Dandelion heart (A faeries soul sequel) Elfman and Evergreen

The minds first taste

Pain filled groans echoed through the large cavern, the hollow gasps ricocheting down the shadowed chasm that dropped deep into the stomach of the earth. With each throb from his dislocated shoulders pain hammered into his unconscious body. Elfman's eyes moved quickly underneath his eyelids, looking for something searchingly in his tormented sleep.

Show me it.

Elfman yelled out against the voice that probed into his brain, his eyes whipping open with a snap in response. New throbbing pain attacked his head as Elfman blinked his eyes wearily into his queer surroundings his vision blurring in and out of focus. Flashing lights began flicker around him, colourful bolts of light in such a range it was like watching a fragments of a rainbow fly past the corners of your eye. Blinking Elfman's eyes began to clear his powerful vision returning to itself the flickering bright lights still flying past his eyes. But Elfman's inhospitable surroundings were different.

"What is this?!" Elfman growled his head slowly rotating, trying not to shift or move his burning shoulders. The large trench's roof that loomed above Elfman was now completely made up of crystalline mirrors, their bright glossy surface glowing from a light of their own, illuminating the pitch black pit. Growling Elfman watched the mirrors suspiciously, despite only being captive for twelve hours his entire attitude had changed under the torturous conditions so he was now suspicious of everything. Large purple eyes appeared in the mirrors blinking coldly as they evaluated him.

"Show me your strength" the cold voice said his booming voice keening and rumbling shaking the foundations of the walls. Elfman began to cringe from it's loudness, the awful keening stabbing at his sore head . As soon as the sharp and painful noises finished Elfman immediately lifted his head, his eyes widening in wonder as the colourful flashes of light had merged together to form oddly familiar scenes. A gasp unwillingly was ripped from his throat as the mirror showed in perfect clarity a scene of the outside of the guild at night time appear, and his older sister Mirajane rushing towards the Mirror.

"MIRA-NEE" Elfman yelled out his hopes rising as he saw his sister run towards him, the entire guild standing at the entrance to the guild. A delighted grin spread across Elfman's face as Mirajane grabbed the edges of the mirror his jaw opening to shout more words when another familiar voice cut him off.

"Hi Mira-nee"

Elfman's hopes came crashing down as he recognized his own voice echoing in and out of the mirrors realization that what Elfman was looking at wasn't present time at all. Elfman was in fact re-watching his memories, and he wasn't the only one watching them.

"Stop it" Elfman growled, rage lathering his words until his sore body was numb from it.

"STOP IT" Elfman roared a dry hack escaping his parched throat. You will not take my memories Elfman thought clenching his jaw, his mind throwing up mental barriers to block the probing drill pressing into his head. The mental probe ignored his blocks and continued to bury deeper into his memories. Gritting his teeth Elfman glanced upwards watching more of his memories replay on the mirror, none of the memories ever in sequence but flitting between time skips. Scenes of the fight on the Oltayna mountains replayed on the mirror before abruptly jumping to the time the Manticore's soul was forced into his own soul . Wait a minute...all these memories they are all to do with the Manticores soul stuck in mine Elfman thought a dusty cough escaping his mouth as he realized this. So that is what he is doing Elfman thought he is only going after the memories that have the Manticore in them or has even a little to do with it. Struggling Elfman tried fiercely to rid himself of the mental probe his own mind ripping and clawing at it trying anything to dislodge it. A grimace was stretched over the white haired mages face as the probe twisted a little sending intense waves of pain racking his brain. With twitching movements Elfman slowly looked up at the mirrors hoping that his efforts had stopped Advorsus from taking his memories. The lights of the memories slowly began to fade leaving the mirrors voided of any light not even reflecting the vague light illuminating the immense pit.

Relief rushed over Elfman his grimace disappearing in place of a wince as his incredibly sore neck began to relax making his dislocated shoulders a far more noticeable. Elfman glanced ahead his eyes narrowing, why is the bridge gone Elfman thought suspicions stirring once more when the lights of the mirrors flashed on more brightly and powerfully than ever before. Flinging his head up ignoring the spasms of pain that tore his shoulders Elfman felt the prob dig into his skull in absolutely relentless pushes, causing his jaw and face to lock up not allowing a single squeak to escape. New memories flashed onto the screen random ones that had nothing to do with the Manticore. Flashes of the first time Elfman used the right arm take over spell and his success flickered by. Followed by the times that Elfman cooked and went on job request with his sisters moved on and off the mirror. Elfman watched with horror as all the personal memories in his life was brutally displayed on the mirrors before tossed aside like they meant nothing. The drill in his mind began to attach more permanently into his mind, the two minds melding so Elfman could feel the satisfaction Advorsus felt as he tormented Elfman. Choking at the sudden vicious contact between minds Elfman flung his head up tears of despair soaking his face as he watched more and more memories fly on and off the mirror. The memories began to slow. The tide that quickly swept them along the mirror slackened until one memory settled on the mirror.

"I love you Ever, and I truly mean it I will always love you"  

No Elfman thought panic boiling over in him you can't have that memory you won't. This was the first Elfman and Evergreen had made love and was the first time he confessed his feelings. It was by far his most treasured and private memory and he will not have it.

"NO!!" Elfman yelled his body seizing up and thrashing causing a scream of pain to thrash out of Elfman's throat as his shoulders were violently shaken. Huge seizures of pain racked over Elfman immediately severing the connection between him and his captor. The pain ricocheted across both of the connected minds. A scream of pain finally ripped out of Elfman's mouth, the fierce attacks on his body and mind slowly beginning to ebb away until only a dull ache remained. Blood dripped out of Elfman's nose as he stared down the black bottomless pit, hollow gasps rattling his throat.

"Now that was incredibly stupid"

Elfman slowly looked back up his eyes trained on Advorsus who was standing on the newly reappeared bridge hardly a meter away.

"You... tried to take my memories" Elfman gasped blood dripping down over his lip as it drizzled out of his nose. "I cannot let you have them"

Crack

Elfman jerked his head back as Advorsus punched him brutally in the face, his eye already beginning to swell from the strike. Ignoring the pain of the punch Elfman gazed up at the roof, the mirrors that were once there were now gone. If that was all an illusion what else might be? Elfman thought unease twisting his stomach at the thought of not telling reality and illusion apart. A gloved hand roughly grabbed his jaw forcing Elfman to look back at Advorsus his fingers biting into the curve of his jaw.

"What you just did would've killed you had I not stopped the seizures. You nearly ruined your mind with the amount of pain you were putting yourself through and I cannot allow that until I have collected what I want." Advorsus said straightening his stained coat before he turned away with a flourish his fingers snapping in the air as he turned around. Water from the moist walls of the cavern slowly collected in the air in front of Elfman forming a wet ball. Ignoring the pain in his shoulders Elfman cautiously lent forward his eyes narrowing as he watched Advorsus, before he quickly drunk from the wet ball of water in front of him. The cool water soothed his blistering throat as he quickly gulped down the water. This is probably the last time he gives me anything to drink civilly Elfman thought as he quickly sucked in as much water as he could. But only after three decent sized swallows the water suddenly dropped into the pit below him Elfman watching its decent longingly.

"Now that you aren't going to die over night sleep as well as you can from your hanging position, we have more to accomplish tomorrow".

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That chapter took me AGES like three hours. Ahh. these chapters are hard to write especially when this is happening to Elfman . Sorry Elfman I do love you :'(. But anyway thank you for reading and or reviewing lots of love and muffins (you get a treat ;) for those that did 

Fairychanger