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“You did not stay with
them?”
Lady Kayura shook her head, her eyes hidden by the shadows
of the room.
“No, I felt as if I were intruding.”
Cale frowned slightly and folded his arms cross his chest.
“They were in
danger and you had to go and help them. And from what you told
us, they sure
did need it.”
“Yes… but this strange entity feels so uncanny.”
“This entity is the girl’s former lover, right?”
“Yes, you’re right. However, within him is another
essence. An essence so
dark and powerful, it feels familiar. Like I know I’ve felt
it before.”
The former Dark Warlord of Corruption leaned against the stone
walls of
what was once Talpa’s throne room. With his head lowered,
he said, “So now
what do we do?”
Kayura slowly turned around and gazed out of the castle
windows.
Looking up at the multiple moons which hung in the wide, golden
skies, she
replied, “We wait.”
“Wait?! Why do we have to wait?”
“Whoever is controlling that boy from the inside has
placed a powerful
barrier among this reign. We can’t get in or out of here
even if we wished
to.”
Cale frowned as he moved over to one of the castle windows.
He extended
his hand outward but suddenly, a jolt of pain shocked him. He
drew his hand
back with a hiss and an enraged expression on his face. “What
is the meaning
of this?!”
The blue-haired wielder of the Ancient’s Staff just lowered
her head and
whispered, “Anubis, Mia, please be careful.”
-*-*-
“The Ancient witch
is onto us,” Adrien whispered, his eyes seething.
"It's a good thing I was able to use the stone to keep her
and those idiot
Warlords where I can keep an eye on them. They won't be able to
come anytime
soon to ruin everything."
Behind him, the ninjas trembled in fright. They had never
seen their
master this enraged before. They knew it was because of the girl
and the
former Warlord of Cruelty. They were not making their task any
easier. It
would seem as if something as simple as kidnapping someone wouldn’t
cause
much of a struggle. But had they known about Anubis, they wouldn’t
have taken
things so lightly.
The young man turned around, his cape flowing behind him.
“I won’t be
defeated again. Ancient One or no Ancient One, I will get Mia
back. And if
Anubis dares to get in my way again, he’ll regret it.”
::Don’t be so quick to assume you’ll win::
“I know what I’m doing!” Adrien snapped viciously.
The ninjas, not knowing whom their master was talking to,
just shrank
back into the darkness, leaving him alone.
Sighing, Adrien levitated a few inches off the ground and
floated over
towards his throne. He eased himself down and waved a hand before
him. The
glowing white orb materialized in front of him and shined brilliantly.
::Get her back to our side. She would have gotten Anubis if
YOU hadn’t
screwed up::
“Shut up,” Adrien grumbled. “I know, I know…”
::Speak to me in that tone again, Adrien, and I will give
you more pain
than you can handle. Understand?::
No answer. Adrien knew he didn’t wish to cross his master,
his keeper,
and the one who was keeping him alive on borrowed time.
“Forgive me…” he apologized soon after. “I
just want Mia to come back to
me… I love her so much.”
He reached into his pocket and slowly drew out the Cessation Stone
and
studied its beautiful features. A stone which looked harmless
enough to look
at and touch. But if one knew of its true powers, the power of
ultimate
silence, then it was a very deadly relic to use. He had used it
once to keep
Mia from being able to call her husband but that plan backfired
as he found
out the hard way.
::You haven’t much time:: the voice reminded him. ::Get
that girl you
desire so much. And afterwards, we can finally get our plan into
action – the
destruction of the Mortalworld.”
Adrien simply nodded. “I must use the full powers of
the Cessation Stone.
Mia my love, forgive me but soon you shall understand everything.”
-*-*-
“No answer,” Anubis
stated sadly as he hung up the phone. He turned and
gazed over at Mia who was sitting in the living room. He had suggested
calling the Ronin Warriors, assuming that they were still staying
at the
house for a few days. But unfortunately, it seemed as though they
had decided
to go on an early leave. “Love, we need to find help as soon
as well can. I
don’t think it’s wise for us to go after Adrien on our
own. Especially after
what he did to the both of us.”
She didn’t answer him. She sat there with her hands folded
onto her lap,
her face blank of any expression. Her eyes appeared misty but
her bangs fell
over them, somewhat hiding them. Adrien, I know this isn’t
the real you. I
just wish there were a way I could find out what was going on
and free you
from this… entrapment. I can feel you suffering somehow…
She lifted her head and blinked. The kiss? Could it have been
the kiss
that enabled me to feel his emotions? Or rather, sense the being
inside him?
“Mia?”
“Anubis, we have to go after him now.”
Anubis was flabbergasted. He had merely gone over to see why
his wife
hadn’t been answering and all of a sudden, she says this.
And in a rather
deep, sincere voice as well.
Mia stood up and took his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze
and looked
up at him. “Please, let me go find him.”
“But Mia! Why? I mean why now?” He didn’t understand
what was going on.
And she hinted a sense of jealousy in his voice. The Master of
Cruelty?
Jealous?
She slowly shook her head. “Anubis, I know this isn’t
really Adrien. He
would never want to hurt me. Please Anubis, please... I want to
help him be
free of whatever is controlling him.”
“Mia, I-I don’t know... I mean...” He didn’t
know what to say. To help a
man who kidnapped his wife and then tried to turn her against
him…
A cold, razor sharp wind screamed outside. Tiny waves appeared
over on
the lake’s surface and crashed against the shore and dock.
Dark clouds
swiftly swarmed over the area and thunder rumbled in the distance.
Small,
distinguishing cracks were seen along the living room windows
as lightning
flashed in the sky.
Mia gasped as a huge boom was heard from outside. She closed
her eyes and
trembled. She had never heard a thunderstorm so close and so loud.
