Chapter Eighteen

Zeig's Castle II – The Black Fang

Back at Zeig's Castle, Zeig was getting even more furious that Lance was proceeding farther than expected.

"Sniper, come to me," Zeig yelled. Then, out of a puff of clear smoke, came a master of the bow and arrow, Sniper.

"Master," he said with a slow, hissing voice, "I've found some meat that I thought might please you…" He waved his arms around and, out of nowhere, Zylo fell to the floor, whimpering due to all of his cuts.

"Zylo…Why did you kill Cory? Recovera," Zeig chanted, with an angry tone, and all of the wounds Zylo took, suddenly vanished. Then, he chanted, "Fortify," and Zylo was totally armored with steel, and could withstand many attacks before his armor could break.

"He and I never got along very well," Zylo mumbled. "But when David showed up, it was either I die, or they die…"

Zeig chuckled. "Zylo…don't you see? You're pathetic! You clearly disobeyed me! I told you to wait for me to get there and help you! And what did you do?" A very serious and ferocious look came across his face.

"I didn't wait," Zylo mumbled. "You were taking to long. I thought –"

"Well you thought wrong, didn't you," Zeig said in a taunting voice.

"Sir, may I ask, why did you give me armor? Aren't you gonna give me the death punishment," Zylo wondered with a confused look on his face.

"Well, that was the plan," Zeig smiled, "but I need your strength. Away, Sniper!" Sniper had silently loaded an arrow to his Reinfleche, a powerful weapon that only masters at bows could wield, and aimed at Zylo, but lowered it as Zeig gave command. "Now, meet…" Zeig snapped his fingers and the large doors at the other end of the room opened. "…the remnants of the Black Fang!" There were three females and four males. The females are a Sage, Wyvern Lord, and the other is a Valkyre, or a Sage on horseback. They also use staves. The males are an Assassin, Warrior, Sword Master, and a Hero. Sword Masters use swords with incredible skill, and can kill as swift as an assassin. Heroes strike with the sword skills and axe power. That means they mostly hit with swords for torture, but to kill faster, they use the brute strength of axes to slice the foe to pieces. Wyvern lords use swords, but mainly spears.

"Sonia, Vaida, and Ursula," Zeig pointed at them in order. "Jaffar, Brendan, Karel, and Caellach," he introduced as he pointed them out in order as well. They slowly made their way towards Zeig. Zylo, along with Sniper, moved out of the new members' way. "The remaining lords of the Black Fang!"

"On our way here," Sonia started, "we took a prisoner who we thought might interest you." Ursula threw down a man dressed as a noble. He had no marks of blood, or anything that could injure him. Sonia continued, "He said, 'If you take me, you will leave my people alone!' We failed at keeping our word. Many stood against us, but we put them in their place. Hell! The waters there are now full of blood, and we've killed that Water Dragon as well." The noble stood up slowly.

"I'll do as you command," he said quietly. "Just leave Mille Seseau alone!"

"Some of your troupe was talking about a boy named…Lance," Sonia said quietly to the noble. He winced at Lance's name.

"Yes," Zeig asked looking at the noble, "do you know someone with this name, King Adam? Answer me truthfully, or die!" Zeig threw him warning looks, but Adam just stared at the ground.

"Yes, Zeig, I have," he said calmly.

"Tell me everything you know, everything you heard," Zeig told him. Then, Zeig muttered something, staring right at the back of Adam's head, not blinking at all. There was a sudden jolt of a blackish purple light that zapped Adam. Adam didn't seem to notice this one bit. Afterwards, he just started to talk.

"All I know is that he was last seen traveling in the Dead Forest with companions that have special powers, and he was heading towards Mille Seseau to see me and warn me about you. King Shawn also said that he had a lover. Alexis was her name, I think. Lance is gaining and loosing troupe. That is…all I know," he finished slowly.

"Tell him the rest," Sonia growled, shocking Adam with a little jolt of electricity.

"I can predict the future," he yelled as Sonia added a little more electricity to the shock. "They will board the Queen Fury, an unsinkable ship designed for war. But…what's this? It's a…a…luxury liner? Yes…I see…before the come here…they need to go to Namelbridge…and…Wait!" Adam had yelled. He saw the future, but then it was cloudy, and he couldn't see anymore. "Now that's all I can see and all that I know!"

"Well," Zeig said, breaking his concentration on his spell with a grin, "we'll just have to take the girl, Alexis, hostage then, shall we? Without her, Lance's spirit will be crushed, and he will be easy picking for defeat…Heh, heh, heh…Cower in fear…for I have gained full power! Ah ha ha ha ha ha! Sonia, take the Fangs, and meet them more than half way to Namelbridge. Then, do your worst to find and kill the pursuing travelers! This will be an easy task for your crew, will it not?"

"This will be easy, yes…" Sonia said with a smirk across her face.