The Curse of the Brand   von Aylatha
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                           Kapitel 50: Origin's End
                           ------------------------


The last staircase seemed endless to them as they climbed it towards their
destina­tion. Yune and Micaiah had realized that Lehran wouldn't be coming and
both were unhappy about it. Even though Micaiah had sensed his pain, she had
hoped he would join them.
Sanaki was lost in dark thoughts of her own, Leanne and her brothers trying to
comfort her. Nala was carrying the still unconscious Maian. All healers had
agreed that they had never before seen anyone who had survived such exhaustion
and that it would be very unlikely she woke anytime soon.
Just as Micaiah's thoughts returned to Lehran, he released another, final
memory.
"Lehran... I will not... countenance this plan."
"Hear me, Goddess Ashera... Yune's imprisonment within the medallion has begun
to change you. Order and chaos, you are one being, comprising both parts. The
one must naturally affect the other."
"Even so, I will not return Yune to this body. She is unstable, and I need to be
per­fect in order to protect this world. It is as I have said. Yune must be
destroyed."
"Ashera, you mustn't! You cannot survive without your opposite. Please, you must
not do this! Your world still needs you."
"Lehran, you have always been a wise and kind-hearted child. In deference to
you, I will place my faith in your kind one last time. For the next thousand
years, I will sleep as well. When I wake again, I hope it is to a world of peace
and order, where all prosper as equals. If I do, then I will know that you have
advised me well. I will reward your counsel. I will also allow Yune to return to
me. I will once again be the goddess of creation, whole and complete. Ashunera,
the Dawn Goddess... the name your ancestors gave me so long ago. I should like
to hear it again.
However, during those thousand years, if the chaos of war should arise and
awa­ken Yune from her slumber within the medallion, I will know that you have
strayed from your path and I will punish your failure as I would have rewarded
your success. And then you will know my judgement. You will pay for your sins,
every one to the last."
"In the names of our people, we vow to keep this covenant. There will be no
great war between the laguz and beorc for one thousand years. So pledge Altina
of the beorc, Deghinsea of the dragon tribes, Soan of the beast tribes, and I,
Lehran, of the bird tribes."
"If you believe that during those thousand years you have created a world that
has outgrown the atrocities of war... or if you feel that the world has fallen
beyond the hope of redemption, you may sing the Galdr of Release to awaken us
both. Your heirs will possess that power as well... Sing to awaken us, and tell
us your tale. Tell us of the world your two kinds have built in our absence. We
will listen, and we will judge fairly and unpartially. This is our covenant with
you."
They returned to the present to notice the others discussing Maian's actions.
"I tell you, something's gone wrong, terribly wrong", Nala said. "This isn't the
way she normally reacts to something like that... I think she knocked out her
mind so she could focus on what she felt she needed to do instead of flying into
a rage."
"What do you mean by that?", Soren asked.
"I mean that she didn't grasp what was really happening. She refused to think
about it, focusing every single thought on that seal. She could deal with that,
but not with him. You see, normally she'd just freak out and attack without
thinking... a mother would do anything to protect her daughter. Even if Maian
and Sanaki aren't related by blood, she always felt about her as her mother.
Remember our battle in the gorge, when Micaiah tried to crush us with rocks?"
Micaiah flinched at that memory. Yune seemed to disapprove of Micaiah's actions,
but she also could understand Micaiah's reasons.
"Lady Maian immediately found out who the main aggressor – Micaiah – was and
attacked her without one moment of hesitation – even ignoring the fact that
they were both the same. That's just what any mother would do – eliminate the
threat to her child. Back there, Lehran was the threat – the traitor. But
instead of ripping out his throat – which I assume is what she'd have liked to
do – she started messing with that seal."
"So, that's why you think something is wrong with her? Because she didn't kill
Lehran?", Ike asked.
"Exactly. That's not the way she usually behaves – something has gone wrong.
Terribly wrong. I fear this will have consequences..."



"Ike? So... you really weren't joking when you said you couldn't remember the
day we first met", Soren said.
"Yeah, Lehran sealed that memory away, too..."
