Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 05:17:45 EST From: Morbddream@aol.com Subject: Crimson Tears - 23 Disclaimer: If you are too young, or if homosexual themes offend you, please leave. This is a work of complete fiction. It is not meant to imply anything about the sexualities of any of the members of Nsync. Most likely all of us authors only wish we knew the truth, anyway. Note: Sorry about the delay on the last Chapter... I have no excuse. I just got lazy, and didn't write for a while. I can't promise it won't happen again. All I can do is promise to do my best to get this, and future chapters out as quickly as possible. ****************************************************************************** From 22: We all walked out of the room, out of the castle, out of the town. We headed north until we came to the small port town Isaiah mentioned. I recognized it immediately. "Luna." I whispered ****************************************************************************** Chapter 23: I couldn't believe I was back there. I looked around and saw the familiar stone building. It had been painted since then, though, and was being used again. "I'll be right back." I whispered to Justin. I approached the guard, and stopped in front of him. "Who might you be, young man?" I could tell by his expression that he was a kind person. The look in his eyes told me he didn't want to be there. "I'm Jacob. I just wanted to come make sure this jail isn't being used for the same things it used to be." I glared at him. "I don't know what it used to be used for, but there are a couple of criminals locked up inside." I tried to look past him, but he blocked my view. "Criminals? Are you sure they commited a crime?" I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, and saw a group of soldiers. Behind them I saw my friends. They were being restrained by some of the soldiers. "You look awfully familiar." Croaked one of the soldiers. "Yeah, he does. He looks a lot like that elf that got away a few years back, huh?" I heard a few snickers from inside the group. The one in front seemed to be the leader. He took a step toward me. He leaned in close. His breath smelled of rotten meat. "You won't get away this time." He whispered. I smirked, which seemed to spark his fury. Something in his eyes clicked. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I raised my arm. His sword shattered on impact. "What the hell?" Muttered one of the soldiers. The man guarding the jail put a hand on my soldier. He whispered in my ear. "You are the saviors, aren't you?" I slowly nodded, and turned my attention back to the group of soldiers. I saw one of them holding Gail's face. I saw his tounge slide over her cheek. She looked at me, a glimmer in her eye. "Jacob!" She sounded helpless. "Anthony... He's... an... adult... now?" A smile crossed my face. I nodded, and watched intently. "I... was... just... checking..." Her voice sounded faint. Her eyes suddenly flew open. "Because this mother fucker is starting to piss me off!" She elbowed the man in the stomach and turned to him. "You smell like shit, asshole! Your breath is worse! I was going to let you live until you put that disgusting thing on my face! Now I'm gonna kick your fuckin' ass!" She screamed. She launched herself at him, scratching at his face. The rest of us just watched, amazed at her outburst. His face was covered in blood. He was on the ground. Gail was kicking him mercilessly. With every kick she screamed a different obsenity. Then she decided it was time to get her message across. "Don't ::kick:: you ::kick:: ever ::kick:: fucking ::kick:: touch ::kick:: me ::kick:: again!" With that last word, she drew her foot back as far as she could, and let loose. I could hear the bones crunch under the impact. She turned back to me, and smiled. "I've been holding those in for too long!" The rest of the soldiers were amazed at her power. They absent mindedly drew their swords, still looking at their fallen comrade. "We're gonna have to kill you for that." Said their leader, looking at me. "Look, he's not dead. If you start a fight with us, you all will be." I squeezed his shoulder. "Just give us a ship, and we'll be on our way." "He's arrived!" A horde of small creatures was screeching as a fluctuating beam pulsated into a throne. A loud moan could be heard as the beam took shape. "Go to Malak! Now! He must know!" The beam had taken shape, now, but remained unseen in the shadows. "Ahhhh! Has the time come already?" The figure asked in a deep, demanding voice. "Yes, sire! They have arrived at the port town. A small band of soldiers are going to challenge them." The figured shifted. "Good. I need the souls. I am still weak. I wish to witness this. You!" It said, pointing at one of the creatures. It pulled out a small, glowing ball. "Take this to the town! Offer this gift to the soldiers! It is not enough to destroy them, but it will slow them down." The creature flew up