Title: The Last
Banquet
Series: The
Beginning and the End of Everything
Author: Howla
(SilverLoyalWolf)
Disclaimer: Kai, Xander, and Kira
belongs to me. Zamorax, Sadarri, Guthisro, and Fenris belong to me
and my two friends (Finch and Marth). Hei is also my character, but
he is heavily based off a character from the awesome anime Darker
than Black. Akira/Kazu, just the same is also my character, but is
based off a character from Air Gear. A.J. and Simon belong to my evil
half, DarkRebelWolf, Colin and Izzy go to MikeyCam33196, and Erik
belongs to TrilogyGuy2.0.
Rating: PG-13 (maybe even
borderline R for Kazu's very colorful language)
Genre:Fantasy/Action/Adventure/Horror/Romance
Spoilers:
N/A
Pairings: Kai and A.J.
Warnings: Plenty
of violence and swearing
Story Synopsis:
They've fought box obsessed ghosts, packs of werewolves, a god hell
bent on taking over the world, chemistry tests, and Mr. Lancer. Now
they're going to face the one enemy to top it all. Zamorax's
daddy! Crazed from the death of his youngest son, he's past just
hell bent on his plan to destroy the world, even if that means
erasing all of his children as well. Will the team be ready to face
against this new threat?
Author's Notes: The LAST section.
If I'm up to it, or if someone gives me a good plot line, or if I'm
up to it, I might make another chapter. This section is down on
Earth, and it introduces characters that I rped with my fellow Rpers
mentioned above. IMPORTANT!! Um, yeah. There are things that look
like [enter number here that you'll find as you read. They
are author's notes or extras basically that explain that part a bit
more. They aren't vitally important, but they are good to
read/know. Basically, you scroll back up to the Extras and
find the number in brackets and read the paragraph that goes along
I'm trying to find a more efficient way to do this process, but I
can't work hyperlinks. I was going to put the extras at the end of
the story, but I thought that you just might accidently 'glance'
at the ending and spoil everything. That happens to me too much on
Wikipedia. The irritating thing to the extras I find is that you tend
to lose your place. Sorry, but you'll have to deal with it.
-.-;
Challenge: N/A
Previous Chapter:
The Betrayel
Next Chapter:
N/A?
Extras: Muses of
a Dead Man
Extras:
[1 That's a line from Fullmetal Alchemist. Basically, you gain something and lose an 'equivalent' of it. It's not a line actually, it's more of a concept that the whole show is based on…not joking either. During the first season, we have a narration of Edward Elric describing the Laws of Equivalent Trade, and then Alphonse Elric describing how you can break them for the second season as openings.
[2 This necklace idea was totally ripped off Inuyasha Movie 2: The Castle in the Mirror (I think that's what it was called). It was my favorite Inuyasha movie of all time. Except Kagome, the girl, was giving Inuyasha, the boy, the necklace, not the other way around.
[3 Yaw yaw, too many author's notes. Well anyways, this is kind of a pun on me. That drawing of "Where we first met," with Kai and A.J. holding hands at the tree where they first met (and fought and hated each other xD), I drew a paw print with "Kai A.J. 4eva" on the tree trunk right above their heads, but I did it too lightly and you can't see it in the scan.
[4 I was clicking boredly with the computer mouse in my hand as I tried to think of a good comparison with the size of the Sorter. It's lame and stupid, but so shoot me.
[5 Can you tell that the idea was stolen from the Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya? But I liked the name Closed Space and the concept of it. -.-;
[6 Erm….yeah…I'm not too sure what shadow-stepping is myself. But when I was thinking about how fast Fenris and Kazu would be, shunpo (Bleach term) came to mind along with the Harry Potter-Inuyasha-Digimon crossover fanfic Demon Hunter and its sequel Millennium. The fanfic used the term shadow traveling…shadow crossing, or something like that (don't remember), where the person's molecules dissolve into shadows or something to travel…yeah…but I was mainly thinking of shunpo when I created shadow-stepping. I don't really know what it is, so use your imagination please.
There was so much blood…
He could only watch in horror as the insane man dropped the corpse and turned to him.
All dead…
"You're turn next."
They were all dead…
He felt those thin, pale hands wrap around his throat and lift him off the ground.
Their sightless eyes, pale skin with its lingering warmth, and the growing puddles of crimson…
"Now you're all alone, just as you've always been, and always will. Alll alone," the other sang. His pitch black eyes glittered like onyx jewels…only jewels look pretty when they shimmer. His were like tar pits, so evil and bloodthirsty, reeking of insanity and ready to pull any unawares into their murky depths.
It had happened so quickly…
"I told you, didn't I?"
But how?!
The grip ruthlessly crushed his windpipe. He couldn't breathe.
How?!
"I told you…that this would be your last banquet."
How did this happen?!
The mocking voice was starting to fade away. Blackness was beginning to prey on his mind, and his eyes closed.
Oh yeah…
"But you never listen, like always. Juuust like always."
This all started on that day…
"And juuust like always, you'll be alone. You were always alone, from the beginning till the end. Nothing has changed. Even in death, you'll be alone."
It was that day…
"What's with all the ruckus?" Kaitso Atokata strolled into the kitchen, having just woken up from the noise. He was a rather tall boy for his age, junior in high school and already passing six feet. He looked like he hadn't been fed or seen the sun in ages, and his snow-white hair streaked with red didn't help. The wolfa's eyes were a golden shade, and he was most commonly known for his icy, hawk-like glare, known to send the average person to the hospital.
"Chill, man. It's the weekend." Alexander grinned and spooned cereal into his mouth. The spellcaster was an oddball, having no sense of direction and known to get lost in his own house. Though he looked like an average boy, with an average height of an average weight (for a 16-year old at least), his bright messy green-hair and odd accent consisting of a mix between Australian and British with lots of slang in between said otherwise. His brown eyes constantly had a brilliant, eager sparkle to them.
"Yeah," Hei Fawkes agreed, wheeling to the refrigerator with the help of Kira [. The small girl nodded silently to Kai in greeting. Hei was one of those oblivious daydreamers who would constantly walk into walls if no one were there to stop him…that is, if he could walk. Crippled by an accident, the halfa was unable to walk unless he was in his ghost form, which is a story for another day. Krou (pronounced like 'crow') was a suitable nickname for him, as he had black hair with similar hued eyes to match.
