Disclaimers: I do not own Invader Zim

Author's Notes: We are reaching a close to this flashback Arc! The name of this three parter as well as this Arc came to me when I heard the song by the same name: Hail to the victor by Thirty Seconds to Mars. Give it a listen and imagine Zim is singing it. This explains everything that was going through his head during the events of the Arc.

As always I thank you for reading, please enjoy!

(Back on the Planet Rhapsodize…)

[Five years Ago…]

The night was much warmer than it had been in some time…perhaps that was the reason for his darkening mood.

"Darling please come to bed now." Queen Eclipsa looked to her husband hopefully. He had been kneeling by the window before Selene all night and he really needed to get to bed.

"This heat is a bad omen." King Luan spoke gravely.

She knew it was only his fear of the enemy that was to blame for his behavior, and she did not blame him. The Irken's were becoming bolder, and their conquest was encroaching ever closer towards their home world. "Our goddess will never give us more than we can handle." She reminded him. "Whatever happens is by design, and we will be ready for it."

King Luan knew he was right, still he could not shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong, he had felt it since Selene had rose up in the sky. It was almost as if she was trying to tell him something…He looked up to her one last time. "Oh, gracious goddess Selene, please watch over us in the upcoming days." King Luan spoke as he ended his prayer. "Guide us with your grace and deliver us from our enemies."

Eclipsa watched as he blew out the candle before moving to join her in the bed. "Finally, I was beginning to think you'd never join me."

Suddenly the door opens and a Magladie soldier steps in.

Luan turns to address him. "Why have you come here?" He asked. "I did not call for you."

Eclipsa has a hard time processing what happens next…with a flash of quick movement the soldier lashes out, and Luan stiffens before dropping to the floor.

At first she simply thinks he has been knocked out, but then blood begins to pool around him. She looks to the soldier and notices the blades in his hands, they are twin blades curved like crescent moons, the traditional weapon of her people.

The scream barely leaves her throat, before the traitor is one her bringing his blades down upon his prey.

(Across the Hall…)

A young Luna wakes with a start, she thinks she has heard a scream. Right away she fears it is Moon crying again. It was common for her younger sister to have night terrors, ever since she had over hear one of the soldier's stories of the Irken scourge.

She gets out of bed, groggy and makes her way out the door and into the next room. "Moon…?" She whispers.

Moon is awake, she looks startled.

"It's okay." Luna assures her sister, climbing into the bed with her. "You are safe now."

Moon dives into her arms, she is shaking.

"Shhh." Luna soothes her. "There is nothing to fear."

"But if there is nothing." Moon asked. "Why did Mommy scream?"

Luna's eyes widen. "What did you say?" She asked.

"Mommy she was screaming." Moon whispered in a shaking voice.

It is in that moment that Luna realizes the castle is too quiet. The air too thick around them, like it was trying to choke the life out of them.

Suddenly, several things happen at once, first a cloaked figure appears on the window pane. She goes to scream, but the figure comes into view. She notices it is a Magladie soldier, he must be one of the ones from outside however, because she does not recognize him.

"We must move your highnesses." He spoke gravely.

"What is going on?" Luna demands. "Why are you coming in through the window?"

"It is not safe here, we must move, now!" The soldier reaches for them as the door to Moon's nursery burst open.

"Girls run!" Eclipsa screams, she has managed to wrestle herself from her attacker, and race to her baby's room. Even in her sate of fear, and despite all her injuries the life of her child comes first. Her attacker comes running in behind her, as she notices the soldier before her children. "Don't just stand there get them-" She doesn't finish, she is tackled to the floor.

Luna realizes it's another Magladie soldier, she's confused. Why was one of their own attacking them? Suddenly the other scoops her up and throws her over his shoulder before grabbing Moon. He heads back for the window.

"What are you doing?" Luna demands banging his fist on his back. "Unhand me! Stop him! Save mother!" She demanded, but her commands fell to a death ear.

"Stop right there!" A voice screamed.

The soldier stopped, he looks back to see Eclipsa on the ground, blood spilling from a busted lip and nose. Her attacker has one crescent blade at her throat, ready to strike.

"Move a step further and she dies." He warned.

"Mother!" Luna screamed.

"I love you my darlings." Eclipsa managed to say. Her eyes met with the soldier holding them. "Go, may Selene light your way!"

The soldier looks to the enemy and to Eclipsa's astonishment he smiles.

Her attacker stiffens, as if…he knows this sinister grin, and he does.

