Chapter Ten: A Mother's Love
Sean laid out the map Caron had given to them before the winglies left.
"Okay…yeesh. Caron was right. Zackwell's got places everywhere."
"So where do we start?" Ben asked.
"I have no idea. Man…how did he expand so much in such short time?"
"Endless supply of help." Melissa said. "Think of all the people who have died on Earth. He can use those he's kept for a huge army, and, statistically, somebody dies every three seconds."
"So we have to find some way to stop that process." Christie said.
"Well, I'm open to any suggestions." Sean said.
"We should probably go right to the source: Mayfil city." Ben suggested.
"You mean the Black Kingdom?" Robert put in."Look at the place! It's huge!"
"Yeah, how do we get through that thing?" Brad asked.
"I'm not so sure we can." Sean said with a sigh. "Let's check out the other places. Maybe there's something we can wipe out that can hurt them."
"So we look for suppliers and stuff." Jenn said.
"Right." Sean replied. "Okay, now, let's find a place like that."
"Here." Brad said, pointing to a spot without hesitation. "According to the notes on the side, it's one of the biggest suppliers to almost every other city, including the Black Kingdom. If we wipe it out, it'll slow them down, giving us a chance to wipe out other places faster, soon leading up to the Black Kingdom itself."
Everyone stared at him.
"Listen," Ben said, "If you want to be a genius, keep it to yourself so the rest of us don't feel like idiots, OK?"
"I'm sorry. I'll try to keep in mind the fact that you're slower than I am."
"That's all I ask."
"Anyway," Sean said, "He's right. We'll take that place out first. Let's go." He took the map and the Dragoons left. And Zackwell disappeared from his hiding spot in the shadows.
"Alright," Sean said as they all flew. "Here's the deal. Don't bother going after every single zombie. Just destroy the city. Once I give the word, we're out of there, no questions asked. Christie."
"Yes?"
"Stay sharp. You're the only one who can stop Z.S."
"Z.S.?" Mike asked.
"Zackwell's son."
"Ah. Catchy!"
"Try to stop him, but if we have to go, we have to go."
"Got it."
It was a long flight to the city, and rest was short. Mike had to carry his wife the whole way. Then, there came the question of how to go in. The stealth approach was doomed to failure, so it seemed the best way was a full assault.
After hours of flying, the city came in sight.
"Man, that place is huge!" Brad said.
"Don't let it get to you." Sean encouraged. "Do all the damage you can."
"You mean go crazy?" Ben asked.
"Yeah, I do."
"Sweet!"
When they were close enough, every Dragoon powered up and released their dragons, which did the same.
"Alright," Sean said. "Hold steady…steady…FIRE!"
But before they could, six blasts came out of nowhere. Four were light, darkness, fire, and water, but the other two were non-elemental magic blasts. The first four took out the dragons of the opposite elements, and the other two knocked out the wind and earth dragons.
"Wha?" Sean exclaimed, and then Zackwell shot out at him. Sean ducked just in time, but the Divine Dragon was shredded. Then Zackwell came back and tore through the Violet Dragon.
"Is that the best you've got?" Zackwell laughed. "You couldn't even see us coming!"
"I should've known you'd show up, but still, I have to ask, how did you know?"
"I know all, haven't you heard? This world is mine."
"Fat chance. Alright, everyone! This changes nothing! Destroy everything in your path! Wipe this city out!"
"Go ahead and try!" Zackwell shouted. Then he charged in attack. The others went forward, but Sean and Ben stayed back to fight Zackwell.
A second scythe appeared in Zackwell's other hand as he prepared to fight double. Sean and Ben both struck and Zackwell blocked both and counted, but missed. Sean and Ben quickly combined their powers and fired a burning blast, but Zackwell blocked with both scythes. Both his blades glowed blue and he poured immense power into them.
"Soul Strike!" He swung both weapons and a blue beam wave fired out and cut through both of them. They fell to the ground. Zackwell laughed. "Good foes are hard to come by, but you've proven yourselves a challenge. Now, the game's up." He walked to Ben first. "I gave you your chance, but you're too thickheaded to listen to reason!" He raised his scythe.
BOOM! An explosion at his feet sent Zackwell flying into the air. Ben smiled.
