Author's Notes: It's my first time at a serious Epic.

When I blinked, I was on the outskirt of Evelyn's cottage. Before Rinoa left us, the three of us had come here a couple of times. It was mostly Edea and myself though. What lay before me was a saddening sight. The cottage that was always brightly lit was now dark. There was no smoke coming out of its squat chimney, nor were there wonderful smells wafting out. Instead, it sat dark and menacing behind its blue picket fence.

I sighed deeply and ran a hand through my blond hair. I had said I would do this and so I will, keeping to my word given.

First, I walked around the fence, looking into the yard. Nothing amiss. The wild flowers swayed on their skinny stems, and their sweet scent barely hung in the dark night air. I opened the little gate and stood in the front yard, letting it know who I was, and that I meant no harm. I walked into the flowering garden. I could hear some rustling towards the back, where the herbs were. I ran to see what it was; turning the corner, there was nothing before me. Everything looked the same as when I was on the outside of the yard. Later I would look a bit more closely with a lantern, I thought. Turning toward the house, I opened the little door and went inside the darkened interior. The waning moon gave little light outside the cottage, and gave even less inside.

Everything was washed in a hazy bluish tint. It was eerie and serene at the same time. I wanted to start a fire in the hearth, but I didn't. I figured, if someone wanted to get rid of evidence, they might've burnt it, and if I started one, it would only be helping their cause.

Instead, I let my mind struggle to find the 'little light' spell, and my body refused to take one more step until it had some light. 'What was it? Carpe diem? ... Bah! My rusty Latin... screw this!'

"Little light!" I said, hoping my mind would let it work. No luck. Thinking hard to grasp what was there in my head, I found myself speaking the words as soon as they popped free of my thoughts. "Sol solis" And the light was blinding! If there were people out there who were lost, this would be a beacon! And why do apprentices have to learn spells in a different language? If I ever become a Sorcerer, I will get my spells to work in English! Edea gets hers to work!

I looked around the cottage in the bright light. As my eyes became accustomed to the light, I could see there were signs of a struggle. Books knocked around, stuff broken, herbs turned to dust; it was a terrible sight. I instinctively wanted to tidy up. I quashed that urge, and started looking for blood. Nothing. I looked everywhere. Bedrooms, the bathroom and living area. Not a drop anywhere. Then again, a person can die without losing blood. And I, so far, hadn't found a body. I did, however, locate a lantern. I turned the daylight spell off, and walked back into the yard.

As I took a closer look I could see a lump under the herbs.

I held the lantern out in front of me. Yup, it was a lump. A human sized lump to boot. I poked at with my foot. The greenery moved. My adrenaline was beginning to rush through me now! I jumped back and gave an undignified "Gah!"

Again, I crept closer and I got a bit braver. I put the lantern down and started moving the vines away from the area. I saw hair... reddish hair. Now, I know Evelyn had red hair, so this might be Evelyn. I worked faster. I could see her nose! I pulled the herbs away from her mouth and eyes. She blinked at me, but she wasn't breathing. I started to panic. I almost had her!

Evelyn gagged. I looked closer. A small vine was still in her mouth! I grabbed it and pulled on it. It started coming out, but Evelyn gave me a look that said "faster!" I began pulling on it quicker. The vine became longer and a bit thicker. I was praying to Hyne to let it end already.

I suddenly noticed the herbs that I tore off before were creeping back towards her. I felt panic truly swell through me.

"STOP!" I cried out. And, amazingly they stopped. I blinked. Evelyn blinked. I looked at the vine still in her mouth.

"Out!" I said. It slithered out quickly. "Let her go!" I commanded. I didn't know how long I would have this power, so I took advantage of it. The vines pulled away from her as if she was on fire.

I grabbed her hand, yanked her to her feet and we quickly left the yard.

As we stood on the other side of the fence, I asked, "What's up with that?"

She cast her amber eyes in my direction.

"Thank you. And I know this will sound stupid, but who are you?"

I looked at her. "Seifer. You should know me."

"Why can't I see you? You, look like a shadow."

Edea's spell! I had forgotten. I explained the spell and what I was doing there. Evelyn nodded her bright red hair bobbing.

"I'm glad you came when you did. Rinoa-"

"Wait till Edea beckons, then you won't have to tell the story twice."

Again, she nodded.

I watched the yard. It was scary really, just the thought of those herbs taking over like that. I could see some snaking around in the yard. They were coming in our direction.

"Um... Eve... what's with your herbs?"

She blinked and watched. "They're trying to get me."

"Why?"

"I thought you wanted me to wait to tell the story?"

"I do, but this part might be important."