"I talked with Maian about that, and she said that it would have been possible
for a very powerful sage to do that... Well, Lehran's powerful enough, no doubt
about that."
"But I remember now... Mother went shopping with Mist and I was wandering the
village alone. I walked over to the edge of the forest, looking for a stick I
could pre­tend was a sword. A boy with very dark-green hair was lying on the
ground."
"I remember the giant oak tree in the clearing... I was sleeping in the hollow
by the roots."
"He looked my age. He was as skinny as a twig, wearing rags and covered in dirt.
He looked as if he was near death. I took out my lunch and handed it to him. He
made a noise like a scared animal and shied away. He was suspicious of me, but
in the end, he took my sandwich and started to eat. It was as if he'd never
eaten be­fore in his life. I didn't have anything else to feed him, so I told
him to come to my house. He kept shaking his head no."
"I was afraid that you were going to trick me. Afraid that you were going to
chase me away after taunting me with food, just for a laugh..."
"I told the boy that I would be back with more food the next day, the same
place, the same time. He finally nodded when I said that. It made me happy. I
felt like I was doing something right, helping this boy. Like I was the only one
who'd do that."
"I was happy, too. Not only because I wasn't hungry any more, but because
someone finally would talk to me. So I went back to the village the following
day. I was scared of the villagers and their rocks and sticks, but I still went
back."
"That's right. That was Gallia back then. The beorc abused and tormented the
hy­brids because the laguz shunned them. They wanted to avoid upsetting the
laguz."
"The villagers threw stones at me, calling me an animal and a devil. But on that
day, the village was littered with corpses. Peasants and soldiers were in
panic."
"It was my dad. He went crazy when the spirit of chaos within the medallion
touched him."
"I walked through the empty streets, checking bodies to see if you were dead,
but I couldn't find you. I decided that you had to be alive. I took money and
food from the village and headed for Crimea, a land of the beorc. On my way to
Crimea, I met the beasts of Gallia. I was terrified, but after a while, I
noticed something. They never attacked me. They all noticed something about me
and then pretended they couldn't see me. That look was burned into my mind.
They'd scowl, then walk away like they'd never noticed me. In a way, this left
me colder and more alone than if they had attacked me. Hate was something I
could understand. This was denial. They made me feel that I shouldn't exist.
That my simply being here was an affront to the world. That was how the beasts
treated me. And I hated them for it. It sat in my heart like a lead bar. Like a
glacier.
When I reached Crimea, I took refuge in a church on the way. They took my Brand
as a sign that I had been taught in the arcane arts and took good care of me.
They taught me many things. Once I had learned to speak and behave like other
people, I wandered Crimea for several years. Then I finally found you."
"But I'd..."
"Yes. You'd forgotten that day in Gallia. But I didn't care. My only wish was to
see you again. I just wanted to see the only boy who had held out a warm hand
when I had nothing..."
Soren turned his head away.
"Soren... don't cry."
"Don't cry? What? I'm not crying..."
The other mercenaries looked away, pretending they didn't notice.
Ike smiled. "It's okay. You don't have to hide it... we all know you're not as
bad as you always pretend to be."
Soren wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe, smiling weakly.


Finally, they reached the top of the tower. There was something like a bed in
the center of the room, and a long thin curtain made of silk hanging from the
ceiling around it. A tall woman with long red hair clad in black stood in front
of it. Feathers were growing out of her hair and the hem of her dress.
"It's her..."
Ashera didn't seem too pleased to have them walk right into her bedroom. She
stared at them, without saying a word.
"Ashera", Yune said.
She rushed forward.
"Ashera, it's me... Yune! Can you hear me?"
Ashera just closed her eyes.
"Ashera, please, listen to me! There is no need for you to pass any more
judge­ment. You can return the people to normal!"
"I cannot. There are still people left in my world who are made of fallible
flesh. This imperfect world has passed beyond control. Now, I shall pass my
final judgement!"
"Wait! You can't violate the terms of the covenant, Ashera! One thousand years
still haven't passed. We were awoken by galdrar, not by mankind's war."
