I am so sorry that I haven't updated in months! I had the world's worst writer's block... then a friend introduced me to Tales of Symphonia... then the OVA came out...
Sorry.
But a special thanks to LoneHowl for trying to help me. I wasn't very good at cooperating, but she got me to write an outline, so I should be okay for the remaining chapters of this fic. (There won't be a lot - this story will be short.)
Disclaimer: Baten Kaitos, its characters, plot line, and locations all belong solely to Namco-Bandai.
Chapter IV: Big Bad Wolf
"But it's her! I swear!" protested Takei, "That lady, Lupa, she's the one that dragged us into this world!"
"That's slander dammit!" snarled Allyr, to her brother, "Slander that frankly no one would really believe!"
It was the night after they had arrived in Mintaka. Lyude had led the group to a building by the Imperial Residence that was specifically for guests of the emperor. Allyr had dragged Takei and Vivian to the sleeping quarters she had been given to yell at her brother.
"But you believe me, don't you?" pleased Takei.
Allyr hesitated. "Well…"
"You don't believe me!" accused Takei, "Who can I trust to help me if my own sister won't even believe me!"
"Now you're acting like you're six again!" snarled Allyr, "Grow up! I'm not dismissing your story! I just can't do anything about it! I mean really, what do you expect me to do?"
"Just calm down, both of you!" shouted Vivian, "Just stop squabbling for a minute and try to look at the situation calmly!"
Brother and sister glared at one another, but stopped arguing. "Okay," said Vivian in a slow and calm tone, "Now that we've stopped trying to maim each other, Allyr, do you believe Takei?"
Allyr hesitated, "Yes, I do believe him," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "But it's not important whether I believe him or not. I don't have the power to do anything if Lupa really did drag you guys here. And besides," she added, "What possible motivation can you think of? There's no reason for her to bring you here."
"Well, we are here, so clearly there's got to be something vaguely resembling a reason!"
"I said stop it!" repeated Vivian, "Can't you two stop being siblings for just five minutes?"
The pair grumbled and muttered something along the lines of "Well he/she started it," and then retort, "No it was you, obviously."
Vivian felt grateful that she was an only child. "Just grow up will you?" she said, pretty sure that her words would go unheeded, which they did. Allyr and Takei continued to argue about Lupa's motives the rest of the night, until they stormed off to their different guest quarters to spend another hour fuming before going to sleep.
They should have paid more attention.
There were iron bars, though it was unclear to Kalas who it was that was stuck inside the cage, and who it really was that was caged. From the other side of the bars, a monster watched him intently. The monster was large, ten feet tall at the shoulder, at it looked like the iron bars would be no real barrier to it.
I have found you, little one.
Kalas tried to shut out the voice he had just heard. It came form inside his head, but it had been an alien voice. He looked back at the monster, which seemed to grin at him, exposing long white teeth.
Did you really think you could just run away? Said the voice of the monster inside Kalas's head.
"Who are you?" Kalas asked, feeling slightly stupid to be asking this, despite the circumstances.
I am the Big Bad Wolf, said the monster, I am one of the Dark Brethren, the ones who bestowed our power to the god Malpercio. And here I wait. The monster's grin widened, You are frightened of me – I am not surprised. You were naïve to think that you could forever sever yourself from Malpercio's – our – power. You shut your eyes and turn away, but the darkness that made you remains in your heart.
The monster pressed its muzzle against the bars separating it from Kalas, as if trying to get through. Come back to us, little one, said the monster, almost pleadingly, We miss you. Come back… come home.
Kalas decided then that he wanted to get as far away from the monster as he possibly could. He turned and ran from the monster. He heard a laugh inside his head. Go ahead and run, little one. Said the voice of the monster, I will chase you across space and time if need be.
The Big Bad Wolf howled, and Kalas could hear the sound as loudly as if the monster were right next to him. But also he could here the howl inside his head, commanding him. He fell to all fours with the force of the cry, and could not bring himself to his feet again. He heard the soft padding of big paws behind him, and he knew the monster had gotten across the bars and was walking toward him.
