Author's Note: People have been asking where Hiero's debut is, so for those who asked, like the pleasant XvFiReGoDdEsSvX. I am not ignoring you, your e-mail won't accept any of my replies. This is for everyone that wonders where Hiero made his entrance not the world of anime:
http://www.geocities.com/zellina_no_miko/
The title is "Slayers for the Future: The Prophecy of Inverse." Enjoy. Also, enter my fanart contest that this page is representing for me. Rules, pictures to aid artists, and categories are available below the rules.
This chapter is also a partial songfic, one of the last ones until chapter 25 at best. The metal group Hammerfall returns with "Living in Victory." It symbolizes Hiero and Dilandau's victories, despite what occurs in the past, and that what's inside counts more for them than fancy words and material things.
Chapter 17
The Chariot*
Power of Eternity
~ Karsa Mountains ~
-Temple of Power -
Hiero flew freely in the warm air, Alessa held close in his arms. Her back was to his front, but being close was enough, for now anyway. He was still upset Migel had robbed him of a chance to kiss the Mystic Moon female, and being kept from that desire was killing him. He hadn't been kissed in centuries, not for the right reasons. He truly loved this girl, but each time he tried to express himself, something always got in his way.
He was simply thrilled Myrna wasn't around, she'd never give him a moment's peace. Nearly clawing Alessa's face off was the worst the girl did, and it had flamed p his temper. He'd wanted to slap Myrna, to hurt her for the action, but he couldn't, she was just a stupid, love struck cat-girl. She was just jealous, and that was harmless so long as Hiero was around to stop Myrna. He was worried about her, but not too much. Not having to be grabbed, groped and hung on by her was wonderful, he pitied whoever was suffering her company. She reminded him more and more of Amelia and her family, minus the justice crap.
Myrna had tried to go to bed with him once, really go to bed with him. He normally slept either with or without his boxers on, after he'd made sure Myrna was in her own damn room, but she got out one night a year earlier and climbed into his bed when he was in one of his 'no boxers' moods. He woke up when he felt her touching him, licking his ribs and legs. She nearly bit down on his hand when he woke up and smacked her out of the bed screaming. He had to tie his sheets about his waist so she wouldn't be able to try anything or get himself accused of accosting an under-aged girl. Aunt Merle saved him and spanked Myrna, and new locks were put on his door. He never slept in the nude after that night. He dreaded the thought she'd get back in and he'd be too late to stop her from….whatever she wanted to go on with.
She scared him sometimes, just like Amelia and her kin did. Some of her filthy ancestors came after him to avenge Justin and Amelia's humiliations at his hands, several of which were female. Not all of them pursued him romantically as Amelia has his father, but those that did got on his nerves and made him deathly nauseous. He'd blown a few away with deadly spells, the worst he had up his sleeves from his and that world. He would have preferred being dissected alive than be near or even think of doing anything remotely romantic with them. Remembering them seriously gave him the creeps, and every time Myrna was around, he got that sick feeling. She was nice as a little sister, but when he discovered she was crazy in love with him, the sickness began. He only wished she'd grow the hell up and find a cat-boy her own age to be with, not him. He didn't want her, he didn't want anyone like her.
'I want Alessa….more than ever now. She….understands. She fully understands. I've never been this in love since Veda….this is even stronger. I ache thinking about Alessa being gone. It's….like she's my destiny. Funny, I never believed in that, never wanted to, but with love, its what I desire most. She's so perfect, and doesn't even know it….my angel of love.' He mused, a small smile sliding up his lips, his heart beating faster as he pushed on towards the tower ahead.
"Hiero….could you tell how those improvements on our armor work again? I don't want to bruise my wings again!" Migel shouted, his black eyes still present, but slightly faded.
Hiero snapped out of his daydreams to shoot a nasty glare at the brunette, who was obviously smiling, very smugly. 'I'm giving him a fat lip later. Damn prick.' He thought.
"The little button panel at the top of your inner armor has to be pressed with two fingers. I had them fashioned for you all that way by Dryden's metal workers, just press down on the button and the slits in the back of your armor will open up so you can spread your wings. It is not that hard, Gaki. Only pressure from your ring and middle finger will do this, or else it open and shut constantly every time you fall or take a hit….but you'd know that if you were damn listening instead of staring at every servant girl that passed you by when we were leaving." Hiero said crassly, delighting in seeing Migel frown and blush.
Hiero had to make Dryden repair all of their armor so their wings wouldn't be injured again. Dilandau had suffered when he awakened as the Angel of death and a Draconian, Hiero had seen the crimson streaks no his onyx feathers and silver dragon wings. It pained Hiero to see that, and to hear the thoughts of rage for such pains being inflicted upon the general.
He smiled a bit, remembering that moment. Dilandau had smiled briefly upon growing wings, a fleeting thought of joy going through his mind, but his wings were too bruised to truly let him fly, which was why Hiero held his hands, to prevent him from further pain. The smell of ash and fresh rain was all about Dilandau, as compared to the scent of ash and metal, the metallic smell of shed blood. It was sort of a signature scent to Dilandau, but pleasing.
He liked Dilandau, they were so nearly alike, they both suffered losses, they loved the idea of power and fighting for their own reasons, and most of all, they bowed to no one. Their only difference was that Dilandau refused to test out the emotion love to great degree and love was one of the greatest emotions Hiero desired above all. It wasn't so bad with that difference, but he wished Dilandau would eventually find someone that could tolerate him, as much as Hiero hoped for someone who could tolerate him.
He felt Alessa shift, that lilac odor filling his senses as her braid ran across his cheek. It was as soft as silk, like a kitten's tail wrapping about his features, lowing him. He adored it, but her being so close was starting to make him nervous. He wanted to kiss her now, to tell her all his feelings, how much he loved her even more, and a strange thought came over him that he had to punch back.
'Dragon flies do it…..why not us? Urgh, dirty old man, she'd knock my head off if she ever found out I even considered it….but still….it'd be different. No, no, stop thinking it or she'll feel you getting excited in a few seconds. Think of Allen….in you mother's corset…yeah, yuck, that did it. Now if I can just keep the bile back.' He thought, swallowing deeply.
The tower was close now, within landing distance. He went down first, knowing the other angels would follow. Viole had taken Dalet and Guimel off to Freid with some of Dryden's horses, to announce that Hiero and some honored guests would be arriving by nightfall. Viole and the other non-angels would only get hurt if they remained, and burden the angels by carrying them.
It was for the best, and sure-fire way to keep Viole from getting caught in bed again with Orla again. Hiero had never turned so red, as far back as he could recall, or ever been so stunned. They hadn't had sex, from the telepathic pushing Hiero forced on them, but they had made out a good amount with nothing on. Hiero waited outside until Viole got his armor back on before even going back in. He felt bad for the guy, but he knew it would have been worse for Viole if Dilandau had walked in instead.
Hiero shucked the odd moment from his mind and landed nearly, pulling his shock white wings inside his back, then let Alessa go. He gave himself a good stretch as the other's landed, Dilandau actually being the only one that didn't trip. He was adjusting to the wings well, but he knew poise and grace that the others were not all capable of. Dilandau tripping would be like L-sama singing for a choir for world peace.
He watched all the angels' wings pull in, Dilandau's leathery dragon wings of silver folding like silver and shrinking, not bursting as the Draconian wings were. Hiero smiled a little. His father had been the only man he knew who could show him wings, and now he had four men to show him their beautiful wings. He never had to strain to look at his own soft and white feathery tresses.
He didn't bother to wipe it off his face when Dilandau came up to him, looking smug about something, but then again, he always looked like that. Hiero didn't mind it, it was refreshing to know Dilandau rarely let things bother him long. "So, what do we do now that we're here, stand here all day? Let's get inside and kill something!" Dilandau let out, grinning.
