The Lost Warrior
Disclaimer: I don't own any elements from Soul Eater or Is This a zombie.
Chapter 05: Mento Mori
Kid smiled as he cuddled next to Liz, her face nestled in his neck. It was an odd position, not as symmetrical as he'd want it to be but he adored it all the same. There was a certain intimacy to lay there like this with another person, something simple, and wonderful. When he laid like this with Liz, he forgot about the world, about madness, about responsibility and he just was… he felt human.
Kid sometimes wanted to stay like this forever. There was just a simple perfection. Every morning he'd hold her as he waited for her to wake up. He would be happy to do this every day for the rest of their lives.
His left hand traced the outline of Liz's sleeping face and began playing with her long silky hair. After everything they had been through in their lives it felt like they had deserved this.
"Sometimes we don't get what we deserve."
Kid found Liz's blue eyes staring back at him.
"We don't to get to have a peaceful life. Kid, you have a duty. To protect and you and I both know it." Liz's voice hummed in his ear, "People are getting hurt and you know it. I know it hurts." Her hand started to stroke his face, "You have to get back to Liz, I know it's hard but you can do it."
"I love you." Kid whispered.
Liz smiled at him, that smile that she saved just for him, "She knows."
Kid closed his eyes and silently left behind this happy memory.
0000
Kid's eyes snapped open, his blood felt cold like it had iced over. The room he found himself in was dark, only a few torches lit the room. He was chained onto the floor and was unable to break them. He laid by a some sort of ritualistic circle and he wasn't the only one. On one end lay Eibon, unconscious as far as Kid could tell. Opposite of Eibon lay his book, that too bound in chains, it looked like their captures didn't want to risk someone escaping it.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." A familiar voice repeated, one Kid never thought he'd hear speak those words. Excalibur in a cage tried to reach to Kami who was chained a few feet behind him.
Kami was sobbing, tears flowing without end. She was wounded, she was hurt but he couldn't imagine that would cause to cry like that.
"What happened?" Kid spoke without thinking, "What did they do to her?"
Kid looked at her with her soul perception and gasped, her soul was a storm tearing itself apart as white flames flickered off her.
Kami wouldn't even become a kishin she'd tear her soul apart.
Excalibur looked mournfully feeling too weak to help, "They killed her, they killed the woman she loved in front of her and even denied her the chance to say good bye."
The prideful weapon spoke those words with such solemn Kid wasn't sure he had actually been speaking them.
Lancelot walked in now wearing a simple black suit, Mordred walking besides them, they had gotten some sort of treatment as their wounds had now vanished. The two men carried in an unconscious Eu, tied and gagged and treated enough so she wouldn't die. They didn't pay any attention to any of them as they placed Eu in the middle of the circle.
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" Kami shouted as she struggled against the chains. She was ready to break her bones to escape and kill them. White flames erupted from her body, dancing around her.
Kid's eyes bulged as she saw that, large almost wings like forms jutted from behind her. Her own rage ready to rip her soul apart.
"Be silent." Mordred scowled at her.
"Mordred, be kind." A voice came from the darkness.
The flames died down a little bit but continued to linger, Kami's body went rigid, her mind unable to cope with the voice.
"You are being rude." A woman walked from the shadows.
Kid was confused, who could get that sort of reaction from Kami. He noticed Excalibur, his plain face contorted into one of rage.
Kid studied the woman, she wore a simple yet slinky green dress, a red silken cloak hung from her neck it shimmered as decorated with gems. Her hair was short, a pixie cut, it was a vibrant red color.
"…I killed you…" Kami whispered.
"Yes you did," She smiled at Kami, "but let's not think of such horrid things."
Excalibur rushed at her only stopped by his cage, "I'LL KILL YOU!"
The woman chuckled, "Oh, you two are family."
"Who are you?" Kid asked, confused.
The woman gave him a playful bow, "New Lord Death, you seem to be rather poorly informed or at least slow to pick up the clues." She tutted him, "Lancelot Du Lac and Mordred and…"
Kid thought back about what he knew of Arthurian Mythology… there were three major villains, three people who were held responsible in the fall of Camelot.
"Morgan La Fey…"
"Ding! It took you a little while but you got there in the end." Morgan smiled cheerfully and brightly at the boy. "I must admit I find you rather lacking. I'm sure your father would never had allowed it to go this far."
