Harbingers: Chapter two

[Xyex]

CHAPTER TWO ~ SIGHTINGS

“Waiting, for your modern messiah
To take away all the hatred
That darkens the light in your eye
Still I’m waiting nigh...”<br>- Disturbed, Liberate

The morning had been... odd to say the least. Through all of her classes all Phoebe could think about was the earlier encounter with Dante. She was trying to figure out several different things. First and foremost, who was he? She felt that his identity would be the most informative thing she could possibly find on him. Things had come a long way in only a few years as more of the Old Technologies were rediscovered and re-mastered. Now almost all known records could be found easily on the Internet.

"Almost" being the key phrase. She'd run a search first on Dante but with just a name to go on she got next to no results that proved useful. The only thing of any interest had been a single line from a site about ancient legends. The particular line in question had been part of a legend from the Second Dark Age and described, down to the clothes he wore and the rather distinguishing staff he carried, the man she'd met earlier. She knew Natsuko would deny any kind of connection, the girl's mind was firmly rooted in the realm of proof and science. And in that realm things like magic and Dragons and most definitely, Demons, did not exist.

Phoebe wasn't so sure though. The legend the line came from was about an obscure hero of the Second Dark Age and his allies who, supposedly, stopped the Apocalypse. The man was called Alexander the Banisher, a name that rang with familiarity. From what Dante said she was supposed to be his descendant. So she'd spent her entire lunch hour researching the legend. What she'd found proved to be more interesting than she'd expected, and she was beginning to wonder if maybe it were more than legend. Of course, that could have just been her overactive imagination at work.

According to the legend Alexander had lived in 1321 D.A., at least a couple thousand years, if not more, after the war that sent mankind from space travel to living in caves. He was one of the knights in the Ordia Kingdom, the most advanced outpost of civilization on the planet at the time. Alexander had gone on a quest for his King, what the quest was had since been forgotten. However, during his journeys he met up with several other people, one of them an ancient mage known only as Dante.

He also befriended the King of Dragons, the leader of a northern nomad clan that had several hundred tame Dragons at their disposal. And finally he became allies with a powerful clan of cave dwellers to the south of Ordia and even married the clans princess. The legends said that of these four only Dante was a member of the original Chosen as he possessed eternal youth. The other three were merely the surviving descendants of the first Chosen.

Details got fairly sketchy after that point. There were a few mentions of the "Harbingers" which were supposed to be the bringers of the Apocalypse. That fit with what Dante had said as well. There were no descriptions of these beings though. It did say that the final battle had been won by Alexander and Dante. It mentioned something about Alexander becoming a golden clad knight that radiated light. None of the accounts could agree on the source of that extra power but they all agreed that Alexander and Dante had combined their powers for the final attack against the Harbingers.

It seemed too much to just be coincidence to her. She knew that her ancestors had come from Ordia five hundred years ago bringing much of the Ordian technology with them and she knew that Natsuko's ancestors had all come from Asikra, the nation the King of Dragons had founded for his people after the Harbingers defeat. Yet, how could any of this be real? They'd become an advanced civilization again, they believed in science now, not magic.

Phoebe sighed and shook her head as the final bell rang for the day ending school. She packed up her books and slung the bag over her shoulder. Even though she knew Natsuko would be little help in unraveling the mystery that she saw Dante to be she decided to track her down anyway. Typically she'd be found at the gym on Third Street but she didn't always go on Fridays. She was hoping today was one of the days she did go.

It took her about half an hour to walk from the school to the gym. Originally it had been a church, one of the oldest in the area. But then, about two hundred years ago a war had broken out and the military had converted the entire town into a boot camp and used the church as the gym. After twenty years the new role just stuck. The building still had the amazing stained glass windows that depicted various Angels and other beings. Inside, along the top of the walls and covering the entire ceiling, was an elaborate mural that showed the war between the Angels and the Demons.

As she walked into the building she couldn't help but gaze at the mural. She realized suddenly that she'd been wrong earlier. Yes, man and civilization had rediscovered technology and science but they hadn't completely turned from the supernatural. Natsuko nearly always wore a necklace with a cross even though she didn't believe in things like magic or Dragons. She wasn't a religious person by any means but she did believe in the existence of some kind of higher being. If that was so easy to believe and except as truth then why would this be any different?

