Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! Series (The Original and ZEXAL included). Therefore I do not own the characters used in this story but I DO OWN the plot and the OCs used. Thank you.
I want to thank all of you, who have reviewed this story, you guys are awesome! I want to also thank CandyPrincess64, you're super-awesome! So now I present to you chapter 5.
Enjoy chapter 5 :D
5 – Awakening
On a fairly humid but cloudy afternoon three girls had assembled in a circle on a silky, lilac double bed facing each other with their legs crossed. The girls appeared to be in a magnificent type of first-class bedroom, which could only belong to a certain princess of the Empire.
"Oh please Marcella," pleaded Lucia with her hands clamped together. "Just tell us what happened."
"I already told you Lucia. What more do you want from me?" inquired Marcella, trying her best to look like she was not hiding something.
"I want the real truth," demanded Lucia. "In all my years I have known you, and trust me in those years I have enough experience with you to know you are lying to us right now, your condition has never ever gotten you to become unconscious. So spill it. You can trust us; we are your best friends after all."
Marcella sighed and averted her eyes from Lucia.
She carefully placed the helmet on the ground then raised her hands to where she thought his face was. She ran a finger down his left cheek – she felt his body tense up a bit under her touch but quickly he recovered. Marcella was beyond surprised at how soft his skin was; it was not what she thought it would feel like. A small light tint appeared on her cheeks, she inwardly thanked the gods that it was dark around them, when she accidentally stroked the corner of his lips. Fortunately for her, the gladiator did not seem to mind.
A finger then ran down his right cheek and Marcella felt something strange. It was rough and covered part of his right cheek, shaped like a cross. Was that a scar?
When she stroked it gently, in one blink of an eye she was pushed away roughly by the gladiator. Marcella hit a pillar behind her and fell unconscious after suffering a heavy blow to the back of the head.
Huh? W-Where am I? Why is it so dark?
"Prin…"
Who is there?
"Princes… Marc…"
Why does that sound like…? Dacia? W-What is going on?
"Princess Marcella, wake up!"
She slowly began to regain consciousness and opened her eyelids, blinking a couple of times as she adjusted to the bright light surrounding her. She looked up at her personal maid, Dacia as the eyes staring back at her where filled with worry and some relief. Marcella raised her hand to touch the back of her head gradually, which was throbbing like Hades, and felt a runny substance on her scalp only to check and realize it was blood, her blood.
Dacia held back a grasp when she stared at Marcella's bloodstained fingers and began to cry out for someone to help the princess. Marcella groaned in pain as the throbbing increased when she remembered who had done this to her…
"Marcella? Are you alright?" Mariana's voice sounded out in Marcella's deep thoughts while Marcella was gently shaken back to reality by her friend.
"Huh? Oh uh Lucia I am telling you truth, there is nothing I am hiding," Marcella tried to reassure her friend, who still looked like she was not buying it, and quickly changed the subject. "So are you all looking forward for the upcoming festival?"
"Marcella, do you remember how last spring's Floralia festival was so boring?!" Lucia raised her eyebrow in disbelief. "The music was completely off-tune, the entertainment was rubbish and do not get me started on the food… Wait a minute, you tricked me! Do not change the subject Marcella! You are still not off the hook." Marcella watched as Lucia appeared angry at her, which frightened Marcella a little bit.
"You should really keep that ugly face, it suits you perfectly." Lucia averted her gaze from Marcella and glared at the new person in the room. Lucia should have known the only person to make a remark like that at her was Tori.
"Says the one whose face could turn Medusa to stone," Lucia insulted Tori however Tori utterly ignored Lucia and her comment, and glanced at Marcella.
"Father desires our presence in his working quarters. Apparently he has a gift for both of us." Tori made a final glare at Lucia before strolling out of the room. Without a word uttered, Marcella trailed after her.
Unknown to the ones dwelling in the Novian Palace, a great evil was looming. Miles away from the palace another attack on a Roman army base camp had occurred very recently.
