It had been three days since Gilean had come and looked into Colin's mind and determined there was nothing he could do. Three days and nights spent watching Colin with a deepening sorrow. The man who looked at her children with adoration was gone. While Sanria could tell Colin enjoyed being around them, she missed seeing the joy on Colin's face. She didn't care if he ever remembered her again, she wasn't worth that in her mind, but she wanted to see the look on Colin's face when he picked up Orn. The look that said, 'THIS is MY son - and he's my pride and joy.'
Gilean had showed her how to put wards on the house to keep Velentham out, and she had diligently followed his directions, each day repeating the phrases and replenishing the magic. There had been no sign of Velentham, which Sanria was grateful to have.
It was evening and Sanria had gone to the sitting room with a book when she noticed Colin was not around. She got up and slowly paced the cavern, her heart beating a little faster. She could sense that nothing was completely wrong, but she was unsettled none-the-less. She forced herself to sit down and read.
Only moments later, Colin returned, and Sanria found herself embraced tightly. "Gilean made Velentham give my memories back."
"Well, that's great," Sanria said. She clutched Colin to her, feeling unsure of what to think. She had enjoyed the time she spent with the Colin that was not overprotective and jealous. They had talked more in those three days than ever before. If he could have gotten some back but not all...
"Sanria, I want you to be able to talk to me," Colin said, as though reading her mind. "Those three days were... great... just having you talk to me."
"I liked it, too."
"I realized just how nice it was - having you feel as if you could talk."
Sanria felt herself letting go of the negative feelings. If Colin could manage not to be overprotective, if they could keep what they found over the course of three days, then Sanria could ask for nothing more. She could make this her life and she could be happy.
Loser
Velentham walked back to the cottage exhausted and in a rage. No sooner than he let up on his mental control than Sanria shouted at him, "Get out... get out now!" He would have held out longer were it not for so many people. He would have to come back later, get Sanria alone, make her understand that he loved her, she loved him, and they belonged together. He needed help. He would ask his cousin.
The cottage was quiet as he went in, noticing Gilean sitting there with a book on his lap. "You have to help me," Velentham began. "I did it your way, I didn't force her and she told me no. So I had to do it my way. But it didn't work. I didn't have time to get her alone to make her understand -" He paced the room having worked himself up into a new froth.
"My involvement with you has practically cost me my relationship with Claire, do you know that?"
"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I promise, if you help me I'll help you in any way I can - regardless of how I feel about you."
"If you want to help me Velentham, then go. Make your own way. I thought that was your plan anyway."
Velentham continued asking, but Gilean seemed so sure of himself. "So... she rejected you," Gilean said.
"Well... I... yes but that's not acceptable."
"You have to understand that for her to have a choice means she has a choice. It's not a choice for her to choose what you think she should."
"I can't be without her, Gilean. I can't."
"Velentham, slow down and take a breath. Now what happened? What did she say to you?"
It was in his own world Velentham found himself. Far from plotting and planning how to tell Gilean what he did, Velentham told him everything. It shouldn't have shocked him that his cousin could get so upset, but Gilean read him the riot act. "By the gods, you wanted to show her how you really felt... I think you've shown her more of yourself that you ever could have imagined."
Velentham went for the door. He'd go back. He'd go back now and finish even if it drove him into the ground with exhaustion. He flung the door open to reveal Sanria standing there, mid-knock. Velentham's heart sank at the look on her face upon seeing him.
The cottage was quiet as he went in, noticing Gilean sitting there with a book on his lap. "You have to help me," Velentham began. "I did it your way, I didn't force her and she told me no. So I had to do it my way. But it didn't work. I didn't have time to get her alone to make her understand -" He paced the room having worked himself up into a new froth.
"My involvement with you has practically cost me my relationship with Claire, do you know that?"
"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I promise, if you help me I'll help you in any way I can - regardless of how I feel about you."
"If you want to help me Velentham, then go. Make your own way. I thought that was your plan anyway."
Velentham continued asking, but Gilean seemed so sure of himself. "So... she rejected you," Gilean said.
"Well... I... yes but that's not acceptable."
"You have to understand that for her to have a choice means she has a choice. It's not a choice for her to choose what you think she should."
"I can't be without her, Gilean. I can't."
"Velentham, slow down and take a breath. Now what happened? What did she say to you?"
