Catalyst

Chapter 5

Anadeo, City of Our Father
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The music hall shined from within it's layered arches creating a dome around the audience. The torches lit and the chandeliers at full burn showed off a glorious light among the eight thousand bodies in the crowd. Still even more brilliant than that was the man standing in the foreground of a vast orchestra. Watching the strings waltz with his blue eyes he jerked his head to the left briefly to fling an errant lock of his long dark hair over his shoulder and onto his back nearly masked by the color of his black suit. He was young and handsome, and seemed quite nostalgic with his music although sad. His bow danced across the strings of his viola like a ballerina across the stage. Notes almost of visible brilliance sang from his instrument. No words were uttered nor voices heard, but the strings orated their beautiful song as if a trained vocalist resonated their heart's lyrics.

I fade and recede, forgive my early egress...

The man plucked the next few notes solely as the rest of the orchestra quieted briefly. His melody was lilting like a serenade, but melancholy as if there was a quiet pain just beneath it's surface. Closing blue eyes, he held his breath putting bow back to string and gliding it across again.

My heart be still
Catch me Oh wings of angels...

She sang in his mind. Her tears traveled from his fingers into the instrument. From the instrument into the air and from there directly to the listener's heart.

I weep not for my life lost
Only for our love never to be...

Smiling, the musician spoke back to her the only way he could.

But it has been
It always shall be.
I am with you, even if you are never to be with me again.

A final note resounded echoing through the building in a climactic finish. The audience stood and clapped as the young man bowed. His long dark hair falling several inches in front of him before he stood and bowed again. After his show of appreciation from the crowd's reception he tied his hair back with a dark blue ribbon.

He exited the building into the cool evening. The front of the building was far too crowded, so he took the back. A presence made him stop on his way out to the carriage that waited for him.

"Up a bit past your bedtime aren't you Jin?" he asked with his voice smooth as silk. A man wearing leather straps of black under a black and gold jacket with no undershirt stood there barely visible. He had short brown hair that was unkempt and spiked about his head mainly wind-whisked forward. His eyes were sharp and of a vibrant orange color. He wore studded gauntlets made with black leather with gold lacings but plated with steel bands. Jin was leaning against the wall and smiled spitting the piece of wheat from his mouth.

"They're going miss your wonderful sounds while we're out on our pilgrimage. I just hope performing doesn't distract you from our real duties. You didn't forget did you Liron?" he asked. Liron just laughed.

"Performing these concerts IS my real duty or did you forget, Jin? I am a Speaker." he replied, "and I speak," he continued before tapping this viola case, "through Lilia." Jin chuckled pushing himself off the wall and standing straight to face Liron before tucking his hands in his pockets.

"Right right. It's too bad. Fighting with my own true self is so satisfying. If only I could find a way to share that feeling with you." Jin said with a relieved sigh. Liron chuckled before looking up at the waiting carriage.

"Well, it's been long enough. It's time."

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Alium-Anadeo road, before First Checkpoint
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Listening closely, Aizik could hear the voices a the front of the wagon. The air had grown dark, but he could see a few more armored men approach the front of the wagon. There was little doubt that they'd have no trouble at this point. He could only conclude that these men had killed some passing group of soldiers and were using the armor the hijack or fool travelers.

The voices didn't last long. The air grew still very quickly. Eira drew her sword slowly and faced the curtain. Aizik placed his hand on his sword's hilt but Eira glanced at him and shook her head before whispering,

"You already have so much blood on your hands Aizik. Let me do this." Her voice was sincere. Aizik hesitated before moving his hand away.

"Alright, but I'll be right behind you. We should move." he responded. Eira nodded and in an instant her face changed. She looked violent as she leapt forward through the curtain. Knowing Aizik was at her back she faced the first soldier she saw who happened to be to her right. The moment he turned to face her the metal shield she had crashed into the side of his head with a loud metal against metal "Clang!" As he crashed to the ground Eira effortlessly stepped over his body with Aizik following wide eyed behind her kicking the man's spear away from his limp body. Four more men were at the front of the wagon with one holding a sword to the throat of the wagon driver who's hands were up in the air as he trembled in fear. The other armored thieves turned to face her.

