Authors Notes; Royal AU. Shounen-Ai. Violence. Suspense. This marks the completion of the story..and likely a return to Writer's Block for me..I'm in ENG 111, so maybe, maybe not..I do still have my old writing ideas document with plenty of unexecuted ideas, and as an odd fact, this story is the only one that did NOT get planned out, it was entirely written in accordance with the ideas that came into my head, suggesting that planning may not be very effective in my case..I probably could've done more with the fight scenes, but that's easier said than done when you have to keep track of multiple situations..Hope everyone enjoys and has enjoyed the story..
German; Vater=Father, Bitte=Please, and Ja=Yes.
As they relaxed, Zero listened to the clamoring of the soldiers getting ready. He pressed X against him gently, being careful with his claws. One of the Russian soldiers walked to the wagon the two were relaxing in, he was tall with short blond hair and blue eyes, very similar in stature to Zero. Zero noticed him when he sat down at the end of the wagon. "I hope I'm not disturbing you." The winged blond shrugged as the soldier crawled in with him. He was curious about Zero, he looked familar. Zero tilted his head a little as he came closer. "Tell me, did your mother craft that armor?" The soldier asked. Zero was stunned one of the Russians knew of his mother. "Ja, she did. Did you know her?" The taller soldier nodded. "Yes, I married her, but I was driven out of the country, unable to spend time with my young son." The blond captain's eyes widened. "Wait, your son? Driven out? That sounds like my father." The other soldier smiled. "Really? I may know you. What is your name?" "Zero. Yours?" "Ivan. Ivan the Courageous. Wait, Zero? That was my son's name." Ivan's eyes widened. The younger blond looked up at him. "Are you...?" Ivan shrugged. "Maybe. Let me see your fangs." Zero opened his mouth, showing his long vampire fangs. "You are. You are my son." Ivan broke into tears and hugged Zero's neck. "I've missed you and you've made me very proud." Zero was very shocked. This was the vampire that was driven away from the German town he lived in. "Where have you been hiding, Father?" "A remote section of Russia until recently when I was permitted to join the Russian forces as Vice Captain." Zero hugged his father back, careful not to wake X. "Come home, Vater, bitte. Mother has passed, but I would ensure you better treatment." Ivan lowered his head. "I've heard about that and how you were adopted and nearly executed. I'll have to consider."
As the light of the sun got brighter, X began to stir, waking to find himself between two bodies. "Z-Zero...?" The blond captain looked down at him. "There's no cause for worry. Remember how the mayor mentioned a vampire they drove off?" X nodded. "Yeah?" "This is that same one and turns out, he's my father." Zero grinned happily. X looked back at Ivan. "A pleasure to meet you." Ivan grinned. "The pleasure is all mine, Prince X. Ivan. Ivan the Courageous. I've heard alot about you." X smiled a little. "Sir, the mayor mentioned you so I'm confused. If his mother was a warlock and you, a vampire, is Zero a warlock-vampire hybrid?" Ivan nodded. "Yes, he is, but since that's the case, his vampiric traits are less noticeable than a normal vampire. What he really is, is what is called by supernaturals as an Ascended Warlock." The brunette prince raised an eyebrow before looking at Zero. "Ascended Warlock?" "Yes. Ascended means to have risen. To supernaturals, an Ascended being is one that is far stronger than normal and when applied to supernaturals, they're extremely rare and have powers beyond the imagination. There is a simple way to tell an Ascended supernatural being from a regular supernatural; The Ascended being will have a heart unlike regular supernaturals. Often said to be black in color, the heart helps the magic flow easier in an Ascended being, making it stronger and presenting the capability of immortality, the only drawback will be that the magic energy will be lost for several months afterwards. If its their will and the will of the chosen person, they can chose one more person to immortalize other than themselves." Ivan explained. X was baffled, looking down at Zero's chest lens and snuggling it. "That's why Sigma wants you so badly..." Zero nodded, watching him. "X...When this is over and peace follows, let me immortalize the both of us. I cannot bear the thought of seeing you die." The brunette prince nodded, letting tears escape him as he snuggled more. "Please, Zero." Ivan smiled happily. He could tell they were lovers, but he couldn't care less as long as Zero was happy with his choice.
When the sun was over the horizon, Ivan led Zero to the Russian captain. He hissed slightly at the sunlight, his kind never liked the sun since it was fatal to them. However as he got older, he managed some resistance to it. Zero carried X on his back. Watching his father, he could understand how his powers were sometimes weaker during the day. "Are you and your troops ready, young captain?" The older captain asked. Zero nodded, his troops assembled close behind him. The Russian captain raised an eyebrow, seeing X's arms and legs around Zero's body. "Surely, you'd have more sense than to put the prince at risk again?" Zero looked back at X, who snuggled him gently. "Yes, it seems your vice captain has revealed himself to be my long lost father. If you'll permit it, I'd feel more at ease if he watched X for me." The captain looked to Ivan. "Sir, I have no problem with this." Ivan nodded as X started to crawl off Zero's back. Once he was off, Zero turned back to look at X. "Don't be reckless and come back safe, ok?" X said fearfully. Zero smiled and hugged him. "Of course, my little human." X hugged him back before Zero had to let go to follow the Russian captain and his soldiers. He waved until they were out of sight, faintly able to make out Zero waving back. Ivan held X's shoulder and led him back to where the campfire had been. "Please, let him be safe." X thought aloud.