Do you remember how we used to say,
Everything around us are made of clay….
We were the Kings and the others the fools,
playing by our rules….
"Anything for a friend….and for our sakes," he replied, and waved Gatti over," Gatti, you hold Alessa when I finish my quest. If I've learned one thing about these temples is that they always disintegrate. Keep her near you so you won't have to try for a dive if she's too far away."
"I can look after myself." Alessa muttered. Hiero turned to look at her, looking a little sarcastic. "Can you fly?" he asked. She bit her lip, the walked over to stand near Gatti, grudgingly. "I thought not, don't hang on her though. I doubt much will be happening outside. Just all of you stay close and fly towards Freid's direction when this place starts to shake. Who knows what standing above this place when it goes will do. I don't want anyone getting hurt….not even Migel." He added, smiling at Migel, who stuck his tongue out at Hiero.
"Understood, Lord Hiero…." Gatti replied, and his face swung to the side when Dilandau's hand connected with his cheek. Hiero wasn't stunned, not after nearly a week in Dilandau's presence. "It's just Hiero, Gatti, he's the Lord type, not me. You're only antagonizing Dilandau like that." Hiero uttered sheepishly, trying not to laugh at the muddy look Gatti flashed Dilandau.
Hiero shrugged it off and went for the hole in the center of the down, plodding down the stairs. He heard Dilandau following, the clank and thudding of his armor and boots the only sound that greeted him. 'Hopefully, this won't risk his life….or theirs.' He thought, and ran down the dark stairwell faster.
~ Temple of Power ~
The stairs wound down, dull blue torches appearing every so often on the walls. To Hiero and Dilandau's right, there was nothing but empty space. A dark chasm was the spaces led to, one so black sticking one's hand in it would make the flesh seem to vanish.
It didn't bother Hiero at all, he was used to working in the dark. He did most of his best work at night, for Delphine and the Dynast. This reminded him of a few nights he'd been sent out to kill and kidnap for his old boss. The Dynast Grausherra had shown Hiero nothing but respect, even in the end, never forcing Hiero too far and keeping the jobs simple. He was always sent to kill people he wasn't familiar with, to steal items and spy on normal priests, nothing too extreme, not until the Mazuko Lord War that cost the Dynast his life.
Hiero cast a sidelong glance at Dilandau, who had his sword out and his crimson garnet eyes sparkled almost purple against the blue flames. His silver hair glistened perfectly in the pale torchlight and it made Hiero smile. The Dynast's hair had been silver, but a lighter shade, like snow. The color was enchanting, and it made Hiero a little jealous. Perhaps if he'd been born with silver hair, he wouldn't have been ridiculed so heavily, possibly. It could easily be mistaken for gray in his old world, people weren't that brilliant, not compared to him.
Adorned with golden shapes and silver dreams,
You count the seconds, every moment seems,
like you're lost to the stars up above
Even though you're falling….
'But Dilandau said so himself, if I hadn't survived as I did, they might be dead, and all others I helped would be too….hmmm, the Dynast said stuff like that too when I moped. He said that….the day I realized he wasn't all bad, not just my boss, but my friend.' He thought gently, his smile softening.
- Flashback -
~ Northern Footholds ~
~ Palace of Dynast Grausherra ~
The Dynast sat on his onyx throne, his helmet next to it. He thrummed his fingers gently on the arm rests, his red eyes staring at nothing. He had lost his general to Xellas, the damned traitor left him for his wolfish sister, all for power. The Dynast wasn't so giving to his minions, not all of them anyway. General Grou had been weak. His promotion to General from Priest must have gone to his stupid head. He still had his General Norst and Priest Grau, his loyal and doting Mazuko minions, they would sooner meet oblivion than betray him.
Then there was Hiero, his human, if Hiero could be called such, priest. He'd acquired him more out of calm threats against Hiero's family and his only friend Val Ul Copt. Hiero was just a normal looking thing, not grand like the Mazuko race, but deep inside held power and secrets beyond his imagination. Hiero was power, and all his, and would remain eternally loyal to him regardless, all to protect family and friend.
His red eyes lifted slightly to the center of his throne room, a flurry of dark light appearing. He smiled briefly as the darkness let a shape appear, the shape of Hiero Greywords. The wild sapphire bangs blew about a bit as he appeared, his eyes shut gently, like a beautiful and coy maiden would, his dark tunic and clothing wrapping him in his own personal midnight. Hiero was a strange human, having such odd tastes for the species, but then again, Hiero was not a normal human, he was immortal, he was a soul drinker, he had spells the Dynast wanted so badly, but only Hiero could wield them.
Hiero approached, his dark sword and the Sword of Light on his hips, but his eyes stayed shut until he was at the base of the throne steps. He opened his Mazuko slit sapphire eyes slowly, then looked dead at the Dynast's red slit eyes. He was not smiling, not frowning, simply impassive, staring like nothing mattered. Nothing ever seemed to matter to Hiero, except that ancient dragon boy Val and Hiero's parents. Family was held so highly in Hiero's strange heart, as was love, something Hiero desired above everything, but was shying from.
Hiero had been pathetically useless when his first wife Leila died in childbirth, giving Hiero a daughter, one he named Veda. It was a pretty, dark sort of name to the Dynast, just like the girl's hair. She had her mother's eyes, but that was all. Hiero had raised all four of his children alongside Val's daughter, Mina. 'Colwin, Lita, Zazu, and Veda….his beautiful children, the knight, the priestess, the mage, and the bride, what lives they led, what wonderfully strong children they all bred. Hiero did a fine job making the world more interesting with his offspring. Shame his last wife was barren….he is too picky.' The Dynast thought, gesturing for Hiero to come forward.
Hiero did so, but put his back to him sitting in a rather lucid manner in front of the Dynast's shining boots. His white clothing, embroidered with silver pale in comparison to his darker armor. He liked the change, his hair was all the silver he needed, all the glamour, darkness was what he stood for, and he needed to wear some of it to prove it. He stared at the back of Hiero's sapphire adorned head, the bangs shifting slightly in the warm breezes his castle held.
"What do you need, Ha-ou**? I don't have all day." Hiero finally let out, his velvety voice seeming to melt all the ice around him. It soothed the Dynast's cold heart, and that scared him. Hiero had such an effect on people, to melt the stoniest heart and to make the calmest lose their minds.
Even being crass, Hiero was a little marvel of life and death. As hard pressed as Hiero was under his thumb, Hiero never hesitated to be a smart-ass. He had no respect for anything above or below him, all but Val and his family. He spoiled them all rotten with attention and literally spit in the eyes of Mazuko for fun.
"Ha-ou? Would you stop staring and get on with it?" Hiero snapped, bored as he was. The Dynast grabbed Hiero by his hair and pulled him towards him. He heard his priest gasp, painful thoughts lingering in his mind, but he said nothing against it. The Dynast stopped when Hiero's back was tight against the onyx throne, his lithe arms pressed lightly against the Dynast's legs. Hiero didn't move, not a bit of fear coming from him, only annoyance about his hair being yanked on. Hiero had plenty of it inside him, mostly self-loathing, but he kept it blocked from all Mazuko that got near him.
The Dynast snickered a bit and gently grabbed Hiero's angelic head, making it turn to face him. Hiero stared vacantly at him, his sapphire and irisless Mazuko slit eyes glittering like ice crystals. "Talk." Was all Grausherra said, making Hiero's eyebrows furrow in a puzzled manner.
