Heaven and Earth: Betrayal ch1 Fate Comes To Call prt2

k, from this point on I've loaded all the stuff I've written already, i'll load the rest as it comes, so it'll be at a slower pace. Questions continue to pile up, but you'll start getting answers to some soon.

Chapter 1: continued-

Cursing Rath jumped to the side and the dagger hit the mirror, shattering it into a hundred shards. The lamp came crashing down breaking and plunging the room into darkness just as Rath ducked behind the couch.

He hunkered down as more knives thunked into the walls, and the couches upholstery. Rath was slipping towards the stairs when he felt someone come up behind him. He ducked and turned just in time to avoid a rope coming down over his head. Suddenly his vision tunneled and Rath knew just what to do.

With one arm he blocked the unknown assailant, swearing as a sharp knife bit deep into his forearm. At the sime time he leaned back and kicked the other person in the stomach, sending him flying across the room.

Quickly Rath turned and dashed up the staircase, hoping he wouldn't get a knife in the back. He was already in his room with the door closed and locked behind him, before Rath came to and realised what had happened. Leaning against the door he was still able to hear the person downstairs, thanks to his sharpened senses.

Suddenly a shriek cut the air and then all was silent. Shuddering Rath slid to his knees, his back still against the door. Rath wrapped his arms around himself as adrenaline wore off and disbelief set in. As Rath calmed down he finally noticed the pain in his arm. Wincing he glanced down and saw his left forearm was covered in blood.

Rath staggered to his feet and went into the bathroom, shedding his shirt he tossed it in a pile beside the door. He stuck his arm under water to clean the scratches and get the blood off. When his arm was washed Rath could see three deep, criss crossing cuts. He cringed as he unwrapped the bandage from his head using it to cover the cuts, He finished the job by covering the thin gauze bandages with a thick white towel.

With shaking hands Rath tied off the the makeshift bandage. Glancing in the mirror he saw a dark purple egg shaped bruise on his forehead. There were other bruises too, on his chest and arms, courtesty of his fall down the stairs, but they were yellowed, and looked like they were days instead of hours old.

Rath rubbed the bruise on his head thinking, "I may have hit my head harder than I thought, but I sure as hell didn't imagine that guy that was downstairs. And I didn't imagine the fact that i'm seeing and hearing better then I ever did. These bruises are healing way faster then they should've too. What the hell is going on here?"

Exhausted from the fight, too much thinking, and too much blood loss, Rath turned and went back into his room. He collapsed onto his bed, by the time his head hit the pillow, he was already sound asleep. And for once he didn't dream.

***

All too soon morning came, the sun rose over the mountains, rays of light breaking through the clouds to touch the ground. Waves crashed against the cliffs, and a light breeze stirred the air. It seemed as if there was nothing left of last nights storm.

Rath woke to the sound of feet pounding down the hallway. Groaning he sat up stiffly, and looked around the bedroom. The bed was tucked in the corner, sheets and blankets were bunched up at the bottom as if they'd been kicked there. A desk sat beneath the window, half buried in paper and text books, the television sat on a small stand between the bathroom and closet doors. A pile of clothes sat in the open closet door. Books, clothes, and other stuff were strewn all over the room. About the only clear space was around Rath's stereo, beside it sat an electric guitar, and a silver flute. CD cases were stacked on the other side.

Stifling a yawn Rath glanced down at his arm blinking, at the now blood-stained towel. He winced as he peeled the towel and gauze away to stare blankly at his arm. The cuts had been deep, deep enough to need stitchs. But now the fresh cuts had healed, they'd become three new silver scars forming an X with an extra slash through it. The skin was taut, and his arm hurt a little, but there was almost nothing left of the wounds.

He bolted into the bathroom to stare at his reflection. Where the bruises had been the night before there was now clean unbroken skin. Shaking his head Rath grabbed a t-shirt, and a long sleeved leather jacket. He pulled on a pair of gloves, and his boots before turning and walking out the door. He turned to see what looked like half the dorm standing on the staircase.

Sora walked quickly by ignoring Rath as he shoved through the crowd to reach the other side of the hall. Quizically Rath came to the stairs to see what everyone was looking at even though he already knew what it was.

The foyer was a mess, about a dozen knives were embedded in the wall and couch. Pillows were strewn everywhere, a broken chair sat beside the door, the glass deeply cracked. Shards of the broken mirror were scattered everywhere and a small trail of blood led from the entrance up the stairs to Rath's door.

Strangest of all were the symbols burned into the wall, for some reason Rath could understand what they said. 'Villains aren't the only ones who die a thousand deaths, sometimes heroes do to. Watch yourself fool!'

Rath shivered when suddenly someone shoved him from behind and he stumbled down the stairs into the trashed foyer. He turned to see a short blond youth with spiky hair, and round glasses sneering at him from a few steps up the staircase.

