Vyser: Okay, well with this chapter, I'll probably have to raise the rating.
Skull: Finally, this chapter will explain a lot.
Vyser: What are you doing here Skull?
Skull: Zeek took the day off, seeing as how he's not going to be in this chapter.
Vyser: That's right, almost everyone choose The Scars of Skull.
Skull: That's right, oh and those who don't understand what I said about the dogs of war, that's a quote from William Shakespeare's play The tragedy of Julius Caesar. It means that my Skull Fiends will be the cause of a great battle, but that's what I think.
Vyser: Okay, do the disclaimer.
Skull: Vyser doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, the characters that you reviewers submitted, he owns the characters that he made like Zeek and me.
Vyser: Enjoy this chapter. Oh this chapter will tell about the few minutes before and during Skull's attacks.
Chapter 17: The Scars of SkullThe sun was only a few minutes from setting; we find Raine and Locke reading in the Renegades' library looking through the books trying to find out about the sealed summon spirits. While Torii and Genten were playing go fish with some other Renegades, and Yuan and Tailys were working in Yuan's office going through paper work. We'll first see what Raine and Locke are up to.
"I haven't seen anything else about the sealed spirits," Said Raine putting down a book, "How about you Locke?"
"We'll find one eventually," Said Locke as he was looking through other another book.
Meanwhile, with Torii and Genten playing go fish with some of the Renegades.
"And I win," Said Torii as he laid his final pair on the table.
"How do you keep winning?" Asked Genten. "Is Arras helping you?"
"Well, there's no rule against it," Said Torii as everyone was glaring at him, "Well, I'll just be going now."
Meanwhile, Yuan is going over some reports that Tailys just handed him. Yuan just sighed.
"Is something the matter Yuan?" Asked Tailys as she turned to look through some paper.
"I never thought that this would happen," Said Yuan as he slapped his forehead, "And I have a feeling that something is about to happen."
As soon as the sun had set, an alarm was set off through out the entire Renegades' base.
"Status report!" Yelled Yuan as a Renegade enters his office.
"Sir! We're under attack by some unknown forces!" Said the Renegade.
"Protect Genten and Torii at all costs!" Said Yuan as the Renegade saluted and left the room.
Meanwhile, in the main lobby, many bodies with blood pouring out on to the floor. Many Renegades fighting using many different weapons against the Skull fiends. Suddenly, the Skull fiends jump backwards and reveal Skull wielding his scythe and Fiend holding onto his dagger.
"Skull, your orders?" Asked Fiend as the Renegades stood their ground.
"My scythe needs a workout, so wait till I finish here then we'll advance," Said Skull as he turned towards the Renegades. "I'll tell you what, you all can attack me at once. So skip the courtesy!"
As the Renegades charged at Skull, he just smiled and raised his scythe. Just as the first Renegade was about slash Skull with his sword, Skull jumped to the left and slashed his scythe right through the middle of the person. The blood was flying all over as the Renegade's top and bottom part of his body landed in two different parts of the floor. Blood was dripping from the blade of Skull's scythe. Skull just grinned at the rest of the Renegades.
"Next victim," Said Skull as he began to run towards the rest of the Renegades.
The Renegades in the front charged, there was a total of twelve of them charging at once. Just as it looked like Skull was about slash the Renegades and the Renegades raised their weapons in a defensive manner, when Skull jumped behind the Renegades and slashed them all with one quick slash with his scythe. And just with the first Renegade, these now dead souls were cut in half and the top/bottom parts of their bodies landed on different parts of the floor with the blood flying all around Skull.
"I've grown tired of these fools," Said Skull as he raised his blood covered scythe in the air. "Fiend, you and your group of Skull Fiends can handle these fools, I'll look for the ones we need."
The Skull fiends then attack the Renegades, Fiend as well attacks. As Skull makes his way to the stairs, a few Renegades are foolish enough to attack him. Skull slashes them diagonally causing more blood to fly and more bodies to fall. Meanwhile, as this is happening, Yuan and Tailys are watching all this on a screen.
"Not him," Said Yuan as Locke, Raine, Torii, and Genten enter the room.
"Yuan what's going on?" Asked Raine as Yuan begins to rise.
"We're under attack," Said Tailys as Yuan grabbed his weapon.
"I want you all to escape," Said Yuan as he handed Tailys a piece of paper. "Here's the place where I want you to go."
Suddenly, a Renegade holding his open wound enters the room.
"Yuan…the….docking….port…has been….destroyed," Said the Renegade before he fell to the ground dead.
