Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 01:22:02 EDT
From: Morbddream@aol.com
Subject: Crimson Tears - 4

Disclaimer: Too young, or illegal where you are, you should probably
go. This is a complete work of Fiction. It is not meant to imply anything
about the sexuality of any of the members of Nsync.  Still not my business
...

Note: I'm always learning new ways to improve this story. I have to make up
excuses and put them somewhere in, though. That gets a little tough at
times. Like putting more into the description of my characters. I'll try to
think up a good excuse, but it'll require Jake to talk directly to you like
in the intro. I'm just hoping that doesn't take up too much of my
story-writing energy for tonight.

One more thing before I go. I realized I named Chapter 2, but not three. I
didn't show any reason for the chapter to be named that, either. I
apologize for this, and hope it doesn't make you all think I'll forget
other important elements. I WILL stick to this chapters name... Promise!
****************************************************************************
From Chapter 3:

	Flash. I was in the field with the grass again. I heard the voice,
but it was much closer.

	"Five beings of great power will come to you. Someone you love will
die. You must move on from the tragedy that will occur. It won't be easy,
but you must!"
****************************************************************************

Chapter 4 - Sadness

	I awoke covered in a cold sweat. Why did I keep dreaming of that
night? I had suppressed the memory for so long, I had almost forgotten. I
glanced out the window at the position of the sun. It seemed like it had
been almost an hour. I guessed I had about half of that left. I decided to
pay a visit to Gail.

	I walked out of the room and across the hall. I knocked on the door
and it swung open to reveal a young girl in a fighting stance. Her hands
were on fire. She was ready to kill me, but she realized who I was. "Oh I'm
so sorry! I didn't know it was you! I thought you were one of them. Please
hurry." She pulled me into her room and locked the door behind her. I
guessed she was about twenty. Her brown hair flowed with every move she
made. Her eyes were like mine, only they were showing her inner most
fears. Any empath could tell, and recreate her fears easily.  Her slender,
yet muscular form moved with the most graceful agility. She was wearing a
white robe with silver runes sewn into the fabric. The robe seemed to flow
with her hair.

	The room was brightly lit, even with the shades drawn. There was a
small bed in the corner with an oak headboard. She was standing over a
large, exquisitely decorated cedar desk.  The aroma of the desk was
thick. Sprites hated the scent of cedar, so I guessed a spell was cast to
keep the aroma flowing to protect her power. This told me she was powerful,
and someone wanted desperately to protect her. She was flipping through a
book on the desk. She turned to me suddenly and looked directly into my
eyes. "I can't thank you enough for saving my life. I only wish you
could've saved everyone else's." I was confused. What did she mean? "What
do you mean?" "You don't know?"

	"Know what?" I asked.

	"The only way you could've slept through the attack..." Her eyes
grew wide. "You had a vision, didn't you?"

	"I guess. I thought it was a dream, but it could've been a vision."

	"What was it about?"

	"My past." I told her everything that happened in my dream. She
listened intently and waited for me to finish before asking
questions. "Your past?" She asked with a horrified look on her face. "I've
been having the same vision. I think there may be more who have. They may
be the only ones still alive." I was confused again. "You still haven't
told me what happened while I was asleep!" She lowered her head. I knew
this would be another source for my sadness.  She began telling me what she
knew about the situation, as she referred to it.

	"It was horrible. An evil super power was on a rampage. Determined
to kill someone here.  Instead of killing one person he killed
everyone. The only two, I know of, that are still alive would be me, and
you. His power was so evil. The next thing I knew there were two more super
powers. They weren't evil though. They destroyed so much of the center
fighting him. He was stronger than both of them! I was in fathers class at
the time. He was one of the few that tried to help out the good." She broke
down into tears. I ran over to her before she fell, and grabbed her. She
cried on my shoulder for a while. She recomposed herself, and
continued. "I've been waiting for someone to show up so I would have some
help in finding any other survivors. I have a theory about why we didn't
die with everyone else. Any survivors we find may be chosen ones.  Do you
remember the stories of the chosen ones?"

	"I'm afraid I don't." I replied.