I'm here, little one.
Kalas woke up in a cold sweat, light-headed, and almost certain that he would feel the monster's hot breath on his neck. When all he felt was a cold draft, he relaxed a little. Maybe he should invest in some medication for insomnia when he got back home. The nightmares were becoming a problem.
He got out of bed, careful not to disturb Xelha, and walked over to a small window that looked out at the distant gold city of Mintaka. Somehow that sight calmed him down a little. He almost fell asleep standing up again, when he heard a tap on the window. He stared out the window, and watched a rock hit the glass then fall out of sight. Kalas looked down at the ground to see an old man in raggedy gray clothes throwing rocks at the window to catch his attention. It was the Dust Eater, and he wanted to talk to Kalas. Damn.
Might as well go and see what the hell it is he wants, thought Kalas grumpily as he pulled a shirt on and walked out of the room he shared with Xelha. As soon as he came out into the night the Dust Eater came up to him looking rather worried.
"You do know what time it is?" growled Kalas.
"I know I disturbed you, but this is important," insisted the Dust Eater, "And it's best if we talk about it when everyone else is asleep."
"Then what is it that you want this time?" demanded Kalas impatiently, "I'd like to get back to sleep soon."
The Dust Eater looked uncomfortable, "There's something that you should know," the old man started slowly, as if handpicking the words in his head before saying them, "I suppose you haven't heard some of the latest stories from Mira, living on Wazn and all that."
"I heard Duke Calbren is sick," said Kalas, trying to understand where this conversation was going, "Why? Is he okay?"
"So you haven't heard," said the Dust Eater, "No, it's not about the Duke, poor soul. It's about the Reverence Clairvoyant."
"Well, what about him?" asked Kalas impatiently.
"You haven't heard about his latest prophecy, have you?"
Kalas was silent for a while. The Dust Eater felt that the silence wasn't from Kalas's ignorance on the topic, but rather, the silence of one who is carefully deciding exactly what to reveal. "I've heard enough. It doesn't matter," he said finally, his tone saying that he did not want to pursue the subject.
"I thought you had figured it out," said the Dust Eater, pressing on, "I came here to tell you that I can help you prevent it from ever happening."
"Prevent what?" snapped Kalas, "Sure I know what they say is going to happen, but I don't believe those crackpots."
"Then you're making a mistake," warned the old man, "You shouldn't dismiss the words of a prophet so lightly."
"Why? Because he's a prophet?" said Kalas sharply, "People have been saying he's crazy for years. Sure, he got Malpercio's resurrection right, but what makes you think that wasn't just a lucky guess?"
"Ignoring a problem won't make it go away!"
"There is no problem to ignore! And why are you so interested in this anyway? Don't tell me you're doing this out of the goodness of your heart."
There was a pause that frizzled with hostility, mostly from Kalas. "Listen boy, stubbornness has its place," said the Dust Eater, "But this is not the time. Understand that I'm not accusing you of anything; this is hardly a situation where it's worth blaming anyone. But the Clairvoyant's prophecy is not absolute; it can be stopped, prevented. If you think it's false, then why not take precautions anyway, just in case you're wrong?"
Because that would be admitting that I'm capable of doing what the Clairvoyant thinks I'm destined to do. Thought a small treacherous part of Kalas's mind. "I want no part of this," he said flatly, before turning around to walk away.
"Why don't you stop and really think about this for a minute!" pleaded the Dust Eater.
Kalas turned around to glare back at the Dust Eater, "I've just about had it with you!" he snarled, "Acting like you know everything. You're not a god! You're just a crusty old man who likes to stalk people. So why should I – "
"There is much anger and confusion in your heart, and I can understand that. But don't let those feelings strangle your heart and turn you into the very thing you despise."
Kalas blinked, feeling suddenly lightheaded. He closed his eyes and tried to regain his bearings. What had just happened? The thought had just jumped into his head – like an old memory. He couldn't even remember what it was now, or why he had thought of it.
