G4F Chronicles II: The LF Empire (Season Two)

[Zabobula]

Chapter Eighteen

The winds settled and the skies became partially illuminated with dimming rays of the evening sun. A silence had come over the land unlike no other. The day had been long and hard, but sense of peace had finally returned to the Empire’s land. A large gaping hole filled with debris took the place of the castle that once stood. Only fragments of the proud walls and buildings remained.
Haywire tended to Drahcir’s severe wounds and Blue-Phoenix sat on a stone thinking hard. Lord Razen stood on part of what used to be the east wall looking at the night sky slowly creeping their way. Robo had come to up to him.
“So it’s over,” Robo said also staring into the approaching night sky.
“So it seems,” Razen replied. “I have a lot of work to do now. The castle must be rebuilt. It will take long but it is all for the better.”
“Yeah,” Robo said. “Razen, I apologize for all of this.”
“It’s not your fault,” Razen told. “It couldn’t be helped.”
Robo looked at Razen and said, “I will aid you as best as I can. It is the least I can do.”
“But what about your G4F?” Razen replied.
“There is no G4F,” Robo declared. “Not anymore. It is all but a memory now that will live on in the minds of those who were part of it.”
“OUCH!”
Drahcir screeched in pain as Haywire dressed his wound.
“Be quiet,” Haywire reprimanded the soldier. “It’s not that deep.”
“It still hurts!” Drahcir shouted. “Be careful. It’s not everyday that I come to another world and almost get killed.”
“Quit complaining,” Haywire said. “Think about how we feel about it.”
Drahcir grunted and kept his mouth shut for the remainder.
“There finished,” Haywire said standing up. “You should be good now. Just don’t but a lot of pressure on it.”
Drahcir stood up as well and shook hands with Haywire, “Thanks.”

Blue-Phoenix stood up and began walking towards the south wall. Razen’s eye caught him.
“Blue,” Razen said halting his movement. “Where are you going?”
“To Stageland,” BP answered.
“What for?” Razen asked. “You have a debt to the Empire for your deception.”
BP turned his head and looked at Razen, “Do I now?”
He continued walking but Drahcir’s dropped in front of him with his beam sword drawn.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Drahcir said.
Razen came down from the destroyed south wall. “You had been working for the Dark Rebellion this entire time and thought to keep it from me. You have betrayed the Empire and led their army to our walls.”
“I did it for the Empire,” BP said. “For what I thought what was best.”
Razen pointed at the area, “Does this look like what is best?!”
“The mission of the Dark Rebellion,” BP began, “Was to destroy the Empire that is now and replace it with something new. The mission is almost complete. The rest is now in the Empire’s hands.”
Razen was silent and Drahcir lowered his sword. BP summoned a blue cloud and jumped on it.
BP turned and looked at Razen. “The Dark Rebellion. It’s purpose was not conceived by just outcast members of the Empire. But those who sought it best for a change.”
Razen remained silent looking down as Blue-Phoenix took off on his cloud off to the southeast.
Robo came down from the wall, “You’re going to let him go?”
Razen rose his head up and answered, “Yes. Apparently, he was right. I too wished for a change but never thought of a way to bring about it. So the Dark Rebellion brought about change for me. I had never been part of their organization, but it seems I was taking apart of their plan the whole time.”
Haywire began looking around. “Did anyone notice that Noir is gone?”

