Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

The echoing of Sid’s feet shattering the silence, as she hurled herself up the steep, spiral steps. She almost stumble several times. When she reached the top, she rested her weight on the door-less frame and panted in a fit for air. She considered turning back, but knew that was a bad idea. So she pushed on, stumbling as her knees buckled but her muscles braced themselves to keep her standing.

Ah man, I should have eaten. A thought hit her mind, but it was faint; Sid was all to determine to get across the centre wall �" the second line of defence for the city.

As she entered the walls walkway, the clouds shook and rumbled at the sight of her. Cringing away as a bolt descended from the dark clouds above and shattered somewhere in the close distance. The sky bleed rain and the drops splattered into a hundred more, multiplying as it hit the ground. If the sun was to be seen, it’ll be setting behind the castle at the moment.

Sid stuttered to the door that stood at the end of the path. At a gently push the door opened, creaking on hinges, rust cracked and crippled to the stone slab floor. The room that was now revealed was shaded in complete shadow, making it impossible to see past an arm’s length away. She moved cautiously through the shadows, feeling her way deeper. After about fourteen bird steps into the room she stumbled, hitting an object and chocked on a scream of pure pain as she lay on the floor; rolled up in a ball, grasping her empty stomach.

A sudden slam shot through the small room, the dim light was now killed and Sid was in total darkness. She picked herself off the floor, using the wall to guide her. She stood there bruised from head to toe, in physical hurt but stood emotionless from her stubborn nature; she wasn’t ever going to show herself weak, even if she had no chance, she’ll fight till the end.

    Her head rocked from left to right, as she dusted off her hands and then braced herself on the wall again. Picturing the room small, rectangular with bare walls from the feel of it.

The room disturbed by a distant voice, the source coming from beyond the room “She could of went in here” The voice hit her, sending a shudder down her back, with her pulse quickening and her heart beating against her ribs; If she could hear it, could they?

She stared at the darkness, waiting.

Then another voice hit her, this one was clearly old and deep, one of a man’s “But that room don’t go anywhere” The man noted. Sid cursed under her breathe.

“Yeah, but she won’t know that” The other voice returned, not making Sid any more comfortable then the last time he spoke.

Sid realised she was backed up into one of the far corners of the room and has resorted to a crouch. Shrinking further into the gap as the door creaked, exposing the room to a light that Sid suspected as a foreign source to the sun. However, she cringed away and frantically blinked and rubbed her eyes from the red blotches that unusually stained her lids. When she regained her sight and hearing, there was nothing. No sound of footsteps, Sid dared a peek out from behind her barrier that her arms formed. When she did so, she realised that two feet were perched in front of where she's sitting. Sid’s heart leaped in freight as a hand reached down gripping around her arm, then pulled her off of the ground and onto her face where she climbed onto her hands and knees; with her capture still latched onto her arm.

    Sid’s mind was a mix of questions and panic. I bet their going to read my mind now and find where Row went, but worse of all, where ‘Head House’ is. Sid swallowed hard then slowly raised her gaze until her was focus on the figure crossing the distance easily with a couple of steps then looked down at her thoughtfully.

“You didn’t need to drag her Goru” The figure spoke with the old mans voice.

“Sorry Rove” The uneasy feeling overcame Sid again and she sank. But she was forced up, tugged by the gripped arm and then set back down; a shrug she guessed.

“I don’t think she’s fully changed yet, otherwise she would of hurt me more when she struggled” Goru pointed out, throwing his voice around into a surrounding echo. It was only then that Sid realised that she did kick back a little, but she knew she was too weak.

    Rove looked from Goru to Sid then knelt so his face was in level with Sid’s. She took this opportunity to put a face to Rove. She focused the little light onto his face and made out the shapes of a cheek and his thin lips. She made out that his obviously old, but no clear wrinkles, he was well groomed too.

Rich magicians. Sid thought in disgust. Paid by the king.

    Rove picked one of his hands and slowly reached it over to Sid, couscous as if to stork a stray dog. She pulled away, but then realised that the man just placed two of his fingers gently on the top of her head. He then just shook his head at her, inclined his head in a typical disappointed face, and then sighed.

“I’m not going to hurt you” He insured Sid calmly, but with his deep uneven voice, it didn’t make much difference.

He moved his hand again and placed it in the same place, and then closed his eyes. Sid’s face screwed into complete confusion, she’s never seen a magician at work before. After a few heart beats, Rove’s eyes opened and pulled back his hand. But instead of a ‘thank you’ his face was in concentration, he then stood and faced his companion.

“It’s weird” Rove paused, considering words to use “It’s like she has the virus” �" Sid flinched away at the name that they use �" “But it runs with her blood and lives in peace with her body, not kill it.”

“But maybe that’s just how it starts” Goru suggested, but Rove was shaking his head in opposition.

 Sid stared in disbelief, was a magician really protecting me? Her stare moved to the determination in Goru’s eyes. Or did he want me dead?

However, Sid couldn’t help notice how his brown eyes suited him. With his short blond hair and golden tanned skin. It was unusual; he was unusually cute; in his own way. Sid shied away as he noticed her stare and returned it, revealing that he was very young; probably only two years older than Sid. But she captured a pan of sympathy in his gaze that threw her.

