The Dark Obelisk - Chapter Six

Damien will safeguard Zero's life. And Khazetuha, in a battle she faces alone, will do much the same.

Lightning flashed overhead, bright streaks of green which shimmered and gleamed off the edge of my father's blade.

"I'll show you what it means when I say I love you."

My heart stopped. My whole body locked up. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. My father was going to go up against that horde...and he was going to do it alone.

The howling, tumbling, rolling wave of death was closing in on all sides. The sound echoed across the nightscape as a furious wailing scream. I shut my eyes tightly...I didn't want to see what made that noise...and yet...

"I have to learn..."

My eyes opened once again and I focused my attention upon my father.

Screeching, scowling, howling beasts of human abomination leapfrogged over the initial wave and bounded forward. I could see at least ten or fifteen of them at first. They struck, hard and fast, lanced towards my dad with gangly, grotesque nails bared and crooked, needle-thin teeth begging to rip into living flesh.

A single twitch. The sword was up, his body spun magnificently, application of ballet's fair. It cut through the wind audibly, swirled around him before he became still again, sword down at his side. Everything seemed to be still...my breath was caught in my throat. Had he missed...?

Moments later, the first wave fell. Each one cut clean in half, they snarled and yelped like dogs as they thrashed upon the ground, swiped out to slice my father's ankles. With a swift turn on the heel and the swing of a kick, he knocked the arms and claws away, ignored the dying gasps as the next wave came.

They leaped, more of the satanic beasts, but with a brilliant, impossible jump, he rose to meet them in the air and cut them down. Pieces rained upon the ground behind as he landed, spun quick, and made a sweeping horizontal slash along the side. It was like scissors through paper, as another wave fell to pieces before him.

I watched with amazement as he leaped, ducked, spun and twirled. It was a dazzling dance of swinging blade. Each performance slid into the next move with an unbreakable flow - as he came down onto the ground and his knees bent with the impact, he'd keep the momentum, sweep his sword low, and slash it upwards to send blood and entrails spinning through the sky, only to arch the sword over his head and bring it down on adversaries behind him.

Blood matted his furr and dripped down  the front of his face, but not a speck of it was his own. It seemed that no matter how many came at him, they fell to the deadly beauty of his sword ballet. Each swipe of the claw missed by centimeters, every attempt to bite met with a lopped off head, grabs from behind foiled quickly by the removal of the arms that would hold him.

His movements came at such speed that he almost seemed to leave a glow in his wake - every spot he'd been prior flashed with a green silhouette of his presence, which trailed and followed him like an afterimage. The sky provided music to his performance - flashes of lightning coincided with slashes of the sword, the boom of thunder came with the dying roars of the horde.

With another leap he trailed his blade through a row of the creatures in a gliding slash. He bowed his head low, long tresses of dark hair hung over his face as he skidded to a halt, blade held beside him. Each creature in the line died in succession, one falling apart after the other like a series of sick dominoes.

The momentum ground to a halt. I could see the rise and fall of my father's body as he waited. He waited because -they- waited. Each of the malformed abominations hung on the outside, their collective forming a ring which he was the center of. As brutal and bloodthirsty as they had been, they now stood away, chests pumping with unceasing hyperventilation. I saw that their eyes, once black, were now deep, blood red, fiery and furious with undeath.

A shudder ran through my form as I suddenly lost my balance and tumbled backwards, landing hard on my rump and exhaling hard. I'd held my breath for longer than I realized, and it was as if my panting matched their own - as if I was just as perplexed by the movements of my father as they were.

He rose to a full standing position and whipped his sword around, pointed it out with the tip directed towards one wall of the Horde. The creatures continued to breathe quickly, the one's he'd pointed at growled, snarled, a few jammed their claws into some of their brethren with rage. The injured ones, in turn, shrieked and started to fight amongst each other. There were larger ones however, who shouldered through lines of the minions to break up the fights, lifting each contender in one gnarled hand and slamming them together with such force that a sickening crack rang through the air.

The bodies were dropped to the ground. They no longer moved. Blood leaked from their facial orifices and continued to stain the desecrated ground.

"It's not even close to over, Zero." He spoke to me without breaking his gaze. I tensed up, my ears pricked forward. I had to listen. "Even if you feel strong, even if you feel like you can take on any challenge...remember that with the completion of each challenge, a new one is sure to come."

I blinked slowly.

"You must always fight." A creature rushed forward to ambush. My father moved effortlessly, resumed his position as two pieces of the monster fell to a bloody clutter upon the earth. "But you cannot assume to win. You cannot become arrogant. It is not that you -will- win. It is that you -must- win."