"For one who can see all, you sure are blind! You didn't even see me set off that attack?" And the flames strengthened Ben and he stood and tossed his sword into the air and two fireballs formed in front of him. "FLAMESHOT!" Ben punched both fireballs into Zackwell, but spread them out just far enough for him to move his arms away to block. Ben caught his sword and ran forward, blasting through his opening.
Zackwell reformed and turned around. "You little-"But Zackwell was cut off by the Divine Dragon Cannon shooting through his back. Sean smiled.
"This is getting easier."
Zackwell regenerated again. "All too true." His eyes glowed and flashed their invisible attack at each Dragoon, blasting off chunks of their armor. Then each scythe turned into a chain, which wrapped around either man and he pulled them together and bound them tight. Zackwell breathed out black smog on both of them. The demon grinned and snapped his fingers. The smoke exploded like a bomb. Zackwell cracked his neck.
"Game, set, match."
"Wing Blaster!" Robert shouted, unleashing a windy bird that crashed through a tower and the zombies inside. He turned his windy magic to the zombies, cutting through a row of them before a black beam scalded him.
Darteth jumped up and kicked Robert to the ground. He moved in for another strike, but a magical blast singed him. He looked up in fury at Marian.
"I cannot believe you've joined in on this." Darteth spat. "Is it because of your wingly friends being destroyed?"
"Partly." She hissed, firing another white beam. Darteth jumped back...right into Robert's spear. Robert flipped him over his head and shot a green beam from his spear tip as Marian tore through him with a white beam of her own.
Darteth landed in pain and glared at them. "I'll kill you both!" He threatened.
"Bring it on!" Robert and Marian both shouted.
Brittany made it her business to take on Anna. Anna struck first with a magical wave, which Brittany blocked, due to her incredible magical defense. She swung with her mallet and Anna dodged and struck back. Brittany flipped up, avoiding the move and kicking off Anna's back, then bashing her over the head. Anna shook it off and just barely ducked under another attack, but Brittany swung again, knocking her down to the ground.
Anna swung twice and Britt blocked. Anna powered up a fiery attack.
"Prepare to die!"
But then, a blade landed in the back of her head and she fell to her face. Jenn stared at the dead body in awe.
"God forgive me."
"He will." Brittany said. "War isn't pretty...which is why us gals have to perk it up."
Jenn laughed, then heard a roar. She turned around and avoided a zombie sword, then stabbed through him.
"Let me handle this." Brittany said. She protected Jenn in a blue bubble, and then shouted, "Tsunami!" An immense wave came out of nowhere and wiped out a ton of zombies, as well as many buildings.
Mike and Brad were taking on Melbu Frahma. Brad was the magical defender, while Mike was the physical defender. Melbu fired a beam and Brad dodged, letting the beam destroy part of the city. Melbu tried again, but again missed, destroying what he was trying to defend.
"Man, Melbu, you're doing all our hard work for us!" Brad laughed.
Melbu snarled and ran at him swinging his blade. Brad dodged, and then cast a bolt of lighting on him. Melbu stumbled forward and Mike bashed him onto this back.
Mike noticed that the building destruction wasn't making much progress.
"Yo, Brad. Hold Melbu for a while, will ya?"
"You got it."
Mike raised his axe high up. "Earthquake!" Then he dropped, striking his axe into the ground. The earth began rumbling. Building shattered and crumbled onto the flight-deprived zombies. Melbu got up and tried running to stop him, but Brad held him back with his Energy Bind. Melbu put more and more energy into breaking through the binds, but Brad kept his grip. Finally, Melbu got smart. Instead of fighting against him, Melbu leapt back, catching Brad by surprise. Melbu grabbed hold of him and threw him at Mike at incredible speed. They collided and flew across the battlefield and the earthquake stopped.
Melissa and Christie squared off with Zackwell's son, or Z.S. as Sean called him. He shot two blasts, one from either hand, of either power. The girls dodge and Christie fired an arrow. The way Z.S. deflected it with his spear quickly reminded her of the uselessness of such an attack.
Melissa stabbed at him, but he bent to the side to avoid it and swung at her. Melissa blocked the attack with her armored arm and struck again. Z.S. teleported away and reappeared behind her, kicking her to the side. Suddenly, he deflected another arrow, nearly missing it. Christie fired a white beam from her hand the instant he did so and he was burned by it.
