Rise of the Zealots
Rebels of the Darkness
Chapter 38: the mastermind
Hello ladies and gentlemen. We are back with the next chapter and as you can see by the title, it's the moment that this story has built up to. Time to confront the true mastermind behind all of this. I won't talk anymore in this author's note. Please, enjoy the chapter.
As the night passed and morning arrived, the family of blue macaws had spent the entire previous day and night inside of their new home.
When morning arrived, Blu and Jewel were the first to awaken from the best sleep they had in a while since all of this started. As their eyes met, they greeted each other with smiles.
"Good morning, beautiful." Blu greeted.
"Good morning, handsome." Jewel returned the feeling.
The lovebirds shared a quick kiss along with a hug. As they leaned out from their nest to fetch some breakfast, Blu's eyes caught a glimpse of something attached to the hollow's wall that was definitely not there before. He jumped up and moved towards the wall of the hollow where there was a note attached to his home.
Someone had come in here while they were sleeping? That's when Blu realized that there was still a fifth villain remaining, the true mastermind behind all this, and the one who had been leaving him these notes. After all, he and Jewel had spoken about it the night before.
Blu snatched the note from where it was pinned and read its contents closely.
Congratulations, you have defeated all of the villains. Now it is time for us to meat. If you wish to find me, then please follow the coordinates written below.
Blu crutched up the note within his talon and threw it aside, catching Jewel's attention.
"Blu, what did it say?" Jewel inquired as she approached him from behind.
"The one who has left me all of these notes. They want to meet me." Blu answered while he put on his determined expression, preparing to finish what had been started from the beginning. He turned around and placed his wings upon Jewel's side. "Jewel, it's time for me to go and finish this."
"Let me come with you." Jewel offered, unwilling to allow Blu to fall into what could possibly be a trap. "It might be a trap."
"What about the kids?" Blu reminded, peaking over her shoulder where he could see his four children were still sleeping.
"We'll get Nico and Pedro to watch them while we're gone." Jewel suggested and Blu nodded in agreement.
"Alright." Blu agreed. "We'll have breakfast and get going. We have to make haste to get there soon."
After eating breakfast, Blu and Jewel set course towards the coordinates that were left for them at them at the bottom of the note. First they stopped by Nico and Pedro's tree who were luckily home to drop off their children. While the kids were capable of taking care of themselves, after recent events, they were unwilling to leave them alone without adult supervision.
The coordinates left for them were not too far than the blue macaws had thought, but it was still quite a distance from their new home, located in a darker area of the jungle. Just as they were beginning to reach the exact location, Blu stopped both of them in mid-air to explain his back-up plan.
"Jewel, listen. I'm going to need you to hide." Blu requested.
Jewel raised an eyebrow in response. She came alone with him just to hide? "Why?"
"You mentioned that there was a chance it could be a trap. If possible, I need you to hide and watch me carefully. If there's trouble, you can swoop in and help." Blu explained his plan and escorted Jewel down to a nearby tree that was close to the coordinates. When they were perched on a branch, Blu placed both his wings upon her shoulders. "Jewel, please don't argue. It's for the best."
Jewel sighed in response, knowing that what Blu said made sense if this turned out to be a trap. She leaned forward and pecked the side of his beak. "Be safe, Blu."
"I will." Blu assured and returned a peck of his own. "Now go hide. If I'm in trouble, then you'll know when to help me."
To hide from plain sight, Jewel made herself hidden within the trees while she still had a view to the ground below. Once she was secure, Blu proceeded to descend down towards the ground. Once he landed, all he needed to do now was wait patiently for the mysterious person to arrive.
As a moment past, Blu was beginning to think that either he got the wrong location or the mysterious figure had not arrived, but his thoughts were broken when a cloud of smoke appeared in front of him. A few seconds later, the smoke dispersed and standing in front of him was the figure of a bird wearing a black cloak as a disguise.
Blu was unable to see who was under the cloak, but one thing was for certain that he was definitely a bird of a kind. He prepared himself for combat, expecting one final battle against one more villain.
"You came." the mysterious bird greeted in a deep voice.
"I came." Blu responded and prepared himself for battle. "Who are you? What do you want? How do you know that I was going to face four villains?!"
