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"Still
in bed, lover?" a deep, masculine voice prodded, the tone
faintly teasing.
Mia opened her eyes to discover Anubis standing
over her. The glow from the morning's sun illuminated his
beautiful body.
He was bare-chested, a towel hanging over one
of his shoulders. Evidently he had just showered, for beads
of water sparkled in his crimson red hair. He also wore
a pair of dark blue jeans and white socks.
Flushing, Mia dragged her gaze away and glanced
around the bedroom. It was surprisingly clean except for
the articles of clothing scattered on the floor. The tumbled
bed sheets reminded her of what she and Anubis did last
night.
"Morning already?" Mia murmured as
she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Smiling, Anubis
sat beside her on the bed and gathered her into his embrace. Mia
slid her arms around him and leaned her head against his smooth,
damp chest. She smiled as she remembered that yesterday, the two
of them had gotten married. It was the happiest day of her life
and a day she would cherish forever, as he would.
She felt him stroking her soft, cool bare back.
Lifting her head, she planted a light kiss on his warm, sweet
tasting lips.
"I'm going to make you a delicious breakfast,"
she told him after she kissed his cheek.
Anubis grinned. "I will unquestionably
be looking forward to that but..."
Mia studied him after he trailed off. "But
what...?"
"I'm not sure if that will satisfy my
hunger..." He leaned forward and kissed her deeply.
"Oh--! Oh..." Mia slipped her arms
around his neck and pulled him down onto the bed with her. No
more words were spoken because none were needed.
***
The dark
shadows swiftly approached the lake house. They moved with grace
and silence, mere creatures leaping through the treetops. They
surrounded the house but did not advance any further.
At a greater distance, a distinguishable figure
stood in the midst of the woodland shadows. He stood there by
a common tree, a hand placed on its side. Red eyes glowed from
his face as he gazed at the cabin. It was here
he felt her. Her essence was all around it. He grew ever so eager
by the minute.
"Finally, I have returned to you, my love.
I am here to stay."
Turning around, he focused his gaze on a couple
of shadow creatures. They were rather small but powerfully built,
wore black ninja suits, and all wield giant shurikens on their
backs. "You know what to do. Go only after she is
alone. Understand?"
The shadows all nodded and quickly vanished,
leaving him alone once more with his thoughts.
"Mia..."
***
"Mmm,
Mia love, this is delicious!" Anubis said after taking a
bite of his food and swallowing it. He quickly took another bite
then took a sip of his drink.
"Why thank you!" Mia smiled at him
over her shoulder. She continued to work over by the stove, fixing
up her breakfast. The had just gotten dressed a few hours ago,
having been delayed from their earlier attempt to get up...
It was still early afternoon and the sun was
set high into the everclear blue skies. A few clouds were scattered
about, floating by the cool, gentle breezes of Mother Nature.
Anubis and Mia were content to just spending their honeymoon in
each others arms. Their love had grown much stronger since their
wedding and they both knew in their hearts that they will continue
to love
each other for all eternity.
Anubis finished his meal and sat back in his
chair. His eyes drifted towards Mia, who was just about done with
her breakfast. A faint smile appeared on his face as he studied
the young woman.
Mia's reddish-brown hair was put up in a cute
ponytail with a white bow holding it. She wore a fuzzy white sweatshirt
with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of faded blue jeans, and a
comfortable pair of white tennis shoes--quite charming. Anubis
knew that he would never get tired of looking at her because each
time he did, he found her more irresistible.
Mia was busy tasting her food to notice Anubis
from behind. He had gotten out of his seat and snuck over to her.
He slid his arms around her waist and drew her into his strong
arms. Mia gasped in delight and placed her eating utensils down
and leaned into his warm embrace. She closed her eyes as she felt
him kiss the top of her head.
"Anubis, this is so wonderful," she
whispered dreamily.
"Yes, it is," he replied softly in
her ear. "I love you so much... Never forget that."
