Chapter Text
The warmth was violently ripped from him, and he landed hard, on a cold steel floor. Gasping for air with his new lungs.
“ Get up.” Growled a deep voice, it was painful to hear he hadn’t used these ears before. He was still awaking up, after what felt like over a an untold amount of time of sleep. “ I. said. get. UP. Demon.” There was a rough kick to his side with a foot; a paw with sharp claws, gashing his rips. Slowly, Alhazad opened his eyes. Two of them. In the middle of his face; his vision, his new vision wasn’t too great. It was different how he saw before..
“ What.. Where am I? What has happened…?” he coughed as he spit out liquid.
“ I located your little science project, the one in which your vile demonic soul now resides in. I have ripped you from you deep slumber to atone for your sins. You monster.”
The mad scientist tried to gather his thoughts, his last memory was dying atop Ka Dingel. He looked down at his now humanoid hands his thoughts and memories slowly coming back to him.
He had created a organism to download his memory on to. A humanoid much like that of the holmcrosses. But it was more organic than that of the others. This much he could tell. Feeling the body being weaker than he would have liked. This wasn’t set to activate just yet it was still in his opinion; rather young. And the demon aspects of it hadn’t mutated fully… or maybe he hadn’t installed them. He was so busy towards the end of their defeat during the war. He looked like a normal human male, save for the red eyes, in his late 20s.. if that maybe early 30s? It was a back up plan that he never even dreamed he’d need to use. He was sure during the war the demons would eviscerate the humans and their Guardians..
But they lost. There was no victory.
The experiment must have worked. Because here he was inside it. Frozen and naked and cold and wet on the floor of one of his many laboratories. With the Guardian of courage, Justine glaring hatefully down at him. How Justine was able to enter his lab.. he had no idea.
That was rather rude of him, to come in uninvited and trespass. His eyes darted to his reflection in the shiny metal around him; it was too human for his standards. He looked too soft. His cold red eyes looking hard back at him. Not cut and strong like his brothers; granted he did have Zeikfried’s long black hair. His red eyes remained, and his skin was darker than that of Zeikfried’s. He itched at the rough beard around his face. This body needed to be groomed. The beard itched terribly.
He was a mess.
“ Why did you revive me, guardian?” He asked, not even looking at the lion. He merely scanned around his lab. Other creatures lay asleep or dead in their tubes, notes, documents, screens off-line, computers appeared dead. Some lab equipment shattered, destroyed, likely by the lion that stood over him “ You could have ended my life, but chose to keep me alive. Why?”
“ To atone for what you have done! You will heal the wounds in the Van Burace family!” the lion snapped.
“ …Van Buraces? You mean Garrett Stampede and his brood? The man created more? His precious Elmina is alive, she remembers?”
“ No more questions. Get up!” the lion guardian roughly grabbed the demon and forced him to stand. Weak from lack of food, Alhazad’s legs crumbled under him, and he planted hard on the floor face first. The Guardian harshly wrapped his paws around the demon lord, his claws slicing open his face. Alhazad yelped in pain. “ I’m going to enjoy breaking you, as you broke so many others. Before you set foot in the human world.” He sliced at the demon’s soft flesh. Alhazad glared hatefully at the guardian.
“ If you do so, then I won’t be able to atone for my ‘sins’ because I’ll be dead you buffoon!” he snapped. Which was met with a harsh slap across the face. Alhazad winced in pain. Spitting blood out of his mouth. Justine forced some clothing on to him, a thawb from one of the many humans he abducted, followed by one of his robes. A pair of old boots shoved on his feet. They were too small, which caused his toes to be smashed.
“ Quiet.” The lion snapped once again, as he clothed the demon. “ You won’t be wandering around nude you perverted freak. With what little clothing you own.” Alhazad was at the very least, grateful to be covered. It brought him some warmth. He was then pulled by his hair, towards the door. His feet weakly giving way under him.
“ Let me learn how to walk.”
“ There is no time for that!” as the lion guardian kicked the door to the outside world open. Harsh cold meeting the demon’s tender flesh. It was like a wave of pain, pins and needles, the cold bit right through him. The blinding light of the late autumn sun hurt his new eyes. He squeezed them shut, and limped to keep the guardian from dragging him by the hair. Once outside, he was able to look behind him. This lab had to have been on in the Arctica region. Where he created Lady Harken. He frowned as he heard the door of his hidden lab seal shut. Worried he would never be able to get inside again.
