Disclaimer: I own Azalon, the Queen/Islasmursa, Kenneth Aftaka, the elves (well … maybe not the idea of them, but the idea of this story any way), and … um … that's about it in this chapter
A/N: YAY! My laptop can hook up to the hotel's WIFI I'm in! I'm so HAPPY! Anyway, to show you guys how much I apprecitate your reviews I'm hittin' you up with another chapter in … how many days as it been? Oh well, I know it was earlier then last times.
Okay, quick warning, things are going to go really fast for this chapter and the next couple ones … I think … well, their going to be mostly in Kenneth's/Red X's point of view because, well, the story seems o mostly revolve around him being a Prince (or does it? hinthintwinkwink). So just bear with me alright? Right!
Well, enjoy!
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The Plan Is …
Life is funny … very funny if you knew how to be humorous of course.
Otherwise life just plain old sucked for you.
Take Red X/Kenneth Aftaka or is it Taka now? He couldn't tell anymore … from the start – and possibly even to the finish – he was lost … completely lost. He couldn't decipher truth from fiction anymore. There was just so many lies being tossed around that when the truth final comes out, it was hard to tell if it really was just that … the truth. Too many words slipped, and too many confusing events … especially 1000 sum years ago … that would be when the confusion probably all started.
Amber gold eyes side glanced his flying partner, Raven.
The Teen Titan that was supposedly his "distant cousin", the thief scowled, Related to a damn Titan … fuck, I either must be the gods favorite to pick on, or they just love to see me squirm. Cursing himself black and blue within his head he looked up high to Malchior that was flying even faster and keeping up with the impossibly fast Rorek. The guy was on foot! X shook his head, I hate magic.
"Split up!" he heard Malchior inform within in his head, his caramel velvety voice slithering through his mind and ringing in his ears causing a shiver to shoot up the thief's spine. There was just something about the guy that creped him out, the same went for Raven. The both of them just had that creepy air about them, Raven more so then Malchior.
"Why?" he heard Raven echo suspiciously.
Malchior replied dryly, "Because we're going to try and get Kenneth caught, that's why, but we also have to make it seem like we're trying to get in. So trust me and take a marker on the gates."
X scoffed and Francesca pushed forward and faster, "I'm just so psyched."
Rorek broke into his head, "Do not be so discouraged Kenneth, like what Raven had promised, we will not let anything too bad happen to you. If anything, we'll be close by."
"Still does nothing to cheer me up!" X shouted down to the wizard that could give Kid Flash a run for his money – well maybe not KF, but he was good. The silver haired wizard looked back and up with a reassuring smile, but knowing they could not see him he turned back and jumped to the far left and vanished to stir up a little trouble. Leaving X to faintly wonder if his mischief was caused by Malchior's halved heart or was it just his personality.
The thief scoffed.
Raven looked to X and let her self fall off to the right away from him. Malchior glided straight over X, looked back at the thief and saluted a mocking two-finger salute, "Don't be too scared human."
The thief growled and flipped him off, "Go straight to hell Malchior, our little chat back in the trees ain't over, bastard."
The dragon smirked and laughed something chilling as he turned back and freefell faster, calling back over his shoulder mockingly, "I look forward to a finish."
"Meh mes mah mumny mone masmer, mif meh moes mout mock masmer, maemeh mwe mahn mwe mress."
("He is a funny one master, if he does not mock master, maybe we can be friends.")
"Whatever the hell you just said, save it, cause I don't wanna hear it," X gritted his teeth, "let's just get this over with … looks like they gave me the main entrance, let's go girl."
Without speaking Francesca took him into a spiral and gentle glide to the ground where she folded her wings to allow for him to run as fast as he could to make a quick entrance. The large gates he observed quickly was cranked open by two guards that stood on the top of the 50 foot tall walls, on either side of the gate were four guards that X just knew he could get passed without a hitch. Yet, just the thought of having to get him self caught was beginning to grate at his nerves.
