Chapter 11

Unforgiven

Solomon's Chambers

Solomon withdraws the Dragon Lance from Tatsumaru's body. Tatsumaru slumps to the floor, his left hand on the wound to his midsection. The thick red blood is oozing through his fingers. Mitsuru crouches beside the ex-God inspecting the wound. "You should not have come here, Tatsumaru. You should have stayed in my apartment where you were safest," Mitsuru said gently. There is a bitter tone in the ex-God's voice as he answers.

"It doesn't matter where Tatsumaru is, he would have found me anyway…"

"He who? Solomon would have left you alone…" Mitsuru said.

"You are nothing without your powers, Dark Master. You cannot even defend yourself anymore!" Solomon sneered. Solomon's voice begins to go through a change; it gets raspier as he advances on the wounded Tatsumaru. "You will finally meet your death to my Dragon Lance!"

This voice is familiar, but where has Tatsumaru heard it before? Tatsumaru thought.

"Still having a hard time trying to figure out who I am, Dark Master?" Solomon asked.

"I know I am having that problem," Mitsuru said in a small voice.

"Tatsumaru knows that he has heard this voice before, but it's been too many years since he last heard it…"

"You will soon see who I am. Your memory will be jogged and then you will die," Solomon said. A spirit-like creature leaves Solomon's body. Solomon crumbles to the floor unconscious but still firmly clutching the Dragon Lance. Tatsumaru and Mitsuru watch as the creature takes on a more solid form, his true form. Tatsumaru gasps in horror. Mitsuru's eyes are open wide as he looks at the Black Dragon.

"It can't be –" Mitsuru breathed in shock.

"No –" Tatsumaru said in a low voice.

"Oh, but indeed I have returned for my revenge upon you once again, Dark Master!" Yaichiro said with an evil sneer.

"But how?" Tatsumaru said in a vaguely audible voice.

"After my defeat at the hands of your sons, I went in search of a host body. It took many years to find a suitable body. It took centuries to find the perfect body."

"And so you used Lord Solomon's body!" Mitsuru said angrily.

"Yes, but that was only of recent. I waited until Crohno DTR was out of the way."

"Then how did you get wind of Tatsumaru's pending divorce from Rose?" Tatsumaru asked.

"Stupid boy, I have been in Solomon's body for a long time now. I know about everything that took place and what was in store for you."

"Then you knew of the Power Ritual that was to be used upon Tatsumaru due to the divorce?" Mitsuru asked.

"But of course! What better way to destroy Tatsumaru than to make sure that he has been stripped of every speck of his power?"

"But that's not being fair!" Mitsuru said angrily.

"As if I would care for playing fair, God of Suffering!" Yaichiro's gaze falls upon the immature egg resting on Solomon's desk. He slowly approaches the desk and lifts the egg into his monstrous paws. Mitsuru and Tatsumaru watch Yaichiro's actions silently. "Where did this egg come from?"

"It came from my body. It would still be in my body, had my powers not been drained!" Tatsumaru said loudly.

"And so another Dragon chick born of innocence is killed for no real reason."

"Put the egg down, Yaichiro!" Mitsuru said.

"No can do!" Yaichiro crushes the egg in his massive paws, making the pieces disappear in the process. Tatsumaru and Mitsuru gasp in horror at the mere sight of Yaichiro's dreaded actions. Yaichiro laughs viciously. "And now you will meet your end, Dark Master!" Yaichiro picks up his lance from Solomon's right hand. Tatsumaru staggers to his feet, pushing Mitsuru away from the impending battle.