Chp 20

The two men just stared at each other for a full second. Zoran was the first to react. He swung his hands up and sent Julian flying back with a burst of dark energy. Julian rolled as he landed and drew his spear as he landed in a crouched position. Zoran drew his sword and rubbed his hand off the blade so it lit up with black flames.

Julian sprinted at Zoran who sent another pulse of energy at him. Julian however swung his spear and slapped the energy away. Zoran ran at him and swung a large overhead slash down on him. Julian parried the blow and struck the sword out of Zoran's hand.

Zoran recoiled from the pain. In Zoran's brief distortion Julian swung around in a spinning attack. Zoran's gauntlets instinctively formed on his hands and forearms. He caught the spear in the spikes on the outside of his forearms.

Julian's eyes widened as Zoran crossed his hands and split the spear. In the moment of shock Zoran kicked Julian back. Julian dropped the remains of the spear and swung with his left and right fists. It was clear however that Zoran was the far superior unarmed combatant. Julian however did get a few punches including on than knocked Zoran to his knees away from Julian.

Zoran's eyes flared as he spun around and upwards. Dark energy burst from his hand as he smashed his fist into Julian's face. The punch was so strong that Julian's helmet smashed and Julian was sent flying backwards.

Zoran stood up, stalked over to his sword and picked it up. He heard voices but they were distant and unformed. He walked over to Julian who was gasping for breath through mouthfuls of blood. Zoran sneered at Julian and raised his sword. The voices grew louder and louder until finally he heard.

"Zoran! Don't! He's my husband!" Zoran stopped in his tracks. "What?" He muttered under his breath. Lucia gulped and spoke again. "Zoran, he is my husband." Zoran turned to his sister his eyes flaring. "You married this wrench." He seethed and pointed his sword threateningly at Julian. Lucia raised her hands worried about her husband but she didn't respond so Zoran spoke again.

"This wrench has been trying to kill me for ten years and you have married him." Lucia didn't know what to say. "People like him tore our family apart." Zoran then turned to Julian. He spoke his next his voice was filled with venom."People like him killed mom!" Julian finally stood up and spit out a mouthful of blood before saying.

"Count your own sins before you condemn me. You slaughtered my parents ten years ago." Julian said pointing accusingly at Zoran. "My mother died because of that accursed black fire. But it was nothing compared to what you did to my father." Zoran stumbled backwards and dropped his sword. Julian rubbed salt in the wound when he added.

"Do you know what happens when your black puss gets inside someone's lungs?" Zoran shook his head slowly. Julian's anger flared. "They get so sick that they can't leave a bed for five years before they choke on their own lungs." Julian yelled. He was holding nothing back, he was letting his hatred pour out of him. Lucia was crying as she remembered having to care for Julian's father while he sat dying in his bed.

"I want what's owned to me. Justice." Zoran's eyes were filled with shame. He looked at his sister. Her tears were driving knives through his heart. Elsa's eyes were filled with worry. However Jack's eyes were the most powerful. Fear. His eyes were full of fear. Zoran looked at his hands. The gauntlets where still there.

Zoran now examined them properly. They were spiked and jagged with long sharp claws on the fingers. Even his powers knew what he was and were trying to help him accept it. Zoran looked back at Julian and did the thing he had been doing for ten years. He ran.

He heard Elsa and Lucia call after him but he didn't care. He just ran. Away from his family, away from his pain and away from his guilt.

Julian saw Zoran run away and wiped his mouth off his sleeve. He glared at the fleeing figure. He spotted the queen take off after Zoran. Lucia walked in front of him but kept her back turned to Julian. "Did he hurt you?" He asked her. Lucia didn't respond straight away. Her hands clenched into fists before she whispered.

"Hurt me…" Julian looked confused for a second then Lucia spun around. If looks could kill Julian would be in a spiked iron coffin at the bottom of the sea. Before Julian could say anything Lucia slapped him, hard. She then screamed.