Z.S. hissed and shot a black beam back at her. Melissa got in the way and absorbed the attack. The child sneered, but powered up another beam of the same element.
"He's probably gonna fake us out." Melissa said. "Christie, get ready."
But Z.S. didn't fake out at all. He fired the beam he had advertised, allowing Melissa to absorb the darkness. At first, the girls were confused by the child's actions, but soon realized the problem.
Melissa strained to keep her ground. Her body was being overcharged with a torrent of darkness.
"Too much…" Melissa grunted. "I can't hold it…"
Christie saw this problem and addressed it quickly. She jumped into the air again and dove at Z.S., shining arrow in hand. Z.S. released his hold on Melissa and jumped back to avoid the strike, then negated the arrow with his dark magic.
Melissa wished to help, but found herself unable to stand up straight, overwhelmed by the supercharge. She had to expel it somehow. Suddenly, a hand spun her around and grabbed her by the throat.
"It looks like you overcharged yourself." Zackwell smirked. "Poor, pathetic human. You can't hold much power…let me take some off your hands. Extraction!"
Melissa cried out as her dark powers were sapped from her body rapidly.
Christie heard the cry and turned to her. "Melissa!" She tried to aid her friend, but Z.S. caught her torso in a black cord and threw her over his head, laughing.
Zackwell closed his eyes as he felt incredible strength flow throughout him. After a while, Melissa finally stopped yelling and squirming, due to the lack of energy and life, and hung limp in his grasp. Zackwell dropped her and let out a roar and looked at Christie. She put an arrow to the string and held it there. Her head shot back and forth between each of them. They flinched constantly, just to freak her out.
"What's the matter?" Zackwell taunted. "Scared because you can't figure out who will strike first? Could it be me? I'm pretty fast! Or maybe it'll be him! Ooh! Look at those fake-outs! Or maybe, just maybe, we'll both attack at once!"
Then his eyes and his son's eyes glowed. Christie put up the best light shield she could as their eyes flashed the unseen attack. Her shield shattered from the double blast and she fell to her knees. Then two black binds shot out, one from each opponent, and wrapped around Christie and lifted her into the air and slammed her back down. Zackwell released his grip and his son swung her around, slamming her into and through anything possible before ramming her into the ground.
As Christie struggled to stand back up, she looked at the monster of a child standing before her. He was darker now than she had ever seen him. Of course, Zackwell would make sure that he didn't waver now after two such incidents. She scanned his eyes for any trace of the human in him, but could not find it. That didn't mean it was lost, though.
Somehow, Christie knew that the light side was still struggling and would never give up. She could feel it in her heart, even though she couldn't see it. She felt the child's emotions running through her body. It reminded Christie of her overall plan.
With much pain, she stood back to her feet.
"I know what you're thinking." Zackwell spoke up. "I see that hopeful look in your eyes. You think that my son will waver again and that his human side will rise to power." Zackwell shook his head. "Not this time, sweetheart. I've reinforced his dark shield, enabling him to keep his human emotions at bay, in a place where not even you can reach them."
"I believed you up until that last part." Christie smiled a little. "I'll find a way in somehow or another."
Zackwell rolled his eyes. "Always optimistic. Okay, we'll play it your way. Let's say you can get through to him somehow…it only makes it more urgent to kill you."
Zackwell shot a black beam to knock her onto her back, then jumped into the air, waving his scythe. Then, a red fire trail shot through him, knocking him off course. Ben and Sean had returned to the battle.
The demon landed on his feet and looked at the two Dragoons.
"I'll take care of them." He looked at his son. "Prove your worth. Finish her off." He shot black beams at Sean and Ben and they chased after him. Z.S. stared down Christie. Somehow, with that evil glare on his face, Christie did not think that the light side would be strong enough to break through, even for a moment, and not even to save her life. It was up to her now.
Z.S. lifted his hands above his head as dark power swelled within them. His wings spread wide, gathering more dark energy from his surroundings. Christie created an arrow and fired it at him. The arrow struck him in the heart, but he was not fazed. With a flash of his eyes, the arrow disintegrated. Power continued to coalesce in his hands.
Christie shook her head. Natural weapons couldn't kill his beast. It would take a lot more. Christie closed her eyes and focused on her power, drawing out ever last ounce of it. Even if she had her full Dragoon strength, Christie knew it would not be enough.