From his Red X belt, X had learned from Rorek that the Chaos Energy, which had replaced the xenthonium, wasn't only limited to working with the Red X Suit anymore. All he had to do was call upon the weapons by will alone and from his palms they'd come. Testing the theory out he grinned when he felt five shuriken within his hands, crossing his arms over his chest he jumped up and felt Francesca beat her wings once to hold him higher up as he threw the weapons hard and fast to the guards.
Yet, sadly enough for him they were smarter then they looked.
From their forearms that they brought up to eye level magic shields that deflected his attacks, then from their belt out their swords came and the shield was dropped as they charged the intruding thief. X gritted his teeth and stretched his arms out calling for the spinning X blades to come forth, the Chaos Energy created the weapons that he felt he didn't have to hold. Floating with in his open hands, all he had to do was keep them open and the spinning/floating blades would remain. Finding that fact all too cool, X grinned and brought up a hand to block a downward swipe.
Francesca's wings acting as weapons as well, the power of the seemingly weak appendages were given a second thought as she slapped away two guards that dared to sneak up behind her master. The thief just loved this new discovery of the Red X belt, it wasn't restricting, Play times over kiddies, in no time at all he got rid of the guards, either knocking them out or killing them with the blades.
He closed his palms and the blades disbursed, racing to the gates he made sure to keep an eye out for the elves that shot down deadly blasters and arrows to slow him down. It did little to hinder him at all – he was just too good – straight to the door he jumped high and let Francesca take care of the rest as he climbed the 50 foot wall and used his Chaos lasers to get rid of the pesky little guards that tried to keep him out.
Out of shock from the sudden attack the elves ducked down and the guards that held the gates open were no exception, taking the window of opportunity. X forced Francesca to fly higher the shot over the edge where he commanded her to stop all movements. The nightstalker was hesitant to do so, afraid that he might get hurt, she obeyed the command while still dropping to the ground, X lost altitude fast and the aimed attacks all missed him when he sudden dropped out of the sky.
Bracing as he touched ground and rolled sloppily, he struggled to his feet and ran for cover. Though stopped dead in his track when he saw that he had just jumped a trap! Because over the gate was a wide open field that was supposed to be a mind field – no mans land … just like back at the Underground City, though the Light City was tricky enough to hide theirs behind what looked like the main gate!
Shit! Shit! Shit! How come I didn't see this coming! He scolded himself and against his instincts he took to the air and flew over the mind field, but screamed when the wide spread wings were clipped! Francesca within his head screamed as well more from shock at the sudden attack and down they went.
X braced for not only impact, but for the mine he knew he'd set off once he hit the ground. Yet as he rolled once more he did set off a trap, but it was far from a mine. It was a spherical cage that popped up and around him, see through and liquefied blue like water. The thief felt himself rolling with the bouncing ball he was trapped in and groaned when he accidentally rolled on Francesca's wounded wing.
Not only was the pain affecting her, but since she was semi-attached to him he could feel it as well.
Not pleasan – Aahh! Another sensation of pain shot through his body when he felt Francesca painfully slide out from his back. Since she was just too weak and just too inexperienced to slide out without affect, the small little nightstalker curled up and mewed weakly. Her bloody now small wings marring her pure white fur, X sighed and shook his head to try and get over everything that's happened in record time.
"Well … looks like mission success …" he thought to himself but Francesca's big copper eyes opened a crack to look up at her kneeling master who huffed and panted trying to catch him breath, "… I'm captured."
Francesca frowned and closed her eyes, darkness consuming her small body, sorry that she couldn't do anything more for her master.
--
Malchior panted and gulped, trying to damped his dry throat as he leaned up in the shadows behind a random small house that was at the edge of the obstacle course he had run. Of course he was a dragon … but just something's he realized, a dragon just shouldn't do. His sensitive ears picked up Kenneth screamed the dragon grimly smirked, Well, looks like the human really had done his job.
"You can trust Kenneth to do almost anything if he thinks it's for a good cause," Rorek rang through in his head, Malchior raised a brow in wonderment to where the wizard could be hiding as he continued, "Ironic considering he is a thief."
"Could we just drop the thief bit," Raven growled, Malchior smiled at feeling her irritation, apparently she had made it through the field as well, good, he thought to himself while still listening to what she had to say, "X was caught, good, now we have to follow where they're going to take him."
