Authors: Xan and Vallen
Rating: PG-13 (Will be changed later)
Warnings: This story involves Marth and Roy in a relationship with one another, and other yaoi/slash/shounen ai themes. So if you have a problem with that, violence or torture, go read another fic. Also, we highly suggest that you read the first Fubuki no Kaen before starting this.
Disclaimer: The characters of Marth and Roy, plus "Altea," do not belong to us. We just use them for our pleasure.
Feedback: Yes. (That means we would love to hear from you and what you think.)
Notes:
Xan: *evil laughter* Here it is, the infamous chapter three! This one is reeeeeeeeeeeally long, guys… Took me a while to type up. But hopefully it's worth it. Oh yeah if you're prone to motion sickness, grab a barf bag 'cause this one's a freakin' roller coaster ride…
Vallen: And Xan loves to think that she's funny… You guys didn't actually laugh at that one, ne? For shame!
Thanks To: Pannybaby123 (Yes, poor Marth and Roy. That's certainly the theme for this one… Poor Marth and Roy…), Syaix_Raphael (^_^ We make people miss busses. WHEE! *coughs* Seriously, that's not cool tho. No missing busses!), YoshiMars (^________________________^ Oh you have no idea how much I like this chapter! *happy happy happy happy happy*), Crockgirl13 (Thanks! We love writing, so there will be plenty of stories to read!), Lil PriNCeSs Me (Hey, it's okay! Vallen and I understand about brothers. She has one and I have two and they can be a pain.), Spryte Andoloni (*dies laughing* Pig in heat! Sorry but that amused me beyond all reason. And yes, Rowen is acting weird, poor Rowen! Marth and Roy gotta help him sometimes too, ya know. He's not exactly a spring chicken. *avoids being smacked by Rowen* Sorry Rowen! *blinks at Nobel Peace Prize* Er thanks! Even though we cause more wars than we end, it's cool!), RavenGhost (There's a psycho guy after BOTH our boys! Marth's just a martyr, like Roy said. WHEE, somebody likes this one better than the original! Vallen and I don't have favorites, but we're glad you like 'em! And of course it's still good! I love chocolate milk. ^^;;), MysticalWoodElf (Yes yes, Even Marth and Roy have fights. But they're sososososo cute when they're not fighting that it's okay.), Shea (Yesssss, stressss is a good thing! Makes for fun character dynamics. Glad y'all like it too!), Kevin C. (Oh yes, ALL their hands are going to be VERY full for a while. It's gonna KEEP twisting and turning right up until the very end, I think, so I hope you like it!), Dark Comet (This sorcerer is waaay beyond a maniac… but you'll find that out later. And no, no telling! That wouldn't be as fun!), chibi fairy (You're right, Rowen IS getting too old for this. Poor guy. And Marth and Roy HAVE to fight every once in a while. They're only human too ya know. ^_^), tikimoof ("There is no Rowen, only Zoul…" Sorry, ghostbusters reference in there. ^^;; And yeah, everyone's pretty pissy 'cause of the pressure and stress and crap, but that's the way the cookie crumbles…), Jennie (We ARE cruel! Maybe Vallen and I should change our title from "Official Marth and Roy Tormenters" to "Official Reviewer Tormenters" ^_^ But yes, it does set things up nicely, doesn't it? Neeheee!), The Flame Panther (Er… sorry, no freaky skeletal dragons! Lotsa scary dead zombie people though! And yes, I think you ARE the only person who doesn't mind waiting! What's wrong with you? *eyes* Just kidding.), Moiras (Hm I agree that Vallen should write Rowen's Story. I wanna know more about him too! Makes me wanna write Trave's Story… although the ratings would be too high for ff.net I think. ^^;;), Rayestar Ikina (*laughs* Dude, we love Ronin Warriors! But I don't get Rowan of the Strata mixed up with crazy magical old dude Rowen, so I don't have that problem! The Rowen angst gets toned down from here, so don't worry! And yes, reviews are appreciated, even if my hands cramp from typing all these thank yous!), Curious Dream Weaver (Yes, zombies! Zombies are really really really fun to write, so yeah… we decided to use them. Besides, we just like the title of Necromancer! ^^), Sinnatious (Yep, into each life a little rain must fall ya know. Or a bunch of living dead guys must pop out of the earth or something like that. ^^;; No, time hasn't changed Marth or Roy's temper so they're still as clashy as ever. I love that "bag of giggles" comment, it cracked me up. And no, none of our sequels are EVER "mild continuation" to anything. FNOK2 could in theory be read as its own story and we like it that way. Hope you like this chapter as much as the others. *evil grin*), bladegryphon (*zips lips* Can't tell! But here's more, hope ya like!), Pichu*Star (Well… there are definitely other stories that have more reviews second chapter out, but we're very proud of our almost 60 reviews so soon! It'll be interesting to see if this one surpasses FNOK that way. Who knows? Well, Marth and Roy are too much in love to go back to hating each other, but the tenseness does grate on nerves, but you'll just have to see what happens…), Kanashimi Ame (^_^ Hee, that was a pretty bad cliffhanger, wasn't it? But it's nothing compared to some others we have planned… *coughs* Like this one…), LilFilipinoGurl (*reassures* Oh I know, I was just playing! Hee! *gasp gasp gasp… GASP!* Like that? It's fun writing suspense and seeing you guys' reactions.), Evui (Yay, 'nother big fan! Thank you! And no hate sex, sorry! Both of them have had baaaaaaad experiences with that, ya know.), Persian Kittie (*snicker* A spat, well I guess that's right. *sweatdrops* Don't let Rowen hear you talking about him like that. He'll go Morpheus on your ass!), and rex16 (No problem… Thanks! That's always nice to hear… *rocks out*).