"Talk….talk what? Talk doesn't help, Ha-ou….oop!!" Hiero sputtered, then stopped when Grausherra shot his hand out to grab the immortal's face, squishing his cheeks together to make him look like he was puckering up.
"Talk to me, Priest Hiero Greywords. No missions, no kidnapping, no explosions, simply talk to me, or do you find that difficult, current position not included," Grausherra asked quietly, and Hiero slowly shook his head," Good, I was afraid you'd become a numb imbecile all of a sudden. The mighty do fall, I must admit, but you are most entertaining for a non-Mazuko. I like you….so talk to me."
He let Hiero's face go, and the young man turned the rest of his body around, still sitting before the Dynast. His eyes were suspicious, but also very curious. "Talk about what? I can't just talk about something if I don't know what the other person wants to discuss. You're not being helpful, Ha-ou."
"Still a smart-ass, but I like your fire. Talk to me about….your children. I have never had any, love is a bothersome thing to acquire such things. Pathetic really, so talk to me of them. What they make you feel, hmm?" the Mazuko Lord asked.
"Love is not pathetic. Take it back!" Hiero growled, that little trill noise the Dynast had grown used to vibrating in his priest's pale throat.
"Hmm, conversation….maybe this is better. Tell me, if you would be so bold, what is so special about love? What on the four worlds could that miserably joyful emotion gain anyone but stupidity?" the Dynast asked, his voice cold and dignified, red eyes settling softly on Hiero's angry face.
"Love conquers all, power means nothing if you don't have love. Why do you think I went mad on my home world being so many millennia without it? Love is an equalizer, a balance of life. Without it, humans, elves, dwarves, hell, even demons can't function. The world would be boring! Hell, I'd abandon all the jewels, gold, and even all the food in the world just to have the perfect love. Its worth more than material things." Hiero snapped, balling his scarred fists up and raising them slightly. His eyes were passionate, the torment Hiero rarely admitted to Mazuko pouring out in overpowering waves upon the Dynast and his minions. He sighed contentedly because of it, smiling pleasantly.
Spoken words made of trust, burning bridges between us,
turning diamonds into rust….
You're running out of time, the higher that you climb,
the deeper you will fall and lose sight of it all….
Out of time, on the line,
Living In Victory!!
"Tell me more. You seem to hold it so highly. What has love given you? Do you love Val and your family as much as you would say those pretty wives you procured?" the Dynast went on, curious now. It wasn't an annoying whining fit as the Saillune family was prone to, it was full of passionate anger, with spirit, not joy. It was if it scared Hiero to lose it, scared him enough to possibly kill to keep it. 'Perhaps this emotion isn't so worthless, if it has such effects on people.' He thought, and frowned suddenly when he saw Hiero smirking.
"You know I hate it when you read my mind. You're a nosy little sod. You're lucky you're my favorite." He spat, then cursed mentally. Hiero had gotten to him again, and the Dynast detested that, Hiero was always pushing buttons with everyone, but to get a Mazuko to have a fit was something only Hiero and his mother seemed capable of. Still, Hiero was better at it, he could do it smiling, unlike his mother who did it angry and frowning. Hiero always had entirely too much fun teasing people, men mostly. He rarely prodded at women's pride, men seemed to interest him more, to bother them to no end, and regardless of if he liked or hated them.
"You're too easy to read, Ha-ou, you know I love pissing you off, not as much as your sisters, but you'll have to do. You had it coming in bothering me while I was trying to get some shuteye to ask me inane questions you don't care about. But….if your thought betrayed you, you are curious, but I'm still pissed about being woken up. I was having nice dreams about a coconut cream pie as big as the Kaatart Mountains….ahhh." Hiero said, serious at first then clutched his cheeks and got stars in his eyes.
The Dynast had to chuckle, Hiero's obsession with eating was a million times worse than Lina Inverse's was. Hiero was eating nearly every hour or so a day, never gaining an ounce, as black mages were blessed with bottomless pits of stomachs. The more he ate, the stronger his magic would be, using magic used a lot of life force up, so it was only natural heavy amounts of food would brings the mage's strength back. At the rate Hiero went, one would think he cast Dragu Slave every ten seconds.
"Love is more interesting than food, Priest. Tell me why it is so damned important, and make it snappy. You are beginning to bore me suddenly." He yawned, fanning his mouth. Hiero broke from his drooling trance and eyed his superior snidely. "Spoilsport wussy eunich....," Hiero let out loudly, standing up rather briskly with his eyes shutting again and ignoring the Dynast's annoyed expression," Love is difficult to describe, even I don't understand it fully. It makes you feel complete. It is not just sex, not by a long shot. Love is sacrificial and a blessing, it can give you all the power in the world in your body, and when its gone, it breaks you. Even the most powerful beings…. kings, gods, angels, demon, suffer from this. In my world, love knew no boundaries. It was the most powerful treasure on Terrian, and I couldn't have a taste of it. Without it, all will and sanity are lost, life holds no meaning. You are dead without love, you're better off dead too. Love is eternal….even when powers fade and money crumbles, love survives, even in death. That's how bloody powerful, how damned addictive it is."
The Dynast's eyes widened slightly at the passionate speech, which made his stomach lurch slightly, standing slowly before his human priest. Hiero's eyes opened at the movement, his face a picture of childlike innocence, watching the Dynast curiously. His head cocked to the side, his sapphire locks spilling against the breeze like liquid velvet.
"Thank you. You can go now." Grausherra said simply, smiling almost genuinely. Hiero seemed hesitant, and put his bare right hand to the Dynast's forehead. The Dynast smirked a bit, watching Hiero touch his skin and then slowly pull his hand away. "Did I say something wrong? Normally you don't tell me to beat it unless I set fire to someone you don't want me touching."
"You talked to me, Priest, you gave me the answers I wished to hear, and helped me make a decision. You did a fine job of being honest with me, all be is a little spitfire of annoyance." The Mazuko Lord said evenly, patting Hiero's head gently, then cupped Hiero's cheek in his cool hand. Hiero still looked puzzled and wasn't moving or fighting him, blank of emotions.
"What decision, Ha-ou?" he asked, his voice still as alluring and velvety as ever. The Dynast smiled at him with a bit of warmth and gave the young priest's cheek a pat. "That love might be interesting. I think procuring a wife of my own, just for the hell of it, might be enjoyable. It has been bothering me that you seem so adamant about family and friends, your wives and your children, and to hear it from your own precious mouth, I understand it a little. I want to try it myself, I just needed to hear if it was worth a shot. Go now, if I need you, I'll summon you, Priest Hiero, is that all right with you, little one?" he let out sweetly.
Hiero nodded, backing up a little, but the Dynast stayed him, clutching Hiero's tender and pale cheek for a moment. "We must talk more often." He said with a grim smile, then let go.
- Present -
The Dynast Grausherra had gotten himself a wife a few months later, a cherry shrine maiden upset with her line of work. His lord had seduced her easily and been able to learn more of love, with Hiero being constantly bothered to educate his lord on the new matters Hiero had not explained, like arguments, PMS, and anniversary gifts. It had been amusing, when his lord had called him after sleeping and eating.
At that time though, Hiero felt his lord's humane side, seeing the Dynast could be tolerant of himself and of his wife without threats. He and the Dynast grew quite close after that, like old friends, but Hiero was still just a priest of the Mazuko Lord. It seemed he was always performing some 'religious' matter in his lifetimes, but this was one of the only times he'd been given the full title of priest. He gathered it was a sort of ironic and spiritual punishment, he was destined for religious servitude there. It was a good racket to take up, after all, who would harm a priest over a mage. The title held more protection than magic user did.