	"Oh ... OK. I'll tell you then. Their past shall be hidden. Their
future unknown. They will survive a terrible tragedy. The visions will
come. Of the past of their leader. The most powerful super power known to
man. His past will be known to the chosen ones. They will follow him into
the war of the super powers. The balance of power will shift, good will
finally triumph over evil. Let this warning be known to all who will meet
him: He will lose someone he loves.  If he gives in to the pain of this
loss he will go mad. He will destroy the world with one simple spell. The
storm of fire will kill the super powers of good and evil will create havoc
among the people of Derux. I saw your past, Jacob. I will follow you
anywhere you should lead.  I don't understand one thing, though. What loss
have you suffered?"

	The sudden realization of what happened hit me. "Ryan." I
whispered. "Ryan?" She asked.  "The Ryan that studies here?"

	"Yes. I didn't realize it until now. The visions. I could've
stopped it. If only I had thought about it. I have to find him! He may
still be alive somewhere! If he isn't, I have to say goodbye."

	"Ryan. No, it can't be." She lowered her head again and stared at
the floor. "Whats wrong?" I asked. She looked up at me. Tears forming in
her eyes. "The message wasn't only meant for you. It was meant for all of
the chosen ones. Ryan was my brother. My twin. He changed his appearance,
so no one would notice." She walked over to her desk and picked up a
picture frame.  "This is what he really looked like." I took the picture
and studied it. He had brown, flowing hair. His eyes were blue, like mine,
and showed his happiness. Any empath could see, and recreate that happiness
easily. He was at least 6'0''. His slender, yet muscular form granted him
great agility. He was the male version of Gail. "We have to find him." I
said.

	I let her pack anything she would need. I knew we couldn't stay
here after we searched.  We left her room and stopped at mine. I gathered
everything I would need for any magic I might have to do. As well as
clothes and other things I would need. We decided to start at his office.

	We opened the door and saw his chair turned away from us. I ran
over to it and swung it around. It was empty. We searched the office, but
found nothing.

	We continued down that hall and searched every room. Most were
empty, with the occasional dead body. Most of the bodies had already been
consumed by sprites. Gail cast the cedar spell on the ones that hadn't and
we moved the to the courtyard. After we finished getting all of the bodies
from that hall we began working on the others. When we got to the last
hall, the fatigue was getting to us. We opened the door and saw a boy --
about 14 huddled up in a corner crying.  We rushed over to him. He looked
up at us with a look of total fear. "Who ... Who are you?" He said through
his tears. It looked as if his vision was blurred by the tears.  "Anthony?
Is that you?" Gail said worriedly. "Gail?" Said Anthony, looking Gail in
the eyes. He seemed to leap the short distance between Gail, and
himself. He latched onto her and I didn't think he was going to let go
without a fight. His black hair was ruffled. It was cut short, and came
down to his ears. He was wearing a red robe, with silver lining. The lining
spiraled into a dragon on the back. His undershirt was torn and he had very
well defined muscles for his age. His eyes were naturally silver. The
silver seemed to keep his hair from making him appear ghost-white.

	"Anthony, have you seen anyone else alive?" I asked. He looked at
me strangely, then turned back to Gail. "Who is that?" She chuckled and
looked at me. "Thats Jacob." She looked down at him and stroked his
hair. "Have you had any dreams lately?" She asked him. "Yes, They were
nightmares. There was a little boy in them, around 10 I think. It was
terrible." "I know. I had the same nightmare." "Am I a chosen one?" He had
a twinkle in his eye when he asked this.  "Yes, I believe you are." She
smiled warmly at him and knelt in front of him. "That was Jacob's past you
saw. Are you prepared to do what you have to?" She had a serious look on
her face. She really believed in me. "Yes, I am." He turned to me and
smiled. "Jacob, I'm Anthony." He extended his hand. We shook hands and I
got a taste of his strength. My hand was pounding when he finally let
go. Gail saw I was in pain and grabbed my hand. Her hands began to glow
slightly and the pain faded. "You're a healer?" I asked. "Not exactly. My
mother was a healer and my father a wizard.  I'm a combination of the
two. My being a woman makes me very deadly." She grinned evilly and down
the hall. There were only two bodies left here. Anthony picked them both
up, with no strain, and carried them to the courtyard.

