Disclaimer: You know the drill… I don't own anything from Esca but I do own the characters not mentioned in the series so ask before you use them! Thanks!

Death Moon Rising

I would like to take this time to dedicate this story to someone special. She's touched my writing and has encouraged me to go places where I never would've thought possible. Like Crimson Fire, she helped me get to where I am today. Kae Noel, this one is dedicated to you!

Chapter 6: Oh My Dragon Slayers

"Um, ghosts?" Nicole suggested, her voice squeaking. She knew what her friend was thinking.

"I don't think that the ghosts of the Dragon Slayer's would have a appetite," Kat said, her tone calm and controlled. It was eerie seeing her in this way-Nicole would've thought she'd be yelling.

"I guess we have to tell her. Earlier then expected, but what can you expect from the Dragon Slayers," Alex stated dryly.

"Hey! We were hungry and thought that you wouldn't be back for another hour or so!" Guimel piped up; his sheep hair sticking out at all angles.

"Kat, when we got back we thought that we might need the Dragon Slayers on our side. You know, the whole "big evil" thing. We didn't want them to be associated with Dilandau, fresh or even so young and they had to know us. So instead of going and grabbing the new Dragon Slayers, we kind of brought back the old ones," Nicole explained, her tone light.

"We should've grabbed the new ones. At least they're better at following orders," Alex uttered.

"Hey! We're still in the room!" Dalet piped up with mock anger in his tone.

"Not appreciating being talked like yesterday's trash!" Viole added.

"Funny, I don't remember them being so vocal, are you sure you did the spell… charm… ritual… whatever, right? Maybe we got someone else's spirits stuck in their bodies?" Kat questioned teasingly.

That got a bunch of protests from the Slayers.

Alex and Nicole smiled at her. At least she wasn't steaming mad at them. "Some things just change," Alex said with a smile.

Kat turned around to face them and gave them her award-winning smile. "It's nice to see you guys again. Tell me, how was death?" She joked after the Slayers had quieted down.

Everyone broke out in laughter.

Dilandau watched as his Slayers dueled before him. They were good for just having stepped off a two-day flight but not well enough for his standards. The two new Slayers were better then the rest by little comparison, considering that they came from no army or battle background that was saying something. Yes, he thought, something about how poorly they were trained.

The only girl in the ranks suddenly caught his eye. She had shoulder blade length jet black hair and amber eyes. She was about Kat's height, 5'3", and looked a lot like her-same build and face but her attitude was more laid back, wanting to be ordered around, then Kat's was. While Kat would've fought with his decision the girl went along with it.

The other one, a boy with wild dark red hair and dark brown eyes was taller then the girl by a couple inches, 5'7", and had more muscle on the girl. As he swung his sword upwards to counter one of her attacks Dilandau could see the muscles rippling. He had the advantage of weight, skill, and strength but both were adequate with a sword.

Dilandau sighed as he saw several fatal mistakes as his Slayers dueled. It was going to take a lot to make them the best but he would. After all, he got his old Slayers to the top.... He shook the thought from his head and concentrated on the work before him. It's going to be a long time till we get a mission now that... he forced himself to stop.

What was wrong with him? He couldn't stop thinking about her. Or even about his old Slayers. There was the growing pain of loss inside him. Why did everything have to fall apart when he thought he was finally getting a grip on the world again?

Not now, not when I'm finally proving that I'm even stronger without her, he thought desperately, trying to push the thoughts out of his mind. He had to prove to himself that he didn't completely shut down without his girlfriend. Even having a girlfriend was a sign of weakness.

I don't know why you even fell for her. She's a nuisance and you're much stronger without her. Look, without her you don't have to worry about her all the time, you don't have to watch out for her, you don't have to put up with her whining and you don't have to constantly get her out of trouble, a voice whispered in his ear.

Knowing that he should doubt what the words said to him he somehow believed them. It was like they were dragging him into a world of strength where he could lead-the only trade off would be to leave behind Kat. Would he accept? Of course you would, the voice said.

"All right! That's enough for today! Everyone work on your defenses!" He yelled, halting all on-going duels. He needed to get his mind off her… off everything. Ah, I know. A friendly visit with a bottle of wine should clear my mind, he thought as he planned his time after the Training session.

They lied to me, she thought as she stared at the darkness. She was in her room, sitting awake in her cot, her knees pulled up to her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. She stared at the sleeping forms of Nicole and Alex, her eyes showing hurt in them as the moonlight splashed across the room. They lied to me.

How could her best friends do this to her? Why would they hide something so important from her? The Dragon Slayers were like her brothers and they all knew how she protected family. Why wouldn't they tell her that they had resurrected them?