"What've you got to say for yourself rat, everyone here knows you're the one who made this mess. It's bad enough we have to look at you and your filthy sister, now your trashing our turf too?" Jarred Pike ranted arrogantly from the top of the stairs, he failed to notice Rath's eyes narrowing dangerously as he rubbed his jaw. Neither did Jarred notice the other boys stepping away from him.

Rath may have been in the problem class, but most of the guys admired him because he was so good at sports, they also respected him alot more then they admired him and knew that while he didn't care if he was insulted, bringing up Aura was tabboo and bound to get you laid up in the infirmary. Like most people they could tell a fight was brewing.

In one bound Rath was back up the stairs, and within moments he had Jarred on his knees his arm twisted behind his back so that just a little pressure would be enough to break it.

Leaning forward Rath whispered into Jarred's ear his voice low and viscious. "That is going too far dimwit. What, did you think a few stairs would stop me from hurting you? Bet you feel real big insulting a twelve year old girl. Leave Aura alone and I might just leave your arm intact. What happened to me last night is my bussiness."

He twisted Jarred's arm hard, making sure it would bruise before he pushed the smaller boy up the stairs. Jarred turned to stare at him, opening his mouth to say something, he turned with a squeak and ran up the stairs as Rath took a step towards him again.

Jarred flushed with embarassment as Rath's parting taunt drifted through the dorm to be heard by almost everyone. "Run little rabbit, run."

Rath turned and ran out the door pulling the hood over his head. As the other boys wandered away to do their own stuff, no one noticed the Sora standing to the side, a dark smile flitting across his face.

Jarred dashed up the stairs to the fourth floor, turning sharply he ran down the hall and slammed into his dorm room. He snarled as he walked across the clean room, to glare down at Rath as he watched the other boy dash out of the dorm.

"Arrogant, son-of-a-bitch, upstart. I wish he'd just die already." Jarred said through clenched teeth.

"Do you really?" The voice was silken and pure, beautiful, like velvet night.

Jarred whirled around to face the boy lounging on his bed. The other boy was in his late teens, and very tall. With short, messy blue-black hair and thick lashed blue-violet eyes. He was almost demonically beautiful, so much so that Jarred felt himself falling into the older boy's eyes.

Shaking his head Jarred glared at the boy, clenching his fists. "Who are you!?" The demand was natural, and he was surprised when the other boy ignored him.

He got up and to stare out the window, in the distance you could see Rath near the school buildings. Again the boy turned to study Jarred, a small cold smile on his face.

"A friend, that is, if you meant what you said." The casual answer only served to anger Jarred more.

Grinding his teeth, Jarred studied the other boy, gauging him before he replied. "Yes. I want him dead, an adoptive upstart like him, shouldn't even breath the same air as me, better if he doesn't breath at all."

The dark boy's smile widened showing perfect white teeth. "Then what say we help each other. Me? I have my own reasons for wanting to see him dead.

Once Jarred nodded stiffly the boy turned to walk out the door. Jarred called after him. "Wait, what's your name?"

The answer was tossed over the older boys shoulder, as he opened the door. "Keigo."

The door closed with a final sounding click and Jarred let his legs give out, sitting on the floor with a thump. He shivered, realising that the room was several degrees colder, so much colder he could actually see his breath. Jarred got up and sat down at his desk to do homework. But as he started, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had just made a deal with the devil.

***

Rath wandered past the main buildings, his whole body tense with rage, and supressed energy. The grass was still wet from yesterdays double storm, and thin mist clung to everything. The sun was already high in the cloudless sky, which was a flawless blue. It was as if the small tempests never happened.

Quickly, he walked to the back of the school, Rath was standing in front of large double doors. The doors were old and the paint on them was peeling but the padlock and chains wrapped around the handles were anything but old and rusted.

Glancing around, Rath checked to see if anyone was nearby. It was early, and the only people out were sports teams, who were to far away to make out details. Rath bent down, crouching in front of the door, he pulled a soft leather case out of a jacket pocket, and flipped it open. Taking the chains in one hand, Rath set to work picking the lock.

In moments the door was open and Rath had slipped inside the belltower without anyone noticing. He walked toward the center of the room, head tilted back to stare up at the top of the tower. The spiral staircase seemed to go on forever, but everyone knew the tower was only twelve stories high.

The tower was hundreds of years old, and had already been there when the school was built, standing in the forest with no sign of human life around it. No one had ever been able to enter the bell room at the top of the tower, but many people climbed the stairs, to admire the carvings on the stone doors. The stairs had no rail and vibrant stained glass windows were set into the wall. Indeed the tower seemed completely untouched by the passage of time. The only thing that had changed were the wooden doors, that were fitted into the open archway, that was the original entrance.