Phoebe found her friend near the back of the gym on one of the floor mats sparring with one of the gym's coaches. She just stood and watched her friend's movements as she slid gracefully away from a kick and then into a punch of her own. Natsuko missed on that punch and paid for it when the coach slipped in close and managed to get her into a hold. "Hey Natsuko." Phoebe said with a wave as the girl surrendered the match.

[Xyex]

Natsuko smiled and waved as she grabbed her towel and began to dry off. "Thanks Mitch!" she called back to the coach as she left the mat before turning her attention back to her friend. "Anything interesting happen at school today?" she asked as they made their way to the cycle machines, the only thing in the gym that Phoebe did.

"Don't really know." she confessed. "I wasn't paying much attention today. I kept thinking about this morning."

Natsuko rolled her eyes as they climbed onto the cycles. "You're kidding me right?" she asked. When she didn't get an answer she sighed. "Phoebe, that guy was a nut case. I don't know how he did what he did but..."

"I did some research." she interrupted. "There's a legend from the 1300's D.A. about a guy named Alexander who earned the title Alexander the Banisher."

"And this Dante guy probably knows about it."

"The legend says he was there." Phoebe said panting lightly as she pedaled. "There are too many things going on here to not believe him at least a little." Natsuko rolled her eyes again. "Just hear me out. My ancestors are from Ordia, the same kingdom as Alexander. Yours are from Asikra, the nation founded by the Dragon King who was one of Alexander's allies against the Harbingers."

"And I think you're just trying to make life in this town more interesting. Just trust me on this one Phoebe, there's no magic, no Harbingers, and this Dante guy is a crackpot."

"You're last name..."

Natsuko sighed exasperatedly. "My people used to believe in Dragons and other mythological beings to such extent that their last names reflected what they were most experienced in. I've told you this before..."

"And it's another reason to believe Natsuko Sakura Draco." Phoebe said as she stopped pedaling. "All the legends and stories of that era say that Asikra was full of these creatures. Dragons, Unicorns, Gorgons, Pegasus's, Minataurs, Centaurs..."

"Yes, yes, yes, I know. My culture's full of the stuff. We even have creatures no one else has ever heard of before. That doesn't mean any of it's real."

Phoebe leaned back on the cycle and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Natsuko did have a point she had to admit, but something told her that her friend was wrong. "So you can believe in a God of some kind but not this? What's the difference?"

Natsuko shrugged. "Common sense maybe?"

"Hey!" Phoebe cried slapping her arm. Natsuko laughed as she climbed off the cycle. The two made their way through the gym to the changing rooms. Phoebe didn't have anything to change into but she still wanted to grab a quick shower. The gym locker room was set up with three rows of lockers, two rows of makeshift stall showers, and a few benches. The two of them each got a quick shower to wash off the sweat and then got dressed. As they were about to leave the gym the light coming in through the windows began to drop and the room to darken slowly.

Those inside began to murmur with each other wondering what was happening. Natsuko and Phoebe gave each other a quick glance before heading outside. It wasn't just the gym that was darkening but everything. A glance at the sky showed the cause. A black shadow was passing slowly across the sun blotting it out. "An eclipse..." Phoebe breathed. Even Natsuko couldn't ignore the implications. It took several moments before the sun was fully blocked out and an early night descended upon the town of Crystal Rivers.

By then the girls were at Phoebe's place. Phoebe was sitting in her father's large chair while Natsuko paced back and forth across the room. "There's an explanation for this. A logical one... an asteroid maybe..." Natsuko said at last moving her hands to her head. She stood like that for only a moment before she grasped the cross about her neck and began to pace the room again.

"There is a reason." came a voice from the living room entryway. The girls looked to find Dante standing there once more. "It is as I explained before." he said calmly. He moved forward into the room and Natsuko kept her eyes locked on him. "This eclipse shall last a few moments longer and then begin to fade. Once it has passed completely the seal shall be restored but at this moment the portal is open and the Harbingers are already coming through. They shall be free before the eclipse ends and the seal is restored."