"Who is your leader?!" she roared. One of the men charged at her with a spear. She used her shield to deflect the thrust into the side of the wagon getting it stuck and then struck the man with her gleaming blade right across the face with such force that his helmet spun backwards on his head and he stumbled back crashing to the ground. "Don't make me ask again!!" shouted a furious Eira. It was times like this when she could take out that pent up rage she hated so much on people who actually deserved it. She pointed her sword at the man who was holding up the driver.

After a few moments of tense silence the armored man pulled off the helmet revealing long red hair, gray eyes, and the real gender of the person in the armor. She was gorgeous even with the thin scar that ran over her right eye down to about an inch over her mouth. "I'm there leader. Listen to me girlie and listen good: Walk away...right now." she said in a velvety voice that was as smooth as sharpened steel is dangerous. Her eyes told them she wasn't messing around, but Eira didn't budge.

"Or what? You'll kill us? Could you possibly make an emptier threat?" she scoffed. In truth, Eira had no way of knowing if she could beat the woman. It didn't matter, the fight was imminent it seemed and that meant it would come down to their skill not what words they shared now. The woman raised an eyebrow and smirked arrogantly walking in front of the other armored men. She took a breath and closed her eyes. An energy pulsed outward from her body that Aizik recognized instantly and shot forward to grab Eira's shoulder. Without taking her eyes off of the woman in front of her she pointed the tip of her blade at Aizik to stop him. "I see it. I'm not afraid of her Aizik." Eira said coldly. She'd seen this before when training with one of the masters to learn how to utilize her swordsmanship against different weapons. No one else seemed to notice, but she'd always been able to feel and see certain differences. Right now, she saw a red haze emanating from this woman who's eyes opened revealing a bright red iris now.

"Girlie, I hope you know what you're getting into," she said with her smirk growing on her ruby lips. The armor on her body suddenly cracked in several places. Hard steel shattered like thin glass and fell in shards to the ground revealing leather armor. It was scarce revealing her belly and most of her legs. She wore thick leather boots and fingerless gauntlets. Her sword pulsed with red energy. "If you'd just walked away I would have let you keep your valuables, your clothes, even your lives. It's a shame you're so foolish." In an instant she stood in front of Eira with blade raised above her head. The instant their blades clashed Aizik felt a familiar power. His eyes widened as he watched Eira push the deadly blade away. A radiance was coming off her body. Not visually, but something inside her spoke to him. Had she spoken one of the words of creation unknowingly? That shouldn't even be possible. Eira threw the blade away from her turning her body to face the shield into the torso of her opponent to block her forward mobility. The bandit woman glared and stepped back far by about five feet in one move. Eira took a step forward, but just as her foot touched, her opponent was back up close aiming a thrust at her face. Eira raised her shield and circled out to her left avoiding the attack, but hearing the blade scrape violently against the shield in her left hand she knew it was a near miss. As she planted her back foot again she saw the bandit spin once quickly and before she could react a foot came up and struck her across the face. Feet leaving the ground Eira landed on her shield and used the rounded smooth surface to aid her roll to her feet. Her opponent closed the distance again now smiling and lashing out attacks rapidly with her blade. Each bounced off the shield with a heavy noise with the next attack hitting faster than the echo from the first. Pressured by the relentless assault Eira backed up a few steps and circled out once trying to find an opening to no avail. One of the strikes tapped the top of her shield causing her to overcompensate the force and raise her shield high. Just barely seeing a gleam slide past her defense Eira lurched to the left with a pain shooting across her right cheek. A moment later and it would have gone right through face. She knew that she had to move on the offensive soon or she'd wind up dead, but the strikes were coming far to fast and from too many different directions. This situation called for a bait. Eira lifted her front foot to evade a low cut meant to slice her ankle open. Her opponent charged her to knock her off of her other foot, but she pivoted and planted the other to brace for the attack. When the woman collided with her shield and she didn't budge Eira saw her surprise for just long enough to strike her with the side of the shield sending her staggering. In a flash Eira pushed forward throwing her against the side of the wagon and placing the sword tip to the woman's eye with her shield against her chest and sword arm. She didn't flinch, but instead smirked.