They shrieked, howled, and roared. There was no doubt they were cursing my father, but they held their ground. Even they were not so mindless as to rush into certain death.

"Your strength will come when you realize that the moment hinges on you." He lifted his sword high into the air and brought it back down, carrying the momentum as he began to spin. Slowly at first, it was building up... "That you make the choice, Zero. You choose to live or die. Whichever choice you make..."

Faster and faster he went. Both his arms were stretched out, paws clasped around the hilt of his blade. The impatience of the creatures in rows behind faltered, and they leaped over their frontal brethren, grabbing shoulders and propelling themselves high into the air.

"Whichever choice you make is the one you have to follow through on! Whatever it takes, you -must follow through-!" I gasped as his spin picked up to an impossible speed. His body and blade became a whirling blur of black, soon joined by traces of green as sparks of jade electricity leaked from the tip of his weapon and melded into the spin.

The charging monsters broke from their group and beset my father on all sides. My paws gripped tight, I leaped up and pressed my face against the fiery wall that kept me away. "Dad..."

As they closed in on him, leaped and lunged in a desperate attempt to break through and tear him apart, I heard him bellow from within the storm.


There was a great flash of green light.

A wave of rippling acidic energy exploded outward from where my father stood, electricity crackling through the air as it simply obliterated the first wave of attackers. I heard them scream and shriek as their bodies were simply blown apart, pieces and ichor being thrown back into the crowd. The wave of energy tore up the ground beneath as it surged outwards and slammed into the larger horde, knocking the creatures in front right into the ones behind, unbalancing and scattering a good majority of them. Trails of electricity and debris shot into the air.

My father's whirl ceased as he slammed his heel into the ground and skidded himself to a standing halt. He lifted his blade with both hands and pointed it towards one group of the creatures. Dazed and confused, many of them had taken to viciously attacking each other, wounds being torn freely as they sank their claws into allied flesh, ripped and tore in a blood-lusting frenzy.

With an enraged cry black tendrils of energy wrapped around his sword before it collected at the tip and shot out as a great black orb of nether force. It slammed into the group and sent bodies scattering, charging through with a bulls momentum. He repeated this, turning to reorient towards a new group and firing another blast. Two sects of the creatures broke off from two sides, coming in to flank him. Just as they were to collide, he leaped high into the air and pointed his blade downwards, firing an orb that imploded into the ground, shooting fissured earth up on all sides of the crater it left behind and blowing the monsters away.

I watched, completely mesmerized, as he landed upon the ground and whirled his blade up, held it at the ready. I couldn't tell how many of the creatures he'd managed to kill by this point...all I knew was that I suddenly felt both awe-inspired and vastly inferior to my father's demonstrated level of skill. I'd known that he was an accomplished close quarters combatant...but I'd never seen him demonstrate ability such as this. If this was what was required to protect -me-, how could I ever protect Khazetuha...?

Though many had fallen, there still seemed to be a vast ocean of the abominations. Many of them were fighting amongst each other, but those who were not seemed to be moving more slowly, calculating. I blinked softly. While I'd seen them demonstrate hesitancy earlier, the few that I noticed now seemed different...their eyes were as red and furious as the others, but something about them...

"The odds will always be stacked against you, Zero." My father's voice snapped me out of my train of thought. I blinked and looked towards him. He was looking at me. "Yggdrasil has always been a force far beyond what any of us could naturally contend. It took me a long time to realize how out of my league I was..." He twirled the sword above his head before he impaled it into the ground. There was a sharpness to his gaze as he looked across the creatures around him. They looked back, bodies heaving with hyperactive breath, muscles tense, teeth bared, growling and hating.

"But it didn't take me long to realize how little that actually mattered."  His words confused me. If he was out of his league, then I was -way- out of it...a shiver ran through my body as I imagined myself in his position, right now. I'd have fallen...and fallen quickly.

I think he sensed my doubt. He yanked his blade from the earth and pointed it at me, eyes narrowed whilst he spoke. "It doesn't matter, Zero. It doesn't matter how weak you are, physically Because you have something that Yggdrasil will never, ever have. You have someone to protect." He roared as he whipped his blade around, a sudden explosion rippling out from him as another wave of energy dismantled a group that had begun to rush forward. They rushed no more.

He looked back to me, but his eyes were closed. He spoke softer, to where I could just barely hear him. "You'll get scared. You'll feel alone. You'll feel weaker than you've ever felt. But it isn't about you." I pressed my paws against the fiery wall. "It's about who you fight for. Who you love. When you understand that you are the only thing between them and death...all that weakness, all that loneliness, all that fear, it stops mattering. Because you know that if you feel that way, they feel it too. And that's the last thing in the entire world you want them to feel..."

