Hey yo guys. Here's chapter 36, I know I left you all on a big cliff-hanger (again) with the last chapter but fear not, the latest chapter is here. This chapter follows on DIRECTLY from the last one, let's get straight to it.

Please forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes and please enjoy.

P.S. Thanks for those fresh reviews guys, please keep them coming!

Zidane tore of his cloak to reveal himself to everybody. What they all saw was a truly shocking sight and made those who knew him like Garnet and the others doubt their eyes. They saw him, Zidane, but he didn't look like the Zidane they were all used too.

He had transformed into something nearly unrecognisable. His hair was down by his shoulders and had turned from handsome blonde to a more light and greyish colour. His once young face had become withered and again bore large, untamed beard and his eyes were also that devil red colour rather than clear blue. But it was what had happened to his frame that shocked the most. His skin bore black markings/symbols all down his arms and was also visible on parts of his back and chest. They looked a lot like tattoos and seemed to be of some foreign writing.

"What's the matter?" he sneered, bearing down on everybody. "Cats go your tongues? Aren't any you, my so-called 'friends' happy to see me?"

He began to slowly to walk forwards toward Randle and Garnet who were still stood at the altar. The guards who'd attempted to grab him a minute ago had by now turned around and began heading towards him where he was on the stage now.

"You see guys, I thought of you all as my friends," he continued chillingly. "But what sort of friends arrange a wedding and leave you off the guest list? I didn't get an invitation you see, and to be honest my feelings are hurt pretty bad."

The guards now reached him as he now stood 10 feet away from the wedding couple. Randle still was angry but also intimidated by this disturbing man. Garnet was silent (he mouth still agape) from complete shock at what she was seeing.

Zidane didn't even try to avoid the guards this time, he instead allowed them to grab his newly-marked arms and completely restrain him.

"Sir, we have him. We are sorry for the inconvenience this pathetic little toad has caused. We shall carry out your orders immediately," said one of the guards.

"Wait. Before you do, bring him over here to me first," ordered Randle feeling reassured now.

The guards dragged Zidane over to where Randle and Garnet stood and didn't even to resist in the slightest. In fact, he was still smiling.

One of the guards grabbed Zidane's jaw and brought his face up until he was nose to nose with Lord Randle. Zidane however (who hadn't made eye contact with Garnet yet) was still in complete control of the situation.

One minute earlier

The rest of the gang had initially been in shock at what they were seeing like Garnet, but now everybody got their senses back.

"Holy crap he's here," said Blank breathelessly as they all watched him leap away from the guards.

"What the hell happened to him?" asked Amarant. It was very rare that he all of people was left shocked.

"I don't know, but we've got to get over there," said Freya urgently.

"No Freya," said Sir Fratley firmly from beside as he put his hand on her shoulder to restrain her. "Stay here, let's see how this develops."

At the same time

Oh my word, he's here…." breathed Beatrix to Steiner beside her. They two were both stood open-mouthed at what was transpiring.

"What…. what has…. happened to him?" asked Steiner, hardly believing his eyes as he took in Zidane's new appearance.

"It must be something Garland has done to him," she replied. "We've got to do something, come on!"

She grabbed a hold of Steiner's hand and began to rush towards the stage where Garnet stood looking terrified. They reached the young queen just has several other knights grabbed a hold of Zidane and began to drag him over.

They stopped directly behind and let her know that they were there for her. Garnet however remained completely silent.

"You are fool," smiled Lord Randle smugly as he and Zidane were brought eye to eye.

"Am I really?" asked Zidane himself with laugh. The man wasn't even the slightest bit phased by being held captive like this.

"This woman here," he gestured to Garnet. "You love her do you not? And what, you thought you'd come here, break up this wedding and play knight in shining in armour? Well this is not a very fairy tale, Garnet is mine!"

Everybody (including Garnet herself) just stood silently and listened as the two deranged men addressed each other.

"And before you're dragged off to be executed like the dog you are I'm going to allow you stay here. You'll stay here as and be forced to watch like everybody else (he motioned towards the crowd who were looking on in awe) as me and this woman who you so desire are announced as husband and wife!" declared Lord Randle.

But Zidane was quietly laughing.

"Hahaha…. AHAHAHAHAHAHA!,"

"What? Why are you laughing you filthy worm?" demanded Randle getting angry again.