It was in his own world Velentham found himself. Far from plotting and planning how to tell Gilean what he did, Velentham told him everything. It shouldn't have shocked him that his cousin could get so upset, but Gilean read him the riot act. "By the gods, you wanted to show her how you really felt... I think you've shown her more of yourself that you ever could have imagined."
Velentham went for the door. He'd go back. He'd go back now and finish even if it drove him into the ground with exhaustion. He flung the door open to reveal Sanria standing there, mid-knock. Velentham's heart sank at the look on her face upon seeing him.
A Break in the Clouds
"Miss... this boy... he calls me Papa."
Sanria looked over at the large man holding Orn. She knew Orn, but her mind trembled when it looked at Colin. "Yes... I don't... know why. He's my... son."
"And mine. He's just misbehaving. You know how children are," Velentham interjected.
"You, just just shut up for a minute," Colin said.
"My love," Velentham said, handing Leandra to her. "Why don't you put Leandra to bed."
"And miss... who am I?"
Sanria looked over at the big man and let her mind relax. The answer came without fighting it. "You're Colin."
"Colin... And you are?"
"Your wife."
Sanria started slowly up he stairs. "She's a little confused," Velentham said. "Why don't you hand the boy over and you can get going."
"I don't think she's the only one, but you. You seem to be trying to convince everyone of something here. And, to tell you the truth, I just don't like you. Miss," Colin called up after her. "do you want this guy to be here?"
Sanria felt a wave of - something - in her mind. "I... yes... he's alright."
"You see? Now, why don't you go ahead and hand my son to me and get on the move."
Sanria walked into Leandra's room and put her into the crib. The baby was smiling gently... smiling... Sanria caught a wisp of danger in her thoughts. Something was wrong. She rushed from the room and started down the stairs only to find her mind sinking back into the sluggish fog. She couldn't remember why she was rushing. She walked slowly to Orn and held out her hands.
"I want to stay with Papa. I don't want Papa to get hurt again." Sanria watched Orn with a mix of curiosity. She heard the little boy's whisper into his father's mind, "He touch you too. It made Mama sad."
"Miss... what's your name miss?" Colin suddenly asked.
"Sanria Stone..."
"Tell me Sanria... think... what's going on here?"
"I love... you. I couldn't... stop..."
"That's enough," Velentham growled. "OUT!"
"Sanria... why cant I remember any of this?"
"He... took... your memory away."
"You're fortunate that I'm tired," Velentham growled. "I can't keep this up."
Sanria looked over at the large man holding Orn. She knew Orn, but her mind trembled when it looked at Colin. "Yes... I don't... know why. He's my... son."
"And mine. He's just misbehaving. You know how children are," Velentham interjected.
"You, just just shut up for a minute," Colin said.
"My love," Velentham said, handing Leandra to her. "Why don't you put Leandra to bed."
"And miss... who am I?"
Sanria looked over at the big man and let her mind relax. The answer came without fighting it. "You're Colin."
"Colin... And you are?"
"Your wife."
Sanria started slowly up he stairs. "She's a little confused," Velentham said. "Why don't you hand the boy over and you can get going."
"I don't think she's the only one, but you. You seem to be trying to convince everyone of something here. And, to tell you the truth, I just don't like you. Miss," Colin called up after her. "do you want this guy to be here?"
Sanria felt a wave of - something - in her mind. "I... yes... he's alright."
"You see? Now, why don't you go ahead and hand my son to me and get on the move."
Sanria walked into Leandra's room and put her into the crib. The baby was smiling gently... smiling... Sanria caught a wisp of danger in her thoughts. Something was wrong. She rushed from the room and started down the stairs only to find her mind sinking back into the sluggish fog. She couldn't remember why she was rushing. She walked slowly to Orn and held out her hands.
"I want to stay with Papa. I don't want Papa to get hurt again." Sanria watched Orn with a mix of curiosity. She heard the little boy's whisper into his father's mind, "He touch you too. It made Mama sad."
"Miss... what's your name miss?" Colin suddenly asked.
"Sanria Stone..."
"Tell me Sanria... think... what's going on here?"
"I love... you. I couldn't... stop..."
"That's enough," Velentham growled. "OUT!"
"Sanria... why cant I remember any of this?"
"He... took... your memory away."
"You're fortunate that I'm tired," Velentham growled. "I can't keep this up."