"It doesn't matter. During my long sleep, laguz and beorc continued to fight.
The children of flesh will never learn nor grow. Time will pass as always, but
nothing can change the destiny of mankind."
"You have to look deeper! The first judgement didn't turn everyone to stone, and
I'll tell you why. Because these people are not "people" as we know them.
Ashera, these people have become something new! People – the Zunanma – were
the only living beings of this world we didn't create. Animals evolved into
being Zunanma, who became laguz and beorc. And that evolution continues today!"
Yune took some more steps towards her sister and Ike really hoped that Ashera
wouldn't attack her or anything.
"Ashera... I'll tel you a secret you didn't know."
Yune pulled the glove off Micaiah's right hand and held it out for Ashera to
see.
"Children can be born both of a beorc and laguz parent. They are still very few
in number, but if allowed to flourish, mankind might become anything! If the two
races continue to evolve, I'm sure something wonderful will emerge! You can't
just bring that to a halt!"
"Do not claim certainty of anything. The children of this world are born of
chaos, and nothing could be more uncertain. The world does not need the
evolution of mankind. My responsibility is to protect order, the balance of all
life-forms. Beings that evolve without my guidance will only destabilize and
threaten this world. Be­cause of that - "
"You have to wipe out everything that is made of flesh? Is that what you're
trying to say?" Yune shook her head. "Very well then. You and I have nothing
more to talk about. My only choice is to defeat you."
"Yune, do not be absurd. You cannot overthrow me, just as I cannot overthrow
you."
"Of course not. But they can!"
Yune whirled around, indicating at her companions.
"Everyone, the time has come! Defeat Ashera, or everyone you love will be a
statue forever!"
"These people, they carry your blessing, Yune... You mean to fight me?"
Ike stepped forward.
"Ashera, our goddess. This is the world – and we are the people – you
created. You make it sound like we're just some sort of filthy creatures that
decided to settle down here and cause trouble."
"Ike, don't say it like that!", Yune scolded.
"We're not perfect. Sometimes our brains tell us one thing, while our emotions
tell us another. And war... the more we try to avoid it, the worse it is when it
comes to us. People are probably the dumbest creatures alive."
"But... somehow you're also the most endearing", Yune replied. "It's your
imperfec­tions that make you so interesting... Imperfections very similar to
ours."
"We know that we've messed up. We'll try our best to avoid more war and make
peace our highest priority. Ashera, just give us one more chance. All we ask for
is one more chance."
"You expect me to reverse my judgement? The Goddess of Order cannot be so –
mercurial. My decision is final."
"So that's how it's going to be, huh?"
Ike drew Ragnell and pointed the blade at Ashera.
"Then we will fight – and we will save our people! Make your peace with
whatever the gods worship. Your end is near."
"My end – is near?!", Ashera asked, lifting her arms and jerking her chin
upwards. Light filled the room and Ike could feel the power she was emanating.
"In every battle that mattered in my life, I've always been the one left
standing, no matter how slim my chances. This battle means more than any of the
others, be­cause it's for the life of every person I've ever cared about. I
will win this fight!"
Ashera clearly thought him to be amusing, or mad. Or maybe both.
"Prepare for battle", Ike ordered.
Next to him, Yune left Micaiah's body again to leave the battlefield to her.
Ashera stared at Micaiah.
"You – your eyes..."
"What about them?", Micaiah asked, sounding confused.
"Nothing. I never said anything."
When Micaiah turned around, Ike saw the black mark on her right hand.
So that's why she's always been wearing gloves.
Ike followed Micaiah back to where the others waited.
"General Ike, what about Lady Maian?", Nala asked. "We need to keep her safe
during the battle – Duchess Liane would rip my head off if I dare come home
without her precious little sister."
"How do you think we're going to keep her safe? We're talking about fighting a
goddess here."
"Please allow me to help you with that", a quiet voice from behind them asked.
Micaiah gasped. Ike spun round.
Lehran stood near the edge of the platform, his wings still out. Apparently, he
had been flying to catch up with them.
