Synchronicity

Chapter 12

"I hear singing," Meiko said softly looking over at Miku and Kaito. The dragon would have done quite a bit of damage had the platform not been held by magic. The beast caused several quakes and knocked the girl down a few times but it seemed to have died down now. Miku was half clinging to Kaito for support as she nodded and looked back at the woman.

"It's Len for sure," Kaito said just barely hearing the words.

"And I know that's the Diva," Miku said softly. "I've heard her voice many times before but never like this."

"That's because their twins," Gakupo said frowning at one of the crevasses where the darkness formed and lead down below into the pit. "They're one person split in two. Together they're whole again. If they weren't twins then this journey would probably turn out the same as all the others before it." He glanced at Meiko and saw her flinch, "I think they have a chance."

"They don't!" Miku cried shaking her head, "the dragon is big and dangerous and they're just two kids. There's no way they could survive fighting that thing. I tried to talk it down but it didn't work. If I can't control it, no one can."

"Who says we have to control it?" Kaito smiled, "all we have to do is defeat it. Once it's gone, the entire kingdom will be safe again."

"One problem," Gakupo said with a long sigh. Everyone turned to the scholar. "She's right. There's no way they could survive fighting that thing. Before the Diva was even given, many armies tried to destroy it and none survived. It was too strong."

Everyone was silent for a bit then Meiko snorted and grabbed her sword, "then what the hell are we doing up here?"

"We can't go down there," Kaito snapped right away, "not in our condition."

"Our condition? Len took a beating for all of us," Meiko retorted angrily. "He shouldn't even be alive at this point but he's down there right now fighting!" More silence passed as if everyone was thinking of what to do.

"He should be dead," Miku said in a whisper. "I fought hard again him. He stopped breathing, I know he did. He should have died and stayed that way."

"You killed us though too," Kaito said frowning.

"Yes but I killed you all with illusions," Miku confessed shaking her head, "I really went after him. I don't even know how he's gone on."

"He's trying to save his sister," was all Gakupo said looking back at the hole. Everyone nodded, staring back at the hole also. They could hear noise and they all knew the twins would be in trouble once the dragon came to its senses.

"I might be able to…" Miku muttered to herself suddenly before turning towards Kaito, "Kaito I need you help." The blue haired man looked over at her and without hesitation nodded. "I'm going to try one last spell," she said with a faint smile, "if it works, they might stand a chance," she explained. He just nodded again.

Len heard Rin's voice waver. Something was wrong. The dragon wasn't attacking, just listening to them but Rin didn't sound very good. She was trying to keep up and was trying to sing her parts but now and then she'd miss a beat. The dragon didn't seem to notice but Len could. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and saw she looked even more pale. She stopped a second to cough before singing again. Len thought he saw blood.

They continued to sing, repeating most of the same words since the dragon didn't know any better anyway, then Rin doubled over and went into a coughing fit. "Rin," Len leaned over, resting an arm over her. She waved at him but continued to cough. She was bleeding… The boy frowned, narrowing his eyes as he watched her. She'd been singing her whole life for countless hours on end, of course her voice would be going out.

The dragon made an impatient noise, growling as it reared slightly. Len pushed Rin behind him, holding his arms open to block her as he continued to sing. "From the time we two were born alone, I've searched for the glass tears with an open mind," he sang up at the beast. It came back down to a neutral pose but it didn't mean anything. It was still angry that she'd stopped. "I've walked along this path and kick dirt with the toe of my shoe searching for your voice for ever long year," Rin stirred behind him but he didn't dare glance back. "A way to find you, I'll never know, but by hearing your voice in my heart I plea."

The dragon tipped its head to one side as though it understand somewhat. Len knew it couldn't possibly though. "Through the rain and sorrow, I'll find your prison and break apart the chain that bind. Forever in light I'll drag you from until the world in whole is yours and mine!" He wasn't sure what he was even saying at that point, the words just came out in messes and jumbles.

The dragon understood them though. It screeched loudly and spread it wings, arching back as it sucked in a breath. Len could see the sparks of flames already dancing on it's fangs. Len cursed under his breath and reached to his side, thankfully he found his sword and held it firm. If only he knew what he was going to do with it… The dragon was just going to open it's mouth wider and barbeque them on the spot. What good would his sword be?

