Ziabach's worst enemy
Part. 7
After I woke up, I saw Miguel start leaving the room. Looking around, I wondered what he was doing. I found a box of tissues on the side of the bed. Oh man, if they brought me those things then they must have known I was crying.
"Thanks." I said, sitting up and wiping my eyes.
He turned around and nodded. "I felt a little bad for having to strap you down when it was so obvious that you didn't want me too. So I decided to bring you some tissues."
"Yeah, I appreciate it." I said, reaching for one and wiping my eyes and my nose.
"Yeah." He said.
"Miguel, how come you're here? I mean, you seem too nice to be someone who will kill someone just because Dilandau tells you to."
"Well, I actually didn't want to be here, my dad sent me."
Hearing that his dad sent him, I straightened up in surprise. Was I seeing his memory? From when his dad made him go?
"Your dad? What, did he have a maid pack your bag and send for a carriage without you knowing where you were going to go or something?" I asked. I knew I had surprised him by knowing what I did.
"What...?" He asked, and started walking back.
"Um... I was just guessing..." I said.
"Well, you sure guessed right."
"Um... actually, I had a dream about when that happened. I know that you want to tell someone, so, I can listen if you want me to," I said, shrugging, I wanted him to be able to trust me, how else would I end up making it so that I could leave without them knowing? I had to have their help, and I couldn't really get out without them.
"A dream? What, are you physic or something?" He asked.
"Uh... I don't think so..." I said. What if I was though. But, then wouldn't I be able to see a happy part of someone's life too?
"Your just like...." He started to say, but the door opened and Dilandau stepping in.
"Flirting with our prisoner are we Miguel?" He asked.
"No sir!" He said, bowing.
"At least it's not as bad as the things that you've done!" I but in. Dilandau glared at me before jerking his head to signal for Miguel to leave the room. Miguel left as directed, and I looked away, I didn't want to have to look at him. He was gross. Dilandau didn't move until the door was closed.
"What are you so mad about?" he asked. I didn't say anything but didn't look at him either.
"You know what?" I asked, finally turning and looking at him and walking until I was in front of him.
"What?" He asked.
"This." I said, and smacked him, hard, splitting his lip. "Never ever touch a girl without her permission."
"Heh, a little mad are you?" He asked, wiping the blood starting to travel down his chin a little ways.
"No, I just hate you that's all." I said, I spun around getting more force before kicking Dilandau into the wall and trapping him there with my foot against his chest.
"I'd say you were a little more then mad."
"What did you put in my room?" I asked, glancing over at the darkest corner where I saw him setting something up in my room the other night.
"None if your business," He said, gripping my foot like a cork screw and twisting it, sending me flying through the air in a spiral.
"Ugh, actually, it is my business!" I said as he came down to punch me. I rolled out of the way so his knuckles him the ground only hurting himself. "It's in the room I'm staying in!" I shouted, bringing my foot down on the back of his neck making him lie flat on the floor.
"Well, your not really the person in charge and I don't have to tell you anything!" He yelled before punching me hard in the stomach and making me get dizzy. Taking the advantage he elbowed me in the head making it even more hard to concentrate.
I stumbled back into the wall, hitting my head again, but I had enough sense to block Dilandau's incoming kick to my stomach and move out of the way so he couldn't elbow me again.
"Even when you're dazed you seem to be able to know what's coming." He said, finally trapping me against the wall with his hand on my neck ready to choke me if I tried anything I shouldn't.
"Well, I am known for being a good fighter and being your burden." I said. It was true, that was the reason I was known through Ziabach, because I was such a problem to them. I was hard to catch and fast acting, in other words, the opposite of Ziabach.
"Hm." He said, his grip getting tighter around my neck. I had to put a hand on his and pull on his fingers to stop me from suffocating, but he was stronger then I was. Right when I was about to pass out, he let go and I fell to the floor gasping for air. "Folken-sama says that you are a better prisoner then he expected and you're allowed to walk more freely around now. It's not like you're going to find out anything you didn't know before." He said, then turned and left.
"What?" I asked, my hand still on my throat. More freedom? What was that supposed to mean? I would get to walk around more? Weren't they afraid that I would escape again? Or.. maybe they were doing this so that it would show that I wasn't such a great threat now or something. But how could that be? I've always been a pain to them. I've always had them on the edge of their seats hoping that I didn't know their next move and I hadn't told the town they were coming or something. So, why was it different now?