"I think it's because I have no powers. They think I'm an intruder. Or maybe Rinoa made them do that. Those are my thoughts. I spelled them long ago to get ride of intruders."

"How did I control them?"

"I don't know."

We backed away from the yard, a good 20 feet away, and continued to watch the plants.

"I hope Edea hurries up."

"Yes, so do I. You should be able to call her though. Or maybe she didn't teach you that yet."

This time, I blinked. Could I really?

"I guess I could try. How do I do it?"

Evelyn told me to concentrate on Edea, her face, her voice, but most of all, her magic signature.

I did this. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Edea. " I closed my eyes and concentrated on Edea, all that Eve had to me to do." I called out to her with my mind's voice.

'Edea, bring us home. Harken for us.'

We sat in silence for a few moments longer. My mind was calling to Edea, Evelyn, well; I have no clue what her thoughts were on. I called to Edea again. 'Edea, call us home... '

Suddenly in my mind, I could hear something. 'Seifer?'

'Alright.'

I finished the conversation with Edea, and could feel Evelyn lightly, but frantically tapping my arm. I turned my head towards her. "Yes?"

"Um... the vines."

My attention turned to the vines and herbs. Oh, busy little buggers they were. They were roughly six feet away and gaining, and this time, they had thorns! Suddenly and shockingly, I felt the cold surround me. They were at five feet away.

Eveylyn gasped at the cold.

Four feet.

I grabbed her hand.

Three feet.

My breath left my body, and then hers did the same.

Two feet.

The darkness no candle could scare away enveloped us.

One foot.

We disappeared as the thorny vines reached and grabbed at where we were standing.

I felt the cooling night air around us.

I opened my eyes and looked to Evelyn, to see if she was all right. Kneeling, and gasping for air, but she was all right.

I managed a weak smile for her.

"That was interesting... that... why didn't you just come through the wall?"

I chuckled. "I wish I knew. It's probably so I didn't startle intruders, if there were any."

She pondered then got up, saying, "Yes. Edea probably has her reasons."

I collapsed onto my back, feeling the cold ground beneath me. I needed to ground myself. I need to get my head out of the clouds. I lay panting. I could hear the cottage door open and Edea call out.

"Eve? Seifer?"

Evelyn answered back for us. "We're here. Seifer is lying down. We're okay!"

I closed my eyes for a moment, when I opened them next; I saw Edea's face peering down at me. "Are you alright?"

I smiled a lazy smile. "Yeah, I just need to ground myself. Am I still a shadow?"

Edea smiled. "No, you're flesh and bone once more. We'll wait for you to come in before Eve tells us her tale."

I nodded my thanks. I lay under a blanket of stars, feeling myself relax. I didn't want to keep the ladies waiting, but I needed to come back down from space quicker. I stood slowly and undressed. I needed to feel the ground under my body. I stretched and yawned. I looked down at my body. A nice golden colour, tanned from being outside working all the time.

I ran my hands down over my muscles. Nicely developed. I let my hand run over my currently limp penis. A bit of male pride in me I suppose, but I liked its length, its size. I let my hands continue down my legs and to my feet.

I sat down on the cool ground. I pictured myself as a tree, my legs its roots, my body, the trunk, my hair and arms becoming the branches. As I sat and felt the earth energy flow over and through me I began to feel a presence. Slowly I blinked open my eyes. A silhouette of a woman stood in front of me. I tilted my head, in question.

"Seifer... you always looked so beautiful when sitting outside. It's like you were always a creature of the earth."

"Rinoa. What are you doing here?" I asked in wonder.

"I needed to see if Evelyn was dead. She's not, and that makes me happy. I didn't want her to die. I didn't know her well, not like you did, but still. I'm glad that you got there in time to save her."

I looked up at her.

"You did that to Evelyn? Why? Rinoa, why?"

"Seifer, shut up. I needed the powers! I didn't kill her! Stop getting so flustered."

I closed my eyes in disbelief. I didn't understand how or why Rinoa would do that, outside of 'needing the powers', I mean. And she felt off before, now, she felt almost evil. I could feel hands slide down my arms from my shoulders. I opened my eyes and looked at her.

"What are you doing? Stop touching me."

I started to get up, but Rinoa held her hand out to me. My muscles began to feel like jelly. I collapsed back onto the ground. I looked at her. She had a sad smile on her face. Her once brown eyes had a golden hue to them.

Again, I tried to move, but to no avail. I tried to roll over, nothing.

"Rin... " I couldn't talk, my voice was leaving me. Or rather, it might have been my voice box turning to jelly and closing in on itself. I was scared. I didn't know what she was going to do. If she wanted to leave without me giving chase, she didn't have to do this. I wouldn't have gone after her.