The Light Dragoon forced herself to momentarily forget this battle and recall another one, the one in Ulara. She remembered fighting him and how the light within the boy refused to allow the dark side to destroy its mother. Christie locked onto that portion of the battle and moved the story forward in her head a little.
Christie found what she was looking for. It was that moment when she had her hand on his cheek. There was no power causing him to act the way he did. It was merely childish impulse. The way he's moved her face against her hand stirred something in Christie that she never thought she could feel for this child.
Suddenly, a tremor in her spirit made Christie's eyes open. Z.S. was done toying around. He had his power gathered and was reeling back to fire. Christie would normally convert her power into a shield, but quickly changed her mind. She had to put her plan in motion now.
Z.S. fired and Christie closed her eyes. A dark beam struck her hard and she grunted at the pain, but would not block the attack, nor move out of the way. She fought to keep that image in her head, the moment she saw the sweet innocence of a child resting within a monster's shell.
All these emotions joined with her light powers and formed an arrow in her hand. Christie's armor was failing her and her body began to tear. Laboriously, Christie put the arrow to the string. The sharp tip cut through the darkness around her, relieving some of the pain. She could only hope it would relieve his too. Christie drew back the arrow.
"This is my love, son." Christie panted. "Take it or leave it."
She released the bow. The awesome magic cut through Z.S.'s beam effortlessly, rushed to his body, and struck him right in the heart.
Z.S. stopped his beam and let out a roar of pain that was heard all across the battlefield. Zackwell turned instantly to see what the problem was. A shimmering arrow was lodged deep into his son's heart. His expression was greatly pained as his outcries depicted.
"Use your light magic and remove the arrow!" Zachwell commanded.
Z.S. Tried to grab hold of the arrow, but it burned his hand severely. With a yelp, Z.S. Quickly removed his hand, watching it smolder before his eyes. Suddenly, the arrow shone even brighter! Z.S's pain increased tenfold.
The arrow sank into his body entirely and white light began to spread through his veins. The child groaned in agony as the light tore through his insides, forcing its way out his skin. The child lurched forward, clutching his chest, then thrust his limbs outward, shrieking in a demonic voice as the light erupted from within him, breaking through his body and erraticating the darkness inside and around him.
The child fell to his face and did not stand again.
Zackwell stared in shock. "She…she…destroyed his soul! But…but how?" He looked up at her and a rush of anger flooded him. "Keep the others at bay." He told everyone. "She's mine!"
Zackwell gripped his scythe tightly as Christie got into a defensive position. They circled each other for a moment, then Zackwell shot forward. Christie leapt over him and dodged when he came back, then fired a white ray, which Zackwell deflected. He charged again and Christie blocked, then Zackwell headbutted her and kicked her down. Christie was already weakened, and couldn't get up as fast. Zackwell picked her up and threw her into a nearby building. He walked over to her and just as she got up, he swung a mighty uppercut, launching them high into the sky, then he slammed her into the ground.
"Christie!" Ben shouted. He tried to get to her, but Melbu grabbed him and threw him away. The only one who could save Christie now was herself.
"Dragoon fool." Zackwell snorted, looming over Christie. She tried pushing herself up with her hands, but Zackwell kicked them out from under her. "Stay down, maggot! Trying to defy my empire and me! I am beyond defeat now, even from the Rage Dragoon, and the sooner you Dragoons figure that out, the better." He reached down and picked her up by the throat and squeezed her neck. "Now," He stroked his scythe across her face and drew it back. "Just die already!"
But then, Christie rammed one of her arrows into the wrist of the hand holding her throat. Zackwell cried out and she sliced his throat.
"FOOL!" He shouted. He spread the blood on his scythe and tossed it into the air. The Skull Demon fell from the sky and roared, but Christie was ready for that one.
"White-Silver Dragon! Come forth!" A surge of light beyond intense illuminated the city as the Dragon of Light emerged. The Skull Demon snarled and breathed its black fumes, but the White-Silver Dragon opened its mouth and fired an intense beam, cutting through the smog and blasting the skull into oblivion. Then Christie went all-out on Zackwell, while he was weaponless. She struck two arrows into his chest and tore them out through his head, then made a giant X through his head and torso. The arrows surged with power and a brilliant light shone from them, illuminating through Zackwell, blasting him into a million pieces.