It wouldn't have made a difference, she thought. I wouldn't have gone back to Zaibach if I had found out that they were here, fighting on our side. Why would they think I would be afraid? I'm happy that they're back. Why would they lie to me?

She shook her head, uncertain. It didn't make sense to her. She was hurt that her best friends had kept a secret so important from them. There was no reason as to why they would do it. The only thing she could wonder was why? They don't trust you the darkness spoke to her. She had become used to the dark feelings that were harbored inside of her mind, the way they came out and tried to convince her of the opposite of what she thought.

You killed your father. You were ready to kill your real father. You've killed on the battlefield without mercy. You are the Destroyer, more powerful then the two of them. Secretly, they fear you. Can't you see it in their eyes?

The way you fight takes you apart from the others. You fight with anger and passion burning inside your soul. They fight with a reason. You'd pick a fight with anyone and they'd only fight for a reason. You're a weapon they are people. Inside, they know this.

You fit in so well with Zaibach. They were afraid you'd go back when they took you away. You didn't. They were afraid you'd go back when you found out they lied to you. Will you? When were they planning to tell you, I ask. In the middle of a battle, when you stumbled upon them in the night? Or, would they go all out and perform a fake ceremony and then have the all ready resurrected Slayers act as if they were re-resurrected?

I don't know, she thought.

I've asked you to trust me yet you keep pulling away from me, saying that you can't trust. Yet you trust those girls and they lied to you. Don't you see the pattern, Katrina? Whenever you trust you are lied to and hurt. Why trust things that are so superficial you're not even sure if they're here or not? People are stupid but I… I have always been here for you, guiding you. Why not trust me, who has been at your side forever, and trust those girls who lie to you?

It was never an issue before, Kat thought. Before it was just there. I just… trusted them. It was as natural as breathing. You just trusted what they said and never doubted them. I know they'd never do anything without a good reason…

Then where's the reason now, Katrina?

I… I… I don't see it.

Yes, you don't. I do, however. They distrust you and fear you because you are the Destroyer, the light of darkness, the shadow in the flame, and the cold in the summer breeze. You are neither good nor evil. That is why this war's fate depended on you for when you choose a side it determines Gaea's fate.

Nicole and Alex are good. They represent the goodness in the universe while you represent everything in between. Good can only be as good as you're wanting it to be, the same fore evil. So while you might think your actions of killing and representing a side that is pure evil are innocent Gaea sees it as the different faces of the same coin turning into a one-sided coin.

That is why Nicole and Alex lied to you. They know this and that's why they fear you.

She hung her head. The voice was right. She knew what she was and she had accepted it. But she had never bothered to talk to Nicole and Alex about it. Were they feeling different about her powers then she had first thought? I thought they'd be okay with it, she thought.

They aren't.

"Ok, so let me get this straight. You brought the Dragon Slayers back to life, told them about their death-even though it was completely obvious, and that you brought them back. You explained why you thought you would need them then you let the stay with you in the cabin. I came along, you wanted to keep them hidden from me so I wouldn't freak out, think I was hallucinating or something had gone terribly wrong, broken down and went back to Zaibach?" Kat asked for the millionth time.

"YES!" Everyone cried.

Kat smiled evilly and nodded. She loved torturing them like this-it was sort of like payback for all the times when they pulled pranks on her. "Ok, I got it," she announced.

She received a unanimous groan from the group.

"So, they get to help us with our oh-so-many-chores-day?" She laughed.

Nicole nodded and smiled sweetly at the Dragon Slayers as if to confirm their duties for the day. They were all dressed in relaxed clothes, basic pants and shirts with boots, ready to take on Spring Cleaning. The Slayers groaned.

"Ok, Miguel, Chesta and Dalet will work on the roof. Guimel, Viole and I will work in the forest to clear some paths while you girls clean inside," Gatti said, sounding defeated.

"Oh, I think not!" Alex cried. She would not be held inside just because the Slayers thought they were too "lady-like" to take on real work. "Dalet, Miguel and I will work on the roof. Viole, Nicole and Chesta will work on cleaning the house. Kat, Guimel and you Mr. Small will work in the forest." Alex pointed at Gatti for emphasis.

"Fine," he grumbled. He hated the nickname that Alex had dubbed him. Mr. Small was a play on his large ego that needed to be downsized.

Kat nodded but her mind was somewhere else. Usually Nicole and Alex would be all for doing something together. Why split the group up? She frowned slightly as she grabbed Guimel and Gatti's hands and pulled them out of the house. "We can walk, you know," Gatti stated as Kat continued to drag them towards the forest behind the cabin.