He knows it all too well.

The soldier turns then, and with a flash of his cloak he dives off the window pane and into the night.

"Be safe." Eclipsa begs.

Her attacker shakes away his shock and in one moment slashes her throat. She reaches out to the window, Selene looks down on her, her blue light glows with warmth, as if to reassure her. She looks to her attack and watches as his appearance changes from a Magladie soldier to that of an Irken Invader.

She knows him, and despite her slashed throat she laughs, it's a gargled sound but he doesn't miss its meaning. "You have failed." She taunted.

Spleen strikes his foot down on her face, stopping it several times, until at last she grows still. He then races back to the window, but it is too late, his prey is gone along with the traitor who helped them escape. "Zim!" He screamed his name at the top of his lungs. "I will find you do you hear me you swine! I will find you and you will pay! DO you hear me!?"

Oh, Zim heard, and those words made him run faster.

Luna, however, hears nothing over the sound of her own screams. Moon echoes her cries and Zim knows he must do something to quiet them. With a swift strike he knocks them out, it is a gentle strike just above were the neck meets the shoulder. They will have no lasting pain, or damage from the blow, and more importantly they will remain quiet.

Lard Nar stops as he enters the royal chambers, he see the dead body on the floor and knows it is Luan. Remorse washes over him, he is too late. Annabel comes charging in from the princess room fear clouds her face.

"Luna isn't there!" She cries it turns to a scream as she sees the king. "Lard Nar no!" She goes to break down right there.

Lard Nar catches her. "We cannot fall apart here!" He whispered as shouts could be heard. He could feel the stumps of soldiers as they raced towards the royal chambers no doubt to investigate the commotion. If they were discovered here the blame would fall on them and by the time they would be allowed to explain what had really happened the real threat would already be attacking. "Annie we must leave…now!" He forces her to the window.

"But Eclipsa, she could still be alive." Annie cried. "The children…"

Kuha has them." Lard Nar assured her, though he has no way of knowing if it is true. He can only hope his old friend has pulled through for them, and will call them once they are safe.

He jumps out the window taking Annabel with him just seconds before the soldiers enter the room.

All they find is death and two princess unaccounted for.

Spleen curses as he sends the silent order for his troops to take the planet now. They would tear this planet apart to find the royal brats, meanwhile he would hunt down Zim. Of course, he could tell the Tallest his suspicions, but without proof they would never believe him. Zim was perfect in their eyes, he had to drag the traitor before them and make him squeal.

A task he would most gladly enjoy.

The Armada and its ships rain down on the planet, scrambling in all directions as they looked for the missing princesses. They captured any Magladie that they came across, killing all those who resisted.

Zim raced down the alley ways clutching the precious cargo he held for dear life. The Irken in him told him to dump them, leave them to fin for themselves. He was half tempted to do so, but just than he was reminded that he was not alone.

"Kuha come in… Kuha please respond."

He dives into an abandon shack as the communicator erupts with Lard Nar's voice. He stuffs him and the girls in a small closet as he answers. "Shhh they are everywhere!" He hisses. "Do you want to get us caught?"

"So, they are with you?" Lard Nar seems relieved.

"Are they safe?" Annabel's voice can be heard. "Tell me what you have done to them you monster."

"Please be quiet!" Zim is begging now. He has never been more afraid in his entire life everything was falling apart around him. This was not what he wanted; the Armada were here! Suddenly his worst fears were realized; he was going to be found out!

Why did he ever believe this would work?

What the Irk had he been thinking?

"Kuha I need you to focus right now." Lard Nar's voice was steady, it shown like a light in the darkness. "You are so strong." He praised, "And so brave…you can do this."

Zim wants to believe those words, but fear is like a deadly snake wrapping him with its coils of death, squeezing the life out of him.

"Remember what you are fighting for, remember why you came to us for help." Lard Nar urged.

He remembers Annabel's question…'Why do you care?'

'I don't.'

That answer had been a lie, and as a shadow passed over them from the cracked door he found his resolve.

The Irken soldier barely opens the door before it is swung open, and in a flash he is struck with a deadly blow.

Zim buries the blade of his PAK legs deep into the soldier until he grows still.

"Kuha, are you still there?" Lard Nar sounds fearful.

Zim allows the dead soldier to slide off his Pak legs as he picks up the communicator. "Just tell me where to meet so we can get this done." He begs.

Luna groans from inside the closet, she is coming too.

Zim picks up a nearby rug and throws it over the fallen Irken, a child should not have to see such horrors.