"So, what I read... was all true?"

"Indeed. To such an extent as the passage of time will allow at least. The two of you are the least descendants of the Chosen. At first there were six, then four, and now only the three of us are left. Sadly, my powers have been eroding away over the years. I may no longer age in the physical sense but my mind is beginning to lose its edge and with that comes the loss of my magic.

"You two however, have no such problem. Over the millennia since the first Chosen your ancestors have gained power that has been added to the power of the originals and passed on down through generations. Once you learn to access it fully you will have more power than you can imagine."

"So how exactly do we get this power?" Natsuko asked still a bit skeptical.

Dante sighed heavily. "That is not something I can answer, to tell you how would achieve nothing in the end because it is not something that can be forced. You must learn this secret for yourselves."

"Can you at least give us some kind of clue?" Phoebe asked.

"Sometimes we dream of dreams that are in truth the truth and we live in truths that are but dreams." Dante replied simply. "To understand the meaning of this is to understand your full power. Fortunately for us you can use some of the power you possess already. I suggest we begin your training at once, the eclipse is over."

Sure enough, when the girls looked out the window the daylight had returned. Returning their attentions to Dante they found him leaving the room and so they quickly followed him. He lead them through the central hall of the house and into the large dining room. "You each possess a variety of abilities and skills which you can already use with the proper understanding and control. Considering the current situation this will have to be a quick crash course on your skills and abilities. We will start with you first Natsuko."

Dante raised his staff above his head and then aimed the crystal down at the floor. The crystal shifted gold and light poured forth from it and into the floor. The gold light radiated out across the floor for a few feet and then stopped. After a moment something began to emerge from the ground, it only took a second for a practice dummy to fully surface and stand before the girls. "This will be your target." he told Natsuko.

"But before we begin the actual use of the powers you need to know how to engage them." He pursed his lips as he drew his outfit about him and crossed his arms in thought. "How to explain this... Natsuko, close your eyes. Clear your mind, let empty of all thoughts and feelings. Focus on nothing."

Natsuko stared at him for a moment and then closed her eyes as he asked. However, she was having trouble clearing her mind. Lingering thoughts and doubts continued to surface despite her efforts. Then an idea occurred to her and she sat down, crossed her legs, and leaned back against the wall. Again she worked on clearing her mind, only this time she didn't try to clear it outright but merely meditated as she did from day to day.

Dante smiled lightly as her face relaxed. "Good, very well done." he said moving aside from the dummy. "Now that your mind is clear you should be able to feel something... something inside you. A warmth, a power of sorts."

Natsuko nodded lightly. She'd always felt that when she meditated. Sometimes she'd even feel it when she was sparring or training and it always made her feel... better, somehow. And always it seemed to give her strength. There had been times she was sure that she wouldn't have gotten away from her father and then the feeling had come. With it had come a second wind, renewed strength, and sense that she would make it.

"Reach down into that feeling." Dante ordered. "Take hold of the power that resides there and pull it to the surface."

Natsuko's eyes closed tightly as she focused on the feeling of warmth and power she could feel. It was somewhere inside her, somewhere deep down and buried. It was amazing how expansive she seemed now as she tried to latch on to the power in her. It felt like she was trying to reach for the sun. She could feel it's warmth and energy but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't quite reach.

[Xyex]

"Relax Natsuko." Dante said softly. "Don't force it to happen, you'll only push it away."

"Easy for you to say." she said softly. Still, she did what he asked. She quit trying to grab it but just draw it toward her. To get closer to it. Slowly she could feel the warmth growing. She could feel that familiar second wind, the renewing of energy, the sense of power and confidence. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she gasped leaning forward, her breath coming quickly now.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked kneeling down beside her quickly.

She nodded lightly as she regained her composure. "Y-yeah... I'm fine." she said raising a hand. "I just..." she shook her head. "That feeling I got just now..." she looked up at Dante.

The old man smiled. "That would have been the full of your power." he said with a light nod. "Locked away and inaccessible, for now." He motioned for her to stand back up. "Now that you have consciously felt your way into the power within you, it will be possible to find it much more easily now."

