Author note: I don't own the Last Story, nor do I own the instrumental pieces 'Burning Shadows' by Crystal Strings and 'Dance of Death' (aka Zesha's theme) from the Last Story OST which inspired me to write this fanfic.

...(insert head-desk here) I know I haven't updated anything in what probably feels like a millennia, and that I probably should, but this idea just won't get out of my head. It's an AU setting, starting when Callista is at the balcony in that ballroom scene that Zael and the other mercenaries are guarding at. It got me thinking...what if the person who approached Callista at the balcony wasn't Zael? What if it was someone else, the enemy? XD As always, this won't be updated often...as I seriously need to work on updating other fics...*anime sweatdrop here*

Warning: AU, spoilers for the first few chapters of the game, possible pairings (which ones? Well...we'll find out eventually, as I have none planned at the moment...), violence, swearing, and other possible themes in the game.

Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope that you read, review and enjoy! Thanks! XD

Burning Shadows

1. Captured

Callista tried her best to smile as she was displayed in front of the other nobles like a prized pet peacock; pampered, docile (as if one could call her docile), and meant to have all eyes on her. She didn't enjoy the way Jirall called her his 'muse,' nor did she necessarily enjoy the fact that he insisted on leading her towards where her uncle Count Arganan was sitting, so that they would sit alongside him.

As soon as she could, when she thought it was the best chance to, she began to depart towards the balcony.

"Where are you going, my muse?" Jirall's elegant (obnoxious) voice purred from behind her, but she merely responded with a stoic voice.

"I must apologize, Lord Jirall." She responded, barely turning her head to face him. "I feel somewhat woozy." She wasn't exaggerating-all of this standing around, being displayed like an object...it was completely sickening to her, completely abhorring. She needed air-now.

"Wait! I-" She simply ignored him, stepping out of the ballroom and onto the balcony. Letting out a sigh, she walked towards the railing, leaning against it as she gazed at the scenery ahead of her.

She soon became so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the shadow of someone quite tall for a human, approaching her with slow, heavy, (surprisingly gentle) footsteps. She didn't know that he was there, standing on a few footsteps behind her when he finally spoke.

"Should I assume that you completely abhorred Lord Jirall's presence? Because, well, the look on your face wasn't one of sheer happiness of being engaged to your fiancé, Lady Callista..."

Callista froze. She paused, before turning to face the tall man in front of her. She didn't recognize him-he didn't look like any of the other nobles she'd walked past just now. Blond, straight hair fell just a little past his shoulders. He wore a long military-styled coat in the darkest shade of black, with matching trousers. The red shirt was only hint of colour on him-everything else about him screamed complete darkness, even the mask that obscured the upper half of his face from view. Callista wasn't sure if this was someone who was necessarily 'safe' to be around, but he had sounded concerned...

Was he truly sincere for her? She couldn't be sure of that, yet.

She took a deep breath, before speaking. "Pardon me for changing the subject, but I'm afraid we haven't met..."

He nodded in response, hands clasped behind his back as he took a step forward. "That is true, Lady Callista." He responded quietly with a nod of his head. "I don't believe an introduction of myself is of any importance-not like Count Arganan, or Lord Jirall. Besides," He added, as if he was reminding her of something important, "This discussion is more geared towards you than myself, milady..."

Callista had a bad feeling about this person by now. He was definitely not like any of the other nobles, and this sort of different wasn't a good thing, in this case.

The man continued to ramble on, seemingly unaware of her suspicion. "I'm not surprised that you keep sneaking out of the castle-anyone would go insane in that cage of a place like that, with people always keeping an eye on you and never giving you any privacy for yourself. You wake up and you can easily hear that someone has died, that others are suffering, and that others are abusing their power. Count Arganan abuses you with his power, because he sees you as nothing but some pawn in his game for power in the world..."

Callista had heard enough. "Who are you?" She finally spoke, glaring at him with all her rage. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

She heard him smirk. "I already mentioned, Lady Callista, that my name is of no importance to you. And if you must know why I so wished to discuss with you about yourself, it is merely because I want you."

The next thing she'd realized, there was a scream ("Callista!"), arrows being fired, and her being swept into the man's arms, knife against her throat. Those moments were blurry for her-it was so fast, almost too fast to comprehend-and she realized that Zael was on the floor, slowly getting up as he groaned in pain, and other knights and mercenaries had either narrowly avoided the arrows or had been shot to death by them.

"Come any closer and Lady Callista dies." The masked man holding her growled, just as a familiar white knight entered the balcony, sword already unsheathed.

"Lady Callista..." She heard Therius murmur under his breath, before he pointed his sword at her captor. "Unhand her at once!" The white knight shouted.

Callista heard the man holding her smirk a bit. "Alright...I will!"

She was thrown out of his grasp...and right over the balcony railing.

The Countess-to-be let out a scream as she fell, trying not to look down. Sunlight blinded her temporarily, only to be blocked out by the shape of airships high above, dropping bombs on the city below. The screams of the Lazulis citizens echoed in her ears, before she realized that there were two people falling.

One of them was the masked captor. The other was none other than Therius. The two wrestled in the air, punching, yelling, kicking at each other, both determined to reach her first. Eventually, the captor triumphed, punching Therius sharply in the head before he let himself fall closer to her, grabbing onto her just before they could hit the ground, and-

The next thing she realized now was that she was in his arms again, and neither of them were injured. In fact, she was sure that they were at Lazulis Port now, with all the ships lined up at the docks. A person-no, Callista realized, Gurak- who looked awfully similar to her captor noticed them and walked over to them, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips.

"You captured the human Countess-to-be, brother?" He spoke, eyeing Callista with a mix of malice and pride.

Her captor nodded eagerly. "Indeed I did.." He smirked, looking down at Callista. It was then that she realized that there was a reddish aura about him, power and malice mixed in the air around him. His look-alike brother had a bluish aura instead, as if emanating a cool, collected air. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

The brother of the blue aura looked around, before shaking his head. "I believe it's all we need to do. Except..." He glanced at Callista. "She's skilled in magic, remember? The House of Arganan always was skilled in healing and light magic... Don't want my dear brother to get blasted in the face, correct?" There was something in his tone that sounded a bit whimsical about the whole situation, as if an attack against Lazulis was nothing but a joke.

Zesha merely smiled. "Right."

Callista felt herself tumble to the ground, and before she could get up, something blunt hit her head, immediately making her world go black in an instant.