"I have sent the ships location to the communicator, meet us there as soon as you can." Lard Nar orders.

"Understood." Zim ends the call and see the coordinates on the screen before him. He commits them to memory before he turns off and pockets the device. He cannot allow it to give away their position again, they might not be so lucky the next time around.

"You, you left mother…"

He turns to see the eldest Princess, Luna glaring up at him.

"Why?" She asked.

He knelt down before her; tears streamed from her eyes.

"Cease your crying!" He told her. "We have no time for your tears."

"I want my mother!" She cried. "I want to go home."

"You can't go back…not now…" He told her, he decides to use a gentler approach, he needs the child to trust him if he is going to have even a remote chance of getting them to safety. He wipes the tears from her eyes. "You must be strong." He advised.

"I'm scared." She cried.

"I know but you must be brave." He said grabbing a nearby cloak and throwing it over her, concealing her identity the best he could.

"I can't…" She cries.

Zim looks around franticly trying to find a way to console the child, his eyes fall on her sister's still sleeping form. He knows what to say. "She needs you to be brave." He told her. "Your mother is not here to be brave for her. You are all she has…"

Luna looks to her sister and a since of responsibility fills her, she remembered what her mother told her the day Moon was born. She had placed the baby in her arms and said. "This is your sister Moon; you must promised to protect her. To sand by her side, to love her without judgement or condition. Can you do that for her?"

Luna remembered looking down at her sister's sweet face, she was so small and cute, and she adored her the moment she laid eyes on her.

The girl before Zim nods giving him the same answer she had given her mother all those years ago.

"Yes!" She says, but there is still a stroke of fear. Without Mother who will be brave for her?

Zim stood than, and as if he could read her mind he answered. "Don't worry, I will be brave for you." He vowed as he covered his head with his hood. "You just focus on her. Can you do that for me?"

Luna nods, and Zim tightens her cloak around her, before dawning her hood as well. He then scoops up Moon wrapping her up like a swaddled new born in a spare blanket off a couch nearby. He hold her close as they stand by the door.

Luna can hear the screams and shots outside, there is even sounds of blasters firing in the streets.

Zim gives her a reassuring nod. "Hold my hand and don't let go no matter what." He told her.

Luna takes his hand in an instant; it feels warm and strong. This soldier before her was unafraid of the dangers beyond this door, and she aspired to be just like him.

"Are you ready?" He asked her.

"Yes." Luna spoke firmly, as fearless as her companion.

Zim gives her a warm smile, this child was a strong one. She'd make a great ruler someday; for that he was sure. "Then let's go!" He opens the door and checks for any sign of danger. There is none, the streets are empty. However, the street was littered with the work of his people. Dead bodies were everywhere, and the sight made him sick to his stomach. "Close your eyes and run." He ordered and took the lead.

Luna obeyed, she closed her eyes and held on to her savior's hand like it was her life line.

It took days to reach the ship where Lard Nar and Annabel should be waiting.

Days filled with fear and near misses, and as much as Zim tried to keep the girls oblivious to the dangers all around them; it wasn't long before Luna realized what was going on. Irken soldiers were attacking her people in the streets, invading her world, and leaving destruction in their wake.

Her savior, her knight in shining armor plowed through them like they were nothing. Here was a soldier who didn't fear the Irken scourge, but met them in battle with a furry all his own.

"I told you to keep your eyes shut." He lectured her, Zim had just finished cutting down several Irken soldiers, he had killed a total of 10 now. He had spilled the blood of his fellow soldiers all to save two little girls.

"Why won't they stop?!" Luna yelled. "Why do they have to be so mean?"

Zim does not answer her right away, instead he picks Moon back up where he laid her on the ground. The child wear a makeshift blind fold Zim had made by ripping a piece off his cloak. At least she had not seen the horrors he had made.

She babbles quietly, she has learned to associate Zim's sent with that of safety.

"There are just somethings a child like you will never understand." He lectured.

"I want to." She screamed. "Make me understand!"

"They take because they can." Zim told her looking around the corner to ensure it is safe before they move on. They are so close now; he can only hope Lard Nar and Annabel have made it by now. "Listen to me." He says looking to Luna. "My friends are just over that bridge there." He pointed to the direction he was indicating. "When we get there, you will be safe."

Luna looks where he is pointing, and relief floods her, it is really close, but still the fear of the unknown greets her. "These friends, are they nice?" She asked.

