General Art Memory

[Myriadviper42]

Good chapter. Still no Cyto, but good job anyway. Although, I did think Katherine's parents seemed to be taking it kind of lightly.
Nice job.

 

[Raindrop14]

Thanks for reading guys. ^^ And now, after the very long wait, chapter seven. ^^

Chapter Seven: Ao​

In the morning Ashie woke up, still curled up from last night. She moved to get up and instantly felt the soreness all around her body. She stood up and stretched looking around her at the others sleeping. She noticed that Naota too had curled up; she thought he had done that so that she wouldn’t have to. She looked over to Kesair and Serris and they were both sleeping comfortably.

She wondered if the Bason’s were sleeping, including Kathrine. She decided to check on Kathrine’s parents while she went to Kathrine’s room. She walked into the hall and peered into the room where Kathrine’s parents slept. She could see no sign of them being in there. She decided that they probably went out to do their work and stuff. She went over to Kathrine’s door and knocked lightly. There came no reply. She put her hand on the door knob and turned it. It was locked.

Ha, silly me. She thought to herself.

She got the key out of her pocket and pushed it in the keyhole. She turned the key and heard a click. She pulled the key out and turned the knob. She pushed the door gently open and saw Kathrine, sleeping soundly in bed. She gave a sigh of relief and closed the door. She locked it again and turned around.

“Ah!”

She had just bumped into Mr. Bason.

“I’m sorry Ashie, I just wanted to see how Kathrine was doing.” He said smiling.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, she’s doing fine, she’s sleeping. I’m going to wake her up as soon as Naota is awake so we can leave.”

“Ah. Alright. Do you want breakfast?”

“Sure, thanks.”

Ashie followed Mr. Bason into the kitchen and sat down at the long table. Mr. Bason brought over two plates of eggs and bacon and set one down in front of Ashie. He sat down where he usually sits and started eating. Ashie ate too, thinking about the plans Naota and she had made the night before. Not too long after Ashie started did Kesair and Naota wake up. Kesair went straight for the food and Naota just sat down beside Ashie.

“You’re not going to eat?” Ashie asked looking at Naota and his messy hair.

“No, I’ll eat later.”

Kessair sat down across from Ashie and gobbled down her food. She asked for seconds from Mr. Bason as he went over to put his plate in the sink. He brought back Kesair’s plate with more eggs and bacon and she ate it just as fast as the other one, if not faster. Ashie finished her food around the same time Kesair finished hers, and they both put their plates in the sink.

“We’re not leaving till you eat Naota.” Ashie said coming back over and crossing her arms.

“Alright, get me a plate.”

Smiling, Ashie went over to the plates and put some eggs and bacon on it. She came back over and put the plate down in front of Naota. There were already forks at the table so he dug in. Kesair ran to a bag near the couch she slept on and grabbed it. She ran with it to where the bathroom was and closed the door. Ashie was taking the sheets off the couch she and Naota slept on and rolling them up to be washed. Serris woke up finally and Ashie took those sheets too.

Serris grabbed a plate and started eating, just as Naota finished his meal. Ashie took the sheets downstairs and left them on the landing. She came back up and went to the couch she had slept on. She sat down next to Naota and they were both silent. Serris finished his meal and put his plate in the sink. He came over and sat down on the other couch.

“I guess I’ll go wake up Kathrine then.”

Ashie got up and went into the hall. She knocked on Kathrine’s door and heard no reply. She unlocked the door with the key in her pocket and opened the door. Kathrine was wide awake and staring at the roof.

“You want to take me to your Ao now, don’t you?” Kathrine said not moving her gaze from the roof.

“Well, first you have to eat. Then we’ll take you.”

“There really isn’t any way for me to stop you is there?” Kathrine asked sitting up with her elbows and looking at Ashie.

“No.”

“Fine.”

Kathrine got up out of the bed and walked over to Ashie.

“Lead the way.” Kathrine said moving her arm in front of her.

Kathrine followed Ashie into the kitchen and she sat down at the table. Ashie brought over a plate with eggs and bacon and set it down in front of Kathrine. Kathrine didn’t eat it, she just looked at it.

“Now we can’t leave until you eat.” Ashie said.

“Then I won’t eat.” Kathrine said simply.

“I’ll make you eat.”

“How so?”

“Just by me putting the food there you’ll eat it.” Ashie said smiling.

“How do you know?”

“You failed not to eat the food we brought you yesterday, why not today?”

Kathrine said nothing to that. She just stared at the food, wondering if she could resist as she failed to do the day before. She was very hungry right now, but she didn’t want them to know that. She was going to try her hardest to resist them until Cyto came.