The mysterious figure remained silent for a moment before moving his wings towards his face. "I suppose that there is no need in hiding in the shadows anymore." at the end of his statement, he removed his hood from over his face and proceeded to drop down his entire cloak, revealing himself.
With his cloak removed, Blu could now see who he was dealing with, but to his horror, the mysterious figure was a dark macaw, but not just a dark macaw. He looked similar to Lee! The different between them was not their facial appearance was slightly different. there was a scar going down the right side of his face and he was wearing two leg braces around his talons for walking support.
But this did not still answer who he was.
"Who are you?" Blu inquired a second time, now in a calmer tone.
"I am Xan; one of the four elite guards and I was master of the axe." the mysterious figure-now introduced as Xan-answered.
This was slightly surprising to Blu after Arvo had informed him the story of Nexus' elite guards. The four elite guards had fought each other over the role of leader with Lee being victorious, but from Arvo's knowledge, the other elite guards had been killed. It appears that one of them had survived.
"But you're dead." Blu responded, pointing his wingtip towards him. "Arvo told me you had died in battle against Lee and the other elite guards."
Xan chuckled slightly in response before he felt pain within both of his injured talons. He groaned slightly and was forced to sit himself down upon a log positioned in the area. Once he was settled, he began to explain his survival. "Yes, we fought to the death. After Lee, the master of the sword had killed Cartu, the master of the dagger and Vath, the master of the spear, only he and I remained. We fought to the death, but while I was stronger, he was faster and he used that to his advantage. He cut open the side of my face, damaged my wing and broke both of my talons. Rather than kill me, however, he left me to suffer in the middle of the woods. I was injured, but summoning my training, I survived and made it to a nearby village where I was taken in by the locals who did not appear to recognize me. They healed me the best they could, but there was no hope for my talons. I need these leg braces to walk now and these limit my movements. I am no longer a warrior...Now I take it that you have questions for me? Very well, ask away."
There were a lot of questions to be asked and answered, no doubt. When Xan was looking away, Blu quickly placed out his wing towards the trees, beckoning for Jewel to remain where she was for now.
Blu placed his wing back to his side and began to ask his questions. "You were the one leaving the notes at my home. How did you know that four villains were going to attack me?"
Xan sighed in placed his wings together. "After the defeat of Nexus and my injuries sustained from Lee, I escaped to Rio in hopes of defeating you in revenge for my King's death. I remained in the shadows, studying your strengths and weaknesses in hopes of defeating you. I first found Max in a prison within the amazon. He talked about destroying the jungle so I helped him escape when the time as right. I waited six months as I knew that by that time, you would be weaker from lack of training and it was the right time before Lee would strike. When I saw you had defeated Max, I knew that you would seek help at the Red Dragon clan which is why I helped free Amanda from her restraints. I could have done it while you were in the early stages of your training, but I had to wait for the right moment."
"The right moment for what?" Blu questioned with an eyebrow raised.
"Steiner, of course. I was aware that Steiner was working with Lee and that the two of them planned to destroy your home in a deal. I released Amanda before they attacked when the time was right and you defeated her before Steiner was ready to kidnap you and your mate. From there, all I needed to do was wait and see if you could defeat Steiner and then Lee." Xan concluded his plan. He smiled lightly and pressed his wings together. "It was a very well put-together plan. The four villains made an interesting challenge. I needed a name for my plan. I thought the name "Zealots" sounded suitable for the four villains. That was how I knew four villains would attack you."
This cleared up a lot of things. Blu was relieved that he got the answers he sought, but now he was angry that Xan was responsible for these events.
"You!" Blu growled and pointing a judging wingtip. "You started all of this!"
"I admit to Max and Amanda, but Steiner and Lee, I had nothing to do with it." Xan responded calmly. No doubt that Blu was preparing to exact his anger against him, but rather than defend himself, Xan accepted his fate. "You have proven that you are an undefeatable macaw. You have won and I praise you for that. Unlike my fellow brethren, I accept my defeat. Very well."
Xan raised his wing where a small cloud appeared just for a second before his axe appeared within his wing. He tossed it towards Blu that landed in front of him.