Standing up she nodded and turned toward the dummy once more. "So... now what do I do?"

"We have little time so I shall simply guide you through accessing the various magics and skills you have. We shall begin... with Fire." He moved the arm holding the staff and tapped it's tip lightly three times. Each time the crystal upon his staff shimmered with white light. Upon the third tap the entire room shimmered with the white light as well. "I've put up a minor flame barrier around the room so we don't have to worry about burning the house down.

"Now. Reach in for that power again. Once you have it, picture it moving along your arm and coming to rest about your hand. The power looks like fire, a burning flame that covers your hand yet does not hurt you."

Natsuko brought her arm up a little and looked at her hand as she focused. She reached in and found the power with little trouble this time and was able to reach right into it. She pictured it moving along her arm just as Dante instructed, then moving from her body and out to her hand where it would surround it in flames.

Phoebe's eyes widened in shock and took a step back as a lick of flame appeared on Natsuko's arm working up toward her hand. A moment later there was spark from the girl's hand and it burst into flame. Natsuko jumped and held her arm away from her. She could feel warmth from the fire but it wasn't burning her hand, and there was no smoke... "Oh this is just... impossible..."

Dante nodded in approval. "Your own magic can't harm you." he said as the girls stared at the fire. "Now point your arm at the dummy and picture the fire leaving your hand and going to the dummy." Natsuko took a breath as she pointed her burning hand at the dummy and did as told. Suddenly the flame exploded to life like it had just been fed gallons of pure oxygen. The fire around her hand surged forward and slammed into the dummy engulfing it in flame. It only lasted a second before Natsuko jerked her hand back in shock. Even after the flames from her ceased the dummy continued to burn.

Dante turned to Phoebe. "Your turn now Descendant of Alexander. Do as Natsuko has done. Close your eyes, clear your mind, and seek out the power that resides within you."

Phoebe stood there for a moment still trying to grasp what was happening, but she closed her eyes after a moment. She relaxed as best she could and tried to clear her mind. It came harder to her than to Natsuko. She wasn't a martial artist, she didn't have any kind of training, no method for clearing her mind like her friend. Several moments passed before the fog of thoughts that filled her mind cleared enough for her to feel what Dante had described to Natsuko. She felt out for the warmth, power that she could sense deep within.

Slowly she could feel the warmth grow but then fade again when she reached for it harder. She relaxed again, calming her body and mind, and reached again. This time, as she felt the warmth grow, she let it come on it's own. Her body stiffened slightly as an odd sensation filled her. She'd never thought of herself as strong, and she always felt a bit insecure, but now... Now she could feel a strength filling her and a confidence surfacing that she'd never known before. She delved deeper into the power she'd found in her and brushed against something fierce and incomprehensibly powerful. Like Natsuko before her her eyes snapped open in shock and disbelief, and a little fear too.

Dante nodded lightly at her understanding that she'd tapped into her power. "I want you to do the same as Natsuko. Focus on your power. Draw it down your arm and to your hand. Only imagine it as water instead of fire."

Phoebe took a deep and nervous breath. Raising her arm she aimed it at the dummy and focused. She envisioned the power within her flowing down her arm, becoming water, and surrounding her hand. Blinking in shock and swallowing, she watched as droplets of water traced down her arm and formed about her hand. Knowing what Dante would tell her to do next, she pictured the water going from her outstretched arm and flowing through the air at the dummy. Instantly the water swirling about her hand shot forth like a gushing river escaping from a broken dam. It jetted out toward the burning dummy and submerged the flames dousing them in seconds.

"Nicely done Phoebe." Dante said raising his staff once more. The gold light flowed down to the ground again and surrounded the dummy. Moments later it had sunk back down into the light and both vanished. "You each possess other magic and skills as well, all accessed in the same manner. I will go over these with you more in a little while. For the moment however I must be going..."

"What, why?" Natsuko asked quickly.

"Phoebe's parents are home." Dante replied. Once more his staff flashed red and then green and the man was gone. A second later the girls jumped as the front door opened and smacked into the wall with a soft thud.

"Phoebe, you here?!" Mrs. Sanders called.