“I can hear your stomach growling. Better tend to it.” Ashie said smiling with her hands on her hips.

“I don’t have to. I can survive without food.”

Where is he? He’s had a whole day to come! Why is he not here now?

Kathrine was getting impatient.

Maybe he doesn’t want to come. Maybe he’s seen that someone like me isn’t worth coming for. He’ll replace me. It’s because I’ve forgotten what I need to do. It’s because I didn’t resist yesterday. It’s all over for me, might as well fall into the trap now, willingly.

Kathrine grabbed her fork and scooped up her eggs. She put the fork in her mouth and ate the eggs. It didn’t matter anymore; Cyto was not going to come for her. She knew that, probably when she first found herself here, in this world. She ate all her eggs and bacon and Ashie took her plate. She still sat there in her chair, looking at the table, thinking about how Cyto would never come for her, and never even planned on it in the first place.

“Now go fix your hair. You’ve got to have it out of the way.” Ashie said.

Kathrine got up and went to the room she had been locked in the whole time she was here. She closed the door and sat down on the bed. Tears were streaming down her eyes as she heard a click. She knew in the first place Cyto was never going to come, that he didn’t care for her. He could easily replace her, and the less she knew about the plan the better if someone were to capture her. She didn’t want to believe it, but she knew. She grabbed the comb on the side of the bed and started to comb her hair. It was very hard since she had long hair and she had slept for a long time yesterday. She got out all the tangles eventually though, and there were a lot of hairs on the comb. She grabbed the thing she had used yesterday to put her hair up and put it up.

She had slept in these clothes, but she didn’t care. She didn’t even know who she was meeting. But she decided to change them anyway. She grabbed new clothing and put them on. She was now ready to depart and never see her Cyto again.

She heard a knock on the door then and she replied.

“I’m ready.”

“Good.” Ashie said coming in.

Kathrine followed Ashie out into the living room and saw that Naota was ready and waiting by the door.

“We’re going to go through a portal so don’t let go of me or you may end up somewhere very unpleasant.” Ashie said looking at Kathrine.

“Wait!”

A door slammed open and Kesair came running in. She had gotten dressed and combed her hair and her bag was all jumbled up.

“Wait, I want to go with you!”

“You can’t, this is only for Kathrine to get her memory back.” Naota said opening the front door.

“But she’s my friend, and I want to be with her in case something happens.”

“In case something happens we’ll be with her. Stay here and we’ll have her back in no time.”

“No, I’m going and there isn’t anything you can do to stop me.”

“There are several things I can do to stop you but-”

“But you won’t do them. Or you can’t, either way there still isn’t anything you can do to stop me.”

Ashie stared at Kesair. She could tell that girl really wanted to go. And who was she to say no?

“Alright, but don’t say a word, not even if someone asks you a question. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Naota started to walk out the door.

“Then can I come?” Serris asked.

He was all dressed and ready to go as well.

“Fine, but same goes for you.”

Kesair tossed her bag on the couch and headed out the door with the others. It was no longer snowing and most of it had melted. They walked out to the sidewalk and stopped. Ashie mumbled some words with her eyes closed and moved her hand in a large circle. When she completed the circle she stopped mumbling and opened her eyes. There in the place of the circle was a glowing tube like thing. It was very bright and purplish. She stepped through, holding Kthrine’s and Kesair’s hands. Naota held Serris’s and Kathrine’s. They all went through in a line and the instant Kathrine stepped in she felt herself being pulled violently away from the others. She held tighter to the other’s hands and shut her eyes, for the light that was here was blinding. There was also a bitter coldness biting through her skin. It was unlike any cold she had experienced before.

It was a very short time she had spent in that portal. She landed hard on the stone ground of the small tower Ashie and Naota had been in before. It was cold here too but not as much as that dreadful portal. Ashie let go of her hand and she let go of Naota’s. It was crowded in the tower now that five people were in it. Ashie went over to the window where she had looked out not too long ago. It wasn’t raining anymore, but it was dark.

“We can go.” Ashie said to Naota.

Ashie and Naota left the tower with Kesair, Kathrine and Serris following. They walked across the yard to the front doors where Naota and Ashie had come in a few days ago. Naota opened the large doors and went in with the others following. He shut the door once everyone was inside.

“Wow!” Kesair said looking around.

“Shh, I told you not to speak!” Ashie whispered.

“Sorry.” Kesair whispered.

