THRANDAL: The Phoenix and the Siren [UNDER EDIT]

GHOST OF THE PAST

CHAPTER 12: Ghost of the Past

A dark and eerie island met the two warriors when they crossed the mystic fog. The ground seemed volcanic and ruins stood everywhere. Swirling dark clouds covered the night sky which shot out lightning at random places.

"What is this place?", she said as she looked around.

"I don't know, but it seems like an old fort or a citadel", Nero responded.

"Kitara....", suddenly, a familiar thunderous voice echoed throughout the small island. Kitara's eyes shot up and Nero ran towards her.

"It's him", Kitara drew her sword.

"Show yourself!", Nero shouted as he unsheathed his sword and stood behind Kitara.

"You're wrong", this time, the voice sounded normal as a heavily chained man emerged from behind a wall.

"This place is no fort or citadel. This place is prison", he stopped and face them. "And I am the prisoner."

"You're the Black Cloud?", she asked.

"I am the person who wanted you to be here", he looked at Nero, "Both of you."

The two furrowed their brows as their gaze followed the man encircling them.

"Look at you, Kitara. You look so much like her."

"What?", Kitara shot an eyebrow at him.

"Your mother, you look so much like her", he said.

"What do you-?"

"I am your father, Kitara Fang", he said and Kitara felt her blood boil as her hand balled into a fist.

"You dare speak of my father!", she shouted.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don't me!", his voice raised as he demanded.

Kitara caught his eyes and familiarity knocked on her doors. She was too young then to remember how his father looked like but she can remember him for one thing: he held the exact same golden hazel eyes as hers, the exact same orbs she had almost forgotten when he died. Her eyes widened and her body froze.

"No, no, my father is dead. You killed him!"

"Only my body died at that war! You are looking at my soul, Kitara", his voice died down and his eyes glimmered despair.

"All of us."

Suddenly, hundreds of souls materialized around them. They were all in chains, just like this man who claims to be Kitara's father.

"It's true, Kit", Kitara and Nero's heads shot at the direction that voice came from. There's no mistaking it.

"It's really them", their eyes widened at the person who had just appeared.

"Galen?", Nero uttered as he took in the sight. The two lowered their swords when they saw the white-haired Lunar.

"Yes. Forgive me if I tricked you. I just did what I had to. When I saw the light of Thrandal's portal tearing through Pallacine's sky, I followed it. I knew it was the both you, but when I looked into your eyes, I saw doubt", he said as he walked towards them.

"The both of you were fighting for a reason you yourselves are not sure of. Kitara, arrogance spoke from your mouth when you decided to conquer the Black Cloud alone. You say you want to fight for Thrandal when you know it deep in your mind, your heart, and in your soul that you only want to prove something to your mother", he said as Kitara lowered her gaze.

What he was saying is true. Kitara did have her doubts and second thoughts. The reason why she threw herself in this battle was never clear to her that time. He was right, deep inside Kitara, she knew she wanted to prove her mother wrong; that she was strong enough to defeat the Black Cloud.

"And you, Nero. It is easy to say something or someone is worth fighting for when it's only words. But in actuality, you find yourself frozen on the ground. What did you do when Kitara was attacked back in the duel grounds? You say you want to fight with her, but you deny the reason why you want to", he placed a hand at each of their shoulders.

"I've been watching the both of you and I had to make you realize what you were truly fighting for. You made a decision out of arrogance and selfishness. And fighting in ignorance is a sure loss", Galen turned and walked around the warriors who were too stunned to utter a word.

"I also had to make you both realize what you truly meant to each other. Yes, you had trust for the other person. But the question is, why? I needed you to answer that first. And now that things are clear between the both of you, don't you feel stronger? Don't you feel assured? Don't you feel like you can conquer anything?", he finally stopped beside the man who claimed to be Kitara's father.

He signalled Kitara to come forward and something in her made her do just that. What he said was a lot to take in but somehow, her heart was telling her that the words coming out of Galen Bane's mouth was true.

"I also wanted you to hear it come out personally from him", Galen said gently as he stood between the two.

The man outstretched his hand and opened his palm and Kitara stared at it for a while. What if this was all just a trick and if she takes that hand, they lose? What if this is all just deception?

But this was Galen, she knew him. It was him she trusted so much. Hesitantly, she raised her hand and placed it on his.

But Kitara was taken aback when her hand went directly through the man's palm, like a spirit's.

That was where she gave in. She shook her head in disbelief as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "How long have you been trapped like this?", she asked and the man gave her a bitter smile.

"Fourteen years, my daughter"

Kitara wasn't able to hold in her tears anymore as it freely hurled down her face. Nero was about to walk towards her when a familiar voice spoke behind him.

"Nero?", he turned to see a blue-haired man whose looks resembled his very own.

"Father?", he walked up to him and they stared at each other. Nero balled his fist as he took in his father's form.

For fourteen years, the souls of their dead never rested; but were all trapped in this hell-hole, covered in chains and all. They were imprisoned souls.

"How did you find them, Galen?", Kitara asked the Lunar.

"The mission they gave me was here in Pallacine. They wanted me to find the Stone of Life for it was crucial for the benefit of Thrandal. The stone came to me earlier than I expected so having an adventurous blood, I decided to stay here for a while and during that stay, I was able to dig up a lot of things...including this place", he explained.

"So when I learned about the truth, I knew I had to tell the both of you. I knew that the two of you had both the strength and the heart to fight this battle. So I had to find a way to get you here instead. The warfare became the perfect timing. Your father here taught me an old trick that allowed me to create a mirage for a short time. I had to make it look like an invasion to warn the people of Thrandal, and to call out to the both of you."

"If the enemy is not him, then who is it?", Nero walked up to them and stood beside Kitara who was processing what she was hearing.

"The very person who sent you here."