Chapter 5: Fierce Fight! Deathscythe The Knight of Darkness

"Deathscythe?" Shute asked, transfixed.

The Gundam Force stared up at the demonic figure floating above them. Deathscythe was truly a fearful sight to behold, with his sharp spikes, bat-wings, and, more importantly, his insidious mask, whose eyes seemed to glow red.

"So that is his true form!" Captain cried

Zero glared up at the floating knight. "No, it's not."

Captain looked at Zero. "It's not?"

Deathscythe gestured, and a wave of black and purple magical energy shot out of his hand, covering Captain and Zero. The two Gundams were flung against the wall, pinned back by the Knight of Darkness' magical circles.

"Captain!" Shute cried, "Zero!"

Captain tried to move, but couldn't. "Who is it, Zero? Tell me!"

Zero ignored Captain and glared at the evil knight below them. "Deathscythe! I know who you really are! You are-!"

Deathscythe chuckled evilly as the illusion washed away, revealing a plain room with runes on the walls. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Zero? About two and a half years since the last time. I thought you'd have forgotten the appearance of your old friend."

Zero struggled to get free. "Deed! So it was you! What happened to my compatriots?"

"Oh, them," The tone in Deathscythe/Deed's voice was unconcerned, as if he were talking about household pests. "Well, of course, I had to the other Royal Knights of Lacroa eliminated."

Zero's eyes widened and he went very still. "You mean… Battol…Rock…and Nataku…?"

"All of them."

"Why did you do it, Deed?" Zero asked, "You betrayed the code of the Royal Knights! How could you do such a thing? You were once a mighty and proud knight, too! Why? Why did you do such a thing?"

Deed looked up at Zero and said, "I did it because I'm in love with Rele."

Zero stopped. "Huh?"

"Ever since those in Lacroa…" Deed went on, "No… Even since the day I joined the Royal Knights… I would just stare at Rele…" His mind went back to those days, watching the princess walk through the royal grounds towards the lake from behind a tree. "…and I was always thinking of her. However…I knew my love for her could never be realized. Because I was a Knight Gundam…and she was a human. That was about the time it happened. The Dark Axis invasion had started!" He could never forget that day, looking out onto the lake, alone, and seeing the monstrous, horned sphere the Dark Axis called home. "I thought that there would be no other chance if I had missed it…I was determined to destroy everything…and everyone…and all the rules that were obstacles to my love!"

"No!" Gasped Zero.

But Deathscythe was not finished. His tone grew more hungry, more depraved. "Everything in this world…that created such rules… And so...I decided to take Rele by destroying everything! For that, I used the Dark Axis and Tallgeese…everything went as I planned, guiding you all into this world, regained the key to reverse the petrification!" He pointed past Shute, towards the girl behind him. "That Rele is a fake one that I created as a decoy!"

Shute gasped, and turned around. The fake princess, her head bowed, her eyes listless, said nothing. She just cradled the White Bagubagu capsule in her hands.

Deathscythe floated towards the statue, his hands almost touching. "The real one would always be at my side…eternally!" He laughed nefariously.

"So for that you decided to sacrifice all your friends and Lacroa, your beloved homeland?" Zero asked bitterly.

"Yes!" Deathscythe snapped, whirling at Zero. "I'm not like your or the others, Zero! You knights are nothing more than guard dogs, serving the royal family! But I am not! My place is beside Rele, on the king's throne!" He circled around the statue, raving. "Everyone else is nothing! They're even inferior to Mmns!"

As the Knight of Darkness' words echoed off the room's acoustics, Shute stared at the fake princess sadly, who was holding the capsule up to her eyes.

"That's a lie, right?" Shute asked hopelessly, "I mean, there's just no way… You can't be a phony princess… It just can't be true…"

"How foolish of you!" Zero admonished Deed, "You may unpetrify the princess, but you know it is impossible for a Knight Gundam and a human to be married. We are not human!"