His eyes opened. I met his gaze. Even from this distance, I saw the tear that ran down his cheek. "I'm sorry you had to feel that way...and I'm sorry I wasn't there." I saw the shiver run through his body. It seemed as if the otherworldly sounds of the creatures around dulled as I looked only upon him...

That shiver...he'd been just as scared as I had. He'd felt just as weak. But because I was here, because he had to protect me...

I felt my ears rumble as a great booming roar cut through the air from the distance. Suddenly, creatures who'd been fighting amongst each other or preparing to attack stopped, every one of their heads turned in the same direction. My father spun to follow their gaze. Behind him, in the distance, I saw it too.

A great silhouette rose above the crowd of thousands. It's size dominated them with ease. I would have guessed anywhere above ten feet tall. It was too far to make any details...but that would change soon. I could hear the thump of hoof against solid earth as it made it's way through the crowd. I could hear pained shrieks and cries...I had the feeling that whatever got in it's way was simply smashed underfoot and kicked aside.

My father quickly pulled his sword from the ground and stood at a readied position. All at once, the creatures around us had become but a minimal concern. Even they seemed no longer interested in attacking my dad. It was easy to see that whatever this attack had been, it was but a mere introductory opener to what was to come. My father held stone still and watched, just as everyone watched, just as I watched. I held my breath.

I was afraid...but if he was, he stood firm in his ground. He was going to fight against whatever came his way.

I would see for myself what his words really meant.


* * * *
* * * * * * * * * * *

A door creaked open into a room dimly lit by firelight. Dancing shadows framed by orange glow trailed across the wooden-hewn walls. White curtains were drawn across a window, through which a spark of moonlight managed to slip through.

The door creaked more as it was pushed fully open, and Khazetuha slipped through. Clutched in her furry pink hand was a cup filled with a steaming greenish liquid, and cradled in her opposite arm was a small basin and a stack of towels. She paused for a moment as she bumped the door with her heel which pushed it shut.

Her belongings were placed on a small oakwood table beside a four-poster roofed and white-veiled bed. She sighed softly as she looked upon the dark silhouette of the bed's only occupant. Even from here, she could hear him breathing softly...she knew he'd not stirred.

Khazetuha took hold of the veil and gently moved it aside as she took a seat upon the bed, and looked acrossed it to the sleeping Zero, wearing a long-sleeved over shirt and some red pajama bottoms. She was thankful he'd managed to look so peaceful these past days...but it didn't change the fact that, no matter what she'd tried, she couldn't wake him up..and it didn't change the fact that he'd...

She banished the thought as she placed the back of her hand against his fuzzy black cheek and traced her nail across the white stripe that ran from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth.

"How ya feelin...?" She asked tenderly. But for gentle wisps of breath, there was no response. She sighed and reached over to the table, taking hold of the cup she'd left there. With a gentle and steady touch, she cupped her hand under his chin and gently pulled his mouth open, tipping the cup of tea to his sleeping lips. Carefully she poured, lightly massaging his throat as she did so. He swallowed slowly, his tongue lapping up the warm liquid that would go to soothe him from within. When the tea was depleted, she sat the cup aside and closed his mouth.

"I'm glad you're not fussy." She watched him for a time, lightly brushed some locks of his mid-length, smooth black hair out of his face. His eyes were closed, and she sighed gently, closing hers as well...she wanted to see them open again. She missed the gentle spirit behind those sapphire blues...

Khazetuha leaned in closely and pressed her lips to his forehead. A deep inhale came as she caught up his scent...she had to be thankful, for though she could not wake him up, he was surely still alive. She simply hoped it would remain that way.

With a soft sigh she pulled away and turned to the basin she had prepared. Taking a few of the towels, she stood up off the bed and laid them out across the spot she'd been sitting.

She slipped her arms under Zero's body and gently tugged, lifted, moved him across the bed, so that he was laying on the towel covering. With him being so small and lightweight, it was thankfully not a problem to move him.

She was shivering. Her arms wrapped around herself, Khazetuha closed her eyes and looked away from her brother. She knew what she had to do next...but she didn't want to. She didn't want to see it again. But her mind betrayed her. Her mind saw it again, like it had done every night since.

* * * * * * * * * One Week Ago - Khazetuha * * * * * * * * *

Khazetuha rolled over, still half asleep with fluttering dreams of flying tunafish running through her brain. She'd been chasing those fish for awhile, and almost caught one! They'd looked so fresh and delicious. Flying fish had to taste better than regular fish, she assumed. They were much more exotic! She wasn't surprised, however, when it ended up being Zero who came along to ruin her fun.