Kira, muted since birth, was one of those eager but shy little girls. Her light blue hair and pale silvery eyes often made her stand out more than she wanted. But with the help of Hei and some cheap brown hair dye bought from the nearest K-mart, that problem was easily solved.
"Doooooooooooooooooooooooooogggggggggggggyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-"
Kai's hand shot out and defensively grabbed Akira Wanaki's face, holding him at arm's length so that the small boy couldn't huggle glomp the wolfa to death. Akira, a small blue-headed fourteen-year old boy with a bright yellow right eye was known for his severe personality split, with only an eyepatch to separate the two. Akira, the angelic-way-too-energetic half tended to be more popular with everyone in general than Kazu, the dark angel or known commonly as he-who-likes-to-drink-blood or little-boy-with-colorful-language or crazy-psychotic-killer-who-needs-straight-jacket…you get the point.
"What the hell?" Kai yelled, "What's going on in my house? Is there a party or something?"
"Naw, doncha know? It's a banquet," Xander sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. But somehow, the words sent chills running down Kai's spine.
"Party? Where? Where?!" Akira flapped his arms as excitement flowed out of him in waterfalls, threatening to flood the kitchen and drown everyone. "Where's the party?!"
"There is no party!" Kai snapped, a headache starting to eat its way into his brain. Sure, visitors came and went, but all four of them never came at once. Groaning, he wondered how his house would fit them all.
"You better not be staying for more than just today!" he growled. The others raised their eyebrows and gave each other looks, as if they had already been planning to stay for a couple days.
"Ugg," Kai threw up his hands. "Fine, do as you wish."
He went to the refrigerator for food as Akira began to chat animatedly to Hei and Kira.
Do you wish to live, human?
Kai blinked, nearly letting the refrigerator door swing right splat into his face.
Oh yeah…that dream. He had been having it for several nights now, though he couldn't really call it much of a dream. It consisted of mixed images, so blurry that he couldn't make anything out. There were always loud noises and screams that were always filled with static, but they never connected to his current memories. And then there was always that voice.
I suppose I'll let you live. Such a young soul isn't fun to reap anyways.
If anything good came out of those sleepless nights, it was the fact that Zamorax hadn't said a word or bothered him with dark threats since they started. But the dreams were a bother. The moment he hit the pillow…
"Atak atao stiak…May the fates guard this little one, for I can do no more for him except let time lead its course-"
"Hei! Where did you get that necklace?" Akira's loud statement jerked Kai out of his thoughts, and he turned with mild interest towards the group. The angel jabbed a finger in Hei's chest. The other boy blinked owlishly at the black stone hanging off a string around his neck.
"I…don't…know," he finally said after staring blankly at it.
"Well, that's not saprising as yer always so out o' it," Xander retorted, shoveling cereal into his mouth.
"Try not to eat me out of my house," Kai warned as he sat across from the green-head.
"Hey! That means everyone except me has a necklace now!" Akira chirped up. Xander glanced up, eyebrows raised, Kai ignored him, Kira listened on the sidelines, and Hei nodded.
"He's right. Kai with his ruby, Kira with her sapphire, and me with this onyx stone. Xander, what's yours?" Xander always had his necklace tucked under his shirt, and had yet to show everyone.
"It's nothing," he grumbled, his cheeks flushing as everyone turned to look pointedly at him.
"What? Is it from your girlfriend or something? Can't we just take a-"
"Get off meh back, Krou!" Xander snapped, spraying half-chewed food everywhere.
"C'mon!" Akira bounced up and down with excitement. "Wouldn't it be awesome if it were an emerald? Then you would all match the Wolven Gods!" He giggled to himself and started bouncing faster than ever. However, the words made Kai feel as though a bucket of ice had been poured over him.
"ZAMORAX YOU TRAITOR!!!"
The words were louder than ever in his head as they popped out from last night's dream. His temper ricocheted off the scales.
"Stop spewing Xander, that's disgusting," he snarled at the boy, "And Akira, stop being so hyper active!"
"Wots yar problem, spiky?" Xander growled, standing up.
"It's you and the company you dragged along!" Kai tipped over his chair as he towered over Xander. Once again, the two began to argue, which would most likely result into a bloody fight until someone stopped them. Despite the obvious height difference, Xander was undaunted.
"Wot? This junk heap reserved already?" Xander sneered, "I'm sorreh. I didn't know that ya galfriend was-"
"Stop calling A.J. my girlfriend!"
The two boys were glaring at each other dangerously. Kira was looking at them both worriedly, most likely trying to figure out what to do. Hei probably would have just been oblivious to the both of them, continuing to eat if Akira weren't wailing loudly and tugging hard on his shirt. He frowned and reached for his bag, pulling out a notepad and pencil.
"What am I supposed ta call 'er then? The filthy mutt's mate?" Xander smirked. "Or per'aps, Zamorax's new playthin'. That works, eh?"
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! IN THE NAME OF FENRIS I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!"
Kai's eyes flashed crimson, and his hand shot forward when-
"That's enough."
A snake shot out, coiling itself around Kai tightly, and Xander was thrown to the floor, pinned down by a colorless snarling tiger.
"Stop fighting, it's so stupid." Hei said calmly setting down his pencil. "Besides," He gave a little half-grin as he added, "I'm not sure if I can take any more of Akira's banshee screeches. It's melting my brain."
But Kai wasn't amused. With a blast of fire, the snake was sent hissing, retreating back to the notebook.
"I'm leaving," he said coldly, and left the house.
"And good riddens," Xander snapped. "And get this damn thing offa meh, Krou!"
Hei sighed, and the tiger stepped back, walking over to the disabled boy. It placed a paw on the lined paper, where it shrunk and turned two-dimensional. The rest of the body followed, until there was just a rather good drawing of a tiger and snake. Hei snapped his notebook shut and smoothly resumed eating as if nothing had happened.
That was one of his mysterious powers he gained during the accident at the ruins. Equivalent exchange [1, right? His legs for this new power; the ability to make drawings come to life, though he could only use it when in his human form.
"Is Doggy gunna be okay?" Akira had stopped bawling, but was looking in the direction of where Kai had stormed off, as if considering whether to go chasing after the wolfa or not.
