*~*~Chapter Thirty-One~*~*
" Why?" Heero asked her.
" No why," Sylvia answered with a shrug. She took off her black cloak to reveal a pink gown with long sleeves. " Don't you like this gown? It's velvet. Len made it for me. I told her, 'Len, no lace. Boys don't like lace and neither do I.' I told her to make sure it is an easy flowing gown which would not restrict my movements at all. Isn't it lovely?"
" You mean you are the head of OZ all these years? For so long?" Quatre asked in disbelief.
" Not exactly. Only about, hmm…twelve years. We of the Noventa family know a secret to prolonging our lives, thanks to an ancient tradition. Len is a Noventa too. Though she is not my sister, I see her as part of the family. In fact, she is my only family." Anyone witnessing this situation would have thought Sylvia has gone mad. However, the boys knew she was far from it. She knows what she wants. She is only trying to make them more confused.
" I don't believe this…is this a joke?" Duo shook his head.
" A joke?" Sylvia's eyes gleamed with interest.
" You had spent some time with us," Zechs explained. " You were with us. If you were gone, who is the Master that was here, giving orders to Treize and the others?"
Sylvia cocked her head to a side, as if they were all morons. " Len, who else? No one else here knows who I am."
" Len is a mute, she can't talk. How can she give orders?" Zechs asked again.
" Did I ever say I'm a mute?" Len spoke in a deep, throaty man's voice suddenly. This came as a second shock to the Gundam boys and Zechs.
Sylvia laughed. " Now you know why. Len's a man. But he wants to be woman. I can't stop him from doing that, can I? She has been with our family for thirty years. Doesn't she still look so young and sweet?"
" I thank your compliment, Miss Sylvia," Len replied in her man's voice. " I'm not a mute, I just hate to talk. Besides…" She changed her voice into one that has grown very familiar with all of them, the ambiguous voice of Master. " I prefer this voice better."
" The sixth level in the Speech of Echoment, just in case you are not aware of such a spell," Sylvia said, tossing her hair. " It can allow a person to transfer his or her voice to another person. Sort of like lending Len's voice to me. No one would listen to me if I speak to them in such a girly voice."
Wufei took a step forward. " Young girls like you should not be playing such foolish games."
Sylvia glared at him. " Foolish games?"
" You are a girl, what for waste your life on this suicidal mission? Someone like you should not take the place of the evil!"
" What do you know, Chang Wufei?" Her eyes began to water and she clenched her fists. She was shaking from rage and grief, her face reminding them of a person who has gone through pains and tribulations in her life. " What do all of you know?" Sylvia tried to keep her tone level.
" OZ was formed exactly thirty-five years ago from today. My mother Olia and my father Zerpheious were rulers of the Realm of Hell, which had since ceased to exist. They had ruled there for fifty years. There were friends, and there were enemies. They were very cautious people.
" It is their wish to rule the realms, to expand their powers. People have always seen the Realm of Hell as an evil realm. But it is not! My parents were great rulers. Those rulers from the other realms were wastrels! They know nothing. They are always talking about peace and war. If we were all one great big magical realm, there would be no cause for war. Power shall solely be ours.
" With this, my parents set about to prepare to conquer the realms. So they created an organization, OZ, to help them. It would be the most powerful army in the universe. For five years, this clandestine army was trained in a place that only my father and mother know. I was born then.
" However, my uncle discovered about the army and came to know of my parents' plan. He had long been eyeing the throne of my parents. And so he killed my father and wanted to make my mother his wife for she was a highly intelligent woman. With great difficulties, she managed to escape with me. My uncle was an idiot. The plan of my parents' soon leaked out to the other realms and they killed him. It was his comeuppance.
" My mother and people of OZ were banished from the Realm of Hell. Subsequently, the Realm of Hell was bought over by EverlastVille. Now you know why EverlastVille is one of the biggest realms around. It was because of my realm! My mother started plotting for revenge. The universe is hers! And evil people like you have taken it away from her! So she created this dimension for OZ. The people were loyal. They followed her. My mother vowed to become stronger and she would do anything for it. So she stole great magical books and elixirs. She was a patient woman. She did not hurry. She waited for the right time. She took on the role of a man, a warrior to rule OZ.