"You are a fool," stated Zidane, his voice beginning to sound deeper and more devil-like than ever before. "I'm going to crush you. And throw you into the wind….. "

Zidane suddenly (and quite easily) broke out of the grip that the several soldiers had upon him. He jumped high into the air again(the crowd gasped as he did so) but this time he landed onto of a castle balcony, well out of reach to anybody on the floor. Thunder rumbled overhead and the rain began to come down heavy now.

Zidane looked down upon them all from high-a-top his position and addressed everybody.

"I AM THE ANGEL OF DEATH!" HE ROARED. "I DO NOT CARE ABOUT WEDDINGS, CROWNS OR YOUR SO-CALLED LOVE. I LOVE NOBODY AND CONTRARY TO WHAT THIS CLOWN (he pointed down towards Randle) THINKS, I AM NOT HERE TO STOP THIS WEDDING AND PLAY HERO. I AM HERE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU ALL AND YOUR PLANET!"

Everybody, including his friends, continued to stare on in silence, unsure of how to act.

"TO PROVE TO YOU ALL THAT I'M SERIOUS IN WHAT I'M SAYING…." he continued. He turned towards a large white tent that had been set up beside the stage. It was to host the post-wedding party for the newly-wed couple and their guests. Zidane raised his hand and within seconds shot a giant fire wave of energy at it. The tent blew up in a violent explosion which knocked many people off their feet. It was left in flames.

"OH MY GOD, RUN!" shrieked one lady from the crowd which had in seconds descended into complete hysteria. The crowds began to scream and scatter; all simply trying to get away from Zidane and the explosion.

"WE GOTTA GET OVER THERE YELLED!" Blank to the others from as they all covered their faces from the explosion and the flames.

"Good lord, he really is…. crazy…" whispered Baku to himself. The Zidane that he and everybody else knew really was no more. All that was there now in his body was a complete madman.

"Garnet (cough, cough)…. Garnet are you alright?" asked Beatrix covering her mouth from the smoke. She pulled the young queen away from the burning tent and the soldiers who were gathering underneath where Zidane stood. Garnet however still didn't utter a word in response. She still remained silent, instead just staring at Zidane and watching the horror continued to unfold.

"GUARDS, KILL HIM!" roared Lord Randle who's been knocked off his feet by the explosion.

Many soldiers drew their swords and prepared for battle. Zidane merely gave another evil laugh.

"You fools think you can defeat me?" he mocked. "Very well, if you so desire your deaths now then I will gladly give it to you."

He jumped down from his high position and landed back on the stage. He drew out his daggers and met the charging knights head on. They were outmatched from the beginning. The genome was far too quick and skilful for the soldiers. He moved so quickly and gracefully that it appeared that he was barely even visible as soldier after soldier who attempted to strike him dropped their swords fell to the floor were they would all lie, motionless. None of them were dead however. You see, Zidane was in fact only knocking them unconscious, not actually landing any deadly attacks. He moved so quickly though that nobody else could tell this.

The reason that he wasn't actually killing anybody was because once again, unnoticeable on the surface, was an epic tug of war between puppet and puppet-master for control.

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM!" ordered Garland.

"No! They have done nothing; they're only defending their kingdom. I'm only stunning them," replied Zidane.

"This is NOT going to be another Conde Petie!" said Garland angrily. "You're not going to spare the lives of these knights the way you did with those dwarves. I will not allow you to disobey me again, KILL THEM. END THEIR LIVES!"

"NO! ALL I WANT IS RANDLE!" said Zidane just as forcefully.

…...

"ZIDANE!" roared Blank as he and the others reached the carnage. "Zidane, stop it! You have to stop right now!"

"Zidane!" screamed Freya, drawing out her spear along with Sir Fratley. They had resigned themselves to the fact they were going to have to fight him in battle.

The genome stopped his assault on the knights and turned his attention to his former friends. On surface he still appeared deranged and out of control, they couldn't see the mental battle happening inside his head.

"Why looky here, my old companions …." he smiled but it wasn't a friendly one, the smile they were used to seeing him was warm and kind, this one was a smile of malice.

"Zidane….what? What….. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU?" asked Marcus desperately. "Why, don't you like my new look?" he asked. He held up his arms and flexed his body muscles to emphasise the markings which now covered him.

"Zidane, this isn't you!" shouted Vivi. "The real Zidane wouldn't hurt any of his friends."