"Very. They will take you far away, you will be safe." Zim assured her as they run, the ground shakes around them, but they barely miss a beat.

"But my people, my parents, I can't just leave them." She cried as a ship came into view, it was well hidden within the shadows beneath the bridge. So, well she hadn't seen it until they were almost right on it.

"Sometimes the best thing a leader can do for her people is simply survive." Zim told her. The door of the ship opens as they stop before it, and Annabel runs out.

Zim kneels before her. "As long as you live they will be okay, your survival gives them hope."

"I don't understand." Luna cries as Annabel embraces her.

"You will." Zim assured her as Lard Nar races to his side. He stands and places Moon in his arms.

"Thank the gods." The Vort praised as Zim removed her blind fold.

"Luna." Zim says. "These are my friends Lard Nar and Annabel they are here to help."

"Are you hurt Princess?" Annabel asked Luna looking her over.

"I am fine." Luna said. "But Mother and Father!" She tried to pull Annabel to follow her back to the castle. "They need us."

Lard Nar looks to Zim, worry clouds his face. "Eclipsa is not with you?" He asked.

Zim shook his head, guilt washing over him. "I wasn't fast enough."

Annabel softens at his obvious display of remorse, despite her doubts in the beginning this Irken had come through for them, he deserved her thanks. "You did all you could." She told him; "We are forever in your debt."

Moon suddenly reaches for Zim, as if sensing that he is not coming with them. She tries to throw herself into his arms.

"Shhh, it's okay." He assures her.

Lard Nar smiles, "Looks like you've made an impression." He says.

Zim smiles as well, if he is being honest he would admit that he wasn't the only one who had.

The ground shakes once more as the onslaught around them continues.

"Come with us." Lard Nar urges.

"What?" Zim asked not believing his words.

"Together we can stop them once and for all." Lard Nar offers his hand. "Together we can make a difference."

Zim is actually temped to take it, for a moment he allowed himself to consider what it would be like in a world where he doesn't have to hide. Where he can stand up for what he really believes in.

Suddenly pain fills him as a shot from a blaster rings out. Zim pushes Lard Nar behind him, as the Vort draws out his weapon.

"Annie, get them out of here." He says handing the baby to her.

Annabel takes the baby and Luna's hand leading them to the ship, Luna has no choice but to follow them. She takes one last look at her hero, her savior, her knight in shining armor. He is bleeding from his wound, and she watches as the pink blood drips down his arm and onto the frozen ground.

'How strange.' She thought as Annabel pulled her into the ship and strapped her in, before doing the same with her sister. And it was strange indeed, for Magladies didn't have pink blood.

"You will pay for this you swine!" Spleen's voice pierced through Zim like a jagged blade.

"You better go." He told Lard Nar as he drew out his PAK legs.

"Come with us!" Lard Nar begged.

"I can't." Zim said. "The mission is not done." He met the Vort's eyes. "Not until you are all safe."

"I won't leave you again." Lard Nar vowed. "This time I will stand beside you."

Zim smiled his disguise fades as he dropped his hood and the Vort does not flinch at the sight of him. So, his suspicions were correct. "How long have you known."

"Since the beginning." Lard Nar admitted. "You're the only one that knows I'm alive besides my kin."

"Zim you traitorous scum!" Spleen is only a hundred yards away, now and the rage is as clear as day on his face. "You have done it now, I will burry you do you hear me?"

"Please Zim… We can still make it." Lard Nar yelled.

"Not we, but you can." Zim spoke gravely.

"He will kill you!" Lard Nar cried.

"No." Zim vowed. "I will win this for you, for them…" He gestured to the ship.

"And after that?" Lard Nar dared to ask. "You'll just fall back in line, like it never happened." Yes, he realizes the truth. Nothing had changed, Zim was still an Irken, an Invader, despite it all.

"Why?" Lard Nar asked the question Annabel had asked before. "Why even help us."

"This is my revenge." Zim told him. "I swear today they pay for all of it." He vowed. "Now go!"

Lard Nar dropped his weapon, understanding fills him. Zim had to see this through, he was still not brave enough to face his leaders, but he was strong enough to defend him now, and to Lard Nar that was enough at least in that moment.

"Goodbye Zim." Lard Nar whispered before running for the ship.

"This is not the end my friend." Zim vowed and then he runs towards his enemy, his fear lost in the anticipation of battle.

Spleen charges for his enemy, as the ship housing his prey shoots off into the atmosphere. "You will pay for this!" He vowed as he moved to deliver a deadly blow…

-To Be Continued