He was ok with being a priest, so long as he never had to pray. As much as he loathed religion and the gods and goddesses, the Dynast had been no god. He was subordinate of a goddess and her offspring, Shabranigdo, the Demon Lord of all Mazuko. 'And I'm the one that killed old crab cakes, absorbed his power, his evil soul and body into my own. I was the one laughing at them, the humanoid boy priest, the one who did what that stupid Cephied couldn't. Heh, that was twice, I killed two sons of two goddesses. At least Shabby-kins deserved it, boy did he scream like a girl or what.' He thought proudly, swiping his hand out at the expanse to his right, feeling something solid. It was probably a wall, maybe the lower levels had walls.
The wall felt warm though, and smooth, a familiar silken feeling. It felt like scales, silken scales. That made him stop short, not even noticing that Dilandau was still moving forward. Hiero turned his head to the new wall and pressed at it with his hand, a little harder. He felt a pulse run through it, a low vibration rumbling against his finger tips. Hiero bit his lip and tentatively put his ear to the dark wall. He couldn't see scales on it, but then again the light was so faint he could be staring at beholder and not know it.
He heard a heartbeat, very faint from where he was listening, but it was there, thundering in the 'wall.' He backed up considerably fast when the 'wall' gurgled. It made the floor vibrate like there was an earthquake happening, making Hiero lose his balance and tumbled down the stairs. He would have kept going down and possibly broken his neck if Dilandau's legs hadn't eventually gotten in his way. Dilandau fell forward, banging his armored elbows on the stone steps. He steadied himself and looked viscous at what has caused him to topple. Hiero looked back, not really aware of what the fall had done to him. His left arm felt numb and there was a slight throbbing on his forehead. Dilandau looked concerned, briefly, then it faded into a stern look. "You hurt yourself again. What happened?" he asked quietly, steadying himself again as the rumbling returned.
Hiero looked at his hurting body a moment, frowning when he saw he'd broken his arm, the bone sticking out of the indent of his arm. He didn't bother with his head, it didn't hurt so much anymore. "Pull on my arm first, its not like I need to explain what made me fall. It keeps coming back. I guess it's the guardian." Hiero winced. Dilandau shrugged and grabbed at Hiero arm below and above he impaled elbow. "On three." Dilandau told him, looking at the wound blankly. Hiero nodded and took a breath as another rumble came.
"One…." Dilandau said and yanked, the bone disappearing back inside the skin. Hiero howled in pain, biting it back when a louder rumble came, some of the ceiling showering in small sprinkles on their heads.
"Ack, what happened to two?" Hiero rasped, holding back the pained moans he wanted to let out as his broken bone healed. A few minutes was all it took, but it hurt, and that damn rumbling wasn't stopping for a second now. His entire upper body portions were covered in gray soot, as was Dilandau, who was trying to brush it out with his blood stained finger. He was only making a bigger mess of his silvery hair, but who was Hiero to tell him that.
'Bathing ain't worth shit when you're on a quest. You might as well carry a bathtub with you….I hope this isn't another foul smelling creature like what Gatti got. I can't take another puke pile like that, I'd rather kiss Allen than face that load of shit again. Yuck, on second thought, no one in their right mind would want to kiss Allen. Blech!' he thought, crawling to the normal wall to use it to support his body when he would stand. Dilandau followed his actions and soon they were both backed up against the wall as the ceiling kept sifted out dust and soot.
"Your guardian awaits, and he sounds large," Dilandau said haughtily with grin," Good, the bigger they are, the more blood they spill."
"Cute. Now how about we get to the bottom of this place before whatever it next to us tries to crush us. We're sitting ducks in such an enclosed area. We have to run." Hiero instructed, but Dilandau shook his head vehemently.
"I will not run from the enemy....I refuse!" Dilandau spat as another tremor ran through the place, the ceiling cracking. Hiero stared at him stupidly a moment, then in a flash picked the stunned general up and slung him kicking and screaming over his shoulder before taking off in a mad dash down the crumbling stairway. "I didn't ask your permission. Just trust me, dammit! Ow, watch your boots, OW! Those things hurt!" Hiero yelped, jumping forward as he raced over a pile of debris. He could hear the ceiling of the stairway cracking, the deafening howl and crashes of stone against stone filling his sensitive ears. He pushed himself harder, one of his legs giving out a painful spasm when a heft piece of rock pieced the back of his leg. He kept going, and Dilandau stopped fighting him, only moving to dodge more falling stones.
Hiero heart was thumping heart from all this exertion, his calf throbbing from the wound it sustained, and the once solid stairs were starting to give way. Hiero took long and leaping strides down the stairs. Going down was easy, it was going up that was hard, but he had wings for that, so did Dilandau. Then again, whatever was shaking the place apart was probably above them, and flying up was almost like basting themselves up for a meal.
Hiero saw the floor crumbling beneath his feet, saw no end coming anytime soon, but he kept his rapid pace until he felt the ground disappear. "Ah shit!" he yelled as his body was thrust downward. He had no more alternatives but to summon his wings.
In a deft movement, he tossed Dilandau upwards, ignoring the curses flying from the silver-haired youth's mouth, and forced his wings out. 'I love these Zaibach shirts, they can handle my wings better than my Fanelian tunic. I bet I can haggle a good deal to get me a mess of these suckers when this is over.' He thought, stretching his arms out swiftly. He took wing at the same moment Dilandau landed neatly in his arms. He held his friend close taking a wild gamble in flying to the right, hoping he wouldn't crash into the living wall.
When he went right through the darkness, he aimed his body down, keeping Dilandau's body steady in his arms. The general had latched an arm about the back of Hiero's neck, the coldness of the armor startling Hiero for a moment. He kept going until he saw light again, this light warmer and far more inviting than the pale blue torches from above. It seemed to dazzle Dilandau's garnet eyes, the amber glow from what looked like a circular opening shimmering up at them. Hiero dared not look up, the rumbling continuing, now joining by snarling and roars.
Hiero did his best as debris spiraled past their bodies, forcing his body back and force, diving and hovering, all to avoid fatal blows to himself. If he got killed before he landed or even got remotely close to the ground, Dilandau might die too. It was true enough Dilandau had wings, but he was new at handling them, and whatever was up there would come down for Hiero and find only Dilandau conscious. 'No, he's a born soldier, he won't die easily. Have a little more faith in him. He may be younger than you are, but he's still a warrior, just like you. He can take care of himself.' Hiero though, wincing slightly as a large stone hit him in the rear.
He took a dive once more to the amber opening, hurtling at terrible speeds towards the sandy ground. He could see more of the ground now, small pebbles lined the golden sand, a few bone piles pressed neatly against the wall. The blood on them was brown and black, from being so ancient he gathered. He had to wonder what could have killed so many when he was only the tenth angel. 'Perhaps the others were cheaters and brought armies in here. Hmmph, morons, that only pisses a critter off. Why can't they fight things like men on their own, wimps.' He thought crassly, spreading his wings fully as they shot through the opening, making them hover a moment. Then he flapped them gently, lowering himself and Dilandau to the pliant ground nice and easy.
He set Dilandau down, expecting to be slapped, but only got a curious stare. "Why did you do that?" he asked.
Hiero smirked a bit, looking up through the large hole they'd come through, expecting more debris, but it never came. It was odd, but who was he do complain, he had a bruised leg and ass from that, its not like he missed all those falling rocks. He looked back at Dilandau. "You're too much fun to see squished like an ant. What, you wanted me to leave you up there?" Hiero asked coyly.
"No, but I never imagined you take all that….pain for me," Dilandau said, pointing at Hiero blood soaked leg," I heard it hit. I know what a hit sounds like. I could bloody well have taken care of myself. I am a Dragon Slayer general, I am fully capable of handling any situation." Dilandau spouted, somewhat forced as he crossed his arms firmly over his chest.