"I see. Your skill can back up your big words. I shouldn't have underestimated you." she said. One of the other armored men stepped up but a silver flash shot across his vision whipping his helmet from his head. Aizik sheathed his sword again and the man slowly backed away again under his harsh gaze.

Eira stared hard at the woman in front of her. "Good, so you're giving up then?" she asked. The redhead laughed condescendingly and loud.

"You must be joking!" she scoffed.

"I have the business end of a sword just in front of your eye!" shouted Eira in disbelief. What the hell was wrong with this lady? Was she truly so insane she didn't know the definition of defeat? Two of the other armored men stood in front of the driver so he wouldn't try to escape, but they dared not get near the fight between Eira and their boss. Aizik watched barely holding himself back from jumping in. Eira was skilled yes, but she wasn't well equipped for a fight like this.

"Eira, finish her. You can't let someone like her go." Aizik said. It didn't even feel right coming out of his mouth. He hated it, but some people couldn't be beaten any other way. Eira glanced at him for just a moment before fixing her eyes on this lunatic she had pinned up against their transport wagon. The woman sneered,

"Do you even know why I underestimated you girlie?" she asked. Eira grinded the shield up against the bitch's chest,

"Stop calling me 'girlie' you asshole. My name is Eira. Eira Illumia Laus and don't you forget it." she barked. The woman looked elsewhere as she spoke as if what was said nor the sword in front of her mattered.

"Right, Eira. Since you've introduced yourself, I'm Miasala. I noticed you've never killed anyone before." she said nonchalantly. Eira glared. How could this woman possibly know with their so-far brief scuffle? First Aizik and Cavan knew she was skilled with just one swing of her sword, and now this woman could tell she'd never killed? Did she have this stuff written on her face or something? "One look in your eyes and I knew. With that kind of mentality, what do I have to worry about?"

"Well," Eira began, "what does your theory say about me kicking the crap out of you?" she asked pushing hard against Miasala's chest with the shield. Soon she'd hear a loud pop, and with a few broken ribs this bandit wench would think twice about being so smug.

"Think I can't take some abuse, Eira? Think I can't take a hit?" growled Miasala. "You ever been beaten up real good huh? You ever been tortured?" she continued. Her voice seemed to take on a feral quality. Eira could see the red energy pulsing around her body again. "Tell me Eira, have you ever been raped?!" Miasala roared. With that, Eira's body made an involuntary reaction. All her muscled tensed and she clenched her jaw. Why did she have to say that of all things? The momentary freeze gave Miasala the opening she was looking for. Shifting her body weight she made her way to Eira's side and kicked the back of her leg dropping her to one knee as she swung her sword at the back of Eira's neck. Eira knew she was in trouble, in fact she had just lost. There was no time to react, no time to scream, nothing mattered as the blade came slicing through her flesh cleaving her head from her shoulders.

But it never did.

Her eyes were slammed tightly closed, but she heard Miasala groan behind her. Glancing back she saw Aizik with his blade just below Miasala's arm ready to cut clean through all the arteries under her arm. "That's enough." he growled. The bandit rolled her eyes annoyed.

"My my, so testy. Tell me soldier don't you do what you have to in order to survive?" she asked. Aizik didn't budge or acknowledge the question. "I do. I never had the freedom to try and survive on my own before. My life was always a possession for someone else to own. I got out of that, and now we're in it to live. Don't we have the right to live and fight to survive just like everyone else?" Aizik staid. Miasala finally sheathed her blade and held up her hands in defeat. "Alright, perhaps it wouldn't have been prudent of me to showcase my skills here anyhow." Aizik moved his sword.

