Chapter 20: Heartlands
Pain burned through Zechs and Sora. The pain was crippling but neither was giving up. They stood in the center of the devestating explosion made when the holy and evil swords met. Lightbringer and Soul Eater pumped more and more power out as their tried to destroy the other, widening the explosion. Zechs and Sora pushed harder and sparks flew around the blades. Eventually the strain was to much and the two were blasted away by the magic.
Zechs groaned and opened his eyes. Instead of the blasted remains he assumed the Keep must be he was staring up at green trees filtering sunshine. Zechs tried to growl in disgust but winced. Seeing Soul Eater stabbed in the ground he grabbed it to support his rise. His Infernal Armor was gone, blasted away and most likely melted scrap. The only things that remained was the some black leather padding around his groin and his Gauntlet with his mother's stone. Beating down the pain Zechs came to the conclusion he had no idea where he was. It looked like no area he had taken and it was perfectly possible the energy from the swords had blasted him through the ethers across the world. Finding a clearing Zechs saw the mountians to the south and knew he was very far north of Marquise. Thinking of the swords the Overlord looked around and saw Sora stand in similar shape. The only thing left from her crystal armor was some predictably white chainmail and Lightbringer. The two started at each other when the swords glowed. Zechs lowered the sword and Sora frowned.
"Id enjoy adding your soul to my powerhouse Paladin but another explosion is the last thing I need."
"How kind. Im so sorry I wanted to stab your in your black heart and burn your evil corpse."
"Oooooh the holy knight has some humor. Get lost and try to live, it would be annoying if I wasnt the one to kill you."
Zechs turned and started walking when something stabbed in his neck. Looking down he saw a dart in his neck.
"Well...", was all he said before thudding to the ground.
When he woke the first thing he noticed was he was naked. And tied to a large post surrounded by wood. Oh and a crowd was watching him. The village was made of stone and marble and the people wore white togas over strong built bodies. Zechs looked around and saw Soul Eater in the pile around him. One of the men stepped up and spoke in a important tone.
"Evil One, you have broken the law by bringing your savagry to our land. Your eyes and that evil sword are all the evidence we need that a being like you must be cleansed."
Zechs' eyes narrowed.
"You have no idea who you are speaking to do you worm?"
"I know that you are not from the Heartlands, and therefore a savage. We are the advanced and perfect race."
"Never been over the mountians have you? Iv seen, and killed, Halflings with more advancement then this backwater blank on the map."
"Your ignorence is only proven. There is nothing beyond the mountians but brutes like you, fit only to die out or be slaves. Now may you seek perfection in death Dark One."
Zechs looked around and saw Sora tied to another post. Lightbringer was on an alter near some elders.
"The woman clearly stole this holy weapon from a male champion, and will be cleansed with you."
"You people are REALLY out of touch with the world. Shame, I like my victims to have brains." Seeing the Overlord wasnt helping matters Sora called out.
"Burn the Dark One, but I am on your side. I am High Paladin and chosen of the Goddess. If you have any sense of good you will help me!"
"Ha you words mean nothing from a women who bows to a goddess. We are beyond the need for some bloated fantasy."
Zechs was growing bored with this and tried to break free but the ropes were tight and his hands were bound so magic was useless. Something was bugging Zechs, oddly it was the rope on his hands, his bare hands. Zechs' eyes widened and narrows in a deadly way.
"Where is my gauntlet worm bait?" The man pointed at his gauntlet resting on an anvil with a smith nearby.
"This tool must be destroyed before it infects our society. The sword of light will remain as a sign of Heartland superiority."
A child ran up and threw torches into the piles. Zechs and Sora tried to break the ropes that covered their bodies when a ringing made Zechs stiffen. Turning his head slowly he saw a large hammer strike his guantlet again. The weapon sparked off the stone, his mother's stone, his stone. Pure rage rushed through him like the night he fled Marquise. These arrogant fools dared....
The flames had just covered the post when his voice and wrath exploded.
"You want Evil? I will show you what Evil really is!"
The flames around him were pushed back and swirled in a firestorm of hate. Soul Eater sensed it's master's power and flew at him, lodging into the post and cutting through rope. Free Zechs pulled the dark sword out and swung. The arc of red energy sliced the flames apart and split the elder inhalf. Jumping out of the pile the Overlord blasted those near his gauntlet and put it were it belonged, his mother's stone glowing in welcome. Turning to business Zechs cut down anyone in his path, the souls building inside Soul Eater and Lifeforce in the stone. The pompous fools begged for mercy, and Zechs fired lightning into the toddler's building. Zechs was busy with the massacre and did not see the same child with the torch untie Sora. The first warning he had was Lightbringer shining in her hand. Sora swung Lightbringer like a fan, a whirlwind of magic sent against the Overlord. Zechs stabbed Soul Eater in the ground, and the wind was carved in oppisite sides and into the crumbling village. Pulling his sword out Zechs charged at Sora, and Sora did the same. This time they focused as the blades met, contianing the energy in small pulses of power and sparks. Each time they met the ground was crushed by the two forces seeking to end the other. After the fifth charge the village was in ruins, most of the people dead or fleeing. Just as they were about to clash again there was a roar and Vanitas burst from the skies. Landing infront of his master the black dragon tried to crush Sora in his jaws, but the nimble human leapt aside and into the trees. Growling in disgust Vanitas flicked a moaning child aside and turned.
"Thank Evil your alive Master! We thought you were dead until I felt the sword clashing! Let us return, the Minions are sullen and Kisra refuses to let anyone in the Private Quaters."
At the reminder of Kisra Zechs jumped on the dragon and they took off. Several hours later, after a group of Sky Knights found Sora and made their way to Heaven's Peak, the survivors returned. Seeing their homes in ruin they swore vengance on all magic. Days later, Kisra in his arms, Zechs would be hit with a vision of a marble city and a man in a golden mask. Before the vision ended he saw the city in flames before a Overlord with blue skin and red eyes.