The Return Chapter 9

A Challenge Issued

By Firstborn Dragon

The soldiers were still standing there, either too shocked to move, or uncertain what to do. Jack and Cecilia did not dare to move. Zed and Zeikfried were staring at each other, and Rudy stood there, his eyes on his arm.

Zed was issuing the challenge. "You would do that here. I know you too well Zeikfried. If you use that here.."

Zeikfried accepted it. "Then what? You’ll kill me. Or did you forget traitor, that whatever happens to me happens to him if I use this.

Rudy looked at Zeikfried in disbelief. "I would gladly die if it meant getting rid of you. Just because I’m…"

Rudy looked around, uncertain whether or not to continue. Zeikfried took that choice away from him. "Like me, like us?" He stood up, Rudy’s arm still held in his hand. "Or do they know the truth about their savior? The fact that he’s a cross breed. That he’s…"

Zed cut him off. "What do you want. Revenge? Me? What?"

Zeikfried looked at Zed. "Zed I’m surprised at you. Standing up for them, the ones who defeated you how many times? Twice, three maybe?"

Zed’s eyes narrowed at the unmistakable challenge in Zeikfried’s voice. "But in the end, they didn’t betray me. They didn’t make false promises, only to take them away. They never used me, like you. Besides, you know what I’m after."

Zeikfried just laughed. "I always knew you were a fool. The two of use working together could…"

Zed didn’t let him finish. "I’m threw with you. You never played fair with me, and I don’t trust you to start now. Besides, how do you intend to do anything? The Forgotten are loose, and if anything, we’re a mere annoyance to them. Do you think I’m such a fool as to join you, when they are loose?" The soldiers, and the advisor were now fully confused. They had no idea what was going on. On the one hand the wizard had helped them, and advised them, yet he told them that the four who stood in the throne room were out laws. Yet the same four had proof that they were who they clamed to be. So they all stood there, and watched.

"You are as much of a fool as Boomerang, if you believe that the Forgotten are loose. And if you think that you can defeat me. Mark my words, we shall meet again. And remember fool, we are the last demons it the world, other than that half breed there. As for you human friend, she is near. If you can find her." With those last words, Zeikfried vanished. But his haunting laugh echoed around the room….

With his disappearance, every one in the room was suddenly down on there knees. The four stood there, not really connived that Zeikfried was gone. There was worried look on Zed’s, and Rudy’s faces. Boomerang stood at the side, where he had appeared. Even he looked a little unsure about what had just occurred.

The chancellor advanced towards Cecilia. "My lady, please forgive us. I don’t know what came over us."

Zed looked at the chancellor. Then he said two words in an off hand voice.

"A spell."

"What?" The chancellor appeared puzzled by the comment.

Zed offered the answer to that. "That’s what came over you."

The Chancellor looked up at him. As did the soldiers. Suddenly the tension that had disappeared when Zeikfried did was back. Only it worse. "Are you really a demon?"

Zed looked back at him. His face might as well been a mask for all that anyone could read of it. "Dose it matter what I am? I am what I am. We all are."

The tension lessened as the chancellor gave Zed a puzzled look, then he proceeded to speak to Cecilia. "Please forgive us."

Cecilia shrugged it off. "No harm was done that cannot be undone. But tell me, did that wizard bring anyone with him? We came here to find him because he had abducted a girl."

The chancellor was all to eager to help. "Oh indeed he did. The lady is resting upstairs. Do you wish to see her?"

Zed could not hide the hope in his eyes. But he stayed silent. He finally figured out that he’d nearly given himself away. And if one part of Zeikfried story had been proven true, Zed couldn’t help but wonder if the other part would be accepted too.

"Yes we would. Could you send someone to…"

Cecilia was cut off as a solider came rushing into the room. "Chancellor. A messenger has come from Port Timmy to ask for our aid. Apparently a monster has been terrorizing the city."

Cecilia turned to the solider. "Calm down solider."

"Wha.. Pardon my queen. I did not realize that you had returned."

Cecilia turned to the others. They spoke in quiet voices. "You don’t think that the monster they are speaking of is…"

Zed finished. "Me? I don’t think there are any other creatures with a death wish."

Rudy looked at Zed, then nodded. "Perhaps it would be best if we got you out of here. The last thing we need is to try to explain what’s going on."