"The gland," Rin said pointing slightly out with a bloodied hand. Len froze a second then looked at where she was pointing. The dragon's mouth was opening wider and wider and if the boy squinted enough he could see it. The fire was forming around one spot in the mouth and spreading to the rest of the jaw. Maybe if he hit it…

"Right," Len said turning his sword on its side and positioning himself. He'd never been one for throwing things, he didn't have enough arm strength to really launch anything that far or that high. He'd never tried for one thing. Not only that, but the sword wasn't an aerodynamic spear or anything. It was a clunky metal object with a heavy handle. There was no way he could aim it enough to hit the dragon's gland.

He had to try something though because the flames were getting bigger now. Each moment feeling like a stop motion in time. Rin quivered behind the boy as he tried to ignore his throbbing shoulder. "Come on…" He glared at the beast trying to hold the sword as straight as possible. The dragon made another loud roar, arched up again then slammed it's body down on the ground opening it's jaws wide. Fire shot out but in the moment Len saw an opening. "Hold on Rin!" He shouted, throwing the sword through the center of the flames.

Rin screamed but there was too much fire. They couldn't get out of the way now. Len grunted and quickly spun around, throwing his hands over his sister. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for impact. He heard the dragon roar in pain but he wasn't concerned about that for the moment. He tensed up at he felt the heat wave wrap around them. He snapped his eyes open and paused a moment before cautiously turning back. It was warm, not burning or even that hot…

"What is that?" Rin asked looking past the boy. The flames had risen around them angrily but didn't actually touch. Instead, they seemed to go over them in a dome shape before slowly dying down. When they almost completely gone the twins could see the thin glowing blue shield around them.

"Magic," Len found himself saying with a tiny smile glancing upward. Kaito no doubt. His happiness was cut short though by the loud screeching the dragon was making. Both of the twins turned to look as the dragon lashed about, muzzle wide open as if trying to shaking something from it. "My sword," Len said when he saw a glint of metal. The two just watched some more as the beast bashed it's head against the walls trying to get the object off.

To their surprise, no fire came out past a few sparks that couldn't catch hold of anything. "Len," Rin said tugging at his arm. The boy flinched but looked back at her. "Now's our chance," she said pointing up ahead. Len tried to look but couldn't see anything apart from the little hole in the ground where the dragon had been. "The way out, come on," she said starting to run and taking him with her.

He stumbled a bit and felt his muscles screaming at him to stop and rest but he couldn't. Not if there was a way out. This would be their only chance. They managed to slip past any falling rocks and get around the massive beast that paid them no mind at all. Into the grove they dipped down and kept running towards the wall. Len frowned though. There wasn't an exit anywhere in sight, had his sister gone mad? "Rin, there's nothing he-"

"There is! Just trust me!" She called back to him, forcing him to keep running. As the dragon thrashed about the cave shook and seemed more and more unstable. Eventually they hit into the far wall and the girl begun feeling around. "It's here somewhere, I know it is." She said moving around. Len just stood there watching but wasn't sure what she was looking for. It all looked solid to him. She truly had gone mad…

Len looked back at the beast as it continued to whip its head around. Then he saw it in a flash of steal the sword went flying. The boy wasted no time running for it as the dragon snorted and tried to recover. "Len!" Rin shouted back at him but he wasn't listening. It wasn't far. He easily caught it and went running back by her. That was about when he noticed it. His sister's hand was half in the wall, rippling as though it was going through wall-colored water.

He asked no questions as he grabbed her hand and dove right in. The two of them squeezed inside and instantly all the noise from inside the cave was gone. Their bodies felt heavy but in an odd sort of way. They moved and spoke as if natural but the feeling was very compressed. Len looked back at Rin for an explanation, "I think it's a magical entrance they created in order to come down into this cave."

"It's better than jumping, that's for sure." Len muttered, remembering his throbbing limbs.

"We'll be safe here," Rin said coughing a bit. They both were a wreck. "We can stay and rest for a bit then leave." She suggested as Len attached his sword back to his belt. The girl started to lean against the wall but Len shook his head and tugged her back into walking.

"No," he said sternly. "My friends are still waiting for me." He wasn't even sure of that. Kaito was obviously alive but the others… "Besides, I'm pretty sure that thing isn't going to stop." Rin looked at Len desperately. He knew she was as tired as he was but either way, she nodded and followed after him as he went deeper into the crevasse. "How far away is the exit?" He asked as he reached out to try and feel ahead. It was cool and once in a while he felt a breeze but he couldn't actually see a way out. The entire field they were in was distorted and dark up ahead no matter how much closer they got.

