Chapter 11: Threats, Plots and Explanations
I am One who walks in Shadow. Forever I have forsaken Darkness for Twilight, Light for Shadow, to stand eternally between them. I am One who watches from Shadow. Forever I shall live outside this universe, to protect what lives within. I am One who seeks the Shadow. Forever I will stand before destruction, that the Universe need not have an end.Arysta--and every other member of the Guild of Shadows-had taken that oath, to protect the universe from its enemies: first and foremost, the Lord of Darkness and the Guardian of Light. Now she reflected on it, rather amused. How many of the Guild's members had ever "stood eternally between" Darkness and Light? They all did in a figurative sense, but actual interventions were rare. She stood up and turned around to face the two people she had brought here: one of the Guild's safe-houses.
"I suppose you both have many questions," she said. "I'll try to explain as well as I can. I am a member of the Guild of Shadows. We try to prolong the Universe's life by preventing either the Lord of Darkness or the Guardian of Light from winning their eternal battle, by any means possible."
"What do you mean, 'any means possible'?" Jarith asked.
"Many of us would like you to peacefully solve your problem and agree to coexist. I am one of those. However, some of us believe it would be easier to simply destroy both of you. But the Universe either cannot or will not give them the power to do so."
"You talk about the universe like it's alive," Bekka said.
"She is," Arysta said.
"She?"
"The universe," she explained. "We believe so, anyway. She was the one who made up the rules about the Lord of Darkness and the Guardian of Light's battles, in order to keep them from immediately destroying everything." At this, she gave Jarith a stern look. "If you two hadn't been so obsessed with your own power, none of this would be necessary."
"So it's true, then." Jarith sighed. "I've suspected for a while, but we've never been sure. In the beginning, it was just easier to think that we were meant to fight each other, or otherwise, why would we have been reborn."
"From what we've heard, you weren't doing much thinking at all in those days," Arysta commented.
"The universe is alive?" Bekka said again. "And you're trying to destroy it?! You and Corinn are so...arrogant!"
"Well, that wasn't really what we intended..." Jarith muttered.
"Do not be so quick to blame him, my lady," Arysta said. "The Guardian of Light and the Lord of Darkness were given certain personalities at the dawn of time. Then, it was the only way the universe could see to keep herself from instant destruction, by giving them rules and lives to work within. But now, they have become so set in their ways that they are almost unchangeable."
"You know, it's really annoying when you talk about me like I'm not standing right here," Jarith said.
On Kirvak Minor, in the Crystal Forest, another member of the Guild of Shadows had just found the crystal that Corinn was imprisoned in. Kieriyu smiled. It hadn't been very difficult; the amount of power that Jarith had used to trap Corinn would leave traces for years. And judging from the traces of Corinn's power, Kieriyu's...influence on Corinn was working perfectly. He set the crystal on the ground in front of him and stepped back.
"Lord of Darkness, I summon you from your imprisonment," he said. By calling on the collective power of the Guild of Shadows, Kieryu was able to summon Corinn's spirit from the crystal, but he couldn't completely break Jarith's spell. A ghostly image of Corinn appeared, standing before the crystal.
"Jarith! I swear, you will--" Corinn looked around. Jarith was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he was facing a tall man with orange fur, red hair, and one of his furry, pointy ears pierced. The earring was round, with a black circle and a white star on a gray background. "Who are you?" Corinn asked.
"My name is Kieriyu. I work for the Guild of Shadows," he said.
"Guild of Shadows? What on Earth is that?" Corinn asked.
"We preserve and prolong the life of the universe," Kieryu explained. "We protect it from those who would destroy it--like you." His tail lashed back and forth angrily. "But I'm not here to fight with you; we don't have the power. One of us is with the Guardian of Light and the girl. In order to keep things balanced, so she doesn't give Light and advantage, I am here to watch you."
"The girl? You mean Bekka?" Corinn said.