Christie took this chance to catch a breather, while Zackwell reformed, but no amount of rest in the world could've prepared her for what was coming next. Zackwell reformed with a look on his face she'd never seen. It was filled with anger, hate, and the lust to kill.
"You just don't get it, do you?" He shot forward shouting, "Soul Strike Fury!" He dashed through her and the dragon, then zoomed back and made three horizontal slashes through her and shot through her again. Then he turned around and poured all his hate and malice into his scythe and attacked. No one could count how many times he attacked. He moved at the speed of light, planting every single slash he could through her, but none left any mark, seeing as they were all the Soul Strike move. Internally, though, Christie was in pain. Zackwell flew above her as she fell and gathered a mighty ball of darkness into his hand and threw it at her, blasting her into the ground.
"NOOO!" Ben shouted, still unable to get to her. "CHRISTIE!"
She couldn't move, much less fight back as Zackwell landed next to her. Blood poured from so many wounds, she couldn't see where any of them originated. Zackwell slid his hand across his scythe.
"And now, for the real thing."
He lifted his blade again, oh-so-ready to end her at last. Christie closed her eyes and waited.
TSSIIINGG!
A bright light tore through Zackwell's torso and a spearhead pointed out his belly. Zackwell roared and turned to see his attacker. His eyes widened in shock. It was his son.
The child swung Zackwell over his head and fired another white beam from his spear, knocking Zackwell out of the sky. Then, the child turned and extended his hand, emitting a gentler light upon his mother. The light healed Christie's wounds and restored her energy. Then, he turned his hand to accept hers and help Christie to her feet.
Christie stared at the child. His right eye was no longer dark and twisted, but a human blue one, matching his left. Also, the black veins bulging from his right side had vanished and his black wing had turned white like the other one. He looked as normal as he could for a creature born from conflicting powers.
Zackwell was baffled. "What...you're alive! And on HER side! What devilry is this!"
"Not devilry." Christie countered. "Quite the opposite in fact. I destroyed the dark spirit within him so that the light may flourish. He lives on his own free will now; he is free."
"But...that is impossible!"
"Not impossible." Christie shook her head. "You bound him with hate...I freed him with love."
"Love?" Zackwell spat. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"
"But it's right in front of you, Zackwell. Perhaps your influence is not as strong as you thought."
Zackwell moved for her, but Z.S. stood in his way.
"Out of my way, boy." Zackwell hissed. "I'll tear right through you."
The boy brandished his spear, fearless.
"Fine!" Zackwell bellowed. "I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it!" He swung his scythe, but Z.S. blocked it and kicked Zackwell in the gut, then the face, then blasted him away with a great white beam. Z.S. continued this high energy stream with three more blasts, one to Melbu, one to Darteth, and one to Anna. All three villians were blasted away and the Dragoons attacking them turned to the source of the attack.
Ben rushed to his wife. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Ben looked at Z.S. and couldn't help noticing the changes in his appearance. The other Dragoons gathered around and pointed their weapons at him.
"Hold on!" Christie called to them. "He's not evil anymore! I wiped out the dark spirit in him. He's human now!"
All eyes turned to her, then the child. The Dragoons were a bit bewildered.
"Seriously?" Brad finally asked.
"Yes. He's harmless."
Z.S. Cocked his head and an eyebrow, not too sure about that statement. Then, he turned to see Zackwell, Melbu, Anna, and Darteth marching back to meet him.
"So be it!" Zackwell hollered to him. "By siding with them, you guarantee your elimination!" Zackwell lifted his hands as dark magic gathered into them. Melbu, Anna, and Darteth transferred their own energy to Zackwell's hands and the power expanded to truly dangerous levels.
Z.S. saw this. Measuring his proximity to the Dragoons, he quickly got a plan. Z.S. ran forward towards Zackwell. When the demon fired his immense black ray, Z.S. held up his spear and blocked the attack. The beam pressed hard against him, but Z.S. held his ground. Then, while holding up his shield, the child turned to the Dragoons.
"Go!" He shouted. "Run, now! I'll hold them off!"
Christie was marvelled that the child talked, but stayed focused. "What about you?"
