Authors Notes: 4,700 words in this chapter, one reason it took so long to get up. Iv had a few emails asking how long this story will be and right now my best guess is 45-50. And again thanks for all the reviews and emails, glad to see I got a few people hooked. This chapter right here is going to stir up a many more questions and darken the plot a lot more. Enjoy
Fiona watched Van eat the food she had made him quickly. He said he was hungry, and he hadn't eaten since he was revived. Fiona hadn't talked much since she saw him again, even though she missed him more then she could ever imagine. Raven was still in her heart, and she didn't know how to let him go and wasn't sure she wanted to. But then Van had come back into her life, and she wanted him back and this drove her insane, trying to understand whom she loved.
"So why is Raven here?" Van asked, looking over at Fiona, pushing his plate aside.
"He saved us, he stopped the Death Stinger." She said, trying to hold back a smile.
"The Death Stinger, it came back." Van said worried.
Fiona nodded. "Hilz is back to, he escaped before the Death Stinger was destroyed."
"How is Hilz still alive!" Van shouted.
"Could ask you the same thing." Zack said walking in.
Van nodded. "I guess, why am I alive." Van looked up, watching Raven slowly walk into the room, and watched as Fiona tried to hide her face. "So you helped stop the Death Stinger." Van stood up and walked up to Raven, staring him in his eyes.
Raven smiled. "What does it matter?" He looked down at Fiona who refused to look back. Raven shook his head and walked out.
"What's with him?" Van asked, looking over at Zack who was still wearing his sling.
"It's Raven, doesn't need to have anything wrong with him." Zack also walked out, following the path Raven took.
Van looked down at Fiona. "What happened while I was gone?" He sat down next to Fiona. "Fiona, what happened?" Van watched as her eyes began to water, her body cold and trembling. "Fiona, I want to know what happened."
Fiona looked up at him, staring into his black eyes. She tried to speak, but nothing came out.
"Fiona, don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you." Van smiled, brushing a few strands of her golden hair back, leaning over and kissing her cheek.
"I'm in love with Raven." Fiona said quickly, turning her head away from Van.
Van backed away from her, widening his eyes as the last words he thought he would ever hear from Fiona were spoken. "How are you in love with Raven." Van said, disgusted with that thought. "He is cold Fiona, doesn't care about anyone?"
"Raven's changed Van, just like you did."
"What are you talking about?" Van stood up still keeping his eyes focused on Fiona.
"I love you to Van, just as much as I love Raven."
"You just didn't think I would be back did you!" Van was angry now, shouting at her for the first time in the four years he had known her.
"You said you weren't going to hurt me." Fiona said sobbing.
Van stared down at her. "Fiona this is Raven were talking about! What the Hell are you thinking. You can't trust him."
"Why not, a person can change Van. Remember how much you changed." Fiona got up and ran out of the room.
Van started to follow her but was stopped by Zack who had caught him by his shoulder.
"Will you calm down." Zack said, throwing him back into the room.
Van closed his eyes and tried to relax. "How long have they been together?"
"Few days, why she leaving you?"
"That's none of your business."
Zack smiled. "Alright, suit yourself." Zack pulled over a chair and sat down.
"What are you doing?"
"Making sure you don't go after her."
Van made a fist but decided to try and calm down. "Why would she love Raven, it doesn't seem possible."
"Well it is." Zack smiled again and got up. "Alright, lets go."
Van looked at Zack. "Go where?"
Zack smiled and walked out.
Raven watched Fiona slowly walk in. "What do you want?"
Fiona sat down next to him.
"So you want to go back to Van." Raven waited for her to reply.
Fiona looked at him and shook her head. "No, I'm not." Fiona stood up, putting her hands on top of Raven's and bring him up with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on his lips, feeling his arms slide down to her waist slowly. But it didn't take long to understand that this was all wrong.
Van watched in horror, watching the girl he loved standing there kissing the man he hated. "Fiona!" He shouted.
Fiona turned around, ending her kiss with Raven, watching Van walk over to her. "Why Fiona, I thought you loved me!" Van looked at her, but didn't stay around. He walked out quickly, ignoring Fiona who was calling him.
"Van wait!" Fiona started to chase him but stopped and looked at Raven. "Raven, this isn't right."
"What do you mean?" Raven didn't like what she had just said.
"I. I can't leave Van. I love him too much, and Iv known him all of my life basically."
"You just said you wouldn't go back to him."
"Raven, I have to. Please."
Raven looked at her, again he felt a rage he hadn't felt in a long time. "So your just going to leave me, take what little heart I have with you."