Soon, the two armies arrived a few miles away from the site of the underground base. "Move swiftly and silently, capture all of his remaining forces and beware of Dynamo. He can be tricky. Leave Sigma to me." Zero instructed as the Russian captain led into the base, he followed behind his soldiers aware of the fact that Sigma may jump him, no matter how drunk he had gotten. The blond's intuition was exactly right, once all the soldiers were inside a pair of arms grabbed him and threw him over and onto the desert sand. "Thought you could ambush me, did you?" Sigma cackled a drunken laugh. Zero looked up at the drunken warlock, noticing that he could barely stand straight. He didn't respond and got up quickly, charging and locking hands with the other, trying to push him down. Sigma smirked, pushing back against Zero, moving his head back to headbutt him. Zero withdrew his head too, headbutting back and using his helmet along with more force. When it landed to Sigma's head, the older warlock fell to the ground, a cut was visible on his head from Zero's sharp helmet crystal. Sigma quickly and clumisly got back up, running back towards Zero who had gotten into a fighting stance and had his arms ready for a possible block. When the bald warlock tried another headbutt, Zero blocked, but Sigma managed to push him back a little. Zero stayed his ground as he gripped Sigma's head, blood ran past his claws as he shoved Sigma away, making him stagger to the ground. "Come quietly, you're in no condition to fight." Sigma growled and managed his way up. "Never."
Inside the base, most of Sigma's forces had been apprehended by the two armies. Dynamo was stupid drunk, running when he was surrounded by soldiers and taunting them. The Russian captain closed his eyes and shook his head. "Patience, men, this one is very intoxicated. He's sure to drop soon." The white-haired man had the gall to mock the soldiers when he was really just embarrassing himself. All the soldiers waited silently with their weapons ready for Dynamo to drop.
Back at the camp, X and Ivan could see two figures in the distance. "They certainly didn't waste any time getting into a fight." Ivan remarked. X watched quietly, fearing for Zero's safety. Ivan pet X's shoulder. "Don't worry, young one, we'll round up the medics if things look bad." X nodded slowly, not daring to take his eyes off the figures for one second.
Sigma hadn't landed many hits, a scrape to Zero's right side, which he'd managed in a clumsy charge. He began to feel weak, but kept fighting. Zero had battered Sigma in almost every area of his body, he was looking pretty bloody and ragged, but he wouldn't stop fighting until Sigma fell and didn't get up. He played fair since Sigma couldn't use magic, as drunk as he was. Punches and scratches came and went, blood flew out, kicks and bunts followed as well as occasional mid-air roundhouse kicks. They kept fighting for what seemed to be an eternity. Zero's left pauldron had gained a chip in the middle and Sigma's armor was badly dented. After a while, Sigma finally went down and stayed down, not even trying to get up. Zero was left out of breath, covered in Sigma's blood. He looked like he had killed Sigma, but he wasn't dead...yet. The blond soon dropped to his knees, catching his breath. He'd taken one hit to his chest that made this a little difficult.
Watching them long enough to figure out which was which, X and Ivan saw them fight and Sigma drop. X couldn't help but cheer. "Yes! Great job, Zero." He grew concerned when he saw Zero's figure drop to his knees. "No, no! Zero!" Ivan's eyes widened. "Shoot, go get him, X. I'll rally the medics." X nodded and dashed off in Zero's direction as fast as his legs could carry him.
When X reached him, the armies had returned to camp with Dynamo and the remains of Sigma's army restrained with magic blocking restraints in case they tried anything. Zero noticed X but couldn't move his body. "Oh, Zero, look at you, you're a mess." "X...G-get..Sigma..We've..got him.." Zero managed before dropping to the ground from exhaustion. X gently picked Zero up, holding him over his shoulder. He grabbed the fallen Sigma and tried to drag him along. The Russian captain was the last to come up the old stairway and saw X before offering to take the old beaten warlock. X thanked him and nodded, slowly carrying Zero and taking him back to camp.
After what seemed like hours, waiting outside the wagon the medics were treating Zero in, X was invited in. The medics said Zero would want X beside him. X got inside and looked at him. The head of the medics said he had sustained minimal injuries, but was winded. He would be unable to use magic or talk for a while. Zero was cleaned up, armor removed, deactivated, and polished, and his chest gently bandaged as well as his right side. He looked like he was asleep as X came and sat beside him, until his left arm rose and pulled X closer against his chest. X slowly laid down beside him as the medics left, snuggling Zero gently. Zero's eyes opened halfway and he moved his head down, kissing X's hair. Ivan soon came in too, looking at Zero. Zero watched him sit beside them. "Everyone's ready to go home and lock those guys behind bars. Great job, son." The young warlock nodded, pulling X even closer. "By the way," continued Ivan. ",I accept your offer and have taken it up with the captain." Zero grinned happily as they all felt the wagon start to move with Storm at the reins. "We're on our way home, Dad." X smiled as he snuggled more while the wagons made their way through the desert and mountains.