Because I had no town to worry about? Because I didn't care about the people any more? Because I didn't care what happened to me now that their experiments were useless against me? Because they knew that I wouldn't tell them anything anyway? Even if they were beating me to my death? Maybe, but how could I know? I didn't. I would just have to guess.
I looked over to the door, did that mean that I would be able to open it now? That I could walk around the deck and watch Dilandau train his soldiers? What was it supposed to mean? I was getting confused and needed some fresh air compared to all the heat and darkness being cooped up in this room all the time.
I walked over to the door and it opened. I raised my eye brows, I guess there was no need for the code now that I wasn't restricted or anything.
Slowly I walked out. Noticing how many camera's were in the halls, I wondered if they had just put them in because I don't ever remember them being there while I would sneak around.
I looked into their lenses and walked calmly, I didn't have to worry about anything surprising me or anything, I knew what was where and when whatever turned on.
I headed down to where I heard swords clanging and people shouting. It must have been the training room, where else would I hear those things? The torture room something in my voice said. Why would they be torturing people? Because they're Ziabach...
Cautiously walking up to the door, I peeked into the window. People with their swords hitting and making their owners wrists start to hurt. A boy cried out as his opponent made a slash in his shoulder. I could tell it must have been hot in that room, it was big, but had lots of lights, sweat was dropping off their foreheads and their faces a little red from all the fighting.
I watched to see their fighting style, maybe if I was going to fight them, this would give me little hints on what they did and how strong they attacked, if I was going to fight them I wanted to know if I could block them or if they were so strong I would have to move out of the way.
Then, I saw Dilandau. Taking on two guys, his white tang top was soaked with sweat, I had to look away. Just... something about it. I turned around and there was Folken, right in my face.
"Woah!" I shouted, and before I knew what I was doing I had high kicked him and was about to punch him when his fist came out and caught mine.
"Calm down." He said, and let go of me.
"You shouldn't sneak up on people, you might get hurt." I said, starting to walk away.
"Who were you watching?" He asked.
"Everybody. When I have to fight you I want to be able to know how hard someone attacks or with what strategy. All right?" I asked. I couldn't stop myself from telling him what I was doing.
"Do you really think you're going to have to do that?" he asked.
"Yes, for when I get out of here and train enough to come back and hit you really hard." I said, before I could stop myself, it's like I couldn't control my mouth for some reason.
"Hm. Have fun looking around." He said, and stepped into the room. I ducked out before I think anyone saw me. Creeping around in the halls was something I was used to, and I tended to favor looking through the shadows, I don't know if someone saw me, maybe they didn't, but I know that there were people looking around because they could here my feet hitting then ground. I finally stopped walking and looked at the door in front of me.
How did I get here? I was just walking, for once I didn't know where I was going. It was odd, like something else was leading me here.
"Top Secret! For Generals Only." I read allowed. 'Sounds interesting' I thought, and put my hand on the knob. I didn't even turn it and it opened. The room was dark, there was a faint lighting coming from a torch in the back of the room, and file cabinets all over the place.
I walked in, after looking around to be sure that no one was coming. Closing the door behind me quietly, I walked over to the fist cabinet and read what it said.
New recruits, how long soldiers are planning to stay.
Hm, nothing of interest. I moved to the next one.
People who are a danger to Ziabach.
This could prove to be useful. If I was going to get people to help me, then I might be able to find some of them in here. I opened the cabinet and started looking through names. Suddenly one flew out at me.
Magus Zeal.
I stopped, and took out the folder with care. I sat down on the floor looking at his name for a few minutes, and then finally opened the file.
Magus Zeal is one of Ziabach's greatest dangers. He has killed several captains and will not stop for anything until everyone in high rank has been taught a lession.
I skimmed the paragraph and then my eyes caught sight of something at the bottom.
No longer living. Killed by Folken Strategose.
My hands started shaking and my eyes swelled up with tears. But... it said Folken, how could that be? Everyone thought that Dilandau had done it...... But it all made sense... four years ago, Dilandau was only eleven. How could they recruit someone so young? When four years ago Folken was all ready a part of Ziabach and in his early twenties... so all this time I had been wrong about Dilandau.