Fiona was hurting inside, trying to understand what she had to do. She loved both Raven and Van with every shred of love she had in her heart and soul, but Fiona knew she could only be with one. And that meant hurting one of them, either Raven who had nothing left in his life except her, or Van who she loved more then anything else. "I'm sorry Raven." She walked up to him and kissed him on his cheek softly, whispering into his ear. "Goodbye."
Raven stood there, shock and anger showed easily on his face. He watched Fiona slowly walk out, trying to follow Van. Raven sat down and started to cry, Shadow coming over, trying to comfort his master. "Lets go Shadow, we have nothing here any more." He stood up and walked out, heading over to his GenoBreaker. Getting into the cockpit, he looked around hoping Fiona was there, wanting to come back to him. But she wasn't, and again Raven had nothing. "Lets go Shadow, Loki." He said, his voice low. Both Organoids merged with the GenoBreaker, bringing it to life quickly. The GenoBreaker quickly moved off of the base, and Raven didn't even bother to look back. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, though he knew what he had to do. Jason was behind this, that was certain. And for that, Raven would find and kill him and he would make sure nothing stopped him.
Hilz looked up at the Zoid. The immense Zoid was a GenoSauer, but much more powerful then any other type.
"I told you Hilz, one of the greatest Zoids to ever step on this planet. The first Zoid used as a weapon of war." Jason said, walking up to it.
"How is it different from a standard GenoSauer?" Hilz walked up to it as well, staring at Ambient.
"It has the firepower of the GenoSauer, the stealth of a Hellcat, and the armor of a Dibision."
Hilz smiled. "So what do you want me to do with this?"
"What you do best, kill everything and everyone."
"I don't have to lose to anyone, or let someone live."
Jason laughed. "No Hilz, kill them all. No mercy needs to be shown, this is the beginning of the end. Anyone you come across, burn them."
Hilz nodded and smiled, walking up to the GenoSauer. "Finally. Ambient, let's finish what we started."
Jason watched the Organoid merge as Hilz got into the cockpit and woke the sleeping Zoid. "You failed your first test Van, lets see if you can make up for it." Jason turned and walked out, Phantom following him.
Zack put the last thing he needed in the back of his Sabertiger, ready to leave the base. The incidents over the last day have driven him insane, trying to figure exactly what was going on with Fiona, Raven, and Van. He knew Raven had left, and Fiona was searching the base trying to find Van. Though he didn't know why, maybe she was going to apologize. Zack got into the cockpit, but watched as a green and orange Gustav pulled into the hanger and decided to see why Moonbay and Irvine had come back. "Why are you two back?" He shouted, watching them get out of the cockpit.
"We heard Van was back." Moonbay said.
Zack smiled. "Yea he is, but how the Hell did you two know."
"Fiona told us, she sent us a transmission little more then a day ago."
Zack's smile disappeared. "We haven't even been at the base for a day, and she didn't see him until we got here."
Moonbay kept moving on, but Irvine stopped and looked at him. "She said he was here."
"He is, but I don't know how she could have told you. Not from the time you said you found out." Zack jumped down in the cockpit as Irvine slowly walked out. He shook his head, trying to get the confusion out of his mind. "What the Hell is going on." He said to himself, taking the Sabertiger out of the hanger and out over the green flatlands, following the river the base got its name from, heading back to the place he had come from. A few hours into his trip, he watched the comm. go up. "John didn't know you had any way of contacting me."
"Desperate times. I found something and need you to translate it." John said moving a piece of sandstone into view.
"Zack looked at it studying the text. "Innretting av lysene åpner porten til City av Tiger og løpet av krigere lang tankedøde." Zack looked back at the two words that he did understand. "City av Tiger. Where the Hell did you get this."
John paused. "I don't know, I found it laying on my bed when I woke up."
Zack looked at the piece of stone. "How old?"
"Same as all the others, but there's something else you should know about."
"What's that?"
"City of the Tiger. A Zodian city built shortly after the race was born."
"So you're saying."
"I'm pretty sure that's the city is where it was created."
"Alright where is it?"
John shook his head. "Zack the city is destroyed, every tablet and pillar we find is part of that city."
"I don't get it."
"See this tablet, it was part of a wall for the city. Remember the man I told you who wrote all of these, it was all carved in the one city. Everything thing on Zoids Eve and the Death Sauer or Tiger is a wall or pillar of that city. The Zodian's destroyed it shortly after the Tiger and Death Sauer had been stopped. They never wanted anyone to find any of this together."