However
she relaxed somewhat as she felt her husband wrap his strong arms
around her
and held her close.
He’s very angry, Anubis thought to himself grimly as
he gazed out of the
window. A streak of lightning was seen illume the black skies
for a brief
second. More rumbles of thunder soon followed and the former warlord
frowned
in dismay. I don’t want Mia hurt and I understand how she
feels about Adrien.
But it will be too risky to try and have a civilized discussion
with him. I
too sense something strange within him but I wonder how Mia felt
this? I wish
I knew what to do.
Abruptly Anubis’s eyes widen as he felt a shock of energy
shoot through
him. Something was coming their way and coming at an incredibly
fast speed!
“MIA!” he cried out as a mystical energy force burst
through the ground
underneath them and separated the two.
Mia’s eyes were also wide but in shock. She did not cry
out but rather
she stretched out her hand, in hopes to reach out to Anubis. He
too, reached
out for her and their fingertips barely touched when the force
swirled from
the ground and shot through the roof, totally obliterating it
and along with
the house. The two lovers yelled as they grew further away from
one another.
Debris flew wildly around them, like a savage cyclone, it swirled
around and
around. It was like a nightmare, never ending and terrifying all
at once.
“STOP.”
Suddenly, everything stopped – a time freeze. Everything
had frozen in
place, all except for Anubis and Mia. They looked about in utter
confusion,
both of their hearts racing.
“What is the meaning of this?” Anubis demanded as
he struggled to move
his body. He found that he was only able to move his head and
nothing more.
A deep chuckle was heard and in the midst of the frozen, silent
chaos,
Adrien materialized, with his head lowered and his bangs hiding
his eyes. He
had his arms folded across his chest and around his neck, he wore
the
Cessation Stone. He slowly lifted his head and offered Anubis
a depraved
smile.
“Hello there,” he greeted sarcastically.
Anubis growled in frustration. “You! Why are you doing
this?”
“Simple. I want what you’ve stolen from me, Warlord.
I want my Mia back.
I want my Mia back and I want her now.”
“Adrien stop this right now!” Mia protested, craning
her neck just to see
a glimpse of him. “You don’t know what you’re saying!
This isn’t the real
you!”
The young man lifted a delicate brow and gazed up at her,
his arms still
folded across his chest. He asked in a soft voice, “What
on earth do you
mean?”
“The real Adrien I know would never doing something as
horrible as this
to get me to notice him!” she shouted, tears welding inside
her eyes. She
whispered, “You were so kind, so caring, so loving, the perfect
gentleman!
YOU ARE NOT ADRIEN!”
Adrien felt as if his heart had been ripped in half. His eyes
were drawn
back, in just utter shock. His arms fell to his side and the Cessation
Stone
shone faintly. He and Mia simply stared at one another in accusation.
Meanwhile Anubis had taken the time to concentrate on his inner
aura and
gather a vast amount of energy. His whole body glowed with intense,
red
energy. He grit his teeth as he reached his peak then without
warning, he
struck.
Adrien felt this energy and turned around, only to receive
a swift, harsh
kick into his jaw. Everything seemed to go in slow motion: Anubis
leaping
into the air and his foot pushing Adrien’s jaw to the side
at an ugly angle.
Adrien’s eyes were in an absolute daze as he was sent flying
promptly through
one of the living room’s wall. Mia blinked back her tears
and her hair flew
along her shoulders as she watched Adrien crash into the lake
far below.
Anubis made his way to Mia by leaping from furniture to furniture.
He
gathered her into his arms and carried her back down to the ground.
As soon
as the two of them did so, the tornado dissipated and all of the
furniture,
walls, windows, and what went plunging to the ground.
The thunderstorms ceased somewhat and the choppy waters of
the lake were
eerily calm. Anubis, who was kneeling on the ground and holding
Mia in his
arms, gradually lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder.
I know you’re
out there, he thought to himself. He narrowed his eyes and growled
softly.
You’re just waiting for us and when we least expect it...
He felt Mia’s arms tighten around his neck and he hugged
her even closer.
“It’s all right, love,” he said in reassurance.
“I didn’t hurt him too
badly.” Considering that he’s not human – if he
had been, Anubis would have
surely broken his jaw or even broken his neck.
“Did you see that stone?” his wife asked him softly,
not making eye
contact with him. “That’s the stone he used to kidnap
me and take control of
me.”
“We must get that stone away from him then, before--!”
The lake’s surface swirled around until a black armored
figure leapt out
of the waters, his fists clenched at his sides. Adrien’s
eyes were red with
anger and his teeth were bared in a snarl. His dark hair flew
about his face,
water dripping down the ends and onto the Cessation Stone.
“You’ll regret that,” he roared as he drew
both of his hands above his
hands. “FINAL FURY BLAST!”
At the sound of his voice, Mia felt a surge of adrenaline
rush throughout
her body. She grabbed Anubis and threw them both to the side.
Before Anubis
could question her action, he felt the ground began to sink beneath
them.
Looking down, he discovered the ground cracked and torn, as if
a huge meteor
had struck the earth. Glancing over his shoulder, he was just
about right.
Where he and Mia were only moments ago, there was a vast crater
with steam
fizzling from its center.
What incredible power, he thought in horror. A moment too
late and we
would have...
“Adrien, please stop!” Mia cried as she sluggishly
stood on her two feet.
She clasped her hands together and stared at her ex-boyfriend.
“What’s wrong
with you? This is not the way the Adrien *I* know would act!”
For a moment, Adrien’s eyes reverted to their normal
state and he lowered
his glowing hands. He met Mia’s stare and simply froze. The
Cessation Stone
shimmered faintly against his dark armor.