Chapter 3: We're Under Attack! I Get To Fight After All? Malachite helped Zoey to the couch. "Lie down. You need to rest. I'll be right back."

Zoey did as she was told. Closing her eyes, she tried to clear her mind. Malachite returned a few seconds later, holding a glass that contained a clear liquid.

"Drink this."

"What is it?" Zoey's voice was faint.

"It's just water. Drink it." Zoey sat up slowly and leaned against the back of the couch. Malachite held the glass to her lips. She drank some of it, then shook her head when Malachite offered it to her again.

"But energy can't be lost. It can only be transferred."

"That's right. Too much of your energy was put into the dagger. You concentrated too hard." Malachite said. "And you need to drink the rest of this."

"I don't want to." Zoey protested.

"Well, then at least rest. "

At that moment, the shattering of glass was heard. Malachite turned to see several uniformed soldiers enter the castle through the broken windows.

Zoey stared in horror at the whole scene. The next thing she knew, guns were fired, and Malachite pulled her up to her feet with force, teleporting away.

When she opened her eyes, everything around them was dark. She clung to Malachite as if her life depended on it, and relaxed when she realized the soldiers were nowhere in sight.

"What just happened? Where are we?"

"We're in the hidden underground passage. We can get to any place we want in these tunnels, the only catch being no use of magic. If we did use our pwers here, they would fund us so fast it would make our heads spin."

"Who's they? What happened?"

"'The Obsidian Army. We were just attacked. Don't worry, you're safe here. I won't let you be hurt." Still holding her protectively in his arms, Malachite could feel Zoey trembling with fear.

"How long are we going to be here?"

"I don't know." Malachite replied. "Come with me. I'm going to find Jedite and Nephlite."

"What if they trace our path?"

"They can't. Our path was heavily cloaked." Malachite assured her.

He stood, helping Zoey to her feet. "Can you walk?"

"I'm not a baby. I can walk."

"I know that. But are you too weak?"

"I can manage." Zoey insisted. When she did try to walk normally, she limped slightly and was slower than usual.

"Need help?" Malachite extended his arm to her. She hesitantly linked her arm throught his and let him lead her through the tunnel.

"Um....arigato." Zoey thanked him.

"No problem." Malachite replied.

"Excatly how far underground are we?"

"Not that far."

Turning a corner, they wound up face to face with three tall, armed soldiers, clad in black uniforms.

"Thought you could escape us, huh, Malachite?" The soldier in the center asked. "Well, now there is no escape. I know your tricks, don't think I don't remember."

"I may have taught you everything you know, but not everything I know." Malachite said calmly, his face expressionless. "Leave now and take your pathetic army with you, and I might let you live."

"Come on, now Malachite. Is that any way to treat your little brother?"

Zoey looked from one to the other, confused.

"You know as well as I do that you are a traitor to the Negaverse, Obsidianite."

Obsidianite didn't resemble his older brother the way most siblings do. He had jet black hair that hung in his face and to his shoulders. His eyes were dark brown, almost as black as his hair, and held no expression.

"You could have joined us. You had the chance! But no! 'Stay true to our homeland,' you said. 'Beryl-sama won't stand for it!'" Obsidianite's voice was full of scorn. "You wanna know what happened to your generals?"

Obsidianite snapped his fingers and the two accompanying generals moved aside, Jedite and Nephlite standing behind them, bound with chains.

"Release my generals!" Malachite demanded, drawing his sword.

"I don't think so," Obsidianite smiled evilly. "They're coming with me."

"I'll kill you, Obsidianite! Don't think I won't!" Malachite threatened.

"You won't kill me. You won't do anything to me." Obsidianite turned to his generals. "Seize the girl."

One of the generals seized Zoey, dragging her towards Obsidianite. "Try anything and your pretty little girl gets hurt," he said, holding the blade of his knife to her throat.

"Don't hurt her. Let her go, she has no part of this."

"So my cold-as-ice older brother can care for someone after all," the younger man teased. "Do as I say and I won't hurt your precious love."

"She is my student and nothing more. But I will not let you harm her. She is still innocent to the ways of the Negaverse."

Zoey felt as if she couldn't move. She was numb with fear. She didn't think she'd make it out of this alive.

"What did you come here for in the first place, Obsidianite?"

"I think you know very well what I'm here for." Obsidianite grinned. "I'm here for the one and only Crystal of Azurite."

"You won't get it." Malachite declared. "That crystal belongs to us now. There's no way you're getting it."

"Then there's no way you're getting her back."

"I said don't hurt her." Malachite repeated. "Let her go, and I won't hurt you."