"Don't bother him," Hei responded. "He'll cool down soon enough. Besides…" Hei's eyes darkened suddenly and a wicked smile spreading across his face. "We have other things to be worried about."
"Kai, what's wrong?"
Kai lifted up his gaze to match the bright blue eyes of Ashley Courman. Immediately, he turned his head away so that A.J. couldn't see his blush.
A.J. was in the same grade as Kai, and the two never seemed to share a moment without turning a nice shade of red. She seemed to be the exact opposite of Kai, with neon blue streaked black hair, and her eyes a defiant tone of green. The wolfa was, if possible, skinner than Kai, and had a red crescent-shaped scar running across her left eye, though it was hard to see through her long bangs.
"Furballs probably jus' fine. You shouldn't waste so much time on 'im," Simon Coell said coolly, his voice laden with a thick British accent. The vampire was leaning against a tree, hidden from the sun by its shade. He brushed back his shaggy blond hair with a pale hand, and glared at Kai with grey eyes.
"Man, you could really give Xander a run for his money," Colin Rowe chuckled as he approached the group with Isabella Ryan in tow. "I like to see a contest between you two. It could be called 'Who can insult Kai the most?'"
Simon laughed, "And I'd probably win. I've got thousands of years of practice. A.J. knows that."
Colin, a shapeshifter, bore medium brown hair with red highlights and dark green eyes that had a gold tinge circulating the pupils. Izzy had long coffee-colored hair tied up in a ponytail and brown eyes to match. Colin was usually the one to take situations less serious than they really were, while Izzy would be the shy electrokinesis.
"Are we done making fun of the furball?" Kai snapped, crossing his arms.
"Ooo, is the wolfy getting a touch irritated?" Simon smirked.
"Go suck someone's blood, corpsey." A déjà vu was starting to creep up on Kai, pushing him to say, "I'm too tired to fight with you. I've already had my share with Xander."
Simon's eyes narrowed, "Oh really…"
"C'mon Simon. Leave him alone." A.J. frowned disapprovingly at Simon. The other sighed and crossed his arms, but complied. A.J. was his best friend, and he wasn't ready to break a good relationship over a stupid carcass-feeder.
"Good to know that we won't be having to tear a certain vampire and wolfa apart." The sudden voice that came from behind Izzy made her jump up in alarm. A bolt of unstable electricity shot from her hands by mistake, but Erik Trailiacs fended it off easily with one hand.
"Do ya think you can enter a group the normal way just for once?" Colin grumbled. "Izzy has enough trouble controlling her powers without you scaring it out of her."
Erik Trailiacs was halfa with cosmic empowerment. He had brown hair with dark blue eyes, and was often rather distant and thoughtful, though not as bad as Hei.
"Oh yeah, Kai? About the other day…" Kai blinked at A.J., and blushed furiously as he remembered what she was talking about.
A.J. was in a forest, by the tallest tree. It was still early in the morning, and the sky was dark. The sounds of shoes crunching on the ice-bitten grass made her turn to see Kai walk up to her.
"Uh, hey," she said awkwardly, waving a little to him. He responded with the usual jerk of the head. The only expression of surprise his stony face showed was a slight widen of the eyes.
"Here to see the sunrise again?" he asked her. A.J. laughed nervously, and gestured to the tree next to her.
"You remember this place?"
Kai nodded slowly, "Of course." He placed a hand on the trunk, his eyes roaming across the aged vegetation with a misty look. "It's where we first met."
"I'm glad you remember." A.J. grabbed Kai by the arm and jumped up to the top of the tree. "C'mon, the sun's about to rise."
Golden rays with a mix of red and purple flashed through the sky as Hykari, the Wolven Sun God, slowly made its way through the sky.
"Ya know…whenever I look at Danny or Izzy or Colin and stuff, it makes me wonder what having parents would be like." A.J.'s eyes had gone hazy at the thought. "I wonder what it would be like, getting in trouble, having fun, learning, growing, keeping secrets from them…or perhaps even how they would feel if they knew their child was busy saving the world in between studying for chemistry tests I'll probably fail anyways and detentions with Mr. Lancer..."
Kai shrugged, "Don't ask me. I don't have parents either."
A.J. smiled and glanced over at the wolfa, "You never talk about your past. You must have had parents at some point. What happened to them?"
"I…guess I had 'em." Kai leaned forward and rested his head on his arms with an air of gloom. "I don't know what happened to them though. There aren't any records of a single Atokata in this world. Believe me, I've checked." He sighed and scratched his head. "To tell the truth, I don't remember a single thing before becoming one with Zamorax. The doctors don't know a thing either, it's as if my existence before the Kai-Zam combination appeared was wiped off human history…and my parents were taken too."
A.J. tentatively placed a hand on Kai's back in sympathy. "It'll be okay. We're doing just fine without 'em anyways." The action she made seemed to awake Kai to something.
"Hey, A.J.?" Kai pulled something from his pocket. "I…uh…got, er, something…for….um….you…." Trailing off miserably, it was clear that the wolfa wasn't used to giving gifts.
A.J. raised an eyebrow as Kai shoved the box at her. She opened it up to reveal a golden heart shaped necklace. Her face showed surprise as she cracked it open. On one side was a picture of her, and the other was Kai. [2
"Oh! Kai! Er, um, I-I…." A.J. was clearly not used to receiving things either as it seemed, or from Kai at least. But unfortunately, he misinterpreted this.
"You don't have to wear it," he said quickly, and blushing red (with embarrassment this time), he jumped down from the tree and ran off.
Kai blinked as he recovered from the fog of memory.
"It's fine," he told her shortly, "Just forget it."
"Hey…Kai?" The uncertain voice came from Izzy, Kai swiveled his head, directing his sharp gaze from his sneakers to her. "Is that…umm…from Xander?"
Kai raised an eyebrow as he turned to the nearest tree, expecting to see some stupid "Kai A.J. 4eva" in a large pawprint engraving itself out of the trunk [3; a stupid message-prank thing that Xander often sent whenever the two wolfas were together. But instead, it was something else scratched out on the tree.
Trouble! Hurry up and come back!
-X
Kai turned back to the group, "On another note…" he started, as if to strike up a new conversation, but Izzy but in.
"Shouldn't we-er, or you go help Xander?"
Kai turned his cold gaze to Izzy, frowning as he crossed his arms.