"…So please, people of Altea, do not fear and have faith in me, for I will do everything in my power to ensure peace and safety for everyone."
Marth finished addressing his public and waited a moment, waving to the cheering crowd before going back inside the castle. A few days had passed since he and Roy had fought and it was difficult not to notice how worn ragged the young king was – he had been running around trying to keep his people from panicking ever since the news of the mutilated soldiers had spread while at he same time organizing his country's defensive forces. He didn't dare attack the hidden enemy since he had no idea where or why the enemy was attacking since it would be nothing but foolish.
"Where's Roy?" He asked, fatigue evident in his tone. "Gwen, do you know where Roy is?"
Gwen was no longer the slave that she had used to be. With the right nutrition and care, she had grown a bit, leaving behind her gaunt frame. Her blond hair was kept trimmed neatly at her shoulders, but her eyes were still haunted – that was something that she could never change or hide. She was content to be a servant to the king and was now wearing a white blouse over her flat torso and a cute, light purple skirt.
Her eyes saddened a bit and she looked down at the floor out of habit.
"He hasn't left the meeting room. He's been in there for a long time and the doors are locked – No one goes in and no one comes out. Sir Rowen was looking for you though." She answered softly.
"Gods." Marth massaged his temples with his thumb and forefinger. "Why in the hell did I set him off like that? I know his temper… I'm a fool." He was silent for a long moment before he raised his head again. "Gwen, where's Rowen then? Did he say what he needs me for?"
"He's in your chambers. He figured you'd return there sooner or later… Do you want me to come with you?" The servant-girl bit her lip. "Maybe… Sir Roy is not avoiding you so much… Maybe he just needs time to think?"
"Perhaps. I hope you're right and not I." Marth straightened up. "Yes, please accompany me. I may need you to do something for me."
He turned and walked to his private chambers with Gwen at his heels. He opened the door to find Rowen indeed sitting inside in a comfortable, high-backed easy chair.
"You need to see me?"
The older mage nodded slowly, his amethyst eyes showing stress and wear.
"Yes. I spoke with Roy briefly," Rowen motioned to his head. "And he wants to leave for the border tonight and set up a base camp. I tried to talk him out of it, but he's got his mind set and is going to tell you about it soon. He also says it's the best thing for the defense of the country and that you would probably agree. What do you think?"
"I think he's being rash, but perhaps I'm wrong." Marth replied after a moment's thought. "I am reluctant to take any decisive action until we are completely sure of where the enemy is and what we should do, but he may know better than I. I just don't know anymore."
Roy burst in, closed the door behind him, then leaned against it with his arms folded across his chest.
"You're talking about me… Rowen, you told him…" He accused, and then eyed Marth. "And I'm not being rash. I'm not thinking about attacking, just setting up defenses."
Marth nodded.
"I understand, Roy and I respect your judgment. Do as you will." The king was tired; too tired to verbally spar with his lover right now and besides, he had complete faith that Roy would make the right decision.
Gwen was the first one to notice someone knocking urgently at the door. She hurried over and opened it a little, speaking with the person on the other side. After a moment, she hurried back to the three men.
"Sir Roy, your horse is having a baby now…"
Roy's eyes widened slightly and he glanced at Marth before rushing off.
Marth took off, following closely at Roy's heels. The country was in a state of national emergency but this was still important.
A few grooms were standing around the stall, but they left at Marth and Roy's arrival. Marth grabbed one of them, drawing him aside.
"How is she doing?"
The groom, an old man who had been present at the birth of many a foal, smiled a little.
"Aye, she's a strong young mare. She'll do fine and so will her foal. Ye needn't worry, Majesty."
Marth nodded. "Thank you." He watched outside the stall.
The problem with Roy was that whatever strong emotion he was feeling, it would radiate from his body and affect most of the people around him. Unlike Marth, he was not very stoic, so right now he was a bundle of nerves. He stood away from the king and paced around a bit, reluctant to stand next to or even speak with Marth.
