Another Fairytale von Paife ================================================================================ Kapitel 9: 8. Chapter --------------------- Chapter 9: Yuuri woke up at the impact of someone pushing him violently to the side. The next moment, he found hinself sliding down the roof. Tiles were being ripped off on his way down, bu the didn’t even have time to worry about the state of increasing pain at his body because the end of the roof came closer and closer. Quickly, he grabbed onto the rain drain, holding onto his dear life. What the heck? I just woke up, my head is spinning. I just almost fell down my roof. What happened? With great effort, he pulled himself back up. First, he had to figure out what was going on. For that he didn’t have to wait long: the instant he stopped to think, all memories came back at him. Juliette’s attack, the Maoh losing the duel, him passing out,… “Juliette!” he cursed. I’m dead. That explains everything. The last thing I could see was a humongous sword directed at me… Wow, I never knew that dying wasn’t painful at all: It’s all about the spin… Once Yuuri managed to climb up to the position he could remember himself last in, he almost choked. (on his spit?) He could only stare at the narrow shoulders that were so familiar to him. Above those slender frames sat wonderful blonde hair. His face looked distressed and sweat dropped down his chin as well as his temples, but otherwise his countenance still resembled an angel’s. I’m dead and god or Shinou decided to show him to me for a last time… Mesmerized, Yuuri ony now realized why that person would be here. So this is what they mean when they say “when you die you will see all the happiest moments of your life”. This wish was granted to him in form of alternative situation. In this scenario, Wolfram would be here to protect him, just like he always used to do. At that thought unconsciously drops of liquid fell from the corner of his eyes – at first slowly, but then increasing. Hopeful he stretched out one hand to try and touch at least the elbow of the prince. Disrupted by the feeling that his ghost would probably not be able to touch his fantasy and should just suppress the hope welling up, or to exploit this one chance because it could be his last. Surprisingly, the cloth felt just like he would have expected it to feel back when he was alive; the only exception being, that the cloth was damp and wet. “You!” Juliette had shouted in shock and fury, “what are you doing here?!” Their blades crossed immediately. The moment Wolfram had felt the spinning become less, he found himself on the rooftop of Bloodpledge Castle with that woman’s sword pointing at him. He quickly pushed Yuuri aside: even standing behind him was dangerous with this woman… “Your in the way!” “That is what I am there for.” Wolfram gave back sarcastically. Oh yeah, this woman was going to get it for doing this to his Yuuri. However, she was stronger than he had expected. For some reason he found himself sweating after a few deflected strikes. “Too bad I can’t just strangle you..” she said maliciously. More of her speech Wolfram couldn’t hear because from nowhere he suddenly felt a hand at his elbow. Trying to focus on both the force going against him, and something dragging him from behind, he found out that it was a lightheaded Yuuri, whose eyes lacked focus, that was clasping to him. Although he felt satisfied by this action, he worried about Yuuri’s state of mind. His opponent used his second of dsitraction to push him and his drag several meters back. Wolfram almost lost his balance on the slim roof, nevertheless a trained soldier, he stood firm. “Henachoko! Will you please stop bothering me? I’m trying t save our lives, you know!” he shouted. “mhh, don’t call me that…” Wolfram gave up. Juliette’s magic might have affected him in some way or another. It was hopeless to try and wake him up. Juliette, who had lost all her civilised control internally gave her mind over to her vengeful Siren nature. Eventhough she committed the mistake of telling her opponent what she was weak in and her aims, she hadn’t told them her biggest secret. Frustrated, she concentrated on long range tactics, instead of close range swordplay, which she knew the blonde was good in. Instead of changing back into shapes of hands, she deformed her magic into bows and arrows, which she shot ferociously at her enemies. This was something she could not lose. For that she did to the king, and prince consort, she would probably end up in jail for a lifetime anyway. Now was her chance to make everything alright and get revenge, not only for what happened to her home. Wolfram clearly had trouble avoiding the shower of arrows directed at him, while at the same time protecting his fiance. He couldn’t guess why Yuuri would act like this, he simply appeared to be somewhat drunk. “Yuuri! You henachoko! Stop dreaming wake up!” He tried desperately. I wasn’t like the king didn’t receive the information, he simply held it for unreal. How could Wolfram be there? He was dead, and this was his hallucination, therefore he could do what he wanted to. As a response he only mumbled “Let me be, I’m dead anyway”… Now it dawned Wolfram: Yuuri seriously was thinking that he died. He must have received a great shock before he appeared. “Yuuri you’re not dead! I’m here, I’m really here.” He somehow managed to shake the only partially conscious and avoid getting hit at the same time. “I am. You couldn’t possibly be here, you left remember?” Yuuri shook his head sadly. At the same time he felt something drilling into his side ride above his hips, but he neglected the stinging that was blossoming more and more. “Yuuri! I’m real! I’m back! I don’t know how I got here, but…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, because had pushed him down to avoid an arrow that was flying exactly where he had been a few nanoseconds ago. Astonished by this quick reaction he thought that Yuuri had finally come awake… “Be careful. Even though I’m dead and this is my fantasy I don’t you to get hurt… How could Shinou suggest this scenario! It’s just too cruel. I never wanted to see Wolfram or anyone hurt!...” “I told you,…What is that?” Aghast, he stared at Yuuri’s side where some kind of red liquid seemed to leak out and drop onto his cheeks. With trembling fingers he wiped said part of his cheeks. It was warm, and it smelled rusty. “Yuuri, you’re bleeding!!!” Quickly, Wolfram shoved his king behind him, facing Juliette. “I guess, ouch! Now that you mention it…” The stinging feeling he suddenly felt grew more and more, until he could barely handle the pain. Absentmindly he stared at the red mark on his left side. He didn’t even