Why is magic’s feeling sozy for me? Sid thought out of annoyance.

“What are we going to do with her” Goru asked softly, his gaze lingered on Sid’s face and she didn’t dare to look up.

    Rove then joined Goru’s stare at the short, dirty girl; who stood in rags, with her blond hair faded in dirt in some areas and knotted all over. He then moved his gaze to Sid’s eyes that twinkled in a deeper blue than usual in the night light. Then Rove sighed heavily.

“We have to take her back to the guild, we need to discover why her body lives like this in such danger” Rove turned to Goru then the obvious question hit Goru’s face and he almost jumped to ask it.

“How do we move her, I don’t think she’ll agree to co-operate” Obviously Goru liked to move things by force, showing that he liked to abuse his power at any moment it’s needed. But, Rove turned toward Sid again; with Goru mimicking too, placing two lots of eyes staring at her once again and then she felt uneasy.

“Will you co-operate with us?” Rove asked, a little too polite Sid thought.

Then she turned her attention to the questions, if she rejected their offer, then they’ll probably drag her through the city if they had the chance; but that will attract too much attention. They will probably just put magic around her to stop her escaping. But if she agreed then she could slip away if she gets the chance.

Sid then looked up and nodded. They smiled in return and Rove led the way to the door again, Goru smiled softly and waved his hand across his body gesturing for her to follow Rove and then he trailed along behind her.

 

Row shook her head in disappointment, seeing the familiar magicians that forced Sid and her to split up; they moved beyond sight behind the local shops. Row swore.

“Damn ju Sid, I told ju we should stay together. Well, Ikuto isn't going to be happy about this” Row spoke pointlessly to herself, with her rough and tangy accent.

Her rag robe picked up in the wind as she climb over to the corner of the roof and jumped; sliding down a pipe till she hit the floor then swung her robes out of her way and walked along the damp ally way to the main street, pulling her hood up.

After her quick steps ended she stopped outside a autumn leaf looking door; holes in random places and the outer layer of wood peeling away. Row knocked a quick three times then kicked the door  once, after a second of scattering feet grew closer to the door and vibrated below her feet. It swung inwards, revealing a short brown haired boy stood beyond it. Row easily looked down at him and smiled at his face that he pulled; she guessed he just woke up.

“Hey Kira, where’s Ikuto?” Row sounded loud, still her accent bounced at the lip in the letters she pronounced. He pulled a puzzled face, as if he didn’t understand the question. But then he stepped back to allow Row to pass and pointed to an occupied chair on the other side of the room facing a corner. Row strolled in as if she owned the place, she moved across the room, dusted with ash. When Row reached the chairs’ side where Ikuto sat. She heard the door slam shut behind her and footsteps followed in a race up steps that creaked, and then faded.

“Wow, Ikuto. I hardly recognized ju, ju normally stay in your room” Row commented, with a sly smile pulling at her lips.

“Where’s Sid?” Ikuto said firmly, as furious as he would be if Row just told him; she swallowed hard then wondered how much she could tell him without him totally exploding.

“that's why I'm 'ere. I saw her get towed away by the Magic’s” Row slangy admitted. Ikuto roared in anger and rose from his seat, forcing it to rock back and hit the floor. He pushed past Row and darted to the stairs.

“Get down here runts!” He sent the message killing the silence upstairs as hundreds of paces hit the floor frantically, Row just remained in the position next to the knocked over chair, with a stroppy look over throwing her real excitement of a fight; no-one liked it when Ikuto shouted at them, it was as if they disappointed not just Ikuto but the whole family.

Ikuto was now pacing around the room thinking about battle plans Row like to think, but her mind was always set on battle plan, it didn’t really occurred to her that she was the only one who was really interested in pretending to fight. Ikuto was interrupted in a mid pace moment as familiar faces appeared at the bottom of the stairs and started to sit on creates and barrels lying against the far wall next to the staircase. When no more pattering of feet shifted the silence, Row moved over to stand next to Ikuto as a tradition of a meeting; the person providing important information would stand next to the highest in command �" Ikuto.

Row recognized the faces of her adopted family, all looking nothing alike. She scanned past faces, seeing Amu standing with a grin, her brown hair waving half-way down her back and standing in a rich looking dress; for the outer houses to have. Then Row notice Kira again, next to him was Kairi �" cousin to Amu �" and stood two feet higher then Kira and with lighter skin; even though it was hard to tell because they was smothered in dirt. Last but not least stood Sakura, the youngest, smallest and cutest of them all. She was approximately a foot smaller then Kira and the same dark golden brown as him too.

“Where’s Miko?” Ikuto demanded. But people just looked at each other and murmured things too low for Row to make out. “Okay, okay. We’ll just go on without him” Ikuto looked down shock his head in disappointment, which sent a twinge of hope to fade in Row’s mind.

Are we going to be able to get Sid back? Row thought in desperation. It killed her to think that her blood sister was captured because of her.