"Then walk faster!" Kat replied as she let go of their hands. They had to jog behind her to keep up with her long strides into the forest.

"So, exactly how are we supposed to clear paths?" Guimel asked, a little embarrassed.

Kat laughed at him, her angry thoughts breaking. "Apparently, you've never done this before. Well, basically Nicole and Alex told me that there are some paths that they have worn down but need to be cleared of branches and rocks. So, we find the paths-like this one-and start to clear it," Kat explained.

She stopped and pointed to a dull path worn into the ground right behind the cabin. The path was filled with over running plants, rocks, tree branches, dead tree branches, weeds all sorts of things. "Now the trick here is to clear it so people can run down it, but keep enough stuff so that it doesn't look out of place if someone comes by," she said as she formed a couple of small balls of energy in her hand. "Ok, now watch," she instructed as she let the balls go one by one.

The balls traveled part way down the path, vaporizing the rocks, dead branches, sweeping some aside vines and plants aside as they passed and then disappeared. "See? Now if you were looking for this do you think you could find it?" Kat asked them, seeing their amused faces.

"Nope," Guimel said.

"If you were running could you find it?"

"Probably," Gatti answered.

"Then do exactly what I did only with you swords and hands… unless you've magically gained the power to vaporize things," Kat replied.

They shook their heads and went to work clearing and cutting things. It was hard work with the bright sun that constantly beat down on them and the tree's branches being too skinny to help with shading the area where they worked. Sweat dripped off their faces as they moved and pulled things and they barely even talked except for the occasional order or request.

"Hey, Kat, have you heard about Nicole and Alex?" Guimel asked suddenly, breaking the silence that had settled around them. He stood up from pulling a branch out from under some weeds that had trapped it there.

Kat turned from her spot farther along the path, looking back at him. "No, what about them?" She replied becoming curious.

"Well…. Nicole and Chesta have been spending a lot of time together, you know?"

"So?"

"The kind where they're closely working on something. Sharing laughs and their innermost fears-more then friendship talk and less then romantic acting. Then Alex is… well, Miguel has been dragging her off places. I think he's made her dinner a couple of times."

Kat froze and stared at the two Slayers in shock. "No."

"Oh yeah."

"They would've told me if they were dating!" She cried.

Guimel shrugged and Gatti just continued working, a faint blush on his cheeks. "It just sort of happened. I think they kept it secret from you because they were afraid that if they let it slip that they were both seeing someone you'd get curious," he said. "But why they didn't tell you after you found out I don't know. Maybe they didn't have time."

"R-i-I-I-I-I-I-I-ight Sheep Boy," Kat replied sarcastically. She seriously doubted his reason.

Guimel stuck his tongue out at her in reply.

"Oh, I'm so scared. The little sheep's going to lick me! Ooh!" She put the back of her hand on her forehead as if she was about to faint.

Just then a branch went flying by her head. "Oh, you're going to get it now Sheep Boy!" She yelled as she grabbed some branches and threw them at Guimel. They missed because Guimel ducked and they hit Gatti in the back.

"Hey!" He protested.

"Sorry but-" she was cut off when he reached over and grabbed some vines, hurling them at her. Soon it was an all out war.

Branches, small rocks, dirt and anything else that they could get their hands on instantly turned into weapons and flew through the air. The game last for a long time, at first they were all against each other until Gatti and Guimel joined forces and started against Kat. They moved down the path as they chased her through the forest.

"Okay, okay! Enough!" Kat cried as Guimel and Gatti cornered her. The path had run out and she had gotten her foot stuck in a tree root. Since they were feet in front of her and had weapons, she decided it would better to give up then to suffer. "You win!"

The trio was sweating and heavily panting as Guimel and Gatti lowered their weapons, a stick and some dirt, and they smiled triumphantly at each other. "Hah, we win," Gatti breathlessly said. Just then the trees behind Kat exploded into flames.

"What the hell..." Kat cried as she turned her head. The flames grew wildly and licked the air. The heat that they provided was suffocating and the smoke was all ready swirling around them in a black cloud. It only took a few seconds for half the area to become a fiery inferno.

Just behind the flaming trees was a black and red guymelef could be seen. "RUN!" Gatti cried.

AN: Whoa! The Dragon Slayers are back in business! And… does Gatti have a crush on Kat? Am I hinting at something? Maybe brotherly love? Hm… Maybe. Now the forest is on fire-what or who started that one? I'll give you guys a guess… **grins** Come on, you know who did it. Then again, maybe you don't. **winks** R+R because I love hearing your comments on this story!

~ShadowKat