They walked through the halls to the room Ashie and Naota visited before. Nothing had changed in the halls so far, and nothing was probably going to change any time soon. They reached the large doors where the guard named Brandon waited behind it. They knocked on the door and heard Brandon’s voice from behind.

“Who goes there at this time of night?” Brandon asked.

“We are Naota Riba and Ashie Tyzumi Kazicane, the people who came before not too long ago.” Ashie replied.

Brandon opened the door and let them in. They walked into the large throne room, but this time it wasn’t as brightly lit. Almadell no longer sat in her chair and Ao was nowhere to be seen either. Brandon led them to the room where Ao and Almadell slept. Obviously Almadell had told Brandon to let Ashie and Naota see them if they came. Brandon knocked on the door and Ao opened it with a big smile on his face.

“Welcome back.” He said.

Ashie and Naota bowed to Ao. Kesair and Serris, after a short pause, bowed too. Kathrine stared angrily at Ao, she was not going to bow to someone whom she did not serve.

“Come in. Brandon, you may go.”

They followed Ao into the room where Almadell was sitting on the bed. Both of them looked like they had been waiting for them to come for days and had not rested. Ao offered them chairs and they all sat down, except for Kathrine.

“I see you brought Kathrine here.” Almadell said.

“Yes. Do you know of any way she can get her memory back?” Ashie replied hopefully.

“Maybe, but she may die in the process.”

Kesair had a confused look on her face. She looked to Serris and he had the same look. She gave him a “what are they saying?” look and he replied with a shrug. They turned back to the queen and king and listened. All they heard was gibber gabber.

“What way is that?” Ashie asked.

“You want to kill me!” Kathrine asked outraged that they were being the judges as to what would happen to her.

“No, we want to help you. We just don’t know a safe way yet.” Almadell said.

“Who are you to be that ones to decide whether I want to die to get my memory back or not?”

“I am Almadell, queen of Ovsalia and it is my decision that my people be saved from the tyrant that took your memory.” Almadell said standing up.

“What does my memory matter?” Kathrine asked moving closer.

“We don’t know yet, but there must be a reason why Cyto took your memory. He doesn’t just go taking people’s memories like they were candy you know.”

Kathrine was silent to that. Almadell continued the conversation she was having with Ashie and Naota.

“Now, we’ve found a way to take the pendant off, but it may kill her. We’ve sent some spies to Cyto’s castle and they found out what the pendant can do and all that. They were caught though before we could find out anything else, and they came running here where Cyto would never dare to come.”

“How would it kill me?” Kathrine asked.

“Cyto made that pendant with very dark magic that even I don’t know of. If we take that pendant off you’ll fall into a world where he waits for you. We think that he made it that way on purpose so that he could kill you if you tried taking the pendant off. Ashie and Naota have already tried taking it off. When they did, did you come into a strange black place?”

Kathrine tried to remember any place like that. “Yes. But Cyto wasn’t there; it was just a dying man. And he was laughing.”

Almadell frowned.

“I see. He wants us to think he’s dead. Well, anyway, he’ll be waiting for Kathrine and Kathrine will need to defend herself. She’ll need a weapon and sword.”

“Already have it.” Naota said holding up the red sword and shield.

“Good, Kathrine take them and wait.”

Kathrine didn’t make a move to take the sword and shield. She just stood there staring into space, tears welding up in her eyes.

Kill Cyto? What? Why would he want to kill me? They’re lying! I know he wouldn’t want to do that! Then why didn’t he come to save me? He doesn’t care, he’ll kill me and he won’t care.

“Kathrine?” Ashie asked.

But why? Why did he take my memory? If he took my memory then I can’t be able to remember anything! How is it that I remember that I work for Cyto? Unless…

“Kathrine?” Ashie repeated.

Kathrine came back to reality and wiped her eyes. She grabbed the sword and shield from Naota’s hands and pulled out the sword. She stood there, looking at them all with an angry red face.

“Take it off.” She said.

“But we-”

“Take it off!” Kathrine barked at Ashie.

“Do you know how to fight?” Ao asked calmly.

“With this memory I do.”

“Ashie, take it off.”

Ashie hesitated at first. Then she reached for the pendant.

“Good luck.” Ashie said.