"…I will become human." Deathscythe said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about the Superior Dragon. You must have seen the lineage tree. It is the spirit deity of light. The most powerful of all spirits! That is the Superior Dragon. With its power, it is a simple matter to turn me into a human being! And a Superior Dragon will be generated when Feather Dragon and Steel Dragon merge with each other!" Deathscythe glanced up at the captive dragon above. "I've already captured the Feather and Steel Dragons, I'm almost there…I'll have the princess, and the Superior Dragon, and everything will be mine!"

Deathscythe threw his head back and laughed maniacally, while Zero stared wordlessly at his twisted ex-friend.

Calming down, Deathscythe looked at the two young ones at the entrance. "But in order to generate the Superior Dragon, we need to have a person from the royal family. I must de-petrify the princess first," He pointed at the capsule in the fake princess' hands. "Is that it?"

Fake Rele nodded sadly. "Yes, sir." She held the capsule up, so Deathscythe could see the robotic insect within.

"A White Bagubagu…" He mused thoughtfully, "I exterminated them because I didn't think they would be useful anymore. I never expected to reverse the petrification with it. Bring it to me!"

Shute stared at the fake princess, unable to speak. Was she really going to give it to him? The fake princess did nothing, staring at the ground.

Deathscythe held out his hand, and said more forcefully, "Bring that treasure to me now, my dear."

At the sound of Deathscythe's voice, the fake princess looked at him. Her eyes had a hollow look to them. Without another word, she slowly began to walk forward, holding the capsule out like the ring bearer at a wedding.

At this, shute regained his power of speech. "Don't go, Rele!"

Fake Rele halted. Her body seemed to shake softly, and her eyes appeared to regain a little of the life they once held.

"That guy is nothing but a villain!" Shute went on, "You can't give the White Bagubagu to him!"

Fake Rele's hands tightened over the capsule. A fierce battle waged within her, between the orders she was made to follow and new feelings she never knew she had.

Shute said, "I can tell, deep down, you aren't really an evil person!"

Deathscythe snorted, smirking. "It's no use. That thing is nothing more than I created. It cannot disobey me."

Fake Rele's insides went cold at these words. She knew what she was, but…

…What if she didn't want to be that way anymore?

But Shute would not give up. "Remember what we told you before, Rele! We'll take care of you no matter what happens!" It didn't matter if she was a fake. The promise made was real, and that's what mattered the most. "We promise to protect you, even against him!"

Everyone watched breathlessly as she mulled over Shute's speech. But despite these words, the fake princess began to walk again, though a bit slower than before.

"Rele…" Shute gasped, and then cried, "Rele!"

Fake Rele stopped.

"I'm waiting…" Deathscythe growled impatiently.

Fake Rele wasn't listening to Deathscythe, or anyone else. Her mind was filled with images, of her time on the Gundamusai…

Giving her hand to Shute…

Sharing rice balls with Shute…

Being protected from the Pawn Leo by Shute…

Shute…

Fake Rele looked up, more energetic than she had been when she had arrived at the Garden of Wisdom. She turned around and began to run back…

…towards Shute.

"Shute!" She cried.

"Rele!" Shute shouted back.

"What!" Deathscythe exploded, "How dare you disobey me!"

"Rele…!" Shute muttered, running forward. He knew that Deathscythe would do something horrible to Fake Rele, and so he had to get to her before he could.

But just as were a mere meter away from each other, a blast of purple light exploded underneath Fake Rele. She cried out in pain, accidentally tossing the capsule.

"Rele!" Shute gasped, horrified. It looked like she was being burned alive…!

Fake Rele continued to scream, writhing in pain as the beams of light speared through her, shooting up from the floor.

Shute couldn't take it anymore. "Rele!" He screamed, in a voice that echoed off the chamber's walls.

As her body began to fade, Fake Rele said, "It's…ugh…okay…"

"Rele…" Shute whispered, staring into her eyes.