"Can we begin?" Mordred asked her.
"Soon, my dear boy." Morgan smiled at her son, "We need only a few minutes more for everything to be ready."
"I killed you." Kami was in shock.
Morgan looked at her, "I know, I was there." She placed her hand on her chin, "I know this seems all very cliche, telling you my plan but there is nothing you can do to stop it. You've earned the answers to your questions." She spun on her heels, "Plus its so much fun." looking at Excalibur and Kami, "You two always loved a good story, might as well share one last one with you two."
Neither Meister or weapon could find the words to talk. Morgan was standing before them, she was young looking to be in her twenties, and as playful and passionate as she was before she went mad for power.
"Okay, so first off what do you think of the look? Pixie cut? A bit bold for a woman my age, no? I think it looks rather nice. It's good to go back to my natural color, the last time we were together, well by my perceptive, I dyed my hair black to hide from the other witches. It was so much work to maintain." She waved her hand at them, "Sorry getting a bit distracted, I'm a little excited. Okay, so you're wondering why I'm not dead. You claimed my soul and gave it to that boy who became a death scythe. That's true, you did a fine job. The problem is when you cut me I had something set up, I splintered my soul and when you killed me a shard of my soul escaped into my lab where I kept a spare body prepared for such an emergency. It was probably for the best, I'd aged that form and deaged it a few times just to keep my appearance from being known. You bring down one kingdom and witches and Death want your head."
"You did many evil things." Excalibur growled, "You gain power by sacrificing men and witch alike. Rumor has it you even summoned the Destroyer."
"True, that didn't work out." She shrugged, "He's dead, Merlin and his champion saw to that."
Morgan walked closer to Excalibur, "Hello Old friend."
"We are not friends!" Excalibur shouted, "You lost any right to call me a friend when you first attacked your brother!"
"Yes, that was a sorry business." Morgan actually looked sad, "I thought he'd rise again, as I chased for you across the worlds. Merlin had me on a wild goose chase, and led me to my despair. My brother was dead and was not to rise, the sword I'd chased after was a fake and my army in tatters. I gave up and wandered by myself looking to hide and find something…"
She looked at Kami, "She found me, the woman I loved, younger and intent on killing me. Oh! She also had no clue who I was. " She chuckled bitterly, "The Universe is cruel."
"So, then the whole new body thing happened. I drank my way through Europe trying to make sense of it all. It didn't take long to figure out that she'd grew into the woman I'd fall in love in Camelot and who'd grow to hate me. There didn't seem to be anything for me. My son had conquered my old kingdom and I had nothing."
A smile crept on her face, "Then Madness escaped into the world and I gained somethingIi had lost. I gained hope again, I witnessed the power of a god."
"Asura." Kid whispered.
"The kishin woke and all sorts of nastiness came crawling out of the woodwork. I waited and saw how things began to play out. Then the newspapers reported on the victory of the New Lord Death and his friends. One shared the surname of the woman I loved and even shared a few familiar traits. Curious I dug into her family, just something to keep myself busy and to my surprise…" She turned back to Excalibur, "You naughty sword."
Excalibur growled at the witch.
"After that the world started to fall apart, the Storm I predicted ages ago had started. To escape it I danced across the worlds and hide in between the gaps. I watched Merlin, Vivian and my love fight a great evil. They claimed an ancient power and used it to strike down the evil, they were like gods."
A grin spread across her face, one that gave Kid and Lancelot chills.
"The thought struck me, why couldn't I claim that kind of power too?"
She hummed as she started to remember her plans. "One of my brother's knights came to kill me ages ago, when I asked him why he didn't use his mystic weapon he told me it was hidden at the resting place of my brother. It took me far longer than it should have to figure that one out. When I realized that I needed help, and lucky for me Lancy was still around."
Morgan nudged the knight who remained stoically silent.
"He wanted redemption for his past and I wanted to regain what I lost. We teamed up, as I got my plans ready. My plans turned to the Old Gods. " She cracked her knuckles, " A bit of work, science and magic combined," She punched the air, "I figured it out. The power is ready to change just like age, the world is waiting for New gods, Kid here is the proof of that. I just needed to give a push. But for this I need all the power of the old gods to move to new vessels together."