"I'll catch up. I'll find you, trust me. Just go while you can! I can fight them!"
"But what if Zackwell takes you back?"
The child gave a small grin and a chuckle. "Let's see him try."
Christie couldn't help but smile.
"Now go, hurry!" Z.S. commanded and turned back to the attack he was attempting to block.
"You heard him!" Sean shouted. "Let's get going!"
The Dragoons flapped their wings and took to the skies. Each one of them allowed at least one look back.
They landed back in the clearing some time later. Mike set Jenn down.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Of course!" She said. "Don't worry so much!"
"So does somebody wanna explain what happened?" Robert asked. All heads turned Christie's way.
"I set him free." Christie smiled at the words. "I struck his heart with the purest arrow I could muster and it was enough to shatter the darkness so that his human side could reign."
"That's...really cool." Melissa had to say.
"Yeah, and he still has his powers, right?" Brad spoke up. "He could help us out! Zackwell created him to be uber powerful, so maybe we can turn that against him."
"I just hope he's alright." Christie took a deep breath.
"Hey, did you see the look on his face?" Ben asked her, wrapping his arm around he shoulders. "If he does go down, he's fighting tooth and nail."
"Yeah." Sean agreed. "He'll be hard to tackle. I mean Brad's right. Zackwell did make him to be more powerful than he was, right?"
"Faster, too!" Marian said, pointing up. "Check it out!"
A figure flew at a great speed towards the clearing. Suddenly, it swooped low and landed on its feet. The child leaned over, panting heavily, his wings drooping. He'd obviously been flying very fast and hard to reach them so quickly.
Christie rushed to his side. "Are you okay?"
The child gave a thumbs up, too weary to speak. While he was panting, he looked around, then pointed up. The Dragoons turned to see a wingly floating down among them, also somewhat winded from the flight, but she would be alright. The Dragoons stared, unsure what to think.
Sean was paralyzed. It was Anna, but...something was different. Her expression was warm and her eyes did not glow vilely as they had been earlier. No, this time her eyes were kind and more lively than fierce. Without the evil radiation, Anna was a very pretty specimen.
Still, the Dragoons were a bit wary.
"Hello." She said to all. Sean nearly collapsed at her voice. In that moment, he knew she was back.
"You're..." Sean whispered.
Anna nodded. "I am freed as well."
"H-how?" Sean had to ask.
"I freed her." Z.S. said through the pants and looked at his mother. "Just as...she freed me."
"We flew here as fast as we could." Anna explained. Sean wasn't interested.
"You're alive!"
Anna looked down. "Not quite." Sean's smile faded a bit.
"What do you mean?"
"I was only a spirit when Zackwell captured me, so that is all I am now. I just...wanted to see you once more before I left."
Sean's eyes were tearing up quickly and he fought back the tears.
"So you found them." Anna looked around. "I knew you would. Did you get the hologram I left you?"
"Yeah." Sean nodded. "About eight years too late."
"Too late?"
"After you died, I was afraid to let anyone close to me again. I became an emotionless shell who only knew how to fight and not feel. When I met these guys, they tried breaking through to me, but..." He wrapped his arm around Melissa. "She's the one who really helped me through...more than once."
Melissa shrugged. "I have that influence."
"So I see." Anna chuckled.
"Sean's told me a lot about you." Melisssa said. "It's good to finally meet you."
"Likewise. You seem to have done well, Sean, from what I see. That city you attacked as a major supplier to other cities, so they will suffer, allowing you to strike down many more of Zackwell's fortresses. Plus, he now has two less members to his group, and I will be returning shortly so that he may not ensnare me again." Her expression softened. "I am sorry I could not fight him, Sean. I never wanted to hurt you."
"I know." Sean nodded. "I knew it wasn't the real you."
"No." Anna shook her head. "I fought all I could, but to no avail. My body was no longer my own. Zackwell did what he pleased and made me do the same." Her body seemed to quiver as she looked at the ground. "Even...even when Zackwell went for Hank..." Her voice croaked.
Sean stared at the ground as well, comforted only by Melissa's embrace.
"I screamed as loud as I could and fought as hard as I could, but even then I could not break free..." Anna mourned. "I almost quit trying that day...but now...perhpas I can finally see him again."