"He's done that to me before, or more rather, lots of times before. It's his idea of a joke to send me rushing out of class and find nothing but an idiot green-head laughing his butt off. I won't be surprised if it's any different this time."
"What if its serious this time?" A.J. asked, pointing again to the tree where new letters were forming.
This is NOT a joke. Hurry!
-X
Kai rolled his eyes. "Oh, like I haven't seen that before-"
"Just go!" A.J. growled, giving him a good push.
"What about you guys?" Kai asked, stumbling forward.
"It says for you to go alone," Erik replied, nodding to the tree.
Come alone.
-X
Kai frowned again.Definitely suspicious. But all the same, he set off, fully convinced that it was a joke despite the group's determination.
"Ya happey?" Xander growled, glaring at Hei as the last traces of the green words faded from view.
"Very," Hei replied smoothly. "With the wolfa's speed, he should be here right about-"
The front door toppled over as Kai smashed it down angrily, grumbling as he stormed up to Xander. He spread his arms wide, looking around mockingly.
"So where're the dying people?!" he snarled. "Where's the so-called emergency?!"
"Right here," Hei said calmly, turning his wheelchair to face Kai. "You got here pretty quickly."
Kai frowned, staring at Hei in confusion. He had never seen him act like this; talking so forwardly, and even the usual cloudy look in his eyes were gone, replaced by a strange glitter that had the appearance of a cat looking at a cornered prey. Something caught his eye, and his gaze flickered to the onyx jewel around Hei's neck. It was glowing.
"Krou…where'd you get that necklace?"
Hei laughed, the sound ringing ominously off the walls, and instead of answering the question, he stood up calmly, and pulled something out of the folds of his trench coat. It was then that Kai realized that he was wearing the same outfit of his ghost form, just without the mask. The thing he took out was a rock, about the size of a computer mouse [4. To say it was colorless would be a misconception, but to say that it was one color would be a mistake as well. It was, to be frank, it was every color; silver, brown, white, pink, gold, black, and all of the Roy G. Biv plus more flitted through the rock as it constantly changed colors rapidly.
"The Sorter." Though the soft whisper came from Kai, he didn't exactly say it.
'Zamorax! What are you doing?!'
'Quiet! Let me deal with this!'
Something was definitely wrong, and Kai chose to let Zamorax take over. It wasn't just the fact that this was perhaps the first time the Wolf God asked anything somewhat civilly out of Kai (without an insult included either), but the urgency in his voice made Kai think twice.
"Krou…where did you get that Sorter?"
Kai knew what the Sorter was. He saw it once while flipping boredly through A.J.'s books. The Sorter went way back in history, during the days where Indians were still rulers of America and the British territory didn't go beyond their continent. It was legend that the rock could banish all evil spirits out a person, but no one really knew where it went once the white men invaded the soon-to-be-U.S.
Hei's dark eyes flickered momentarily from the rock, to Kira who was sitting stock-scared in her seat with a pale-white Akira, to Xander who was staring confused at the rock, and then back to the spikey-headed boy.
"Zamorax…is it?" Kai could feel Zamorax twitch as his name was spoken, and the God narrowed his eyes.
"You're not Hei, are you?"
"Took you long enough to figure that out, huh?" The other boy smiled dryly, still staring emotionlessly at Zamorax.
"Then who are ya?!" Xander snapped. "Why'd you make me drag stupid spiky 'ere back home?" He turned his gaze briefly to Akira and Kira, who were still too scared to talk. "What d'ya want?"
"Why don't you figure it out?" The malicious boy cocked his head mockingly at Xander, but twisted his head towards Zamorax, his eyes glittering more darkly than before. "Or why don't you figure it out…son?"
"Fenris," Zamorax whispered the name as if it were poison. "What are you doing here?"
"What my presence is 'doing here,' has nothing to do with mortals." And before Zamorax could register what he said, Fenris had shadow stepped [6 forward, jamming the Sorter right into Kira's chest. The rock stopped flipping through colors and stopped at a bright blue. Energy crackled from the rock and surrounded the small girl, but before Zamorax could see the result, Fenris was right in front of him.
"Say goodbye to your human friend, why don't you?" Fenris rammed his fist into Zamorax's stomach, the rock clutched tightly in his fist. The Sorter turned red, and an electrical current shot through his body. Zamorax screamed as he was forced bent double from the pain. In the distant, he could hear Xander and Akira yelling, but he could barely make it out. Everything was burning up, and he felt as though his very soul was being ripped in two.
Then it was all over, leaving Zamorax panting heavily.
"Bloody 'ell," he heard Xander whisper. "Are you okay Kira?"
Zamorax straightened up with some difficulty, checking himself over quickly, but found no changes. He turned his glance to Kira to find clarification on this odd event, just as she echoed Xander, talking for the first time in ages.
"Kira? I'm not…" She stopped, looking at her hands, then to Hei, who was watching them with amusement.
"No,Sadarri, I sent those foolish mortals out. They won't be bothering us. Come, we must go to the banquet that never was. Our last banquet."
"Do you think Kai'll be okay?" A.J. asked worriedly.
"How many times can you ask that question in one day?" Simon sighed, shaking his head. "I thought we already discussed this. That furball is fine."
"How do you know?" A.J. shot back, "He gets along with Xander just as well as he gets along with you."
"You have to admit, she's right there," Colin chuckled.
"Akira or Kira will be there to bother Hei into separating them anyways," Erik said leaning against a tree with a sigh. He observed the damage on the street with a raised eyebrow.
"Erik! You're injured!" Izzy grabbed Erik's right arm, where rivulets of blood was dripping from a nasty wound.
The group had just fought off Technus enter number here point something and the ghost now resided within A.J.'s stolen Fenton Thermos. But with no ghost to occupy her mind, her thoughts now turned to Kai. She fiddled with the device nervously, dropped it, and picked it up quickly before snapping it back onto her belt.
"But-"
She was cut off by a bolt of electricity dropping down with a thundering crash in the middle of the partly destroyed street. The whole area was lit up momentarily by the bright flash of light, and then it eventually died down, leaving a deep crater in the street
"What was-"
"I'm so sorry!" Izzy cried, dropping Erik's arm, which had burn marks where her hands had been, "T-the th-thunder s-sur-urprised me a-and my powers-"
"It's okay," Erik said dismissively, staring at his arm mildly. Izzy blushed and turned away.