The eerie sight of dead soldiers on the ground, blood splattered on the infertile soil and the intense odor of putrefying bodies filled the atmosphere. Small droplets of water began to downpour on the entirely destroyed camp with dead souls except farther down the base camp a group of men stood, wearing their amour and holding up their weapons as the sound of a horse approached them; the men looked satisfied after their kill. The shadowy cloaked figure dismounted from their black, red-eyed stallion which the men responded by bowing down to the figure. One of the men lifted his shielded head at the figure, before him.
"Master, we have successfully killed the remaining soldiers and destroyed the last of the Roman barracks in this colony."
From their hood, a toothy grin appeared on the figure's face.
"Excellent," The figure spoke with an acidic but low and deep male voice. "Soon the Empire will crumble and the New Age will awaken; very soon." The figure laughed, his laughter sounding in a sick icy way, sending shivers down anyone's spine; the men joined in. "Take whatever valuables you can gather and bring them back to the station."
"Master, what do we do with the slaves we have captured?" The men showed the figure, the 11 male slaves and the 15 female slaves that were gagged and tied up. The slaves stared in mercy at the man, who they realized could free them.
"I know you prefer having corpses and I will allow you this time to take some. You can do as you so wish with these slaves and the corpses for your own pleasure but, make sure you dispose of all of them by morning." The men laughed joyfully understanding what their master meant and thanked the figure, before he mounted on his stallion and rode off. Soon Vitus all of your treasures shall be mine and you will watch as I strip away those dearest to you piece by piece.
"Father what do you want? I have other things to do than just standing here like some sculpture," remarked Tori looking irritated at Vitus.
"Tori you look rather lovely this fair afternoon." Vitus smiled at her after making an indirect type-of-sarcastic compliment. Tori growled in response and folded her arms on her chest appearing impatient but said nothing more. "I am sure that the both of you have no idea what is going on at this very moment. The Empire faces a new enemy unlike any other faced before. A resistance group called the Kuris threatens the Empire. As we speak many of the Roman barracks at the north have been destroyed, countless of lives have been lost. The Kuris have gained the support of our former enemies and grow stronger day by day."
"Father," Marcella interrupted and asked worriedly, "How is Lieutenant Shark?"
"He is fine. Luckily, he was not at his base camp when the attacks began and he is safely here in Rome," Vitus reassured his blonde-haired daughter; Marcella sighed in relief.
Tori got start to the point. "So that means our lives' are in danger. You brought us here to give us bodyguards, isn't that right father? You are so predictable."
The Emperor's face flinched a bit and nodded at Tori. "That is right. I trust that you and your sister will be protected by these two." Two figures stepped out from behind a pillar and stood firmly beside the Emperor. "This is III. Tori, he will be your bodyguard," Vitus smiled as he made the introduction. "And this is the Gladiator. Marcella, he will be your bodyguard."
Tori and Marcella's eyes widened at the Gladiator and they both exclaimed, "You!"
How can fate be playing with me like this? I do have a bone to pick with him after what he did to me but he is going to be my bodyguard? I do not even trust him to begin with; how can I trust him with my own life? Marcella thought to herself.
Marcella watched as Tori started to beseech to their father. It seemed Tori had her own unique reasons for being surprised to see the Gladiator.
"Please father let us switch our bodyguards so I can have the Gladiator. Let Marcella have the shrimp." III glared at Tori and tried to forget about that comment. Surprisingly, Marcella agreed immediately and joined her sister in pleading that she wanted to have III instead.
"No," Vitus decisively refused. "My decision is final. Tori, III is your bodyguard. Marcella, the Gladiator is your bodyguard. You are all dismissed."
Marcella and Tori sighed in defeat and left, with their new bodyguards following them closely behind.
Vitus arched his head to the side with his eyes closed, along with sighing silently. "I hope my family will be safe… And the Empire before it is too late."
I have a feeling that Egypt will make an appearance in next chapter but I could be wrong… There I go on talking to myself again so this officially marks the end of chapter 5 – Awakening, whatever I just said before don't bother with it but if you want to take it as a hint for chapter 6 then you can, I know I can't stop you anyway hehe.
Again thanks to all you guys who have reviewed, you are all awesome!
Thank you for reading :)
Until next time, ToonTail signing out!