"Master Yuan," Said Tailys as Yuan pressed a button on his desk and a secret entrance appeared behind him.
"Take this way, you'll find an underground path that leads outside the forest," Said Yuan as everyone began to leave through the secret exit.
Soon, after the secret door closed behind the group, Yuan leaves the office and walks into the hall with his double bladed sword drawn.
"Skull, I know you're there so come on out," Said Yuan as Skull appears from the corner, his scythe and jacket covered with a fresh coat of blood.
"Yuan, I should have known," Said Skull.
"How are you still living?" Asked Yuan, "I remember turning you in quite a few years ago, and you were sentenced to death."
"In a way, I am dead, then again I'm not," Said Skull as he laughed a little. "Thanks to the dark spirit I'm stuck in the middle."
"Then allow me to send you to the end!" Yelled Yuan as he ran and slashed at Skull, but at the last second Skull defends himself with his scythe.
"You're starting to slip up Yuan," Said Skull as he kicks Yuan in the stomach sending him skidding backwards then Skull is about to slash at Yuan when Yuan blocks Skull's attack.
"Now look who is slipping up," Said Yuan as Skull jumped backwards. "Old times."
"Yes with one major difference," Said Skull as a powerful aura surrounds him. "The dark spirit empowers me!"
Meanwhile, we find Locke, Raine, Torii, Genten, and Tailys running through the underground path. Suddenly many Skull fiends jump from the walls and block the group's path. Everyone then drew his or her own weapon, Tailys had a staff. Then a guy with blood red hair, and blood red clothes in his hand holds a dagger.
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to proceed," Said Fiend as he raised his dagger.
"Who are you?" Asked Torii.
"I'm Fiend, loyal follower of Skull," Said Fiend. "And these guys are the Skull Fiends, and looks like they remember you."
"Take this! Ten blast!" Yelled Genten as he threw a huge orb at Fiend and the Skull fiends.
A huge explosion filled the room with smoke, and when the smoke cleared, only parts of the Skull Fiends are on the ground.
"Well, that was a little extreme," Said Torii.
"We should hurry up," Said Raine when suddenly Fiend appears behind the group and grabs Tailys and puts his dagger up to her neck.
"Please don't do that," Said Fiend as the parts of the Skull Fiends started to resemble. "They just come back."
"Let her go!" Thought yelled Locke when suddenly footsteps were heard from behind Fiend.
Everyone, except Fiend looked to see whom it was. A muscular figure appears from the darkness. Soon, the figure is identified as Skull with blood under his right eye.
"Surprise," Said Skull as he threw Yuan's double bladed sword on to the ground. "Yuan has gotten soft these past years."
"You mean that Yuan is," Said Raine as Skull chuckled.
"No, he's not dead, just down," Said Skull as he raised his scythe. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to make an offer."
"What do you mean by an offer?" Questioned Locke as Skull raised his eyebrow at Locke.
"You know, when I first saw you," Said Skull as he pointed towards Locke with his blood covered scythe, "I thought you looked familiar, now I know for sure."
"What do you mean?" Asked Locke as Skull drove his scythe into the nearby wall.
"Drop your weapons and I'll tell my tale," Said Skull as everyone, except Fiend who still had Tailys, did as Skull said. "Good, many years ago, as you know, I was a murderous being. And I still am, but back then I did my killing in the darkness of the night. One day I heard that the Elemental Research Lab was working on an ex-sphere that could actually stall death and improve the mind after recovery."
"Question!" Said Torii as he raised his hand. "What does this have to do with Locke?"
"I'm getting to that! So be quiet!" Yelled Skull as Torii went quiet. "Now, as I was saying, they had only created a prototype of the ex-sphere. I couldn't allow such a device to be made, if it was finished, then they could stop my murder spree with non-dying soldiers. When I went to the research lab, I learned that the creator of the ex-sphere had left with his girl friend only a few minutes before I arrived and took the ex-sphere with him. I learned that they were going to a fancy restaurant, rain started to fall when I left the lab. I found the young couple after dark leaving the restaurant, they were traveling through an alley, when I confronted them, and they asked what I wanted. I just charged at the guy who made the ex-sphere, but just when I was about to slash him with my scythe, his girl friend pushed him out of the way and took the frontal force my attack."
"That's low," Said Genten as the Skull fiends grabbed him and Torii by their limbs. "What the?"
