Chapter 8: The Darkness of Next Earth

Vinci felt as though she was floating. Every thought fuzzy. Her eyes were closed as she floated in the darkness.

"Remember..."an overlap of voices, male and female echoed.

"Remember what?"Vinci answered dazily.

"You have to remember..."they all continued in unison.

Vinci's eyebrows furrowed, "I've forgotten?"she asked, still in a state of sleep.

"Yes.."

"I..I don't remember..."Vinci whispered.

"Just because you have forgotten, doesn't mean others have... It hasn't changed what you have done. You can't pick and choose. Remember. Remember everything. Remember us!" The voices gradually got louder, ending in a yell.

"Remember me.."A male voice whispered so softly. "Jaeger...Please..Remember.."his voice faded out.

Vinci opened her eyes, she looked around. A village turned into a blooded battlefield. She began walking forward, no control over her own body. A little boy with blonde hair and eyes of steel looked up at her. He was terrified.

"P-please don't..Don't hurt me."He whimpered.

She smiled sweetly. "Hurt you?"she mocked innocently. "I'd never dream of it."she ran her clawed hand through his chest. "Only to kill."she smiled, yanking her hand from him.

"No... That wasn't me.."

"But it was and it is. It will always be a part of who you are. But you've also done so much good."

Vinci's closed eyes began to drip tears.

"I..How can I ever atone..for my sins.."Vinci's voice became more coherent. "How can you ever forgive me.."

"There's nothing to forgive.."The voices were once again in unison, "The question is: Whether you can forgive yourself.."

She couldn't answer. She had never thought she deserved forgiveness, let alone forgiving herself. She stayed silent.

"You have to forgive yourself. We are always on your side. No matter how many times you kill us. No matter how many times you've forgotten all the good we did together. All the good you did. You just have to let us in."

_____________________________________

"Come on Diego."A blue haired girl called out to a long and thin icy-jade green serpent. The creature slithered towards her, quickly wrapping up and around her leg, wrapping serveral times around her arm. Her eyes began to glow a florescent periodot green as she looked into the serpent's jet black eyes. They seemed to ensnare each other in the others stare.

"Diego. I'm sorry.."She stared at her beautiful serpent, as her eye's glow fainted away. As though he knew what she would say next he flicked out his amethyst purple tounge at her.

The blue haired girl took her middle and pointer finger, stroking Diego's head, "I know but..I couldn't save the temple."she looked at the ground, avoiding her serpent's seemingly blank stare, though she could see through the death stare, she knew he was looking at her with sympathy. Flicking his tounge, as though to say it's not your fault. But no matter how much he tried to reason with her, she couldn't help but know it was her fault.

"There she is!"a voiced yelled out. The yelling was quickly followed by armored footsteps.

"Shit."she rushed, whipping her head around, trying to think of something.

"I know your out there, little charmer."a man, who was clearly a hired muscle spoke with a crooked grin, voice full of confidence, as he and a group of others walked through shaded forest.

The blue haired girl reached into her black back pack pulling out a jade flute that had been infused with diamonds of the anicent Charmers.

She stared sorrowfully at it, as it gleamed up at her.

If only I had been able to play it..

Immediately Diego nudged her hand, trying to comfort his mistress. Glaring down at the mercenaries, her grip tightened around the beautifully fluorescent green flute.

"Hey!"she yelled down. "You want this right!"she continued, as she raised the instrument. "Well you can have it!"she hissed, throwing it down.

"Finally came to your senses, huh Little Charmer?"he chuckled, bending down to pick up the flute. He looked it up and down, turning it in his bloody hands. When he was satisfied he stuffed it into his back pocket. Turning his attention back to the girl still in the trees.

"What the hell are you still doing here!"she said annoyed.

"Our orders are to bring you back to the capital Little Charmer. His majesty wants to kill you all."he spoke as if it was obvious.

The girl's eyes narrowed to that of a snake, she hissed, baring ever-sharpening fangs. "You got want you wanted! I'm nothing without that flute and you know it!"

"Well say what you will,"he huffed looking at his fingernails boredly,"But his Highness seems to think your still just as dangerous."he stopped picking his nails to look up at the girl with a smirk. "Your not just a Little Charmer, though, are you.."he looked at her eyes.

"No, but you already knew that didn't you."she growled through gritted fangs.

"Well now the suspicions are confirmed."he raised an eyebrow, still smirking.

"You're a Serpentine Priestess...Ah-Tsch-Tsch-Tsch..The only Serpentine Priestess. You were a favorite to become next a Serpentine Queen. Not only that, but your blooded for it. Powerful from the start, but never putting in the effort and always lazing about. You were certainly powerful enough to have easily become the greatest Serpent Queen to ever reign. And yet, your still merely a pristess. You could have saved them!" he growled, "If you hadn't fucked around, maybe you could have saved them. Their blood is on you. We may have taken their lives, but their blood is on you!!"he screamed.

One of the mercenaries put their hand on his shoulder. "Si-"

"I know.. Let's go."he shrugged off his hand, turning and walking towards the nearest town.

"But what about her?"another mercenary asked.

"Leave her, we got what we came for. She isn't worth my blade."he said flatly. "Let her live with her guilt."he muttered.

The girl bit her lip, as she watched the group who had been sent to chase and eradicate her kind simply walk away.