She grabbed the pendant and instantly Kathrine felt pain. It was worse than the cold she felt in the portal. She fell to the floor, teeth clenched and holding tight to the sword and shield. Her eyes were shut tightly as she endured the pain. It felt like it was lasting forever, when she found herself standing in the middle of nowhere. Literally nowhere, for there was nothing, not even light. All she could see in front of her was emptiness. She wasn’t standing on anything, yet she was standing on the ground. She looked around her and saw what she had come here for. Cyto was standing in the blackness a few feet away from her smiling, with his double bladed scythe in hand.
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Hope you liked it. ^^

 

[Raindrop14]

The last chapter! Here you go. ^^

Chapter eight: The battle with Cyto

“So, you have come now. Have you come to whine to me about how I didn’t come to save you or have you come to kill me?”

“You know very well what I have come here to do.” Kathrine replied angrily.

“Ah, but you won’t complete your mission.” Cyto said still smiling.

“And why is that?”

“You’ll have no strength. In the real world you are feeling great pain and all your strength is being used on that, to keep you here. You’ll be weak.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. See, Almadell is there in the real world using her magic to keep me here with all the strength I have. So, I guess it won’t be so easy for you.”

“No matter, with all the strength in the world you cannot defeat me.”

“I’ll bet my life that you’re wrong.”

“As you wish.”

Cyto moved so fast Kathrine barely had time to block his hit. He swung so hard at her that she was thrown to the ground. He came at her a second time, not letting her get up. She barely blocked this one as well. She jumped up after that and moved out of the way as Cyto came with another blow. However, he cut her chest and blood started pouring out. She winced in pain but didn’t let her guard down.

“I have to thank you really. You gave me the fighting abilities I have now, if it weren’t for that, I’d be dead by now.” Kathrine said trying to stop him from another fast slice.

“Then I’ll just take that away.”

He ran up to her with his hand outstretched. Kathrine stuck out her sword and it almost went through him. He was too fast though and saw it coming. He only got a scratch and continued to fight. He swung hard at her again, but she blocked it with her shield, returning the force. For just a second he was open and Kathrine took that second. She stabbed at his chest but he moved out of the way. He swung at her again, this time from the side. Her shield was on the other side and her sword was still in front of her, stabbing the air. She quickly moved out of the way and he cut her back. She gave a small cry of pain but continued to fight. She turned around, with her sword in front of her so as to cut anyone behind her. She barely got Cyto with that swipe. She was much more injured than Cyto, and she could feel all the strength Almadell was giving her go away.

“You won’t last much longer!” Cyto said coming at her again.

“That’s what you think!” Kathrine said blocking his blow with her shield.
She stabbed at his heart and he barely missed. She cut his arm badly and he could no longer use hid double bladed scythe properly. She swung at him again and this time she hit him, right near the heart. His wide eyes looked into hers. His hands went limp and the double bladed scythe fell onto the floor, without making a sound. He fell onto the ground, blood pouring out of his wound. He stared up at Kathrine as she screamed. She screamed in agony, clutching the pendant around her neck. Cyto began to laugh weakly, laugh at her pain. He knew this would happen. If she killed him, she would die too.

Kathrine dropped her sword and shield and started to pull on the pendant, but that only caused more pain. Her wounds were bleeding worse now, there was no stopping it. She fell to the floor, still screaming. Cyto, with his last breath, said, “You lost the bet.” And with that, he died, laying there with the red sword in his chest.
Kathrine was hoarse from screaming, she couldn’t make a sound anymore. She awoke in Almadells arms, still in pain from the wounds and the pendant. Almadell had pulled off the pendant and was healing the other wounds. Ashie and Kesair stood there, waiting to see if Kathrine would be alright. Serris clutched the closest thing to him, which happened to be Ao’s arm, and squeezed it as tight as he could. Ao didn’t notice the pain, he stood there looking at Almadell and Kathrine, waiting as the others waited. Naota was next to Ashie, all the time he smiled because he knew Kathrine would be alright. But he couldn’t help the worry he felt for her.

Almadell was done with healing, Kathrine had stopped bleeding. Even though she was still covered in blood, she felt no more pain. Even the pain from the pendant was gone. She closed her eyes in relief.

“It’s done.” She said smiling.

“Good.” Almadell replied smiling back.

Serris let go of Ao’s arm and looked at him apologetically, for there were nail marks on his arm now. Ao just smiled back and looked again at Almadell and Kathrine. Kesair and Ashie gave a sigh of relief.

“Do you remember me now?” Kesair asked bending down.

Kathrine opened her eyes and stared hard at Kesair for a moment. Then, “Yes, yes I do Kesair. How could I not?” She smiled at her.
Kesair hugged her best friend. She stood up and went back to Ashie, smiling brightly. Kathrine felt tired, very tired.

“She lost quite a bit of blood for someone like her. She needs to rest.” Almadell said lifting Kathrine in her arms.

