Is Love Really Forever?
By: LadyNightSky
A/N: Hah, a fast update for once :) Just a day interval. Thanks for the reviews, you guys!! I think it was nine for last chapter :) More for this one? xD Just kidding, any amount is appreciate most heartily. Once again, I apologize for the long hiatus between chapters 10 and 11.
Disclaimer: So clear/Like the diamond in your ring/Cut to mirror your intention/Oversized and overwhelmed/The shine of which has caught my eye/And rendered me/So isolated, so motivated/I am certain now that I am/Vindicated
Chapter Eleven: Concatenation Contradictions (of Cloy Calumnies) Part I
"The prophecy Sollicito foretold began in an ominous manner, using the name of Eris, goddess of discord and strife, constant companion of Ares, god of war. The years have been cruel to my memories of that night, but I still remember…" Ms. Faragonda's voice trailed off, and a glazed look came into her eyes. The other occupants of the office were quiet, waiting tensely.
The old headmistress waved her hand in the air, and scarlet letters began to write in flowing script on the wall behind her. She narrated in a soft, drawling voice, enunciating each word carefully…
"Eris in her fury once foretoldThat strife would come in form of gold
Golden coin, golden honey—
Golden lovers bright and cunning.
Friends lost, friends found,
Humans slaughtered through bloody crowns.
Royal blood forever tainted
By one man forever saint'd
Conscience gone; crime unsolved
Alas, the world gone cold
Wintry weather on grieving hearts
Unless, unless ancient warriors part—
From stories, myths, lore unfounded—
And stride forth, fearless, marked and clouded
With fury, hot, to melt the ice
On hard hearts of evil, stone, and strife
The warriors, ten in number, twice betrayed
Will finally end a secret reign of hate
Twice before they have conquered evil
They are five fairies and five heroes
Musical melodies, sun and fire
Flowers, swords, magical wires—
Four crowns among them;
But branded they all be
With symbols of Eris and her kin's sobriety—
Glittering marks melded on skin
In shape of the evil's sealing pin
Blood drips from arrows…swords…sheaths…
And hope, valor, courage weep."
There was a long silence. Ms. F opened her eyes slowly, and examined the young men and women before her.
"Is…is it true?" Stella whispered, eyes wide.
"Of course it's true, you ninny, why d'you think she wasted her breath telling you?" Bloom's voice was full of barely contained anger. Immediately, every head turned to look at her. She was leaning against the bookcase, her arms folded defensively across her chest, blue eyes flashing.
Stella stiffened and sent her a baleful glare. "What the hell are you doing here anyway? Go back and cower in your hidey-hole."
"What the hell are you doing here?" mocked Bloom, a hard, unnatural smirk on her face. "How stupid are you, really, Stella? Ten warriors they mentioned, though, really, you should only count as half; I daresay you'd hamper more than help any plans. Count your friends, Stella. Nine in number, you lot are. I, against my will, I assure you, am number ten."
Musa sucked in a deep breath, and sent an enraged Brandon a look that (reluctantly) said don't kill her.
"Well, let me assure you, there is absolutely no need to join us. We can manage perfectly well, thank you very much," she retorted. The rather mild words contrasted sharply with the expression of hate twisting her face; everyone knew she refrained from screaming only because of her former headmistress's presence.
Stella, meanwhile, was giving new meaning to the phrase 'if looks could kill.' The look Bloom was on the receiving end of was absolutely terrifying, and wholly unnatural on the sun princess's face.
"What's forcing you to join us, eh, Bloom?" she said in a deathly quiet voice so unlike her own even Brandon blinked askance of her and thought he might be hearing things. "Please, don't let it be—oh, what else could it be, though?—your bad conscience. Even saving the world couldn't erase anything-,"
Stella broke off abruptly as Bloom, an expression of pure venom on her face, was engulfed in fiery, angry orange flames. Half a second later, two enormous fireballs were heading Stella's way. She, on pure instinct was ready with a counter-attack, a disk of shining yellow light, but it was rendered unnecessary as a gargantuan wall of the blackest substance rose, in the space of a millisecond, between the two opponents.
Bloom, enraged, glanced around, still emitting bursts of flame from her skin, trying to see what was stopping her attacks.
Flora, Tecna, Ms. Faragonda and Musa (who had an ugly, reluctant look on her face, as if wishing that conscience did not force her to put her magic between the two angry fairies) were all in a frozen position; they were leaning forward as if pushing an invisible weight, and it took Bloom a second to register that they must have all tried to create a shield between her and Stella at the same moment, and their defenses must have combined to form the dark, monstrous barrier. She examined the thing closer, and realized that she could see the traces of individual spells, the pulsating grid of Tecna's shield, the heavy vines of Flora's, the glimmering energy of Musa's and, finally, the pale white shell of Ms. Faragonda's.
