Boy! Did Zari have it rough or what?!
Disclaimer: ....
Ch 13 Wizard's Son
Guards charged him as soon as he reached the top of the cliff. Shin growled as he drew his sword, "I have no time for this!" Blood sprayed the ground and heads rolled over the edge. Within moments half of the guard had been slaughtered while the others ran back inside. Shin stood for a moment, eyeing the dead. One moved and groaned. The guard screamed as Shin threw him on his back and pressed the gleaming blade under his chin. "Where is she?!"
The guard stopped cringing and suddenly laughed. Bibi-Dee's voice answered. "Soon to follow this poor soul!"
Shin threw his head on the ground and raced through the door. Bibi-Dee's words followed him down the corridor. "Run Kai! Run! Save the corpse!"
Guard after guard sprang from the shadows. Shin's sword sang in anger as it sheered the hides from the guards and slashed their armor as if it was paper.
Zari's scream erupted from ahead. "Hold on!" Shin cried. A guard jumped on his back and put Shin in a headlock. "Get off of me!" The guard only growled and grunted as he tried to keep his grip. Shin threw his back into the wall. The guard coughed. "Dammit let go!" The guard tightened his grip and Shin unleashed his rage. His aura blazed and burnt the guard to dust. He turned to the guards blocking his path. They trembled, whispering in quivering voices to their comrades to charge. Shin raised his hand and the guards fled.
"My my my." The voice made him growl in disgust. "Aren't you sloppy. Look at you, you're covered in blood. Such a waste."
"Show yourself witch."
"As you will." Lights flared in the dark corridor, blinding him. His head shot up. He turned sideways just in time to avoid her blade. Desdelona turned and sneered. "What's the matter? Too bright?"
Shin opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness. "No, but you've made one crucial mistake."
"Oh?"
"You're no longer in my way." Desdelona's eyes widened as he turned and sprinted down the corridor.
"Coward!"
He didn't answer but sensed her coming up on his heels.
"Come on short stuff!" Her hand snagged his hair and threw him back. "If you're going to run, you better move faster than that."
He jumped to his feet and pointed the tip of his sword at her. "You would have been wiser had you taken your life and fled."
"I always was a slow learner," she said with a sinister grin.
His aura blazed. "So it would seem."
"You're too late anyway," she said softly. His eyes widened. "Don't you hear it?" He strained his ears to hear over the crackle of the white lightning around him. Then it came, the faint cry of an infant. His mouth hung open and his arm fell limp. "Too bad it's not-"
"Impossible..." he whispered. "A week has yet to pass. How can the full seven months be behind her already?"
He paid no mind to her gleaming blade as it pushed into the flesh under his jaw. "Ask Amethyst when you see her in hell."
"Dead?" his sword fell from his hand.
She gripped her sword with both hands and raised it over her shoulder. "Sad isn't it. It's such a waste." She watched his eyes. She could see the thousands of questions and painful answers run through his mind. "But don't worry... I'll send you to her."
He blinked and reality rushed back to him. He could hear her sword whine as it sliced through the air and came down toward his shoulder. He ducked and kicked her feet out from under her. Her sword flew out of her hands and landed beside her head. She lunged for him and wrapped her fingers around his throat. His fist flew into her jaw but she shook it off. Her body pinned him under her. Her aura blazed a sea green. Circuits melted under the heat and the corridor once again went dark. His hand searched for his sword but felt nothing but the metal floor. A foul odor suddenly flew to his nose. ~*Blood?*~ He could see her through the green fire she emitted. She was pure green but there was a dark black spot under her chest. It dripped and oozed. ~*There!*~ His fist flew and collided with her wound. She screamed and her grip weakened. She endured another blow but the third sent her to the floor. He sprang on top of her and slammed his fist into her ribs. She screamed in pain then suddenly choked. He paused, his hand covered in her blood. He could feel something sharp scrape against his skin as he pulled his hand out of her shattered ribs. She choked and coughed, blood erupting from her mouth and raining down on her face. "Now I leave you what time you have left to remember every wrong turn you took in your life," he growled.
He stood, collected his sword, then ran down the corridor toward Zari's screams.