They moved out of the way as Alamdell made towards the bed. She placed Kathrine on the bed and left her there. She motioned her hands for everyone to leave and they did. Almadell closed the door behind them and they all turned to her.

“She’ll be alright. You must be hungry, come and eat.” She smiled.
They followed her to the dining hall and waited.

***

Kathrine was lying on the bed; she heard the others leave the room. She was now alone, covered in Cyto’s blood and her own. She didn’t feel the pain from the pendant, mainly because it wasn’t on her anymore, and she didn’t feel the pain from the wounds. But she lied to Kesair, she couldn’t remember. She didn’t remember a thing, not even from before they arrived here. All she remembered now was the battle with Cyto. She also remembered their names. Kesair, Serris, Naota, Ashie, Almadell and Ao. Why couldn’t she remember anything else? Was it because the pendant took all the memory she had left and had before? Then why did she still remember their names? It was all very confusing to her, and she was very tired.

She decided she’d try to sleep, and maybe that would get her memory back. So she relaxed and got rid of all thought. Slowly but surely, she drifted off.

***

They were all done eating, and they were just sitting there in the dining room.

“She’ll be fine, she just needs rest. If you’d like to be there you may, but wait a while till she falls asleep.”

Kesair was overjoyed at that idea; she couldn’t wait to go see her friend. Even after leaving her only a few minutes ago she missed her. Same went for Serris. He was ready to have his girlfriend back, now that she would remember him.
After a short while Almadell let Serris and Kesair go to the room where Kathrine lay asleep. When they had left the room, Almadell stopped smiling.

“What is it?” Ashie asked.

“She won’t live. Cyto’s blade was cursed, and when it hit her, the curse went deep. She won’t make it.”

“What? Then why did you just lie to them and tell them she’d be alright?” Naota asked getting up.

“You want me to tell them their friend is going to die? And there isn’t anything I or anyone can do to stop it?” Almadell said standing up as well.

“Please-” Ashie pleaded.

“It’s a lot better than lying to them about the truth!”

“Stop it!” Ashie said.

Almadell and Naota were instantly silent.

“I don’t think what Almadell did was just, but you need to respect your queen Naota.”

Naota sat down stubbornly and crossed his arms. Almadell sat down calmly.

“Now, what is done is done. They’ll just have to find out later. Right now, let them be happy. They just went through a hard time finding out about this world and everything, leave them be.”

Ashie sat down and they all fell silent again. Naota relaxed his arms now and looked ashamed of himself. Suddenly the silence was broken. Serris and Kesair came running in the room with Kathrine. Everyone stood up surprised to see all three of them, smiling.

“You need to rest!” Ashie said looking at Kathrine.

“Oh I’ll be fine. Right now I’m starving.”

She came over and sat down with Kesair and Serris on either side. A servant came and brought a plate of food and placed it in front of her. She started eating. Everyone just looked puzzled at her, while Serris and Kesair smiled at her. When she was finished with her food she looked at them.

“What? What’s wrong?” She asked.

“But, I thought-” Almadell stopped.

“You thought I was dead? Well guess what! I’m alive! You know, that pendant actually saved my life. I guess I’d better start with the beginning though shouldn’t I? Well, when I fell asleep I met this person, well actually I met me. I know, I don’t know how it happened either. Anyway, I told myself, that is the ‘me’ that was not me.” She said pointing to herself. “That I’m not going to die. See, that curse was supposed to kill anyone with a certain memory. My memory, had I had it, would have killed me. Apparently Cyto only wanted some sort of power thingy that I had and not my memory. So, since I didn’t have a memory it didn’t kill me. So I told me that I’d live, just without any memory of anything before the battle with Cyto. I didn’t explain what memories kill people with that curse though. Yeah, that’s it; I’m going to live, just without a memory.” She smiled at the confused faces.

“Did you tell yourself what the power was that Cyto wanted?” Almadell asked.

“Nope, didn’t go into any kind of detail.”

“Well then that settles it! Were done, the world is free!” Ashie said smiling.

“I still don’t get it.” Almadell said.

“Don’t worry about it. All that matters is that I’m alive and I’m done and Cyto is dead.”

Almadell still had that puzzled look on her face.

“Just leave it out of your mind Almadell, everything is over and we don’t have to worry.” Ao said comforting her.

She smiled at him, and then at the others. It was all over now, no more Cyto, no more killing memories, no knowledge of the power at all, nothing. Kathrine was free, and was starting a new life, with a new memory.

End
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I know it was short, but I hope you still liked it. ^^