"You won't hurt me. Because I'm out of here!" Obsidianite laughed.

"Malachite-sama! Please help me!" Zoey cried out. "Help!"

"You're not going anywhere!"

Zoey took this opportunity to grind the heel of her boot into Obsidianite's foot.

"GAH!!! You little-" Obsidianite yelped, making the mistake of releasing Zoey.

"Run, Zoey!" Malachite ordered, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her behind him.

"Demo, what about the captured generals? Surely we're not going to abandon them to the enemy!" Zoey haad a hard time keeping up with him.

"They can take care of themselves until we can rescue them. They've been properly trained." Malachite told her. "Run faster, or we'll never get out of here!"

"I don't even know where I'm supposed to be going!"

"We're going to the North Exit. That will take us to the Throne Room." Malachite explained. "I have to ask Beryl-sama about letting you fight in battle."

"Hasn't the Obsidian Army already gotten to the Throne Room?"

"It isn't likely. Obsidianite, though he was trained properly for battle, doesn't really think to use his head. He's not very organized in battle."

They had reached an elevator at the end of one tunnel. Two tall candle holders stood on either side of the elevator doors, giving light to the surrounding area. There was no sign of followers. Malachite pressed a red button on a control panel. Soon after, the doors opened and four soldiers came out.

Zoey backed away. "They're back!"

"Get behind me, Zoycite." Malachite pushed Zoey behind him, grabbing on of the candle holders and swinging it at the soldiers. The nearest soldier drew his sword and blocked Malachite's attack.

"Get out of here, Zoycite!" Malachite commanded.

"Where do I go?" Zoey asked.

"Just run!"

Zoey turned to run at the same time one of the Obsidian soldiers attacked her, knocking her to the ground. The soldier dragged her to her feet by her arm. "Master Obsidianite has ordered for you to be brought to our kingdom."

"Let go of me, you monster!" Zoey wildly swung her arm around, causing the soldier to let go. She kicked him in the knee, delaying his attack. Taking the second candle holder, she swung it at another soldier preparing to attack her. "I won't go anywhere with you!"

In a split second, Zoey was surrounded by more soldiers. A few of the soldiers fell to the ground, knocked out by the candle holder. Those still standing retreated, Zoey lying unconcious on the ground.

Ignoring the soldiers, Malachite made his way to his fallen student. He lifted her off the ground, as careful as possible. "You will pay for this!"

He took Zoey with him into the elevator and sealed the Underground Tunnel System so the army could not escape.

Entering the Throne Room, Malachite was glad to be able to use magic again. Just the thought of not being able to conjure weapons when needed was ridiculous to him. It gave him a bad feeling. Beryl had not yet heard of the attacks, and gave Malachite a questioning look when he entered, carrying an unconcious Zoey in his arms.

"The Obsidian Kigndom has attacked, Your Majesty," he explained. "Zoycite was injured in an attack while trying to defend herself."

"And what happened to the other generals, Malachite?"

"They were captured, My Queen."

"I want you to take an energy sample from Zoycite. If the energy signature reads strong, she may fight in battle with your help." Beryl ordered.

"Yes, Queen Beryl-sama." Malachite bowed his head slightly.

"Now go! Take Zoey back to your castle and when she wakes up, take an energy sample. I want the results by tomorrow! And in the meantime, I'll have the Royal Patrol watch for anymore Obsidian soldiers."

"Yes, Majesty." Malachite teleported back to his castle.

Zoey opened her eyes slowly. "Wh-what happened?"

"You were almost killed by the some of the Obsidian Army's soldiers." Malachite explained to her. "Later on I have to take an energy sample from you to determine if you're strong enough to handle fighting in battle, since our other two generals were taken prisoner."

"So I may get to fight after all?"

"Against my better judgement, but yes."

"Why do you not want me to fight? Do you not believe in me?" Zoey wanted to know.

"It's not that, Zoycite." Malachite said. "It's just that I don't want you hurt. You don't have enough experience yet."

"I'll be fine."

"You weren't fine today."

"I'll do better with better weapons, Malachite-sama." Zoey promised. "Candle holders just aren't my style."

"You don't have a style yet. You only just started to make use of your powers." Malchite said. "And I still have to teach you how to use a sword."

"I figure if you swing it at them, they'll back away and give you time to think of something else."

"That's not good enough. It doesn't always work that way. Get some rest, I'll be back later for energy."

"Okay, Malachite-sama." Zoey turned on her side and closed her eyes, still tired and worn out from the attack. Malachite left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * * * Zoey walked away from the window, sensing Malachite's presence before he entered the room. She looked up at him, half afraid, half determined.