Blu appeared confused and picked up the axe within both of his wings. "I don't understand."
"You won. I have no reason to fight you." Xan explained and stood up from where he was seated. "I accept my fate. Kill me and finish all of this."
Blu was surprised as he expected for Xan to try and kill him like the others, but this was certainly different. A dark macaw accepting his own defeated? While Blu was surprised, he refused to do what Xan had ordered. He slammed the axe into the ground. "No. I am not going to kill you, Xan. You have been beaten and that's good enough for me."
Xan too, had appeared surprised for a moment, but nevertheless, he accepted his decision. Unlike most dark macaws, he was not exactly evil. He may have been serving Nexus but only because he was unaware of the side he was on. He believed in honor like Arvo did. He bowed his head respectfully towards Blu. "You will spare me? If you let me live, what will you do with me now?"
Blu was unsure what to answer with. Xan was a villain, yes, and had caused half of the events that had occurred these past couple of weeks, but he was weak and in his condition, he could not cause any harm to anyone. "Xan. I am going to offer you a choice. I am giving you a chance of redemption. I want you to return to the World of Darkness. Lee's gone now and Arvo will be crowned king. They're starting over and restoring the true honor to their world. You can be locked away in a prison cell for a long time, or you can go back to your home and help them rebuild their home."
Xan took a few steps forward despite his injured talons and moved towards his axe, standing only a few feet away from the blue macaw. He pulled out his axe from the ground and placed it in front of him before bowing his head towards Blu in respect and agreement. "As you wish. I will return home and help Arvo rebuild, but do you really think they will accept me?"
"Arvo will not hold a grudge against you. He will forgive if you help." Blu assured the dark macaw.
Xan nodded and proceeded to go home where he belonged and help restore the true honor of his people. Without saying another word, he closed his eyes and used his appears to bring a cloud of smoke around him that served as a method to teleport.
The smoke cleared and Xan was no longer present, along with his cloak that had been on the ground during their meeting. Blu hoped that Xan would stay true to his word and help his people, but he had the feeling that everything was going to okay for the World of Darkness.
While Blu looked towards the beautiful morning sky, Jewel appeared beside him without saying a word. She too looked up as they gazed upon the sky, enjoying its beauty.
"Do you think he will help Arvo like he promised?" Jewel inquired. She had been listening to every single word that had been exchanged between Blu and Xan.
"I have the feeling that Xan will stay true to his word, Jewel." Blu assured with a small smile. "Besides, if he tries anything, Xan better watch out. We will stop him, no matter the odds."
Jewel couldn't agree more and placed her wing around Blu as they looked away from the sky and into each other's eyes. "Blu, let's go home."
Home. That was the place Blu never be more relieved to see. The blue macaw lovebirds proceeded to take slight into the sky and set course back towards their home, intending to continue their life as normal.
It was over now. With three villains imprisoned, one dead, and the mastermind going to make amends, the war was finally over. Blu and Jewel could continue to live their peaceful life that they were forced to put on hold.
These events may be difficult to forget, but in time, they would move on forward with their lives and put the past fully behind them.
The tops of crags and cliffs, the air is thin
So we'll find a mountain path on down the hill
Meet me where the snow melt flows
It is there, my dear, where we will begin again
Skipping stones, braiding hair
Last year's antlers mark the trail
Take us back, oh, take us back
Oh, take us, take us back, Take us back, oh, take us back, oh, take us, take us back
I've a friend who lives out by the river's mouth
He knows the fiddles cry is an old sound
A lonesome of creeks and moans of empty houses
Are songs like fallen rain
Windblown buildings, muddy ground
The strength of water can sink a man
Take us back, oh, take us back
Oh, take us, take us back, Take us back, oh, take us back, oh, take us, take us back
When the higher hills have turned blue
And the waves are lapping where the children grew
All that we have known will be an echo
Of days when love was true
Muted voices just beyond
The silent surface of what has gone
That concludes this chapter, ladies and gentlemen. The mastermind has been revealed to be Xan; one of Nexus' elite guards. Despite taking part in half the events that have occurred, Blu has gave him the chance for redemption. The battle against the Zealots is now over. The final chapter will be coming soon, ladies and gentlemen. Stay tuned until then.