"A few years later, her voice began to change and she started wearing veils, scarves and cloaks to hide her biological changes. It was due to a strong magical reaction in her body. Ever since I learnt how to talk and read at three, she shut me in a room with Len and personally coached me. And I guess all the soldiers in OZ forgot about me.
" Twelve years ago, she stole another magical book. But the magical book turned out to be a fake. She realized it too late and died from her injuries. And I took her place. I will fulfill her wishes and make her dreams come true. My mother had suffered much. I want to make her proud of me! Before she died, she managed to transfer all of her magic to me. I have my mother with me, she has always been with me. And I will make her wish come true now!"
She pointed a finger at them and Len immediately rushed forward with her whip to attack them. Sylvia watched. Her eyes were brimming with hatred, tears threatening to spill over. She looked at the boys, at one of them. Suddenly, she felt disturbed. Would he win? Would they win? She did not want him to lose, but neither did she wish to lose.
If only we were together, if only we were not at opposite sides. She gazed down at her pink gown. Mummy used to love pink.
Len's attack came so swift and sudden that the six of them just barely escape from it. Zechs got a scratch on his wrist. Len was fast with her attacks. She took on Heero, while keeping the others away from him.
" Shield!" Heero called out his protective shield. He could not risk calling out his Beam Saber for fear it might be snatch away by Len's whip.
" Vulcan!" Quatre's Vulcan spell shot towards Len. Without even turning her head back, Len aimed a spell back at Quatre. Her spell vanquished the Vulcan spell and injured Quatre. He flew back and hit a pillar.
" Quatre!" Duo ran over to help him.
" I'm…fine…" he replied painfully. " Help Heero…"
Wufei stretched out his arm. " Flamethrower!" The sneaky Len did not budge until the very last second. She ducked down abruptly and so the flame headed straight for Heero. Luckily, Heero's shield was strong enough to withstand it.
Len seized this chance to release a blue-coloured spell at the distracted Heero from the side. It sent him flying back, knocking onto Trowa who tried to cushion his fall. Both of them hit another pillar.
Duo, Wufei and Zechs all attacked her at once.
" Twin-Beam Scythe!"
" Twin-Beam Trident!"
" Beam Sword!"
All three did not manage to exchange more than three blows with her before she defeated them with her sleek moves. Len has one thing that the others lacked most. Experience. She has been in the world longer than any of them.
" Well done, Len," Sylvia said.
Len merely smiled in response.
Just then, Relena, Noin and Sally arrived. " Sylvia Noventa!" Noin exclaimed aloud in shock.
" Hello," she greeted them with fake politeness.
" Heero!" Relena called to him when she saw him injured.
" Kill them," Sylvia ordered.
" Wind Attack!" Sally tried to drive Len back with a mighty gale. Len averted it easily and turn the wind back on the three women. They slid across the floor and were only stopped by a gray, concrete wall.
" Now you see why you cannot defeat me," Sylvia told them smugly. " If you surrender and join forces with me, I will make all of you high ranking officials in OZ. You will feel not the need to ever cry again."
" Really?" A voice answered for them out of nowhere.
*************************************************************
Outside, the battle had started again between the forces of good and evil. The OZ soldiers were well trained. They overcome the shock they had for their Master and retaliated back. It was a tough fight as the strength of both sides was on par.
" Rasid!" one man yelled out to him, pointing at the gate. Rasid squinted his eyes to try to recognize the army of shadowy figures that were at the gate. Rasid broke into a huge grin.
" Fight people! Our reinforcements are here!" he roared.
It was the five professors, Howard and people of the EverlastVille.
" Thank you Howard, for letting us witness this," Mr J said.
" You should thank the people of EverlastVille," he said. " They have decided to stand up against OZ. Let's go!"
OZ soldiers fought but without a capable leader like Treize, they were on the losing end. They became desperate. They knew they were losing and it was hard to swallow. Dorothy was still watching them. She did not want to interfere. J looked at her.
