Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

“I’ll announce to the dark lord that you have arrived.” The beast spoke quietly, “I’ll confirm that you will be meeting with him tomorrow so for now you should go sleep.”

The night sky was dark, lit only by a bright moon that occasionally disappeared behind streams of darkness.

Barren turned to Tornado who was inspecting the area. “Come.” They parted from the beast. “I’ll talk with you more in the morning about how to act here. There’s certain etiquette needed when meeting with the dark lord.”

They walked past many closed up shops. Tornado could tell they were in a market place. He followed Barren into an inlet between two shops. Barren pushed a stone on the wall to reveal a hole where a key was hidden. It was a bulky iron key, which he used to open the front door before returning it to the hiding place. Barren then led Tornado up the stairs to the house.

“Your room is past that door.” Barren pointed across the room. “Get some sleep you have a full day tomorrow.”

Tornado’s room was small with one window. Tornado walked in closing the door behind him. He kicked his shoes off and opened his bag to get his nightclothes. Inside on top of his folded clothes was a note.

Tornado,
Thank you for everything. Please try to be safe while you are in the dark realm. I hope you find out all the answers to your questions. Come back soon.
Love,
Aero

Included with the notes was a brown feather. It seemed to be getting darker. “Darkness taints her wings.” Tornado pointed out putting on his nightclothes, “maybe it’s better that I’m here.” He put the note on his bedside table and fell asleep.

There was a knock on the door. Tornado opened his eyes and was blinded by the sun streaming through his shutters. He groaned sitting up as Barren came in to fully open the shutters.

“Wake up.” Barren said flatly as Tornado shielded his eyes. “You have to prepare for the meeting.”

“Meeting?” Tornado asked groggily.

“With the dark lord.” Barren answered throwing Tornado’s travel bag at him. “Get dressed.” He stopped in the doorway and added suddenly. “Also, don’t reveal your wings unless you have to.”

“What? Why?” He asked confused.

“It’s not my place to tell.” Barren walked from the room closing the door behind him.

Tornado got the feeling he wasn’t going to get any answers from Barren. “Then whose place is it to tell?” He wondered as he got dressed. When he walked into the main room Barren motioned to a chair at a small table. Tornado sat and began to eat.

“When we go to meet the dark lord don’t bow.” Barren explained. “He’ll instantly consider you weak. Stand dignified and tall. Maintain eye contact and don’t even think of showing emotion.”

“Why not?” Tornado asked.

“Emotions tell to much about a person. They reveal all your secrets.” He told Tornado. “I would know. I was once a very open person. I showed joy and passion towards my goals. I joined the dark army when I was ten. That was a rough year. I was entirely broken. All my secrets and goals were used against me and I was left alone. I erased all my emotions leaving myself like this. The perfect dark army weapon. It’s been eleven years since that happened.”

Tornado stared disbelieving. “They used your secrets.” He paused as if to soak it all in. “To make the ultimate soldiers.”

Barren’s empty eyes seemed to bore through Tornado as he warned. “Don’t let anyone know Aero is a Light Princess or where she is.”

Tornado nodded his heart racing. “Even here Aero might get hurt because of me. I came here to protect her but I still might be the reason for her to get hurt.” He thought.

“Beast only gives his name to those he trusts.” Barren explained. “The Dark Lord knows his name and that allows the Dark Lord control over beast’s clan. His clan is very loyal to their names and their members. The dark realm runs on secrets. Remember that.”

Tornado nodded.

Rook woke up early and went to Aero’s room to see if she was ready to leave. He knocked on her door but there was no reply.

“I’m coming in.” He called hesitantly opening the door. On Aero’s bed there was her packed bag but she wasn’t there. Concerned he searched other rooms.

Flora turned the corner seeing Rook with a puzzled look. “Aero isn’t there?” She asked worriedly.

He shook his head. “I’m going to search the woods.” He grabbed a blanket; “She’s bound to be sick if she stayed out all night.” He added as he spread his wings. “Find me if she shows up.”

Rook flew over the woods. He heard the sound of her crying and flew lower to land in the clearing. She lay on the ground wet with dew and tears. The morning air was cold and filled with an aura of sorrow. Rook walked over and knelt by her side covering her with the soft blanket. The air of the clearing was still and damp from Aero’s emotions.

