Neko: Hello
Kai:…..
*Neko reaches over and slaps him on the back, Kai growls and waves to everyone.*
Kai: Hello
*Neko Beams*
Neko: GREAT!!!! Here is chapter Seven!!!!!! And there are the normal disclaimers… I don't own zoids or anything really. Now that's all except…..
Kai: No I won't do it.
Neko: PLEASE KAI!!!!!!!
Kai: No!
Neko:L fine then you'll sleeping in the cupboard again.
Kai:……………Alight!
*Kai pulls on a Genosaurer mask and tail, with twin claws, he starts dancing and shaking his booty*
Kai: Thank you Fade….. FOR BEATAING!!!!!…… NEKOOOOOOO couldn't have done it WITHOUT YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!
Neko: J Happy Reading!!!!!
"Liger unit, are you in position?"
"Copy that Blade Leader, we are in position and are waiting for your orders."
"Roger that, Liger unit await orders."
O'Connell let out a sigh and relaxed a bit in his chair; he closed his eyes and winced a bit as he knocked his arm against the chair. He touched it gently; he had just recently taken off the cast just to do this mission. If Robert ever knew he had taken it off prematurely, he would be in deep shit.
"How you doing, O'Connell?"
O'Connell opened his eyes and smiled. "I'm fine, Alpha Leader."
Robert groaned, "You're not going to get over that name, are you?"
Brian looked at him as if he was stupid. "Alpha leader? You got to be kidding; it sounds like you're in a movie or something."
"Look it's what you get when you're in charge of everything on a rescue mission, I don't pick the name."
O'Connell laughed and shook his head. "Ok whatever Alpha leader, you ready?"
"Yeah, just checking in, Wing Leader you ready?"
"Ready, Alpha leader." Taydra replied.
O'Connell had to pinch himself to not laugh. Robert sighed and turned his mind back to the mission.
"Ok, O'Connell, while you concentrate your attack on the perimeter, I will go in with the Task Force on foot. I need you to be my decoy. Now Taydra, you'll be overseeing the mission from your position, and if O'Connell needs your help you give it to him. I will meet you guys at point Delta in 20 mins, you got that?"
"Roger Alpha Leader." They replied in usion.
"Robert, what would happen if you don't come in 20 mins?"
"Then presume mission failed and leave."
"But…"
"That's an order, Captain!"
"Yes sir."
Robert looked at his watch, 'T-minus 0 seconds'
"Ok men, suit up!"
Lieutenant Carford yawned as he shifted in his seat; night duty was not fun. He stretched and began to fall asleep, just as his eyes began to droop an alarm sound went off. Carford bolted up right and stared at his screen; a unit of Shield Ligers was attacking the southern perimeter. He pressed a red button and an even louder alarm was heard and a monotone voice was heard also.
"Red Alert, Red Alert, all personnel please report into battle stations."
Barrages of footsteps were heard outside and the sound of the doors opening was heard. Colonel Marcus came storming in, his eyes darting across the panel.
"What's happening?"
"Sir, there appears to be an enemy Liger unit attacking the southern perimeter."
Marcus watched the screen and grinned. 'This is my big chance, to prove to Prozen how good I am.'
"Right, send out Sabres Task Force units A and B."
"But Sir, why would you send Recon Units?"
"Just do it!"
"Yes Sir!!!"
Marcus sat back and watched the screen with a smile. 'Yes I will show Prozen, I am the Colonel to Trust.' But what Marcus did not see was a small group of men slipping into the chaos.
"I must be crazy." Muttered Robert as he and his six-squad unit ran into the on going battle. Dodging tracers and very big mechanical legs, Robert and his squad were able to slip inside the Imperial Base unseen. The moment they were inside the hangar, they stopped running and gazed around. Robert expected chaos and people running around preparing to battle, but to his surprise most of the soldiers were relaxing and some were even sleeping.
"Ok guys, act natural." He whispered to his men.
They must have been great impressionists because they weren't noticed or maybe it was the Imperial uniforms they had stolen. Robert was disguised as a Captain while the rest were all privates. Robert quickly turned to his sergeant.
"Ok Loimore, where are my prisoners?"
Loimore was a short, compact man who was known for his courage and loyalty. He took out a small, compact laptop and began to type on it quickly.
"From what information Avalon gave they are most likely to be held in the Talaki Room…" He drifted off.
"What's the Talaki Room?"