"No one lives forever in this world, Dilandau, except me. I made a promise when I got to that second world that I would have a family, and protect it with my life. I broke it, but I had never intended to. You made promises too, you know. I am aware of them, they flit in your mind like fireflies in the night, you made them, so did your mother. You can't live a lie, intending to or not. You just can't. Its empty, it takes the pleasure you want out of life out of everything. You're left with nothing but….emptiness." Hiero said quietly, shaking his leg a bit, frowning slightly at the tear in his pants.
Dilandau seemed to be listening. "Yes, I made a promise never to be weak, to never be controlled again, and I won't let it happen. I won't let Folken screw me over like last time, or let him get away with what he did. Never….I promised myself when they first brought me to Eden, that…." Dilandau was saying, then broke off, deep in thought.
Hiero didn't push for it, only watched, his eyes flitting back to the hole in the ceiling when he heard the snarling again. "You know I hate your father, don't you? If he were still alive I'd still kill him, would you hate me for that?" Dilandau asked, his face serious and cool.
You spread your words, I say devoid of truth!
What's left is fantasy of endless youth!
You made a promise, a little white lie,
Now you're falling from the sky….
Hiero shrugged. "I would have tried to stop you, but it is never going to happen because he's dead. Why debate about something that will never happen. I can't say I'd hate you, I don't and won't. There are no what if's anymore, my parents and your mother are dead. Leave it at that, my father was no prize, I know, but he didn't deserve to die. Not by your hand or that doppelganger. It would be like me asking you if you'd hate me if I was the one to rape your mother or strangle Migel or slaughter your men. It just won't happen, and can never happen. Why dwell….on the….past." Hiero answered coolly, pain flitting in his heart at his final words. Zelgadis and Lina has said it often," It's in the past, why dwell on it when you can't change it or do it over again. Get over it, learn from it, and move on." He'd also get blows to the head from Mama Lina, so he'd get out of his depression.
Dilandau considered his words, and smiled slightly. "Perhaps you are right, Hiero Fanel. I can't kill him now, or ever, the same as you can't put my mother out of her misery. I guess all those thoughts she'd have, about the future….were….-grumble-….right in a way. The future is all we have, tomorrow is what we should look to, not yesterday. Kind of like what you should do, not worry about what you were made to do, what you suffered from, because it can't be done over. I think I get the picture, but…." Dilandau said, stroking his scar suddenly with a wistful smile on his lips, his pupils shrinking slowly.
"But what? Why are you looking at me like that?" Hiero asked, another snarl erupting, much closer this time, but Hiero chose to ignore it. "Your power, the fact you can live forever, yet you seem to fear yourself more than anything in world. You fear it far more than being without people you love," Dilandau mused, almost smugly," Why is that? What have you to fear of yourself when you have such….exquisite gifts people would sell their soul for? Why would you rather spend time with that jinx instead of challenging the very heavens?"
Hiero's face soured, his double colored eyes trembling dangerously as his wings fluttered angrily. "I am a monster, far worse than you. Some thing you can't just forgive and forget, not even for yourself. If you knew what I was truly capable of, you hate me. Power can be a burden more often than a blessing. I'm afraid of myself because I can destroy countries with every inch of my body. I'm a living, breathing weapon of chaos and death. If people aren't careful around me, they could be sent to hell, and I'd be powerless to stop it. In my mind, I was never worthy of this gift, no, this curse. Death would still be a sweet delivery from this pointless and endless fate. Power is truly fleeting….without love. I'd trade all my power for true love, friendship, family. Those things are worth more than anything I have ever done." He uttered painfully, a gust of air blowing past him suddenly, his bangs and wings lifting sharply, the snarls and roars filling the room.
Dilandau was looking above him with wide, full eyes, his garnet pupils reflecting something dark and large. The shadow cast over them was enough to alert Hiero that something huge and alive was behind him, its foul and hot breath nearly blowing him into Dilandau's chest.
"True, sssso true, Hiero Sssscorchava de Fanel, 10th Angel of Power. You whine so much, you're like a child trapped in a man'sssss body, with the wissssdom of the ages locked insssside your head. You are a pathetic excusssse for a ssssentient being. Power issss just as important as love issss, in the right handssss. 'Tissss time to ssssee if you are worthy of ssssuch ressssponsibility, child." A pair of voices boomed, hissing and growling every so often.
Hiero turned about slowly, angling his head up the ragged, yet deep crimson scaly body, the heaving and silvery chest pumping out proud and madly with fury. He trailed his eyes up the necks on the body, the sharp and black talons on the claws and muscular arms flashing into his view a few times before he reached the heads. The thing was nearly as large as two Escaflowne's stacked in each other's shoulders, the body and neck lengths combined was just enough to match that estimate.
The heads were those of motley dragons, the right neck and head being red and the other stark white. He could see the ivory shades of bone on the backs of their heads, as if they'd been pummeled and never noticed their head flesh had been worn off by the attacks. It was undead for sure. Parts of the chest has exposed muscle and ribs on the left side They both had sapphire blue eyes, all blue, narrowed angrily at both Hiero and Dilandau. What remained of the red one's eyes was pretty gross, one eye hanging out, swinging out and dribbling some blood and eyeball meat on the once perfect golden sands.
Hiero saw on the white dragon head was the black symbol of power and on the red was the black pentagram, the symbol of death.
'The maw of power…. and the maw of death, the door's words….ah shit, I don't have to do what I think I have to do? Ah no, not again, not again!' his mind screamed.
It was like being back in the Dragon continent of Terrian, where he'd gotten his first, all be it odd, family. The dragon female who had raised him mistaking him for one of her babies. He had loved her more than his own true mother, even with her poor eyesight which normally got raw meat shoved in the wrong places until he'd screech in her ear hole. Mother Dragon Saffron had been very amusing and loving towards him, and had never known he was not a baby dragon, even when she lost her life.
He'd delighted in those days, where Delphine had left him be for century after century so he could be raised as a runt of a dragon, learn their magic, and above all their habits. Father Dragon Kraus had been skeptical about Hiero being around at all, but soon grew to accept him as a son, despite Hiero not being a dragon at all. Hiero's attempts to be like one had entertained Kraus to no end, and even made him a little proud.
Hiero learned to trill, hiss, hunt, and even behave like a dragon, along with adjusting to eating raw animal meat. It had taken him time, but he didn't regret it. Raw meat wasn't so bad, it was actually invigorating to kill your own food and enjoy it immediately. He always had fought with his dragon brothers to keep his food, at first with his fists, biting, and hiding behind his sisters, then with threats of magic when his brothers understood the concept.
Then it ended, and only his sister Zazu remained. His dragon parents, his brothers Bran, Panek, and Talyn, and bad luck stole his sister Prussi via poison mushrooms. He cursed himself for not being able to save any of them, but Zazu went on, his precious big sister, the one he'd sleep near so his brother's wouldn't nip him in the ass to wake him up. Prussi had been so sweet.
The thing before him didn't look anywhere close to what his brothers or sisters looked like. It looked like a weirdo mutant hydra, the bastards of the dragon family. They had trails of jagged spikes protruding from their head, like a thistle bush almost, their fangs were crooked and covered with meat, fresh and blood. "Some damned fool came in here, he hasn't crapped the boned out yet. Disgusting, at least I had the decency to rip the animal's jugular out before I started eating. This thing looks almost undead….typical, I get something dead when I can't die myself." Hiero mumbled, and from the agreeable grunt that came from Dilandau, he guessed he wasn't speaking too softly.