He waved his hand and sent black butterflies to go get Flora.

“Aero are you okay?” Rook asked worriedly as he helped her sit up.

She shook her head trying to ease her sobs. She shook from cold and unsteady breath. Tears had stained her cheeks and left dark circles under her still watery eyes.

Flora landed and ran over to them. “Aero.” Her empathetic voice was soft and reassuring.

“Let’s go to the capitol.” Aero broke in. “This place hurts too much.”

Barren led Tornado through the marketplace. People stared and whispered as they passed but that wasn’t what had caught Tornado’s attention. He was staring at the sky.

“Are you surprised it’s blue?” Barren asked.

“I’m surprised that it looks the same.” Tornado answered. “The sky looks the same in every realm I’ve been in.”

“That’s because the sky was all once the same.” Barren told him. “Before the barriers separated the realms the sky was one. It still is connected even though we can’t see it.”

Tornado nodded. There was a laughing sound behind him. That hated sound of the bat-like, beast, dark ethereal. He turned around to see them burst into smoke and disappear.

“What’s wrong?” Barren asked flatly when he noticed that Tornado had stopped walking.

“I didn’t do anything, honest.” Tornado answered.

“What are you talking about?” He questioned.

Tornado’s eyes were still in shock. “They just burst into smoke. I didn’t touch them or anything.”

“Oh is that all?” Barren began to walk away. “They aren’t alive so why are you worried?”

“Is that all a life means to you?” Tornado asked angrily.

“They never were alive.” Barren explained with a sigh. “They are made from darkness and used to spy on people. You’re new here so people must be curious. Those creatures are puppets, you could say, though rather dangerous ones.”

“What did you say?” Tornado asked his head starting to hurt, “You mean all this time I’ve been fighting puppets?”

“I guess you never noticed that they didn’t bleed.” Barren added. “To me blood shows life.” He seemed lost in thought at this statement. “I’m sure you realized that during your fight with beast.”

Tornado nodded following him once more.

“Clear all of your emotions.” Barren commanded as they reached the large doors of the dark lord’s fortress. Tornado let out deep breath and stared blankly at the doors.

“Make it so you can be perfectly calm. Think before every word you say but don’t loose your dignity.” Barren advised.

“Understood.” Tornado answered flatly though his heart raced with anticipation. He clenched his fists trying to suppress it.

They entered the building walking across the front room to where two guards stood by an elegant door.

“We have a meeting with the dark lord.” Barren informed them.

The two guards stepped aside and opened the large doors. At the other side of the room there was a throne with leveled steps arched around it where a group of finely dresses girls sat at the feet of the dark lord. They turned as the doors opened and began whispering to each other.

“Come in.” The dark lord commanded kindly as he gazed at them with interest. His straight black hair hid part of his face. His uncovered eye seemed to shine with excitement when he saw Tornado.

He stood helping the ladies up also as he told them. “I’m sorry, my dears, but I have important matters to discuss with these gentlemen.”

They left gracefully giving suspicious looks to Tornado before the disappeared behind a deep red curtain that stretched along the walls.

The dark lord placed his hands in his pockets as he descended the steps smiling. He was tall and thin. Younger than Tornado had expected a dark lord to be.
“Oh, how I’ve been awaiting this day.” He told them cheerfully.

Tornado thought to himself. “This is not what I expected at all…I don’t think I can put up with this attitude much longer.”

“Is something bothering you, Tornado?” The dark lord asked.

“You’re too happy.” Tornado answered slightly annoyed.

“Idiot…” Barren thought to himself. “What did I tell you?”

The dark lord burst out laughing. “What’s wrong with being happy especially when everything is going the way I want it to?”

“What do you mean?” Tornado asked regaining his composure.

“I wanted your power.” The dark lord explained. “I wanted to use it in my army.”

“Is that all?” Tornado questioned hiding his eagerness for an answer.

The dark lord began to laugh again. “No, that’s not all, but it’s not yet time for you to know.”

“Know what?” Tornado asked. He clenched his fists again as his heart raced.