"To you." Kid was horrified for the implication.
"Right-o Kiddo." Morgan. My Beloved son will become the New God of Power. Finally receiving what he's always deserved. Lancelot will rule over the living by becoming the new Death, bring forth a new Camelot to make my brother proud. My own brilliance rewarded when I become the New God of Wisdom. " She pointed up to the open ceiling where the black moon moved over them, "The child in the moon shall take over Asura's place. They are weak willed and easy to manipulate, I doubt they will cause any trouble."
"Crona?" Kid looked on, "Leave them out of this, they've been through enough."
"And," Morgan turned to Kami, "You'll be the New God of Rage."
Kami looked at her stunned,"…"
Morgan moved to her gently stroking her face, Kami flinching at the touch, "Don't you see it. It's only possible because of you. Kid is the son of death, his connection is solid and you have Excalibur's blood in your veins. That power was always in your family waiting, then when that bastard broke your heart is escaped. That soul force of yours, how manifest, that's the power of god seeping out. That's the connection we needed to help claim the power."
Kami's eyes went wide , "No."
"You will take Excalibur's place. We can be together for eternity and rule this world." Her eyes turned to Excalibur, "It will cost them their lives. Even Vivian's" she turned to Eu, "her power will be the key to the ritual and what will help teather and capture the power of the gods. It will likely kill her, but it is probably mercy considering the pain her power causes her. it will kill all the old gods, but it's a small price-"
"NO!" Kami yelled, finally out of her stunned silence, "No!"
White flames erupted out of Kami blasting back both Mordred and Lancelot, large white wings formed lashing out, "No!" Kami cried out, "I will not let you take anyone else from me! You took Nene from me! I won't let you take anyone else!"
Kid flinched at the power, the white flames blinding him.
Morgan walked through the flames and once more stoked Kami's face. The flames licked at her but didn't harm her.
Kid squinted noting they weren't affecting Excalibur or Eu.
"Your capacity for anger is only dwarfed by your capacity for love." Morgan marveled at Kami, "that power if of your soul, you won't harm anyone that you love. I'd wager even that bastard cannot be harmed by your flames. As much as you despise me you still care for me. The love we share still lingers."
"I will kill you." Kami grit her teeth, "I will spend the rest of eternity making all you suffer!"
"You passion." Morgan smiled, "How I've missed it."
She took out a necklace from her cloak, "the necklace of the Lady of the Lake. Eibon's way to help her, it was a simple to tool that would help people grow comfortable with her. It would enchant people's mind, nothing much but someone with true charm could make people fall in love with them. The trouble Tristan got with it. But with me, " She put it on and placed a finger on Kami's forehead, "Paru Paro."
Kami's eyes went blank, the flames died down, and she collapsed into Morgan's arms.
She shook her head, looking around Kami asked, "Morgan? What's going on?" She tugged on her chains, "Why am I chained up? Well, in a dungeon anyway. Also, why is Lancelot and Momo here?"
Mordred facepalmed, "She remembered that."
Morgan chuckled, "Worry not, you are ill. These villains have tried to harm us."
Kami blinked, "A penguin, a masked man, a book, goth kid and … a fairy princess?"
"Ka-"Both Excalibur and Kid tried to speak out but Morgan waved her hand and they found their lungs unable to hold any more air than they needed to breath.
"Strange though they be, they came between us. I will perform a ritual and everything will be well soon."
"Thank you."
"Rest right now," Morgan leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead, "we have our lives waiting to start, my love."
As she pulled back Morgan's smile faltered.
"Is something wrong?"
Morgan looked at her, Kami's eyes filled with tears the instant she heard 'my love' and looked ready to flow forever.
"Just rest." Morgan tapped her forehead. "Sleep."
Kami closed her eyes.
Finding it his breath back, Kid spat out, "She still remembers. You might have messed with her mind but her soul remember."
Excalibur added, "She still mourns for her, she still loves her. Not all your power will ever take her heart."
Morgan's expression twisted into something dark, "We'll have an eternity to work that out."
0000
Words failed Spirit, when he got back everyone looked half dead. "Help her."
Spirit flinched as he heard Maka's voice.
"Over here!" Spirit called out, Kim and Nygus had come with him incase anyone was hurt and everyone looked hurt.
