Hello my dear Huntik fandom! :)
I've been working non-stop on an internship report (it's not over yet), but I still managed to finally finish this story! I had started this a year ago, but had to interrupt it due to University work… A few weeks ago, I decided to get back to it while doing some breaks from work. And I've finally got it more or less finished!
So… this is my take on the aftermath of Zhalia's betrayal. I'll be switching between Dante and Zhalia's POVs and going through their thoughts and feelings. It was meant to be a one-shot at first, but then I couldn't stop writing and ended up extending it to episode 19, when she comes back :p So there'll be a lot of angst and drama (maybe too much, but you'll tell me…), but also comforting words and it'll have a happy ending ;)
I got a lot of inspiration from Seether's song "Broken", with Amy Lee. It just popped into my mind while I was writing the first chapter and then I couldn't stop linking it to DxZ in my story. You'll find some traces of the lyrics in chapter titles and some phrases. If you're reading this story, please check out the song as well. Maybe you'll see what I see :)
And last but not least, I wanted to thank all the wonderful people in this fandom, for your unconditional kindness and support!
Here you have the first chapter. I hope you enjoy this story and I can't wait to have your feedback. Please feel free to give away your suggestions and criticisms.
Lots of love and hugs to you all!
Yours,
Lil
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Huntik: Secrets and Seekers, nor its characters and scenarios. It all belongs to its original creators.
Vlad Dracul's Castle, Romania
Dante's POV
It's over. It's all over. Moments ago I thought it was the end, when I was on the very edge of this roof and Klaus was about to finish me off. Luckily I was saved by this beautiful angel. King Basilisk stood at Zhalia's side and Klaus just fell down the roof. I don't really know if he hit the ground as a stone or not. But it doesn't matter, what we heard was his ultimate scream.
Right after that moment, Zhalia fell to her hands and knees and tears started to fall uninterruptedly from her eyes. I got up and ran to her, falling to my knees at her side.
"No! Klaus… He's gone… I killed him… I killed my own father…" she kept repeating between sobs.
God, I had never seen her like this… Klaus was like a father to her, she said that. The photograph I saw in Vienna flashed in my mind as realization hit me. Everything made perfect sense now. Of course there were still some questions in my mind, questions I needed her to answer. But they could wait. Now all I wanted was to calm her down. She was completely broken down and I had no idea how to console her. I knew she wasn't well. She'd been like this for quite some time, always hiding something, looking scared all the time… I had my suspicions, but I mostly kept them to myself. I had asked her what was going on, if she knew Klaus, but she'd been avoiding to talk to me lately. I thought it would be better not to insist, not to push her… But maybe I was wrong. Perhaps, if I insisted a bit more… Maybe I could have prevented this moment, all this loss and pain? I don't know, we could have figured out some plan or something. The problem was she wasn't at all sure about what side she was. But the truth is… if it made her feel better, I would prefer that she had killed back then. Seeing her like this… it just breaks my heart… I knew that sooner or later she would have to make a decision like this. And she made the right one, of course. But now she's just lost her father and feels so guilty for it…
I put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me, sobbing nonstop, her eyes so sad that made my heart clench even more… I felt an urge to kiss her beautiful lips, but I couldn't. I love her, that's the truth, but I couldn't take advantage of her in such a vulnerable state. I just pulled her into a tight hug. She kept crying on my chest and the sobs poorly quieted. After a long while she pulled away and her sad eyes met mine again.
"Dante, why are you doing this? I've been lying to you, I've just betrayed you... Besides killing my father, I almost killed you and the kids. You should go get them and leave me forever!" she said with a trembling voice and eyes filled with tears.
That's true, she lied and she betrayed me. I probably should feel hurt, anger, to say the least… And I did at first. But then I saw the pain in her eyes. Although this could mean that everything we lived this past months, the whole time she was with us, all our adventures… Could it all have been a lie? A coup of hers just to win my trust, so that she could finish her job? No, I couldn't feel any of that and I refused to believe that theory. I looked at her. She was meant to kill me but killed Klaus instead, her father. Maybe that meant she cared for me after all… And she regretted it all, not only because of Klaus but also because of me and the kids. She was filled with remorse. No, she couldn't be a bad person. That was enough for me. I could see she was suffering too much. And that made me suffer too. I would do anything to stop it, anything… And I couldn't, I couldn't leave her alone, not at all.
"Zhalia…" I started. "I just can't leave you behind. Not in this moment and not with you in this state. I'm gonna take you home. I don't mind what happened because that doesn't change what I feel… what I think about you. I still trust you, I know you're not a bad person. You did the right thing in the end. And now you're suffering this much because of that… Because Klaus was like a father to you, you told me that…" She looked at me and nodded slightly.
"When I was a child I had no one. I've always been living alone." she started firmly.