A faint curse made its way to her ears, and she turned to see Riven, his face a mixture of angry emotions, sheathing his saber. Apparently, he had drawn his reflexively, and now Ms. F was ordering him to put it away. The slight whooshing sound of Brandon, Timmy, Helia and him following their magenta-haired friend's lead vibrated softly through the silent room.
"Drop the attacks, both of you, you foolish girls," Ms. Faragonda ordered in a voice that would not abide argument. After a long moment, Bloom relaxed her limbs, and turned to stare stonily out the window. Stella followed suit, and looked at Ms. F with an uncharacteristically impenetrable expression on her face. The four fairies holding up the shield relaxed also, though they remained alert.
"Volatile, temperamental, airheaded, the both of you! Did you learn nothing here? You attack no one but the evil, the wrongdoer, the enemy. You do not attack your colleague. Do you hear me?" The old headmistress was positively glowering in her disappointment and perturbed state.
There was no response from either Bloom or Stella.
"Bloom! Do you hear me!"
It killed her to say it, it was obvious on her face, but she nodded tersely.
"Stella!"
The sun princess merely turned her head away and gritted out an affirmation.
"Good. From now on, you two are allies."
"When did I sign up for that?!" asked Stella scathingly, still not looking at Ms. F.
"When you agreed to help out the realms and flesh out the prophecy. The ten of you must not let anything break your trust in each other. I know…that it is hard for you to get along. But I ask, for the sake of everything dear to all of you, that you attempt to resolve this prophecy in peace. There is too much on the line for your squabbles." The sincerity was obvious in the headmistress's voice, along with the underlying, dignified plea, and, though they all felt she was making light of their arguments, the rest of the room nodded slowly.
"I give my word and my sincerest try, Miss Faragonda." Flora spoke up quietly in her pure, truthful way.
"As do I," murmured Tecna, albeit with more reluctance than Flora.
Helia exchanged a quick glance with Timmy before giving his word, followed by the red-haired Specialist.
Stella looked for a moment at Ms. F, her brow furrowed, then gave a sigh.
"I…I give my word, but you can't hold me to anything but my best try, and I doubt that's worth too much. But you taught me too well and are much too dear to me to do otherwise than try," she said awkwardly.
"That is all I ask for, dear, and thank you," Ms. F said, rather fondly.
"If Stella can try, I suppose I will too," said Brandon easily, his momentary hot anger overridden by his take-everything-in-stride disposition and high (though not always wise in itself) opinion of his girlfriend's wisdom.
There was a pause. The only ones that had not yet pledged were Sky, Bloom, Riven and Musa.
"I will pledge, but for none but your sake and your request, Miss Faragonda," Musa said coolly. "I do not wish for you to think lowly of me, and as you deem this best, I do not question your wisdom, which was never faltered from truth before…though I have minute reluctance about it currently."
"Thank you, Musa." Ms. Faragonda ignored the ending barb, and her thanks rang true.
Riven, who did not trust Ms. Faragonda quite as readily as Musa, examined the headmistress's face carefully. He seemed to find something to trust in the serene features, and nodded shortly, his expression not quiet as harsh as it had been.
Sky looked up for a moment when Miss Faragonda's gaze rested upon him, though his eyes fixed upon the wall once more after a brief moment.
"Regretfully, I can only promise a little less than my comrades. I shall follow suit to the extent of my disposition," he said in a formal, wooden voice.
Ms. Faragonda murmured a thank you then narrowed her eyes at Bloom. There was a suspicious air in the gaze.
"How could you ask such a thing when the story is not yet half told?" Bloom asked, her voice sharp.
Musa's eyes whipped in her direction, and Ms. F looked at Bloom in a slightly infuriated manner.
"I was getting to that, Miss Archos," Ms. Faragonda said in a clipped tone.
"Pray, continue." Bloom's tone was acidic, almost too venomous for a simple missed fact. Musa sensed that something more sinister had been ignored.
The headmistress focused on the others in the room.
"I hope you did not miss the part about the blood drenched sheath, bow, and arrows."
A/N: The chapter was too long, so I had to split it in half :) I promise to post Part II soon. How'd you guys like the prophecy? I tried my hardest to be poetic xD I hope I didn't fail too miserably. Anyway…who can tell me what the chapter title means? I promise it makes sense….seriously ;)