Forgotten King: Chapter 11
Sorry if there are some spelling/grammatical errors in this. I AM NOT AN ENGLISH MAJOR!!!!
* Italics mean a person's thoughts
The darkness swirled around, allowing nothing to pass through the veil it created. Soon its occupant became aware of the darkness and what was there. The occupant soon felt a pulse run through the darkness. Though unseen the pulse gave off energy of the darkest nature. At first the occupant was afraid to move, but soon steeled itself and moved forward. The occupant moved towards the origin of the pulse and soon began to hear a raspy voice chanting, "The controller of the darkness will come. The controller of the darkness will come."
"What do you mean 'a controller of the darkness'," asked the confused occupant of the darkness.
"The controller will come, he will take control of the darkness, and shatter all who stand against him. The controller of the darkness will come."
With the last hint Luna shot up from her nightmare in a cold sweat. Though, she still wasn't sure what the thing meant by a controller of the darkness, there was a deep sense of foreboding in her. She looked to the window as she felt something she hadn't in a couple of months. She soon caught eye of a squad of troops, loyal to the Hellmaster, march at a slightly faster pace towards their master's abode. She got up and looked towards the entrance to the city to see another squad of troops waiting for something. She squinted and then covered her mouth when she saw Zelas herself with the soliders. She looked up the mountain to see something was on the move down. Something, large enough to kick up a good bit of debris with its marching, was coming. She now knew what she had sensed, it was Lina returning to her family, that just had to be it. She soon shivered as she felt another energy that she knew. He was here as well, that didn't bode well, Looks like everything is starting to come together, Luna mused as she put on an apron, but...they might need a little more help, she thought as she glanced at the large blade hidden behind her dresser.
Zelgadis marched at the front of the squad of magic armors, marching towards the city that didn't even know he existed. He sighed and pulled up his hood as he thought about the reactions he would surely get from the people of the city. He soon felt someone's arm intertwine with his. He glanced towards his side to have his gaze met by a pair of ruby red ones that where filled with concern. He smiled at her and said, "I'm ok Lina, I was just thinking."
Lina had seen Zel pull his hood up and she began to worry. Why is he doing that, why is he getting depressed again. If anything is going to make him hold back then he has no chance against Hellmaster, Lina thought as she caught up to him. She wrapped her arm around his and looked at him, concern taking hold of her look. She heard him say that it was only him thinking but she knew better. If he was going to march into town he didn't need to be preoccupied with this. She reached up and knocked his hood back down to its resting place saying, "When you don't need the hood to think, if that's all it is."
Zel smiled at her and took hold of her hand. He felt Lina lightly squeeze, letting him know that she was with him all the way. He returned the gesture and replied, "No, I don't. Thank you, Lina. Thank you for helping me realize that I don't need to think about that right now."
Lina smiled at him as she moved closer. She soon was pressed against his side and whispered in his ear, "Just don't let anything distract you, try to for me."
"I will I promise," Zel whispered as he released Lina's hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
Lina laid her head on his shoulder as they walked towards the city. She was getting to go back home. After months of being isolated from her family in the castle she was finally able to come back.
Zelas and Xellos had been waiting in the town square for sometime now. They had been waiting on the forgotten prince to get into town to greet him. As they waited they began to plan their movements as their men listened. Soon Xellos shot his head up and looked around. "What is it Xellos," Zelas asked.
"We're not alone," Xellos replied as he scanned the alleyways looking for what he had heard.
A moment later they all heard a sound of clanking coming from the alleyways. They were surrounded by what ever it was. There was at least two in each direction, slowly coming towards them. "Who are they? Phibrizo's troops," Zelas asked while drawing her sword.
"No, Hellmaster isn't like this. His tactics are way different. And, his troops aren't this trained, they had us all but surrounded before I even heard them coming. There's only one army that is this trained, " Xellos examined as he looked towards a center alleyway.
