• Chapter Two
    The Beginning of the Journey


    Lady Ilene stood from her chair and walked over to Ruka, Ivye and the image of Gig. "Two hundred years ago, Gig and his behemoths terrorized this land and the countries surroundings us. But one day, Lady Layna stood in front of the tower, staff in hand and marched up Gig's tower. After being injured by Gig severely, she sealed his soul away in the onyx blade and placed him in the hand of her statue at her shrine. After Gig's sealing, the behemoths scattered across the countries, hiding themselves for two hundred years. The secret of Gig has been passed down through the mages of Markel. We have been trying to find the perfect host to keep Gig's immense power in check. That's when you came to the town seven years ago, Ruka. I was hoping to let your mind and body to mature a little more but, Gig proved otherwise that he wasn't going to cooperate." she said. Gig crossed his arms over his chest.
    "Did you think I was going to sit there any longer than I have to? I only returned because I found someone who heard my voice. And now that I am back, I'm going to burn this world to ashes!" said Gig with a laugh. Gig continued to laugh as Lady Ilene waved her hand in front of Gig's image.
    "It's time for you to be silent, Gig. Begone." she said. After she said her words, the flame that allowed Gig's image be seen went out. Gig's image went up in smoke like the flame. Ruka watched Gig disappeared from view. Ruka turned to Lady Ilene.
    "Lady Ilene, may I ask a question. Why....." she said as her voice started to shake with rage. "Why must I work with... with HIM!? The one who sicked the behemoths on my town, killing everyone but me! Even my mother..... my mother was killed... by him. Why am I the one to burdened him is me?!" she shouted.
    Lady Ilene walked up to her and placed her hand on Ruka's shoulder. "I understand that this is very frustrating for you but, you are the only one to stop those behemoths from awaking back into our world again. I know that you will be able to stop them once and for all. So I entrust this misson unto you two. Tomorrow, you will leave the village and head south to the city of Harell. Our information says that one of the three behemoths in sleeping in the kingdom of Garde, just north of Harell. You best prepare yourselves for the journey ahead. Now before you leave, Ivye, may I have a word with you in private." she said. Ivye was shocked that Lady Ilene wanted to speak to her alone.
    "Oh.. ok. I'll catch up with you later, Ruka." she said.
    "Are you sure, Ivye?" she said.
    "Yeah, I'll be fine. You go on home without me. See ya tomorrow, Ruka." she said.
    "Ok, bye Ivye." she said. Ruka walked out of the grand room and left Lady Ilene's manor. As she walked over the fountain, her head was filled with questions. Why was I the one to contain Gig? What does Lady Ilene want with Ivye? How am I going to stop the behemoths, she thought. She reached the fountain where she and Ivye hanged out when their were not training. The rock that the fountain was made of marble that shined a beautiful light shade of orange as the sun started to set over the mountains. Ruka sat on the fountain edge, staring out the way she came, as she waited for Ivye to come meet her.
    "Why don't you face it, she's not coming. Why don't you just forget about her and give me your body." said Gig. Ruka crossed her arms at Gig's words.
    "Sorry not going to happen. You can't make me give you my body. It's never going to happen. So, why don't you shut your trap and leave me be." she said. In her mind, she could see Gig crossing his arms and his face showing some anger.
    "Why you smart little b***h. I'll kill you for that!" he said. Ruka smirked at Gig's rage.
    "I like to see you try, seeing as you have no control over my body. So, how you going to do that, smart a**." she said with a smirk. Gig remained silent after Ruka spoke her words. "I thought so." she said. It was only a few minutes later that Ivye showed up at the fountain. She walked calmly up to Ruka, showing no signs of emotion on her face. Ruka stood up and approached Ivye. "Hey Ivye, what did Lady Ilene want from you?" she said. Ivye pulled from her sheaths twin sickle swords and showed off a goofy grin.
    "Lady Ilene said if I was going to come with you, then I needed a weapon to fight with. I choose these bad boys as my weapons. What do you think?" she said.
    "That's great that you have a weapon to fight with but, did you have me leave just for that. What else was there?" she questioned. Ivye's expression changed from calm to angry.
    "That's none of your business, Ruka!" she said. Ivye turned and stomped off towards the west side of town.
    "Hey Ivye, wait!!" she shouted. She reached her hand out to her but, Ivye was already gone. "Dammit." she said.
    "Wow, you pissed her off good, didn't ya? You know you don't have to take her with ya. You could leave her her or give me your body." said Gig with an evil grin.
    "Shut the ******** up, Gig! I don't want to hear your bullshit now, got it?" she yelled. Ruka ran back to her house, ran inside and bellyfloped onto her bed. She stuffed her head into the pillows. "Why, Ivye...... Ivye." she mummered to herself. She fell asleep soon after hitting the bed.