"You do not need to worry, my love. The Earth's Army will not let them attack. They won't stand a chance." Malachite assured her.

"I know that. Because I won't let her do anything to the kingdom. I wish to- "

Zoey woke with a start, sitting up in her bed. What confusing dream! But what had it meant?

"I wish to....What?" Zoey shook her head, confused. There was something strangely familiar about Malachite. Something vague, yet still familiar. What was it?

Zoey stood and walked towards the window. Darkness. It was all surrounded by darkness. What had she let Malachite drag her into? What exactly was this place? The Negaverse....The Negative Universe. Nothing outside but odd, twisted rock formations and dead-looking trees.

"Nothing to be done about it now. I'm stuck here." Zoey muttered. She continued to gaze out the window. "It's all dead. Completely dead. But it used to be beautiful."

Wait a minute....It used to be beautiful? Used to?

In one short flicker of memory, the scene became beautiful. Just one little flicker, then it was dead once again. Zoey blinked. Shorter than a split second, but still, it had been there.

Zoey studied the view outside the window. She hadn't noticed Malachite enter the room. He walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and cried out as if in pain.

"You scared me!" She turned to face Malachite.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to. What are you looking at?"

"It was once beautiful," Zoey said, not answering the question directly. "So beautiful and full of life. And cherry blossoms."

"What are you talking about? It's always been like this."

Zoey shook her head. "It wasn't always this way. It was once home to many. A beautiful kingdom. And it had light."

Somehow it came to her. She hadn't seen all of that in that one extremely short vision. Somehow, she just knew.

Malachite was silent for a minute or two. "I need to take the energy sample and get it to Beryl-sama as soon as possible."

"How does this...energy sample work?" Zoey asked suspiciously.

"I take a small amount of your energy and give it to Beryl-sama. She will analyze it to determine whether or not your energy signature reads strong enough to battle."

"Okay....." Zoey looked uncertainly at Malachite. "Is it going to make me feel weak and dizzy? I hate that feeling."

"Maybe a little. The worst that could happen is a slight headache." Malachite said. "I won't hurt you."

Zoey went back to her bed and sat.

"You have to lie completely still or you might feel sick afterwards."

Zoey followed instructions, lying down and staying still. She closed her eyes. Malachite held one hand over her. She felt an odd sensation as energy was transferred to Malachite's hand. Slowly, she began to feel weaker. When he was finished, Malachite stored the energy in a sort of crystalline orb.

"Stay still for at least five minutes, then you have to sit up again."

"Okay." Zoey kept her eyes closed, trying to fight off the feeling of weakness. She hated that feeling. She didn't want to feel weak.

When five minutes had passed, Malachite took hold of her arm. "You have to sit up now, or you'll feel weaker."

"I can't, Malachite-sama." Zoey protested. "I don't think I can move."

"Sit up, Zoycite." Malachite pulled her up to a sitting position, his arm around her so she wouldn't fall. Zoey forced herself to sit up on her own. Instead of feeling dizzy like she expected, she felt frozen in place, unable to move.

"No! Please, don't go! You may never come back!"

"Of course I'll come back, love. You are the most important person in the world to me." He took her hand in his own and kissed it gently. "I'd never leave you."

"Demo, what if....what if something happens to you?"

"Nothing will happen, my dear. I will come back."

Malachite stepped back and prepared for teleport. "Ja ne, boku no koibito."

Zoey opened her eyes. She jumped up and away from Malachite. "What's the matter, Zoycite?" He had seen the vision too, though he pretended otherwise. He couldn't possibly love this little girl! Could he?

Jumping up was not a good idea. Zoey instantly felt dizzy, as if the world around her was spinning very fast. She slowly sank to her knees. Malachite was immediately at her side, helping her to her feet. He didn't know why he felt protective of her.

"No!" Zoey pulled her arm away from him. "I can help myself! I'm not a weak little girl."

"Gomen nasai, I don't think you should move so fast yet. What's wrong? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"N-nothing's wrong! I'm perfectly fine!" Zoey jumped to her feet, swaying as if she were about to fall again.

"Stop jumping up so quickly." Malachite commanded. "You're making yourself dizzy."

"I'm not dizzy, I'm perfectly fine!" Zoey insisted. "I just have to sit down."

"You are dizzy." Malachite pulled her back over to sit down on the edge of the bed. "Now tell me why you looked at me as if I was a spirit from another world."

"I didn't!" Zoey lied. "Everything's fine."

"You saw it, too." Malachite said quietly. "Don't lie. You cannot lie to me."

"What does it mean?" Zoey asked. "I'm so confused."

"I don't know. I wish I did."