"So, what the bloody hell was that?" Simon cut in.
"Beats me." Colin shrugged.
"Oh my gawd!" A.J. was waving frantically to them from her spot on the crater edge where she had already dragged out two limp bodies. "It's Kai and Kira!! Or…at least…I think it is."
"Where are we?" Xander growled, looking around.
"In Kai's house," Fenris replied with a smile. Zamorax narrowed his eyes angrily.
"Quit screwing around."
"I'm not," Fenris said coolly, "I've just done some…modifications."
If they were really in Kai's house, it sure didn't look it. The room they were in was large and grand, with beautiful red and gold carpet floor, and a large wooden table in the center of the room. The walls were decorated with a similarly hued red and gold color, designed with complicated leafed swirls.
"I wanted to have this last banquet be enjoyable," Fenris continued. "The room next to us is a swimming pool, and the other room is a game room." His eyes flickered to Xander. "You like games, don't you? But I can change anything to what you four want."
Akira's face still had its fearful look on, and he knew not to be stupid enough to request anything.
"Howabout a door to the outside?!" Zamorax snarled. Fenris kept on his grin as a majestic oaken door materialized behind him, but by the way his eyes were glittering, it was clear that he wasn't going to let anyone through it.
"Anything else?" he asked mockingly.
Sadarri's eyes were still focused on him suspiciously.
"You said a banquet we never had. Are you talking about the one arranged for the celebration of Guthisro's birth? The one before Zamorax's…" she paused, and her face screwed up in sorrow at the brother she had lost, and she started a new sentence. "But Guthisro won't be here to join us."
"Oh, but he will." Fenris smiled dryly and turned to Xander, who had a horrified look on. A pain was starting to grow in his head until it felt like it was going to burst. Xander gasped, falling to his knees, clutching his head. Images were beginning to appear in his mind, so many memories that it threatened to overwhelm his mind. "Let's have the spellcaster show us his true form, shall we?"
And before Xander could do anything, Fenris raised a hand towards Xander.
"Exast kolx fleyt es pyios wrej…" he murmured, and it seemed like a ripple passed through Xander. The imaged of the green-headed boy disappeared, leaving behind instead, a coyote.
Oh gawd his head hurt.
Kai groaned, rubbing raising a heavy hand to rub his head. The last thing he remembered was…
"Fenris!" he yelled, sitting up quickly, perhaps, too quickly. His head smashed right into Colin's who had been leaning over the wolfa to examine him for injuries. Simon, who was bending over Kira, raised his eyebrows and backed off from the girl, as if she would suddenly wake up in the same fashion.
"Kai?" A.J. asked uncertainly.
"Yeah?" The boy rubbed his forehead, and glanced at the rest of the group. They had skeptical faces on, lined with confusion and caution.
"What…happened to you?"
"I don't really know." Kai frowned, trying to remember. "Someone took over Hei's body, and said something…" He shook his head helplessly when he couldn't pull up the exact words and shrugged. "Then he just ejected me and Kira using the Sorter stone, and I guess that's how we ended up here."
"The Sorter? That would explain a lot," A.J. said, watching Kira stir awake.
"Why?" Kai looked from one dark face to another. "What's going on?"
"Well," Erik glanced at the others, "Let's just say that at least you looknormal now."
"Kai, why don't you go take a look in the window over there," Izzy suggested. The boy jumped to his feet and dashed to the window, and his jaw dropped.
It was like Erik said, he did look more normal. His hair was completely pitch black, and his eyes were a pretty shade of blue. His skin was also not as pale as it was before.
"What?" Kai's hand shot to his neck, where his necklace was still there. It was a sapphire, and lightly warm to the touch. "How?"
He looked…human. The way he would have been if Zamorax had never inhabited him. Quickly, he turned to Kira, who was also awake and was gaping mutely at her reflection. The scene would have been funny had the situation not been so serious.
"Well, Kira looks pretty much the same since she had dyed her hair," Colin commented. Her hair was a more normal shade of brown, and she had bright blue eyes, instead of the nearly silver ones from before. Her necklace was a ruby. Kai whipped around facing the others.
"We got to go back!" he shouted.
"Why?" Simon crossed his arms. "As I've heard, you're not to fond of Xander. And I'm sure you're not that willing to jump into a war between a father and his children."
"It's not just a 'father,' it's Hei too," Izzy reminded him.
"And that's not it," Kai said. "Kira and I, as well as Zamorax and Sadarri have six hours to join back together before we disappear. This," He spread his arms out, gesturing to himself, "is not supposed to happen. We're just half of a soul existing, and that can only survive by itself for so long. Six hours to be exact."
"Where do you think they'll be?" Erik asked.
"Probably where they last were," A.J. glanced at the others, "At Kai's house."
"Cool! I've always wanted to see Kai's house!" Colin laughed nervously.
"You!" Sadarri gasped. "All this time?"
"How?" Zamorax's eyes widened. "Your supposed to be dead! I killed you! I remember it! How?!"
"So many sacrifices…" Fenris shook his head, clasping his hands behind his back with a sigh as he strolled up beside Xander, or rather, Guthisro's side. "Sacrifices is what built him, and sacrifices is what made him again. It took thousands of years of human death through wars, disease, natural causes, and whatnot to reborn him once again for this moment. But, I'd have to thank you, Zamorax, for this." Fenris's gaze landed on the said wolven God. "If it weren't for your realm gathering all those souls together, I would have never managed to do this. However, there was a defect." Fenris frowned, "Though the body was created, the memories never returned. I was hoping that by sending him back into your presence would awaken them, but it didn't work. But just the same, this is fine." Fenris turned and smiled down on Guthisro's form, but it was more of a leer. "My second son has his memories back, and we can all enjoy our last banquet, celebrating his birth."
"You keep saying this 'last' banquet. What do you mean by the 'last' part?" Sadarri asked suspiciously.
Fenris threw back his head, laughing wickedly. "I've discovered the error in my ways, and I've decided to hit the restart button. After the banquet, all this," He swept his hand across. "will be gone. I'm erasing everything, even you two. Of course, Guthisro, my only, perfect son shall remain with me. And together, we'll build a new, perfect world." Guthisro's head was still bowed low, and his emotions were unreadable.