Khazetuha yawned loudly as the creak of the bedroom door ceased and the short statured silhouette stood in the light of the hallway. She stretched nice and long as she sat up, tresses of her pretty, if bedridden, pink hair obscuring her face. She hissed in a mildly playful way and stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"You betta have a darn good reason for sneaking in here! I almost had fish, Zero! FISH!" She shook her paws to make her point and looked a bit perturbed.

Zero, however, said nothing. His eyes were drawn half-shut as he stood within her doorway, and after a few moments of silence, Khazetuha blinked in worry.

"Zero?" She said. "Hey? You sleepwalking on me?" She snapped her fingers and waved her arms, but her brother remained motionless. With a sigh of exasperation, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and got up, stretching with another yawn. "We gotta get you back to bed. Don't wantchu wandering off somewhere and falling down a hole..." She smiled as she approached him and set her hands upon his shoulders.

A flash of dark, slitted red eyes. Fingers curling impatiently, massive deadly claws jutting from each digit. A snarl of hatred.

She jumped backwards, fell on her rear as she choked and sputtered, completely losing her sense to speak. She had no idea what just happened...what she just saw?

"Zero!?" She pressed her palms against the ground and stared at her brother. He continued to stand motionless, an absent gaze through half-lidded eyes. Slowly, Khazetuha rose back to her feet, legs wobbling shakily as she stood once more.

"Something's really wrong here..." Shaky hands reached forward once again, but she could feel it. She knew that if she touched him, she'd see it again...

And that's when he moved. Suddenly, he simply stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her midsection, and before she could protest, started nuzzling her chest. No strange visions plagued her this time, but her cheeks flare up with redness as her brother went on nuzzling some very sensitive spots...

"H-h-h-h-hey! What in the!? Zero! Hey hey hey!" Shocked, she grabbed his shoulders and gave him a stern but careful push backwards. This only seemed to deter him for a moment, as he pushed forward once more and resumed nuzzling, a soft purr coming up from him. She couldn't figure out what the hell was going on, but she definitely didn't like it. Before she had a chance to say anything, however, he spoke first, a quiet whisper.

"Khaze...it'd...be wrong...please...go...go put something on..." His paws had come up and taken her by the wrists. She blinked in confusion as he held her hands away from him. "Please...this is embar....rrasing..." He whispered.

"Well y-y-you're the one sleepwalking! G-g-g-go back to b-b-b-eeMMMPPPHHHH!?" Her eyes bulged and her cheeks flushed a deep cherry shade. Without warning, Zero had jumped right up and kissed her. Her! His sister! -He- was kissing -her-!

Completely frozen in shock, his lips moved against her own. She had no idea what the heck was going on, and was only getting more and more confused with every passing moment.

She grunted as she felt his paw traveling up her stomach and her senses returned to her...she'd have to get control of this situation, -right now-, even if it meant knocking him sideways.

But then it happened. He screamed. Screamed a horrible scream and shoved her back with all his might. Completely unprepared, Khazetuha fell and banged her head against the side of the bed on the way down. She screeched in pain and held onto her head tight, teeth clenched and bared.

"ZERO!? What the hell!?"

Her burst of anger was quickly replaced by fear. Zero'd fallen too...but now he was twitching. His body was convulsing. He was fighting, kicking, screaming. He begged for help. She watched him in frozen terror, utterly confused, having no idea of what to do.

Blood splattered against his t-shirt from the -inside-. Her eyes had grown wide with horror, and her body threw into action. She jumped forward and tried to hold him down, tried to keep him still.

"Zero!? ZERO!!!" He was writhing and fighting with such convulsive fury that she could not keep him down. One of his swings connected with her jaw and sent her stumbling backwards. A hand upon her aching mouth, she watched as more blood covered his shirt...she fell back down again, sapped of the will to stand...

The wounds. The gashes...they tore their way down his arms, his legs. Blood covered the floor around him as he screamed and screamed...but every scream was weaker than the one before it... "Zero..." She whispered, as she watched, as she cried. Too scared to get close, too confused to know what to do, she was paralyzed...wounds tore across his face and cheeks, he spasmed as if knives were digging into him...and then it just stopped. He'd just stopped.

Khazetuha screamed.

* * * * * * * * * Present - Khazetuha * * * * * * * * *

Khazetuha shivered...the basin of water rippled as her teardrops fell into it. She lifted it from the table and placed it on the floor, knelt down beside the bed. Turning to the sleeping Zero, she undressed him, removed his bandages, and began to clean his wounds once more.

Her fingers slipped through his as she took hold of his paw and squeezed it softly.

"Be okay, Zero...please be okay."

Author's Note

Comments always welcome! Please disregard typos.