	We spent the rest of the day burying the bodies. "Did the sprites
destroy Ryan?" I asked.  "They couldn't have. We're both protected from
sprites. Maybe he got away?" Those four words brought new hope into my
soul. Then I remembered the message. "What about the visions?" I was
getting more worried by every word we said. "We haven't searched outside
yet. I haven't felt him die. He must still be alive. He is dying where ever
he is." She was on the verge of tears again. Anthony, and I both saw
this. We both moved to her and hugged her tightly. She was exhausted, as
well as sad. She cried herself to sleep in our arms. Anthony set her gently
on the grass and lay next to her. He was asleep soon after. I took some
things from my bag and prepared them for a sanctuary spell. I set four tall
candle sticks: north, south, east, and west. My eyes turned aqua-velvet and
my body began to glow. A beam of light extended from my forehead and slowly
outlined a circle around us. It flashed and there was a wall of air. The
light moved above us and flashed again. I walked out of the circle and set
out to find Ryan. I searched the courtyard and found nothing. I came to a
small path cut into the bushes and followed it.  I walked for at least an
hour and finally came to a steel gate set into a stone wall. I opened the
gate and walked through.

	There was a pentagram drawn on the stone in the center of the
garden. Roses lined the wall with ever-blooming morning glories covering
the gray stone. There were other various flowers creating circles around
the stone. The last circle was of the most beautiful flower in Derux.
Black Roses. I gasped at the beauty. I walked towards the stone and saw a
body lying there. I ran towards it and saw that he was still alive. "Ryan!
I'm so glad I found you!" "J.. Jake." He looked deep into my eyes. "I'm
glad you found me." He coughed up some blood and I quickly cleaned his face
with my shirt. I kneeled on the stone circle and placed him over my
knees. I stroked his hair. He was too weak to keep his seventeen year old
form. He slowly faded to his natural form.  "Ryan, I was afraid to admit
this to myself before, but I was finally able to do it. I love you."  His
eyes were locked on mine. "I... I love you, too. I only wish *cough* this
could've been different. In the short time I've known you *cough cough*
I've come to love you like a brother.  Please, Jacob, fulfill your
destiny. Derux ... must ... survive." His heart slowed to a stop. He stared
blankly into the sky. I couldn't contain my tears any longer. I buried my
face in his chest. I cried for what seemed like hours. Until a hand gently
touched my shoulder. I didn't even turn, I knew who it was. "Why? Why me?
Why Ryan?" I said through my tears. "It was meant to be.  Everything
happens for a reason." I knew he was right. The visions were coming true
and there was no way I could stop it. I stood and turned to face him. Tears
were still streaming down my face.  He looked at me with concern. "It'll
all be OK. You can avenge his death." "Revenge? I don't want revenge. I
want peace. No more death." I broke down and he caught me before I fell. "I
understand. Thats what we all want. You're the key to Peace." I cried until
every tear I had left in me was shed. When I stopped I saw Gail and Anthony
standing behind him. They moved in and hugged me tightly.

	"Jacob, what happened that night? "Asked Gail. Suddenly I felt all
the pain and suffering of the villagers. "I ... I can't. Not yet." "OK."
Was all she said. Was all she had to say. We moved back to the
courtyard. When we got back to the sanctuary we saw five figures lying
inside. I couldn't make out their faces. There were two blondes, and one
brunette. One had hair like painted fire. The other, I wasn't sure, but he
looked like a goblin. "Are they...?" Started Anthony. "Yes, I think they
are." Gail cut him off. "I don't think they're from Derux." I said.
"They're going to have a hard time believing this. Trusting us." I suddenly
remembered something.  I turned to him. "I remembered something..." He cut
me off. "Vincent." He said. We moved toward the figures. They were
sleeping. We decided to sit outside the sanctuary until they woke.

To be continued...
****************************************************************************
I started writing and I couldn't stop! I finished this chapter right after
I submitted the last one. I hope you enjoyed it. You do know who Vincent
is, don't you? I sure hope so. : ) So ... How am I doing with the
descriptions? E-mail at Morbddream@AOL.com. Feel free to IM me at any
time. No AIM? ICQ, anyone? 72484179. Now that it's 4:30 AM I think I'm
going to bed.
Goodnight everybody!