Loimore took a deep breath and looked at Robert squarely in the eyes. "The Talaki Room sir, is a room only to torture those of the Republic; it is told that it is the highest form of torture room in the Imperial Army."
Robert clenched his fists and stared down a corridor "Well Sergent, lead the way."
Marcus sat watching the battle with a small content smile on his face. When the doors opened and Colonel Karl Shwbaltz came strolling in, Marcus jumped out of his seat and glared at Karl.
"What are you doing here?!"
"I was sent here by Prozen himself, to watch over this base."
"Well if you haven't noticed, I am doing quite well here on my own."
"You've sent out two Recon Forces to counter-attack a Republican Shield Unit, yeah I wonder why I am here."
Marcus growled and stood up and pressed close to Karl, "You are treading on thin ice, Shwbaltz."
Karl's eyes narrowed at Marcus but something seemed to catch his attention beyond Marcus's shoulder. A screen flickering, a screen with seven men walking down a corridor, one in the lead looking exactly likes Captain Robert Herman. Karl shifted his eyes back to Marcus and stepped back.
"Very well Marcus, I'll leave it up to you."
Without another word, Karl left.
'Just great.'
Robert and just reached the entrance to the Talaki room; he expected it to be guarded, but not by ten of them. Robert leant against the wall and sighed; he looked at his watch '10 mins'. He took a deep breath and rounded the corner, his men in tow. The guards at the entrance straightened up as Robert walked closer. One guard stopped him and eyed him.
"Sir, may I ask why are you here?"
"I am here to escort the prisoners to another location." Robert answered.
"I have heard of no such orders."
"Yeah well, you won't be hearing much if you don't let me in."
The guards exchanged looks and finally the leader nodded. "Alright but just let me—!"
But he didn't finish for at that exact moment Robert and his men pulled out their guns.
"Hands up!"
The guards held their hands up and Robert ordered his men to tie them up and lock them away. He turned to the dors and opened them up and nearly vomited at the sight that met him.
"VAN!!" Avalon cried and ran towards him, tears blurring her vision. She ran up to him and threw her arms around him but all she touched was air. She fell to the ground and looked around in surprise. Van stood over her smiling but his eyes were sad.
"Avalon, come, I have much to tell."
Without another word he began to walk towards the temple. Avalon watched in shock; a hand was placed in front of her and without thinking she accepted it. Raven pulled her up and she stood shaking; Raven touched her shoulder.
"Are you ok?"
Avalon seemed to snap out of her daze and shrugged him off coldly. "I'm fine."
She ran off to catch up to Van. Raven sighed and looked down at the ground; it was then that he noticed the ivory flute lying at his feet. He picked it up and looked around but could not see the boy anywhere. Stuffing the flute into his shirt and brushing off a blue bug, he ran off to catch up to the others.
Avalon slowed down as she reached Van and walked beside him but he didn't say anything; he just was quiet.
"Van, what happened, I thought you died. No, I saw you die."
"I cannot answer those questions right now."
"Well can you at least say where we are?"
"I cannot answer that right now."
"Well how did you get here?"
"I cannot answer that."
"WELL IS THERE BLOODY ANYTHING YOU CAN ANSWER!!!"
Van stopped and faced her. "Yes, but not at this moment."
Avalon's mouth dropped and Van continued to walk into the temple; Raven caught up and looked at Avalon, then to Van.
"What's wrong?"
Avalon growled and shoved him away and followed Van into the temple, Raven shook his head and followed as well. As he entered Raven felt a calm sensation sweep through his body, and he felt like he belonged here all along.
Not far from the Lethior Forest, a blue Genosaurer stood alone, its pilot cursing in frustration.
'What the hell just happened? Raven's signal is gone, where did it go?'
The pilot sighed, she couldn't do much until Hiltz was here but when he did come, she would have her fun.
Catching up to Avalon, they both walked after Van, who seemed to have picked up speed. Avalon gazed around the insides of the temple; it was an amazing sight considering it looked old and crumbling from the outside. It was new on the inside. The floor was smooth silver and the walls sparkled with something untouched, undisturbed, and just pure. Raven looked up at the ceiling and couldn't believe what he saw colon zoids, thousands of them moving. They were pictures but were moving; some played with each other while others fought. Avalon pulled on his shoulder and they continued to walk.
"Strange how this seems so familiar."
Paintings seemed to hang from the walls, pictures of zoids, pictures of Zoidians and pictures of Avalon, Van, and Raven.