Suddenly all fell silent then he heard sharp wheezing gasps. ~*Zari?*~ his mind called. ~*Where are you?!*~
~*... here.... I'm here....*~
Her signature was fading.
~*... hurry.... please Kalilo.... I need you...*~
He stopped suddenly beside an open door. Inside was dark but he could faintly make out shapes. A small bed took up the middle of the room. "Zari...?"
"I'm here...."
He dashed to the back corner and there she lie. His mind flashed back to the vision he had the first night he held her in his arms. The southern corner of his childhood home, smeared with blood. The dark figure huddled at the base of the corner, lying motionless, his mother's chilling corpse spilling out what blood had not yet congealed.
~*I told you this would happen.*~ his own voice growled.
"No..." he silently pleaded. "It can't be..." He fell to his knees and gently took her up in his arms. Her body was limp and chilled. "Please Ledena... don't take her from me... not now."
"I'm not dead," she whispered. She whimpered as she pressed her old cape up tighter between her legs to stop the bleeding. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him."
"Shhh.... it's okay... it's okay," he assured her in a quivering whisper. He kissed her tenderly then pulled her up so her head rested on his shoulder. "I'll take care of you. You'll be fine." He clenched his fists behind her back. "I'll end it." She trembled at the sound of his voice. "I'll end it." One hand cradled the back of her neck and lifted her lips to his while the other traveled down to her abdomen. She winced as the burning sensation returned. Her breath caught in her throat then left her in a sigh as the pain dimmed. She felt numb and sleepy all of a sudden.
~*Kalilo... promise me... be careful.*~
He withdrew and whispered in her ear. "I will come back for you."
Her eyelids fluttered close and a smile graced her lips.
His eyes shifted from her face to the wad of cloth between her thighs. He gently moved her hands up to her stomach and slowly pulled the cloth back. The foul stench of blood hit him in the face and fury boiled in his eyes. His hand slipped down and slowly moved between the cloth and her skin. He closed his eyes and saw the gaping wounds in her. He forced himself to forget his anger for a moment and focus. Light emitted from his hand and filled each stretched wound one by one. The light subsided and the wounds vanished.
She sighed in relief and curled up against his chest. He braced her with his knee and took off his sash and overcoat. "Kalila," he whispered.
"Hm?" she hummed happily.
"I need you to sit up for a moment."
"Okay," she replied. He shifted behind her, knowing she was still half asleep and that she might fall back. Quickly he pulled her arms through the sleeveless overcoat, reached around her and buttoned it as he let his lips trailed up and down her neck. She leaned into him and gently ran her fingers through his hair as he tied the sash around her waist.
"Rest now."
"Okay," she whispered. Her head tilted back and her body went limp.
He scooped her up in his arms and gently laid her down on the bed. He sat beside her, watching her peaceful expression as she slept. For a moment he forgot everything, where he was, what had happened, all until he brushed her bangs away and saw the black M.
~*How could I have forgotten? Right... Desdelona's dead or dying, I really don't care which. The guards won't fight me any more. That just leaves Buu and Bibi-Dee. No doubt he's waiting for me and I'd hate to keep him waiting.*~
He picked up his sword and took one last look at Zari. She turned on her side and curled up. "Shin," she whispered. "I love you."
His heart ached and tears blurred his vision. "I couldn't love me if I was you."
"I love you," she repeated.
He leaned down and brushed his lips over the tip of her ear. ~*Ledena, give me the strength to avenge her.*~
Every step beyond the threshold of the chamber where Zari rested fueled his rage. His pace quickened until he was going at an all out run. Sword drawn, he burst into a large circular room. In the back, behind a small table with a chair on each end, he heard Buu gorging himself. ~*Where are you?*~
"I'm here Supreme Kai," Bibi-Dee replied from the table. He sat in one of the chairs, completely relaxed, poking his finger at a bundle in his lap. "You needn't search. I must congratulate you, very few make it past the guards. All die at the hands of Desdelona." Shin didn't answer. Bibi-Dee looked up at Shin then gestured to the seat across from him. "Please, have a seat. I know you wish to kill me but we can at least act like civilized men for a moment. Besides, I wish to speak with you."
Shin raised his sword and advanced.