The squad of troops drew arms towards the stranger that now appeared in the alleyway. As they saw him they began to relax. The man was about five foot nine with snow white hair. His pale skin had an unnatural glow to it as he stepped out into the sunlight. At his side he carried a large bastard sword and a shield strapped on his left arm. His full plate reflected the daylight as he moved towards Zelas with a smile on his face. "So this is how you greet me after months of asking for my help," sarcastically asked the man as he came to a halt in front of her.
"Dynast, it's about time you showed up. Why didn't you do anything until now," Zelas asked as she greeted the noble Dynast Garushhera.
"Well, Phibrizo would have guessed a move if I just showed up when you first asked. But, when I heard that the prince was coming I knew that it was time to move. You see Zelas, you have to look at it as a game of chess. You can't always just make moves you have to plan it and slowly put it into play. Soon the enemy will not know what hit him and you will have won the day," Dynast said in a cool, calculating tone as his men came out from the alleyways.
"Good point Dynast, but sometimes you can't always draw out your plans. Sometimes it calls for action now and not later on," Zelas retorted.
"Whatever way suits you. Now to plan our attack," Dynast said as he bent down to view the map.
Zel and Lina walked into town to be met by two nice sized squads of troops. As the troops saw them they cleared a berth around them until they came to the three leaders of the combined force. As soon as they looked up from the map Zelas, Xellos, and Dynast walked forward and kneeled before Zelgadis. In unison they said, "Welcome your Highness. Your faithful servants are here to help you in anyway possible."
Zel looked at them and soon replied with, "Rise."
The three arose and looked at the prince. Soon Dynast stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, we have been planning for the attack and your arrival. If I could bring your attention to the map I can show you our strategy so far. If you see fit to change it just say."
Zel, with Lina right by his side, followed Dynast to the map of the city and watched as the lords discussed the plan of attack. "I propose we use a four prong attack disguised as a three," Dynast suggested.
"And who do you suggest takes what side," asked Xellos
"Let Zelgadis and the magical armors take the front. Zelas and I will take opposite sides. Xellos, you take a group of men and hide in these back alleys. After the battle has gone for a while your unit can charge out and take the back by surprise," Dynast calculated over the map.
"Yes, but what if we threw them another loop," Zelas began, "After Xellos attacks the back I will withdrawal my men, as if in a retreat. But, instead I will pull my squad to the front and help punch through even more."
"Yes, that will do good. Hellmaster's strength in the past was the amount of troops he had. But, the mistake he made was that he conscripted them so fast that most of them aren't well trained," Xellos pointed out.
"Then that's what we shall do," Zelgadis announced, "I just have a few suggestions."
"Whatever you wish your Highness," Dynast replied.
"One, Lina your staying with me. Two, Gourry go with Xellos and give the back line hell. Sylphiel, stay with Gourry. Three, as soon as we make it through I'm going straight for the Hellmaster," Zel said coldly.
The nobles nodded and started to move their troops out to prepare for the battle. Dynast turned to Zel and said, "The attack will begin at sun down, Your Highness."
Zel turned to Lina and smiled at her saying, "Let's go see your family while we have sometime."
Lina nodded and quickly lead Zel down the street towards her home with a lot of armor following close behind.
Lina stopped outside her door and turned to see the armors running at full pace after them. She quickly held Zel in front of her and closed her eyes thinking an impact was certain. She opened her eyes a second later to see the armors had stopped short by a few feet. She looked up at Zel who was giving her a look, "Were you planning on using me as a shield," Zel asked playfully.
Lina averted her eyes and blushed slighlty, "I guess it was out of reaction, sorry about that."
"Its already, I knew they would stop anyway," Zel added as he pulled up his hood and mask.
"Why are you donning that hood and mask again," Lina asked somewhat concern and frustrated at the same time.
"I don't think your family will be to excited about what their daughter has brought home," Zel stated as some depression to come over him.
"Geez Zel, I told you already you don't look that bad, and my family won't care what you look like," Lina said slightly exasperated as she opened the door.