With its elegant and graceful architecture, the tower had been the pride of the school. The school's pride that is, until one of the students flung herself off top landing, falling to her death. After that, the school had barred the doors, and forbidden the students to enter, a fact that Rath cheerfully ignored. Rumors abounded that the tower was haunted, many of the students believed the rumour. It was difficult not to when no one had been able to wash the blood off of the stones.

Rath stopped just before he stepped on the bloodstain craning his neck so he could peer upward. Suddenly he whirled around just in time to see the doors swing shut behind him. Running up he pushed on the doors with all his might trying to get them to open, forgetting to brace himself, his feet flew out from under him and Rath crashed to the stone floor. He stopped pushing when he heard a rattling and realised the chains were back in place. Sighing he turned and sat down on the floor, his back pressed against the door.

"Well." He sighed, talking to himself. "Seems I'm stuck in here."

'Nooo, you think? We're just gonna walk through the wall." The sarcastic voice came out of nowhere echoing in his head, making Rath jump up to look around.

"Great, now i'm hearing things." He muttered under his breath. "Well, nothing to do but climb.

He strode across the room in long ground eating strides, skirting the bloodstain he reached the base of the stairs and started climbing them. His hand pressed against the wall to guide him.

After Rath had arrived at the school, he'd often snuck in the tower when he wanted to be alone where no one could find him. The place made him calm down and relax, so he always tried to come here when he was down. But for some reason he had never climbed the stairs before.

And so it went, as Rath climbed the stairs he was unaware of the passage of time, a climb that should have taken only a few minutes, instead took hours. As Rath climbed the sun continued to rise and life went on outside the tower.

***

Aura sat down with her friends beneath a huge oak tree. The summer green leaves rustled in the light breeze. The other girls were laughing, talking about her brother and his latest stunt. The five of them fit together pretty well, but Aura hated it when anybody talked about her brother.

"I swear Aura, he may be a trouble maker, but it'd almost be worth the social outcast to date him, he's so hot." This from B.J. the short blonde athlete, Jarred's little sister.

"How can you say that B.J.? You know your brother hates mine." The protest sounded small even to her own ears.

"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that half the girls at the school are in love with him. From the youngest kindergardener to old Mrs. Crandle." Laura grimaced, mentioning the oldest, meanest teacher in the school. "Besides, all the guys hate him, Jarred's just the only one stupid enough to show it."

Denice nodded while she took a swig of soda. Gabby rolled her eyes, then looked at Aura who's eyes had gone wide in shock. "Yeah, half the girls are in love with Rath, and the other half are in love with Sora. The only reason they aren't neck deep in woman, is because no one's got the guts to ask them out."

Everyone, laughed at that, and the argument settled, the girls started to talk about other things, like clothes and their classes. None of them noticed the shadow of the huge falcon circling overhead.

Elation flew with her head cocked, listening to the children below. She was a beautiful peregrin falcon, with iredescent feathers that seemed to shine like dusty jewels. Her eyes were the hard gold of her kind, and in her talons she held a small glowing emerald.

"Good." Keigo's voice crooned in her ear. "Now, follow Aura's bond back to her brother."

Elation banked to the left studying the web thin strand of light the connected the siblings. It was so small you could barely see the thread. Finishing the turn Elation set off across the grounds.

She was so focused on following the shimmering thread, she didn't pay attention to where she was going. Suddenly the tower loomed up ahead of her the space around it crackling with power. Elation wheeled around shrieking, just managing to avoid colliding with the dimensional force field that had formed around the tower. And landed on the rim of the class buildings roof.

She glared at the tower, studying the thread dissapear into the building. A sharp whistle made Elation turn her head and she saw Keigo step out of a whirlwind. He was still in his original form, scorning the use of his Tamer's body. His eyes burned with rage as he walked up to her.

Keigo had changed out of this worlds modern clothes, into the style of his own world. Black leather pants, calf high leather boots, and a sleevless black leather tunic. His shoulder length hair was pulled back in a tie, and his body practically bristled with weapons.

Keigo crouched down, absently rubbing Elation's head as he studied the tower. So he's in there huh? Just great, being in a place of power will speed up the awakening."

A bird call made him glance up, and Keigo lifted his wrist for Halse to land on. Halse was a large red-tail hawk, with burnished copper feathers, he was larger then Elation, but not by much.

"I was patrolling the grounds, when I noticed something interesting Keigo," Halse's voice was cool and calm, but underneath you could hear he was upset.

"What is it?" Keigo asked absently, only half listening as he continued to watch the building.

"I saw Wolf and Flame sneaking onto the school grounds. They're probably looking for Keir." The smug hawk ruffled his feathers.

"What?" His voice had taken on a sharp tone. "That's likely where the force-field came from. Which means those two are probably inside the bell room already. Not good, his body is already remembering how to fight. His actually memories won't be far behind."