But Jack noticed the soldier’s entrance. "Too late. The best we can do is now is hope it’s something else."

But luck was not on their side. As soon as the messenger entered the room, he screamed and pointed at Zed. "That’s the beast I was talking about. He’s the one that threatened to destroy the town. Kill him! Kill him before he…"

"SLICEN!!!!" The room was dead quiet, as the chancellor turned to look at Cecilia. "Care to explain princess? Is this man speaking the truth, or is their something else that we should know about?"

Cecilia looked at the chancellor, took a deep breath, then tried to explain what happened.

The guards, although their swords were sheathed, they looked ready to draw them at any moment. Rudy and Jack stood to either side of Zed, and Cecilia stood in front. As her story progressed, the tension seemed to increase. She didn’t leave much out either. The only noticeable thing left out was Rudy’s heritage.

By the end, it was hard to tell if the chancellor was looking at them in shock or disbelieve. Either was highly probable. "You’re saying you agreed to help a demon, who tried to kill you several times during the last war, and the only reason he’s alive right now is because you gave him his life twice?" The chancellor shook his head, then looked at them again. "You’re either crazy, or over confident. But why did you bring him here?"

It was at this point that Rudy took over. Cecilia seemed quite relived as he steeped forwards, to face the others in the room. Boomerang was still standing on the other side of the room, but he was being watched just as close, if not closer, that Zed and the others. "Because we need each other’s help. Zed is trying to find a woman, possibly the one you have here. And I need his help to find something. In the end, that’s all that matters."

The chancellor looked puzzled. "But what do you need a demon’s help for? Surely there are others who could help you."

The last thing they needed was for the truth to get out. Rudy was very careful with his answer. "It’s something. And I doubt that I could ever find anyone who would know where to look. Even if I did, I don’t know what the cost of that would. This was I know."

"Why dose this demon search for a girl."

Rudy looked at him, not eager to try and explain that. "That is a long story, that started a year ago. A very long story."

Zed looked worried, the soldiers looked nervous, the chancellor looked uncertain, and the messenger looked like he wanted to bolt. The only ones who seemed certain of themselves were Rudy, Jack Cecilia, and Boomerang. Rudy got the feeling that there was nothing that could sort the current mess out. At least not that could be said. "Would you just send for the girl. That might help to clear things up."

The chancellor looked at Jack, then nodded to one of the soldiers. That solider quickly disappeared out of the room.

A few minutes latter, he came back, carefully leading Laura. "Some one wished to….My swordsman! I knew you’d come. The man who brought me here said that you had left me."

Zed quickly crossed the room, ignoring all of the soldiers, most of whom were too shocked to move. "Laura forgive me. I never meant to leave you. I promise that I’ll never do that again."

Almost everyone in the room could not help, but look at the two. Even Jack could not help but be amazed by what he saw. Then the chancellor started to speak. "Well if I never saw it with my own eyes…"

But everyone was ignoring him. Then Zed spoke to Laura again. "I must leave you for a while. I promised Rudy that I’d help him find something. But I’ll come back for you. I promise."

Laura, still holding him, touched his face. "I know you will. Go Zed, but remember that you promised you’d come back to me."

The chancellor was shaking his head in disbelief. "I see now why you decided that you could trust him, no matter what happened. I guess that mean’s you’ll be leaving too my Queen?"

Cecilia nodded her agreement. "Yes. I must help them. But after this, I’ll come back and rule. That was the agreement that we made a year ago. I’ll honor it."

The chancellor nodded his understanding. "Then go. And may luck bring you what you seek."

Cecilia nodded. "Actually, is Emma around? We wanted to know if we could borrow the Gull Wing. We need to go somewhere."

"Ah, she left a while ago. But she left the Gull Wing, and she left this for you incase you’d return." Cecilia took the letter, and opened it.

.

Cecilia;
Sorry I’m not around, but something major came up.
If you need to borrow my Gull Wing, go for it. After all, without you’re help it would still be just a dream. See ya around.
Emma

"Well I guess that clears up the matter of the airship." She turned to the others. "Shall we go?"

And the four, followed by Boomerang left the room.

.

Author’s Note: I know we don’t really know how Cecilia managed to leave the kingdom. An agreement is as good as any. Besides, it’s my fanfic, and I can do what ever I want.

.

Go To Chapter 10

Return To Wild ARMs Fanfic