"The entire history of the Zodians was recorded in the walls of one city." Zack was tired of all this confusion.
"Exactly, written long before it ever happened." John bit his lip and shook his head. "There is one thing on this tablet you might want to hear."
"Go ahead." Zack continued to look out on the road, a Whale King flying past him, heading back towards the base but he decided not to worry about it.
"It's a prophecy about the Tiger's reawakening. Når Satans sønn velger hans pawns og utløser dem inn i der ønskede drømer, begynner planen av en andre Black Era, og når hjertene av elskere erter da andre trinnet er nær. Siste skrittet er resurrection av Hells wraith, da de valgte krigerne av demonen tar en posisjon fastsette om liv fortjener leve i Gods felt."
Zack stared at it. "No idea what it says."
John smiled. "Neither do I, but there's a few words already written in basic language. Black Era is one of them."
Zack looked up, remembering Fiona had said that was the title of the book he had found in Rusiano. "You know what the Black Era is?"
John nodded. "The time when the Tiger and Death Sauer walked the land, destroying race after race."
"Where was this city built at?"
"Along the Cassin Sea, why?"
"I want to see if there's anything there."
"Alright, I think it's a waste of time but go ahead. Here's the exact location."
Zack read the numbers that came in on his console. "Long trip."
"Very, keep in touch and Ill do the same." John said.
"Yea thanks John." Zack smiled and killed the transmission. Again Zack was lost in his mind everything going blank as he took a drink of water from his canteen. He turned his Zoid, changing the course for the long trip ahead, hoping this was all worth it.
Fiona looked at Van he was sitting there on the bed, his chin resting on his hands. "Raven left." She said softly, hoping he wasn't hurt, though she knew he was.
"Surprised you didn't go with him." Van didn't even raise his head to look at her.
"Van, I haven't been myself lately. I'm sorry." She sat on the bed next to him, but not getting to close to upset him.
"I don't get it Fiona, I mean what did you see in Raven." Finally he looked over at her.
"I don't know, but I know I shouldn't have done that."
"Doesn't matter, you did. Fiona, you have no idea how much that hurt to see you kissing him like that."
"Yes I do." She smiled at him. "When I had to watch you fight Raven, then watch as your cockpit was destroyed along with you."
Van smiled. "I guess you do know something like it." Van and Fiona watched as Moonbay and Irvine came in. "What are you to doing here?"
"Came to see you." Moonbay came and hugged Van. "Didn't think we ever would again."
Van smiled and looked at Irvine. "Happy to see me as well?"
Irvine shrugged. "Sure why not." He walked over and pat him on his shoulder, glad to see his friend alive. Then he looked at Fiona. "Did you tell us he was alive?"
Fiona shook her head. "No, I haven't told anyone."
Moonbay sat down and looked at her. "But it was you, you told us Zack had brought Van back here."
Again Fiona shook her head.
"That's weird." Irvine said. "So how are you alive anyways?" He said bringing his attention back to Van.
"I don't know, I can't remember anything beyond the fight with Raven." Van said.
"Who cares, your alive." Moonbay said. "Missed you so much Van."
Van smiled. "Yea missed you to." Van watched as Thomas and Karl walked in.
"Well Ill be dammed." Karl said smiling. "You really are alive."
"Told you." Thomas said.
"How though, everyone said you were dead. Then we all watched you get buried and that's been way over a month." Karl said leaning against a wall.
"Don't know, all I know is it was like waking up. I turned and saw the gravestone with my name on it." Van stopped there.
"Well your alive." Karl smiled and saluted. "Welcome back."
Van stood up and saluted back, smiling.
Karl turned and walked out, Thomas followed him out.
Van looked over at Irvine, he was wearing his old clothes. "What happened Irvine, left the Republic?"
Irvine smiled. "Yea, was to boring for me."
"Just couldn't handle it could you."
Irvine laughed. "I think it's the other way around Van."
"Yea, right."
Fiona smiled. The past month seemed like nothing more then a bad dream now, watching them as if nothing had happened like they had for a while. But for some reason all of this troubled her even though she knew it shouldn't. And now, Raven seemed far from her heart like he had been years before and she didn't know why. But it was also the same with Van, now he seemed closer to her then he had in the years before and all of this didn't seem right.
"Come on Fiona, me and you are going to cook a big meal for Van here and I need your help." Moonbay said walking out.
Fiona smiled, waking from her thoughts. "Ok." She followed Moonbay out quickly.
Jason walked through the narrow cavern, walking into the catacomb he had been used to seeing. He looked around, the pit was the most noticeable feature of the room.