to the figure, and took the ball. It bowed, and flew upward. It then sped toward Luna, holding the ball tightly. The soldiers snickered. "You think you can beat us?" He pointed at the barely living lump on the ground. "He was a new recruit. He was weak." I sighed. "Fine. Have it your way." I drew back my hand, and smashed his face. "Is that enough evidence? Please just leave us alone! We don't want to have to kill you!" The soldiers looked nervous, but were determined to fight. I heard a giggle from above. I looked up and saw a familiar creature. It swooped down, and landed in front of me. The soldiers had released my friends and they gathered behind me. "Who leads this little group?" Squeaked the imp. "I do." Said a man, stepping up. "With the death of Richard, I am the leader." The creature giggled again. "Good. Good! My master is already gaining strength. Join us! We are immortal. We cannot die. If you join us, you will not die! Join us!" The creature was dancing. It displayed a small, glowing ball. I couldn't determine the color. It didn't seem to have one. "Take it! Take it! Salvation! It will take away all of your pain!" The creature threw the ball to the groups new leader, and leaped into the air. The soldier looked into the ball. He began shaking. "Ha. Ha ha." He looked at me. "Ha ha ha! It seems the grape is on the other plane, now. Ha ha. It is mine. Mine! You shouldn't have ate the grape. Ha ha." He began looking around for something. "Foofoo! Where are you? Foofoo! The boat! Don't you see it! Get on this boat, now! Ha ha. I'm your daddy, and I'm telling you to get on that boat, now! Ha ha. Ha. Excuse me, Sir, I want my grape. You ate my grape! Please regurgitate that grape, and put it into my little basket. Ha ha. Oh. My little globe. Please change." The ball flashed brightly. It changed into a small pill, no bigger than an imp's eye. "Little pill. Oh, how I love you. Let me swallow you." He looked up at me, and pointed. "I will get my grape! MY GRAPE! I will get it back!" He swallow the tiny pill. He grabbed his stomach, and fell to the ground. The rest of the soldiers did the same. Their bodies bulged. The skin exploded, leaving hideous creatures behind. The leader stood, and looked around. "You are the ones?" I stood, ready to attack. "That's it! Show me your feeble power! Show me why my master wants you dead!" The creature attacked, snapping it's huge jaws at me. It stood tall. Taller than most of the buildings in town. A thick, green slime dripped from it's razor sharp fangs. A thick mane of fur lay on top of it's head. It lunged again, but hit nothing but air. The rest of the soldiers were fighting my friends, but not getting anywhere. I drew my hand back, drawing power into my body as I did so. I thrusted it toward the creature. A powerful beam of energy shot out of my palm, bursting into the creatures body. My fist followed, finishing the hole the beam started. It's blood burned like acid. I quickly pulled my arm back, shaking the blood off. "What the hell are you?" I screamed. It just laughed. "I am but a servant to my master. You cannot destroy me." His wound was smaller. It slowly closed, not showing a single sign of ever being a wound. The rest of the creatures had been destroyed. I looked back to the creature in front of me. He was outnumbered, and surrounded, but he didn't seem to care. Justin had changed into a weretiger. He let out a deep, barely audible growl. Joey's arms had changed. They were solid stone. His fingers ended in sharp points. Chris's body was covered in a deep blue armor. A cold mist rose from the armor, vanishing in the warm air. The familiar whirl winds danced around him, now reaching his waist. Lance was holding a spear. The spear seemed to capture the light, and throw it out in every direction brighter than the sun itself. Both Vincent, and JC were engulfed in smokeless fire. The fire seemed to dance around their bodies, warding off the mist from Chris' armor that reached them. Gail stood, ready to leap at the creature. Anthony was glowing white. I wondered what his power was before turning my attention to Alexander. He was gripping a sword. The sword had a faint, black glow to it. The glow suddenly intensified. The black glow trailed off like smoke. Luke was standing, with his eyes tightly shut. The creatures that they had killed had changed back into their human forms, and were standing behind him, staring blankly toward the creature. Luke nodded, and the soldiers stumbled toward the creature. They slashed at it with their swords, slicing it's light brown flesh. Lance jumped into the air, disappearing momentarily. He burst into view from above the creature, his spear pointed down. The spear pierced the skull. The monster screamed in pain as Joey ran toward it, pushing his arms into it's chest. When his arms left the creatures body, Chris dashed toward him, the whirl winds following closely. He stopped, suddenly, holding his hand toward the creature. A