Forever Means Always
(Part 10- To Trust a Sorkin)
Disclaimer: Pleasejust read the last chapters, k?
Author's Note: ^.~ Hiya!!! Part 10goodness, that's a lot of writing!!! NewaysI hope this one is more interesting then the last chapter. So, I'll be going now. Just remember: PEACE OUT AND BY HAPPY!!!
~ * ~
The sun was just setting below the western hills as the comrades arrived at the empty field. After Zidane and Steiner had quickly explained their predicament to the others, every one of them had agreed to help, and they had even recruited General Beatrix and the members of Tantalus. In total, there were about 11 of them, leaving them two short, meaning they had to practice hard. For nearly four hours the rag-tag band had trained vigorously to strengthen themselves. Though it wouldn't do them any good against the sorkins' deadly touch, together they had come up with a plan to protect themselves. If Eiko could cast a protecting shield around them, it would certainly even the odds. Zidane looked up into the night sky, scanning the few stars that had come out early. If the plan worked they would have some chance of survival. If notZidane closed his eyes. It HAD to work. Everyone's lives depended on iteven Dagger's.
DaggerZidane sighed. He was risking everything on this venturethe lives of all of his loved ones. Had this whole thing been doomed from the start? Had he cursed all of his friends to an early death? He knew he would do anything to get Dagger backbut did the others feel the same way? Or were they just humoring himgoing along only because they felt they had to? And what about Karten? Zidane didn't know exactly how strong the cold-blooded demon wasthis whole thing could be pointless, mere amusement for the sorkin king. So many things were piled against themdid they even have a chance?
Zidane shook his head. He couldn't start to think like that, or he and his friends would be lost. No matter how dark things seemedhow hopelessthere was always hope. Dagger had taught him thatnever give up no matter what. She had done so much for himand now, it was his turn to be there for her. There was no way he was going to give her up; not even on the day the sun would come crashing into the earth from the heavens. To the underworld and back, nothing was going to keep him from saving her. Zidane smiled. Let Karten comehe was ready.
"Zidane! Look! It'sthem," came Freya's clear voice. Zidane whipped his head around to where his friend was pointing, eyes burning with blue fire. Sure enough, coming swiftly down the grassy hill was the tall, muscular form of Karten, followed by a small horde of sorkins. Zidane's throat clenched when he saw Daggerhis Daggerwalking nonchalantly along-side the monstrous Karten. Even though he knew it wasn't really her doing it of her own free will, it still cut like a knife. He WOULD get her backor die trying.
Zidane quickly unsheathed his daggers and stepped in front of his friends, eyes fixed in a dangerous glare on Karten. Whatever happened, he wanted to be the first to take it.
Karten marched his small army right up to Zidane's, until the two leaders were only inches apart. To Zidane's surprise, Karten wore two daggersnot unlike his ownat his side. Karten grinned at Zidane as he ran his fingers through Dagger's hair. Zidane's jaw clenched. He was going to pay
"So, monkey-boy decided to show up after all. And you dragged your friends along, too! You either have courage, or are extremely stupid," he said in his oily voice. Zidane snorted.
"I prefer courageous. And my friends came of their own accord because they care, unlike you. Your army is just a mindless bunch of droids," he hissed. Karten chuckled.
"For a mortal, you really are quite amusing. But, amusing or not, you are a nuisance to me, and I must kill you. However, I do so hate for things to be unfairso I'm going to make a proposal. You and I battle right here, just the two of us. We can use daggers, since that appears to be your weapon of choice. Don't worry, my sorkins will keep your friends busy while we fight, but I'll tell them not to kill anyone yet. However, if you lose, my sorkins will dispose of them for me. And I'll get Dagger," he explained. Zidane scowled.
"This is one of those times I don't really have a choice, right?" he asked. Karten nodded, a thin sneer on his lips.
"How very perceptive of you. No, we will fight whether you want to or not. Any questions?" he asked. Zidane smiled and began to do a few fancy twirls of his daggers.
"You're in for a real surprise. Only one question: how does the match end?" he asked. Karten's eyes narrowed as his lips curled into a devilish smile.
"Until one of us lies dead on the ground," he answered. Zidane looked up at Karten quizzically.