"Never..." She turned around so she
was looking up at him. She lifted a hand and touched his cheek.
"Anubis, I can't thank you enough for being a part of my
life..."
Anubis smiled pleasantly. "Or I you, my
love..."
He lowered his head to kiss her when someone
knocked on the front door. Mia gasped and turned around in his
arms. "What in the...?"
"I didn't think anybody knew we were out
here," Anubis mumbled to himself.
"Whoever it is," Mia said, "I'll
get rid of them."
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before
slipping out of his arms and leaving the kitchen. Anubis sighed
as he stared off where she had gone only to return to his seat.
Before he knew it, a sharp pain from his head caused him to hiss
through clenched teeth. He started to get up but darkness swirled
all around him and he just fell back onto his chair unconscious.
Mia walked
into the living room and the knocking continued. She sighed and
shouted, "I'm coming, I'm coming! Hang on!"
She unlocked the door and threw it open. "Yes,
may I help... you?"
Nobody was there. But she had just heard someone
knocking seconds before she opened the door. How could they have
disappeared so quickly?
Against her better judgment, Mia stepped outside
and took a look around. The area was empty and quiet. Over by
the side of the house was the jeep, safe and sound. Just ahead
the surface of the lake splashed calmly against
the earth's shores. "That's strange,"
Mia whispered to herself. "I could've sworn... oh?!"
A black blur flashed before her eyes. Then
another one. And another one. Before she knew it, multiple blurs
were flashing to and fro and all around her. She gasped as she
felt something slam into her from behind. It sent her tumbling
from the porch and crashing onto the ground. She quickly collected
herself and got to her feet. Her eyes widen in fear as she discovered
small
yet robust looking ninjas standing before her. Each of them held
a giant shuriken in their hands.
"W-Who are you?" Mia asked, feeling
herself tremble.
"We are here to take you to our master,"
one of the ninjas spoke in a raspy voice.
Mia shook her head. "No... I don't--"
"Don't be foolish, girl. Come, we are
wasting time..."
"No! I won't!" She opened her mouth
to cry out Anubis' name but there was no sound. She tried again
but nothing happened. Her voice was gone!
One of the ninjas held up a strange looking
jewel before her. "There is no use calling for help. This
is the Cessation Stone. It prevents even the smallest of sounds
from being emitted. Now you will come with us..."
Wordlessly Mia turned around and raced into
the forest. The ninjas immediately followed her. She did not look
back but made herself run as fast as she could. Her heart was
racing in her chest and her breathing came out rather rapid. The
tree branches poked out and lashed out at her face, scratching
her but she ignored the pain. She was very frighten. She could
not
call out to Anubis and he was the only one who could protect her...
Daring to steal a glance over her shoulder,
she discovered to her horror that nobody was behind her. This
made her even more frighten. She knew very well they were around
somewhere watching her every move.
The leaves from the treetops rustled from above.
Mia gasped and held up her arms, taking a defensive stance. The
Ronin Warriors had taught her some moves to protect herself. She
even took the time to learn how to use a spear--very well at that.
It not only surprised herself but the Ronins as well.
"My beautiful flower," a voice whispered
from the air. "I've missed you so much..."
"What!?"
Mia did not receive an answer. Instead the
ninjas leapt down from the treetops and landed on the forest floors,
surrounding her. She gasped in shock and held her guard but alas
it would do her no good. The last thing she was able to do before
getting knocked out was cry out one name.
"Anubis!"
::Wake up::
What... What happened? Where am I?
::Open your eyes, fool! You were caught off
guard! Do you not recognize the aura within the area?::
I... Yes... But I don't understand. This aura
is from the Nether Realm! Why would someone from the Nether Realm
come here?
::Good question. Why don't you ask your wife?
She probably knows::
What do you mean by that?
::WAKE UP!::
Anubis' eyes
snapped wide open and he sat up right in his seat. His forehead
was cover in sweat and his heart was thumping madly in his chest.