“I heard some disturbing news. Our family member Sid has been captured by the guild” As he paused to allow gasps and muttering conversations, he waved his hands to quieten them, when they was quiet he continued “As you all know Sid and Row” �" he stopped and waved a hand at Row, to incline that she was here and Sid wasn’t �" “Left us to prevent the guild being drawn to our ‘Head House’ because of the virus that they contained” He paused took a deep breath then let it out slowly “Row has came back with news of what happened” He nodded to Row as he stepped back and she looked towards the small curious family.

“My blood sis Sid has been towed by the Magic’s” Row paused, then decided where to start her story from and best thought to start it at the beginning “Sid and I separated when we was being trailed, she insisted that it was the only way to kick them off our trail and we’ll meet back up at the abandoned church to rest. I listened to her and her dazed plan and went along with it. When I realised no Magic’s trailed me, I headed for the church as planed” Row stopped then looked at Sakura who was obviously scared by the story; she cuddled her teddy and embedded her face into Kairi’s shoulder. “When I reached the roof after finding it as empty as it always is, I saw her being towed off with the two Magic’s who put up the trail” When Row finished she looked back for the support from Ikuto and he stepped forward.

“So, the decision is if we risk saving her or not” Ikuto ended.

Voices picked up and it seemed everyone �" but Sakura �" was arguing, but a voice over throne them all “Silence!” Everyone stopped and looked at the source �" Ikuto.

 

“What are you doing Sidicus” Miko asked himself as he watched her cross a street ahead, toed by two Magic’s, Miko shook his head in disappointment. It didn't make much sense to the reason that Sid was here in the market - the most busiest place of the lower houses.

One of the Magic’s stared to talk to the older one, asking a question Miko presumed. Suddenly Sid ducked out of sight; blending in with the ragged dressed people was a good slip away. However, the younger Magic turned his head at the moment of her disappearance and before knowing it, Miko broke into a sprint.

The young magic headed back across the road and down the street; towards Miko. The older magic looked lost and bobbed his head up and down searching where they both slipped off to. 

Miko headed to an imaginary point, four feet in front of the young Magic and moved it again every time he got closer to the imaginary point. He dashed into an ally way and peeked around the corner, catching sight of a small kid ruffling through the crowd and the tall magic right behind her. 

As Sid ran pass, Miko was grateful that she was in an arm’s length away. He threw his hands out and caught her, she struggled hitting and punching; even tried to scream once or twice, but Miko kept a tight grip on her mouth �" leaving her nose unblocked to allow her to breath.

She struggled and threw her elbow into the Miko's stomach, but the he braced and no harm to him was done.

“Sid” He whispered in her ear. “Sid, listen to me and stop struggling” He then demanded “Your throwing a fit over nothing” He released her and she spun around, facing Miko. Her face grew into a smile, he threw out his arms and Sid jumped into them forcing him to stumble back. “Okay Sid”

“Sorry Pa” Sid replied, Miko laughed at the family tree thing that they made up; him being the dad and Amu the mum, Sid, Row, Kira and Sakura was His children, with Kairi as their uncle (being cousin to Amu) and Ikuto’s the leader (or otherwise known as big brother �" to everyone in the family).

“Heh well. Let’s get my kid back home to mummy, otherwise we might get into more kick on the way” He smiled opened his hand, Sid smiled and set hers in his; they set down the alley way to the dead end. Miko wisped her up onto a bin and she climbed the rest, while Miko followed.

 

“Oh my god, oh my god” Amu paced the neglected room, being the only one downstairs at the HQ “They’re just going to let those magic’s have her” Her breathing was out of beat, growing deeper at some points and hollow in others “I should of looked after her, Row sho-” She paused; her breathing and pacing staring at the door.

    She thought she heard a knock, but it might have been her imagination. But then it came again. It was the ‘code knock’ �" three quick taps and a kick �" she creped over the short distance and opened it slowly with a creek.

“Sid!” She shouted, throwing herself into a hug and gripped Sid close.

Sid moved back to examine the excitement, or worry “Miko saved me” She said slowly, as if it was obvious that he’ll always be around to save the day.

“Hay love” Amu said looking at Miko. His smirk placed his personality so well; his dark skin and short curled hair was a simple sight. But for Amu, it was the world to see Miko return �" he had a habit of disappearing �" and she hadn’t seen him for days.

“Amu, I wasn’t going to let anything happen to our child” He pointed out, his expression sobered and his hand raised to cradled Amu’s cheek, using a finger to outlined a worry line, She blushed at how observant he was and then he moved in, kissed her lightly but passionate and then passed her; walking into the house.

Sid was use to seeing this type of scene between them, but the face that she pulled was humorous. Amu giggled and then sighed, Sid never looked at guys; she started to worry, Sid’s 17 and she’s pretty. When Sid returned Amu's stare, she smiled in return, lighting up her face and sent her cheeks going rosy. Then Amu sighed again.

“Ikuto is going to be happy Sid’s returned to us” Amu told Miko with a light smile and slightly squinted eyes �" from the joy; but what for, Sid’s return or Miko’s?

Reviews

[nono]

Shugo Chara? Nice! I love it your talented and very good at writing what you want people to see. Keep it up!!

[Rachel Elizabeth]

A Shugo Chara piece?