The Blood Of Three Kings

The horse fangs carried them swiftly on Clawed feet. The mud swamps parted and gave way to the fury of their thundering hooves. The Creeper’s in the vines forest squealed back in pain as fire shot out from their feet. Their Toe claws cut easily through the thick life leeching vines. The horse fangs made a three day ride turn into mere one. Without needing rest, they ran and galloped straight into the borders of Corinth.

By this time though, Their passengers could not ride any more. Serenity was asleep on the large creature. She curled her self up into it’s saddle and trusted it to follow. Kaire looked on edge and even Silvan swayed his steps when his feet finally touched ground. He did not care for his own health right now however. It was Serenity that he was concerned for.

“Serenity?” Silvan forced him self to some form of conscious stability. The ride had been a long, hard test to all of their strengths. “My love?”

“Hm?”

Serenity whispered her words. She barely had the energy to sit up. When she fell from the saddle Lucian, was the one that caught her. Silvan and Kaire both stared at the man. How could he have so much energy when they all felt as if they were drained.

“King Silvan.” Lucian looked up at the exhausted king. “If you spread your cloak out I can lay her down. We all could use some rest, even our horse friends here.”

“Uh..yeah.”

Silvan nodded to him and soon all of them but Lucian were sleeping very heavily. Lucian only pretended to sleep. Kaire was pulled in next to him. She didn’t care at this point. The Horse fangs were in a state of concentrated rest as well. Crystalis knew they could bare the burden of getting all of her new friends to Corinth quickly and safely. It was always said ‘Never stand in the path of a charging Horse fang. Humans and drak beasts alike could not stand against it.’

“Soon my love.” Lucian stroked over Kaire’s cheek. “Very soon this will all come to an end. It seems we must persevere or they will be damned to the evils of humanity forever.”

“Is that so Lucian?”

An unfamiliar voice caused him to startle. Lucian pulled away from kaire and looked around quickly. Who knew him here? It was not Serenity or Kaire Either. They were both asleep.

“What? Who’s there?” The man stood. He was on his defensive. “Show your self.”

“I’m right here.” Veleska stepped out into the clearing. “I must admit that I am surprised to see you of all people or things along with them. I can kind of guess why but even with the goddess’s gift I do not know all.”

“So you’re the Avatar.” He smirked. “We were just coming to see you.” Lucian stepped forward. His eyes roamed over the woman’s body. “She has chosen a quite attractive Avatar this time. Her Avatar five hundred years ago was rather in need of some body work.”

“If I did not know anything about you I might question how you know this.” Veleska walked over to the sleeping Kaire and knelt down. She easily removed the inhibitor stone, which Lucian placed there and crushed it between her fingers. “This is not needed.”

“If you were not her Avatar I would not be happy with your actions.” He took a calming breath. “I suppose you know why we came back here?”

“My goddess tells me it is to see what this girl hides in her mind about a location.”

“Indeed.” Lucian nodded. “ I have a question for you”

“Yes?”

“Why come here? Why not let them make it back to the palace?”

“Because they would only be delayed further by their parents. Plus she would not be welcomed there yet. “ She touched kaire’s forehead softly. “She is as mis understood as you or those beautiful horse fangs.”

“So you do know.” He looked some what uncomfortable with this knowledge. “You will tell them?”

“No I won’t. They will find out soon enough and they are the ones who must accept or deny you.” Veleska closed her eyes. “Now let me concentrate. It is easiest to seek the information from her like this. Her tired state will keep any conscious barriers down.”

“Yes. It was a very long, hard ride for them. The king proved strong. Even I am impressed.” Lucian sat down beside kaire on the opposite side. “Just be warned. Do not hurt her.”

“I won’t. Now if you will be quiet?”

Veleska let the goddess fill her with her abilities once again. The mind of Kaire was a duality. The mental image of the Avatar met with a black winged angel who’s form was asleep. The entire mind around her was nothing but black space except for a metal type vault behind her. Carefully, veleska moved past the darker image of kaire. If she woke her a fight could start to protect what ever was in the vault.

“Grant me your gifts to open these locks.”

Veleska prayed to her goddess as she pushed the vaults door. The locks fell away without the black winged image to hold them. Inside the vault was very different from the outside. Veleska stepped onto a field of grass and flowers. The sky was as blue as the clean waters of Corinth’s ocean. The sounds of birds chirping made a melody in the air.

“This is..a surprise.”

“Hello?” A white winged image of Kaire poked her head up from the grass. “H..how are you here?”

“I am Veleska. I have come here using the gifts my goddess grants me. I feel I should ask you the same thing. How are you here child?”

“I am kaire!” She sat up. “Well that is to say I am a side of her that the darker one locked away.”

“I see.”

“Is...Lucian outside?” This good image wanted to see him. “Is he?”

“He is protecting our physical bodies.” Veleska smiled. The blush on the girls cheeks made Veleska chuckle. “I also see. You are in love with him.”

“Yes. She..does not want to give into such a weak emotion.”

“Love is not weak.” Veleska stepped closer. “I have to ask you something.”

“Yes?” The girl smiled. She was the exact opposite of the darker kaire. She wanted to help. “How can I help?”

“There is an image locked away in this mind. It is of a place and has you, Lucian, Serenity and Silvan in it.” Veleska knelt down next to the girl.. “Can you help me find out where this place is?”