"I'm not sure," Rin said keeping up so well she almost stepped on Len's heels. "I just discovered that it was here a little while ago. I've never been inside and I've never seen the way out. Do you think I would stay here if I had?" Good point. Len just nodded and he kept going. She'd never been in here? Perfect. This tunnel could go on forever. "There must be a way out though," Rin assured as if able to hear her brothers doubts. "I think this is how they bring food and water and clothes and everything else. Maybe it's even where they brought me…"

Len had never given it much thought. When he thought about offering the dragon its diva, the boy had just gotten a picture of them tossing babies into the mountain. It seemed farfetched but it wasn't like he had anything else to go off of. Especially not something like this… "What are your friends like?" Rin asked after the silence begun eating at her. "They must be nice if they're your friends."

"They're fine," Len said not sure how to answer. He wouldn't exactly call them 'friends' but that's pretty much what they were; even if they weren't the boys first choice. Friends were people you enjoyed being around, who understood you and stood by you through hell and back. Friends were the ones who you trusted with your very life. In way, that's what the little group was weren't they?

"I've never had friends before, of course," Rin said softly. Len felt bad now. He'd taken so much for granted. The girl hadn't even seen the sky before! He felt like a low life when he thought of all the times he'd glared at the rain clouds or cursed the plants for not growing. Rin could sing about flowers but she'd never smelled one before.

"Kaito is kind of strange," the boy said suddenly. "He found me when I first started looking for you. He didn't ask a lot of questions either, just said he'd come with me. It was nice because I didn't like being alone." Len remembered before Kaito got there. When it was just him. Sometimes he preferred the emptiness of being by himself, but having someone else there was just so much better.

"Gakupo is a scholar who use to work in the palace. He's more serious than Kaito is and he likes to scold me but… I appreciate it more and more." Like a much older brother or the father the boy never really had. "Meiko just joined us when we escaped the castle-"

"You escaped the castle?" Rin asked in somewhat of an awe. "I've had visions of the castle and the dragon had brought things back from it but… I always assumed it was difficult to get away from."

Len laughed, "yeah well it wasn't easy." He said as he kept trying to feel up ahead. "It's been a long and pretty bad journey to get here," he said to the girl, though it sounded more like he was talking to himself. "I always knew it'd be hard but I wanted to save you. I knew you were alive."

"Why did it matter to you so much though?" Rin asked frowning. He felt her grip slipping and he quickly held on tighter.

"Because you're my other half," Len said simply. "Without out, I'm just… I'm nothing."

"I know how that feels," Rin said. He was pleased when she gave his hand a gentle squeeze in reply. "I'm glad you came to get me."

"Me too," Len said forgetting all about any physical pain he felt. His shoulder was still shattered, his muscles were aching and sore, even his vision now was blurring but it didn't matter. They were so close to getting out of there. "Don't worry Rin. I'll get you out of here, even if it's the last thing I do." Len spoke the last part quietly, faltering when his hand hit something solid.

"Did it work?" Meiko asked as the entire cave was silenced. They all was hushed as they listened for any sign the twins were still alive. There had been a loud scream from the dragon, the rumbling of earth and then…

Nothing.

"I'm not sure," Miku said softly, closing her eyes to try and concentrate more. Something felt off but she had no idea why. Kaito stood beside her, panting slightly. He hadn't used that much magic in a long time, it was a miracle he hadn't fainted it really. "I can't feel the dragon," she said at last looking towards the others again.

"So it could be dead," Meiko said with only a hint of relief.

"Somehow I doubt that." Gakupo said shaking his head as he tried to listen. Nothing. There was nothing to go off of to know who was alive, dead or even both. "Is there some way to get down there?" He asked turning to one of the gaps in the ground, "aside from jumping?"

"I'm not sure," Miku said again looking down. "The dragon can fly but… I don't know anything other than that. I know others come once in a while to bring things to the divas but I don't know how or when."

"Well that helps," Meiko said shaking her head as she looked around. There had to be some way down right? Okay, so there didn't have to be a way, but it would be nice if there was something. Especially if they had to get to the twins. If the dragon was dead… "How do they get out?" She asked to no one in particular. They all looked over at the red lady confused. "The twins," she explained. "If they're down there and the dragon is dead how do we get them out of there?"

