Revealing the Scath

"So, it was you? This whole time?"

"Of coarse," Marth answered. "I expected you to catch on sooner." He thrust his fist into the bottom of my breastbone. That part of your body is among the weakest points in your entire body with no layer of muscle to protect it. I buckled over in pain.

He slammed me under the chin with his knee and punched me in the face. I fell back and the sword fell from my hands. I jumped back to my feet. "How did you find the Masked hideout?"

"Remember the tracking device you used to help blow a hole in the ceiling of this library? I found it. It led me directly to your hide away. But I had to wait until you left. That's why I sent up the flame signal last night, I knew the Masked would send you out to find and destroy me. And once you left, I just had to go to that hide out and destroy it. If you had been there when I attacked I would've been out classed, out matched, and out numbered. But without you it was as easy as a little kid burning an ant hill with a magnifying glass." Marth explained.

"Even without me you were still out numbered 500 to one." I said.

"But all those so called 'Masters' were pathetic and weak. You are all that is left."

"Then I'll just kill you myself." I said.

"Even if you do, you won't stand a chance against the Gem. This new Gem will be the most powerful of all. Her dark psychic powers will be so great no one will be able to destroy her."

"How do you know it's a her?" I asked.

"Born under the sign of the Raven. She'll destroy you." He sneered.

"Haven't you noticed how many times the Masked has killed the Gem before they could become the portal? Even if I am the last, I'll still stop her."

"You don't know how close the Masked came to destruction because of the Fox Gem. They never talk about it because it was a horrible time in Masked history.

The Fox Gem was a boy named Kyuubi, Japanese for 'Nine-tailed fox'. His special gift from Trigon was that he had incredible speed, agility, and sharpness of mind. His great skills made him the perfect subject to be made a Masked apprentice.

He was taken as an apprentice and progressed almost as fast as you. The day he was promoted to Warrior, he revealed that he was the Fox Gem and attacked the Masked. They dispersed in an attempt to escape Kyuubi's wrath, but all in all the Masked were hunted down and killed until only two were left. Those two were Master Kamikage and Master Haku.

When Kyuubi found them, a fight ensued. Kamikage was the head leader of the Masked council, but Haku had just barely become a Master. As soon as the fight began, Haku was knocked unconscious and it was left to Kamikage to fight Kyuubi. As they fought they both did serious damage to the other, but Kyuubi was winning.

Just as Kyuubi was to deal the final blow, Haku woke up and killed Kyuubi with a single blow. It was too late for Master Kamikage, but Master Haku managed to restore the Masked order. But even Kyuubi was weak compared to this Raven." Marth grinned.

"Even so, you're still going to die!" I charged and pounded my fist into his face. As he recoiled, I slammed my other fist in his face. With a quick spin I struck him in the chest with my foot. Marth fell from the top of the Trigon statue and crashed in a cloud of dust on the ground below.

He walked slowly out of the dust cloud and looked back up. "I can tell the anger that drives you, you've lost everything you've ever cared about. Your family, your friends, teachers, your love, and even your son."

"My son?"

"As of last night Arella was pregnant with your child. Don't worry; Trigon won't affect this boy in the least. He'll simply impregnate Arella with another child. In a way, the Gem will have a twin. Arella won't raise this boy; some nice people in far away mountains will adopt him. He'll be mute and very talented with a guitar. Most impressive of all, this boy will have the ability to take over another persons body if only for a short time." Marth said.

My fists clenched and my teeth tightened. How could he? He was my best friend when we were kids and before I became a Masked. Why would he turn on me like that?

Anger boiled up inside me. Anger and hatred. I looked down at what was once and friend and now a mortal enemy and said, "Marth, I just want you to know that I have a horrible disgust for you. You will pay for what you did."