On Losing Ground
Time. That's all he needed. Velentham had subdued Sanria's mind, now all he needed was time with her to go into her mind and bend it to what he wanted. He had tried to do things the right way, but all of that had fallen apart. Now, he would influence her until so much time had passed that what he placed into her brain would be her reality, and that meant she would be with him forever. He just hadn't counted on the little boy being the thorn in his side that he was turning out to be.
"Papa, papa... don't let him take Mama and Leendra. I don't want him in our house." Orn had found his way into Colin's arms, and Velentham was pissed.
"That's enough, Orn."
"Papa? I'm your... You think I'm your Papa?"
"Yes. Yes Papa. I don't want him to be my Papa."
Try as he might, Velentham couldn't manage to keep Sanria's mind in as much of a fog and work on the boy's mind. "He's confused. That was part of our disagreement, you see. He fell down and hit his head, my wife let him outside without supervision."
"You know, you've been doing a lot of talking here buddy."
"That's because this is my family, friend," Velentham tried to walk over to put his hands on Orn. If he could just send some of his radiance into the child, he might be able to silence the boy. Colin pulled him away.
"How about you let the lady and kid talk for themselves, ok? And maybe you should keep your hands to yourself for a little bit," Colin said.
"How about you put my son down," Velentham replied, growing irate.
"Do you want me to put you down," Colin asked the boy, and Orn shook his head and buried it in Colin's neck.
Velentham had had enough. He turned and walked into the house, leaving Colin and Orn ouside with the parting words, "If you want the boy you can take him." Within the house he found Sanria and walked over to her, still holding Leandra in his arms. He had time enough to put a hand on her shoulder and begin the process of turning her mind before Colin burst in the door. The man was fast becoming a nuisance. "Can we help you?"
"I don't think you're helping anyone here. Now why don't you just step away from the lady."
"I'm... I'm fine," Sanria replied.
"I'm sorry, but you don't look too fine. Why were you crying out there?"
"I... don't really remember. I must have just been sad."
Then the little voice, the voice that was Velentham's bane. "Papa, help mama. Make the tall man go away. Please. I don't like the tall man."
"Papa, papa... don't let him take Mama and Leendra. I don't want him in our house." Orn had found his way into Colin's arms, and Velentham was pissed.
"That's enough, Orn."
"Papa? I'm your... You think I'm your Papa?"
"Yes. Yes Papa. I don't want him to be my Papa."
Try as he might, Velentham couldn't manage to keep Sanria's mind in as much of a fog and work on the boy's mind. "He's confused. That was part of our disagreement, you see. He fell down and hit his head, my wife let him outside without supervision."
"You know, you've been doing a lot of talking here buddy."
"That's because this is my family, friend," Velentham tried to walk over to put his hands on Orn. If he could just send some of his radiance into the child, he might be able to silence the boy. Colin pulled him away.
"How about you let the lady and kid talk for themselves, ok? And maybe you should keep your hands to yourself for a little bit," Colin said.
"How about you put my son down," Velentham replied, growing irate.
"Do you want me to put you down," Colin asked the boy, and Orn shook his head and buried it in Colin's neck.
Velentham had had enough. He turned and walked into the house, leaving Colin and Orn ouside with the parting words, "If you want the boy you can take him." Within the house he found Sanria and walked over to her, still holding Leandra in his arms. He had time enough to put a hand on her shoulder and begin the process of turning her mind before Colin burst in the door. The man was fast becoming a nuisance. "Can we help you?"
"I don't think you're helping anyone here. Now why don't you just step away from the lady."
"I'm... I'm fine," Sanria replied.
"I'm sorry, but you don't look too fine. Why were you crying out there?"
"I... don't really remember. I must have just been sad."
Then the little voice, the voice that was Velentham's bane. "Papa, help mama. Make the tall man go away. Please. I don't like the tall man."
Hostile Takeover
Sanria released the roots and rushed to Colin's side. She shook him, begging him to wake up. "Papa! What did you do to papa?!" Orn burst outside, pointing his stick at Velentham.
"Cute kid," Velentham said.
Sanria finally took notice and grabbed Orn to her before anything could happen to him. She didn't see Orn call for the little squirrel that suddenly burst from the tree to attack Velentham, but she watched as the Celestial stomped the little rodent into nothing. "That was good, kid."
"You go! You go away!" Orn yelled.
Velentham turned toward the cavern and Sanria knew he was headed for Leandra. "NO!" she shouted and turned to Colin, shaking him furiously. "Colin, please hurry. He's going to get Leandra."