"Hurt me! You bastard, that was my brother!" She then slapped Julian again. "And you took him away from me." Another slap. Julian looked shocked at Lucia. Her glare intensified. "Get away now." Julian could see the hurt in her eyes. He tried to touch her but she pushed him away. "I said get away. You're not my husband."

Julian didn't know what to say. Lucia wasn't finished. "My husband was a good man; someone who valued his family more then he valued his revenge." Lucia turned to leave but was stopped when Julian grabbed her hand gently.

"Lucia, please." Julian said desperately. Lucia turned to him. Her gaze was cold and hard. "You promised me you would come home the same man that I fell in love with. You're not Julian. You're a sick, evil and pathetic creature."

With that she tugged her hand out of his and marched away. Jack gave his father a last look before following his mother. Leaving Julian alone.

As soon as Lucia entered her house her mask broke. She fell to her knees crying uncontrollably. She felt two small arms wrap around her and she immediately pulled her son in closer. She needed someone to hold her. She realised that ironically Jack was filling in for his father and uncle.

"Mommy. What will everyone be okay?" Lucia smiled sadly and shook her head. "I don't know my dear. I don't know." Jack then asked. "Will we see dad and uncle Zoran again?" Again Lucia shook her head. "I don't know sweetie, I really don't know." Lucia heard the door open.

She turned and saw Elsa whose eyes like hers were red from crying. "I can't find him. anywhere." Lucia's lip trempled as she buried her head in her son's chest as the horrible truth set in. She might have lost both her brother and her husband.

Julian walked slowly to the harbour. He slowly rolled the pieces of his helmet between his hands. He suddenly grew angry at the helmet. It reminded him of what had driven his wife away from him. He threw the pieces into the sea in anger.

He watched the boats coming in from the harbour and thought about what he would do now. The first thing on his agenda was to apologise to Lucia but he didn't know what he would say. He didn't know if he could face her again. He didn't want to go back to Arendelle because he felt he would kill that insufferable Duke given his mood.

He didn't even want to hunt and kill Zoran because he knew Lucia would hate him for it. Also he didn't have the heart anymore. He felt hallow. Nothing seemed to matter. He didn't know what to do and he didn't want to do anything. He picked up the head of his spear. Looking at it with mild interest he closed his fist around it drawing blood. He watched as the small droplets fell into the sea and observed the patterns it formed.

Zoran was sitting at a cliff his face expressionless. However the shadows around were moving and pulsing displaying his turmoil.

"The past is the past." His mom wasn't helping his emotional turmoil. "Go away." He growled. "So what? You're just going to run away. Like always." Zoran growled.

"Yes I am. I destroy everything I get close to. I can't do that to Lucia again. I can't do that to Elsa. It's not fair for either of them. It's better if I stay out of both their lives."

His mother glared at him. "I thought I raised a good man. Not a coward." Zoran leapt to his feet and spun around to face her. "I am doing this for them not me." His mother yelled at him. "For them! Are you sure? Or are you too afraid to get attached? Are you too afraid of being hurt?" Black fire exploded off Zoran.

"So what if I am?!" He yelled.

His mom shook her head sadly. "You're pathetic. You're so afraid of the mountain you won't even try to climb it." Zoran looked away from her.

"I did try. And I just fell back down." "What defines you isn't how far you get but how well you pick yourself back up." Zoran wasn't listening. He drew his hood burying his guilt behind it. He suddenly felt the moon light on him and he smiled.

He always felt comforted in the dark. His only friend. The only one that would never be hurt because of him. He turned and walked away from the cliff edge and fell into the shadows of the trees. Once he was in the shadows he zoomed away. Hoping that he would never have to come back.

Author's notes.

Here is were I switch the story around. I always hated how Silver Fangs ended so this time I'm going to do it right. Thank you of all your support.

Until next time!

Ninja-Cat Sif.