"Now now Supreme Kai, I swear I will not use my power on you until I have finished my proposition."
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say."
"Buu," Bibi-Dee called. "Quit being such a hideous host and show our guest to his seat."
Buu poked his head out, crumbs lining his mouth. "Purple boy come back!" He jumped out of the room and stomped toward Shin. "Buu make dead!"
"No Buu!" Bibi-Dee said quickly.
Buu hesitated, "Buu no make dead?"
"No."
Shin's eyes narrowed. "What are you planning?"
"So kind of you to ask. Buu, please show him to his seat." Bibi-Dee turned his attention back to the bundle. "Oh and I must request that you at least sheath your sword. I don't want an accident."
Shin thrust his hand out as Buu tried to take his arm. "I am perfectly capable of finding my own seat thank you," he said blankly.
"Then purple boy put away sword now," Buu said.
Shin clenched his sword until his knuckles turned white.
"Purple boy put up sword!"
In a flash Shin put the sword in its scabbard. Reluctantly he walked to the chair across from Bibi-Dee and sat down.
"Thank you Buu," Bibi-Dee said. "That will be all. I hope your cakes please you."
"Yum!" Buu said as he rubbed his belly. "Cakes good, but so small."
"Eat those you have then I'll give you more."
"Yippee!"
Shin glared at Bibi-Dee as Buu skipped back into the back room. "Do you always spoil him?"
"Just this once."
"Well?"
"Oh yes! Sorry, it's just this is such a remarkable likeness!" Shin didn't say anything. "I realize that you are in love with Amethyst... I would like to know her real name."
"Her name is not for you to know."
"Very well, I just wanted to make sure I had the name right. But Amethyst will work well enough." He stood and walked over to Shin. "You haven't seen her son yet have you?"
Shin's eyes widened then he turned his gaze to the bundle in Bibi-Dee's arms.
"I want you to know the truth. I just couldn't help myself when I saw her," he said with a greedy smile. "I had to make her mine. The child you sensed was never yours to begin with." Shin trembled and gripped the arms of his chair. "He was mine."
The creepy little cricket already knows he's dead but... why not have a little fun with your greatest enemy before you go hm?
Disclaimer: ....
Ch 13 Wizard's Son
Guards charged him as soon as he reached the top of the cliff. Shin growled as he drew his sword, "I have no time for this!" Blood sprayed the ground and heads rolled over the edge. Within moments half of the guard had been slaughtered while the others ran back inside. Shin stood for a moment, eyeing the dead. One moved and groaned. The guard screamed as Shin threw him on his back and pressed the gleaming blade under his chin. "Where is she?!"
The guard stopped cringing and suddenly laughed. Bibi-Dee's voice answered. "Soon to follow this poor soul!"
Shin threw his head on the ground and raced through the door. Bibi-Dee's words followed him down the corridor. "Run Kai! Run! Save the corpse!"
Guard after guard sprang from the shadows. Shin's sword sang in anger as it sheered the hides from the guards and slashed their armor as if it was paper.
Zari's scream erupted from ahead. "Hold on!" Shin cried. A guard jumped on his back and put Shin in a headlock. "Get off of me!" The guard only growled and grunted as he tried to keep his grip. Shin threw his back into the wall. The guard coughed. "Dammit let go!" The guard tightened his grip and Shin unleashed his rage. His aura blazed and burnt the guard to dust. He turned to the guards blocking his path. They trembled, whispering in quivering voices to their comrades to charge. Shin raised his hand and the guards fled.
"My my my." The voice made him growl in disgust. "Aren't you sloppy. Look at you, you're covered in blood. Such a waste."
"Show yourself witch."
"As you will." Lights flared in the dark corridor, blinding him. His head shot up. He turned sideways just in time to avoid her blade. Desdelona turned and sneered. "What's the matter? Too bright?"
Shin opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness. "No, but you've made one crucial mistake."
"Oh?"
"You're no longer in my way." Desdelona's eyes widened as he turned and sprinted down the corridor.
"Coward!"
He didn't answer but sensed her coming up on his heels.
"Come on short stuff!" Her hand snagged his hair and threw him back. "If you're going to run, you better move faster than that."
He jumped to his feet and pointed the tip of his sword at her. "You would have been wiser had you taken your life and fled."