A tear fell from my eye and landed on the paper. 'Oh no' I though quickly wiping it away, but the water mark was still there, and now smeared some of the ink.
I heard someone walking down the hall, I quickly took out some of the papers detailing the fight, and shoved them up my sleeve, folding them around my arm so it looked like nothing was there, and put the folder back where it was, closed the drawer and stood up.
Then the door opened. 'Uh ho....' I thought. Great, now what was going to happen to me?
"Tora. I knew it was you on the camera." I heard Dilandau say.
"Yeah, so what about it?" I asked, walking past him and out the door. His hand reached out and grabbed my arm tightly. I looked at it. "Let me go." I demanded.
"So, I would guess that you know now." He said.
"Yes, but I still hate you for destroying my village." I said, wrenching my arm out of his grasp.
"Ah well, if you were here you'd know you had better follow orders too." He said, turning and looking at me.
"So, in other words your saying you didn't kill Master Magus, and that you only burned down my village because you were told to?" I asked. He didn't say anything, just looked at me. "Where is your brain?! Don't you ever get tired of following orders? You are just like everyone else here, you don't know how to have fun." I said, before turning hotly and stalking away. If he was going to make my village as flat as the ground around it he could have at least done it because he thought of it, not because someone else told him too! I hoped Gatti and Miguel would be able to teach him how to have a little fun. Maybe then he wouldn't be such a nag.
"Tora." he said, walking back up to me.
"What?" I snapped.
He held out his hand.
"What?" I asked again.
"Give me the papers." He said.
"What?" I asked like I didn't know what was going on.
His hand shot out and grabbed my arm with the papers. His thumb dug into my skin and he heard the paper crinkle. "Let go." I demanded.
He stuck his fingers up my sleeve and I pulled back, but some of the papers were sticking out.
"Tora, give me the papers." He said, his voice didn't seem to be so mean anymore. Like, now that he didn't have to play the big bad enemy anymore he was showing he could be more gentle then I though. "Tora." He said, holding out his hand again.
"No." I said, pushing them back into my sleeve.
"Tora. If I have to rip off your sleeve I will." He said.
"You'd have to catch me first." I said, and then bolted. It was weird, like, now that I knew he wasn't the one who killed my master I didn't have to be so mean, just like now that I knew, his tone wasn't so harsh.
"Tora!" He called, then I could hear his feet hitting the ground behind me. It was so weird, like playing tag, and he was 'it'.
I cut sharp turns and dodged past two walking dragon slayers. It must have looked pretty weird to them. Dilandau running after me for what looked like no reason because they couldn't see the papers under my sleeve.
I could here his feet behind me getting closer, he knew these passages as well, if not better, then I did, and he was probably the same speed, maybe a little faster, but I got a head start, it just depended on who could last the longest. I was pretty sure that I could, considering I had to be running fast continuously to get back to my house before Ziabach could spot and catch me.
But, the I could hear his feet getting much closer, maybe three feet behind me, then he jumped and tackled me to the ground.
"Ugh!" I said as I hit the ground, Dilandau rolled me over and reached up my sleeve grabbing the papers and giving me a sly smile. "You cheated." I said sticking out my tongue and then pulling it back quickly.
For the first time I heard him laugh. It's not a crazy one they gave him like in the TV show, but, one that fit him better. It wasn't high pitched, but not down low either, it fit him perfectly.
"You run pretty fast for a girl," he said, sitting up. I looked around the hall, no one around. Good, I didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea with me on the ground stretched out and Dilandau sitting close to me.
"Heh, I could run faster if I wanted." I said, sitting up. Something caught my ears.
A quiet voice... someone asking for help... and then something like the crack of a whip...
"What is that?" I asked, standing up.
"What?" Dilandau asked.
I walked to a door that was at the end of the hall way.
"Tora! Stop!" He yelled and came running after me, he grabbed me around my waist and pulled me back.
"Let me go! I just want to see what it is!" I said, and the cries for help became louder.
"Tora, trust me, you don't want to see!" Dilandau said, gripping me tighter.
"Let go!" I shouted, stomping on his foot and then elbowing him in the nose. I ran up to the door, and then knew why Dilandau didn't want me to see...
"You should have listened..." He said, walking up and looking into the window with me.