"To answer your question: yes. You have every right to survive, but the way you've chosen hurts others, and makes it much harder to accept. You understand?" he asked. Miasala stood as did Eira who turned to face them. She saw all of Miasala's men standing back away from them. The bandit woman turned to look at Aizik and grinned.

"Yes sir, handsome." she said coyly strutting away past her men before snapping loudly. "Come on everyone. Let's get out of here." They all followed close behind. "Oh." she called stopping. "Just to let you know, since we're leaving that makes you fair game for all the other bandits around here who are afraid to attack because we saw you first and don't share. Good luck with that." Suddenly Miasala whistled and a several horses appeared over a hill and came over upon which she and her men climbed on. Miasala turned to face the two looking first at Aizik and then at Eira. "When we have our rematch, leave your tasty boyfriend there at home so I can kill you in peace okay?" With that they rode off.

Eira sighed with relief. If there were lots of fight where she'd have to choose between killing people and dying she was bound to have a stress induced stroke sometime soon. She looked back to see Aizik appearing similar to a ripe red apple.

"Tasty?" he squeaked pointing at himself. Eira blushed as well,

"Aizik weren't you listening? We're gonna get attacked soon if we don't get moving!" she shouted looking over at the driver who didn't looked pleased with that information.

"S-sir and madam! Can we please continue on?" he asked rather shakily. Aizik nodded trying to clear his head a little and headed back into the wagon with Eira. She was having a hard time believing they'd shaken off such tough opponents so easily. Well, as easily as you could consider almost being decapitated.

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Alium, Adatine Mansion
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Cavan stood before Seiru yet again. This time both of them fully clothed. Cavan looked around the room seeing several pictures on the walls of different landscapes and scenery. Nothing of family or loved ones. It would be hard to have pictures of family or loved one's he supposed if you're a demon like Seiru. Still what he'd said in the carriage disturbed Cavan. It was vague, but enough to let him know he would not like most of this.

"Well, it seems I have no choice. What do you want from me?" he'd asked. Sieru looked him right in the eye.

"By the end of all this, it will be something you'll gladly give up."

Cavan didn't like the sound of that at all, but his primary objective was to keep Aizik safe. It wouldn't be easy from here, but at least he could find a string to pull somewhere if he really searched, and he'd be searching. Seiru beckoned him closer. Cavan approached standing in front of Seiru. "Cavan, in your experience have you ever once been on top?" he asked. Cavan arched his brows.

"You mean, like; in sex?" he asked. Seiru nodded as if to say 'duh'. Cavan shook his head and shrugged.

"What can I say, I aim to please, and beside who wants to do all that work?" Seiru shook his head and tsked wagging his finger.

"You're missing out my pet." he replied. Natasha came into the room and stood at his side. Seiru leaned over and whispered something to her. She nodded and looked at Cavan. Oh man, please don't tell me he wants me to fuck her. If I'm going to have sex with a girl for the first time I really don't want that woman. he whined mentally.

"Get undressed." she commanded. Cavan's brain generated a few new profane words that had trouble staying off his lips as he began undressing. To his relief Natasha left promptly. When she returned there were two others with her. She had the male maid who'd answered the door for him and Anna. More made-up curse words fired off in Cavan's brain. He'd just met her and told her they were friends. He couldn't turn around and literally fuck her now.

"Pick." said Seiru simply. Cavan looked back and forth between them for a moment. When he met eyes with the maid who's tag read "Clare" the maid immediately shied away from his gaze blushing. Meeting Anna's eyes was a different story. She fixated on his gaze as if trying to communicate with him. There were no words spoken, but he knew he had to make sure she staid out of Seiru's sex games as long as possible.

"Oh come on Seiru. Why can't we just go another round? Like I told you, I've had better. Don't you wanna beat the record?" Cavan asked coyly. Seiru smirked.