The Dust Eater's eyes narrowed, and peered around the dazed Kalas just in time to see a little black-haired boy darting away from them. The Dust Eater silently considered this while turning his attention back to Kalas.
"Just… forget it old man," Kalas said once he felt a little less light-headed, "I don't want any part of your plan, the Clairvoyant's prophecy, or anything. I've got other plans." Then he turned and walked away from the old man, not looking back or sparing another word.
The Dust Eater frowned at the young man's retreating back, but he didn't feel resentment or frustration. On the contrary, he could understand Kalas's position entirely. What a pity the young man couldn't see his.
You have more reason that anyone to be afraid of the darkness, thought the Dust Eater, More reason to be afraid of falling again, I guess that's why the Clairvoyant's prediction bothers you so much. The Dust Eater scanned the area around him, before shouting "I know you're out there, and I know what you're planning to do to that poor boy! Now I'm telling you to stop what you're planning and go back to whatever pit you crawled out of!"
The old man heard a childlike giggle from behind. "That's cute, coming from you," said a voice. The Dust Eater turned to see a little pale boy with hair like onyx, "Even gods cannot stop the advance of fate."
The Dust Eater glowered at the boy, "At least tell me why you took a little boy," said the Dust Eater, disgust in his voice, "Of all the low things I would have expected from you and your kind, this wasn't one of them."
The little boy grinned unnaturally, "Why should I be blamed? His parents thoughts that if they went to a cursed place and prayed enough their darling little boy would come back. The End Magnus had amazing powers after all. A pity that you cannot understand how wonderful they are."
Swallowing his revulsion, the Dust Eater said, "At first I wasn't sure it was one of you, but now you've just confirmed it for me. I know what you're going to do and it is unacceptable. I'll tell you this again: stop now or there'll be a retribution like you've never seen."
"Oh, is that a threat?" said the boy, sounding less and less his age as he spoke, "Let's face it, I'm not a little boy and you're not an old man. You think yourself above us, but you still lack the power to enforce that tough ultimatum of yours. The Magnus of Life will be ours. We will crush his soul and devour his heart. He will be lost forever to the darkness. He will turn into the monster that shall herald the end of the world, and be an instrument in our divine vengeance. And there is nothing you can do about it."
"Are you ready to gamble everything on that assumption?" asked the old man, lifting an eyebrow.
"Such arrogance!" cackled the child, "Well, I'm not going to entertain you anymore. Good luck with trying to stop the inevitable!" Then the child skipped off without a backward glance.
Kalas walked back to the building cranky and tired. The Dust Eater was clearly overrating to the whole situation. As if Kalas would, when he had everything he could possibly want, would turn his back on everything and give himself up to the dark again. All those years ago, he had torn off his own wing to be with Xelha and the others again. He gave up his power, and he did so willingly. But it had been so hard…
Kalas stopped walking and shut his eyes. I can't think like that! I can't let them be right! I don't want to fall again! I don't want to be stuck in the dark again…
He should have been paying attention.
It was only then that he realized that someone was now standing behind him. They didn't say anything, and moved quick as thought. Consciousness is a fragile thing, and easily taken away by those skilled in such things. Five minutes later Kalas as his captor were gone, leaving behind no sign of a struggle.Somewhere, the Big Bad Wolf sat in its iron cage. It made no noise and did not move. It didn't have to. All it had to do now was wait.
A/N: Ugh... after so many revisions (seven for the nightmare scene alone...) and many other pains, I've finally finished this chapter! Yay!
Now just the rest of the story to go...
As for now... I don't like this chapter, at all. It's giving me STOMACH ULCERS! AHHHHH!
If you don't want me to die from internal bleeding, please press Mr. Review button. I don't even care if you say something bad about this chapter. This whole story frankly deserves a lot of criticism. (Though saying nice things makes me happy. Very happy.) Oh, and if you not only want me to not die, but also want to make me happy, go and read and review my oneshots: Dig Me Up for Baten Kaitos Origins, and Farewell if you've managed to beat Tales of Symphonia. Seriously. Please?
I'm gonna go lie down now.