"I have no friends," spat the genome viciously in response. "I don't have anybody I love or care for, I have only enemies and people I wish to kill! And if any of you are foolish to try and fight me then I kill the whole of lot you as well just like I have these weakling knights and just like I did the dwarves of Conde Petie!"

"Your Majesty, you must get out of here!" shouted Steiner as he and Beatrix tried to lead Garnet away from the carnage. The young queen managed to rip her eyes away from "Zidane" to look at the rest of her friends.

Freya, Fratley, Blank, Marcus, Cinna, Baku, one of the Vivi's, Amarant, they were all drawing their weapons and preparing for battle. How could they possibly battle against their friend?

"No," she whispered.

"What?" asked Beatrix. "Did you say something Garnet?"

"NO!" she shouted. She broke off the grip Beatrix had on her arm, pushed her way past Steiner and ran towards where the action was taking place.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" roared both Beatrix and Steiner at the same time in shock and concern. What was Garnet doing, it wasn't safe for her.

Garnet kept on running until she reached the place where everybody else was standing, directly opposite Zidane, the evil and unrecognisable Zidane.

"ZIDANE!" he screamed breathlessly as she pushed past the rest of her friends to meet Zidane head on. She had finally found her voice and also finally got her chance to confront the so called "Angel of Death" that her love had morphed into too.

Zidane for the first time actually looked at Garnet probably in the face, the eyes. So far he'd deliberately not done so.

"Dagger….." he whispered. His anger suddenly began to fade and his thirst to cause destruction along with it. Just looking into gorgeous brown eyes…. calmed him.

"Zidane," she implored as stepped forwards toward him. "Please stop this. This is not the real Zidane, the one I, we, love. This is all Garland. He's making you act this way and do these terrible things, you've to fight it and come back to us."

The others (including Beatrix and Steiner) stood back and allowed Garnet to try to get through to him. Hopefully her words would be enough to get Zidane to stop without them having to battle him.

"Please remember Zidane, remember us," begged Garnet, tears now falling down her face.

Inside Zidane's psyche

"KILL THEM, KILL THEM ALL!

No! No more Garland! I will do no more harm, these are my friends, I want to go with them and be happy."

"No, you were created to be the Angel of Death and that is what you'll be!"

"No, you're wrong. I don't care why I was created, I won't listen to you anymore. I can… I can… finally… I CAN FINALLY CONTROL MYSELF!

"NO, WAIT!"

"NO, NO MORE GARLAND! NO MORE!"

Back on the surface

"Dagger…. " whispered Zidane as he bore into her eyes. "My…. friends…."

"YES ZIDANE!" shouted Freya.

"He's remembering," declared Marcus. "He's remembering and he's starting to snap out of it."

But he spoke too soon.

"AAAARGH. No!" roared Zidane clutching at his head again. "No you fools. Face it, you're friend is gone, all you see before you now is a violent killer who will destroy you and your planet!"

He began to make erratic movements as he once again a mental tug of war took place inside the young warrior's mind. But this time, the good side was winning.

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH," screamed Zidane again. He this time fell to his knees, clearly in pain.

"Zidane…." gasped Garnet. She tried to run forward and comfort him but Steiner grabbed a hold of her arm and held her back.

"No Your Majesty," he stated firmly. "Just hang on for a moment. The same for everyone else. Stay where you are."

Zidane began to write and scream as the others looked on in confusion and concern. Then, just like when he was back in the Black Mage Village, he suddenly fell silent. He did however remain conscious. He lowered his hands and slowly stood up again.

He raised his head up again and looked at the others. One thing was immediately noticeable, his eyes were their normal blue again, not evil red.

"Zidane…." whispered Garnet, hardly daring to believe to it. "Is that really you? Are you… are you back to yourself?"

He didn't answer her, he just continued to stare, his expression unreadable.

"I have one last thing to do," he said calmly. "Wait here."

"WAIT…. What the…." started Baku as everybody stood there looking flabbergasted.

Zidane suddenly jumped high into the air again and completely disappeared from view.

Another cliff-hanger lol. Well, well, well, what do you think of this chapter? Has Zidane finally and completely broken free of the mind control? What is this one last thing he has to do? Please review and let me know what you think. Thank you very much for keeping on reading, I hope you're enjoying it. Until the next chapter, see ya.