Swearing Keigo released Halse to continue patrol, left Elation to watch the tower, and teleported back to his room. Before he left he let his form return to that of his Tamer Sora's and left the room to play the troublsome teenager while he waited for news.

Keigo stalked down the hallway, his long stride quickly passed the foolish humans who couldn't even sense power. He stopped in the middle of the field between the dorm rooms. Glancing up he studied the sun high in the sky. The sun, the one power Keir, his twin posessed that he didn't, and the power that made all the difference. Keigo was the moon to his brother's sun, and so he would always be just a reflection of his brother. He should stand in the spotlight, he should've been the hero their world worshipped but that was all gone now.

Soon Keigo felt a small tug on his senses, just at the edge of the magical net he'd thrown over the school. He snarled, before checking to see if anyone was around, then 'porting to the disturbance.

The cove was small at the bottom of sheer cliffs, that opened up into the woods around the school. Waves crashed against the sand and rock, at high tide, this place would be completly submerged. A small gate, just large enough to let three or four men through swirled in place.

Beyond the gate, his home realm of Gaiya shone, under a clear night sky, a city lay off in the distance mountains looming close to it. Almost shuddering with longing Keigo gazed at the world he hadn't set eyes on in a thousand years. A rock scittered down from further up the cove, and the portal snapped shut.

Whirling around Keigo studied the four young men. They were as different from night and day in coloring, ranging in age from around sixteen to twenty-two. The youngest was small golden haired with large violet eyes and pale skin, marking him from the north tribes. While in contrast the oldest was tall and solid, with brown hair skin and eyes, a nomad of the desert people. The other two could've been from anywhere between the Forsaken Mountains and the Sagad River.

Though their looks contrasted sharply, they wore the same uniform. Black leather armor, over dusty traveling clothes. A sky blue armband with the golden mark of a rising phoenix was the only color they wore, other then their weapons, the emblem of the Kaelyn army. Back when he'd been on Gaiya they'd just been a small group, clearly they'd become a world power, to be able to send soldiers on other realm missions.

Keigo continued to watch the group with the unblinking stare of a predator. Finally the youngest of them broke his gaze, the older one glared at him before turning back to Keigo. "We had heard of your rebirth Oh Radiant One, but we were not aware it was more then rumor."

His lip curled in a wry twist when Keigo heard the formal court talk that those of high rank used on first meeting, or when addressing someone high above you in class.

"Radiant One?" His tone was laced with mocking ice. "I was not aware the Moon's Blade was still hero worshipped after I betrayed my home."

"Outside of the Empire yes, you are now called Betrayer. But that treachery is what aided Kaelyn in claiming a third of Gaiya's territory. In Kaelyn you remain a hero, we were ordered to escort you to a place at the Emperor's court."

Quickly the gate reformed, this time off to the left, just at the corner of Keigo's sight. Keigo absently fingered his dagger studying the oldest, obviously the commanding officer, through hooded eyes. 'This one is clever.' The thought came unbidden and he glanced up to see Halse circling above, laughter dancing down their bond. 'He teases with visions of home, and expects you to come peacefully. It would work, if you were not feral.'

Sighing Keigo looked at the man. "I can't, I have unfinished bussiness in this realm and will not leave until the Sun's Blade is dead for good."

Shock rippled through the men awe whispering in their minds. Keigo stifled a snarl, even now a thousand years later people loved Keir more then him.

"Your brother yet lives?" The question came from one of the middle men, obiously brothers themselves.

"Yes and he will remain loyal to Fahyil," he named his home country a major power in Gaiya. "That is, if it yet stands."

"It does, though the throne is empty." This from the young northerner. "As the last of your fathers line you were hidden away as children, and in the past millenia no one has stepped forward to wear the Crown of Stars." He named the magical crown, forged indeed of starlight, that only the true king of Fahyil may wear without injury.

'So the next King would be my brother, though we are reincarnate, he is the elder twin.' Keigo's thought was followed quickly by another. 'Then what if my brother is dead, my soul is so black the crown would never except me.'

Keigo glanced at the soldiers, studying them. Their faces were blank, not showing any inner turmoil. Smiling coldly Keigo stepped towards them. "I will come with you if you aid me in slaying my brother. I'm sure you'll be honored in the empire for it."

One by one the soldiers nodded tersely agreeing to the alliance. Keigo continued talking. "I think if we're working together I should no your names, after all you know mine."

Quickly they introduced themselves. The leader was Captain Lowin, the brothers, Pyne and Fang, and the young northerner was Tarik, in the old language it meant 'shining one'.

Nodding, Keigo relaxed his guard slightly and glanced around, clearly the group meant to camp further up the cove. Probably just in the treeline. He turned to leave, but stopped before he 'ported out. "One more thing, watch yourself around my brother, the brat prince has... hidden talents.