"Oh, yeah, coming mom!" Phoebe called. The two girls glanced at each other for a moment and then walked to the front of the house where they saw Mr. and Mrs. Sanders bringing in bags of groceries.

"You must have cotton in your ears." Mr. Sanders said with a chuckle. The two girls gave him a confused look and he shook his head. "I honked three times before we came in. Well, no matter, there's still plenty of bags out there for you to bring in." The girls nodded and helped to bring in and put away the groceries. "Strangest thing today... The entire market went dark at around four. I went and looked and a solar eclipse was just ending." Mr. Sanders shook his head. "I'd not heard anything about one happening today."

The girls glanced at each other again but continued working in silence. It took a little over a half-hour to put everything away. After that was taken care of they made their way up stairs to Phoebe's room. The blond haired girl went over to her bed and dropped backward onto it staring up at the ceiling. Natsuko plopped down into one of the three soft chairs in the room. Everything that had happened to them that day finally catching up to them. Neither said anything, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

"Sometimes we dream of dreams that are in truth the truth and we live in truths that are but dreams", Phoebe thought to herself. What could he have meant by that? She shook her head lightly where she lay and groaned mentally. Leave it to old... what exactly was he anyway? Some kind of wizard? Well, leave it to old wizards to talk without even saying anything. She raised her arm and looked at her hand. This is way bizarre... I mean, I can shoot water from my arm! Dante said I had other magic too, I wonder what? Phoebe stretched out across the bed and as she did she caught a glance of Natsuko sitting in her chair, head back, staring at the ceiling. For a moment her eyes stayed but she managed to turn away and look up at the ceiling again herself.

The whole time Natsuko was in her own thoughts. This can't be happening... I mean... how is it possible? She closed her eyes as she leaned back in the chair and tilted her hand up toward the ceiling. Dante mentioned the Harbingers... and Phoebe read about them in that legend. Are we supposed to fight them or something? She lowered her head and looked at where Phoebe lay for a moment before tilting it back up again. I can handle myself fine but... Phoebe's not the fighting type, I don't know if she could do something like that.

"What the..." Phoebe's voice cut into Natsuko's thoughts. She looked down and saw her friend climbing off the bed and looking out the window. The black haired girl could see an orange glow coming through the window and dancing upon the ceiling. As he friend reached the window and looked out she let out a gasp of surprise. "Oh no, Martin's Warehouse is on fire!"

Natsuko sat up quickly and walked across the room to look out the window. "Come on, we have to see if we can help..." she said after a moment. "And that water thing of yours could come in handy." Phoebe watched her walk out of the room before following after her. The two girls made it downstairs in a matter of seconds and were out the front door just as quickly. They found Phoebe's parents already standing on the side walk looking down the street at the towering flames.

[Xyex]

Martin's Warehouse was only two blocks from the Sanders home and they could feel the warmth of the fire. The building housed almost anything and everything. Some people in the town stored their things in the warehouse. It was also where a lot of the town's extra supplies were kept. Phoebe just stood there and stared at it for a moment before realizing that Natsuko was already running down the street toward the warehouse. Quickly she ran after her, her mother calling for her to be careful.

As they neared Natsuko looked up toward the roof and for a moment she thought she saw someone. The person didn't seem to be all that tall and she couldn't make out what they were wearing, but she could tell the person had his or her hair up in a Mohawk. The flames licked all around the person and then one danced in front of the person blocking Natsuko's view. When the flick of flame was gone, so was the person. A second later she was standing only a few yards from the blazing building.

The girls could hear the fire trucks nearing but could also hear calls for help from inside. Natsuko gave Phoebe a glance that the blond girl understood. She reached in for the power she had, that she'd used earlier, and began to draw it up. She focused and drew the water out around not just one hand, but both. She pointed her arms at the building and pushed the water toward the door and the flames, beating them back. After a path was cleared she pointed one hand at Natsuko and the other back at herself, drenching the both of them so that they would not catch on fire as easily.

"You're not coming in." Natsuko said as she saw her friend dripping wet as well. "It's too dangerous and one of us needs to stay out here."

"I can't let you go in there on your own."