The dragon heads eyed them hungrily, but made no move other than flexing their terrible claws and feet. Hiero watched it a moment longer, then he touched the hilt of his blade. The thing reared its head up seconds later, both heads spilling out white and red flames at Dilandau and Hiero.
Hiero threw Dilandau away from himself and threw his own body in the opposite direction. He let go of the hilt and stared up at the creature. It had stopped, the white one watching him and the red one watching Dilandau. "Don't draw, Dilandau….just come over here…come on, quick. It won't attack unless we make a move. I have a plan….come on." Hiero said in a hushed voice. Dilandau stared at him a moment, sneering at him then the assaulted ground. The flames of red had turns the sand to clear slime puddle-shaped glass, while the white flames made a sheen of light blue ice across the sand.
"Hydra….I hate Hydras….Move it Dilandau!" Hiero hissed, shifting his eyes back to the creature. As the smell of ash reached his senses, he turned slightly to see Dilandau was in a low crouch, a few feet away from the glassy sand.
"What's the plan?" he asked crassly, as if he didn't want to hear it.
Hiero snorted at him before looking Dilandau in the eye. "You distract the side that has the red head, not the white. They have the symbols of Power and Death on their heads, the red has Death. I have to fight Power, not you….but I have to do it….the hard way. Do whatever you like to the Death side….have all the fun you please, but do not, DO NOT use your power. If I kill this thing and you pass out from the usage again, I can't help you and neither can anyone else."
Dilandau sneered, nodding curtly. "Is that all, you killjoy?" he sniffed. Hiero shook his head. "No, the moment this thing even looks pained, the way Gatti's guardian died before me, fly out of here and get the others to take to the skies. I mean it. I can get out, this temple was meant for me. Just don't touch the side of Power, don't," Hiero said, his wings giving off a good flap as he pull out his dagger," Oh yeah, and don't die on me, or I'll get back at you real nasty."
Hiero took wing, keeping the dagger behind his back as he flew slowly up to the gaping jaws of Power. "Giving up, little one? Know when you're licked, ssssweety?" the voices said together. Hiero smirked and thrust his dagger into view, the blue eyes of the creature enlarging swiftly.
"Not hardly, say AHHHHH!!!!" Hiero chirped and charged forth, slashing open Power's snout. It wailed, it's mouth opening wide, splashing flood of hot drool upon Hiero's body. 'Yuck, its still disgusting….it smells like urine no matter what world you're on,' He thought, taking a deep breath before flying down the thing's dark throat,' I'm too old for this….'
He heard a war cry from Dilandau, the smell of blood mixing with the air as Death cried out with its counterpart. 'Live, Dilandau, please live," Hiero throat as the dark chasm that became the dragon's throat took him down.
~
Hiero stood in the middle of a battle, one he remembered as dragons of every shape, size and color rolled past and even through him like large ghosts. It was the Dragon war, the one the demon dragon Void had caused in murdering dragons and human alike for sick pleasure.
Hiero looked around, his wings fluttering madly as pair of sapphire dragons were mercilessly devoured alive by a group of onyx dragons. Hiero ran to help, but only wound up going through them. 'Damn, it is an illusion, not a like my weirdo dreams. This is….my past. I should be on top of Bran, flying towards Void soon." Hiero thought, scanning the sky for signs of himself or Bran. The night sky had been beautiful when this battle occurred, so many sapphire dragons being shattered and slain terribly by their own kind, by the cannibalistic onyx dragons. As much as Hiero liked the color black, he hated Onyx dragons. They were truly evil, worst than any act he or Dilandau could ever hope to pull. They just didn't choose to care.
He flapped his wings and took to the sky as a flash of blue grazed the dark sky, soaring swiftly to come alongside the large male dragon and its passenger, Hiero Vendetta, the man he was born as over 55 thousand years ago. His bangs were longer, he wore that horrid brown colored tunic and pants. He looked like a ratty thief with an angelic face, eyes of blue slits and his terrible blade upon his back. He had a feral look in his eyes, probably looking at Void or thinking about the murders committed by Void's followers. It had been a long time ago, Hiero couldn't remember every little bloody detail, literally.
He frowned as he looked as his boyish former self, a body he would never regain, only attaining it in his nightmares. He hated seeing this young man, so full of hatred, sadness, he was pathetic. He didn't know what his powers would cost in the long run, but then again, what did a six-year old know about power anyway? He flew alongside it, watching his memory play in full. He hovered by the mountain sized dragon Void and felt his skin crawl when Void tossed the former Hiero down his throat, his dragon brother Bran flying through the dark sky away from Void's reach.
A while later, Void's flesh was melting from the inside, his Emeras Bahuka spell taking effect. Millions of emerald green and corrosive bubbles leaked out and started to eat the giant creature's onyx flesh, blood vomiting from his wounds and mouth. Then the sapphire dragons came, freezing and smashing open Void's chest to expose his immense and dark heart.
Then came the painful part, after Hiero escaped from Void's body, covered in the demon dragons strange blood, Bran dive bombing towards Void, and Hiero leaping at it to imbed his sacred sword into the damned heart, to weaken Void, to absorb him.
He had not seen much of that, all he'd seen was Void's heart when it all happened. He never saw Bran diving for Hiero to protect him from Void's claws.
Chasing dragons by the moon, burning bridges around you,
Your deepest fears begin to loom….
"NO! ONII-SAN^^! NO! I TOLD YOU TO FLEE! FLY AWAY! FLY THE HELL AWAY! STOP IT!" Hiero shouted, forgetting again that he was in a memory, not life. He tried to grab his brother's tail, his wings, anything to make him stop, but his hands and body went through him. Hiero screamed loudly at Bran when his brother's body was splattered into bloody sapphire and crimson chunks by Void, the last action the demon dragon could manage before the past Hiero absorbed him.
"ONII-SAN!!!!" the present Hiero screamed, the darkness near strangling him as it pulled him into his brother's shattered remained.
~
Hiero woke up on his back, his wings trying to move so he'd get off of them. He sat up slowly, pulling his wings in. He was somewhere new, not the battlefield, but the ruins of a town. He knew it perfectly, it was where Xellas Metallium and Deep-Sea Dolphin had attacked his parents, and wounded them both fatally, too much for Hiero to risk touching them.
He walked through the memory slowly, dreading that at any moment, something would happen, something he didn't want to face. He was correct in feeling thusly, for after a few minutes he saw himself again, the way he was on Val's world, wild and long sapphire bangs, dressed all in black with a cape of midnight flowing behind him.
As Hiero slowly neared his past self, he saw Deep-Sea Dolphin's corpse was fading away a few feet away. His past self fell to his knees, sobbing, for before him were his parents of this world, Lina and Zelgadis Greywords. His chimera father was staring up at his past self, a large hole in his chest and a deep wound in his throats. He couldn't speak, only bubble up odd blood. The past Hiero reached for him with trembling hands, bare hands, then pulled then away.
'If I touched them, in their weakened states, I would have absorbed them. I didn't want to do that to them. I could subject them to an eternity within me. They deserved to go to heaven….they were good people, I couldn't….keep them by making them my soul slaves.' He thought, watching as his former self reached for his mother.
"Mama….Father," the past Hiero wept," I'm so sorry, I….I wasn't strong enough, wasn't fast enough….t save you. I broke my promise….I'm so sorry."
His former self's tears were practically drowning his dying parents, but they both smiled faintly at him. "No, Hiero, you didn't fail us, you kept your promise best you could. Even you….oh….can't be everywhere at once. There's still time….for Val. Xellas said….she was…..going after him and Filia. Hiero, we're done for anyway, just save them, save yourselves. We know….you can't touch us now, it's all right, we'll be….reborn….someday." Lina managed out," I haven't sampled all the world's food yet….cough….I have to get another chance for that. You know your father….and I won't be written out of this world forever."