"If you won't stop interrupting me, then my Skull Fiends will just have to hold you down to listen," Said Skull. "The girl died immediately, I then turned towards the guy and slashed his throat, but he was far enough to not die. I then took my time to make sure that my next attack was dead on. Just as I was about to finish him off, a certain someone blocked my attack and threw me backwards. That certain someone was Yuan, as Yuan and me battled, the creator of the ex-sphere placed the item on his chest. Yuan managed to defeat me, and I was sentenced to be hanged. While in prison, I learned that the guy that I was trying to kill, managed to survive but became mute and he had lost his memory."
"Sir, you never said anything about this," Said Fiend.
"And how does this relate to Locke?" Asked Raine.
"Simple," Said Skull as he grabbed his scythe. "The scientist of that ex-sphere was named Locke."
"What!" Yelled Locke as he fell to his knees.
"I always leave my scar, whether you are attacked by me or not," Said Skull as he snapped his fingers and the Skull fiends took hold of Raine and Locke.
"Your orders sir?" Asked Fiend as he handed over Tailys to over to a Skull Fiend.
"Well, place them all with anti magic collars, but make more anti-magic shackles on Torii and Genten," Said Skull. "Put them in cells, but leave this blue haired girl with me."
The Skull fiend that held Tailys threw her into Skull, Skull then quickly grabs her by the wrist. Fear was in Tailys' eyes as Skull smiled his devious smile.
"You're coming with me," Said Skull as he pulled Tailys back to Yuan's quarters.
Soon, Raine and Locke were in a cell, across from them was Yuan bandaged over his body. Everyone could see that his left hand was cut off, for he held tightly on his left arm. Genten and Torii were in different cells with shackles that covered their hands and legs. Everyone had an anti-magic collar around his or her neck.
"I just can't believe it," Said Locke as he was moping on the ground. "After all this time to learn who I was, I learn that I had a great life and it was taken away in one felt swoop."
"Locke, I could never know your pain," Said Raine as she knelt down next to Locke. "But you have to learn to get on with your life."
"But, I just don't know," Said Locke as Raine placed her arms around Locke in a hug. "Raine?"
"You'll get through this," Said Raine not letting go.
"Thank you, Raine," Said Locke.
Meanwhile, in Yuan's office, which was actually redecorated to please Skull, we find Skull looking in some files that were in a computer. Tailys, with an anti-magic collar on her neck, is standing right next to him.
"So, tell me, what has Yuan been up to, was it Tailys?" Asked Skull as he was looking through the files.
"…" Said Tailys as Skull stood up and looked down on her.
"If you're worried about me killing you, don't be," Said Skull as Tailys looked at him. "I only kill the people I have grudges against, men, and people who try to kill me."
"But in you're story you kill Locke's girl friend," Said Tailys.
"She took the blow that was meant for Locke," Said Skull as Fiend walked into the room. "Yes?"
"Sir, as you commanded we captured all the remaining Renegades," Said Fiend as he knelt down.
"Excellent," Said Skull as he spotted a specific file that interested him. "Take Tailys to her private holding cell, and open a COM link to Drag. I think I found something he can use."
As soon as Fiend took Tailys away, Skull opened the file and was shocked to find something that could be fun. As soon as he was done reading the file, the screen shifted to a picture of Drag.
"Skull, I didn't think I'd ever see your face this late at night," Said Drag.
"Just be glad you meet me down a dark alley," Laughed Skull as Drag laughed as well.
"Good one, so why have you called?" Asked Drag as Skull began typing on the computer.
"Lloyd's group is near as I believe that you know," Said Skull.
"Dais, the weakest of my seven Dragoons, was defeated by a pip squeak," Said Drag as he chuckled, "But the rest have powers beyond Dais'."
"What if I told you that you could easily defeat that meddlesome group with one of their own?" Asked Skull as Drag looked intrigued. "I'll send the file right now."
After Skull sent the file, Drag quickly read the file and smiled on what the file read.
"Thanks for the tip," Said Drag. "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to back to my excellent cheese and my comic book."
As soon as the screen that had Drag on it went black, skull sits down in the chair and closes his eyes.
"Oh, this is a massage chair," Said Skull as he activated the chair. "It only took one night to take this great place for myself."
Vyser: Wow, this chapter was deep.
Skull: You know that Tailys girl is kind of cute.
Vyser: Coming from you, that is, I can't really describe it.
Skull: And
why is that?
Vyser: You're a cold blooded serial killer who
keeps his victims' skulls! What am I supposed to think?
Skull: You made me like this. I can't help it if I like a cute girl.
Vyser: I'm not going to listen to this. Reviewers tune in soon to see Chapter 18: Drag's Paradise.
Skull: Please read and review!
