Chapter 28: Unusual Vacation. The Eastern Mountains

It seemed like forever. Bann looked back at his comrades who were all tired from the long walk. It had only been a few hours, but they were wiped out.

'How much longer can it be?'

Three hours earlier:

"Well, this is it," Count Youngblood told the Bashers as he stopped carriage and let them out.

"What's it?"

"This is as far as I can take you my carriage. Past here, it is too rocky to travel by horse. You will have to continue your journey on foot."

"WHAT!" Jesi yelled.

"I'm sorry, but you must understand, it is too dangerous from here. You have to hike."

"Crap. This is the worst vacation ever."

"Just get your shit and go," Tiamat said as he picked up a large bag and threw it at Jesi, who narrowly avoided it. "Told ya to pack light."

Back at the present time:

"Hey Zakei."

"Yeah Bann?" Zakei said as he approached his friend.

"Listen, it's getting dark. We've been walking for hours. I know we can go farther…"

"Then we will."

"No, listen. Let's get our bearings and set up camp. We'll continue tomorrow morning."

"We have three friends and a teacher who could be dead right now and you want to rest?"

"If we don't get rest, we might end up like them. Let's stop for now."

Zakei was in silent thought for a second. "Alright, Bann. Everyone," Zakei's voice got louder, "we set up camp. Let's find a stream."

Later that night, the Bashers were sitting around a campfire among the trees.

"So, what do we do now?"

"Tomorrow morning, we move out at dawn. This is your last night of getting a good sleep, so enjoy it."

"Already was, if you hadn't so rudely interrupted," Migome said from her sleeping bag.

Bann laughed.

After a sigh, Zakei spoke up again. "I'm going to get more firewood. Bann, keep watch."

Bann watched as Zakei got up and left. 'Hmmm…'

"Whatcha doin?"

"Wha!" Bann yelled and fell over.

"What the hell? Stop making so much noise, Bann."

"Uh… um, sorry. I fell over." 'Queen's Knight? What are you doing here?'

"Um… I live here, in your mind, duh."

'Oh, oh yeah. Hey, I have a question to ask you.'

"Yeah?"

'I was wondering, do you have a name? I mean, Queen's Knight is nice and all, but it's more like a title.'

"Of course I do. Call me Kia."

'Kia? I like it. Alright Kia. Wait, what happened to your armor?' Bann just realized that instead of her usual red armor, Kia was wearing a red dress.

"It's battle armor. We aren't in a battle. You didn't expect me to wear that armor all the time, did you?"

'Oh, oh yeah.'

"ARGHHHH!"

"What the hell? Zakei!" Bann jumped up and ran into the forest, following the scream. Kia followed him.

There, at the edge of a clearing, Zakei was locked in a duel with… well it wasn't a N00b. Could he be facing a Reckah?

"Zakei. What's going on?"

"This guy ambushed me and forced me into a duel. Don't worry, I can handle it."

On Zakei's side of the field, he had both Pikeru and Curran. He also seemed to have taken a strong hit.

'Man, why did I have to be the leader? I mean, I understand that I have the skills, but…'

"Stop right there, Anim."

"Huh?"

"You have just crossed into Reckah Territory, the last mistake you'll ever makes."

'Where is that voice coming from?'

He looked around for a second. Trotting started to approach him. A cloaked reaper on a blue fiery horse jumped out of the trees. It swung its scythe as its horse neighed and lifted its front legs into the air. Zakei jumped out of the way of the scythe, dropped his wood, and ran.

Whatever attacked him hadn't given up. It was chasing him through the trees. Zakei continued to run until he tripped over a rock and landed in a clearing. The reaper appeared out of the trees soon after, ready to strike.

"Pikeru, attack!"

The little white magician jumped out of nowhere and shot a blast of energy at the attacker, but the shot went right through! Instead, it hit a man, walking out of the trees.

"Heh heh. You won't survive this duel."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Gensin the Reckah, your executioner. Reaper on the Nightmare, attack him."

The Reaper lifted his scythe again and rode toward Zakei. He was so fast that he dodged Pikeru and struck Zakei directly.

"ARGHHHH!"

Blood shot out of Zakei's wound. He hit the ground hard.

"What the hell?"

Pikeru walked over to Zakei and healed the wound he just received.

"Thanks Pikeru. Now I summon Ebon Magician Curran."

Curran appeared next to her older sister. She wore black with bunny ears.

At that moment, Bann ran out of the forest to find Zakei and the Reckah named Gensin locked in a duel.

"Zakei. What's going on?"

"This guy ambushed me and forced me into a duel. Don't worry, I can handle it. Pikeru, Curran, attack the Reaper with Double Magic Vortex!"

Curran and Pikeru crossed their staffs and shot a wave of White and Black Magic. It shot right through the Reaper and struck Gensin, who staggered a bit from the attack.

"Your turn, Gensin."

"Ha, well that was just a test of your strength. Your reputation is well known here, Zakei of the Bashers! My move! HA HA HA!"

"What's so funny?"

"This." Gensin lifted a strange greenish stone. It glowed as he lifted it into the air. His eyes turned red and the hair covering his forehead parted to reveal a glowing green circle with a hexagram in the middle. "Your soul is mine. I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!"

The same green circle with the hexagram in the middle appeared at Gensin's feet. The circle spread out and covered the clearing.

"What the hell is this?" Bann asked.

"This is the Seal of Orichalcos, the ultimate power of my people!" Gensin cackled again as the Seal appeared on the forehead of the Reaper and his eyes began to glow red as well. "Now I shall finish you! I activate Double Attack. I send the power of Dark Necrofear to my Reaper. Also, I activate the power of Attack Recoil. This powers up all direct attacks! Now, Reaper on the Nightmare, finish him!"

Reaper attacked again, running passed both Magicians and striking Zakei twice.

"AHHHHH!" Zakei screamed as more blood shot out of his body and he hit the ground again.

"Now, take his soul!"

"Zakei!" Bann ran to help his fallen friend, but was pushed back when he touched the Seal. "What the hell!"

"Heh heh. Did I forget to mention? The Seal keeps all who duel within it, within it and all those outside of it, outside of it. Nothing interrupts a duel until its over, and when it's over, the loser forfeits his soul to the beast!"

"What?"

"All will be explained in time, but now, I have a soul to capture."

"Well… you aren't getting mine…"

"What!"

"I still have some fight left in me."

"Not for very long, I can assure you."

Next time on City of Fire: Zakei's Wisdom