"Cavan, this game is for grown-ups. If you want to play the roll of the child you're welcome to forfeit." Forfeit meant 'kill Aizik'. Cavan rolled his eyes and sighed,

"Fine." he groaned standing up straight. Cavan looked to Clare, but suddenly got a strange feeling. Something was different. His gut told him that this was a trick question. He eyed Anna. "Hmm, I've never actually had a woman before. I'll try this one out." he said pointing to her. Anna's eyes widened and lips parted in surprise. She did not look pleased at all. Cavan snuck a wink at her but couldn't watch her long enough to see the surprised look on her face as he had to look at Seiru. The man in charge came over and whispered to Anna. She nodded quietly and left. Cavan faked a frown. "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry my pet, but this is a little lesson in not getting what you want. It should be fine anyway after all; Clare here may as well be a woman. Show him what I mean Clare" Seiru said smirking and sitting on his desk. Clare walked up to Cavan and knelt down grabbing Cavan's underwear and pulling them down. Cavan would have a difficult time getting an erection right now, or so he thought. He'd never been in this position before. He'd actually never NEEDED to have a hard on. Clare grabbed his penis and began stroking. His hand caressed the head briefly before going and stroking the shaft a few times. Cavan closed his eyes and tried to imagine the sexiest things he could, but nothing came to mind. He'd never actually thought about it like that. At least not in a long while. He even brought Anna to mind, but his embarrassment on the matter made him more nervous than aroused. Soon however he felt a little lightning circulating down there and his cock began to rise just a bit. Clare smiled licking up the shaft and then sucking on the head. Cavan ran his hands through the maid's hair unable to help feeling just a bit awkward, yet it was all a show anyway so he may as well act. Still, the blowjob felt good. It was new at least. Clare sucked harder before pushing Cavan's penis deeper into his mouth letting it pass in and out of his jaws slurping and sucking constantly. Cavan's penis hardened and grew pushing its way further into Clare's mouth before the maid finally pulled away and stood up turning around and walking to the wall behind Cavan and pulling his skirt up over his butt. In all truth Seiru was right, as Cavan walked around behind Clare he realized he couldn't tell he was a boy at all. The stocking had straps that connected to a girdle with the straps going up across Clare's butt cheeks. Cavan unfastened them letting them fall down and positioned himself behind Clare who looked back at him. One of his hands was on the wall for support while Cavan knew the other was between his own legs to hold forward his genitals to make him look even more female from the back. Cavan looked down at his own penis dripping with saliva and slowly slid it between Clare's warm cheeks. He pushed until he felt a tight hole and stopped. Clare looked winked at him. Cavan put his hand just above Clare's butt and pushed. The maid inhaled sharply as the solid cock pierced his tight ass. Cavan's dick throbbed intensely in the firm space. It was warm and squeezed his penis securely. He pulled out a little and then pushed right back in causing Clare to sigh in ecstasy. Cavan began pumping his hips forward shoving his dick in and out of the maid's butt. It was so new to him, but he couldn't believe he'd never wanted this before. Still, it didn't make him regret never having it, and chances were good it wouldn't change his outlook on sex. Still, it was an experience. Each thrust seemed to make his penis even harder and more ready to pound this poor maid's ass. The humping grew more rapid. Cavan was done with this show. It was too much to be watched while doing this. He knew he couldn't blush think about it too much and get embarrassed or he'd blush or groan and give Seiru everything he wanted. Instead he just focused on how his cock felt inside this tight space with each thrust. He began ignoring Clare's moans and grunts and instead let the cum build in his penis until he let it all explode into the butt. The warm liquid poured out in several bursts as Cavan sighed slowly letting it all shoot out and slowly drip. Clare collapsed to his knees panting. Suddenly Natasha was bent over against the wall right next to Cavan with Seiru right behind her lifting her skirt and pulling out his penis.

"That was a poor performance Cavan. I expected better from you. Something more like this." he said plunging his cock into Natasha's ass.

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Alium-Anadeo Road, three hours later
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The steady bumping of the wagon had become something of a lullaby and Aizik had drifted off still sitting up at the bench on which he sat. Eira was lying down on hers staring at the ceiling and stroking the new blemish on her face. It wasn't very long, but it was probably going to make a thin scar on her cheek. Just what she needed, more things to further ruin her face. "Say Aizik, you never told me what happened between you and Ralus." she said unaware that he'd dozed off. Aizik opened one of his eyes.