Raven stopped dead as he saw the picture of him, Avalon, and Van. They each wore a robe; Avalon's was white, Van's was silver, and Raven's was black. An amulet held the robe together at the front. Raven stood closer to have a good look at it; it was a bronze colour and a triangle was engraved on it (Think Zelda).
Around Avalon's forehead was a chain with a small crystal in the middle, framing her face. Raven was holding an ivory flute, while Van had a pelt of a wolf over his shoulder. Below it was a plaque with the word:
'Naiethoar.'
"Whoa, this is unreal." Avalon whispered behind him.
"Yes, but the strange thing is I seem to remember that."
Avalon laughed, "Yes, it took you and Van ages to get ready."
"Yeah, but you took awhile to find."
"Hey, I was outside in the forest, how do you expect me to hear you."
"Your father wasn't happy about that."
They both laughed, then quickly stopped themselves as they realised what they were saying. Avalon stepped back and looked around for Van.
"Hey, I think we better find Van and find out what this is all about."
Raven nodded and they both walked off to find him.
It wasn't long till they found him; he was standing at a door with the same triangle symbol. Avalon and Raven stood beside him and looked on in wonder.
"Now can you answer my questions, Van?"
Van smiled. "Yes, now I can, Avalon." And he pushed open the heavy-looking doors, and what Avalon saw inside made her gasp.
The room was large, larger than any of the rooms she had seen. Along the walls were vines twisting all the way to the ceiling, where they then spread across the ceiling like a spider's web. Near the far wall an altar stood; the same Triangle symbol stood over it and on top of the altar, three small notches were carved into it. One had a small jewel inside it. In the middle of the room a large pillar rose from the floor and touched the ceiling; beautiful bronze writing was engraved around it. Three crystal chambers stood, like beds, at the bottom of the pillar. A sense of awe filled Avalon as she moved closer to the pillar, her eyes gazing up at it. She then moved towards the crystal beds; she touched one and it felt cool against her skin. She moved to the third one and gazed into it and nearly let out a yell. There inside the crystal chamber was a body. She peered closer and nearly cried out in shock. It wasn't just any body. It was Van's.
Moonbay was chained against the wall, her clothes practically stripped off. Blood and vomit spilled across the floor below her and the stench of the dying filled the air. Robert rushed over to her and almost stopped because of the smell. He reached her and lifted her head. Her whole body was battered and bruised; her left arm was twisted at such an angle that it looked like someone had wrapped her arm around a pole. Her eyes were closed and Robert feared that she was dead; he took her pulse and relaxed slightly as he felt a faint but certain pulse.
"Sir, come here quick!"
Robert quickly left Moonbay with two of his men and ran over to where he was called from. He stopped dead in his tracks. If Moonbay was a horror, then Irvine was a nightmare. He was strapped on top of a rack-like object; his arms were tied above his head and his feet to the bottom. What was horrifying was that Irvine's arms seemed to be limp at the joints, which meant only one thing.
"Dislocated." Whispered Robert.
"That's not all sir. It appears that Irvine has had a series of whippings that have been left to heal and then repeated over again in the same places. He also has a severe cut across his right eye and I afraid he might be blind in that eye."
Robert turned away from the sight and looked towards Loimore, who was also trying to ignore the sight.
"Loimore, I want you to start getting Irvine and Moonbay out of here. You said that there was a back door to this place; where is it?"
Loimore tapped some more buttons and then pointed over to the darkest corner. "There sir, it is and air vent large enough for someone to crawl through it. I think that if we get Irvine and Moonbay onto some stretchers we can pull them through the vent and get outside of the compound."
Robert nodded in response. "Get on with it then."
Loimore saluted and began barking orders; Robert looked at his watch '5 mins'. Suddenly a noise, like an alarm was heard.
"Shit, they must have had the vent alarmed!" Loimore exclaimed.
"It's too late to back out, keep going with the plan!" Robert replied, running over to help load Irvine into the vent. He stood back as the rest of the men climbed into the vent; he watched as the last leg disappeared and started to climb into it as well.
"Hold it right there!"
Robert stopped, turned around and came face to face with Karl Shwbaltz holding a gun. Robert raised his hands and stepped into the light. Karl raised the gun and Robert closed his eyes waiting for the final sound of death; when it didn't happen he opened his eyes. Karl still stood there except he didn't have a gun in his hands anymore.
"Do you know Avalon?"
Robert nodded and Karl smiled sadly.
"Tell her I love her."
Robert looked at him in confusion "Ok…"
Voices were heard not far from where they were and Karl quickly looked towards the door.