The Guardian of Courage paused, finally. Alhazad got a better grip on his surroundings. They were by a stream. Justine grabbed the demon by the throat, squeezing it to cause him pain. “ You will find your way to Arctica and you will atone for all that you have done. You vile sinful creature. Find the Van Buraces and serve them! Apologize! And heal their wounds!” The lion spat on on the demon and then and then dropped him, harshly, on the ground below.
With out a trace, the Guardian was gone, and Alhazad collapsed, weak, and helpless.. He worried for his fate. There was no way he could travel to Arctica from here. He had no strength to do so on his own, and he had no idea where it was from this location, it had been so long. He tried to stand but it was futile.. And fell down once again; passed out on the cold frozen ground below. Weak from hunger, pain, as the cold air zapped him of all his energy. Worried surely he would parish before he even attempted as his second chance at life. The world went black, and quiet as he slipped into unconsciousness.
“ I hate to see you go.” Jack frowned a he leaned on a post the supported the house. He watched his wife pack the last of her things. “ It’s gonna be hard with out you.” Elmina didn’t look up at him, she was checking to make sure everything was packed in her travel bag. All the last remaining things laid neatly out on the kitchen table. The red head was getting her farewells from Jack, Rudy, Hanpan, and the family pet; Darksong. All were gathered around her in the small kitchen. The only one missing from the group was Jack and Elmina’s adult child; who remained hidden in her room.
“ Silly, you and Erica will do just fine, you’ve been through way worse with out me there to baby sit the two of you. You are 41, and Erica is 23. You both are adults. Just for the love if the Guardians… Make sure you to remember to bathe, and wash your clothes, and change the bedsheets more than once a month.” She pointed to his chest. Jack backed up raising his hands, and smiled his shit eating grin as he closed his eyes.
“ This is why you need to stay!” he teased.
“ This is why you need to learn to take care of yourselves!” she lectured. “ You will be fine, and the people of Port Timney need me. With the very last of Alhazad’s abominations running wild in the south.. and reproducing,” she made a face of disgust. “ They need guards and trained swordsmen in order to kill them if they attack.”
“ Wouldn’t be so hard to pick the little bastards off if they’d man up and just train people to use ARMs. I’m not saying that Fast Draw is flawed, I’m just saying they could .. I dunno, shoot the little shits before they come too close to town?” Jack shrugged his shoulders. “ Besides, I still worry about you, are you sure you gotta grip on your amnesia? I’m just saying..”
“ Stop, Jack. I am fine, I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t sure I could. You know that. I’m needed elsewhere… We’ve talked about it. I’ll be okay.” She gave him a reassuring smile.
“ Besides, There’s still the Stigma that comes with an ARM, remember that, Jack.” Rudy chimed in. “ Not everyone is too keen on picking up the skill.”
“ Pussies.” He grumbled. Which lead him to getting a smack on the back of the head.
“ Stop using that word! Your daughter looks up to you, and will continue to pick up your bad habits.”
“ So?” he smiled wide.
The family pet, a large black dog, sighed and whined rolling his eyes at Jack’s argument. “ Even Darksong agrees you need to watch your mouth.” Hanpan noted at the other animal’s reaction.
“ You’re enjoying this.” Elmina huffed. Resting her hands on his shoulders and kissing him on the cheek. “ You’re a mess.”
“ Speaking of Erica, isn’t she going to wish you goodbye?” Rudy asked gently.
Elmina exhaled. “ She isn’t speaking to me, again.” The sword princess frowned. “ She’s mad at me for leaving, she hasn’t spoken to me all week. No matter how much I explain to her that this will not be like last time, she isn’t convinced. It’s like she switches back and forth- from being a reasonable young woman, to a troubled teenager.”
“ It’s the trauma, Elmina, you can’t be too hard on her. All things considered.” Hanpan noted from his spot on the counter. “ Maybe she’ll shape up and ask to visit you when she gets sick of the snow.” The wind mouse mused.
“ If she’s going to be a Knight, she can’t continue to act like this. After the hardships I’ve been through, and Jack most of all. We aren’t acting out our trauma like she is. She needs to-”
“ -And she was a child.” Hanpan said gently. “ Her little brain was still that of a child when all of that happened, you two were adults. Your brains were developed and you were able to process it better.” The wise wind-mouse noted.
“ Are you going to make a trip to visit your little son while you’re gone?” Rudy tried to change the subjec mentioning her other child. “ If you’ll be gone all winter you may as well pay Alician a visit. I’m sure Mariel would love the company.” Rudy asked. “ That kid misses you so much in the winter.”