"Simple enough then," Malchior replied quietly, holding his breath when even more elfin guards came around his way in search of a dragon they thought they had cornered, "just head towards the biggest structure in the city. The Palace. Which in this case would be the classic location, smack in the center of the city."
"Meet you there then," Rorek replied confidently and cut off his connection, though Raven still stayed, yet felt hesitant to Malchior.
What could she possibly want more to say? He wondered, and she entertained his wandering mind with a, "Malchior … when you were still Sun'shane's servant … did you happen to … have any … feelings towards her."
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Malchior felt his heart sink when he found himself struggling between lying and telling her the truth … because, the truth was … Sun'shane was once a girl he was attracted to, which was why he let himself become her servant. By will, not by force, he'd never do such a thing or allow himself to become a servant unless he had a reason behind it. Yet he knew her heart was set on the Prince, so he knew it was futile of him to act on his feelings, which would also explain the loathing he held towards the Prince – and coincidently or not to his descendent as well.
However, the past wasn't the problem, it was whether or not he should tell her the truth or not … How does he know anyway? He thought exasperatedly with a scowl on lips, Damn dreams … sighing … he gulped and held his breath with his reply, "… Yes … though what brought up the sudden curious question?"
"Uh-well-uh," he caught her off guard this time, making him feel better, but still unsure whether or not it hindered his chances with the dark sorceress or not, "… it's nothing, just a question that shouldn't have been asked. Now, let's get back to the mission."
"Raven –" she cut him off, Malchior cursed black and blue, and looked around to be sure there were no more problems in the area then jumped high over the small building he hide behind. Looking back to the gate he had crossed, he scowled at it and turned forward, jumping across a gap to the next structure and the next heading to the center of the City to the palace. A flash of silver caught his attention in the distance, too fast to be sure if he had saw anything at all, Malchior already knew it was Rorek.
So he picked up the pace and before he knew it he was closing in with no problem that is until something snagged his long hair. With a yelp, Malchior struggled to find his footing after her lost it and the creature that grabbed his hair pulled back him back. Lengthening his claws he reached back and cut off a good portion of his ebony hair and scrambled to his feet. Eyes tinting pink in agitation at being touched and snagged unsuspectingly, a young elfin guard – female – pulled out her twin blades and crouched into a low fighting style, "You are a part of the Shadow Dragons are you not?"
Shadow Dragon? Me? Give me a bloody break! Malchir snarled at the offensive question, "Get one thing straight elf I am no Shadow Dragon … what gave you that idea in the first place!"
The woman eyed him wearily and held her stance, "If you are not a beast of darkness … then what are you? What side are you on? And why do you head to the palace?"
Malchior reeled, Too many questions, he growled warningly at her, "If you're looking for a fight you found one, but if interrogation is your job then waste not another breath."
The woman narrowed her already almond shaped eyes and steeled her pose, "If you insist."
She attack, Malchior jumped off to the side when the twirling blades went for his head, she pushed off the ground, flipped over head and brought the deadly weapons down on him. Malchior leaned to the ground and kicked up passed the weapons to her chest, winding her as she flew up and landed harshly on the rooftop of the home they were on. Praying that it was unoccupied for the sake of having many other guards on his hid, Malchior decided to make quick work of the elf and charged for the final blow.
Yet she surprised him with her quick recovery and counter-blocking of his claws. Pushing him back with the strength that a girl of her petit size shouldn't be able to obtain, Malchior found himself dodging, ducking and sidestepping the rest of her moves until he saw another opening to strike. However as soon as it came it went when he slashed his claws at her side, she twirled her weapon at a strange angle that nearly cut his fingers off. Malchior glared, he had to even out the battle as he jumped away from her consistent attacks that could give Robin or even X a run for their money.
With air as his only element to work with seeing no other objects to pick up, he molded a sword within his claws and as hard as he could – yet as fast as possible – swiped at her blades knowing that he made her teeth rattle. He actually broke her stance and gave him the chance to rush in and thrust the sword into her abdomen, the moving eliciting a sudden gasp from her. Malchior grinned when smelt her blood already seeping into her clothing, "You should have been a good little girl and stayed in bed for the night."
