I'll Protect
You
Chapter 26
Destruction
AN: Wow! The reviews for the last chapter have been ozmazying! Thank you all so much! And thank you all for your patience. I know the updates have been slow and I'm really sorry about that. But I've been having some health problems, which I'm hoping will be fixed now.
Anyways, special shoutouts go to: NiatheWickedLover, Elphaba'sGirl, Woodland95, Fae the Queen, Mad-Idina-Fan98, Ultimate Queen of Cliffies, L8zlytwner, shadows-of-1832, gothicbutterfly, and Varia, thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews!
Hope you all enjoy this update! And this as well as "Bro'mance" will be updated soon, along with "Somewhere I Belong" and "What Lies Beneath" too.
Thank you all again and God Bless!
Morrible and the Wizard stood before the great hall, watching with pride in their eyes at the legions of Shadows soldiers marching one by one towards the great balcony.
"Our numbers grow by the hour your Wizardship" hisses the fish woman, "And our influence is spreading throughout the lands of Oz…soon…all will bend to our power"
An oily smile spread across Madame Morrible's thick lips; cracking the heavy laden lipstick. Her dark ebony eyes glowed; the dim flicker of the flames surrounding her, reflected like raven mirrors.
"And those of the Resistance?" sneers the Wizard. He stood tall and regal beside Madame Morrible; his robes were crisp, with not a spot of blood. The black and white jacket reached down to the edge of his heels, and fanned out by the billowing wind. His eyes were as black as midnight, a twisted smile, painted on his withered lips.
"They will fall…just as the others before them" cackles Morrible.
"Lady Glinda stands with them…a powerful sorceress in her own right" sneers the Wizard.
"As well as countless other mages who wield the power of the Light" sneers an icy voice.
Startled, Madame Morrible and the Wizard turn and their eyes widen at the figure, standing half hidden in the shadows. A long, ebony cloak covered it's body, the ends billowed down and lithely touched the ground beneath. Its face was shrouded in shadows by the hood.
"Our Lord" bows Madame Morrible and the Wizard, "you should not be up yet"
"Silence" roars the figure as it raises a gloved hand up, "I have rested enough…even now…my powers have grown stronger"
Rising, both Madame Morrible and the Wizard watch as the figure floats towards the edge of the balcony. The ends of its cloak billow and ripple across the ground.
"What of the Rebels fortress?" asks the Wizard, turning to face the balcony, his dark midnight eyes never leaving the figure; floating before him on what seemed like a cloud of mist.
"We attack their stronghold…and eliminate them…one by one" sneers the figure.
"But we haven't a clue to where their hidden base is located My Lord…none of our guards have been able to locate it…nor the creatures who hide in the shadows" replies Madame Morrible calmly.
"No mortal can locate their base…but This one can" cackles the figure darkly. Turning, the figure points a gloved finger at both Morrible and the Wizard, "Ready the troops" turning it stares back at the legion, marching towards them, "We attack at dawn…today…for the first time…a blood stained sun shall rise"
Fiyero sat alone in his room, gazing at the faces of his newborn children, cradled protectively in his arms. His heart swelled with both pride and pain, at knowing the children he and Fae had created were alive and well…but their lives, their safety, had come at a terrible price.
"Fae" whispers Fiyero.
"Fiyero?" came a soft voice.
Looking up, Fiyero's eyes softened, seeing Glinda stand at the doorway, Aeryella, Raven and Leilani standing beside her, each one's eyes flickered with heartache.
"They look so much like Fae" slowly, Fiyero bowed his head as his eyes returned to the faces of his sleeping children, swathed protectively in the crook of his arms.
"There beautiful Fiyero" smiles Glinda.
Tears flooded Fiyero's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his forehead against the tops of his son's chest.
Glinda and the others watched in heartbreak, seeing the Prince's mighty shoulders quake in time with his silent sobs, for his heartbreak was strong, rippling and transcending through the rippled of time and space.
"Fiyero…I…I wish that…" starts Aeryella softly
"What?" angrily, Fiyero's head snaps up, the tears vanished and rage takes its place, "That this never had happened? That Fae should be sitting here, holding her children in her arms instead of me! Is that what you're saying!?"
"No Fiyero!" cries Glinda.
"Shut up!" roars Fiyero. Aeryella and the others stilled, fearful of the Prince's sudden change in behavior; though a part of them, couldn't blame him, for he had just lost the love of his life.