    In her dreams, that soon became a nightmare, was her past. Her town was surounded in flames and burning to ashes. Corpses of the townspeople laided mangled everywhere on the ground. Ruka sat beside one corpse, shaking them deseperately trying to get them to come back. The corpse she was shaking was her only family, her mother. Her mother's body was covered in ash. Her once beautiful long shiny black hair has now been trampled into the dirt. Her deep sprakling violet eyes had turned dull and lifeless.
    "Mother..... Mother! Come back, Mother! Don't leave me here. Please, Mother! Mother........ MOTHER!!!!!!" she screamed.

    Ruka awoke screaming as if she was still in the dream. "MOTHER!!" she shouted. She soon realized that she was awake. She sat up and hugged her knees, with tears in her eyes.
    "So that's what happened, huh?" said Gig.
    "Did...you see...that?" she asked.
    "Well, yeah I did. We share the same body now so, we share the same dreams, the same tastes, the same everything." he said. Ruka sat there shocked at the thought that Gig saw her most private dreams. Her face flushed a bright red at the thought. She has never told anyone about the dream, not even Ivye. Then she shook her head of the thought.
    "I would have love to know these things ahead of time. Seeing as we share everything now. Next time you decide to wait to tell me something, remind me to sock you a good one." she said. She raised her fist and shook it slightly.
    "Wow.... never heard that one before. I'm so scared, I might have wet myself." he said with a laugh. Gig laughed at Ruka as she sighed.
    "Smart a**." she whispered. Ruka climbed out of bed and prepared her things for the trip. She packed up every healing item she owned, slinged her bag over her shoulder, placed the onyx blade on her back, and headed out the door. She walked over to the fountain to see Ivye there with her bag as well. Ivye looked over to see Ruka walking towards her. She waved her hand at her, grinning like her goofy self.
    "Hey, Ruka!! Over here!!" she shouted. Ruka walked up to her, keeping the same pace that she had before she arrived. "Hey Ruka, I'm sorry about yesterday. I hope you can forgive me." she said. Ruka looked up at her and gave a small smile.
    "Of course, Ivye. I can't stay mad at you you forever." she said.
    "Whew.... I thought you hate me for all ete... etr... eter?" she said as she thought about what that word was.
    "Do you mean eternity?" she said.
    "Yeah that word! Thanks Ruka!" she said with a grin.
    "No problem." she said with a smile. In the back of Ruka's mind Gig snickered loudly. "What now?" she shouted at him. Ivye looked at her with a confused expression.
    "What do you mean 'what now'?" said Ivye confused.
    "It's nothing Ivye." she said. She closed her eyes. So what is it now, Gig, she thought
    "I left out a crucial detail. If you made your mind up about taking this idiot, then I have a way to keep track of her." said Gig.
    Quit the mind games and tell me already, she thought.
    "Alright. Alright. I'll be kind enough to tell you. It's called dominion. I think I told that once, didn't I? You dominate someone when they consent on travling with you. Seeing as she already has consent, you can dominate her. To dominate someone, think of them in your mind and then their dominated." he said.
    Whatever, I'll try, she thought. She thought of Ivye in her mind for only a minute. Then in her hand was a small doll of Ivye. Ivye shouted and jumped when she saw the doll of herself.
    "What the heck is that!?" she shouted in shock.
    "This doll you created is proof that she has been dominated. Keep it with you and you can summon her at any time you need her. Go ahead tell her what you did, soulmate." he said.
    "Ivye, I justed dominated you. The doll is proof that you are dominated. If we are ever seperated, I can summon you back to me. Get the idea?" she said.
    "Oh I see. I guess that's one of the powers that you know because that thing inside you now. This all that thing in you's fault." she said.
    "I am not a thing! Let me kill her, just a little control is all I need. Come on!" he said.
    Nope. Not going to happen, she thought.
    "You little b***h." he said.
    "Hey Ivye. We need to head over to the town gate now soon. Let's go Ivye." she said. Ruka started making her way to the gates.
    "Hey wait for me!" she shouted. Ivye chased behind Ruka as the two head south towards the town's gate. When they reached the gate, the entire town was waiting for them. Lady Ilene stood by the gate and beckoned them over. Lady Ilene wore a silk wine robe with a mark of an upside down pentagram. Ruka and Ivye approched her slowly. Lady Ilene held out her staff in the sky.
    "Here before us are two brave souls willing to destroy the World Eaters." she began. Lady Ilene pulled a document from her robe. "This document will allow you to enter any of the royal cities you may come across. But I must warn you. Once you leave the village, you must not return here until the World Eaters are vanquished. You must pretend that this village does not exist, to protect everyone that lives here. As the sixth royal mage of the country of Markel, I wish you a safe journey. We will pray for your safe return." she said. Behind Lady Ilene, the gates opened, reveiling the long and winding path leading away from the town. Ruka and Ivye walked outside the gates, turned around and waved a final farewell. They turned back and began walking down the path, listening to the cheers of townspeople.
    "Go Ruka and Ivye!" they said.
    "You can do it!" they shouted.
    "Show those World Eaters who's boss!" they hollered. The cheers of the villagers grew more faint as they continued down the path to the city of Harrel.