"I always was a slow learner," she said with a sinister grin.
His aura blazed. "So it would seem."
"You're too late anyway," she said softly. His eyes widened. "Don't you hear it?" He strained his ears to hear over the crackle of the white lightning around him. Then it came, the faint cry of an infant. His mouth hung open and his arm fell limp. "Too bad it's not-"
"Impossible..." he whispered. "A week has yet to pass. How can the full seven months be behind her already?"
He paid no mind to her gleaming blade as it pushed into the flesh under his jaw. "Ask Amethyst when you see her in hell."
"Dead?" his sword fell from his hand.
She gripped her sword with both hands and raised it over her shoulder. "Sad isn't it. It's such a waste." She watched his eyes. She could see the thousands of questions and painful answers run through his mind. "But don't worry... I'll send you to her."
He blinked and reality rushed back to him. He could hear her sword whine as it sliced through the air and came down toward his shoulder. He ducked and kicked her feet out from under her. Her sword flew out of her hands and landed beside her head. She lunged for him and wrapped her fingers around his throat. His fist flew into her jaw but she shook it off. Her body pinned him under her. Her aura blazed a sea green. Circuits melted under the heat and the corridor once again went dark. His hand searched for his sword but felt nothing but the metal floor. A foul odor suddenly flew to his nose. ~*Blood?*~ He could see her through the green fire she emitted. She was pure green but there was a dark black spot under her chest. It dripped and oozed. ~*There!*~ His fist flew and collided with her wound. She screamed and her grip weakened. She endured another blow but the third sent her to the floor. He sprang on top of her and slammed his fist into her ribs. She screamed in pain then suddenly choked. He paused, his hand covered in her blood. He could feel something sharp scrape against his skin as he pulled his hand out of her shattered ribs. She choked and coughed, blood erupting from her mouth and raining down on her face. "Now I leave you what time you have left to remember every wrong turn you took in your life," he growled.
He stood, collected his sword, then ran down the corridor toward Zari's screams.
Suddenly all fell silent then he heard sharp wheezing gasps. ~*Zari?*~ his mind called. ~*Where are you?!*~
~*... here.... I'm here....*~
Her signature was fading.
~*... hurry.... please Kalilo.... I need you...*~
He stopped suddenly beside an open door. Inside was dark but he could faintly make out shapes. A small bed took up the middle of the room. "Zari...?"
"I'm here...."
He dashed to the back corner and there she lie. His mind flashed back to the vision he had the first night he held her in his arms. The southern corner of his childhood home, smeared with blood. The dark figure huddled at the base of the corner, lying motionless, his mother's chilling corpse spilling out what blood had not yet congealed.
~*I told you this would happen.*~ his own voice growled.
"No..." he silently pleaded. "It can't be..." He fell to his knees and gently took her up in his arms. Her body was limp and chilled. "Please Ledena... don't take her from me... not now."
"I'm not dead," she whispered. She whimpered as she pressed her old cape up tighter between her legs to stop the bleeding. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him."
"Shhh.... it's okay... it's okay," he assured her in a quivering whisper. He kissed her tenderly then pulled her up so her head rested on his shoulder. "I'll take care of you. You'll be fine." He clenched his fists behind her back. "I'll end it." She trembled at the sound of his voice. "I'll end it." One hand cradled the back of her neck and lifted her lips to his while the other traveled down to her abdomen. She winced as the burning sensation returned. Her breath caught in her throat then left her in a sigh as the pain dimmed. She felt numb and sleepy all of a sudden.
~*Kalilo... promise me... be careful.*~
He withdrew and whispered in her ear. "I will come back for you."
Her eyelids fluttered close and a smile graced her lips.
His eyes shifted from her face to the wad of cloth between her thighs. He gently moved her hands up to her stomach and slowly pulled the cloth back. The foul stench of blood hit him in the face and fury boiled in his eyes. His hand slipped down and slowly moved between the cloth and her skin. He closed his eyes and saw the gaping wounds in her. He forced himself to forget his anger for a moment and focus. Light emitted from his hand and filled each stretched wound one by one. The light subsided and the wounds vanished.