~

Blue-Phoenix traveled far from the Empire into the neutral region of Stageland. He landed on the cliffs only to be greeted by a figure in a cloak. BP got off his cloud and walked towards the cloaked person. The figure removed his cloak to reveal her face.
“So it is done?” The woman replied.
“Yes,” BP answered. “Sonidow and the Stickman are no longer in the picture.”
“Good news,” The woman began, “very good news. Harlequin will be happy to hear this.”
“Harlequin?” BP repeated. “I thought he was dead.”
“No, I’m not.”
Another cloaked figure made his presence. Removing the hood, the figure’s presence was made known as Harlequin himself of the 13th Zone!
“Hello BP,” Harlequin said.
“I heard that Azriel killed you,” BP stated.
“That was staged,” Harlequin replied. “It was all a ploy to get rid of our allegiance with the Undead Alliance. They had grown soft and weak. And that’s when Azriel was sent to destroy them.”
“So were you part of the Dark Rebellion as well?” BP asked.
“Me?” Harlequin repeated. “Of course not. What Azriel did was a favor to us all. But now his whereabouts are unknown and after what happened, we can’t be sure if he is still an ally or not. Sonidow did not make him aware of the whole picture.”
“You talk as if you were one of us,” BP replied.
“Oh I assure you I wasn’t,” Harlequin said. “I just have my sources.”
Harlequin raised his hand over to the woman. “Like Aeris here. She was sent to watch the Stickman while Scorpion was sent to monitor the status inside the castle. Unfortunately, I was informed that he was killed in Stageland by your Azriel.”
“What?” BP replied.
“So that makes us enemies now doesn’t it?”
Without another word said, Aeris sprung into action, attack Blue.
“What are you doing?!” BP asked blocking Aeris’s attack by quickly summoning an ice sword.
“Azriel, one of yours, killed one of ours,” Harlequin said pulling out a card, “with this card. I believe your death would be fair compensation.”
“Damn you!” Blue-Phoenix snarled.
“Make it quick, VG,” Harlequin said leaving the area, “We have a schedule to keep.”
“Quick as lightning,” Aeris responded while attack BP with her razor-sharp claws.
BP thought to himself, “This is not good.”

~

The Empire’s soldiers had reached the Eastern Defensive Wall finally. But there was a problem, no one was there. The wall looked as if it had been abandoned.
“What’s going on?” Lauli asked out loud. “Why isn’t anyone here?”
“I don’t like this one bit,” Handertaker replied.
“Maybe they are all inside,” Alec said.
Three figures poked over the walls battlements.
“Ah, nice to see you all!”
“Pott? Is that you?” Alec replied.
“Yep,” Pott began. “Just me, Jusa, and Guigs. Where is Zanshin?”
“Right here you guys,” Zanshin made his presence known.
The Imperial Generals also made their presence known.
“Where is everyone?” Don asked. “Why are only you three here?”
“They have been sent to Stageland,” Guigs answered.
“What?!” Don was shocked.

Everyone settled inside the walls interior quarters. There were enough rooms for everyone to sleep in and it was an every-man-for-himself situation in the kitchens. Don and Sinow went to talk with the three about the soldiers leaving to Stageland.
“They were sent under direct orders from Secondary Ruler Lord Blue,” Pott explained. “What the contents of their mission were are unknown to us.”
“I see,” Don said.
“That’s my chicken!”
The two generals and Pott turned to see Alec and Dome fight over food in the kitchen.
“I saw it first,” Dome said.
“Settle down you all,” Paddy entered chomping on a drumstick. “There’s plenty more.”

~

Azriel was walking through the Lion’s Forest in the middle of Stageland. He was gazing at one of his playing cards when all of a sudden, Noir dropped from the skies in front of him.
“Well now, Noir, what a pleasant surprise.”
“The feeling is mutual, somewhat.” Noir replied.
“So Sonidow is gone then?” Azriel asked.
“Yes,” Noir answered. “We are all that is left of the Dark Rebellion.”
“No you’re wrong,” Azriel corrected, “There is more to it than just the number of members we have. But I suppose now it is all but a faint memory.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Noir began. “But we have another problem. It’s about Blue-Phoenix.”
“I’m well aware of his role,” Azriel said. “Disturbing as it may be. He was working with the Empire the entire time.”
“No it’s more than that,” Noir said. “He’s also an agent of the 13th Zone.”
“What?” Azriel gasped.
“He has lead them to important information regarding the Empire,” Noir explained. “By now they probably know about the castle’s destruction.”
Azriel turned and looked ahead, “Then I suppose the Dark Rebellion’s mission is not over. I have learned that Harlequin is not dead and the legions of the 13th Zone are descending upon us all. They plan on taking over this neutral zone as well as the Empire.”
“I believe we should return to the Empire,” Noir proposed. “They will need our help.
“You’re right,” Azriel agreed. “The first part of our mission has been accomplished. But now we must see to it that the rest is fulfilled as well.”
With that said the last two remnants of the Dark Rebellion set off back to the LF Empire.