bright blue spike emerged from his palm. It flew toward the creature, piercing it's side. An icyh mist flowed from the wound, freezing part of the creatures body. Justin jumped into the air, slashing at the creature before landing. Deep slash marks gushed blood from the creatures face. The flame on both Vincent, and JC's bodies seemed to merge between them. When the flame had left both their bodies, they seemed to push some invisible object toward it. The fire flew toward him, exploding on impact. Half of the creatures body was badly burned, some flesh missing from various parts of it's body. Gail flew toward the creature, her leg extended. It connected with a loud crack, crushing part of the creatures skull. Alexander Lunged toward the beast, piercing just below the heart. When he withdrew his sword, the glow was gone. It was in the wound, keeping it from closing. I walked toward the monster, stopping inches from it. I held both hands out, palms facing the monster. From one hand, the familiar spear of fire began forming. In the other a bright ball of light formed. The spear flowed out of my hand, and into the ball which had moved directly between my eyes, a few inches from my face. The ball flashed, and changed. The seemingly harmless ball flew upward, changing into a thin beam of light. I stepped back, as did everyone else. Alexanders sword had prevented all of the wounds we had inflicted from closing. The monster was kneeling, holding the wound under his heart. A dim sparkle could be seen above monster. It looked at me. "Damn you." It muttered. The beam of light struck this monster with the force of a thousand charging bull demons. It's body, what was left of it, lay lifeless in the middle of the town for a few seconds before vanishing. "I expected much less from you mortals." An unseen creature spoke menacingly. A black ball of light hovered above our heads. "Your powers are strong, but not strong enough." It snickered. "Who, or what are you?" I directed my question at the ball. "I am Altimus." It sounded as if it had a huge reputation, and that we should knoe the name. "I've never heard of you." I said, smirking at the ball. "Jacob, don't anger him." Celeste walked up behind me, watching the ball intently. "That would be a very bad Idea." Stated Isaiah, stopping beside me. "Who is is?" I asked. "Altimus would be the opposite of Isaiah." Celeste stated calmly. "As evil as Isaiah is good. As powerful, too. They can both destroy anything, with the exception of each other, and the creator." Gail gasped. "Altimus? I thought his name was Lucifer?" Celeste turned to Isaiah. "No, that would be a family member of his. Lucifer went to their realm with the protection of Altimus. That's why we sent the man they know as God." Lance looked confused. "I thought that old man at the temple..." Isaiah cut him off. "No, wrong person. Most of what you know about God is true. Were you told you were meeting God? Nowhere near it. God is a name, here. A symbol in your realm. He keeps the balance there, because he is as powerful as Lucifer. God is my brother. Lucifer is his." He pointed at the ball with a sneer. "How rude!" Screeched the ball. "Carrying on like that. Ignoring me! I should destroy you all, now!" Isaiah laughed. "You know the deal, Altimus! If you touch these mortals, your powers are gone!" The ball shifted. "If yout ouch any of my servants, yours are. Same with all the gods, witht the exception of two. Of course I know the deal!" The ball shifted again, and disappeared. "Goodbye, mortals. We will probably meet again, soon." The voice faded. I turned to Celeste. "With the exception of two?" I asked, knowing who it was. "Yes, it's true. Only Malak, and I are allowed to touch servants of the opposite side. That's why he attacked you. We're also the only opposite powers that are allowed to fight each other. Thanks to you." She smiled at me. "It's complicated, child. Don't try to understand it." "It's time for you to go. There is a ship there, the captain will comply. Oh, and Jacob. The prisoners in that jail were placed there because they are elves. Just as you were." Isaiah smiled, and vanished. Celeste did the same, waving as she did. My gaze turned to the jail. I walked slowly to the guard and stopped in front of him. "Move." I said simply. He did. He had a huge grin on his face. I grabbed the handle of the door and pulled. The sound of metal bending screeched through the town. The creaking roused the elves inside. They rushed to the door. The lock on the door snapped, and the door flew open. "Go home, my friends. You don't belong here." The elves ran past me with lightning speed. When they disappeared, I turned back to the building. I touched one of the walls, and slid my hand across it as I walked toward the docks. My friends follwed, as well as the guard. A huge explosion could be seen from the dock. Pieces of the jail splashed into the water. "Never again." I whispered as I stepped onto the ship.