forehead comfortingly. “Come on, let’s wake the others and see about getting into town.”


The two of them had everyone awake fairly quickly. Gate was up and packing his and Holy’s things fairly fast, but Holy simply sat there, blinking tiredly and swaying for several minutes before he stood.


“Kit and I were wondering if we could get Dalune into town somehow,” Branret said, “The weather might be bad for him in his weakened condition.”


Gate paused. “If you removed that armor, people probably wouldn’t notice him,” Gate said, “There’s a chance they would recognize his face, but that’s unlikely and we could cover his face.”


Branret glanced at Dalune and saw that Holy had already removed some of the armor to get at his wounds. The Katze knelt down and began to remove the rest of it, tossing it in a pile nearby.


“Now, how should we move him?” Branret asked.


Rose walked over and bent down, picking up Dalune as though he weighed nothing. Her four male companions paused to stare at her.


“She’s sort of emasculating, isn’t she?” Branret sighed.


“A bit,” Gate replied, “With that settled, let’s head for the inn. We’re looking for a civilian’s inn. We’d be recognized anywhere else.”


“Right,” Rose replied and they entered the city. Gate guided them into a deeper area where they found a quiet hotel which seemed mostly empty. The innkeeper seemed very pleased to have them, obviously not getting a lot of business.


Rose carried Dalune into a room they got for him, laying him on the bed. Branret checked him over quickly to make sure none of his wounds had been reopened.


“Hey, Branret?” Kit said, “I’ll be in our room, okay?”


“All right,” Branret smiled.


Kit left and Branret turned to see Dalune, jumping in surprise to see his eyes were open.


“So that’s him?” Dalune asked with a small smile, “A bit young. How old are you?”


Katze smiled a bit. “Eighteen as of a few months ago,” he replied, “And you?”


“I’m not sure,” Dalune closed his eyes. “The last age I remember being is sixteen, but… I feel like a lot of time has passed since then.”


“That was probably three years ago, so you’re nineteen or twenty or so,” Branret replied, “A bit older than me.”


“How do you know how long ago it was?” Dalune asked, looking slightly amused by Branret for reasons only he knew.


“I just know some things about you,” Branret said with a small smile, “I helped rescue you, you might say.”


“From my mother?” Dalune asked.


“Kind of,” Branret nodded.


“Mmm, I don’t feel good,” Dalune said and glanced at Branret pleadingly, “I really could use some help…”


“What kind of help?” Branret blinked and cocked his head to the side.


“A kiss always makes me feel better,” Dalune said with a playful smirk playing across his face. He looked so handsome when he smiled like that…


“I’m with Kit,” Branret said, though was smiling.


“It’s weird that you’re the dominant one in the relationship though,” Dalune remarked, “When what you seem to need is someone strong to take care of you.”


Branret wanted to protest, but the thought of having someone like the person he mentioned made him feel somewhat fuzzy inside.


“It would be nice, I suppose,” Branret replied, “After having to take care of myself for all this time.”


“How do you know you’re with the right person then?” Dalune said and sat up a little.


“Because I love Kit,” Branret replied.


Dalune started to make another point but paused and smiled. “I suppose I’m trying to talk you out of loving him because I want you for myself,” he shrugged, “You shouldn’t listen to straightforward flirts such as myself.”


“I like you despite that,” Branret teased, “I just may have to gag you when you’re awake so I can admire your handsome face without any of the talking.”


Dalune laughed. “I do believe you’re flirting with me, Branret, age eighteen, Katze,” Dalune said, “But that’s okay.”


“It’s probably not,” Branret said, blushing.


“Tell me more about you,” Dalune said.


“I’m with Kit, Dalune…” Branret was looking at his hands.


“Come on, humor me,” Dalune said, “I’m probably stuck in this bed for awhile. I need something to do while I’m healing up.”


“All right,” Branret said and began to talk, telling him about select things. There was no reason to inform him so soon after he’d woken up about the near extinction of the Katze race. No need to say that they were on a mission to kill his mother.


However, the more Branret talked about him, the more comfortable he felt. The murderous Dalune who had hurt Branret so badly was completely gone. Dead, as far as Branret was concerned. In his place was a nice man with beautiful crimson eyes.


Branret didn’t even notice to hours ticking by until there was a soft knock at the door.


“Um, Branret…?” Kit asked softly, “Are you coming to eat something? You missed lunch…”


Branret glanced at him. “Oh! It’s pretty late isn’t it? Jeez, we’ve been talking a long time,” Branret turned to Dalune, “I’ll come back after I’ve checked up on everything, okay?”


“All right,” Dalune smiled.


Branret waved and walked over to Kit, wrapping his arm around his shoulder.


Kit glanced back at Dalune as Branret shut the door behind him. He had a bad feeling, but he couldn’t place his finger on it.


He chose to forget it as he and Branret sat down to have a bite to eat. But he couldn’t help but noticing that making conversation seemed a little harder than before.