"What? Where?" he said, waking as though from a deep sleep.
"He's in the house."
"What's going on?" Colin asked, looking up at Sanria. "Who?"
The look on Colin's face confirmed Sanria's worst nightmares and she stared at Colin. Velentham came from the house, holding Leandra. "He's awake. Hello."
"No..." Sanria began. "No no... you fix this. You fix this now."
"Welcome to our home," Velentham said, holding his hand out to Colin. The act made Sanria sick to her stomach. How could he possibly expect this to work?
"Colin... please tell me you remember... oh Gods..."
Sanria watched as Colin struggled. He could see something wasn't right and even through his imposed fog, he wanted to protect them. "Are you ok? Do you need help?" he asked her, and Sanria let out a sob. At Velentham's sudden grip on her arm, Sanria's mind began the familiar submersion. It was growing harder for her to say anything, harder for her to focus on Colin's questions. She was losing the ability to defend herself against anything, and she gave an inward scream before her mind settled down into a peaceful quiet.
"Cute kid," Velentham said.
Sanria finally took notice and grabbed Orn to her before anything could happen to him. She didn't see Orn call for the little squirrel that suddenly burst from the tree to attack Velentham, but she watched as the Celestial stomped the little rodent into nothing. "That was good, kid."
"You go! You go away!" Orn yelled.
Velentham turned toward the cavern and Sanria knew he was headed for Leandra. "NO!" she shouted and turned to Colin, shaking him furiously. "Colin, please hurry. He's going to get Leandra."
"What? Where?" he said, waking as though from a deep sleep.
"He's in the house."
"What's going on?" Colin asked, looking up at Sanria. "Who?"
The look on Colin's face confirmed Sanria's worst nightmares and she stared at Colin. Velentham came from the house, holding Leandra. "He's awake. Hello."
"No..." Sanria began. "No no... you fix this. You fix this now."
"Welcome to our home," Velentham said, holding his hand out to Colin. The act made Sanria sick to her stomach. How could he possibly expect this to work?
"Colin... please tell me you remember... oh Gods..."
Sanria watched as Colin struggled. He could see something wasn't right and even through his imposed fog, he wanted to protect them. "Are you ok? Do you need help?" he asked her, and Sanria let out a sob. At Velentham's sudden grip on her arm, Sanria's mind began the familiar submersion. It was growing harder for her to say anything, harder for her to focus on Colin's questions. She was losing the ability to defend herself against anything, and she gave an inward scream before her mind settled down into a peaceful quiet.
Checkmate
Velentham landed and had his clear view of the beast that stood drooling in anticipation before him. He would make quick work of this one. He used his speed to get around behind Colin and shoved him as hard as he could. He did not anticipate Colin having speed to match, and he found himself beneath the muscle-bound man, his head meeting with a skull- shattering blow delivered by Colin's. He was only momentarily shaken before recovering.
Out of nowhere, roots and vines burst from the ground, pulling both of the men apart. "Stop... please..." Sanria said, walking between the two of them. "When the eyes are normal... I will continue." Velentham was able to calm himself by degrees as the woman turned to him. "I'm not going anywhere with you. Do you understand me?"
"You are going to come with me, Sanria. I came all this way and you WILL come."
SLAP! The sting from her small hand shocked Velentham. "I don't care how far you came or how far you have to go to get back. What you've done here is unacceptable and inexcusable. You will leave and go away and never come back."
Velentham scowled openly as Sanria walked away from him. She was kneeling beside the animal she called a husband and it drove Velentham insane. How could she choose that? He began to whisper, his incantation melting the vines and roots away. With nothing to hold him back and all other parties not paying any attention, he rushed forward and gripped Colin's head in his hands.
Velentham chanted hard and loud, seeing Colin's mind like a map. He pressed with his full mental weight, a prowess trained for such maneuvers, and shoved Colin's memories of his family and Sanria deep down. So far there would be little chance of his ever recovering them without a very skilled caster.
He was knocked off his feet by Sanria, who screamed out, "Velentham! What did you do!!!"
"I fixed it so that he knows what it feels like to not remember," he said as he watched Colin go limp within his root confines.
Out of nowhere, roots and vines burst from the ground, pulling both of the men apart. "Stop... please..." Sanria said, walking between the two of them. "When the eyes are normal... I will continue." Velentham was able to calm himself by degrees as the woman turned to him. "I'm not going anywhere with you. Do you understand me?"
