Chapter Seven: The Nightmare's End
Without the poison, Kid was back to her firey old self in a matter of days, and she and the real Serge finally had time to catch up on what had been happening to the two of them. She was happy to find him to be almost as affectionate as the fake had pretended to be. The truth was that they had loved eachother before they had ever been seperated in the first place, though niether other them had admitted it yet. They were happy just being together, and tried not to let their respective memories of suffering bother them.
Leena came as soon as she got the chance. She had only managed to get to the clearing without being followed because she had signed up with the search party that had been formed to locate Kid. The fake Serge suspected Harle, and let the rumor spread that Kid had been stolen away by a dragon disguised as the mysterious jester. Luckily, no one but the four conspirators knew the location of the hideout.
All too soon came the day when Harle awoke Kid and Serge and told them to prepare for the coming battle. Both of them had been training, and had regained nearly all of the strength they once had. It was time to end the Time Devourer's cruel game of revenge.
Spinning her dagger with carefree skill, Kid leaned against a tree and looked confidently at her friends. "So, how're we gonna do this? Just charge right in, or does anyone have a better plan?"
Harle, who was floating a foot above the forest floor, held up a subduing finger. "Zhat would not be wise, Mon cher. We must lure zhe enemy away and fight him on our own terms. Madammoizelle Leena, if you could lead zhe fake Serge here into zhe woods without him suspecting anyzhing, we could stage zhe ambush."
It was decided that the group of mismatched companions would wait until sundown, giving them time to prepare. Harle and Leena went off to discuss the plan in more detail, and also to let Kid and Serge be alone. Kid was now sitting with her back still to the thick tree, and Serge had taken a similer position on the other side, facing the opposite direction. The seconds passed in silence until Kid finally got sick of it.
"Serge, I..." she started suddenly, but the words caught in her throught, and she mentally scolded herself for sounding weak. Serge stayed quiet, though, so she gathered the courage to continue. "I... guess you know how I feel by now. About you, that is..."
He shook his headbefore realizing that she could not see it from where she was. "Maybe."
"Serge... I, um, made love to the Time Devourer... when I though it was you..." It became slightly easier as she spoke. It was as if she could feel the oppressive weight being lifted from her.
The boy moved to look at her from around the tree. When she realized that he was watching her, she raised her eyes to meet his. All the fire had momentarilly gone, leaving an innocent but serious young woman.
"Did he hurt you?" asked Serge, and Kid mentally thanked him for caring so much about her.
"No..." she replied, "It was my choice, because I love you, Mate..." She tried her best not to show it, but Serge knew that the girl was terified of being rejected.
To reassure her, he smiled. "I love you too, Kid."
It was all that needed to be said, and the infinately relieved girl threw herself into Serge's arms, accidently knocking him onto his back. Though surprised at first, he returned her affection, embracing her warmly. Her face was nestled against his shoulder, but she did not cry this time. Serge stayed quiet, but he was glad to see his beloved so happy at last.
"It's about time..." Leena whispered to Harle from where they where she and the jester were spying from a concealing tree.
And then night fell. Leena had already left to lead the Time Devourer to the clearing, and Harle was nowhere to be seen. Kid had been waiting silently, eyes closed, listening to every faint noise which eminated from the surroundings. The sound of Serge moving slightly caught her attention, and she opened one eye to glance at him, but something was wrong. She turned her head to look him in the eye directly, then jumped back, instantly on gaurd. "What are ya doin' here, and where's Serge?!" she shouted in startlement, having recognized the person beside her as the fake Serge who was controled by the Time Devourer.
To answer her question the boy moved out of the way, and the true Serge fell from behind the tree, his body bloodied and mutilated.
"Mon dieu, how could you be so careless as to fall asleep, Madammoizelle Kid?"