"Obviously," Kieriyu said. "Now, I've freed your spirit from the crystal, but you're still bound to it. It should be possible for you to break the rest of the spell yourself, but first I want you to promise me something or I'll put you right back where you came from."
"You think you can make demands of me?" Corinn said. "Do you have any idea what you're doing, you insignificant--"
"First, you'll have to agree to bring me with you," Kieriyu interrupted. "No trying to lose me, no leaving me behind. Second, you're not going after the Guardian of Light until I'm sure that you're acting rationally."
"WHAT?!" Corinn shouted. "Bringing you, fine, but the second I get out of here I'm going to go kill Jarith, no matter what your Guild of Lunatics says!"
"It's 'Shadows,' not 'Lunatics.' Otherwise we'd have to let you join, wouldn't we?"
"Why you-I'll kill you too, then!"
"I wouldn't, if I were you," Kieriyu said. "We're more powerful than you think, and you really wouldn't want the Universe angry with you. Besides," he said, smiling, "we know where your girlfriend is."
"You wouldn't hurt Bekka. You can't. You're lying!" Corinn said.
"Are you willing to risk that?" Kieriyu asked. "Kill me, and you'll never see her again. We might have to kill her. We might just keep you away from her forever. Agree to follow those two rules, and I'll help you find her. When I think you're ready, of course."
"Fine, then," Corinn said. "I'll take you, and I'll stay away from Jarith for a while. But if anything happens to Bekka, you're dead."
"Agreed," Kieriyu said. He concentrated for a moment. "I've surrendered my control of the spell to you. You can break the rest of it." Corinn's image flickered in and out of existence for a few moments, then solidified.
"Where to now, then?" he asked Kieryu.
"Well," Kieriyu said condescendingly, "since you've been so well behaved, maybe I could let you see your little girlfriend for a minute or so. We're not going there, though. Watch." He held his hands out in front of him, and an image of Jarith, Bekka, and Arysta appeared-like a hologram, or a crystal ball.
"Isn't it against the rules for you to help us, if you're supposed to be neutral?" Bekka asked.
"Not really," Arysta explained. "We're allowed to do almost anything, as long as we don't do anything to tip the balance one way or the other. I'm trying to stop this, not help the Guardian of Light win. So as long as I don't actually affect their battles, I'm not doing anything wrong."
The vision disappeared. So it's Arysta who's with the girl, Kieriyu thought. That idealistic fool...she still refuses to understand that the only way that they will stop fighting is if we destroy them both. Idiot.
"Where are they?" Corinn asked.
"None of your business," Kieriyu replied. "The girl is safe enough, as long as you behave."
"So why are you here, anyway? You said it's to make sure that your friend doesn't tip the balance by helping Jarith, but so far you haven't done one helpful thing," Corinn complained.
"Well, let's see. I let you out of that crystal--if it was so unhelpful, I can just put you back. I let you see the girl--"
"Her name is Bekka."
"And if you behave, I'll leave you alone. In return, all I've asked is that you promise not to do anything too stupid."
"You are just asking me to kill you," Corinn muttered.
"What's that you said?" Kieriyu asked, his tail twitching nonchalantly. "You want me to kidnap and torture that Becky-girl?"
"Her name is Bekka! And you'd better stop threatening her--"
"I'm not the one threatening her. You are. I won't have to do anything if you behave."
Corinn glared at Kieryu for a while, but he did have a point. Sort of.
"Well, if I'm supposed to wait until you decide I'm 'sane,' what do you want me to do until then?" Corinn asked. "Standing here isn't helping anything."
"I guess that's a little better," Kieriyu said. "At least you're asking. I want you to go to the planet Achernar. It's small, technology about a century ahead of that world you were last reincarnated on--"
"It's called Earth."
"Did I ask? No. Anyway, go to Achernar. You can't hurt anything there. Do something constructive for a while, to get your mind off Jarith." And it's leading right into my plan to kill them both, but he doesn't need to know that...
Image Gallery: : Characters: : Theme Song: : Link "Darkness and Light"