Lina and Zel looked around the house no one was there it seemed. Lina walked towards her parents room. She stopped in the doorway to see them sleeping as soundly as they could get for being so ill. She turned around to notice Zel wasn't in the living room. She was starting to wonder where he went when she heard a *crash* from the kitchen.
Zel had gone towards the back of the house while Lina went towards a side room. He wanted to find some sign of life in the house, fearing that they might have come too late. He stopped right before the kitchen when he heard someone humming a tune. He silently move to stand in the door way to see a young woman preparing a meal on the stove. She was tall, with long purple hair to where the bang covered up her eyes. She was dressed in meager looking clothes with a apron over top. The last thing Zel noticed, even thought he wasn't truly trying, was that she was none to say well endowed. 'This can't be Lina's sister, can it? They look nothing alike...,' Zel's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his scabbard hitting the doorframe and the women turning around.
Luna heard a *thump* behind her and slowly turned. She was expecting it to be one of Hellmaster's soldiers, but what she saw was a bit of a shock to her. She turned to see a man dressed head to toe in ivory. He wore a breastplate over she chest and a sword at his side. He was close to her height, if a little shorter. The most intriguing thing about him was the tuff of metallic-like lavender hair that hung over his right eye. She looked to his left eye to be that of sapphire blue, and that it was silted, 'Silted eyes, wait a minute this guy is a Mazuko, I can't let him near mom and dad,' Luna thought as she dropped the plate. She quickly reached into a cabinet and held six knives, three in-between the knuckles of each hand, and tossed the first set at what she thought was a Mazuko.
Zel didn't even attempt to dodge, he knew the knives couldn't hurt him, but when they made contact he regretted that decision. The knives dug into his stone skin and he felt something begin to burn. As he began to pull the knives out, wincing as he did, he saw the second set come towards him. This time he ducked into the hall, but as he kicked in the speed to do so the wounds began to hurt even more. He fell to the ground and recovered enough to remove his mask. He felt it and removed his mask before he coughed up blood. As he rolled over he found a sword at his throat and the woman glaring down at him.
Luna had the creature pinned but know she was curious as to what type of Mazuko this was. Now that his mask was removed she could she the blue skin and dark rocks on the figure. She could see the pointed ear, and his face which looked up at her in pain and fear. She then raised her sword for another blow when she heard from down the hall, "Zel! Luna don't!!!"
Luna turned to see her sister running at her. She watched as Lina shot by her, and glomped onto the Mazuko, almost in tears. She looked at her as she helped pull the knives out and asked, "Lina, what are you doing? Who is this...this Mazuko?"
Lina looked up at Luna and said hastily, "He's not a Mazuko. He's a chimera, and I am helping with his wounds."
"I can see that you are helping with the wounds but why? What significance does he have to you," Luna asked a confused at Lina's outburst of emotion and actions toward this man.
"Well, for one he is the prince of this kingdom. And two, if you really must know, I love him," Lina almost balled as Zel still winced in pain.
Luna, now seeing the big picture, kneeled down and place a hand on Zelgadis' forehead. Then bowed her head and said, "I'm sorry your Highness. I thought you were a Mazuko after my parents. Please, if you see it fit, forgive me."
Zel looked at her as the pain subsided and said almost breathlessly, "You are forgiven. I know how it feels when you need to protect the ones you love."
Lina blushed as Zel looked at her after finishing the sentence. She averted her eyes and just sat there for a moment before helping Zel to his feet. She turned to Luna and said, "Everything ok while I've been gone?"
"Yes, now if you'll help him," Luna pointed at the exhausted Zelgadis, "into the living room I will get some tea and then we can catch up."
Lina began to help Zel to the living room while Luna made the tea. As she was pouring the cups she mused, 'Lina is actually in love, and with the prince no less. Time does change people. While mustn't keep them waiting, who knows we might be better off then I thought.' Luna then picked up the tray with the kettle and cups and head toward the living room to join the couple that dropped in for a visit.
Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.
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