The thief spun around to see Harle standing over Leena's pale body, an unreadable expression on her face. The village girl's throat had been slit. Mouth gabing open in total shock, Kid stumbled back, wide-eyed, and tripped over the lifeless body of her beloved Serge. "You... you traitor..." she whispered almost voicelessly at first, but then began to scream, "You damned double-crossing freak of a clown! Ya led him to us, didn't you? How could ya do that to Serge! I... I thought you loved him too..." Choking back tears, she lunged at the dragoness, dagger already drawn. Before she could even touch Harle, the jester was suddenly engolved in blue flame. A short yelp of surprise was heard, and then nothing until the fire subsided, leaving a charred body curled on the ground, covered only with blackened traces of fabric.
Kid turned slowly to face the fake Serge, seeing a malicious grin on his features.
"She served her purpose. I did not want to risk her interfering with my revenge..."
Kid scowled in disgust at the insane dragon god, unable to speak through the shear hatred which was forming within her. She attempted to charge, but the Time Devourer raised one hand calmly and she found herself frozen in place, unable even to struggle or look away.
"Prepare yourself, child, to feel all the pain which you bestowed upon me," her would-be murderer said with a sneer, stepping forward and taking the curved dagger from Kid's unresisting grasp. With a quick and precise motion, he thrust the blade deep into the star-stealing girl's chest, sending bolts of pain lancing throughout her body. At the same time, he released the spell that held her still, allowing her to collapse, her hands clawing at the dagger which remained embedded in her body. "This time, you have no magical amulet to protect you..."
"She has me!" came the same voice, but with a more familiar tone.
Instead of hitting the ground, the dying girl found herself craddled in the tattered arms of Serge, who, weakened but still alive, had sneaked up behind her while the Time Devourer was distracted.
Their enemy stepped forward, but before he could strike again, Serge whipped the Astral Amulet out of his pocket and placed his placed his hand over Kid's so that they held the protective necklace together. With a flash of light and a sound similer to a raging wind, they were gone, transported to a safer time by the amulet of Schala. Realizing what had happened, the Time Devourer looked around in a rage, only to come face to face with a nightmarish sight. The horrifically burnt Dragon of the Dark Moon stood before him, red eyes alight with the fires of her very soul. "Merci... for stepping right into mon trap..."
To Be Continued... Maybe.
Without the poison, Kid was back to her firey old self in a matter of days, and she and the real Serge finally had time to catch up on what had been happening to the two of them. She was happy to find him to be almost as affectionate as the fake had pretended to be. The truth was that they had loved eachother before they had ever been seperated in the first place, though niether other them had admitted it yet. They were happy just being together, and tried not to let their respective memories of suffering bother them.
Leena came as soon as she got the chance. She had only managed to get to the clearing without being followed because she had signed up with the search party that had been formed to locate Kid. The fake Serge suspected Harle, and let the rumor spread that Kid had been stolen away by a dragon disguised as the mysterious jester. Luckily, no one but the four conspirators knew the location of the hideout.
All too soon came the day when Harle awoke Kid and Serge and told them to prepare for the coming battle. Both of them had been training, and had regained nearly all of the strength they once had. It was time to end the Time Devourer's cruel game of revenge.
Spinning her dagger with carefree skill, Kid leaned against a tree and looked confidently at her friends. "So, how're we gonna do this? Just charge right in, or does anyone have a better plan?"
Harle, who was floating a foot above the forest floor, held up a subduing finger. "Zhat would not be wise, Mon cher. We must lure zhe enemy away and fight him on our own terms. Madammoizelle Leena, if you could lead zhe fake Serge here into zhe woods without him suspecting anyzhing, we could stage zhe ambush."
It was decided that the group of mismatched companions would wait until sundown, giving them time to prepare. Harle and Leena went off to discuss the plan in more detail, and also to let Kid and Serge be alone. Kid was now sitting with her back still to the thick tree, and Serge had taken a similer position on the other side, facing the opposite direction. The seconds passed in silence until Kid finally got sick of it.
"Serge, I..." she started suddenly, but the words caught in her throught, and she mentally scolded herself for sounding weak. Serge stayed quiet, though, so she gathered the courage to continue. "I... guess you know how I feel by now. About you, that is..."
He shook his headbefore realizing that she could not see it from where she was. "Maybe."