"Fenris, you're mad." Zamorax whispered. "You can't do that,"
"Or can I?" The smirk dropped, replaced by a serious, almost insane look. "A daughter who was discontent with her territory and nearly destroyed everything in childish fight with her brother. A son who tried to overthrow his father for his own selfish reasons, and ended up killing his brother. An angel who joined forces with that son to overthrow the master." Akira, who had been long forgotten, looked up at the mention of him, but Fenris wasn't done. "A new planet, full of new species! New species, who merely engage in war, century after century, just constantly fighting and using up resources, destroying their own planet just by living on it! Everything that I've created, everything that has been made since I've decided to start the world has been a disappointment!" Fenris threw his arms out as he shouted, "How can I bear with seeing how my creations turned out?! Everything just lives on death, mindlessly destroying others!" His arms dropped to his sides and his voice dropped in volume. "So I've decided to erase everything."
"What makes you fuckin' think that we'll let you get away with all that shit?" came a hiss from behind Zamorax and Sadarri. Akira had switched over the eyepatch to cover the right eye, and the left snapped open to reveal a slitted, murky yellow eye.
Fenris's smirk had returned. "Oh please. You, a fallen angel, plus a defected daughter and her brother? Up against the creator of everything and his perfect son? Hah!"
"No, its just his father against his children and an angel."
All eyes turned to the forgotten coyote by Fenris's side. Slowly, he padded over to Zamorax, Sadarri, and Kazu and after a murmur of the ancient language, he reverted back to the green-headed human form.
"I don't like that plan either," Guthisro said quietly, turning around to match his emerald gaze with Fenris's black ones.
"W-what? But your-"
"I guess I'm not as perfect as you think I am."
"…I see…" Fenris's head bowed, his bangs dropping over his eyes as he clenched his fists.
"Nice house!" The enthusiastic (and not to mention random) voice came from behind Fenris where Colin was standing, grinning brightly as he threw open the door. Izzy, Erik, Simon, A.J., Kai, and Kira flooded in besides him.
"Uhh…Colin? I don't think-"
"AAUG!!" Fenris screamed as all his frustrations came out at once. Dark energy poured from him, easily tearing apart the roof and knocking down the walls to reveal the game room and pool he had been talking about earlier. Around them, city noises came to life as car sped by on the road next to the house, and the people on the streets came out of the shops to stare at the destruction.
"Still a pretty nice house," Colin decided once the torrent stopped. "Ooo, is that a video arcade?"
"I guess I'll have to erase all of you," Fenris whispered, ignoring the shape-shifter, "Everything, even Guthisro."
He raised a hand up to the heavens, and his eyes glowed black. Everything darkened as the noises of daily life faded away, as if someone had dropped a dark blue cloth over the world. Everyone had disappeared, and the cars on the street drove by silently, with no drivers to steer them. Shop doors opened and closed, yet there was no one there to open or close them.
"Closed space," Guthisro murmured. [5
"Bloody hell, what's going on?" Simon snapped, looking around wildly.
"Shit, this isn't good." Kazu narrowed his eye as he looked around with cautious alarm. "This definitely ain't good. He's serious. Besides, due to Restriction Code 492, once the Gods step foot onto Earth, they must revert to a mortal form. We're pretty much all fucked."
"What's this closed space anyways?" Erik demanded.
"Just one of the alternate dimensions of earth," Zamorax said, looking rather irritated at having to answer such a trivial question. He looked probably even more annoyed at the group that accidentally came with them to this closed space.
"Alternate dimension? And just one of them?!" A.J.'s eyebrows raised.
"You should be so surprised. You already know of one of them." Sadarri frowned in thought. "I believe you call it the 'Ghost Zone'? Or code F945. Well this one, B201, or as we call it, 'Closed space,' is also an alternate dimension, just like the Ghost Zone."
"But everything looks exactly the same as we left it," Izzy objecetd.
Sadarri nodded, "That's how it works. B201 is one of the few dimensions that is directly parallel to M351, or the most populated dimension. Whatever happens there happens here, yet whatever we do here doesn't affect M351. That's what makes this place so popular for fights. This is probably one of the few places not ravaged by battle."
"If there are so many dimensions, why haven't any been found?" Colin asked.
Guthisro answered this one. "Alternate dimensions are almost impossible to access to, and nearly all of them are what you can call "dead," meaning that access to the dead dimension has been entirely shut off." He shrugged, "I'm sure this new realization of different worlds is very exciting to learn about, but we have another matter on our hands."
"It's nice that you've dropped that stupid accent, Xander." Kai commented as he came in besides the other. Guthisro frowned at the name, but forced his face into the old grin.
"Nice look, mutt," he laughed falsely.
Fenris glared at the other mortal intruders. "I might as well do some early cleaning anyways," he muttered. "But first…"
He shadow-stepped forward and grabbed the front of Guthisro's shirt. With a heave, the boy was sent flying onto the street.
Fenris had moved so quickly that no one could register what had happened when a car with a huge dent on the front swerved around Guthisro's broken body, a pool of blood already growing around him. Zamorax stood frozen, eyes still staring blankly at the spot where Guthisro had been before, alive.
"GUTHISRO!!" Sadarri shrieked, stepping forward. "Y-you killed him!"
"And why don't you join him?!" Fenris seized Sadarri's wrist and threw her as well. There was a sound of something shattering as a car smashed right into her, and flipped, crashing into a nearby shop. The other cars began veering off around the two bodies.
In the silence that ensued, Fenris turned around, crossing his arms.
"So, who's next?"
Erik was the first to move. He ran forward, hands lit up with green, but Fenris shadow-stepped besides him. He swung around and plowed his foot right into Erik's side, sending the boy flying into Kai. This awoke the rest to move, but Fenris was too fast. Kazu tried to match up to Fenris's speed by shadow-stepping as well, but Fenris was always there behind him, blasting him in the back with Hei's ghost rays.
"Hah! I created shadow-stepping. Even the fallen shadow of the Angel of Speed wouldn't be able to match up to me!" Fenris laughed, just as a tiger roared, trying to leap on him. But he grabbed the tiger, throwing him into a profusely swearing Kazu, sending them both flying into a seventy-eight story building. With a few well-aimed ghost rays, all seventy-eight floors completely collapsed, with the two still inside.