"That's a good question," Kaito said with a sigh when he regained his composer. "I thought there was a way down for them to bring things to the diva but… I don't really know anything." Why hadn't he ever paid attention? Didn't Gakupo know anything? "Gakupo. Isn't there anyway down there? Something you read?" Gakupo said nothing so Kaito assumed it was a no. He turned to Miku, "there's no way to know if they're alive? Even a little bit?"

"Nothing I can think of," Miku shook her head. "There…is a strong spell I know though. Or use to know anyway. Back when I was the Pythoness…" She frowned as the others glanced over at her. "It's like a pulse. Sonar, rather. It's a wave of magic that goes out. I can feel everyone in the area, where they are, the build of the mountain. Things like that. It's just…really powerful. It takes a lot of magic."

"You're too weak at this point," Kaito muttered shaking his head also. "We just have to trust that Len will be back alive. With his sister."

"What if they're dead?" Meiko asked softly. "Do we just wait here forever for someone who might not eve come back?"

"No," Gakupo said glancing back the way they came. "No doubt Luka's army will revive and come after us again. We'll wait here for another day at the most. If he's not back by then… We'll leave."

"I guess that's fair-" Meiko tried as Kaito went over to the ledge.

"Len!" He called down it, only hearing his echo in return. "Hear that? You have a day to get back up here or we're leaving without you! Stop playing around!" He shouted before coughing and leaning down on his knees.

"I don't think he'll hear you," Miku said softly.

Kaito just smiled and looked back at her, "no. He heard me. I know him. He's good at listening."

"Was that them?" Rin asked looking over at her brother as he pressed against the invisible wall. He grunted and groaned in frustration before pulling back and panting a bit.

He nodded slowly before looking up. "Yeah. That sounded like Kaito," he said quietly. He only prayed Gakupo and Meiko were safe as well. The Pythoness was defeated but that didn't mean anything. The others could still be dead. "Looks like we've hit a dead end though," Len said shaking his head. He had been at it for a while now. Pushing and kicking and attacking this stupid invisible wall and nothing was happening. He couldn't even see the damn thing!

"Is there another way out?" Len asked in frustration. He heard Rin shake her head before he actually saw her do so. He cursed under his breath and reached out again. It just felt like a solid glass wall. It was cool to the touch but… It wasn't moving. Who knew how thick it was or where it even lead. It was hopeless to think about it as an exit; but where was that damn breeze coming from? "Rin, you do feel that too right?" Len asked frowning. "That air?"

"Yes," Rin nodded, "I'm not sure where though."

Len nodded also, closing his eyes as he tried to feel anything else. A keyhole. A slip. A knot. A weak spot in the cool glassy surface. There was nothing though… "Why?" Len asked to no one. He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his forehead against the wall. "We've come this far… Why can't we get out?" He asked feeling some kind of emotion. Anger, sadness, guilt, he wasn't sure which one. He just felt sick.

"Len," Rin said softly as she reached out and rested her hand on his shoulder. He flinched but didn't move away from her. "It's not your fault. You've already done so much."

"That's just it!" Len found himself crying. Crying? Those were tears streaming down his cheeks weren't they? He ignored them, "I don't want this to be the end! I fought armies to get here. I defeated the Pythoness. I killed the dragon! After all that, this is what's going to stop us from having our happy ending?" They were going to die there. There was nothing for them if they went back and there was no way to move forward. There was nothing anymore. This was the end.

Rin just stared at him for a while then smiled, "you're right. You have done so much." Len didn't seem to be listening. "It is strange though," Rin said reaching out and touching the invisible wall. It was cool to the touch but in a different way. It was solid though, "I was sure this was the way they got in and out…" She frowned and rubbed it gently. "Len. Who is in charge of what happens to this place? Out there? Is it the Pythoness?"

"What do you mean?" Len asked looking back at her. "I guess it's the Pythoness… She controls the dragon and everything…"

"There must be someone else though," Rin said confused. "If you defeated the Pythoness, and the dragon. Why can't we get out? Do you think it's some kind of strange security default? Make sure if anything happens, the diva can't escape."

"Maybe," Len said trying to think a moment. That would make sense. It would be unfair but it would make sense. Either way, they were still stuck there.