Judgment chapter 10
Darius and Tails were still en-route back to Vanilla's house, or what was left of it. It was almost noon, with the sun high overhead. Tails seemed content flying. Truth be told, Darius enjoyed it too. But he was getting tired. It wasn't long before he slip into an uneasy sleep.
"Ju…Judge Zodiark, I didn't expect to see you here."
"I know that, Bergan. What do you intend to do?" Bergan's face was unreadable under his armor. The big cat knew what was coming. The lord that they had sworn to protect…they were about to kill him. Zodiark, too was wearing armor.
Zodiark was not known as a nice person. In fact, the head of the Judge Magisters was regarded as a cold-hearted killer by those who didn't know him. Those who did knew that he was indeed cold-hearted, but not by choice. He had been through hell and back several times. Most thought that he should have died.
"Ah, Zodiark. What a pleasant surprise." Bergan bowed before his king. Zodiark turned around, looking the green hedgehog with red streaks in his quills. Zodiark felt the hatred flowing through him. That hedgehog…the basterd killed his own brothers and sisters to get where he was now.
"What do you want, Vayne?"
"Is that anyway to talk to you king?" Under his armor, Zodiark smiled. He would enjoy tonight's events so much.
"I'm here on business. Unless you have some, don't interrupt me." Now Vayne got angry.
"Take off you helmet and face me!" Once again, Zodiark smiled. He did as he was told.
Upon taking off his helmet, he revealed for the first time to Vayne what he was. Bergan, as well as the other Judges knew. Zodiark was a fox. His fur was a shade of ebony, with red streaks running through his fur in a few places and on his bangs. Vayne jumped back, drawing his sword.
"YOU'RE A FOX!"
"So it would seem." said Zodiark, smiling again, this time allowing Vayne to see it. Vayne hated foxes more than any other creature on the planet, and it didn't matter to him if they were greater or lesser. He had killed thousands, dropping the number of foxes to a dangerous low. There were only a few still hiding in Nabdrodeisiea. The rest had ran to the other side of the planet, not wanting to fight the maniac.
"A MEMBER OF THE JUDGES!! A FOX!! BERGAN, DID YOU KNOW OF THIS!?" The big cat looked at the hedgehog. It didn't matter to him what Vayne said anymore. His hours were numbered, and quickly counting down.
"Indeed I did." Vayne was furious, holding his sword, which was shaking very badly.
"What does it matter to you? You never cared before what I was. You never asked. I did as I was told. Hell, you even appointed me head of the Judge Magisters. I see no reason to cower now. You and I both know what you've asked me to do on occasion. We both know who you've had me assassinate."
"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!" Zodiark put his helmet back on, and walked out of the room, followed by Bergan.
Midnight
Zodiark walked into a large bedroom. As he did, eleven armored people looked at him. He shook his head in greeting.
"I call this meeting to order. I know that we're all here, so forget the roll call. As you know, this is the final meeting that will be called. We've all decided that this is the best course of action for averting the use of the new weapons developed by Vayne. We're all aware of the unnecessary pain and suffering that they could cause.
"After tonight, the Judge Magisters will be no more. After tonight, things we must disappear from history." Zodiark looked at each person in the room. "Leave. Go home to your families. Leave Nabdrodeisiea and never look back. Leave your old name behind.
"Bergan, you've been the best second I've ever served with. You have to resist the urge to continue fighting in this war. Your fighting style is to well known.
"Zargabaath, avoid the use of magics. Try to keep you daughter from using it, also.
"Drace, don't go back to your home at all. You've already had your husband flee the country. Find him.
"Ghis, there is nothing to be explained to you. You already know what to do.
"Gabranth, you need to discard you sword. Place it somewhere where it will never be found, or destroy it.