The pain in his head had completely vanished. His blue-green eyes
darted about the kitchen in alarm, as though they detected an
unwanted presence. He saw no one, but he certainly felt something.
Something unmistakably not right.
He glanced over at the kitchen doorway which
led to the front room. He then remembered Mia. She had gone to
answer the door but has not returned...
"Anubis!"
At the sound of his wife's cry, Anubis immediately
bolted from his seat and raced out of the house. He froze at the
doorway as he discovered the environment had heavily been mutated.
The trees, once tall and thriving, were now stripped bare of their
leaves and left dead. The water in the lake, pure and fresh, was
now just about sucked dry. The skies, at one point were clear
and blue, were now stained red with gray clouds.
"What is going on?" Anubis whispered
to himself. He looked to the sides and growled in frustration.
Where's Mia?
"Ha ha ha..."
A voice, deep and as cold as ice, boomed from
the general direction of the lake. Anubis rushed to the docks
and stopped as a mysterious figure appeared in the middle of the
lake. It was a man who looked to be in his mid to late twenties,
tall, lean, with long dark brown hair, cold black eyes, pale skin,
and wore a suit of black and red armor. Strapped at his side was
a
deadly looking rapier, its blade as black as the armor.
"Who are you?" Anubis called out in a cautious voice.
The man gazed at him for a few moments before
answering. "I am called Adrien. I mean you no harm, Dark
Warlord of Cruelty. I had just arrived to take back what is rightfully
mine."
Anubis regarded Adrien. "What are you
talking about...?"
Adrien smiled viciously. He held out his arms
and to Anubis' horror, Mia magically appeared. She fell into Adrien's
arms, her clothes torn and tattered; it looked as though she had
been mauled by a wild animal. Her lovely skin had been scratched
in many places and her eyes were closed.
Anubis couldn't tell if she was alive or not but he felt his blood
boil as he found Adrien to be smiling. "MIA!!!"
"Don't bother," Adrien said coolly,
holding Mia close in what looked like an embrace. "She can't
hear you. Forgive me but I'm afraid my henchmen did not handle
her carefully as I had commanded them to do. She must have put
up
quite a struggle though... Anyway, she is alive and mine once
more."
"She does not belong to you!" Anubis
hissed as he took a step forward, his blue-green eyes hard and
filled with fire. "Give her back to me now, or else."
Adrien chuckled. "Oh? She is yours? My,
my, I never dreamed Mia would get over me... She loved me so much
as I had loved her..."
"What?"
Another chuckle, this time more harsh sounding.
"I suppose she hasn't told you, has she? I am her boyfriend.
Well, I was her boyfriend when she was younger but... I will not
bore you with our history. To get to my point, I am here to re-enter
Mia's life and hopefully recapture her heart."
"I'll have you know she is my wife,"
Anubis stated through clenched teeth. He then changed from his
casual clothes to his pale blue subarmor. Wordlessly he leaped
from the docks at super-human speed and lunged himself
at Adrien.
Adrien was able to vanish with Mia before he
could touch them. He reappeared at the docks, levitating a few
feet from the exterior of the wooden panels. "I must say,
Dark Warlord, you are very determined, aren't you? Sorry, but
I must say that you've confused my lovely Mia. She does not want
to be with you. She was happy with me and once she wakes up, she
will
come back to me."
"Curse you!" Anubis snarled as he
landed a few inches from the surface of the lake. He had used
his powers to levitate himself, preventing himself from getting
wet. He whirled around and glared at Adrien. "I love Mia
and she
loves me! I--"
All of a sudden, tidal waves of water roared
from all sides and devoured Anubis before he could say or do anything
else. It was so quick, it totally caught him off guard. He could
not prevent himself from being swallowed into the monstrous waves.
Adrien threw his head back and laughed maniacally, unaware that
Mia was beginning to stir. With the blink of an eye Adrien
simply vanished into thin air--no fancy acts or anything, just
disappeared with Mia still in his arms.