Fake Rele smiled sorrowfully. Though she knew her time as a person was over, she was glad that it was ending this way…

…as Shute's friend.

There was a quick burst of light, and in Fake Rele's place was a purple rose. As he watched it fall to the floor, Shute dimly recalled Zero mentioning that such a flower was called a Princess Rose. In a sad, perverse way, in the sick humor the universe often applied, it was fitting.

Shute stared at the rose, lying on the floor. His eyes rippled. "It can't…can't be…"

But it was. She was gone, leaving nothing but a rose. On the walls, Zero growled, feeling nothing but hatred for Deathscythe, for creating this heartbreaking scene. Next to him, Captain struggled, trying to push himself free. As he moved, his eyes would not leave the violet rose.

Shute slowly, jerkily, moved towards the Princess Rose.

Deathscythe chuckled cruelly, floating up to Shute. "Throwing away her precious human form… How foolish of her."

At these words, Shute glared up at Deathcythe and yelled, "What did you say?" He pointed and threatened, "Turn her back the way she was, or else! Right now!"

"The 'way she was?'" Deathscythe asked mockingly, "The Rele you were seeing was merely an illusion that I forged with magic. The rose is her true shape."

"That's a lie!" Shute shouted.

"Looks like you became really fond of her," Deathscythe remarked, as Shute balled his fists. "What a shame. Now give me the White Bagubagu, or you will suffer a fate worse than that of your precious, fake princess!"

Shute had been moving to punch Deathscythe, but the evil knight's words made him stop. Amazed, he looked into his hand at the White Bagubagu capsule, recalling how Fake Rele had tossed it to him.

"Give it to me now, boy!" Deathscythe snarled.

Shute glared at Deathscythe and held the capsule away. "Forget it, Deathscyth!"

"What?"

"This White Bagubagu is what Rele risked her life to give to me! I'll never let you have it! Never!"

Deathscythe snorted. "'Risked her life' you say? That puppet didn't have a life!"

"She was not a puppet!" Shute insisted, "She was real, and could make up her own mind! She encouraged me, when I thought I'd never be able to see my mom and dad again! She is a real princess! There is no fake Rele! That girl was Rele- I mean, she is Rele! And you can't tell me otherwise, and I'm telling you, you will regret this day!" He glanced at the statue behind Deathscythe and added, "And the princess you love so much? Well, she would never love you!"

"Stop, enough of this foolishness!" Deathscythe snarled, and held up his hand. His double-headed scythe appeared in it. "Hand over the White Bagubagu, now!"

Shute reeled back as Deathscythe pointed the tip of the blade at his throat. Now that it was held by visible hands, that scythe looked a whole lot more dangerous.

At this, Captain's Soul Drive almost leapt out of his chest. "Give it to him!" The Gundam cried, fearing for his friend's life.

"Yes…" Deathscythe hissed, "Give it to me, or you will pay the price, little human!"

Shute said nothing, trying to look away. The temptation to run was awful, but he knew if he did, it would all be over.

Up on the wall, Captain pushed desperately against the magical barrier holding him.

"Shute! Shute!" He cried, trying to force his body through. "I…can do it!"

"Captain, it's no use!" Zero lamented, "Even with your strength!"

"I…won't give up!" Captain said, and, against all expectations, began to push his head through the magic circle.

"C'mon!" Zero urged, rethinking his opinion. Maybe Captain could do it!

Deathscythe looked up and mentally applied more strength to the barrier. Captain was instantly pushed back under it.

"What kind of magic is this!" Captain cried.

Deathscythe chuckled and looked down at Shute. "Give me the White Bagubagu, or I'll have to take it by force."

But Shute, his brow wet with sweat, his teeth clenched, refused to respond.

"I was thinking of inviting you to my wedding," Deathscythe went on maliciously, "But it looks like there's no need to save you a seat. Farewell, you foolish human!"