"Look Roy, I shouldn't have said those things to you." Marth said quietly.
Cautiously, the auburn-haired young man stepped up and stood outside the stall next to his partner.
"I'm trying, okay? I've had to act like an adult all my life and now I'm trying to handle this like a… mature general. I'm sorry if I'm upsetting you in the process… I'm trying to grow up." Roy said quietly, bowing his head.
Marth reached over and touched Roy's hand lightly.
"It's alright, Roy. We're both just stressed and tired. It won't be like this forever."
"Oh really?" The general questioned, jerking his hand away. "Do you know how very unlikely it sounds that we're going to win this? I've thought about what Rowen said and our chances aren't very good. Then where will we be? Dead, that's where…" He heard a short piercing whinny from the stall and burst in. He had decided beforehand to let the mare give birth naturally without human help, but he would be there just in case. Roy kneeled down next to the mare and her foal, keeping an eye on the mother and began to towel off all the birthing residue. His unnamed mare's coat was covered with a heavy sheen of sweat and her still-swollen belly was rising up and down quickly with each breath.
Marth watched Roy with the horses silently, mulling over his general's words.
The little male foal was a brilliant milky white color, a luminous shadow to his midnight black mother. He struggled to his feet, his thin spindly legs trembling and took his first few faltering steps toward the mare. He found her teat and began to drink greedily, his little scrub tail flicking back and forth rapidly.
"I do not intend to die, Roy. If I were going to die, I would have done it at Trave's as a slave with no hope of escape or even survival. But not now, not when we still have a chance. But I refuse to just lie down and let some son of a bitch destroy me, my country and everything I've worked so hard for."
Roy stood and brushed himself off, standing off to the side of the two horses and thinking it best to leave them alone for now. After a moment, he exited the stall and went to Marth.
"I'd rather talk about this somewhere more private please. I'm going to call the horsemaster and leave them in his hands…"
"One moment," Marth looked at the small foal. "Aren't you going to name him?"
"I don't know. There's a reason why I don't name things… Would you like to?" Roy moved away and called for the master of horses.
"Onyx." Marth said after a moment of thought. "His name is Onyx." He should have known better than to ask Roy to name something anyways. After six years, he still called his horse "Blackmare."
The general returned, giving his horse and her foal a final look before taking hold of Marth's arm (but not in a way that people would suspect their partnership) and pulled him away.
"It's getting dark." Roy murmured. "I should be leaving soon."
"Please don't do anything foolish while you're there. I don't like it when I can't keep an eye on you." Marth said quietly. He knew he had no need to play nursemaid to his general – Roy was an accomplished general, warrior and mage, but this new threat concerned him far more than anything else that they had ever before faced. He got a bad feeling every time the memory of the soldiers' bodies crossed his mind.
Roy's eyes narrowed at Marth and he let go of the king's arm abruptly.
"I can take care of myself. And it's not like I'm going and waging war against this supposed 'army of zombies' that Rowen told us about. I'm merely setting up defenses along the border with the ultimate protection of the capital in mind. I'm older, Marth, and… you don't have to worry about me."
Marth shook his head,
"I know you're capable, Roy. All I'm saying is be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you."
The teen relaxed visibly and moved back closer to the blue-haired man.
"I'll be fine. Don't forget to take care of yourself too." After making sure that no one was in the vicinity, he leaned up and kissed Marth needily.
The young king gave into the kiss and pulled Roy to him in a tight embrace, needing it as much as Roy. But after only a minute, he pulled away reluctantly, eyes downcast.
"Go," he said. "Before I forbid you from doing it."
Roy reached with one hand and fingered a lock of Marth's hair softly.
"I'd like to see you try, your Highness." He shook his head and turned away, breaking out into a run for the barracks.
Marth watched after the general for several long minutes before turning and walking heavily back towards the castle.
Roy had now been gone for a few days and Marth had adjusted to his partners' absence relatively well – it wasn't too difficult, as he was kept very busy by the new developments that had arisen. But he made time to go by and visit Blackmare and the newly named Onyx at least once a day. Marth had become quite attached to the little white foal.
"You should be proud," he told Cloud, feeding the stallion an apple one day. He had found half an hour's worth of peace and decided to pay his faithful steed a short visit. "Even Rowen likes him. Which reminds me, I need to speak to him today…"
"Your Highness!" Came a shout from the outside. "Your Highness, are you in there?!"
There was a thump, the sound of someone dismounting a horse clumsily, outside the stables. The doors were thrown open, revealing a messenger decked out in the royal livery, dirty and torn. But he didn't look human; his face a cadaverous color and quite pinched.
"I have… a letter."
He fell dead, the envelope slipping from his clammy blue fingers.