“Soon, you’ll know soon enough.” The dark lord answered. “But now it’s time to join our ranks.” He called to the guards. “Send in Umbro.”

As the boy walked in Tornado recognized him.

“Do as I’ve said this time Umbro.” The dark lord demanded.

“Yes, sir.” Umbro answered looking him straight in the eye.

“Good.” The dark lord walked back up to his throne extending his deep black bat-like wings. He gave them an all-knowing look and waved them away.

Once they were outside of the fortress Tornado turned to Umbro angrily. “I know you. You were there during the siege on the palace.”

“Yes.” Umbro answered, “but you have to know-”

Barren stopped him. “Not here.”

He led them back to his house. Half way up the steps he revealed a trap door made from a few of the steps themselves. They descended the staircase through the trap door closing it behind them.

Tornado was growing used to the oddities of the dark realm. All of the hidden rooms, locked doors, and secrets were beginning to seem like a good way of life for him. No one had to know anything about him he didn’t want to tell.
Barren walked across the pitch-black room. The sound of rocks being hit echoed across the room. The sudden spark of flint rocks lit the candle.

“Now you can say what you wanted to say.” Barren instructed.

Umbro nodded turning to Tornado. “I ran past you to try to find the girls before the others did. I knew they were planning on using one of them to get to you.”

“If you were going against the dark lord then why were you even there?” Tornado asked confused.

“He’s only your age but Umbro has seen secretly organizing rebellions for the past few years.” Barren informed him. “He has found many loyal followers inside and outside of the army. They gather information on plans made by the dark lord.”

“The dark lord has been keeping a close eye on my recently.” Umbro added. “He is very manipulative and may be trying to use you to get information on the rebellion.”

“Why me?” Tornado asked.

“If you don’t know already I shouldn’t tell you.” Umbro answered.

Anger built up inside Tornado. “I want to know why the dark lord went after me. Why can’t anyone tell me?” He shouted.

“You should get to the training grounds.” Barren advised. “You’ll find out soon Tornado but for now lay low and get a hold on your temper.”

Annoyed Tornado turned and went up the stairs.

Umbro followed him and warned. “I know you are strong but go through the ranks slowly. You should try not to catch the attention of the higher ranks.”

“Why shouldn’t I bring attention to myself?” Tornado questioned.

“You’ll be targeted by the higher ranks.” Umbro added. “They don’t show mercy. If you do anything to damage their pride it means serious trouble. They have connections. You may be powerful but there’s no telling what they could do.”

“You sound like you’re talking from experience.” Tornado pointed out.

“Just trust me on this one.” Umbro suggested looking ahead. “You don’t want to mess with them.”

They left the marketplace walking down a path to the training grounds.

“You’ll start out in the Destu. You can use your time there to learn about the officers and how things are done.” Umbro instructed.

“Destu?”

“The lowest of the ranks. Right, you’re new to all of this. I’ll start at the beginning. There are four ranks that serve under Lord. From weakest to strongest they are Destu, Kiva, Detumi, and Suul. I’m in Kiva. Take your time reviewing the basics. It really helps when you move up to the higher ranks. You can learn a lot in the low ranks just by watching the higher ups train.”

Tornado did as he was told and held back his strength in practice. In the evenings, he trained with Umbro and Barren deep in the forest. Umbro was stronger than Tornado expected even though he could only use fire. He had mastered it with great precision that used minimal energy. The fire didn’t need any physical fuel to burn only Umbro’s energy.

Even though he had been informed of the existence of the rebels, he was not allowed to sit in, or see the faces of it’s members. While the meeting was held down below Tornado was left to sit in the deafening silence of his room. Everything was beginning to sink into a daily routine giving him only these silences to sit and think. It was times like these that he wondered how the others were doing back in the faery realm, but mainly, how Aero was doing.

AS ALWAYS COMMENTS GREATLY LOVED! (that means you regulars!) ~Aero Luna heart

EDIT: I accidently wrote Ch 19 instead of 18 but it's fixed now. Thanks for those who noticed! I was typing up ch 19 while I was posting this. haha I would have been seriously confused when the next one came around. Thanks again!