Spirit rushed to Maka's side, "Papa… help her…" she raised her finger and pointed at Nene.
Spirit found it hard to look at the woman, a pool of blood beneath her. Spirit didn't like Nene, but he was glad made Kami happy, he never wished for anything like that to happen. "Maka… It's too-"
"She's alive." Maka told him.
"She's clinging…" Stein's voice rang out.
Spirit looked over to Stein holding Marie, he'd used his body to block Kami's wild attacks. Marie was fine just a little in shock of everything that happened.
"I'm okay, help her." Marie whispered.
"She's fading fast." Nygus check over the red haired woman.
"We need to help close the wound fast." Kim yelled out, "my magic isn't work on her."
Stein called Spirit, "I need your help."
"Help him." Maka told her father.
Spirit transformed and as Stein held him he moved over to the woman, "Soul thread sutures."
Using his own wavelength to help hold the wound struggled to keep the sutures in place but it worked as Nygus struggled to save the woman.
0000
They managed to stabilize Nene and take her to surgery room. Everyone else was treated with Kim and her magic tending to their minor wounds. No one complained, after someone being stabbed everything else seemed minor.
Though there were those still upset.
"I let him get taken away," Liz sobbed, "Again! I'm such a failure! I let my meister- i let my boyfriend get taken away!"
Marie and Patty held her trying to keep him calm.
"If anything happens to him-" Liz let out another sob. "I'll never be able to live with myself."
Black Star was silent, that alone was unnerving, Tsubaki rested her head on his shoulder waiting for something to change.
Seraphim stood in a corner staring straight forwards, her mind spinning trying to find the words to tell Lady Hellscythe. Her heart ached of what her expression would be if something happened to Nene. She had always been a close friend to Eu and her knight, if she died…it would break her heart.
Ayumu paced back and forth down the hall, he wanted to run after Eu but she had no idea where to start looking. He felt powerless, Nene was fighting for her life and Eu who knows where she was. He couldn't help anyone.
Maka was silent, Soul kept an arm around her, after all she lost a mother and a sister that day. Maka wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, and she wanted to hit someone.
She then spotted the two red haired girls from before. Maka got up from her chair and sat besides them.
"You froze." Maka told them.
"We-" Niko began.
"We didn't mean to." Will said, "It's just-"
"I get it," Maka told them, "was the first time you saw someone get seriously hurt?"
"No, it's just…" Will tried to say but couldn't.
"It's hard seeing an ally get hurt, you can't help but think it might have been you."
Niko whispered, "It felt like it was."
The sisters huddled together to try and get some sort of comfort.
"I'll be okay, "Maka reassured them, "I haven't know Nene a long time but she's real strong. She won't give up, I half expect her to come out of there ready to look for Mama." Maka tried to smile but failed too.
She suddenly found the girls pulling her into a hug.
It was strange she was trying to comfort them and now found them comforting her.
The door to the surgery room opened up, Stein came out pulling off a pair of bloody gloves. Exhaustion was painted all over his face, as he let out a tired sigh.
Maka felt the girl's hold her grow a little tighter. They couldn't have known Nene, maybe it was the red hair, maybe it made it too easy for the girls to see each other in Nene's spot.
Maka looked up at the doctor, "Stein, is she…?"
"She's alive."
Maka took a breath of relief at that.
"For now anyway,"
And that breath was knocked out.
Stein shook his head, "We went through most of our supplies just to keep her with us. I don't know the first thing about Underwolder biology and so I'm just doing my best guess work. Every medicine, drug, or other pharmaceutical I try fails. Her body is literally rejecting them."
"Underwolders aren't affected by anything like that, " Ayumu spoke, "My friend Anderson is one, he told me they can't get sick from any non underworld disease and their bodies reject any to toxic. The only thing that makes them sick is the white stuff on the peel of tangerines."
"Interesting," Stein said as he fixed his glasses, "I guess that means we don't have to worry about her getting an infection. Though it also means painkillers won't help her."
The group cringed at the implication.
"She's still unconscious, we have a lot of work to do. Kami said she was tough but we're finding it difficult to suture her skin, i can't even cut it."
Seraphim spoke up, "Nene, has had a unique experience, her skin is tough as armor. She also has the ability to negate physical attacks or special abilities directed to her person."