Marth stared wide-eyed and open mouthed at the former messenger. Horror filled his every pore and his head echoed with Rowen's words: "The last time he battled, he used armies of men who ceased to live…" "So he's a Necromancer…"
Cloud snorted in alarm, rousing Marth sharply from his shock. The king stepped forward slowly and picked up the letter with a hand that he was trying in vain to prevent from trembling. He tore it open and scanned the words. It was in Roy's messy handwriting, scribbled on the paper hastily,
Marth,
I don't know how to put this, but I think things are beginning to happen. My men are suddenly falling ill and then dying within a few hours. It was twenty men this morning… I tried to heal them, but their bodies just sucked my power in without any change. Help me- I don't know what to do.
The letter was signed and had the imprint of the fire-in-ice stone. It was dated the day before.
Marth swore violently, re-read the letter and then swore again. He wanted to run to Roy right then and there, but he knew that that would be foolish and rash. Instead, he threw Cloud's bridle on him and rode him hard to Rowen's.
"Rowen!" He shouted as loud as he could to get the mage's attention, jumping nimbly off the still-moving animal. "Rowen!"
The weather mage stuck his head out of one of the front windows, looking alarmed, having heard the tone of Marth's voice.
"What is it?" He asked, concerned.
"Read this." Marth thrust the letter at Rowen. "They're in trouble Rowen. Something bad has happened and I have to go find them. Immediately."
Rowen motioned for Marth to stay put while scanning the letter. He disappeared through the window, then met the young king outside.
"You're right to be worried about this, but I'm sure you know not to go galloping off. Why didn't I sense anything…?" He looked distressed, but was playing the adult and keeping calm. Several books with papers jammed between the pages were in his arms – he had been doing nothing but research since the last incident.
"Have you learned anything?" Marth asked, eyeing the stack of tomes. "Anything that would help?"
"Just the usual… He's over a hundred years old, appears to be only twenty or so, and has powers beyond imagination, as you already know… There's not much on his background, but it looks like he was born in Pharae to a pretty powerful family. His ascent to power story isn't that different from yours, actually. I guess he just succumbed to dark magic… And is known for his skill of strategy and his powers. I suppose this recent incident is part of his plan. I think you should send someone down there immediately…"
"I did that already and all the men are dying if they're not already dead by now. I'm not about to make the same mistake twice. I'm going myself with a small platoon of soldiers. Rowen, I know it's asking a lot of you, but I need you to stay here and run things while I'm gone. With Roy and I both gone, you're the only one who can do it." Marth looked at Rowen, nearly imploring the older mage to give his assent.
"Oh my… well… You probably have no idea as to how bad of a decision that is, but if you have that much faith in me, I think you should go now. It's getting dark already…" Rowen answered, chewing on a fingernail nervously. "Are you worried about Roy?"
"Gwen and Farro will help you. They know how to run things almost better than I." Marth named his loyal Chief of the Guard and his personal servant. "I'm returning to the castle briefly for supplies and to gather my men…" He stopped, looking down at his hands. "Of course I'm worried about him. He could be a corpse right now, rotting alone and cold. But I know he's not… somehow. As a king, a lover and a friend, this is my duty." He took the letter from Rowen and jumped back onto Cloud, racing towards the castle.
One could smell the odor of death even before approaching the base camp. Bodies littered the ground like autumn leaves and it was absolutely silent, unnaturally so. There was not one sign of life through the whole area, except for the ominous slapping of a tent flap in the wind. It was the largest tent, right in the center of the camp and now smoke was wafting out of it, the smell lingering in the air. There was no fire in sight.
Marth dismounted and handed Cloud's reins to his second-in-command, his eyes fixed on the smoke. Where there was smoke, there was fire. And where there was fire…
"All of you stay here. I'm going to inspect this myself." He commanded quietly.
"But your Majesty…" The sergeant began to protest, but Marth's blazing blue eyes stopped him.
"Do not disobey me."
He approached the tent from which the smoke was floating lazily upward and spread his powers out to sense what was inside.
'Roy?' He asked, pulling back the tent flap.
The smell of burning flesh assaulted Marth's senses as the vision of a massacre lay before his eyes. Bodies on the ground, all burnt to a crisp were horrifying to even glance at. One body in particular in the center was wearing the general's clothing. The skin was charred black and cracked and half his face had been burned off completely with bodily fluids oozing from the mauled skull. The bright auburn hair had nearly been burned clear off the scalp. One lifeless blue eye seemed to stare into Marth's soul and there was no sign of the flame that had once flickered within the ice around Roy's neck. It was dead.
And then Marth died.
To be continued…
Author's Notes:
Xan: I have just one thing to say: I love my job. ^___________________^
Vallen: And that smiley was a little too big… Try to act excited, Xan. *raises eyebrow*