" Dorothy, you have your wish. You have seen war. Is this what you really want? Twenty, thirty years down the road, do you still want to see this, for everyday of your life? In class, I agree with you that it is human's nature to fight for what they believe in. But there is also a part of human's nature to want to live peacefully. Do you understand?" He smiled at her.
Dorothy looked up at him. Her mind suddenly felt at peace. She felt warm at heart. I have been carrying the burden of my past for too long. I have been trying to cheat myself. I have been telling myself that what my father had done was right. I did not want to believe he was wrong.
She ran to the nearest OZ soldier and began to treat his wounds using her healing magic.
" Why are you saving me?" he asked her.
" Because I want to."
*************************************************************
" Treize Khushrenada," Sylvia acknowledged him, drawing out the syllabus of his name slowly and carefully. " My faithful servant, how are you? In case you do not know my name, I am Sylvia Noventa, daughter of Olia and Zerpheious."
" You surprised me. I have to admit that you are indeed a capable leader," he said graciously. Beside him, Lady Une frowned.
" Thank you, and so are you," Sylvia replied.
" However, you should stop playing such foolish games. Girls like you should not be doing this. I don't know what made you like this, but I will help you."
Sylvia turned purple, literally. She clenched her fists so tight that one could see the green lines of her veins popping out.
" Well-said," Wufei said aloud.
Len launched her attacks at Treize and Lady Une.
" Kill them all, Len," Sylvia growled. " Kill them."
" Don't be afraid of this woman here," Treize said as he exchanged blows of magic with Len. " Have you all turned weak upon realizing the truth?"
" Ha," Duo said as he pushed himself up. " I think you are the one who doesn't know the truth yet…she here is a he."
" A he?" Lady Une stared at Len in disbelief.
" Isn't he a beauty?" Duo mocked as he joined in the fight with Treize.
" Who are you calling weak?" Wufei joined in too.
Quatre, Trowa and Heero all started fighting against Len.
" Gatling Cannon!" Trowa held out his hands and the bullets of rays shot out like meteor rain. One of them hit Len.
" Good work, Trowa!" Duo praised him.
Len glared at them in silent rage.
Meanwhile, Noin was helping Relena. " Are you all right?"
" I'm fine," she said. " What about Sally?"
" I'm okay…" Sally grimaced. The front of her outfit was stained with fresh blood.
" You are hurt!" Relena exclaimed.
" This little injury won't kill me," Sally said, sounding breathless.
Len glanced in their direction. Her mouth curled into an iniquitous smile. She swung her whip around her enemies dangerously and with much force. Treize and the others backed off from her immediately. Without any warning, she ran towards Noin, Relena and Sally. She brandished her whip at them. None could escape in time and they were all at her mercy. She hit them again and again.
" You foul transvestite!" Duo cried out in anger. He and Zechs tried to save the three but Len thwarted their plan.
Sally screamed. Len had hit her open wound.
" Twin Beam Buster Rifle!" Heero's magic shot at Len and she got out of the way with only a slight injury on her thigh. Heero gritted his teeth.
Len smiled. You can't kill me, neither of you is my match. Heero, Duo, Trowa and Wufei charged forward and fought hard. Lady Une joined them. Quatre was attending to the three women.
" Sally, hang on there," Quatre said as he transferred some healing magic into her.
Noin rolled up Relena pants to reveal a deep cut on her knee. " Don't bother about me, Noin," Relena said painfully. " Go help the others."
" Zechs asked me to look after you. I will treat you first," Noin said and proceeded to tearing one of her long, white sleeves to bandage Relena's knee.
Meanwhile, Treize was studying this transvestite, trying to find a weakness. Zechs was beside him.
" What are you thinking?" Zechs asked.
" If he is a she…" Treize mumbled to himself. " Zechs, I need your help."
" Huh?"
Len swung her whip at Trowa who quickly ducked down. Wufei tripped her but before any of them could retaliate back, Len was up on her feet. She threw a ball of spell at them and they backed away.
" Damn, she's fast!" Duo said angrily.
" Losing confidence and cursing again?" Treize asked him.
" Says who?" Duo said.