"Your plan seems to have failed." Ryss said, walking up to him from the side.
Jason closed his eyes, learning why she would say that. He smiled and shook her head. "No Ryss, it is working perfectly. Raven is now heartbroken, Van has little trust with Fiona, and Fiona herself is lost and confused."
Ryss smiled back at him. "Did you forget I can read your thoughts. I know what your plan was."
Jason looked at her, his face stiff.
"You wanted Raven and Fiona to stay with each other, but that didn't happen." Ryss walked over to the pit and stared down.
"Very good Ryss, you caught me in a lie but what can I say. Either way they are still in the same state except now neither loves anyone anymore."
Ryss shook her head. "Where's Hilz?"
"I gave him the GenoSauer created by Zoid Eve. Told him to destroy everything."
Ryss looked at him, wiping the smile she had away. "But." She didn't finish.
"Don't worry, he will lose fairly quickly. Van, Fiona, and Raven will all live, though a few friends wont."
Ryss looked down, staring at the orange Tiger lying in the water. "Why are you doing this?"
"What do you want me to give an explanation for?"
"Why do you keep ruining their lives like that? They didn't do anything to you."
"Course they didn't. I can't let them get too friendly with each other. They might stand a chance if I do. I could be much worse Ryss, you know that."
Ryss looked back down at the Tiger. "Your insane." She said.
"No, I'm not. Take a look around the universe Ryss. People who kill, people who rape and steal and ruin lives. Wars because of power hungry leaders. Even are race didn't deserve to live Ryss, taking the gift of Zoid Eve, turning them into killing machines to please are superiors. A man has no superior, and a man has no equal. It is a small sacrifice, but the reward is great."
"You're going to kill everyone because of the mistakes of the few."
Jason smiled. "The mistakes of few end up hurting everyone. The Tiger will put this universe out of its misery." Jason walked up to her, then looked down at the Tiger. "Prozen is alive."
Ryss looked up, her face had a hint of shock and surprise on it.
"Yes, never did die truly. Can't I suppose, too much like me. So I will be resting in the shadows once again, waiting for the sun to set, then I will roam freely in the night." Jason thought for a moment, not moving any. "Hilz knows it to, shame I cant find a good henchman anywhere. First Drake and now Hilz." He began to shake his head. "Shame, shame."
Ryss still couldn't believe Prozen was alive still. "Then what is he going to do."
"Try to accomplish what he started before. Still underestimates how well I molded my pawns, though I suppose he doesn't know that." Jason smiled. "Conquering and controlling the universe. Such a pathetic dream with no cause besides greed and hunger. Mine is much simpler, and much healthier. Yes, the Dark Kaiser returns. Except now he knows where Zoid Eve is, at least part of her. And with the GenoSauer of Zoid Eve under his command, will be much tougher to stop then he was before." Jason looked back down at the Tiger. "Shame none of them know exactly how powerful the Tiger is, if they did they would try and stop me. But when they realize it will be far to late." Jason turned and walked out of the room, leaving Ryss much to think about and much unanswered. Finally Jason found what he wanted, the white Organoid Van called Zeke. Drake had brought him as well as the Blade Liger. Jason bent down and put his hand on the Organoid. Just like humans, the Organoid began to glow and quickly springing to life. Jason listened as he hissed and growled at him. Raising his hand, forming a small ball of energy, and throwing it at the Organoid knocking him to the ground. "I gave you another chance my friend, take the Blade Liger and go to Van, otherwise Ill kill you both again." He watched Zeke stand there still for a moment, but then run off. "Did you a favor Van." He said to himself, smiling.
Raven got out of the cockpit and stretched, taking a drink of water from a small lake. He looked over at his two Organoids, both keeping up with him. Raven was still hurt, wishing he had never met Fiona, wishing he had killed Van the second he had seen him. He looked up at the sky, the sun starting to set. Raven decided to spend the night here, try to forget about the few days that he had just gone through. It took him about ten minutes before he was done, and when he was done he started boiling some water so he could make something to eat. "He looked over at Shadow and Loki, the only creatures that liked him. Raven turned around, listening to some birds scatter from a few trees behind him, but he didn't pay much attention to it. He got up and carved a spear out of a thick branch he had found and decided to go and catch a fish from the lake. Raven took off his boots and walked in, the water cool and relaxing. It didn't take long for him to find a fish, he jabbed the spear down into the water, brining a fairly large fish up with it. He smiled, walking back to the shore. Raven took his knife and began to fillet the fish, throwing the pieces over the fire. About 30 minutes later, the sun was down and Raven had finished his dinner, feeling a little better. He looked back at his Organoids. "Tomorrow, we'll find Jason and make sure he doesn't torment us any more." Raven pulled the blanket over him and closed his eyes, but waking up by he sound of a gunshot. He looked up and saw Loki on the ground, a hole through the Organoids neck. Shadow hissing at a man hiding in the shadows. It didn't take Raven long to figure out who it was. "Hilz!" He yelled.