"That does explain things." Stein let out, "Kim magic not working on her, I've had to coat my surgery tools with my soul wavelength in an attempt to treat her organs. My guess is her weakened state is the only thing that is allowing to have any effect. She must be subconsciously trying to protect herself, not knowing that is keeping us from helping her."
"A sword!" Ayumu tried to be helpful, "one of those knights had a sword that could cancel out magic."
Stein broke into a small grin, "Find it, bring it to me, and be quick."
Ayumu blinked, it made sense if it could negate her abilities it would make it all the easier to treat her. Though taking a sword into a surgery room still seemed weird.
"Go!" Stein insisted.
Ayumu stumbled back before rushing to go find the pile or collected weapons.
Stein ran his fingers through his hair, "Her skin is the toughest part, her organs seems pretty much as tough as normal organs, if we can negate her ability and use some of my special equipment and my soul wavelength I might be able to make it work."
Maka felt a sense of hope spring up in her.
"That doesn't solve the biggest issue."
And they were promptly dashed.
"Blood," Stein said simply, "she lost a lot of blood."
Maka's body went rigid, she remembered the image of Nene laying in her blood, she felt the girl's grip tighter on her desperate for some comfort.
"We just don't have what we need to help her."
Maka was about to open her mouth when both girls jumped to their feet. Niko speaking first, "Take my blood,"
"Mine too!" Will offered up her arm. "We're both O type, universal donors."
"As noble as it is," Stein started, "quantity isn't an issue, she's not human. If we pump human blood into her … it would be like giving a person a dog's blood, it won't work."
"Take our blood." Niko said, her voice strong and defiant, "it will work."
Stein studied the girls, they were sure of it. "Sure, if we don't try anything she's gonna die. Might as well."
Stein turned back and walked back into the room with the two girls following him.
Maka watched them leave, they looked confident, scared of the situation but willing to confront it. Maka wonder, if they froze in battle why were they so confident here?
0000
"Mother, is this really necessary?" Mordred spoke to his mother, she was standing outside looking at the moon.
She glanced at her son, which looked odd now that they both look closer to the same age.
"That woman - everything she did- she killed you?"
"I left her to drown after controlling her into nearly killing her friend. I would say we are rather even."
"Mother," His voice was stern, "She is dangerous," the words formed bile in his mouth, "I know that you have feelings for her but-"
"But nothing, son of mine,"
"I want her to come with us into godhood, and her connection to Excalibur is needed to pull this off. " She turned to him, her eyes cold, "What we don't need is a boy who questions all my decisions. I'm performing the ritual, Lancelot brought everything we needed. Her hand traced the outline of his face, her nails gently scratching at his skin, "What do you bring? I love you, but don't think I won't leave you to the wolves."
She turned around and returned to the castle, her cloak flapping behind her.
Mordred gulped, "Yes, she's definitely mother."
0000
Maka stuck her head into the room, everyone else was cleaning up, locking up the knights, and putting away the weapons. Or helping calm down Liz, she was more emotional than usual and Maka couldn't blame her.
Maka felt she needed to be in this room, Stein told her, "She's fine."
Nene was resting in a bed, Niko and Will had fallen asleep next to each other after donating blood.
Stein sighed, "It wasn't easy, her strange biology and powers made it a huge effort. Plus, I ended taking more blood than I felt comfortable with but they insisted."
Maka smiled, they might have failed before but they had good hearts.
"Is she going to be fine?" Maka turned to the mad scientist.
"I think so." Stein gave her a shrug, " I managed to repair the damage to the organs fairly easy, closing the wounds was another matter. Her skin is tough, the needles continued to break on me. I closed it as best as I could and used some special adhesive seal them off with some false skin. I was worried that it might cause some harm but as the boy said she tends to expel any chemicals."
"Yeah, mom said she could really drink and never really get drunk. Just a little dizzy." Maka chuckled at that. "So, the blood transfusion worked?"
"Yes, I was worried but there have been no complications. I'll have to ask those girls some questions once this is all over."
"Thank goodness."
"She's strong."
"Yeah!" Maka patted her arm, "Eu once told me she saw Nene bench press a truck!"