" Young man, watch and learn. We will need the five of you in the next round. So for this round, allow us. After all, we have more experience than you."
Duo merely stared up at him. Treize smiled easily.
" Zechs, ready?"
" May I ask why am I the one to do it and not you?" Zechs said as calmly as he could.
" Because Une is watching me. Noin is busy with Relena. Ready and go!"
With lightning speed, Zechs sped over to Len and exchanged several blows with her. Without her realizing, Treize had crept up silently behind her and snatched her whip away from her. Len was taken aback. They are so quick, especially this Zechs man.
Then, Treize caught Len by her arms and held her tightly. She struggled to free herself. And to all their amazement, Zechs lifted the long, yellow skirt of Len with his foot quickly. Of course, Len was wearing a pair of long white pants underneath because she is fighting. Before Len could react, Zechs kicked her in the face and Treize injured her with his magic.
Duo's jaw drop. Before Zechs had kicked her, he noticed that Len had blushed when Zechs lifted her skirt. Not only him, but all the other boys had noticed it too. And they could not believe their eyes.
" Zechs lifted her…I mean, his skirt…" Duo sputtered.
" He's treating him like a woman, a real woman," Heero said with a tiny grin. " Real clever."
Trowa laughed and Wufei coughed.
Relena widened her eyes when she saw Zechs doing that. " Noin…"
" Yes?"
" Did you see that?"
" See what?"
Noin turned around to watch, and so did Quatre and Sally when they heard Relena.
" One more time!" Treize called out to Zechs.
" Get away from me!" Len shouted at them as she/he shot balls of fire at them.
Zechs tried to ignore his manly voice as he grabbed Len by the waist and deliberately put his face near her. Again, he/she blushed and become flustered. Treize hit her with his powerful magic, this time seriously wounding her. Zechs then roughly shoved him/her aside. Len fell to the ground, defeated.
" Good job, Millardo," Treize complimented his partner with a wide grin. Behind him, Lady Une and the five boys was grinning too.
Zechs tried not to shudder. He stole a glance at Noin. Her facial expression made him blush ______ it was a mixture of disbelief, astonishment and bewilderment. He would have to do a lot of answering later on.
" Len!" Sylvia cried aloud. She glared at Treize and Zechs. " You will pay for this."
She pointed a finger at them and immediately, they felt weak. She was draining all of their energy.
" Not so easy," Lady Une said. She closed her eyes, forefingers and thumbs touching and began to mutter a counter-attack spell that soon broke Sylvia's spell. Sylvia's anger rose.
" You are nothing, Sylvia," Duo taunted.
Len struggled to pick herself up, totally humiliated at being taken for a fool.
Heero held out his arms, fists together. " Twin-Beam Buster Rifle!" The golden light headed in Sylvia's direction.
Out of nowhere, Len jumped into its path and tried to block it. But due to her injuries, she could only withstand it for a while before the magical light overpowered her.
" Len!!!" Sylvia screamed. " Get out!"
" Sword," Treize commanded and a magical sword appeared in his hand. With a steady, regretless bearing, he lifted himself just a couple of inches above the ground and flew toward Sylvia with incredible speed. He must kill this monster.
But before he could even reach the bottom of the steps leading up to where Sylvia stood, Len threw herself at Treize and tried to snatch away his sword. In their brief tussle, Len accidentally pushed the sword into her own abdomen.
Time seemed to stop for Sylvia as she watched her beloved friend and caretaker fell to the ground heavily, blood gushing out and staining the front of her beautiful cotton dress.
Len wanted to say something, but she could not do it. She could only taste blood in her mouth. Mentally, she passed this message to her esteemed Master.
Forgive me…That was it.
Len's blood dripped from Treize's sword. It continued to drip and drip.
Treize saluted the dead Len. " You were a brave warrior."
Sylvia began to quiver. She could not control herself anymore.
Relena sat with the injured Sally as Noin and Quatre stepped forward to aid the others.
" Be careful," Zechs told every one of them. His Beam Sword materialized in his hand.
One by one, they called out their weapons silently.
The final battle is about to begin.