"Everyone else, you know the drill. Get the hell out this place. One last thing, you must NEVER speak to each other again. None of the Judges moved. Zodiark understood. He walked over to the bed. He looked down at Vayne, who was having a bad dream. Raising his sword, he smiled. "See you in hell, Vayne. With that, he brought the sword down, slicing off the kings head. Now, all but three of the Judges left via teleportation. Those three looked at Zodiark. They all took their helmets.
"Damnit, Zodiark. You can't expect us to avoid each other forever." Drace was a blue hedgehog with emerald green eyes.
"Seriously, this is complete shit." Gabranth was blood red echidna.
"I agree." Bergan's voice was booming, as always. For a cat, he had a very deep voice.
"Look, I didn't want to do this anymore than you did."
"Bullshit. You've been wanting to kill Vayne since he was born." said Drace. For a girl, she was tough, and didn't hesitate to say anything
"That's not what I'm talking about." said Zodiark. "I was talking about the measures to keep you safe. From what I've heard, your pregnant as it is. You don't need do to anymore fighting. Your done."
"Your pregnant?" asked Gabranth. Drace nodded her head.
"Look, we need to get the hell out of here. Now. The guards are coming up to wake Vayne right now. I don't want any of us even trying to rule." At this, the other three nodded their heads.
"Before we leave, tell us your real name." said Bergan. "You forced us to tell you ours. But none of us ever heard yours." Zodiark laughed.
"I would tell you, but I don't remember. It's been…what…26 years? I haven't heard it since I became a Judge. Sorry. Goodbye, friends." said Zodiark, turning around and putting his helmet back on. "And despite what I said, I think that we'll meet again someday, many years in the future." With that, Zodiark disappeared. Shortly after, so did the other three.
A few days later, Zodiark stood on a hill, over looking Nabdrodeisiea. He had discarded his armor for the first time in 26 years. The sun was sitting over the hill. Now, Zodiark watched the city where he spent most of his life burn, with people killing each other left and right. He turned his head, before teleporting away.
Darius woke up, startled. He looked at the plane he was in. Slowly, he started to pass through it, as though he were a ghost. Tails turned around, just as Darius became completely transparent. The plane flew right through him.
Darius didn't know what had just happened. He was solid again, and falling very fast. Up ahead, already several miles away, the X-Tornado started to turn around. For some reason, Darius held his arms out like wings, and put his legs together, his tails whipping around in the wind. Slowly, a red aura formed around his body. He came to a hover in midair. As Tails flew by him, Darius waved, clueless as to what was happening.
Rouge was helping Sabina get ready to leave. As it turned out, Sabina was a pilot, and had a friend with an aircraft that she could borrow. Of course, Sabina knew that it would never be returned, and had explained this to her friend, but he insisted that she take it anyway. Now, the fox was standing outside of the plane, half of her body inside the plane, doing something to the engine. Rouge turned her head, and say Knuckles approaching. He took one look at the plane, and shook his head.
"Just how are all of us supposed to fit in that? It's only got two seats." he asked, getting ready to tell them to just forget it.
"Don't worry. I'm a bat remember? I can fly myself."
"Yes, but not very fast." said Sabina, coming out of the plane and putting a panel of skin back on the plane. Her fur was black in some places. "This plane gets the best fuel efficiency at 95 throttle, which makes no sense. But that's about 450mph. I would be much quicker if you just sat on his lap." With that, the fox climbed into the cockpit, and started the engine. She let it run for a minute, then shut it off again. "We're leaving as soon as I take a shower and get some of this oil and grease out of my fur." Sabina walked off into the house. Knuckles look at Rouge, who was looking at him.
"Is there even room?"
"Yes, but some is going to have to sit on someone's lap." said Rouge, getting inside and looking around. She got back out and looked at the echidna. "Since you have those sharp spines, I'll be sitting in your lap. Just don't get any funny ideas."
"I wouldn't dream of it, you nutty bat."
High above the earth, a very old weapon was slowly, but surely, coming back online. The glowing blue hedgehog smiled to himself. This was going to be interesting.