"I thought you were immortal. How can I kill an immortal?" he asked. Karten chuckled.
"I said I liked to keep things fair. There's a spell I know that grants temporary morality Ever since I walked down that hill I've been mortal," he explained. Zidane looked at him skeptically.
"How can I trust you?" he asked. Karten said nothing to this, but slowly drew one of his daggers. Then, ever so carefully, he drew the sharp blade across his inner arm. A thin trickle of red blood rose beneath the metal, and it rolled in beads down his pale skin. His eyes reflected vividly the pain he had suffered as he slowly sheathed his dagger. And then he looked Zidane straight in the eyes, fixing him in a trance.
"That is how you can trust me," he said in a blunt voice. Zidane just stared at him in shock. He knew Karten would never willingly let him win, and he still didn't trust the black-winged manbut what could he do? Everything was staked on thishe couldn't let Dagger down again. Zidane grabbed his two daggers, one in each hand, and held them up in front of him.
"Alright. Let's get this over with," he said. Karten calmly unsheathed his daggers, and turned to face Zidane.
"You're going to lose, you know. You've doomed your friends to the underworldand your precious Dagger to the life of a soulless sorkin," he mocked. Zidane shot one, last, desperate glance at the shell of Dagger, and then swung at Karten, beginning the fateful battle.
For what seemed like an eternity all that could be heard across the grassy field was the sound of metal against metal and the quick breaths of the opponents. The two were evenly matched, for though Karten was extremely strong, Zidane was much quicker. Every once in awhile, Zidane would be a bit too slow, and receive a painful slice on the leg, but would soon make up for it by delivering a cut to Karten's arm. Pretty soon, the two were dotted with specks of red blood. It was an extraordinary battle; everything rested in the balance.
Zidane was sweating furiously by now, his shirt and pants completely soaked. And with every block, he could feel his strength fading If this kept up, there was no way he was going to win. It was as good as over
Suddenly, Zidane's eyes caught sight of Dagger. She was standing about ten feet away, watching the battle with a blank expression on her face. And her eyesthey were completely void of the emotion they had once possessed. This wasn't Daggerit was a pathetic shell imitation.
Zidane's mind raced back to the time he had proposed to the queen. The look on her face as he had kneeled down beside herit had been the happiest moment of his life. Karten had taken that special smile away from herand if he didn't win, it would be gone forever.
Zidane turned back to the battle with renewed strength. His eyes were blazing with a new rage he had never known before as he raised his daggers towards Karten. In a burst of energy Zidane advanced on him, swinging his weapons so quickly they were like bolts of lightning. Time after time the daggers clashed against metalbut suddenly, Zidane felt a heavy thud as the dagger struck human flesh. The metal sunk into the skin as Karten let out a hideous scream. Suddenly, the two opponent's eyes met, Karten's red one's seering into Zidane's ice ones. The expression on the sorkin's face was a mixture of bitter anger and agonizing pain. And then, all at once, Karten's head sunk down, and his body tumbled to the ground, limp and pale.
Zidane slowly removed his dagger from Karten's chest and sheathed it. He had won. After so many troublesafter everythinghe had finally won. Zidane, overwhelmed by the realization, started to laugh with joy. He had won! All of his friends cheered and congratulated him, shouting with joy. He had helped everyone, his friendsand Dagger. Dagger! She would be back to normal now!
Zidane, still smiling, began to turn towards his precious Dagger. It had been so long since he had last seen her smileseen her beautiful, warm smile. Everything would be back to normal now! Finallyeverything was right once more. In only a few more seconds, Zidane would be facing his queen
All of a sudden, Zidane's smile faded, and his eyes widened to the size of soup bowls. His breathing quickened until it was no more then a quick rasping, and his face turned a deathly pale. A small trickle of sticky blood rolled out of his mouth and down his chin as he crumbled to the groundthe hilt of a dagger protruding from his back.
"You foolish mortal. I told you I'd winone way or another, I'd win," Karten taunted as he slowly lifted himself off of the ground, gloating at his devilish work
~ * ~
I told you this one was action packed! I wrote this at 1:00 in the morningso go easy on me, k? Here's the big question everybody: Is Zidane really dead!? Find out in chapter 11, The Soul of a Sorkin