notice that he had crouched into a pathetic position all due to the stabs on his side. It’s just a dream, why does is hurt so much? Seeing Yuuri cringing and breathing hard, clutching his injury, Wolfram felt a sense of defeat welling up in him. He was a failure. He, the closest to Yuuri had not only abandoned him, but also let him get hurt. There was no redemption for that. He couldn’t make him a good king, if he wasn’t a good protector in the first place. How could he let his love get to this state? It had always been easy to call on his elements whenever he was angry, sad, and depressed, and at this time, they were just inviting him to call for them. Meanwhile, Juliette frowned to herself. She had just hit her target, but the feeling of relieve she was expecting to enjoy, did not come. Why not? While spanning her next arrow, she remembered the last time she had talked to her sister. At that time, they were fighting. Stubbornly she had refused to talk to her ever again, since everytime Catherine opened her mouth, the name Yuuri Shibuya would come up. He was all she was talking about: How wonderful of a Maoh he was, how great he judged, and how handsome he was. But in her eyes, Yuuri was simply an average boy, half human as well. From the sea, they had then moved to try and adapt to life in a forest, just so that Catherine was able to get a glimpse of his majesty for a while. She always had that trait to fall in love strongly with a person she barely knew. Despite all warnings, the two of them survived for about two weeks in the woods, with none of the delicacies they could have enjoyed on sea. Living in that situation had been Juliette’s hell, but she readily took it on her for she loved her sister so dearly, she would do anything for her. Fellow sirens were rare, and they counted as the most human ones, that would not show their beastly traits easily. She had lied to them. Not because of her home being destroyed – she couldn’t care less about the forest- but something much more precious. That day of the fight, she had left the forest in search of a silent place to calm down, when suddenly the sky darkened, and when she looked up hundreds of dragons were going berserk! One of them, spit a fireball – directly into the forest. Panicked, Juliette had called out for her sister, even tried to get to her, but the flames and blazing heat was quicker, and soon had encircled the woods, whithout a way out. The last thing she saw of her sister was her shadow behind the blaze. Her weak voice brought out her last words “I can’t believe I came all the way here to die…Juliette, please tell him my feelings, I am afraid I may not do so anymore.” Just by thinking about the past goosebumps raised withing Juliette. This couple had taken everything away from her! Even away from her sister! It was true that she told both of them she wanted Yuuri to fall in love with her and be his queen, but that was part of her plan to make them suffer, after all emotional injuries were much stronger than just physical ones. This black, that had stolen her Catherine’s life, because he was an incompetent king who couldn’t stop those dragons, and that cursed blonde, who wouldn’t step aside, not giving her sister the chance to admit her feelings. Judging the state of things after her mental explosion, her now letting her wild side control, she would even be satisfied with physical pain. Just any form of revenge would do! She loathed them for everything they had done to her, and that hate would help her to victory. With that in her mind she released yet another arrow. Fury swirled around him. Wolfram felt like they whispering “start chanting” into his ear. Following that advise he started saying his verses: “All things that make up the element of fire, obey this proud Mazoku who defeated Soushu.” Flames of fury encircled him the moment he summoned them. He usually didn’t like to use his powers until the end, nor did he want to attack a woman, but whoever injured his fiance, had to pay. Hopelessly Juliette watched how her arrow deflected from the blazing barrier Wolfram had created. This is what she had feared all along, and now it came down to it. There was no escaping the flames. She had thought about this possible outcome the moment Wolfram appeared out of nowhere. Now it had become real and she could only try her best. Magic flames were directed towards her leaping like a lion towards its motionless prey. She concentrated all her power on her defense abilities. But it seemed useless. Her powers, weak against the fire element, were soon penetrated and she found herself in an oven that threatened to grow hotter and hotter. So this is how Catherine felt at that moment… She looked at the other side, were the wounded laid on his side, wriggling in pain, and she looked into the deep green eyes that were so concentrated in frying her alive. His eyes seemed to speak a language, one that she knew to understand. For the first time Juliette saw determination, pain and an even greater agony for something one wants but cannot get in those lake deep eyes. Sometimes she had seen that expression on her sister’s face when she talked about Yuuri. It was the feeling of unrequited love. Maybe the blonde had been trying hard himself. Maybe, he was just hiding his true felings behind a mask of toughness and pride. Maybe they were in the same situation… Juliette smiled to herself. She understood now, what it meant for her sister and Wolfram to love. For them, she knew it was 100% loyalty even after death, and the will to be there for the one they loved, even though he might not have the same feelings. To be as close as possible to that person, even though a relationship seemed unlikely. Suddenly she felt a feeling resurfacing after a long time in her: it was the feeling of compassion. No matter how evil she acted, and how much she grieved, she could understand the pain she had inflicted onto that person, and that Wolfram was brave enough to fight against that. Her beastly nature did not allow her to regret what she had done, but her human parts understood their motives. Juliette closed her eyes to finally release her magic she had wrapped the castle in. Her body couldn’t fight the flames much longer, pain was everywhere. The burns ate away her flesh, but she still smiled. “I will join you know o-nee-san, I’m sorry I could not convey your message…” Wolfram had heard her last words, however, he did not understand, until at last, all that was left burning was silver dust that the wind picked up and swirled into the heavens. Moments later Conrad appeared a few meters beneath them at the royal chamber’s balcony. “Wolfram! Where is heika?” Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)