~*~Chapter 4 Golbez' minion~*~
Behind Valvalis, from out of nowhere, a man wearing a dark armor with a horned helmet and a black cloak entered.
"Is that the reason you wanted me to spare him?" the man asked, scornfully, "you thought that he was cute?"
"I considered his strength and abilities to attack his enemies from above as good reasons to keep him alive." Valvalis said, coldly.
"Of course, my dear. Now step aside."
Valvalis moved, and Kain found himself under a judging gaze.
"So you're Golbez, then?" the dragoon snarled.
"Indeed. And your name is Kain, a good friend of this Cecil that everyone in Baron seem so proud of."
"I suppose I cannot deny it."
"No, you can't."
Golbez sneered.
"Now then, let's turn you into my faithful servant, shall we?" he said and raised his hands.
Kain screamed in pain as his head began to burn from the inside.
'I can't let…' he thought, desperately trying to fight Golbez back, 'Cecil is my friend, I'm a dragoon… I love Rosa, she loves Cecil… he is my friend… I am a dragoon… I love… Rosa… Cecil is my… I am… I am… I love Rosa… I am… I am a dra… Cecil, I… he is my… he is… he… '
"You're quite a challenge, I give." Golbez admitted and clenched his fists.
Valvalis just stood there, silent, as Kain roared and tried to tear off the chains, twisting like a wounded animal.
'I am… I am… Kain… Cecil is my… Rosa don't… they are my… I am a… I am… I… I hate them… Cecil is my enemy… my name is Kain, I am a dragoon, and I hate Cecil!'
His heart burned with rage at the memory of the man in the dark armor, who had the love Kain wanted more than anything else, and not even seemed to appreciate it. He hated Rosa for loving Cecil, and he wished most of all to take his spear and stab it through the Dark knight's chest. And he knew that Golbez gladly would help him, if he only obeyed.
"Let him down, Valvalis," the man dressed in black said with a triumphantly sneer.
She pointed at the chains, and Kain landed on the ground. He stood up for a moment, then he sat down on one knee before Golbez.
"I will follow only your commands, my liege," the dragoon said.
"Good man," Golbez sneered, "firstly you should get equipped. Valvalis, bring him to the room where they dumped his armor and weapon."
"As you wish."
Golbez disappeared into thin air, and Valvalis put her hand on Kain's shoulder, making him stand up.
"Come on," she said without any expression in her voice, "I'll bring you to the armory."
They walked out of the cell and through a dark corridor. Kain hardly thought about the path, his mind and heart were so filled with rage that he could hardly think.
"Just give me one chance," he growled, thinking aloud, "I'll teach you my misery and pain, Cecil!"
Valvalis said nothing. Kain didn't notice that she watched him, frowning.
They left the corridor and entered Baron castle. The many guards they passed had very empty eyes, as if they really weren't alive. But Kain didn't think about it. He didn't care.
Valvalis opened the door to the armory.
"Which one was yours?" she said, thoughtful.
"There." Kain said and pointed, without even really looking.
"Ah, yes. And your spear too."
Valvalis nodded and said:
"Why don't you rest some and change to something more appropriate before you put the armor on?"
"I don't need to rest," Kain growled, "I am ready to fight, and that's that!"
"Good boy," a familiar voice said.
Kain somehow felt he should feel nervous hearing that voice, but he couldn't remember why, and didn't turn around.
"He really is a strong fighter, Valvalis," the voice continued, "maybe you were right."
"I knew I was right, Kainazzo!" the fiend of Air snapped.
"Touchy about being turned down, eh?"
"Would you care for a few lightning bolts or a full storm?" Valvalis snarled, raising one hand.
There was the sound of a pair of feet hurrying backwards.
"Much better. Now go away," Valvalis growled.
The voice muttered angrily, more and more distant.
"Idiot…" Valvalis mumbled.
Kain didn't care what that had been all about. He went over to his equipment, which all lay on a table, and checked it over. Not a single scratch on the armor. He grabbed his spear and weighed it in his hands, smiling over the familiar, trustworthy grip. Valvalis walked over to his side.
"Just out of curiosity," she said, "since you can't use magic, how do you manage to jump so high wearing that armor?"
"It's only a matter of the power of a dragoon," Kain said, bored.
"I see…"
'Why is this?' she thought, confused, 'I thought I would like him better when we were on the same side… but suddenly, he's completely different. And why does his spear and armor seem so familiar…?'
'Feelings, Valvalis?' a cold voice said inside of her head, sending an arrow through her mind, 'what is this?'
'I suppose that the last grain of my humanity makes one last, desperate move, master Zemus,' she thought, 'I beg you to forgive me this. It will not happen again.'
'Better not,' her master said, 'if you were a lesser minion I would take care of you immediately. This disgrace is most irritating. I will have to consider to once more bring you here to me for a while.'
'No, master!' Valvalis thought, in sudden fear, 'please, I swear that I will not allow my human part to cause any more kind of trouble!'
'I will consider it.'
Valvalis shuddered as Zemus' mind left her.
"Are you alright?"
She looked up in surprise.
"W-what?" she stuttered.
"I asked you if you are alright," Kain said.
In his eyes, there was suddenly a shadow of the man he had been only half an hour ago. Maybe Golbez hadn't secured his grip of the dragoon properly…
"I'm fine!" Valvalis snapped, "mind your own business!"
"Fine!" he growled, his eyes turning cold.
Valvalis furiously left the room, teleporting herself to the roof of one of the castle's towers. It was easier to think up there, with the wind blowing, making her hair fly behind her.
'I was there once,' she thought with a mixture of fear and anger, 'I will do whatever my master tells me to… I will not be caught in those clutches again!'