The Crimson Tale of Conquest

---SABLE POV---

"Thank you... this saves me so much more time.... than making them myself." I thanked the woman in front of me as she passed me two large bags full of magic Crystals used for fighting.

"No problem, anything for an old friend." The blond woman said with a smile. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties. She had smile lines around her blue eyes, and her short, pointed ears could be seen slightly behind her long wavy hair.

The woman across the table was named Marabeth. The blue-eyed woman in front of me was a Half-Elf, so despite being over a hundred years old she was still kicking. My memory of her was the same as Judieth's before we split when we were just a student and the same person. If I remember correctly, she was ten or so years older than Judieth and me, give or take.

I was meeting up with this woman in my sister's place since she was busy. She was here at the beginning but something on her side distracted her, so she had to leave me to my own devices. In doing so my sense of self has become hazy once more. Imagine that groggy feeling of just waking up, you're not entirely sure where you are completely, but you are still aware of your surroundings somewhat. Everything around me sounded kind of muffled and clear at the same time. Kinda like being under water. Well, not really, it's hard to explain.

Honestly it just wasn't a pleasant feeling. Me and Judieth keep trying to fix this problem, but since we're the first mortals to split a soul like this, we're stumbling through the dark. We tried asking the Goddess Ovana for some help in the matter, but no luck there. We wonder what she thinks of this sometimes, guess we'll learn that when we die again.

"Anyway, Sable, how has life been?" Marabeth asked me. "I heard that you of all people made a contract with the Church."

"Well... I can't answer that," I started, speaking slowly. "All I can say... was there was something I needed... and the Church had it."

"Hmm, in the past when the Church offered you something rare you told them you can just go procure it yourself if you really wanted it." The Half-Elf said tilting her head. "What happen during those years you disappeared?"

I knew Marabeth was just worried, but I wish she refrained from asking questions. "They had... something that could not be found anywhere else... in the world but there." I answered anyway. Those memories I have were both mine and Judieth's, we are the same soul but split. So, I distinctly remember how this woman took care of me... us when we were younger. It made me want to answer despite my annoyance.

"Is that so? Well don't push yourself too hard." She said realizing I'll continue to be vague and started to back off. "Just know I'm here if you need help."

I nodded. "Thank you... but I should really get going." I made to stand but Marabeth stopped me.

"What, that's it? I'm only here for a short time before I have to head back home to the Empire you know." She gestured for me to sit down again. "Let's talk. I haven't seen you in years."

We were currently sitting down in the restaurant part of an Inn. No one was around since it was late at night, or early morning depending on who you are. I wanted to leave as soon as possible before she started asking some more stuff I couldn't answer. Plus, I don't want her to realize I was of the undead.

"I really can't." I spoke. "I have something... that needs my attention. I'll probably end up in the Empire sometime... just, not now."

She sighed. "That's a shame, I'll see you later. Just don't wait too long, you're getting old, and I'm worried you'll die before we meet again.

"Like you get to say that you old hag." I retorted back. Technically as an undead I don't have an age. As for Judieth, well, her age was reset completely so she'll live a bit longer yet. Marabeth would die before us now instead of the other way around.

"Hehehe, if you're still alive and in the Empire drop by the school, I still teach there." With that she also stood and headed for the stairs. "Bye Sable, hope to see you soon." She then headed up the stairway to what I would assume is to head back to her room.

As for me I left and made my way back to the house.

_____________________________

---Sara POV--- 

I felt a warmth wrapped around me, like a comforting blanket. It made me feel like all my problems can and would melt away into nothing. 'I love you mother.' Yes, that's right, this must be my mother. She's hugging me right now, telling me everything will be alright and what I had experience was nothing more than a bad dream. I was safe.

I decided to look up, to see my mother's face for the first time in a long time. My green eyes slowly drifted upwards, but instead of the kind gentle emerald eyes of my mom I saw the harsh but Beautiful Crimson eyes of my teacher. I froze in shock for a beat before pushing myself away from her in a panic. When I did, I found myself falling backwards into the cold icy darkness. No matter where I looked, I was alone in the oily darkness, with movement slowed, like trying to move in a viscus sticky fluid, and no one was there to help me before I drowned.

No that's not right. Creeping out from the darkness I found myself floating inside of, I could see the face of my brother slowly growing larger as it got closer. His eyes were nothing but sunken voids of inky darkness, along with his mouth, which held nothing within, not even his teeth, just a black hole taking up his face. His visage grew in size as the closer it got, making it clear his face was several times larger than me.

"...." I tried to say something, anything, but not a single noise came from me. My brother slowly opened his mouth to swallow me whole. I wanted to run away, swim away, anything, bust the darkness sapped my strength and the viscosity made it almost impossible to move. Just as he was about to swallow me, I awoke.

Suddenly I found myself sitting upright in a bed, drenched in sweat, looking around the unfamiliar room slightly disorientated. It was a bedroom, smaller than my own, but was still relatively spacious. I found myself in the upper left corner of the room. Directly in front of me was a desk and chair against the wall near the foot of the bed. Next to the bed to my right was a small bedside table with a single drawer meant to hold the Crystal lamp sitting atop it.

On the same side, next to the bed was a Silver haired woman sitting in an arm chair facing me, sleeping. Her usual unwelcoming expression was instead replaced with a somewhat more peaceful look. Moonlight from the window lit up the room behind her, reflecting off her hair, outlining her figure in a low glowing light.

"Mm?" She stirred, her Crimson eyes fluttered open unfocused. She looked around with a lost look for a few seconds before focusing on me.

"Uh, good morning?" I said when our eyes met. The lingering memory of her hug and the warmth I felt from it still present within me.

"... Good you're up...." She spoke. Her eyes went wide for only a split second before returning to their usual glare. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine I think." I said as an awkward silence fell between us. I appreciate the fact, Ruby; should I call her Lucilla? Well, whatever I had to call her, I was thankful for the rescue, but I still had to withhold my trust. She seems to realize that I might hold a grudge against her for what she did.

"I'll go get you a cup of water. You must be thirsty." She eventually said. She was right, my throat felt dry and sticky. She went to stand and started walking towards the door but stopped just before opening it. "I would like to apolo- I wouldn't mind helping you in whatever you need from me."

It sounded like she wanted to say something but changed her mind mid-way through her sentence. I simply nodded as she made her exit. I was left alone with nothing but my thoughts. 'Where am I and what is she planning to do to me?' Were the two big ones. Next was figuring out if my father knew what my brother did or if he was in the dark about it. My body trembled at the thought of going home where my brother was located.

Ruby soon returned with a cup of water for me. She handed it over and I took it, lifting it up I started draining the glass. I was more dehydrated than I thought, the once full cup was empty in a matter of seconds. My teacher just watched until I was finished, taking the empty cup from my hand and setting it on the bedside table.

"How long has it been?" I asked her.

"This would be the second day. So, you were asleep for an entire day, this is the morning of the second," She glanced at the window where the moons silvery light shone through, "I think it's morning anyway."

"Have you contacted my Father?" I spoke my next question before another awkward silence could fall over us again.

"Him? No, I- we didn't. You asked us not to remember?" She answered.

"Oh, I don't really remember that well, everything is hazy." I said placing a hand on my head.

My teacher suddenly snapped her fingers and said, "Before I forget again let me tell you the message I got from the Forest Guardian. It's for you."

She went on to explain the message to me. Once she was finished, she left the room leaving me alone to contemplate her words.