Trembling, his legs gave beneath him. Tightening his grasp around his children, Fiyero weakly fell back to the bed, and bowing his head, closed his eyes, as a few tears slipped past his long lashes.
"She lost her life…and I did nothing to prevent it…I couldn't…I broke my promise to always be there for her…to always protect her…no matter what…and I failed"
"You didn't fail her Fiyero…she died…protecting us all…you…the Resistance…" slowly Aeryella steps closer to Fiyero, and stilling, gently rested the tip of her fingers against the babies forehead, "her children"
Fiyero was about to say more, when a loud explosion rang through the underground catacombs, shaking the walls and cracking the ceiling.
Dirt and pieces of wood fall to the ground, breaking a few of the torches, and snuffing out the flames. Fiyero turns and clutching his children tight against him, jumps, just as a large beam falls from the ceiling, obliterating the bed.
"What's going on!?" screams Fiyero over the noise.
Grunting, Aeryella pushes herself off the floor "Were under attack" came her dry response.
"Well I can see that" retorts Fiyero annoyed. Rolling his eyes, he picked himself up and quickly checked over his children, "I meant how…I though the Underground was hidden?!"
"It is" screams Aeryella.
"Then how are we under attack?" asks Fiyero.
Screams of their fellow Resistance members soon followed, chilling Aeryella's blood.
"There's a traitor amongst us" she replies darkly. Glaring at the Prince, she turns and disappears down the hallway.
Leilani and Raven hang back for a moment, before following Aeryella out the door, leaving Fiyero alone once more.
The room quakes, startled, he makes his way out just as the ceiling collapsed.
A large gush of smoke and dirt blows past him, obscuring his vision.
Shadows of people dart past them, some covered in dirt, others in blood. Large gash wounds cover their bodies, some with limbs severed off.
Gritting his teeth, he forced his feet beneath him, and lifting himself off the ground, ran towards the great Hall.
Two figures jump out and grabbing onto his arms, stops him dead in his tracks.
Turning, his muscles flex, ready and willing to bash these soldiers to the ground, but the feel of a dagger pressed against his chest, stills him.
"Make another move…and I swear I'll slit your babies throats open" snarls one of the figures in an icy tone
"Alright…I won't fight you just please…don't hurt my children" replies Fiyero.
Pressing the tip of the dagger against his back, the two figures grasp hard onto Fiyero's arms, and push him forward.
"Move" is all they say.
"Where are you taking me?" he asks. Cautiously, he turns to the side, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person holding him captive.
"Look forward and shut up!" roars the figure to his left. Angrily he bashes Fiyero across the face, before pushing him along, "All will be revealed in time"
Nodding, Fiyero silently made his way towards the great hall. His eyes widened, and his heart clenched, seeing the rebels round up in large groups, some bleeding horrendously by wounds inflicted by these masked soldiers cloaked in ebony robes and hoods. Some lay dead, in puddles of blood.
"Let go of me! Do you not know who I am!" came a high pitched scream.
Fiyero turns and his eyes soften, seeing Glinda being roughly pushed to the center of the great hall, Aeryella, Leilani, Raven and Atlas were with her, each one bleeding and bruised.
"Move" growls the figure.
Stumbling, Fiyero made his way over to the Good Witch, and for a moment, his heart clenched, for her beautiful gown was covered in blood and innards. The ends of her golden hair were stained in dirt and debris, and a large smear of blood, streaked across her cheek, half concealing a large bruise.
"Glinda!" gasped Fiyero. Shoved closer he smacks into Glinda's shoulder, "Are you alright?"
"Oz Fiyero…they came out of nowhere!" cried the blonde, "So much blood and carnage!" wails the blonde.
"It'll be alright Glin…I promise it'll be alright" soothes Fiyero.
A loud bang and the grand hallway fell silent. One by one, heads turn toward the center of the Great hall as two figures step out of the shadows.
"Morrible" seethes Glinda.
"And the Wizard" adds Raven.
"How did you find our hidden base!" screams Aeryella. Defiantly, she rises and takes a step towards the two opposing figures standing tall and regal before her.
Shifting his gaze, Fiyero's breath caught in his throat, seeing the wounds inflicted upon Aeryella's body, for she was covered in bruises and scratches, and blood; hers or others he wasn't sure, and quite frankly, he didn't want to know.
"Oh I think you already know the answer to that" sneers Madame Morrible.
"A traitor" snarling, she turns and glares back at Atlas, who kneels a few feet away, unharmed.