"You are going to come with me, Sanria. I came all this way and you WILL come."
SLAP! The sting from her small hand shocked Velentham. "I don't care how far you came or how far you have to go to get back. What you've done here is unacceptable and inexcusable. You will leave and go away and never come back."
Velentham scowled openly as Sanria walked away from him. She was kneeling beside the animal she called a husband and it drove Velentham insane. How could she choose that? He began to whisper, his incantation melting the vines and roots away. With nothing to hold him back and all other parties not paying any attention, he rushed forward and gripped Colin's head in his hands.
Velentham chanted hard and loud, seeing Colin's mind like a map. He pressed with his full mental weight, a prowess trained for such maneuvers, and shoved Colin's memories of his family and Sanria deep down. So far there would be little chance of his ever recovering them without a very skilled caster.
He was knocked off his feet by Sanria, who screamed out, "Velentham! What did you do!!!"
"I fixed it so that he knows what it feels like to not remember," he said as he watched Colin go limp within his root confines.
Fury unleashed
Colin glared at Velentham as icy darkness gripped his heart, surrounded his body, and created a tunnel in his vision focused on the celestial. If it hadn't been for the presence of Sanria between them and the happiness that they had shared over the past 5 months Colin would have lost complete control of his sanity in a berserk rage. Even as it stood, the fury within him was barely held in check as he moved side to side, trying to gain an angle past Sanria to reach his target.
The bit of rational thought still within Colin sunk as Velentham suddenly scooped up Sanria and streaked skyward. Colin felt certain he was going to take her away, just like that. Yet he didn't leave with her, instead choosing to deposit her on the mountainside and then slowly drift his way back down toward Colin.
With Sanria now out of his sight, the darkness within Colin surged as he watched the slowly descending celestial. Sanria's shouts for him to es- cape didn't even register. Colin sunk to the ground in a ferral crouch and saliva trickled down his chin. He didn't need any weapons. He was going to rend this bastard limb from limb with his bare hands and then grind the pieces into a bloody pulp in the dirt for what he did.
Velentham's strike came with blinding speed as suddenly he was behind Colin, plowing into him in an attempt to drive him into the ground. Colin's rage-enhanced reflexes were the only thing that partially saved him. Spinning at the last moment, he grabbed a fistfull of Velentham's shirt, driving him down to the ground with him.
They tumbled together, coming to a rest with Colin on top of Velentham. He had only the briefest of moments to look down upon Velentham with murderous rage before he was hit with an intense blast of pure white radiance from the celestial. The black makou within Colin burned like fire throughout his whole body and he howled in pain. His head was thrown backward as the blast continued to pummel him but there was no way Colin would relinquish his grip upon the man below him. As pain, rage, and icy darkness completely consumed him, Colin clenched his jaw and used all his strength to drive his head straight down toward Velentham's face.
The bit of rational thought still within Colin sunk as Velentham suddenly scooped up Sanria and streaked skyward. Colin felt certain he was going to take her away, just like that. Yet he didn't leave with her, instead choosing to deposit her on the mountainside and then slowly drift his way back down toward Colin.
With Sanria now out of his sight, the darkness within Colin surged as he watched the slowly descending celestial. Sanria's shouts for him to es- cape didn't even register. Colin sunk to the ground in a ferral crouch and saliva trickled down his chin. He didn't need any weapons. He was going to rend this bastard limb from limb with his bare hands and then grind the pieces into a bloody pulp in the dirt for what he did.
Velentham's strike came with blinding speed as suddenly he was behind Colin, plowing into him in an attempt to drive him into the ground. Colin's rage-enhanced reflexes were the only thing that partially saved him. Spinning at the last moment, he grabbed a fistfull of Velentham's shirt, driving him down to the ground with him.
They tumbled together, coming to a rest with Colin on top of Velentham. He had only the briefest of moments to look down upon Velentham with murderous rage before he was hit with an intense blast of pure white radiance from the celestial. The black makou within Colin burned like fire throughout his whole body and he howled in pain. His head was thrown backward as the blast continued to pummel him but there was no way Colin would relinquish his grip upon the man below him. As pain, rage, and icy darkness completely consumed him, Colin clenched his jaw and used all his strength to drive his head straight down toward Velentham's face.
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