"You want to help us? You would protect Maian for us?", Ike asked.
"Yes."
"Like I'll believe you!", Nala hissed furiously. "I won't leave her in your
care, traitor!"
Lehran sighed quietly, closing his eyes. Ike heard the heron-siblings gasp.
"What's wrong?!", Naesala asked, alarmed.
"He – he just dropped his mind-barrier!", Reyson whispered.
"What do you mean by that?", Ike asked.
"Well, all herons project a shield around their minds – a barrier to keep
others from looking into our minds. We all do that – just like Maian. No doubt
Lehran taught her... Normally, we'd never let anyone into our minds. The fact
that he is willing to go that far – it clearly shows that he is serious,
especially since he can't stop us from exploring his mind now."
"He speaks the truth", Rafiel said quietly. "He will protect Senator Maian with
all his might."
Leanne nodded in agreement.
"Reyson? Micaiah? Do you feel the same way?"
"Yes."
"We do."
"Alright, then. Nala, hand her over."
Nala growled. "I'm warning you just this once, birdie. If there's just a single
scratch, bruise or anything on her afterwards, I'll tear you to pieces myself."
"Of course", Lehran said softly, carefully taking Maian into his arms, cradling
her against his chest.
The tenderness, the care, was obvious to everyone.
"Lehran, what is the meaning of this?"
Ashera's voice thundered across the room. Lehran looked up at her.
"Forgive me, goddess. I must end my service to you now. My dear goddess, Ashera!
Please forgive me!"
"Lehran..."
"Everything I've done was a mistake. It was all the result of my weakness. The
changes were unbearable to watch, too frightening to understand. It grew painful
to accept change, and with that my heart filled with cowardice. I was
overwhelmed by that pain, and could think of nothing but soothing it. As long as
I suffered, I was blind, even to the beautiful things of the world. I can see it
now... the people de­serve compassion. They deserve to have their lives back!"
So, finally, he's seeing sense.
"No", Ashera replied. "You were always too flexible, too inconstant. You cannot
sway me any further."
"Ashera... my goddess... please. Five of my surviving children stand among them
– I could not bear to lose them as well."
Ike stared at him. He was pretty sure he could count correctly. There were
Rafiel, Reyson and Leanne, and then Sanaki. His descendants. But who was the
fifth?
"Be silent now and watch as I erase these beings that confuse your simple
heart."
"It's no use", Ike said to Lehran. "We already tried... not even Yune got
through to her. You just sit here and stay out of our way."
As Ike started giving orders, Micaiah drifted over to his side and crouched down
next to Lehran.
"I'm so glad you decided to come", she said quietly.
Lehran looked up again.
"Thank you – for your kindness."
"You – you are my - "
"Yes. But now is not the right moment – we will have plenty of time to talk
after­wards."
"Oh – right. Sorry to bother you."
"Child, you could not possibly bother me. But I do not believe Ashera will watch
our conversation much longer. I have angered her... Go now. We will talk, I
promise you that."
Ike frowned slightly, but decided not to ask. Lehran resumed watching Maian's
pale face, wrapping his wings around them both in a protective way.
Micaiah got to her feet and they all turned to face Ashera.
"You see that barrier?", Soren asked. "We'll need to get rid of it before we can
attack her directly."
"Will physical attacks work?", Tibarn asked.
"Yes. It's like hitting a wall – if you do it long enough, the wall will
collapse. And we have a considerable amount of strength at our disposal."
"Right", Ike said. "I suggest we attack her from all directions, and try to keep
her busy. And watch out for any counter-attacks!"
Tibarn and Elincia took lead of the flying units, only the dragons acted on
their own. Since they were so big, they simply stood around Ashera and breathed
their fiery breath against her shield, while the others attacked from above. The
beasts and horsemen attacked and retreated again swiftly, for Ashera did
counter-attack. And her magic was stronger than anything Ike had ever seen –
very soon, all the magi­cians were busy healing their companions.
Ike slashed and stabbed at the shield. Nothing his father had taught him
mattered right now – this was just about brute force.