Malchior ruthlessly pulled the elemental weapon from her gut and had in vanish from his hands letting the blood that was the elf's drip to the ground in a splat along with her clanging weapons. The poor girl held her wound tightly to try and stop the bleeding fruitlessly; she gulped and looked up at the dragon in sudden fear. Malchior sneered disgustingly, "Pathetic. However … I'll be nice."
He held out a hand to her, seemingly to ask for her hand to help he up, she was just about to take him up on that offer, when he clenched it into a fist and pulled back. Her breath left her without warning and she fell to death. The dragon shook his head, "Still so young … still so stupid."
"Malchior, where are you?" Rorek called, Malchior turned away from the dead elf and kept heading to the Palace after taking the elfin girl's weapons, thinking he'd probably need them.
"Getting there, why?"
"Raven's already with me within the Palace walls in a room that looks like … a study room."
Malchior narrowed his eyes in frustration, "How'd you two already get inside?"
Raven scoffed, "Forget I can phase already, dragon."
Malchior rolled his eyes, deciding to leave the dragon thing alone for now retorted, "Well excuse my momentary memory laps my lady so how am I going to get in?"
"You're smart figure it out," she shot back; now Malchior was beginning to think she was just trying to piss him off. Why? The reason was unknown to him, until their conversation from earlier came back to him.
Yet before he could be beginning to linger on the thought, Rorek sighed, "Raven will be waiting for you, just get to the courtyard without getting caught."
"Right," Malchior scoffed and cut the contact off to concentrate on staying alert least he'd have to kill off another guard, elves and dragons? They never really liked each other for some strange reason, yet they got along with mutual respect for on another's power. Right now Malchior was beginning to hate elves as much as he despised humans, and that was saying something from Malchior's point of view.
In no time he reached the Palace and slid up to the edge of a roof to look down at the Palace walls were there was tight nit security down and pacing, then up top in on the ledges of the balconies. Scyjahs here and there with a spot of nightstalkers around the courtyard, Malchior sighed tiredly, Why me … he though dejectedly and folded his wings over his shoulder so to make it easier for himself to move. Backing up a few feet, he ran kicked off the ledge of the roof to jump clean across the street to the darkness of the courtyard where a torch was out.
On his feet he landed soundlessly, yet the nightstalkers sensed a change in the air, stopping their pacing they turned their heads up to sniff the air in search of where the change occurred. Malchior masked his scent and slinked closer to the palace, dodging under trees to hide from the elves that were on the balconies and windows of the palace back against the truck to hide from the guards on the gate. He made a connection to Raven, letting her know he was close. Malchior looked around the tree trunk to watch the closest nightstalker come his way.
Yet behind him the tree grew dark and glowing white eyes came through, a chill shot up his spin when he felt magic against his back. About to turn and counter a hand slapped over his mouth to silence him and with suck swiftness he was pulled into darkness. Cold and unforgiving, he felt himself falling every which way with no clue to where up could be, the being still holding him tight and dragging him, Malchior let out a scream when it released him and he fell to hit the hard floor.
It took a moment to realize the darkness had ended as he shakily got to his hands and knees gasping he shivered when the aftermath of the travel slipped away from him. A chuckle above him brought him out of shock as he looked up to see Rorek leaning against a wall shelf of books, his bright blue eyes gazing humorously at the dragon, "Forget that Ms. Raven was supposed to phase you through to the Study Room? What happed to your hair?"
Raven …? Still a bit lost, Malchior got to his feet and looked back to see the sorceress herself eyeing a set of books, yet as if noticing she was brought up her violet eyes turned to the pair. With Rorek relaxed and calm, Malchior dusted himself off sighed, "Well … not a very pleasant travel, but I'm still alive, and I had a little trouble on my way that's the reason for my hair."
"Understood," Rorek shrugged.
Raven sneered, "You're welcome … now what? We're in the palace."