There, curled on the floor, a girl with blond hair... Marel... my you
Part. 7
After I woke up, I saw Miguel start leaving the room. Looking around, I wondered what he was doing. I found a box of tissues on the side of the bed. Oh man, if they brought me those things then they must have known I was crying.
"Thanks." I said, sitting up and wiping my eyes.
He turned around and nodded. "I felt a little bad for having to strap you down when it was so obvious that you didn't want me too. So I decided to bring you some tissues."
"Yeah, I appreciate it." I said, reaching for one and wiping my eyes and my nose.
"Yeah." He said.
"Miguel, how come you're here? I mean, you seem too nice to be someone who will kill someone just because Dilandau tells you to."
"Well, I actually didn't want to be here, my dad sent me."
Hearing that his dad sent him, I straightened up in surprise. Was I seeing his memory? From when his dad made him go?
"Your dad? What, did he have a maid pack your bag and send for a carriage without you knowing where you were going to go or something?" I asked. I knew I had surprised him by knowing what I did.
"What...?" He asked, and started walking back.
"Um... I was just guessing..." I said.
"Well, you sure guessed right."
"Um... actually, I had a dream about when that happened. I know that you want to tell someone, so, I can listen if you want me to," I said, shrugging, I wanted him to be able to trust me, how else would I end up making it so that I could leave without them knowing? I had to have their help, and I couldn't really get out without them.
"A dream? What, are you physic or something?" He asked.
"Uh... I don't think so..." I said. What if I was though. But, then wouldn't I be able to see a happy part of someone's life too?
"Your just like...." He started to say, but the door opened and Dilandau stepping in.
"Flirting with our prisoner are we Miguel?" He asked.
"No sir!" He said, bowing.
"At least it's not as bad as the things that you've done!" I but in. Dilandau glared at me before jerking his head to signal for Miguel to leave the room. Miguel left as directed, and I looked away, I didn't want to have to look at him. He was gross. Dilandau didn't move until the door was closed.
"What are you so mad about?" he asked. I didn't say anything but didn't look at him either.
"You know what?" I asked, finally turning and looking at him and walking until I was in front of him.
"What?" He asked.
"This." I said, and smacked him, hard, splitting his lip. "Never ever touch a girl without her permission."
"Heh, a little mad are you?" He asked, wiping the blood starting to travel down his chin a little ways.
"No, I just hate you that's all." I said, I spun around getting more force before kicking Dilandau into the wall and trapping him there with my foot against his chest.
"I'd say you were a little more then mad."
"What did you put in my room?" I asked, glancing over at the darkest corner where I saw him setting something up in my room the other night.
"None if your business," He said, gripping my foot like a cork screw and twisting it, sending me flying through the air in a spiral.
"Ugh, actually, it is my business!" I said as he came down to punch me. I rolled out of the way so his knuckles him the ground only hurting himself. "It's in the room I'm staying in!" I shouted, bringing my foot down on the back of his neck making him lie flat on the floor.
"Well, your not really the person in charge and I don't have to tell you anything!" He yelled before punching me hard in the stomach and making me get dizzy. Taking the advantage he elbowed me in the head making it even more hard to concentrate.
I stumbled back into the wall, hitting my head again, but I had enough sense to block Dilandau's incoming kick to my stomach and move out of the way so he couldn't elbow me again.
"Even when you're dazed you seem to be able to know what's coming." He said, finally trapping me against the wall with his hand on my neck ready to choke me if I tried anything I shouldn't.
"Well, I am known for being a good fighter and being your burden." I said. It was true, that was the reason I was known through Ziabach, because I was such a problem to them. I was hard to catch and fast acting, in other words, the opposite of Ziabach.
"Hm." He said, his grip getting tighter around my neck. I had to put a hand on his and pull on his fingers to stop me from suffocating, but he was stronger then I was. Right when I was about to pass out, he let go and I fell to the floor gasping for air. "Folken-sama says that you are a better prisoner then he expected and you're allowed to walk more freely around now. It's not like you're going to find out anything you didn't know before." He said, then turned and left.
"What?" I asked, my hand still on my throat. More freedom? What was that supposed to mean? I would get to walk around more? Weren't they afraid that I would escape again? Or.. maybe they were doing this so that it would show that I wasn't such a great threat now or something. But how could that be? I've always been a pain to them. I've always had them on the edge of their seats hoping that I didn't know their next move and I hadn't told the town they were coming or something. So, why was it different now?