“I..” She panted and looked down. This image scared her. “I don’t know. Those eyes are scary.”

“I am right here. Maybe you can not think about it and instead tell me why she has you locked away.” Veleska touched her hand gently. “Why lock away such innocent beauty?”

“She doesn’t like it. She doesn’t like me. When Silvan saved us a long time ago we were together but as we grew and saw that he had no interest in us that way she became jealous. I tried to stop her but she took our mothers chaos seed into her self.”

As she talked the images of these things started to show around them like a theater. Veleska nodded and listened still. This image of Kaire shuddered.

“Mother was an angel but that one refuses to believe it. She loved Tamin and went to his bed side. This is the real reason. She did not want to disgrace the crown because she broke her vows to you.” kaire looked up at veleska. “I can see the goddess’s eyes through you.”

“The goddess Serenity was not angry with her. As I said, Love is not a weak emotion.”

“Mother didn’t know it at the time but that was not king Tamin who slipped into her bed. It was an angel who called him self Lucifer. He took the shape of Tamin and tricked her. She was so ashamed when she found out that she corrupted her very self.” She shook her head. Kaire trembled at the memories. “That image of me locked all of it away! She doesn’t want to remember the truth. She doesn’t want to remember the images of the future that we see.”

This was it! This was what veleska wanted to know. The area around them changed to a place on Earth. It was in a place called Italy. The building started to show. Kaire started to cry and Veleska wrapped her arms around her.

“Shh. It is alright. It is not bad to remember child. You can not be hurt here. Please remember. We must know for every ones sakes. Even Lucian’s.” Veleska stroked a hand through the silvery white hair of this Kaire. “Please? We haven’t much time before the other wakes.”

“It is...The..V..vatican in Italy. Mother told me what it was when I asked about the dream. I was only a girl when I had it.” kaire looked up at her. “I want to be free. I don’t want to be locked away anymore. Please help me?”

“I will help you.” Veleska turned at the sound of wings ruffling. “She is here.”

“Oh! Nice of you to notice. Just who are you to sneak in on me like This! Get out!” The black winged kaire was a very angry soul. “Leave now!”

Veleska held the white winged girl closer to her and shook her head defiantly. This only served to anger the black winged Kaire.

“You can not keep her locked away! You must remember child! I know you want to. I see it every time you are with him.” Veleska stood and pulled the white winged girl with her. “With Lucian.”

“N..No! Shut up!” She covered her ears. “I don’t want to hear his name!”

“Lucian!” The white winged Kaire yelled it and pulled away from the protective grasp of Veleska. “Lucian! Lucian! Lucian!”

“Shut up!” The black winged girl tried to send a bolt of black at the white. “I’ll get rid of you for good!”

“No!” The white counted the black bolt with a silvery bolt. She boldly stepped forward. “I want out!”

She screamed it so loud that it echoed in the mind of Kaire. Veleska gasped as the walls of the vault started to crumble. This was a battle between good and bad. She stood and looked at the two. Her own image was being forced from the mind of this girl. When she awoke she gasped in pain. Veleska clutched her head in her hands and grunted. Lucian was staring at his love too hard to notice Veleska.

Kaire’s hair was turning from black to the beautiful Silvery white. It had black streaks in it and was now slightly curly. Kaire gasped and her arms flailed out to grab around Lucian. She trembled and he held her tight against him.

“Kaire?! What did you do to her!” He yelled at Veleska. “She is hurt!”

“ I didn’t do anything! She is doing this her self!”

“Lucian! Lucian!” Kaire screamed. “Lucian!”

“I’m here!” Lucian pulled her against him. “Love I am here!”

Veleska looked at the waking Silvan and Serenity. The commotion of this struggle was enough to pull them from their heavy sleep. Wen they looked up they saw Kaire held up against Lucian. She was shaking and her physical form was not like they remembered.

“Uh?” Silvan blinked. “How long did we sleep?”

“I don’t know.” Serenity blinked. “I don’t..know at all.”

Lucian calmed her. Kaire was hugged up as close as she could get to him. She was holding him like she had never been able to hold him before. Veleska smiled. That good side of kaire must have won the struggle.

“Veleska?”

Silvan and Serenity both said her name.

“There is much to tell you all and not much time. Please listen to me now.”

Veleska spoke with urgency. Now that they knew where, he would surely find out and try and send his minions. Lucian looked up at Veleska silently. His arms stayed wrapped around Kaire tightly. Silvan and Serenity listened despite how exhausted their own bodies were.

“What?!” Serenity looked wide eyed at the Avatar. “The Vatican! We can’t just waltz into the Vatican and go asking where some magical staff is!”

“What’s so important about the Vatican?”

Silvan knew nothing about the importance this building played to Earth religions. Serenity just grunted and fell over. She shook her head and groaned at everything Veleska just explained. They knew about about kaire now and the struggle in her mind. They knew about the memory of the Vatican. They didn’t know about her parentage however. Veleska thought this was best left for kaire to explain.

“Oh good lords. We’re all going to hell.” Serenity sighed. “The Vatican!?”

This adventure just took an odd twist and turn for all of them. It went from magic and a land she once thought fantasy to including Earth and Religion as she knew it.

--------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Hope you all like it!

Please read and Review.

Starfyre