"We be patient," Rorek pushed off the bookshelf to the window that was off to the far left of the room. Malchior took notice that the Study Room was up a few good stories to look over a good portion of the brightly lit city. It was beautiful and Malchior would have enjoyed the view very much if he didn't have to stay on task. Raven to his left appeared to look out the window herself as Rorek sighed, "Kenneth should be brought to the palace in no time if the elves were told to remember his face."
"You know …" Raven thought aloud, the two turned to face her as she continued, " … if the Queen wants every bit of her son gone from existence … it could be possible that they'd kill X on sight."
Rorek frowned and nodded, "Yes … I've thought of that … but I'm betting they'd bring him to the Queen first to be sure of her decision."
Malchior snorted and turned his back to the window to lean against it, "The way I see it, she already knows our plans, hell, she probably already figured out that we're in the palace! She's the Queen of Elves, not dwarves; the silly little creatures wouldn't suspect much."
"True," Rorek shrugged, "but I thought you were smart Malchior."
The dragon jumped to his feet and glared at the grinning wizard, "What are you babbling about?"
Rorek smirked, "She may know we're in the palace, and she may know that Kenneth is just bait to lure her out … but she does not know how we shall proceed."
"Still not following you," Malchior eyed the wizard as if he had lost his mind.
Raven raised a brow, "Are you suggesting …"
"Yes, exactly," Rorek grinned, but Malchior was still lost.
Growling he glared at the both of them, "Somebody better speak up, I'm loosing my patients."
Raven scoffed at Malchior, "You've been locked in a book for over a 1000 plus years, patients should be second nature to you."
"Look could somebody just – " Malchior silenced him self when he heard footsteps headed their way from the hall. Guards. "We've been found."
"Of course we have," Rorek stepped closer to the door feeling their auras, Four of them … okay. He looked back to Malchior and explained quickly, "Knock them all out, but put a sleeping spell on one of the guards, and Malchior. Don't kill any of them."
He growled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what is said," Raven replied and powered up when the door was busted open, yet caught unawares, the windows were shattered and there were not only four guards but many. Rorek gapped, Not good! I thought there were only four!
Surrounded by a siege of elfin guards, the trio went back to back not sure what to do any more; they gulped and prepared for conflict. Yet what they didn't prepare for was tear gas being thrown into the mix, catching the three off guard. It was a confusion of senses and bodies, not knowing who was who, it would seem they were wrong in their plan of action.
Checkmate for them … the queen had won.
--
WOO! I'm just too MEAN!
Francesca: Mew!
Me: Aw, thank you Francesca, yes I do think I did pretty good so far!
X: Fuck that.
Me: (glares) Could you at least TRY to show me a little appreciation, cuz' you know, it's people like me that even give YOU a reason to exist!
X: Bull! It's people like you that irritate the hell out of me! Get a damn life!
Rorek:Oh hush up X, must you always be so harsh?
X: (scoffs) You tell me! She first makes me YOUR best friend, then a Prince, then gives me a damn CAT –
Francesca: MEW!
Me: Yeah! Francesca's right, stop being mean!
X: Go to hell! You're the one that got me caught, I just KNEW I should have killed you last chapter. I just KNEW I should have!
Me: (tilts head suspiciously) Then why didn't you? By the way, where ARE Malchior and Raven … I distinctly remember you guys coming out of the closet to kill me then … you all just kind a … vanished.
Rorek: We didn't just vanished, you had to use us in your stories so we sort of just went back to work.
X: But the chapters over … where's Malchior and Raven now?
Me: (looks to Francesca)
Francesca: (shrugs and looks to Rorek) Mew?
Rorek: (blinks blankly and shrugs then looks to X)
X: (looks at everyone that's looking at him, gets annoyed) What the hell are you looking at me for? I didn't do anything!
Me: (looks to the audience) Well … looks like Rae-Rae – please don't tell her I called her that! And Malchior are a no show for this ending, so I guess that means I'm safe … for now … but seriously where are they?
X: Who knows! Just get on with the good-byes already!
Me: Right, well see ya in the next chapter! L8er daez!
Francesca: Mew!
Me: Aw, ain't she cute?