I blinked at her. It's all I could do.

She tilted her head and smiled. Slowly she began to undress. I blinked again. Surely she wasn't going to... I watched in horror as she took off her underwear and then her bra.

She stood in front of me, naked. Her breasts high and perky. She was panting, and then softly started moaning as her fingers slid between her thighs. I closed my eyes. I could feel tears begin to flow. I felt a barrier of magic go up around us. I opened my eyes, tears blurring her figure in front of me.

I tried to glance towards the cottage, but my head wouldn't move. Again, I closed my eyes and felt hot tears slide from my eyes, down the side past my temples and go through my hair.

"Sh. Seifer, don't cry. You know what? I've always wanted you... and every Sorceress should know her knight."

I wanted to scream at her, to push her off of my legs, to tell her that I've never wanted her that way, to tell her that I prefer men. But I couldn't.

I could feel magic being directed at my penis, enlarging it, making it hard. I whimpered and she cooed.

"Seifer, it'll be okay. You'll become one step closer to being my knight!"

My mind screamed in protest, both at her comment and to her sliding her body down on mine. I closed my eyes tight, wishing this rape would end, but it didn't.

I could feel her body rocking over mine, thrusting, moaning.

I refused to open my eyes, refused to look at her, refused to acknowledge this violation.

I knew that fighting my spelled body would be useless, she had control of it. I tried, instead, to reach Edea, but nothing. It was like my mind ran into a wall.

I could feel her body shudder and come around me. I felt her slide off of me, and for a moment, I was relieved. Till I felt her mouth cover my member.

I felt new tears leak out of my clenched eyes. I just wanted it to end. I didn't want to think how this was someone I might have once considered a friend. For all her two-faced ways, she was a friend. It sickened and hurt me that she was doing this to me.

I could feel her tongue dancing against the underside of my cock. I wanted to vomit. I could feel my orgasm build deep in my belly.

Her lips and tongue kept sucking and licking. I came in her mouth, whimpering.

It wouldn't have been so bad, if she just raped me and left, instead, it was worse because she made me reach orgasm. It was in a way, getting me to acknowledge the fact of what she had done, and that she had manipulated my body to do so.

She got up, got dressed, walked over to me, and kissed me on the lips, sliding her tongue past my lips into my mouth, feeding me my ejaculate, letting me taste myself, and my pain, and her triumph.

She smiled and wiped my tears. Then she left.

The magic barrier was gone, and I could move. I rolled over and curled into a fetal position. I sobbed, letting my come slide out of my mouth, onto the ground beneath me.

I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me.

I felt dirty and used. I involuntarily swallowed and tasted myself. I didn't know what I wanted more. Myself to die, or to get powers liker her, so I could get revenge.

Thankfully Edea and Evelyn heard my sobbing and came running out.

Edea bent over me, and then dropped to her knees, pulling me into her lap.

"My dear boy? What is making you cry? Tell me. What has... " she stopped talking. I could feel her magic tendrils reach out, searching. "Magic. Why didn't I feel it? Seifer, why didn't you call for me? Sei... what happened here?"

I sobbed against her skirts, uncaring that I felt like a child in doing so. "Rinoa." My voice hitched in my throat as I began sobbing again. "Rinoa was here.

She's... she's... got more... powers... "

I began bawling like a child again. She ran her hands through my hair.

"Seifer... do you want me to make a looking orb? To see what happened? Or do you want me to hear it from your mouth first?"

I sniffled. I hid my face in her skirts, ashamed of what was done to me. I felt her hands brush my hair, her nails gently going over my scalp.

I felt myself calming down. Warmth settled over me as a blanket was tucked around me.

I heard Edea say, "Thank you, Eve."

I turned my face from out of her skirts. "Rinoa raped me."

I could hear Evelyn gasp and Edea sigh deeply and sadly. She kept running her hands through my hair.

"Seifer, how did she do this?"

I sat up, wrapping the blanket around me. I was glad for a moment, that they didn't judge me, or try to hush my tears of pain, or find me weak for my lack of ability to fight back.

"She has new powers. I said that already, but I was probably crying too hard for you to understand me."

Edea nodded. "Just a little hard to understand."

I glanced at her and managed a weak smile.

"Yeah. She has new powers. She made it so my body felt like jelly. She took away my voice. She put up a barrier to hide her magic, and I guess to block any other magic from being used. I tried to call for you... but it felt like I hit a wall... " I hung my head and started picking at the blanket.

Edea pulled me back into her embrace, and began to rock with me. I couldn't hear them talking, so I knew a conversation was going on telepathically and I let it be.

I knew that soon, I would be in the house under their care.

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