"Zhalia…" I interrupted. "Are you sure you want to go through it all now?" I asked worriedly. "You can explain everything later, only when you feel ready. There's no rush. I don't care how long you'll take. I trust you, I can wait…"
She stared at me again. I think she was surprised that I didn't demand an explanation or anything. Well, maybe I should, I still had my questions after all. But they could wait, they could surely wait. She was so broken, she could barely talk without sobbing and still she was willing to go through all of her story? And given her start, I knew it wouldn't be a happy one, not at all… I didn't think it would help her actually; it would bring up a lot of sad memories… What if it only made things worse? I just wanted her to be ok…
"No, Dante, it's fine. I want to tell you everything, I need it." she said. I simply nodded, a bit vexed, but let her continue. "The first thing I remember is living in an orphanage back in Rotterdam. I was the youngest and the smallest of the kids, so they spent all the time bullying me around. They'd even eat my food most of the times. And I couldn't tackle them 'cause I was so small… The headmistress was a bit old and she didn't seem to like me either. She was always on their side… So I ran away. I lived in the streets since then, begging for food, stealing it most of the times. I thought I could get rid of those kids at least, but I was wrong. They kept chasing me, telling me I had no one, stealing my food… And some non-orphan kids started to do the same. I wandered alone, begging for help… But no one would listen, no one wanted to love me or take care of me…" she paused and tried to wipe the tears that had just left her eyes. Kids can be cruel, really. I wasn't expecting a happy story, not at all, but this… this was too much.
"Zhalia…" I muttered.
"It's ok." she whispered. Then she continued. "One day I was crying in some corner when I saw a tall and thin man with a wide smile and glasses…"
"Klaus." I interrupted. She nodded.
"He took me to his house in Vienna and he became the closest to a family I've ever had. You might not believe it but Klaus was a very dedicated father, at least in the earlier times. He gave me food, a room, clean clothes… He gave me his love and showed me the power I supposedly needed to defend myself from the world and its wickedness. He taught me how to be a seeker. And I was so grateful, so happy… Then I grew up and somehow he saw I had some potential. So I was trained to be a spy. Life in the Organization was very hard. Extremely hard trainings, threats of mind torture if we made a mistake… I was always filled with fear. Klaus gradually became less affectionate, more and more severe and wicked. And I found out about his mad experiences… Although he'd always protected me and found ways to bail me out from the mind torture to which suits were said to be subject if they made a mistake. And when he thought I was ready…"
"He told you to infiltrate my team?" I asked.
"Yes…" she answered trembling. She seemed afraid of my reaction.
"Zhalia, I won't judge you." I tried to reassure her. "Life wasn't at all easy for you, now I see that. I'm starting to understand all your reasons, you don't need to be afraid of anything."
"Thanks." she whispered. I nodded smiling and she continued. "I was told just to infiltrate the Huntik Foundation at first. I started to work as a lone wolf and succeeded in several missions until I won their trust. Then I joined your team. For a long time I hadn't heard from Klaus and I kind of got used to that. But then…"
"He contacted you again when we were back in Ireland, right?" She nodded. "That device you had…"
"It would drain out all your powers." she managed to say, voice back trembling. "Leaving you helpless… I couldn't use it on you, so I ended up using it on that door and told Klaus I hadn't had a chance to use it. And I've been helping Klaus since them… This is why he was always one step ahead of us back in Egypt. I played you right in Organization's hands and he got the scepter. And of course I informed him about the Bottle of Djinn. Actually I was truly happy when we found out that you hadn't told us the real goal. That was brilliant. So you knew it all, didn't you?" she asked me.
"Well, no... I mean, I suspected something like this. You've been acting strange since Ireland. You seemed worried, scared… You got me really worried, you know?" I said.
"I'm sorry." she said simply.
"It's ok." I said smiling. "And there were those other things, like Klaus being always ahead of us, seeming to know you… Besides, I think I saw your room in Vienna. There was a photograph of a man that seemed to be Klaus and a little girl that awfully resembled you… Well, that was enough for me to create some theories."
Her eyes widened a bit in admiration and her expression became even more said. She wiped out another tear. Damn it, I probably shouldn't have brought up the photograph thing. I didn't wanna bring more sadness to her, she'd had enough… She took a deep breath and continued.
"Back in Vienna I avoided to go the vault room and told suits I couldn't break my cover. I think that and being tricked by you was enough for Klaus to lose his patience. He called me that night and said he didn't want more slips, that keeping cover was no longer a priority. And the rest you know; he told me to take down the whole team today! And I almost did so and then I killed him! Not that I feared what he, or they, could do to me if I failed, I just… He was my father. I just felt that, after all he did for me, I had to do the same for him. At least I had to try. But, no, I killed him and almost killed the only ones I could ever call friends! What kind of person am I after all?" she asked in tears.