"You better hurry, they'll be here soon!"
"Come with me."
Karl turned back to Robert and smiled, "If only I could, now go!"
Robert hesitated, but turned and climbed into the vent and closed it just in time to see about 50 soldiers charge through the doors.
Robert jumped out into the chilled night air and landed beside the rest of the troop, who had found two jeeps, and looked at his watch. '2 mins' Robert jumped in beside Loimore and ordered them to move out. Rain started to fall and pounded against the jeep's windows; lightning flashed overhead followed by a roar of thunder. Explosions were heard in the distance as the battle from before still continued. Robert peered out the windows. 'Just past those trees.' As they cleared the trees Robert relaxed as he saw the hidden Whale King standing by.
"Ok, proceed with Retreat Plan. Alpha team has reached Delta Point."
"Roger that Alpha Leader, Liger unit already retreating."
"Wing Leader I need your air support on stand by, do you copy."
"I copy Alpha Leader, Air support on stand by."
Robert turned to Loimore "Ok, load the jeeps. Let's move out!"
"Van, how can you be here if you are there?" whispered Avalon as she touched the cold glass.
"That's cause he is not really here." Answered Brakanan, who had appeared behind Raven and Van.
Avalon turned around and stared at him. "What do you mean?"
Van walked towards the crystal chamber where his double laid and touched the glass.
"Avalon, have you noticed anything different about me?"
Avalon looked at Van but apart from wearing different clothes she couldn't see anything really mind-bogglingly different.
"Look closer." Van spoke as if reading her mind.
Avalon continued to stare and started to notice small details about Van that were different. He looked slightly older, maybe more mature. His attitude was not as hotheaded, but the sense of cockiness was still there, yet well hidden. His clothes were a silver robe with an amulet holding it together; across his shoulder was a Wolf pelt.
"Who are you?" she asked softly.
Brakanan walked forward and put his hand on Avalon's shoulder "This is still Van, Avalon, only he is Van more than 1000 years ago. Meet Vandyke, a Zoidian and the first part of the Trinity."
"How?" was all Avalon could say.
Van, or now he was known as Vandyke, studied the crystal chamber in which his double laid. He traced the gold engraving softly and started to read.
"Dane le In, gyrth han agorer uno Naiethoar."
"Here lies the fallen, the First of the Trinity."
But Avalon didn't need the translation; she already understood what he said. Raven stepped forward after being quiet for so long.
"So, what you are saying is that this is a tomb for Zoidians."
"Yes and no. This whole place is more than just a tomb; it was once the proud place of the royal Zoidians. But it was also the sanctuary of the Trinity."
"Ok, first explain why there are two of you and second, what is the Trinity?"
Vandyke sighed, "The Van in the crystal chamber is me and will always be me. Avalon, when he died Tri brought him here and placed him in the chamber. Also he put Zeke's power core into the stone altar, which activated this simulation."
"Simulation?"
"Yes, I am only a hologram from the past, from the prophecy it was predicted that one of the Trinity would die."
'Death of one.' Avalon thought quickly.
"So I was programmed to take on the form of the fallen Trinity. It was Van, so I took over his body, memory and personality."
"But I can't touch you?"
Vandyke laughed, "I know, it's harsh, isn't it. I can only take the image of his body , not his actual body. But what the ancient Zoidians didn't predict was that Van, Raven or you would change so much from being frozen."
"FROZEN!"
"Yes. You see, when the Deathsaurer attacked the Zoidians, they separated the Trinity and placed them in Crystal Chambers similar to these. We did not count on them being opened so soon. Yours, Raven, was opened by that man that you call father, and Van's was opened by an huge earthquake and was saved by a zoid pilot who became his dad but yours, Avalon, well, you opened it yourself."
Avalon stood up and walked over to the pillar and stared at it, its gold writing winking at her. Her mind was in deep thought and she acted like she didn't hear him. Vandyke watched her and continued.
"How you opened it is hard to say, since you are the royal princess your power may have been able to break the royal seal on the chamber."
Avalon snapped out of her daze and spun around to him "What do you mean princess! Why can't I remember any of this?"
Brakanan sighed. "Avalon, when you are placed in a Cryo-Chamber your memories are stored in your mind and only can be unlocked when you release your power."
Avalon rolled her eyes. "Well it may seem so simple to you, Oh mighty Brakanan. But most people it would be hard to understand!"
Brakanan growled. "Well I can see why your memories were easy to store cause you have such a small brain."