Deathscythe pulled back, ready to lop Shute's head off. The boy cringed, unable to run away.

"Hold on, Shute!" Captain yelled, and against all odds, pushed himself out of the barrier! When he landed on the floor…

…things happened.

The wall opposite of the barriers cracked, leaking light in, and then exploded outwards as hundreds of Mmns swarmed into the room. One chunk of the wall hit Deathscythe, knocking him away from Shute, who fell over from shock. Captain was bowled over, and the barrier holding Zero faded away.

As the Rivier of Mmns flooded into the room, filling it with light, there came other sounds. Sounds like several dozen bodies hitting the floor, accompanied by cries of pain. No one could see what they were, as the glow of the Mmns blinded everyone.

Once the flood ended, the light dimmed back to normal, with the Mmns floating away and the misty water evaporating. Shute, sitting on the floor, cautiously opened his eyes. All around were Zako Soldiers, lying on the floor, some twitching their legs, some looking around, and some comatose.

Genkimaru, sitting near three Zakos, muttered, "Now I'm hungry again…"

Grappler tried to get up, but couldn't because Destroyer had landed on him. "Idiot! You're heavy! Get off! Get off!"

"Giddy up…" Destroyer said in a dazed tone as he rocked on top of Grappler's struggling body.

They both stopped and stared at Zapper, who was running around the room with a look of panic on his face.

"Oh no! My mop! My mop, where are you?" Zapper wailed, "How can I function as an SDG clean-up volunteer without you?"

Bakunetsumaru, meanwhile, was writhing where he lay. "I'm drowning! I don't know how to swim!"

Genkimaru stared the older Musha Gundam through half-closed lids before walking up to him and kicking him in the knee. "You're fine, you samurai scaredy-cat!"

"Huh?" Bakunetsumaru immediately stopped 'drowning' and got up. He looked around the room, trying to figure out what had happened. "But, I…swept up…Mmns! And…ghosts, and… Shute!"

Shute got up and looked back at the Musha Gundams, surprised at their presence. "Huh? Bakunetsumaru?"

Deathscythe shook his head as he regained his senses. He had captured Zero and Captain, and was about to kill Shute…then everything went wrong. He looked around and saw that his inner sanctum had become infested with those annoying Zako Soldiers the Dark Axis used to use.

"This is nicer than that dumb cave." One Zako commented as they shuffled about.

"This is a rather nice place, but I find it a little chilly, Zako." Another commented.

A third Zako hummed a little tune as he walked about. He heard the sound of footprints behind him. He turned around, went "Zako!" and then sweated when he realized that Deathscythe was not the welcome wagon.

"What," Deathscythe hissed as the Zako ran away, "Are you doing here?"

"At last I have found you…Deathscythe!"

Deathscythe turned and looked at the person who had spoken. "Tallgeese! So, you're still alive! What are you doing here, trying to get in my way?"

Meanwhile, the Gundam Force gathered together.

"Take the princess to the Gundamusai!" Captain told Shute.

"Got it!"

Zero nodded at Bakunetsumaru and said, "Well, Baku', I guess I'll give you some credit, this time."

"Bakunetsumaru, please protect Shute!" Captain ordered.

"You got it! Leave him to me!" The Blazing Samurai said, punching the air. Then, rather awkwardly, he asked, "By the way…uh…what's going on, anyway?"

"Worry about that, later!" Shute yelled, "Right now get the statue to the Gundamusai!"

From his place in the shadows, Cobramaru's eyes widened. What? The Gundamusai?

Genkimaru looked at the Zakos. "Hey, you guys!" He jerked a thumb at the doorway. "Move it, and that's an order!"

The Zakos may have made a sub-par attack force, but they could be effective when organized properly. The trick was to not think of them as warriors but as ants, ants that could carry off a picnic. Working in three groups, the Zakos picked up the statue, Zapper, and Grappler(who still had Destroyer sitting on him) and ran for the door with Shute and the Musha Gundams.