"Serge... I, um, made love to the Time Devourer... when I though it was you..." It became slightly easier as she spoke. It was as if she could feel the oppressive weight being lifted from her.
The boy moved to look at her from around the tree. When she realized that he was watching her, she raised her eyes to meet his. All the fire had momentarilly gone, leaving an innocent but serious young woman.
"Did he hurt you?" asked Serge, and Kid mentally thanked him for caring so much about her.
"No..." she replied, "It was my choice, because I love you, Mate..." She tried her best not to show it, but Serge knew that the girl was terified of being rejected.
To reassure her, he smiled. "I love you too, Kid."
It was all that needed to be said, and the infinately relieved girl threw herself into Serge's arms, accidently knocking him onto his back. Though surprised at first, he returned her affection, embracing her warmly. Her face was nestled against his shoulder, but she did not cry this time. Serge stayed quiet, but he was glad to see his beloved so happy at last.
"It's about time..." Leena whispered to Harle from where they where she and the jester were spying from a concealing tree.
And then night fell. Leena had already left to lead the Time Devourer to the clearing, and Harle was nowhere to be seen. Kid had been waiting silently, eyes closed, listening to every faint noise which eminated from the surroundings. The sound of Serge moving slightly caught her attention, and she opened one eye to glance at him, but something was wrong. She turned her head to look him in the eye directly, then jumped back, instantly on gaurd. "What are ya doin' here, and where's Serge?!" she shouted in startlement, having recognized the person beside her as the fake Serge who was controled by the Time Devourer.
To answer her question the boy moved out of the way, and the true Serge fell from behind the tree, his body bloodied and mutilated.
"Mon dieu, how could you be so careless as to fall asleep, Madammoizelle Kid?"
The thief spun around to see Harle standing over Leena's pale body, an unreadable expression on her face. The village girl's throat had been slit. Mouth gabing open in total shock, Kid stumbled back, wide-eyed, and tripped over the lifeless body of her beloved Serge. "You... you traitor..." she whispered almost voicelessly at first, but then began to scream, "You damned double-crossing freak of a clown! Ya led him to us, didn't you? How could ya do that to Serge! I... I thought you loved him too..." Choking back tears, she lunged at the dragoness, dagger already drawn. Before she could even touch Harle, the jester was suddenly engolved in blue flame. A short yelp of surprise was heard, and then nothing until the fire subsided, leaving a charred body curled on the ground, covered only with blackened traces of fabric.
Kid turned slowly to face the fake Serge, seeing a malicious grin on his features.
"She served her purpose. I did not want to risk her interfering with my revenge..."
Kid scowled in disgust at the insane dragon god, unable to speak through the shear hatred which was forming within her. She attempted to charge, but the Time Devourer raised one hand calmly and she found herself frozen in place, unable even to struggle or look away.
"Prepare yourself, child, to feel all the pain which you bestowed upon me," her would-be murderer said with a sneer, stepping forward and taking the curved dagger from Kid's unresisting grasp. With a quick and precise motion, he thrust the blade deep into the star-stealing girl's chest, sending bolts of pain lancing throughout her body. At the same time, he released the spell that held her still, allowing her to collapse, her hands clawing at the dagger which remained embedded in her body. "This time, you have no magical amulet to protect you..."
"She has me!" came the same voice, but with a more familiar tone.
Instead of hitting the ground, the dying girl found herself craddled in the tattered arms of Serge, who, weakened but still alive, had sneaked up behind her while the Time Devourer was distracted.
Their enemy stepped forward, but before he could strike again, Serge whipped the Astral Amulet out of his pocket and placed his placed his hand over Kid's so that they held the protective necklace together. With a flash of light and a sound similer to a raging wind, they were gone, transported to a safer time by the amulet of Schala. Realizing what had happened, the Time Devourer looked around in a rage, only to come face to face with a nightmarish sight. The horrifically burnt Dragon of the Dark Moon stood before him, red eyes alight with the fires of her very soul. "Merci... for stepping right into mon trap..."
To Be Continued... Maybe.