Tibarn and Naesala tore at the shield with their claws and beaks, Elincia and
the others used their weapons, the beasts their claws and teeth.
The three herons had centered around their ancestor, taking on his offer to
shield them as well.
A spray of light raced across the battlefield as Ashera unleashed another
attack. Ike jumped sidewards and then rolled across the floor, trying to dodge
the magical onslaught.
Mist desperately urged her horse forward. Ike could hear Boyd shout a warning,
but his sister ignored him. He could see Alondite flashing through the air,
encountering the barrier and – slicing right through it.
There was the noise of shattering glass and rainbow-coloured spheres danced
across the room.
Ashera let out a scream of rage and a burst of light erupted from her hands. It
hit Mist squarely in the chest and threw her off her steed.
Boyd was next to her in an instant, checking her pulse, while Rhys hurried to
his side, his staff ready.
A hand lightly touched Ike's arm. He turned his head to look into Yune's eyes.
"We have to put an end to this. Take all the power I have."
Ike nodded once. "Thank you. I shall use it well."
Ragnell gleamed golden in the light as Ike lifted the blade over his head. Yune
closed her eyes and blue fire spread from her body, engulfing her completely.
The next moment, it took the form of a serpent, leaving Micaiah's body to soar
high into the air. And then it descended onto Ike and his sword, making him glow
in a bright, blue light.
Ike suddenly felt that he had a new understanding of power. He had never before
felt like this – it was exhilarating. Ike made the blade cut the air in front
of him. He was ready.
Ashera had realized that he was the greatest danger to her now, filled with
Yune's spirit – the spirit of chaos. Ike rushed forward, determined not to
give her any chance to use her magic against him.
She attacked and he dodged again. When the next spell hit the air in front of
him, Ike realized he was being shielded by the magicians.
Seeing everything through the strange blue haze, he lunged himself at Ashera.
She wasn't used to being attacked. She didn't know anything besides her powerful
divine magic, and certainly nothing about how to block a blade. Ike's strike
went right through her body.
Panting, he stood there, waiting for what would happen now. Ashera's neck
started to glow blue as her body bent backwards. More light appeared at her
feet, knees and arms as her body dissolved into tiny little sparks. In the end,
nothing of the goddess remained.
Ike gasped, staggering as the blue light left him. Again, it rose high into the
air, took the shape of a gigantic bird and then touched onto the ground, taking
a new shape. Ike stared at Yune. If he had ever wondered why she always acted
like a child, well, here was the answer. She was one. A child-goddess.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff292/AliceAurion/yune.jpg

Her whole body was surrounded by the familiar blue flames and she didn't seem to
be solid. Her contours blurred, similar to the heated air in a desert.
It was very quiet, nobody made even the slightest sound. Yune took a few steps
in Ike's direction, who backed away, still panting.
Yune stopped a few feet away, almost at the same time as he did.
"What of you? Are you leaving?", Ike asked.
"I am. But I believe it's for the best", she replied, looking up at him. "This
world does not need gods. We have always failed you. We've made you weak. That's
why we must – go..."
She said it in such a sad voice, looking down at the floor...
Ike closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath.
"You don't have to leave."
"Hm?"
She looked up again.
"It's true, we don't have much us for gods. But, well... you show us what we
should aspire to. We need inspiration. You give us a reason to grow – to
become more than we are."
Ike crouched down in front of her.
"And if we don't have that, Yune, we're nothing more than – statues."
Her eyes suddenly were very sad.
"Can you forgive me for the pain I've caused?"
"I don't know. But you have already forgiven us. How could we not?"
Yune sighed.
"We're all family. We will try to understand one another, even when we
disagree."
"You're right. I will try. One more time."
Ike got to his feet again. To his surprise, Yune started to fade away. Ike
reached out, trying to touch her, but there was nothing left but thin air...
He pulled his hand back and examined his empty fingers, then he looked over to
the place where Ashera had stood. Nothing.
A strange sound made him look up, towards the ceiling. A small orange bird was
soaring towards the light, twittering cheerfully.
Ike watched her go, a feeling of relief washing over him.

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