“ I plan to, on the way back. I may even catch them on my way out. Him and Mariel only left a bit ago, before me, afterall.” Elmina smiled warmly. Her son, Alician, whom was born after the war was such a ray of hope. He had no idea what world he could have been born into. But there he was, part of the generation after the demons attacked. Blissfully unaware of what happened in the family, years ago…
Elmina exhaled. Sealing her bag shut and glanced up at the ceiling, trying to see if she could hear any movements; nothing.
She made her way up the stairs, towards Erica’s room and knocked on Erica’s door. “ Sweetheart, I know you’re awake…” she said at the door. “ I won’t force you to say goodbye. But just know that I love you. I am so proud of you. I will come back for you. I always do. You are stronger than you know, and you will, eventually. Get past this.” She placed her hand on the door. As if willing it to open and see those kind brown eyes looking back at her. But.. Over the past few years- Erica continued to get ‘sicker’ as the young blond called it. As if something inside her was foreign and made her miserable. The younger swordswoman couldn’t expel it. No matter how hard she tried.
The sword princess returned downstairs, to see Jack with his arms crossed at the bottom of the stairs glaring up at the steps. “ You want me to say something?”
“ Don’t.” Elmina cut him off. “ Let it go, darling.” She wrapped her arms around Jack, and hugged him tight. “ I’ve got to go, if I want to get through the pass before noon. The train will not wait for me.” she kissed him on the lips. “ I will send word, once I arrive. I promise.” She turned from him and knelt down to pet Darksong on his head. “ And you and Hanpan make sure these three don’t burn the house down while I’m gone-” she joked to the strange black dog who then jumped up and licked her on the side of her face. Elmina laughed as she pulled away from their faithful companion.
“ Good bye, Elmina.” Rudy smiled as he opened the door for her. Hanpan bowed as he took his place on Rudy’s shoulder. Jack smiled sadly.
“ Please return to me, I can’t bare the thought of losing you again.” His hand holding hers as she slipped out the door. They detached and he watched her climb atop a horse.
“ I promise, my love.” And with that kicked the horse’s sides and took off into the woodlands towards the mountain pass to the east.
Way in the northern part of the Continent there was a siege, beings from an unknown origin attacked the castle..
A woman with red hair threw open the door that lead to small bedroom. A very young girl just shy of her 6th birthday lay wrapped in furs and warm blankets, peacefully asleep. The embers in the fireplace keeping the small room warm.
“ Erica!” the red head shook the girl awake.
“ Mommy?” the girl mumbled sleepily.
“ Erica wake up!” Elmina snapped.
Her brown eyes shot opened to see her mother urgently wrapping warm clothes around her. “ Erica. Remember when Daddy and I showed you the servant’s hallways? Their secret passages behind the walls?”
“ Yes.” She mumbled as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.
“ I need you go to the one in your bedroom… Now go go! GO!” She shoved her inside a hidden door in her room. “ From here I need you to run. Run outside. Do you remember how to get to sled dogs? Where he keeps them in the kennel?”
“ Yes Mommy. I know where the dogs are” The young blond girl nodded her head. Smiling. “ Do I get to go play with them!?” excited that her mother was allowing her to be awake at such a late hour.
“ No,” she sighed thinking of how to explain this. “ No. I need you to go run, as fast as you can, like all the monsters of Filgaia are after you, and I want you to hide with the dogs. Okay? If the dogs start barking and a bad person or a monster shows up. You go hide somewhere else. Alright?”
“ Yes mommy! Hide and go seek?” she smiled exited for this new game.
“ Good yes, you play hide and seek with the monsters. And do NOT come out unless it is Daddy and me, or Mister Coldbird, or someone else you know, comes looking for you. Okay? You stay RIGHT there.”
“ Why would Mister Coldbird come? Won’t you and daddy be coming to look for me?”
“ Do what I say, Erica. You hide there okay? Daddy and Mommy or someone will come for you. Now go, GO NOW!” She shoved the girl into the corridor behind the wall and shut and locked the door. Erica peaked through the cracks in the door. There she saw her mother confront a monster which was standing at the entrance to the small bedroom. Blocking Elmina from escaping. The Sword Princess charged at the monster as it sliced at her leg— Erica then, ran, as fast as she could. As if all the demons of Hell were at her heels..
The young woman’s eyes shot open, her breathing was heavy it was yet another nightmare about her childhood. She sighed and focused on the notes that floated lazily by the window in the morning sunrise. It had been more than a decade since the demon war. Since the events that all but ruined her childhood. She wrapped the blankets around her tighter, as she heard her mother, father, Uncle Rudy, Hanpan, and her dog Darksong down stairs below.