Hilz smiled and raised his pistol again, took aim and fired. Raven fell to the ground quickly, Ambient took care of Shadow, knocking the Organoid out with its tail. Hilz walked over and picked the body up, nodding his head to Ambient to bring Shadow. Taking both of them back to the GenoSauer.
Fiona felt something, but wasn't sure exactly what it was. She shook her head and looked back at the reunited friends. Rudolph, Marianne, Van, Irvine, Moonbay, Thomas, Karl, Kruger, Hermann, and O'Connell sat at the massive table, talking and coagulating each other. Everyone glad to see Van back alive.
"I still can't believe your alive Van." Rudolph said laughing as he did.
"Neither can I." O'Connell added on.
"Your lucky Van, don't know how but you got a second chance." Hermann said, taking a drink of wine as he did. "Very lucky man."
"Yea." Van smiled. They had been talking for nearly four hours and he was tired. He stood up, stretched and yawned. "I'm going to sleep, tired."
They all agreed with him, telling him to get as much sleep as he could and how they were all glad to see him once again, and wondering if he would go back to piloting.
Fiona followed him, wanting to talk with him alone though he knew she was following him and waited for her around a corner.
"Got a reason for following me?" Van jumped out, spooking her. He was smiling, seemed to have forgotten the kiss Fiona gave Raven.
Fiona smiled. "I wanted to say I'm sorry again."
"Don't worry Fiona, I shouldn't have snapped at you like I did." Van paused for a moment. "You going to be alright."
"Yes." She was still smiling at him. "I still don't know why I loved Raven, I don't even know if I still do."
"Don't worry about it Fiona." Van gave a small laugh and kissed her forehead. "We can talk tomorrow."
Fiona watched him walk off, she was still smiling. Truly happy for the first time since he had died. She knew know Van was the one she loved. Fiona jumped as she heard a siren go off, it was the warning system for the base. She ran back, going to the command center. "What's happening?" She said, loud and worried.
"A Blade Liger is approaching the base very quickly. 180 kph right now." Hermann said, activating the screen. "I don't believe it." He recognized the Blade Liger instantly.
Fiona knew it as well, but didn't know how it was possible.
Van burst in. "What's going on?"
"Looks like your Zoid knew you came back as well." Kruger said, pointing at the screen.
Van smiled then laughed, running out of the command center.
"That thing was destroyed, nothing could fix that." O'Connell said, surprised to see it.
"So was Van, but he came back as well." Hermann said.
"Zeke's in it!" Fiona shouted joyfully. Running out to the hanger with Van.
"He is?" Hermann asked.
Kruger smiled. "I don't know what's going on, but as long as it continues I'm happy." He turned and walked.
"Yea me to." Hermann said slowly, following him out.
Van and Fiona watched the Blade Liger pull up to the base, Zeke jumping out of it running towards Van and Fiona.
"Hey Zeke." Van laughed, hugging his Organoid as it tackled him to the ground.
"Hi Zeke." Fiona smiling and laughing as well, petting the Organoid gently on the head.
Irvine watched, and wondered. "Well, can't get much better then this." He looked over at Moonbay.
"This is all like a dream, everyone is coming back to us. Everyone we love and care for."
Irvine laughed. "Sure seems like that."
Moonbay felt Irvine put his arm around her, then lean over and kiss her. "Any reason for doing that."
Irvine smiled and shrugged. "Not really." He put his arms around her again, passionately kissing her, feeling her put her hands on his shoulder blades.
Jason took out the Tiger's stone and smiled. "Now Tiger, you awaken." He threw it into the water, listening to the soft growl of the Tiger.
"What are you doing!" Ryss screamed, running up to the pit, which Jason had thrown the stone in.
"In one week Ryss, the Tiger will be born again. Will I use it once the week is up, doubt it. But it will come to life, and it will remain hidden to all including us Zodians." Jason looked over at Phantom and walked off.
Ryss stared down at the pit, the eyes of the Tiger burning red with rage. She could tell it was excited, thrilled because it would kill once more like it had before, bringing a new era to the universe, again like it had once before. And like once before, noting except a miracle would stop it.