"Mama, but….I'm going to lose you. I swore never to lose anyone again. Don't leave me, please, don't leave me all alone." Hiero sobbed.
You're running out of time, the higher that you climb,
the deeper you will fall and lose sight of it all….
Out of time, on the line,
Living In Victory!!
Zelgadis made a gurgling sound and spoke softly. "Hiero, son, you'll never be alone….we'll always be in your heart. And there's still time to save Val and Filia. Go now, please, for our sakes. Just know that we will always love you, no matter what. It's ok, really, we know you tried. With power comes responsibility….and above all the people I have known, you have used it perfectly. You're never too….too busy….to help those you love, to sacrifice. That's the….greatest power of….ugh….alllllllllllllllllllll…." Zelgadis breathed, then exhaled gently, his eyes closing for the last time.
The past Hiero shook, then looked to his mother, whose ruby eyes were open, but glaze. He nudged her, still shaking, with his boot, and got nothing. "Mama? Father? Please, please say something….please." the past Hiero begged, sounding so small and vulnerable, like a hurt child. Then his sobs became screams of rage.
"DAMN YOU XELLAS! I'M GOING TO RIP YOU APART, YOU FUCKING BITCH!! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE ALL DEAD!!!!" the past Hiero screamed, and vanished into darkness. The Hiero that remained wept openly, the sight of his past parents dead breaking his heart.
~
Hiero flinched as the surroundings bled blackness, and he was standing in the inky pool up to his groin. He looked down, his reflection rippling as a few stray tears hit the dark water. He rubbed the tears away and looked about slowly.
"They died because of me….all that power and I couldn't save them. I couldn't save them." He mumbled, the remembrance of their dead faces staring blankly at him tearing him apart.
"Whine, whine, whine, do you simply love to kick yourself around or is it just us?" the dragons' voice chuckled. Hiero looked towards it, above him, and saw a large crystalline animal heart of white and red above him, glowing brightly.
"Guardian of Power, what do you want? To gloat? Well to damn bad, I deserve to be kicked after failing them." He said, frowning deeply. He looked at himself and saw his weapons were secure in their sheaths. He didn't recall putting the dagger away, but didn't get to think on it as the dragons' voices began to laugh.
"You failed Val too. You are worthlessss, your powerssss are nothing. You can never hope to attain your awakening assss you are now. Not the weakling that let Val and hissss mother down!" they laughed cruelly. This made Hiero's look harden. Val, no, he had saved Val, not Filia, but Val was alive. 'And I saved a lot of other people when Terrian was dying….I didn't have to, there was nothing left to lose, but I did it.' He thought, looking back up at the glowing heart.
"No….he's alive, I know he is, but that's not the point….is it? My power, despite all I held, I couldn't save them." Hiero hissed.
"You take the blame for them, wouldn't you take the blame for his death? Can you honesssstly be with him and win the day? Can you be in more than one place at a time?" the voices sneered, the dark pool filling with a vision, one of Dilandau fighting against the Death head. He was covered with blood, but looked to be having a good time. His moves were fluid, hacking and slicing up the dragon of Death, actually doing as Hiero had asked.
'That's a shock….he's doing that for me, I thought he'd forget. He actually did as I asked. Gods, I can't leave him out there forever, feeling sorry for myself when his life is in danger. I can't, he wouldn't want that, Val wouldn't! NO! I won't forget what Zelgadis said, they told me the past was gone, its dead, I can't change it. It can never be changed. I won't let self-loathing separate me from the ones I love again! I have to save Dilandau! The Dragon Slayers, Val and Alessa, they are all depending on me to pull through this. No, I won't fail….I am responsible for my fate, and I won't deny it.' He thought, his eyes wild as he whipped out his sword and wings.
Is it someone that hears you, is it somebody there?
All you know and all you will get, lie so deep down inside!!
"NEVER AGAIN! I can't be everywhere at once, but I am here, and they are counting on me to be strong, to help. I won't curse myself again by letting self-pity destroy me again! I will always take risks, I will always protect the ones I love! I won't give up, you bastards! Never!" he shouted and flew up at the flashing heart, running it through.
The last thing he saw was the heart cracking, the cracks emanating a blinding sapphire light that wrapped him in an embrace of searing pain. "For you, Dilandau, for you. Live!" he whispered, then screamed.
~
Dilandau took another swing at the maw of what Hiero called Death, severing half of its lower jaw. He smiled as the thing's blood danced about him in dark swirls. This was very entertaining, he'd never fought anything so large before, or as slow. It was nasty, nearly biting his arms off a few times, but he wasn't afraid of the ugly beast. He was delighted he made it scream, to bleed rivulets of blood for him. He just hoped he wasn't hitting Hiero.
He'd been fighting it for a half-hour now, taking his time to inflict wound and wound on the dumb thing. The only annoying part was that every cut fixed itself. Even now, the jaw of the beast was reforming, as Hiero's wounds had days before. 'Must be a guardian thing, what a load of crap. This thing is lucky I'm so bored or I'd have flown off after a few miets instead of carving him up like a ripe turkey. Hmm, wonder how dragons taste, does their blood caress your taste buds even when they're dead. Oooo, maybe I'll find out….' He thought, grinning wildly as the thing tried to flatten him with its claw. He easily back-flipped away and launched himself off the wall to sever the annoying limb.
"Did I say you could touch me, mongrel?" he screamed, laughing maniacally as he hacked the new limb off the moment it reformed," I didn't think so! DIE!"
He was ready to take another shot when he noticed that the creature had stopped moving, and its limb was not reforming. The cuts were barely there, but bleeding. Then the thing started to howl, light as blue as Hiero's hair leaking from every pore of the thing. Its howl made the ground shake, and Dilandau forced his wings out when he could no longer maintain his balance. Putting his sword away, he started up, but kept his eyes on the howling creature below him.
'My….what a wimp….good job, Hiero, took you long enough….things were just starting to get fun. Ah well, maybe Freid has something I can play with. Hmm, yes, that will be sweet.' He thought, flying faster, his wild garnet eyes aimed to the night sky showing through the opening her and Hiero had come through. The stairs were long gone and the hole had grown a bit, but that wasn't so bad. His wings spread out pretty far, so it was a gift from the gods obviously. Now his wings wouldn't get messed up trying to squeeze through.
He shot up as the sapphire light tailed him, catching hints of gold and blues as he shot outside into the cool night air, but strangely they were above him a lot faster than he anticipated. "Gatti! Chesta! Migel! Why didn't you wait for me?! Hiero just did his job a miet ago!" Dilandau shouted, soaring towards Gatti as he was flying off to the left with the other, holding Alessa up.
"Zaibach is here, Lord Dilandau!! Off to the east, look!" Gatti shouted, nudging his chin off in the direction. The coast was in that direction, not a town of home in sight as far as one could travel. Dilandau's eyes turned in that direction, widening ever so slightly as he viewed a good two dozen Alseides guymelefs suspended there, their claws all out and ready to attack. 'The aerial combat models….the upgrades. How dare they use them against us, we Dragon Slayers are the only ones with the right to pilot them, not filthy Zaibach knights! We are the Elite, they are going to be very sorry!' his mind screamed, his wings taking him in the Zaibach army's direction.
The Temple of Power was still crumbling, the sapphire light taking it over, taking it and the Alseides units from his sights for a moment, but he didn't care. He flew right through it, drenched in the hot light. He felt the heat from it, the power, and just rode on it with the greatest of ease. "I am the Angel of Death, Zaibach, and your lives are now forfeit. Your souls are mine! Ahahahahahahahaaaa!" he cackled, and thrust his hands out at them, the snaking flames leaping from his gloved fingertips wildly. They burst through a few of them, the units and their pilots melting like blood drenched wax.