"I won't let you go!" Deathscythe snarled, and gave chase.

"You will no harm them!" Zero shouted, and he and Captain blocked the evil knight's way.

As the mob reached the door, Shute then stopped. He then ran back.

"Shute, where are you going?" Bakunetsumaru asked.

Shute didn't reply. Instead, he picked up the Princess Rose off the ground. He made a promise, after all. Giving it a nod, he ran towards the door.
"Rele! No!" Deathscythe roared, and lunged.

Zero got in front of him, blocked a strike from the scythe, but was slapped away by the Knight of Darkness. Captain was next, but as the V-Rod was sent flying, the mobile defender grabbed hold of the scythe's handle. Both Deathscythe and Captain became locked into an impromptu game of tug-o-war over the scythe.

"How dare you," Deathscythe growled, "You piece of junk!"

Captain struggled against Deathscythe for a moment, before Deathscythe swung upwards, sending Captain flying into the air.

"Captain!" Zero cried.

-z-

Meanwhile, Shute, Bakunetsumaru, and the Genki Energy Force rode the main platform up towards the entrance to the Garden. Cobramaru clung to the sides of it, until he hopped on top to avoid being shut out.

-z-

As Captain fell to the ground, Tallgeese lurched forward. "Deathscythe…" He panted, "With the little power that I have left, I intend to thwart your foolish plan! I will stop you, even if it destroys me!" He began to chant, his body glowing. "Dark Mana, created in the utter darkness, now give me your final strength!"

On 'strength' Tallgeese shot up, flying towards the cage where Fenn was being held.

Deathscythe watched this, snickering. "There's no way you can break my strongest barrier!"

As Tallgeese impacted the cage, the room once again lit up, this time shaking from the force of the subsequent explosion.

"How foolish!" Deathscythe cackled, "He blew himself up! What a pity!"

"What's that?" Captain asked, looking up.

"I'm afraid it was Tallgeese…" Zero gasped, unable to believe his eyes. Did Tallgeese, proud, foolish, egomaniacal Tallgeese…sacrifice himself?

Then, out of the light came a flap of wings.

Deathscythe reeled back. "That can't be!"

A fearsome roar was heard.

"Fenn?" Zero cried, "It's the Feather Dragon!"

-z-

On the surface, Shute led the group of escapees towards the Gundamusai.

-z-

As Fenn, as the Feather Dragon flew around the room, now free of his binds, the runes in the main chamber of the Garden of Wisdom glowed with a golden light. Zero flew towards Fenn, who breathed light into the Winged Knight before entering his body. The body became a ball of light, and when it had faded, it showed a Zero wearing light-purple armor over his normal blue armor, with two white feathery wings protruding from his back.

The runes of the Garden glowed brighter.

-z-

Topside, the gang had just boarded the Gundamusai's deck. Shute felt his neck hairs tingle, and turned around. He saw a giant blue beam erupt from where the entrance to the Garden of Wisdom was.

I know that light! He thought, and smiled. Zero!

High in the sky, Zero Custom, the Knight of Silver Wings, spread out his wings, shining with an ethereal light.

Everyone, minus Genkimaru and some Zakos as they put the princess' petrified form down, stared up at the elegant sight.

-z-

Zero glared down at the Garden of Wisdom, down at the evil being that dwelled within it. "Deathscythe! It ends right here!"

Deathscythe flew up at Zero, his eyes of his mask blood red. "En Guard, Zero!" He screamed.

Time to avenge the fallen knights! Zero thought, and his hands glowed. In each one appeared two long swords, shaped like halves of Fenn's tail. "Twin Buster Swords!"

Deathscythe flew up, Zero flew down. They passed each other in the air, barely brushing, but that single touch became the spark of a magnificent explosion.

-z-

On the deck of the ship, Shute covered his eyes from the light as they watched the battle.

"What energy!" Bakunetsumaru gasped.