Her mom was leaving them, again. Erica wasn’t happy about it. Why did she have to go? It made her so uncomfortable. Her dad was okay, but his short temper and harshness was only subdued by her mother. Recalling all those years when she wasn’t around.. Where was she? When she asked her father about her mother back then he’d explode, more so after the time they ran into Lady Harken on the Sweet Candy.
Not that her mother was any gentler she’d lecture, a lot. They behaved in such a way that the war couldn’t have been that bad for her. She did none of the actual fighting.. She looked up to her mom, she wished she could be a strong as her. But she took more after her father, in a way. She admired him too. But their coldness towards her struggles upset her. Not to mention the others things that had happened to her when her parents weren’t around. Sometimes she wondered, again and again, if her family were the only good humans.
She heard them talking downstairs, unable to make up their words, but then there was someone standing at her door, she leaned against it. Hoping to keep whom ever was on the other side out.
“ I won’t force you to say goodbye. But just know, that I love you. Okay? I will come back for you. I always do. You are stronger than you know, and you will, eventually. Get past this.” Hearing her mother’s calming words made tears ran down Erica’s face. How badly she wanted to swing open the door and beg her mother to stay, to please stay, that she needed her. But her own stubbornness and refusal to even pretend that she was okay about this kept her from saying goodbye. If her mom saw her sobbing like a child. Her father would only lecture her more, aided with her mother. And she’s slip into a deeper depression. She didn’t need that. Screw it.
Finally she heard her mother walk away, the front door open, the galloping of hooves. Rudy and her dad talking more. Then leaving through the back door, she hid by her bedroom window; out of sight. And saw all four of them leaving. With Darksong pulling supplies attached to a dog sled.
Good. She was alone in the house, and could sneak out with out anyone to ask her any questions.
Picking up some clothing off the floor, smelling it to see if it was clean enough to wear, she slipped into some fur lined pants, and a black tank top with thing strings that went over her shoulders. She preferred this; it left her arms free to move and fight. Afterward she slipped on a long canvas duster one just like her father had warn ages ago.
She picked up her sword in its sheath by the bedroom door, and hooked it on her belt. Made her way quickly down the steps; and grabbing her backpack which hung by the kitchen door.
Pausing for a moment. She threw in some dried jerky, as a treat for herself. Or to feed any of the weird monsters which may show up in her hidden place in the woods. As they often did.
Glancing over the house, thinking if there was anything else she needed... With a shake of her head, to keep her bangs out of her face, She slipped out the back door. Then ran to the woods before anyone in town could see her.
The hove prints from her mother’s horse went to the left, eastward, towards the mountain pass. Erica turned right, to the west.. spotting the bathhouse her family used. Built into the mountain, behind that was a path she had created to her little sanctuary out in the woods five or so years ago. That was her destination.
Once she was shielded by the bathhouse, she slowed her pace, walking calmly as she watched the secluded world around her. It was quiet here. Save for the random animal noises, and occasional monster. One peaked it’s head from a rock out cropping, she fished a piece of jerky and tossed it to the monster. The green sphinx stared at her for a moment, while the piece of meat hung from its mouth. Twitched it’s tail, then scampered away with its prize. The tall pine trees rustled in the wind above her head, it sounded so peaceful here. Her own little safe haven. Far aware from her peers in town.
It bothered her that the monsters were nicer to her than the humans her age ever were. They kept their distance. Never attacked, and if she threw them food they did their thing and minded their business. Most of the monsters were small, and easy to kill. She never saw a point in slaying them. They just did their thing. They’d make eye contact, stop, then back up and stay away. As if saying they knew her, somehow. That they knew who she was and kept back. Some weird respect thing? She never did understand it. Maybe one told the others she would freely give them food; and they just let her be. If they attacked her, the food would stop. And surely the monsters didn’t want that.
There were rumors about the monsters in the bunker of the castle; those were the only monsters she really worried about. The floating heads, the jewels, and the chariot man… those were different. And while she never saw one since her family and her returned. She wondered if they took residency in the castle bunker. It was where the cocoon the Mother was stored, after all. All those years ago.
‘Whatever’ she thought to herself, she shook her head of the memory. She needed to practice fast draw.. She needed to be better, stronger…
A small nearly frozen stream bubbled and trickled to her right, it added to the soothing sound of the wind blowing in the trees.. She smiled at the large ice cycles that were starting to form. It would snow soon.
Rounding another batch of pines, she saw it then. Her dummy she made to practice on, a old bag of feed stuffed with straw and dirt. Finally she made it to her little haven in the woods. Sliding off her back pack. She unsheathed her sword and walked towards the dummy.