I gritted my eyes and clenched my fists. Damn it, look at what he made her through! The final battle with Klaus replayed in my mind. 'I think of you as my daughter' he said, trying to save himself. He didn't seem honest, not at all. He was using her! She felt she owed him and so he takes advantage of her gratitude and sense of justice? He might have been a good father at first, I don't doubt that. But she became his most precious toy as soon as he saw she had "potential". I was sure that deep inside her Zhalia considered this possibility. If there's one thing that people can't really call her is naïve. And, jeez, what kind of father does this? He probably noticed that she was having second thoughts and yet he still forced her to make the most terrible choice. It was just his fault that she was suffering like this!
My anger against Klaus was growing a bit too much. In all respects, the guy was dead and Zhalia was suffering his loss. I couldn't start cursing him or I'd only make things worse. I took a deep breath trying to control myself. The only way to get rid of those thoughts was to move on. Rhetorical or not, her question needed an answer, so I proceeded to give her one the best way I could…
"Well, you're a brave, kind-hearted and talented seeker." I said. Those words meant nothing in describing what I think of her. I don't even think there are any… But this was the best I could do without telling what I really feel for her... "A woman that was forced to make a terrible choice, between her father and her friends, between good and bad… Knowing that neither choice could bring a happy ending for her. And after all she still made the right decision. You did the right thing, Zhalia." She looked at me. "Unfortunately doing the right thing doesn't always bring a happy ending. This time it cost you your father's life. And that wound is starting to throb, I can see it… It will heal eventually, maybe after a long time, but the scar will remain forever. And I want you to know that… only if you want me to… I'll be by your side; I'll try to help this wound to heal, although I know I will never be able to erase the scar. I forgive you, Zhalia. I can understand you, what you did, why you did it… I can only imagine the pain you're into… And I'm sorry, I'm sorry you had to go through all this alone. If at least I could have prevented that… and steal this pain away…"
In that moment, to my surprise, she was the one who hugged me tightly.
"Dante, you couldn't have prevented anything. Maybe I could. And thank you. Thank you so much! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" she said. Now her voice had a different tone... It seemed slightly better.
"I know; it's alright. Everything is going to be right, don't worry." I tried to reassure her while caressing her hair and back gently. After a while she pulled away, as a new concern filled her eyes.
"How about the kids?" she asked with the same trembling voice. God, I almost forgot about them…
"Where are they? Are they ok?" I asked immediately. I was sure she wouldn't hurt them, but I had to ask anyway…
"Yeah, they're fine; maybe just a bit shaken. I fought them and locked them inside a cage in the basement. Cherit's with them. I was supposed to finish them off right there!" she exclaimed, breaking down into tears again. "I just couldn't do it, like I couldn't hurt you either… Dante, I'm so sorry…" she repeated.
"It's alright. You did the right thing." I said trying to wipe away her tears while caressing her face. "I'll go get the kids and then we pick you up."
"But Sophie certainly hates me! I mean, she'd been accusing me the whole time and now she just confirmed that she was right after all. What will she say now?" she questioned. Yeah, that would be a big problem. Lok is easily forgiving, but Sophie? The girl just doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut sometimes. Especially now that she turned out to be right. Only to some degree but still…
"Don't worry. I'll tell them everything and try to talk some sense into her." I said. I wasn't at all convinced that this 'talk' would work, but I had to try. "You'll be alright?" I asked while getting up. I didn't really wanna live her alone, but I had no choice. I had to go get the kids…
"I think so… Don't worry. I'll try to compose myself, so that I can explain everything on the way home." she said.
"Are you sure?" I asked worriedly. "Zhalia, if you trust me enough for that, I can explain everything to them. You don't need to go through it all once more."
"Thanks. I appreciate that, really. But I still wanna answer all of their questions. And yours too. I owe you that. And thank you, Dante. For everything." she said with the saddest smile I've ever seen.
"You deserve it all, Zhalia." I said smiling back. "I'll be right back."
Then I waved slightly and turned around. I didn't wanna leave her alone for long, so I headed to the basement as fast as I could. My mind was racing between sadness, worry and anger. I tried to focus on possible things to tell Sophie, so that her accusations would be less harsh to say the least. The last thing we needed was her keeping that attitude. Hopefully at least I'd prevent that…
So it ends... I've been banging my head against the wall with chapter division; I've changed it like a thousand times, but I do hope it turned out alright and this ending wasn't too... abrupt.
And, yes, I'll make them think Klaus is gone and they'll only know he can be freed in Episode 32. I'm cruel, I know :p
Since all the chapters are now more or less sketched, I expect to update regularly, maybe once or twice a week. So see you next week! :)