"That's not what I meant, she was fighting, her heart should have stopped but it kept beating. She has someone to fight for, she just wouldn't give up, its actually impressive. It's like she's refusing to die."
"Yeah, mom picked a good one this time."
Maka went over and took Nene's hand in her, it was colder than she thought it should be, "Mama, is gonna want to see you when she gets back. So please get better soon."
0000
Kid has been trying to struggle against the chains, but whatever poison ran through his body made it so hard to move.
Lancelot squeezed Index, forcing him to look at the chains around the book, "Will it work."
"Yes!" Index let out in pain.
"You don't need to be so rough." Morgan tittered, "I gave him a little something, he won't lie. The spell work will affect the old one even inside the book."
"The moon seems to be in place." Mordred looked up.
"Indeed, "Morgan smiled, "get in place everyone."
The ritual circle was set the sacrifices in place, Morgan moved to stand in a circle behind Eibon, Lancelot behind Kid, Mordred behind the book, and Kami was already behind Excalibur.
Morgan stretched out her arms, "Paru Paro, Paru Paro, Paru Paro," the circle began to glow, "Power of the Universe and the Stars, I call upon your power. Twist power and fate and bring the new gods from the ashes off the old."
Eu who been motionless all this time began to stir, she sat in the middle of the circle and power began to siphon off her and into the circle. Purple lightning began to crackled around them. Slowly overhead clouds formed leaving the light from the moon to fall on them.
Excalibur and Kid began to scream in agony, Eibon waking in pain and joined in on the scream as did the old one in the book.
Kid in pained called out for someone, "Liz!"
0000
Maka's soul shivered, she looked out the window to see dark clouds suddenly covering the whole city. She didn't realize that these clouds were all over the world.
There was screaming coming from the hall, Maka and Stein rushed out.
To their surprise they found Liz collapsed on the ground, screaming as energy crackled off her.
"Liz!" Patty reached out to her sister but was pulled back by Marie.
Liz's eyes went white as she screamed out for someone, "Kid!"
Liz fell to the ground as all the energy vanished.
0000
"What happened? Mordred groaned in pain. He felt power but something felt wrong.
He opened his eyes and his vision was doubled, he saw his mother and Lancelot before him as they tried to climb on their feet. His head ached as his visions split he saw the doubels walking opposite directions.
Lancelot's body shook as faint white lines manifested on his hair, half across his head.
"Something got in the way of the spell." Morgana panicked, the robes on her body were like slime that clung to her form. Her flesh didn't feel solid more like it was made of slime itself, her will seemingly keeping it intact.
On the side Kami huffed but still asleep, her skin almost snow white and the white flames danced on her body.
Morgana inspected the Old Gods, they were breathing and were still alive
Morgan surmised, "Something got in the way of my ritual. Something started to tear the power away, something got in the way."
0000
The others quickly went to Liz's side, Stein checked her.
"Is she going to be okay?" Patty asked.
"Stein." Marie spoke up, '
Stein ignored her as he continued to check Liz. "Something is off, she drew power into her, something is wrong with her."
Patty started to get worried, "She said she's started to feel weird for a while now, she couldn't transform."
"Hm?" Stein mused trying to solve the puzzle before him, something about thing was familiar.
"She's pregnant!" Marie yelled.
Liz was barely conscious but as everyone went silent she looked up confused, "What?" Liz sputtered. "I'm what?"
Marie said sheepish, "Yeah, earlier when I heard you say you couldn't transform, and that top looks a little tight on you. I thought you might have gained some weight. Then I realized I had went through that too." She put her hand on her stomach, "When I got far along in my pregnancy I couldn't transform anymore."
Liz stared blankly, "But-"
Stein stared at her using soul perception he dug deep into her, a small smile cracking his lips, "Congratulations, it's a small soul, but it's bright and strong."
Patty smiled, "You and Kid? I'm gonna be an aunty!"
Liz put a hand on her stomach as her sister hugged her, everything happening so fast, "What happened? Something happened? Something happened to Kid? I could feel it. It was terrible."
Stein gulped, "Your child is a reaper and like how Kid drew his power from his father your unborn child might be doing that to him. My guess is something is happening to Kid and your baby is starting to feel it."
"You're right," Niko walked out of the room with Will behind her. "Kid and the others don't have much time left."