-z-

Zero clashed with Deathscythe, bringing his Twin Buster Swords down onto the Knight of Darkness' scythe. With each touch came a crackle of power, a reaction born of two opposing forces being forced to meet.

-z-

Down below, Captain arrived, rather harried, jumping onto deck of the ship. He had been able to leave the Garden of Wisdom through the exit Zero and Deathscythe created when they took to the skies.

"Shute!" He called, looking for his friend within the crowd.

"Captain! Hey!" Shute cried, running up to the Gundam. "Are you all right?"

Captain nodded. "I'm fine," Looking up at the ship's head, he said, "Miss RAIMI! Emergency takeoff! Leave the rest to Zero, we must evacuate immediately!"

"Roger, Captain."

-z-

In the air, Zero and Deathscythe rammed into each other at top speed, creating a giant shockwave from their collision.

The runes in the Garden became even brighter.

As their weapons locked, Deathscythe sneered, "You are unable to fully utilize the power of the feather! You are no match for me!"

Both knights backed away from each other. Zero shot forward, but veered right to avoid being slashed by Deathscythe. The Knight of Darkness made several jabs at the Knight of Silver Wings, but Zero easily dodged them, shifting his body enough to evade the blows. Deathscythe made a sweep at Zero, who easily flipped over and brought his swords down onto the evil Knight. The Knight of Darkness was barely able to block the blow in time, and as sparks flew, found himself being forced back. Clutching his scythe, his body began to become a dull black.

"What's going on here?" He panted, "Why am I struggling against a weakling like you?"

Zero shook his head. "You still don't get it, do you, Deed. The feather is the earth, the feather is Lacroa itself, the land of Lacroa, the sky. All of the spirits are angry with you because you have ruined Lacroa!"

As Zero spoke, his body seemed to give off a subtle glow, as if he was standing in front of a spot light.

"Zero…" Gasped Deathscythe, "He's synchronizing with the feather! This can't be happening!"

"Prepare yourself…" Zero placed the two flat sides of his swords together, merging them into one fully sword. "…Deathscythe!"

Deathscythe trembled, from both fear and anger. "You won't…defeate me…!"

Zero held up his sword, and it began to glow.

"I won't lose my princess!" Deathscythe screamed, and lunged at Zero.

Zero flew up in the air, his entire being a-glow. As Deathscythe came at him, the Knight Silver Wings chanted, "Super Spirit Magic...Infinity Winds!"

Zero brought down his sword, releasing a beam of glowing blades from it. The light blades struck Deathscythe, cutting all the way through to Deed…

My…Rele… He thought, his world becoming dark.

"The benevolent king of spirits will not allow an evil villain such as you to wield his power, Deathscythe!" Zero declared, and gave off a bright blue light.

As Deathscythe fell, his limp body gave off a bright purple light and the Steel Dragon flew off. Fenn flew away from Zero, and Deed plummeted, falling far out of sight as he dropped towards the ground.

On the Gundamusai, Shute pumped his arms. "Way to go!"

-z-

All the way out in the main kingdom, the black magic dome covering Lacroa Castle faded away. Without the caster, the spell could not be sustained.

-z-

Over the Garden of Wisdom, Zero floated in the air as he returned to normal. Behind him, the Gundamusai hovered up, but the Winged Knight wasn't paying attention to it.

"What?" he cried, staring at the entrance to the Garden.

In the main chamber of the Garden of Wisdom, the runes on the walls became even brighter, until their light filled the entire room. A giant beam of yellow light burst out from the entrance to the Garden, shooting up into the air. It was so bright that Zero, the closest to it, was forced to shield his eyes. The group on the Gundamusai deck stared at the light, unable to make sense of it.

"What's that?" Shute asked.

"I don't know!" Captain replied.

Before any more talk could be made, the beam expanded, enveloping Zero and the Gundamusai within its light. As the wind blew around them, Zapper's voice could be heard over their screams.

"Where are my sunglasses!"