"Colin! Kazu!" Simon shouted, running to the building, ready to dig them out.
"Give it a break. They didn't survive, and you know it." The venomous voice hissed by Simon's ears. "And by the way, you're a vampire, aren't you?"
"NO! Simon!"
But he barely heard the shriek from A.J., his best friend as he looked down at the bloody silver knife growing out of his chest. There was a hissing sound as his flesh reacted to the silver, but he couldn't feel it anymore as he dropped to the ground.
Zamorax was unable to move, still frozen in the spot he stood since entering closed space. They were dropping off, one by one. Fenris was devouring them like a shark to a small school of pathetic fish. It was hopeless. How could they hope to win? Zamorax himself couldn't defeat Fenris in the past.
Erik dropped to one knee, sending a wave of ice from the ground at Fenris, which immediately froze his legs to the ground at touch. Erik brought his hands close together, where energy was crackling. He nodded to Izzy, who was doing the same, and both fired off a large bolt of thunder. Fenris laughed and held out both hands, somehow catching both fires.
"Ladies first!" He sent both blasts back at Izzy, and she screamed as the electricity shocked her, dropping onto the ground. Still smirking, Fenris blasted the ice off his legs and shadow stepped to Erik, grabbing him and throwing him into the nearest store.
"Do you know what this store is?" Fenris had come inside, and he was carrying something in one hand. "It's a pharmical store. And do you know what this is?" He suddenly disappeared from view, and Erik whipped around, but it was too late. Fenris jabbed the hypothermic needle into the halfa's neck, and it began to pump its contents into the boy. "It's poison," Fenris hissed.
Fenris shadow-stepped to the outside, where Kira was bending over Izzy worriedly. Grinning darkly, he stepped up to them.
"Don't touch them!" A.J. shouted, causing the god to turn and cock an eyebrow.
"Hm, so you've finally decided to join the fight?"
"I was helping Kai sniff something out," A.J. growled. Fenris sighed and held out one hand.
"Well, too bad. I need to tend to these two first." A net of ectoplasm shot out of his hand, wrapping around A.J., rendering her useless. "Now…"
Without a moment's hesitation, Fenris grabbed Izzy and tossed her into the pool. "If I recall correctly," Kira backed away from Fenris, a fear written all over her face. In the background, A.J. was screaming for her to run. "you and the other boy, Kai, can't swim." Laughing, he grabbed a handful of her brown hair and dragged her into the pool. She sank like a stone, splashing her arms around in a feeble attempt to swim as her mouth opened in a mute cry for help that no one could provide.
There were only three of them left, Zamorax realized. But it was useless from the beginning. They were only delaying the inevitable. Why didn't they realize that? He was so frustrated that it bursted out of him.
"Why do you still try?!" he shouted at A.J. "Why do you struggle so uselessly?"
"Why not?!" A.J. shot back. She had finally managed to break the net, and was untangling herself. "If we're going to go down, why not go down fighting? Sure beats getting wiped off the face of the earth without a struggle. And you were the one who taught me that!" She turned to face Fenris as claws and fangs grew, and a tail sprouted from the seat of her pants.
"Time for your little empire to go down," she snarled, and leaped on him. He responded by whipping his foot around, catching her in the side and sending her sprawling on top of a certain black spikey-haired boy who had been running in to join the fight. The long package he had been carrying was sent flying out of reach.
"It's suitable for lovers to die together, isn't it?" Two daggers materialized from Fenris's hand, and he raised them with a poisonous smirk. "Now die."
"NO!" A.J. pushed Kai aside and the daggers hit her full on. One embedded itself into her shoulder, and the other hit just below her throat. Kai's eyes widened as A.J.'s blood sprayed across his face.
"A.J..." he whispered as the girl fell over limply. She lay there at his feet like a broken doll.
"A.J.!!!" The name came from the boy's lips again as yell ripped out of his throat. Zamorax felt a chill run through him as Kai screamed in anguish, staring at the girl with wide eyes. Nothing but cold, quieted responses ever came from Kai, and the wild look he had on was definitely not the famous icy, I-will-kill-you look. No, as Kai turned to Fenris, it was an I-WILL-DEFINITELY-KILL-YOU look, so poisonous and filled with hatred, that even Zamorax (who was hit by the I-will-kill-you look by Kai daily) felt a chill of fear run through him. Fenris paused momentarily as he was pierced by the very glare, but movement soon returned to him. His hand shot forward and grabbed Kai by the throat. Despite all venomous hatred running through his veins, Kai was only human at the moment, facing the creator of all life.
"N-no!" Zamorax stumbled forward, finally starting to wake up as realization dawned on him.
They were all gone.
Kai gave one last choke and then he went still, his hands dropping limply by his sides.
There was so much blood…
He could only watch in horror as the malicious man dropped the corpse and turned to him.
All dead…
"You're turn next."
They were all dead…
He felt those thin, pale hands wrap around his throat and lift him off the ground.
Their sightless eyes, pale skin with its lingering warmth, and the growing puddles of crimson…
"Now you're all alone, just as you've always been, and always will. Alll alone," the other sang. His pitch black eyes glittered like onyx jewels…only jewels look pretty when they shimmer. His were like tar pits, so evil and bloodthirsty, reeking of insanity and ready to pull any unawares into their murky depths.
It had happened so quickly…
"I told you, didn't I?"
But how?!
The grip ruthlessly crushed his windpipe. He couldn't breathe.
How?!
"I told you…that this would be your last banquet."
How did this happen?!
The mocking voice was starting to fade away. Blackness was beginning to prey on his mind, and his eyes closed.
He was right…
"But you never listen, like always. Juuust like always."
He had always been alone…
"And juuust like always, you'll be alone. You were always alone, from the beginning till the end. Nothing has changed. Even in death, you'll be alone."
All alone…
"He is NOT alone."
There was a gasp of pain, and the hold around his throat loosened. Zamorax dropped to the ground, coughing. He raised his head weakly to catch sight of a boy standing in front of Fenris, a blade in his hand. Wait, he recognized that katana, then…
Zamorax lifted his gaze to match the boy's blue eyes. He half-smiled, confidently nodding to the other as if reassuring his existence.