He licked his lips, ignoring the pain his body was experiencing, the pain he felt after he had killed those men he played with, those worthless lives he snuffed out, all because he wanted to, because he could. "BURN!!!! BURN YOU PITIFUL BASTARDS! AND YOUR RAPIST EMPEROR WILL BE WITH YOU SOON! BURN IN HELL, ALL OF YOU!!!! Nya hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa! Ahahahahhahaaaa hah!" he let out wildly, embers of burnt metal and flesh spiraling about his body like an amber tornado. His garnet eyes shrank as the flames entranced him fully, the beautiful heated dragons they were dancing just for him as they tore through several guymelefs, ripping their pilots out to be burned inside and out before his eyes.
After ten fell, Dilandau suddenly felt dizzy, his wings and stomach lurched painfully. He felt light headed as the world of flame and blood left him, swirls of darkness and red filling his eyes as his wings gave out. He didn't bother screaming as he felt the rush of air whip about his spiraling body, as he fell into the endless chasm. No one would hear him scream ever again in pain, he wouldn't give Zaibach the satisfaction.
He felt his body bump something solid, and figured he'd hit the mountain side, but it didn't hurt. What he'd hit was warm, soft, and breathing. "Dilandau….I told you not to use your power. You never listen fully do you? You could have been killed." A familiar voice let out, sad and concerned.
Hiero….
Dilandau looked up dully to find himself in Hiero's arms. He felt a little stronger now, the pain subsiding, but there was great pain in Hiero's eyes, he looked so sad, as Dilandau did when his Slayers died, when van took them away. On the boy king's forehead was the thorn on a stem shaped symbol, the ancient symbol of power. It glowed in an unearthly way, dark and foreboding, but Hiero's eyes held him more.
'Pain….of losing people. I see….' He thought numbly, taking a slight breath as he looked Hiero over, and saw the result of Hiero's awakening. The young Fanelian king has six wins just like Dilandau, except his angels wings were all shock white, and his dragon wings between them were sapphire blue, flapping sharply against the night air.
"Angel of Power now….took you long enough." Dilandau snickered weakly, hating the way he sounded. Hiero smiled sympathetically and shrugged. "I had some growing up to do, and at my age, that takes time," Hiero whispered, leaning close to Dilandau's face, adding in a soft, sarcastic tone," I missed you too."
Dilandau felt pressure on his cheek, warmth from Hiero's lips. He pecked Dilandau on the cheek lightly, as a mother or father would do to it's child, or a good friend to another. Hiero had been afraid for him 'I am a child compared to him. He's ancient….but reminds me of…Jajuka. He always….took care of me, and my mother. Ah….whatever.' he thought faintly, biting his lip at the memory.
Dreams of fortune in the dust, when all your bridges are burnt,
turning being into lust….
"Jajuka would be proud of you, I think." Hiero commented, smiling a little. Dilandau eyed him curiously, and shift a bit in his friend's arms. "How did you….?" he started, but Hiero shook his head, angling it to the side.
"Telepathic, remember? My power are all back….and not a moment too soon. You think you are strong enough to hold onto me on your own?" Hiero asked casually, looking away from Dilandau, back to the east where the Alseides were still hovering.
"Yes…." Dilandau said crassly, his eyes narrowing in disgust at his strength being questioned. Hiero just gave a light chuckle and helped Dilandau attach himself to his legs.
"Won't you pass out too if you use your powers?" Dilandau asked suddenly. Hiero grinned widely. "I don't just do magic. This is nothing." Hiero told him, flying towards the now approaching Alseides guymelefs. They were clustering together, their Crima Claws flexing for them.
"Then what else can you do?" he asked. Hiero closed his eyes and wagged his finger at Dilandau in mock scolding manner. "Ah, that's a secret." Hiero giggled, and looked back to the east, raising his hands before his chest, keeping them at least half a foot apart.
"What are you….?" Dilandau was about to ask, when darkness filled the space between Hiero's hands, a chant that made the young king's voice echo in the night, chilling even Dilandau's soul.
"Darkness from twilight, crimson from blood that flows, buried in the flow of time. In Thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness! Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I possess! DRAGU SLAVE!!" Hiero chanted, his body spinning about once as the darkness between his hand became pretty bubbles of golden light. As the turn was completed, Hiero facing the deathly close Alseides guymelefs, the golden lights grew into a giant ball of crimson energy. The energy just swirled around within the ball like red dragons chasing each other, dazzling Dilandau further before the ball of crimson shot forth the enemy. The landscape went red, everything blocked from Dilandau's eyes as Hiero spell volleyed through whatever was before him.
You're running out of time, the higher that you climb,
the deeper you will fall and lose sight of it all….
Out of time, on the line,
Living in sin!!
Dilandau's mind swooned half from delight and half from shock when the redness vanished, all the guymelefs that had been there before gone from his sight. Part of the mountain had been blasted off, and the forest below was now a blackened trail of smoldering flames in an expanse as large as the Vione was wide.
'The power….incredible….' he thought, his natural smirk erupting across his lips as he looked up at Hiero. His smirk deepened with pleasure at the energetic look on Hiero's face, as the flames danced against his double-colored eyes. "Suck on that, Zaibach. Your reign….is at an end. I love that spell, its so much fun to cast." Hiero snickered, and looked at Dilandau," To Freid now?"
"Yes….one angel to go, even if she is a jinx." Dilandau sniffed. Hiero looked annoyed a moment, then smiled. "She's not so bad. She's the Angel of Love, the force that gives life power and death reason. Don't bad mouth her, she's important to me….I mean the angels." Hiero said, blushing a bit.
Dilandau rolled his eyes, but maintained his expression. "Never mind, let's get to Freid. That filthy thing drooled on me while you were taking your sweet time in its gut." Dilandau scoffed, getting a laugh out of Hiero as he picked Dilandau off hi legs and back in his arms. He took them towards Gatti and the others, all who wore expressions of fear and shock.
"I don't want to be carried all the way to Freid like a child. It is embarrassing for me. I'm a damn general, not a two-year old!" Dilandau added.
Hiero chuckled, flying past the others, who soon followed him. "Half-way there, we'll stop so you can spread your wings. Fair enough? We're far enough away from the trade routes, no one will see." Hiero told him, giggling a little. Dilandau huffed, but gave off a nod. "Ok….and Hiero?" Dilandau said, biting his lip.
Hiero looked at him, but Dilandau frowned slightly, looking ahead. "Never mind. It's not important." He breathed, looking up at the Moon and Mystic Moon as they glowed bright in the starry sky.
He heard Hiero chuckled deep in his throat, but Dilandau didn't look at him. "You're welcome." Hiero said quietly, and with utmost sincerity.
Out of time, the higher that you climb,
the deeper you will fall and lose sight of it all….
Out of time, on the line,
Living In Victory!!
Living In Victory!!
Dilandau smirked, nodded gently. "Yeah….I know."
*The Chariot card represent Hiero using his will and strength to achieve his goal and victory. Also, Hiero coming out on top no matter what peril befell him, no matter how much pain came his way, he conquered it and beat his opponents.
**Ha-ou means Supreme King, which is Dynast Grausherra's noble Slayer's title as a Mazuko Lord his subordinates, even Hiero, use most often to talk to him.
^^Onii-san means big brother in Japanese.
Teaser: Duke Chid of Freid crashes into Hiero's love life and the return of Val, and someone will suffer a broken heart.