"What did you say?"
"How come I don't remember meeting my dad?"
Brakanan and Avalon stopped short of entering a huge argument and turned to look at Raven, who was looking at Vandyke.
"How come I can't remember?"
"The first few memories after being released from the Cryo-chamber slowly disappear until the person forgets about ever coming from the Cryo-Chamber, and they just assume that they have always lived like this."
"Oh." Was all Raven could say.
"Van, I mean Vandyke, what did you mean that the Zoidians didn't predict that we would change?""
"Avalon, I am Van, but when he was a Zoidian; these were his clothes back then, this is how he acted a bit back then. The Zoidians didn't predict that time would change; they thought that they would still be here, that Zoidians still lived on this planet, so they programmed me to be like you guys back when you were born."
An awkward silence followed and no one moved or anything, each with his or her minds in deep thought.
Brakanan coughed and clapped his hands. "Right, if that is all the questions you have to ask right now, I suggest we go and have some rest for it has been a long day."
"Wait!"
Avalon walked towards Vandyke and stared into his eyes. "What is the Trinity."
Vandyke hesitated. "It's you Avalon; it's you, Raven, and Van. You guys are the Trinity in its dormant form."
"Reese where are you?"
"I am just south of the Lethior Forest, what are your orders?"
"I am just west of the forest. I will meet you at the entrance and we then will advance from there."
Reese turned on her Genosaurer. "What will we do from there?"
A cold laughed answered her and she didn't need to be told that they were going to attack the Lethior Sanctuary. And in the cold night, the Genosaurer's eyes lit up.
"Information overload?"
Avalon glanced behind her and saw Raven walking up beside her and gazed over the balcony. They were in one of the rooms Brakanan showed them and had just finished eating and showering. Avalon laughed but it was a bitter one.
"Yeah, I don't know what to make of it."
"If it will help neither do I."
They stood in silence for a moment when Avalon spoke, her tone softer then before.
"It's beautiful, isn't it."?
Raven stared at her. "Yeah, it is."
Avalon blushed. She didn't know whether he was talking about the city or someone else but she quickly changed the subject.
"I mean I can't believe we used to live here and we can't remember much at all." Avalon continued quickly.
Raven looked back over the balcony and pulled out the flute he had found and began to play. It was so soft and sad, memories played across Avalon's mind as the music consumed her. She then realised these were Raven's memories, but they were so sad, so painful that Avalon felt herself crying. Tears steamed down her face as Raven continued to play. As he played it seemed the stars did not shine or the moon could not guide its followers or love could never be born. A dream played over in her mind: 'the world around her began to darken and screams were heard. The trees were swallowed in darkness and the screams intensified. The shadows began to move and grabbed her; she struggled but they were too strong. Then a little girl appeared in front of her, her eyes closed.' Avalon felt like the darkness would take her, she struggled when….
"Why do you cry?"
Avalon looked up and saw that Raven had stopped playing, his face etched with worry.
"It's so sad… that song. When I heard it I had to cry …those memories they were, they were…"
"The song, it's called Raven's Symphony; it shows the sorrow of the world."
"Does it have words?"
Raven closed his eyes and began to sing softly:
Raven's Symphony
As I close my eyes, as darkness consumes me
As I cut out life, and the light that will be mine
As the shadow watches from behind, I cry
The sorrows of the world are my wings
The sadness in my heart is my sky
Watch as I descend, the light is so far
This is what I call
My Symphony
"Raven, those were your memories?" Avalon felt tears in her eyes as she replayed the memories over in her head.
Raven stepped closer to her and wiped the tear away from her face and touched her face gently.
"Don't cry Princess, your sadness brings the Raven, but your happiness keeps it." He murmured.
With that he bent slowly forward and kissed her softly on the lips. Avalon closed her eyes and felt the last of her tears fall down her face and their hands entwined.
'Karl'
Avalon broke the kiss and quickly stepped back, her eyes wide; she looked down at her hands and felt them shaking.
"I… I've got to go." Avalon said and ran out of the room.
"Avalon, wait!"
KABOOM!!
A loud explosion rocked the ground. Raven looked across the small village and saw smoke rising in the distance. There were flashes of light followed by another explosion and Raven gripped onto the balcony as the walls shook around him.
'We're being attacked.'
Raven turned on his heel and quickly ran out of the room towards the temple.
Neko: Please Review for next chappie, I am glad I have two readers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kai: Can't I stop wearing this now!!
Neko: ummmmmmmmmm No!