Because I had no town to worry about? Because I didn't care about the people any more? Because I didn't care what happened to me now that their experiments were useless against me? Because they knew that I wouldn't tell them anything anyway? Even if they were beating me to my death? Maybe, but how could I know? I didn't. I would just have to guess.
I looked over to the door, did that mean that I would be able to open it now? That I could walk around the deck and watch Dilandau train his soldiers? What was it supposed to mean? I was getting confused and needed some fresh air compared to all the heat and darkness being cooped up in this room all the time.
I walked over to the door and it opened. I raised my eye brows, I guess there was no need for the code now that I wasn't restricted or anything.
Slowly I walked out. Noticing how many camera's were in the halls, I wondered if they had just put them in because I don't ever remember them being there while I would sneak around.
I looked into their lenses and walked calmly, I didn't have to worry about anything surprising me or anything, I knew what was where and when whatever turned on.
I headed down to where I heard swords clanging and people shouting. It must have been the training room, where else would I hear those things? The torture room something in my voice said. Why would they be torturing people? Because they're Ziabach...
Cautiously walking up to the door, I peeked into the window. People with their swords hitting and making their owners wrists start to hurt. A boy cried out as his opponent made a slash in his shoulder. I could tell it must have been hot in that room, it was big, but had lots of lights, sweat was dropping off their foreheads and their faces a little red from all the fighting.
I watched to see their fighting style, maybe if I was going to fight them, this would give me little hints on what they did and how strong they attacked, if I was going to fight them I wanted to know if I could block them or if they were so strong I would have to move out of the way.
Then, I saw Dilandau. Taking on two guys, his white tang top was soaked with sweat, I had to look away. Just... something about it. I turned around and there was Folken, right in my face.
"Woah!" I shouted, and before I knew what I was doing I had high kicked him and was about to punch him when his fist came out and caught mine.
"Calm down." He said, and let go of me.
"You shouldn't sneak up on people, you might get hurt." I said, starting to walk away.
"Who were you watching?" He asked.
"Everybody. When I have to fight you I want to be able to know how hard someone attacks or with what strategy. All right?" I asked. I couldn't stop myself from telling him what I was doing.
"Do you really think you're going to have to do that?" he asked.
"Yes, for when I get out of here and train enough to come back and hit you really hard." I said, before I could stop myself, it's like I couldn't control my mouth for some reason.
"Hm. Have fun looking around." He said, and stepped into the room. I ducked out before I think anyone saw me. Creeping around in the halls was something I was used to, and I tended to favor looking through the shadows, I don't know if someone saw me, maybe they didn't, but I know that there were people looking around because they could here my feet hitting then ground. I finally stopped walking and looked at the door in front of me.
How did I get here? I was just walking, for once I didn't know where I was going. It was odd, like something else was leading me here.
"Top Secret! For Generals Only." I read allowed. 'Sounds interesting' I thought, and put my hand on the knob. I didn't even turn it and it opened. The room was dark, there was a faint lighting coming from a torch in the back of the room, and file cabinets all over the place.
I walked in, after looking around to be sure that no one was coming. Closing the door behind me quietly, I walked over to the fist cabinet and read what it said.
New recruits, how long soldiers are planning to stay.
Hm, nothing of interest. I moved to the next one.
People who are a danger to Ziabach.
This could prove to be useful. If I was going to get people to help me, then I might be able to find some of them in here. I opened the cabinet and started looking through names. Suddenly one flew out at me.
Magus Zeal.
I stopped, and took out the folder with care. I sat down on the floor looking at his name for a few minutes, and then finally opened the file.
Magus Zeal is one of Ziabach's greatest dangers. He has killed several captains and will not stop for anything until everyone in high rank has been taught a lession.
I skimmed the paragraph and then my eyes caught sight of something at the bottom.
No longer living. Killed by Folken Strategose.
My hands started shaking and my eyes swelled up with tears. But... it said Folken, how could that be? Everyone thought that Dilandau had done it...... But it all made sense... four years ago, Dilandau was only eleven. How could they recruit someone so young? When four years ago Folken was all ready a part of Ziabach and in his early twenties... so all this time I had been wrong about Dilandau.