Sean knew what she meant and cracked a smile. "Say hi to him for me, okay?"
"I shall. I was good seeing you again, son." She began to drift away.
That last word made the tears flow. "You too, mom."
"Take care now...goodbye." With that, she vanished into thin air.
"She's safe now." Sean said, taking a breath. "Zackwell can't take her back."
"I know." Melissa kissed his cheek. "She's proud of you."
"I know." He smiled. "It was brief, but...just seeing her freed was enough for me."
Melissa hugged him tighter. Sean looked at Z.S.
"Kid...you have my eternal thanks."
He just shrugged.
"Speaking of the kid." Robert said. "What do we do about him now?"
The silence was a little too long.
"Well," Christie finally spoke up. "He is my son, so..." She looked up at Ben with pleading eyes.
Ben didn't like that look. He always did what she wanted when she used it. Well, did he have a choice anyway? She was his mother...however uneasy it made him.
"Well...I guess he has to stay with us, doesn't he?"
"But...then what?" Robert asked again. "You guys gonna pass him off as a human?"
Z.S. was on this one. With a shloop sound, his wings were sucked into his back and vanished from sight. All he needed was a shirt under the vest.
"What about the hair?" Mike asked.
Z.S. held his black and white locks in front of his eyes, then shrugged.
"Maybe it's permanent." Brittany offered.
Christie thought for a minute. "He needs a name...Z.S. isn't so appropriate anymore, is it?"
Brittany shook her head. "He's your kid, Chris. You name him."
Ben's eyes lit up. "That's it! Chris. We named him Z.S. After Zackwell, so how about Chris after his mother?"
Christie beamed. "I like it."
Chris considered the name, then gave it a grin. It would work.
"So what's his alabi?" Sean asked.
"Why not tell people the truth about him?" Christie wondered aloud. "We told them about us, right?"
"Yeah, but a child of darkness sent to kill us all sounds a lot less appealing than Dragon Knights."
"Point noted." Ben bit his lip. "Let's think about this one..."
Zackwell threw a table across the room with a quick fling of his arms. "This can't be happening." He punched through a column, adding to the many beatings his castle interior had taken. Melbu and Darteth were keeping their distance. "How could he slip from my grasp?"
With an outcry of fury, he spread his arms out and fired a great red ray from his eyes, tearing through the ceiling. "HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED TO ME?"
Perhaps you're not as powerful as you like to imagine.
Zackwell froze for a second, letting the tingle vanish from his system. "I must be alone for a moment." He told Melbu and Darteth before rushing through the nearest door and slamming it behind him.
Zackwell paced for a moment before seeing a streak of red and black rise from the ground. Lucifer had come in a pillar of fire.
"My Lord Lucifer-" Zackwell was silenced by Lucifer's extended hand, closing off his windpipe at a distance.
"I admitted to the brilliance of this scheme." Lucifer's eyes were cold and merciless. "But I also admitted to how you seem to find holes in the greatest of plans. This proves it. Now you have given them a mighty trump card." Lucifer's fist shook in anger. "I knew I should not have given you another chance."
Zackwell tried to speak, but was still choking.
"And what's more...you lost Anna." The grip tightened. "Can you guess how often I have a chance to reclaim a soul!" he threw Zackwell across the room, releasing his grip and walked towards him.
"Wait!" Zackwell pleaded. "I'll fix it! I'll get him back!"
"I know you will. For if you do not, demon prison awaits you." His eyes narrowed. "Bring him back or destroy him, I don't care which. Just get it done. I'm sick of your failures. Progress would be a nice change."
With a puff of black smoke, Lucifer vanished, leaving Zackwell alone. The demon clenched an angry fist. "I will not have my name ruined again. He will follow me...or he will follow no one."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, some nice changes in this chapter. Chris is free now, but he'll have to face Zackwell sooner or later. How will that turn out? Stay tuned.
Two thigns now. One, I've tried to update every week cuz I had a lot of the story pre-written, but now, I'm caught up and the time it takes to update will be staggered.
The other thing...reviews. The number of hits vs. the number of reviews is saddening. C'mon, y'all, show some love! Tell me what to improve if need be. Everybody enjoys feedback. Okay, I'm done. More fun stuff and more not-so-fun stuff coming in the future chapters. Hope you enjoyed it so far!