"You want to know that badly?" he asked curiously. Eira furrowed her brow.

"Well we'll reach the checkpoint tomorrow morning and then we won't have much time to talk with just you and me. I doubt you'd tell me then so I guess now is the time." Aizik nodded.

"Well, eventually I confronted him and made him my enemy even though he told me it would be the end of me. It nearly was. I was literally at death's door, but I'd killed him. While I was between this world and the next something happened to me that made me realize who I am and what I'm meant to do." he explained. Eira looked over at him.

"Really? What was it?" she asked curiously. Aizik paused for a few moments before shaking his head and smiling lightly and lying down on his bench.

"I'm sorry Eira, I don't think I'm quite ready to share that with you just as I'm sure there are few things you don't want to tell me." he responded. Eira nodded and smiled.

"Okay."

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Poliask-Ederich Road, Tent, 5 years ago
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Aizik and Cavan lay in their bedrolls with Aizik staring up at the inside of their tent. "Cavan," he called. His friend leered at him with one eye.

"What Ai?" he asked with irritation in is voice. "Why do you always want to talk right before I fall asleep?"

"When I was almost dead. After I killed Master Ralus, after I fell..." he began. Cavan sat up now listening intently. "I remember floating. I felt like I was being carried into a warm light. It was beautiful and seemed to be calling me home. I wanted to go. For a brief moment I stopped caring about everything else and just wanted to go home." Cavan turned towards Aizik not wanting to miss a word. "I actually spoke to the Light Father. I spoke to Him. I would never have come back here, but he told me that I couldn't stay."

"Well it wasn't your time Ai. I still need you here ya know." Cavan said smiling. Aizik shook his head lightly not wanting to hurt any of his injuries more.

"No Cavan. I couldn't stay because...because, " Aizik paused for a moment, "he said he'd already forgiven me, but if I couldn't follow him and forgive me as well then I couldn't stay. I had not choice but to come back. If I give up Cavan, I'll disappoint not only you and all those people I've killed, but our Father as well. I have to be here until I can do something worthy of all the people's lives I've taken. Only then do I think I can finally forgive myself." Cavan paused for a long time processing the information before pounding his fist into his palm.

"Alright then Ai that's good! Now we just need to come up with what we're going to do." he said enthusiastically. Aizik nodded,

"But Cavan. Don't you realize what that means? What I just told you tells you something about me that may be difficult to swallow. It means..."
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Mala Tier Abandoned City, road to Mt. Eles.
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The half broken gates hung ajar only made effective by the group of vagabonds in patched together armor with poor quality weapons hanging around it. One in particular stood in front holding a large halberd over his shoulder. A man wearing a black hood and cloak approached the gate. His face was obscured but his short gray beard was visible beneath the veil of the hood. The lead vagabond came up to him. "Halt! This here's the Eddy Rilan Gate. Gotta pay the toll or know somebody inside to get past." said Eddy. The hooded man looked up at him with piercing red eyes.

"Toll?" he asked in a gruff voice that seemed seldom used. Eddy raised an eyebrow,

"Yeah old Jimmy, TOLL as in sixty gold pieces a person. That gets you a one time pass friend," said Eddy with a crooked grin.

"Oh, but I know someone inside," said the old man. Eddy raised his eyebrow again.

"And?"

"His name is Ralus. Ralus Cage." he said with a smirk. Eddy spat on the ground.

"Ain't never heard of no Ralus Cage!" he shouted poking the old man's chest.

"But of course not. You haven't spread my reputation yet." chuckled the hooded man. Eddy heard several thuds behind him. When he turned to look every member of his gang lay beside their own severed head with their blood all over the broken gate and the ground. Eddy's mouth fell agape. Ralus leaned forward red eyes shining and whispered, "Get to work, Eddy. I'll see you inside."