"Look, just stay here, okay? I need someone out here who knows that I'm inside." Natsuko said starting toward the warehouse entryway. She stood there fidgeting and twirling a strand of hair as she watched her friend disappear inside the warehouse. But shortly after she lost sight of Natsuko she shook her head and ran in after her. As she got inside the warehouse she saw that the fire was beginning to creep back in and block off the path she'd made. A bit further in though she could see a few sections devoid of flame. Natsuko stood in one of them trying to find a way to get to another spot where two people stood huddled together. Phoebe recognized them as Mr. Martin, owner of the warehouse, and his wife Meredith.

It came without her even thinking now. The water flowed down her arms and to her hands. Before she even realized she was doing it, there was a stream of water flowing up toward the ceiling and then falling like a shower upon the flames. Natsuko gave her a quick glance and frown before turning back around and running through the receding flames. Phoebe ended the rush of water as Natsuko reached Mr. and Mrs. Martin and started leading them back out again. As she was passing Phoebe and pushing them out a sound reached their ears.

The two girls turned and looked through the flames to the opposite side of the building. Behind the towering flames, the billowing smoke, and the shimmering waves of heat they sighted two forms. One was just under six foot and the other massive, at least ten foot but probably taller. As the black smoked drifted away they got a clearer sight of the forms across from them and saw not two people, but three.

The first was a young man who looked about 14. He wore a red outfit that struck Natsuko as priest- like, almost holy in design. The sleeves had apparently been torn off and his muscularly defined arms could be see in the orange glow of the flames. He also wore a red bandana and had a Mohawk of red hair. At his side he leisurely twirled a sword about five foot in length. Yet the stand out feature about him were his solid red eyes that seemed to glow.

Beside him stood a towering man. He wore a cloak or robe of orange and also a bandana of the same color. His head was bald, his neck thick, and his muscles huge. He appeared to be in his late twenties to early thirties and his eyes were of the same solid and glowing variety as the other man, only his were orange.

Sitting upon his left shoulder was the third person, small and frail looking. She was pale looking, her hair was long, black, and flowing down behind her and the large man, draped over her shoulders and tumbling down over her black dress. She didn't seem very tall, no more than two feet which added to her frail appearance. Her face didn't appear to match her height, she looked about eight or so years old. Unlike the other two, her eyes were normal looking and they couldn't make out their color.

The sight of them lasted only a moment and then the flames moved in again. The girls saw their forms shift and move a second later as they turned and left.

[Jerseymilk]

Well, this is getting more and more interesting as things progress! One thing I would change though, it's only minor, the sentence right after you describe the gym's locker room. I don't think you need to say that there "isn't much but it's all that was needed". Your description right before describing the contents of the room is enough I think. The next sentence is really redundant and I don't know, it just sounds "off" in there to me. Other than that, I'm still really enjoying it. ^_^ I really want to correct your typos for you though and I can't since I'm not a Mod for this section. It's quite frustrating. ;D

[Xyex]

Fixed, and fixed! ;D

Anything you find to change... just bold any spelling/grammar mistakes and bold&italicize anything that you think needs taken out. Any and all help much appreciated Jersey! Should I finish and publish this I'll make sure to stick a thank-you in the front of the book. ;D

[zackarotto]

Aren't you a G-Mod, Jersey...?

[Xyex]

She is now, but but she wasn't when she made that post. ;D

[Jerseymilk]

I went through and edited the chapter Xyex. I just corrected spelling mistakes and added in any punctuation you forgot to put in. The only word change I did was changing "recompose" to "regained her composure", since "recompose" isn't a real word. Although I had to think about that one for a sec myself, especially since it's early morning. XP The only other thing I did was change your dashes to making the words italic whenever the girls were thinking. I just thought it looked better and stood out more that way, but I mean if you don't like it, go ahead and change it back. I hope that's okay what I did.

[Gohan]

Awesome! There are a few other spelling errors that I noticed in there as well, like Minataur should be Minotaur, and blond should be blonde. [glow=green,2,300];D[/glow]

[Xyex]

Actually blond and blonde are both right. ;D

[zackarotto]

I think they're used in different situations. As in, "She has blond hair" and "She is a blonde".

[Gohan]

Ok, I didn't know that, thanks.