She sighed in relief and curled up against his chest. He braced her with his knee and took off his sash and overcoat. "Kalila," he whispered.
"Hm?" she hummed happily.
"I need you to sit up for a moment."
"Okay," she replied. He shifted behind her, knowing she was still half asleep and that she might fall back. Quickly he pulled her arms through the sleeveless overcoat, reached around her and buttoned it as he let his lips trailed up and down her neck. She leaned into him and gently ran her fingers through his hair as he tied the sash around her waist.
"Rest now."
"Okay," she whispered. Her head tilted back and her body went limp.
He scooped her up in his arms and gently laid her down on the bed. He sat beside her, watching her peaceful expression as she slept. For a moment he forgot everything, where he was, what had happened, all until he brushed her bangs away and saw the black M.
~*How could I have forgotten? Right... Desdelona's dead or dying, I really don't care which. The guards won't fight me any more. That just leaves Buu and Bibi-Dee. No doubt he's waiting for me and I'd hate to keep him waiting.*~
He picked up his sword and took one last look at Zari. She turned on her side and curled up. "Shin," she whispered. "I love you."
His heart ached and tears blurred his vision. "I couldn't love me if I was you."
"I love you," she repeated.
He leaned down and brushed his lips over the tip of her ear. ~*Ledena, give me the strength to avenge her.*~
Every step beyond the threshold of the chamber where Zari rested fueled his rage. His pace quickened until he was going at an all out run. Sword drawn, he burst into a large circular room. In the back, behind a small table with a chair on each end, he heard Buu gorging himself. ~*Where are you?*~
"I'm here Supreme Kai," Bibi-Dee replied from the table. He sat in one of the chairs, completely relaxed, poking his finger at a bundle in his lap. "You needn't search. I must congratulate you, very few make it past the guards. All die at the hands of Desdelona." Shin didn't answer. Bibi-Dee looked up at Shin then gestured to the seat across from him. "Please, have a seat. I know you wish to kill me but we can at least act like civilized men for a moment. Besides, I wish to speak with you."
Shin raised his sword and advanced.
"Now now Supreme Kai, I swear I will not use my power on you until I have finished my proposition."
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say."
"Buu," Bibi-Dee called. "Quit being such a hideous host and show our guest to his seat."
Buu poked his head out, crumbs lining his mouth. "Purple boy come back!" He jumped out of the room and stomped toward Shin. "Buu make dead!"
"No Buu!" Bibi-Dee said quickly.
Buu hesitated, "Buu no make dead?"
"No."
Shin's eyes narrowed. "What are you planning?"
"So kind of you to ask. Buu, please show him to his seat." Bibi-Dee turned his attention back to the bundle. "Oh and I must request that you at least sheath your sword. I don't want an accident."
Shin thrust his hand out as Buu tried to take his arm. "I am perfectly capable of finding my own seat thank you," he said blankly.
"Then purple boy put away sword now," Buu said.
Shin clenched his sword until his knuckles turned white.
"Purple boy put up sword!"
In a flash Shin put the sword in its scabbard. Reluctantly he walked to the chair across from Bibi-Dee and sat down.
"Thank you Buu," Bibi-Dee said. "That will be all. I hope your cakes please you."
"Yum!" Buu said as he rubbed his belly. "Cakes good, but so small."
"Eat those you have then I'll give you more."
"Yippee!"
Shin glared at Bibi-Dee as Buu skipped back into the back room. "Do you always spoil him?"
"Just this once."
"Well?"
"Oh yes! Sorry, it's just this is such a remarkable likeness!" Shin didn't say anything. "I realize that you are in love with Amethyst... I would like to know her real name."
"Her name is not for you to know."
"Very well, I just wanted to make sure I had the name right. But Amethyst will work well enough." He stood and walked over to Shin. "You haven't seen her son yet have you?"
Shin's eyes widened then he turned his gaze to the bundle in Bibi-Dee's arms.
"I want you to know the truth. I just couldn't help myself when I saw her," he said with a greedy smile. "I had to make her mine. The child you sensed was never yours to begin with." Shin trembled and gripped the arms of his chair. "He was mine."
The creepy little cricket already knows he's dead but... why not have a little fun with your greatest enemy before you go hm?