Kaitso Atokata lifted up the Ketsueki Tatsu (Blood Dragon) defensively against Fenris, the God's arm already bleeding profusely.
"You!" he shouted, "How are you still alive?!"
"Lesson one," Kai growled, "A person who can't swim eventually learns to go without breathing for a very long time."
"Lesson two!" The voice rang from behind them, where Isabella Ryan could be seen, pulling herself out of the water with a dripping Kira in tow. "Don't try to electrocute someone who uses electricity."
"And lesson three." There was a small explosion, and debris flew everywhere as Kazu Wanaki climbed out of what should've been his coffin. "Dropping rocks on a guy who can manipulate the winds is a fuckin' stupid idea, you retarded half-wit."
"Lesson three point five." Colin Rowe crossed his arms as he came up beside Kazu. "Dropping rocks on shapshifters don't work either."
"So I suppose we're on lesson four then?" Erik Trailiacs could be seen walking in their direction, rubbing his neck. "Don't try to poison a halfa." He managed to pull a wry smile. "Cuz they can just phase the damn stuff out."
"Lesson five." Simon emerged from a building, holding his side, "Just because a vampire's weakness is silver doesn't mean that it'll automatically kill them, moron." He narrowed his eyes at Fenris angrily while yanking a bloody knife out. "It still hurts like hell though," he mumbled, dropping the weapon.
"Looks like ya need to go back to school, dad." Guthisro was limping towards them, his left arm bleeding heavily and a headwound causing blood to spill all over his face, giving him a scary barbaric appearance. He cracked his neck and blood sloshed around him.
"Lesson six," His eyes, like shards of ice, narrowed as he curled back his lip to snarl, "Don't mess."
"In modern English," Sadarri, mostly unharmed though with a few injuries, walked up next to her brother. "You harm our friends, and you die."
Fenris's eyes widened as he looked at all the survivors of his attack. But then he threw back his head, laughing, though it sounded more like something between a howl and a cackle.
"Very good! Very good." Fenris turned his head to give Xander and Sadarri a crooked smile. "I assume that Xander absorbed most of the car's impact with his arm, minimizing fatal damages, and that Sadarri managed to create an ice shield before impact, am I correct?" He chuckled again, "Very good indeed. And I see that most of your miserable friends managed to survive their demise as well."
"However!" Fenris raised his hands and the sky darkened ominously. "I am still the creator!" His eyes glittered ruthlessly. "I've had my fun. I think I'll just destroy everything now." A tornado was starting to form in the sky. It sucked up all the buildings closest to it, and someone with sharp eyes could see that the concrete was obliterated into nothing.
"We gotta stop him!" Guthisro shouted.
"Gee, ya think?!" Colin yelled back.
"Kai!"
The wolfa whipped around at Erik's shocked voice. His gaze landed on the grim figure of a girl.
Ashley Courman.
His breathing hitched as time seemed to freeze. She was alive. Her shoulder was bleeding profusely, but she was alive…and holding something in her hands.
"Lesson seven," she hissed, "Make sure that when you kill someone, they stay dead." She raised the device in her hand higher, pointing it right at Fenris. "Eat Fenton Thermos!"
Fenris, in Hei's body and in ghost form, was hit by the bright blue light.
"NO!" he shouted as the pull dragged him into the Fenton Thermos. "I will not be defeated by a mere handful of mortal human children-"
A.J. snapped the lid onto the Fenton Thermos.
"Shut up and go to sleep," she grumbled.
The silence that followed was broken by Colin's trembling voice
"Uhh…A.J.?" Colin was staring at her and lifted a pale, shaking finger to point at the dagger still stuck bloodlessly at the base of her throat.
"GAH!" she shrieked, as if just noticing it now. "I'm dying!!" She waved her arms around wildly, screaming.
"You'll be okay," Erik responded flatly, and grabbed the weapon, yanking it out without difficulty. But something came along with it.
"This…" Colin pulled off the item that was impaled upon the dagger and held it up to the light. "This saved A.J.'s life?"
It was a locket, or to be more specific, a heart-shaped locked with a hole in the middle where the dagger had hit. It swung open miserably on its broken hinges to reveal torn pictures of two wolfas.
"A.J…." Kai whispered, "You…"
The girl turned her head away and blushed furiously.
"Well, I really did liked your gift, but there was never a good time to tell you that after you ran away," she confessed hotly while stubbornly avoiding meeting his eyes. "But it turned out okay, right? Like I mean, it just saved my life and all-"
She never finished her sentence as Kai wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened with surprise, but she sank into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"About time," Guthisro cut in, and everyone laughed. The fight was over.
"So…you gunna tell 'em?"
Guthisro glanced at Zamorax with amusement.
"Shouldn't you be fusing back with Kai?"
Zamorax shrugged, "My principal is to enjoy the few hours of isolation from a certain annoyingly stubborn human for as long as I can. Besides," he nodded to Kai and A.J. who were sitting together, watching the sunrise. "They look happy enough. I don't want Kai on my tail if I interrupt them."
"Ah, I see."
"So, Fenris. He…"
"I talked to him," Guthisro lifted the empty Fenton Thermos. "He's realized that humans are maybe not all that bad as they may seem. He's seen their courage and friendship first-hand." The coyote-human laughed dryly.
"What about the boy? Krou, Hei, whatever the hell his name is."
"He doesn't remember anything from the point Kai and I had our little fight yesterday morning."
"I see."
"Yeah."
"..."
"..."
"On another note," Zamorax raised his eyebrows at Guthisro, "Are you going to tell the group? You know…your true identity."
"I thought about it, but I think I'll stay as Xander," Guthisro responded thoughfully. "I've already asked the angel and Sadarri not to tell them."
"Can I ask why?"
"Well," Guthisro sighed, "'Ignorance is bliss,' right? I liked the relationship we had before, and I don't want anything to change it. This new piece of information might really change our relationship once they know I'm on the same level as you and Sadarri." Guthisro cocked a brow at Zamorax knowingly. "And you know how they feel about you two."
"Yeah, I get ya."
"So, until then, mate," Xander said, dropping into his mixed accent. He waved at Zamorax and strolled off.
Zamorax sighed and turned his gaze back to Kai.
"He is NOT alone."
"Kaitso Atokata…" Zamorax chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "Atak atao stiak, eh? Heh, this really will be interesting…"