A tear fell from my eye and landed on the paper. 'Oh no' I though quickly wiping it away, but the water mark was still there, and now smeared some of the ink.
I heard someone walking down the hall, I quickly took out some of the papers detailing the fight, and shoved them up my sleeve, folding them around my arm so it looked like nothing was there, and put the folder back where it was, closed the drawer and stood up.
Then the door opened. 'Uh ho....' I thought. Great, now what was going to happen to me?
"Tora. I knew it was you on the camera." I heard Dilandau say.
"Yeah, so what about it?" I asked, walking past him and out the door. His hand reached out and grabbed my arm tightly. I looked at it. "Let me go." I demanded.
"So, I would guess that you know now." He said.
"Yes, but I still hate you for destroying my village." I said, wrenching my arm out of his grasp.
"Ah well, if you were here you'd know you had better follow orders too." He said, turning and looking at me.
"So, in other words your saying you didn't kill Master Magus, and that you only burned down my village because you were told to?" I asked. He didn't say anything, just looked at me. "Where is your brain?! Don't you ever get tired of following orders? You are just like everyone else here, you don't know how to have fun." I said, before turning hotly and stalking away. If he was going to make my village as flat as the ground around it he could have at least done it because he thought of it, not because someone else told him too! I hoped Gatti and Miguel would be able to teach him how to have a little fun. Maybe then he wouldn't be such a nag.
"Tora." he said, walking back up to me.
"What?" I snapped.
He held out his hand.
"What?" I asked again.
"Give me the papers." He said.
"What?" I asked like I didn't know what was going on.
His hand shot out and grabbed my arm with the papers. His thumb dug into my skin and he heard the paper crinkle. "Let go." I demanded.
He stuck his fingers up my sleeve and I pulled back, but some of the papers were sticking out.
"Tora, give me the papers." He said, his voice didn't seem to be so mean anymore. Like, now that he didn't have to play the big bad enemy anymore he was showing he could be more gentle then I though. "Tora." He said, holding out his hand again.
"No." I said, pushing them back into my sleeve.
"Tora. If I have to rip off your sleeve I will." He said.
"You'd have to catch me first." I said, and then bolted. It was weird, like, now that I knew he wasn't the one who killed my master I didn't have to be so mean, just like now that I knew, his tone wasn't so harsh.
"Tora!" He called, then I could hear his feet hitting the ground behind me. It was so weird, like playing tag, and he was 'it'.
I cut sharp turns and dodged past two walking dragon slayers. It must have looked pretty weird to them. Dilandau running after me for what looked like no reason because they couldn't see the papers under my sleeve.
I could here his feet behind me getting closer, he knew these passages as well, if not better, then I did, and he was probably the same speed, maybe a little faster, but I got a head start, it just depended on who could last the longest. I was pretty sure that I could, considering I had to be running fast continuously to get back to my house before Ziabach could spot and catch me.
But, the I could hear his feet getting much closer, maybe three feet behind me, then he jumped and tackled me to the ground.
"Ugh!" I said as I hit the ground, Dilandau rolled me over and reached up my sleeve grabbing the papers and giving me a sly smile. "You cheated." I said sticking out my tongue and then pulling it back quickly.
For the first time I heard him laugh. It's not a crazy one they gave him like in the TV show, but, one that fit him better. It wasn't high pitched, but not down low either, it fit him perfectly.
"You run pretty fast for a girl," he said, sitting up. I looked around the hall, no one around. Good, I didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea with me on the ground stretched out and Dilandau sitting close to me.
"Heh, I could run faster if I wanted." I said, sitting up. Something caught my ears.
A quiet voice... someone asking for help... and then something like the crack of a whip...
"What is that?" I asked, standing up.
"What?" Dilandau asked.
I walked to a door that was at the end of the hall way.
"Tora! Stop!" He yelled and came running after me, he grabbed me around my waist and pulled me back.
"Let me go! I just want to see what it is!" I said, and the cries for help became louder.
"Tora, trust me, you don't want to see!" Dilandau said, gripping me tighter.
"Let go!" I shouted, stomping on his foot and then elbowing him in the nose. I ran up to the door, and then knew why Dilandau didn't want me to see...
"You should have listened..." He said, walking up and looking into the window with me.
There, curled on the floor, a girl with blond hair... Marel... my you