26(S2E13)- Only One

26

(Season 2, Episode 13)

Only One

Mary’s kiss was deep on a whole new level.

She tapped her instincts and let the power that she had only just recently realized she had, wash over her.  She reached deep into his soul and pulled.  Before, with her Zach, it had been a desperate reaction to possibly dying, now she could really feel it, savor it.

Love it.

She drew the energy from the side-stepper and felt his mind and will begin to fail. Suddenly, out of his pores, a silver liquid began to ooze and collect in a pool on the floor below him.  As his will failed, so did his precious machines, now just useless metal on the floor.

Still, she drew more.  She would take his mind and he would be hers, ending his threat forever.

“NO!” Zachariah screamed, reaching the top of the stairs.

He leapt into to action, desperate to stop Mary from destroying herself and them.  He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled backward while kicking forward into his twin’s chest.  Mary screamed at the sudden loss of connection and passed out.

“You fool!” Seamus yelled, but it was too late.  Zachariah’s kick had sent the side stepper backward through the doorway and into the chamber.

Mary had slipped into unconsciousness from shock and Zachariah slowly laid her to the ground.

“We failed.”  Kahn said quietly.

Zachariah stood and turned, once he was sure Mary was going to be okay, although he still wasn’t sure.  According to Mel, she would be a completely different Mary when she woke.

His eyes confirmed what Kahn and Seamus had said.  When Zachariah had separated them, the side-stepper had ended up on the other side of the doorway.  “I didn’t mean to do that,”

Seamus shrugged, accepting his fate.  “It doesn’t matter what happened now, we lose. Only one person can be in the chamber at a time.”

The side-stepper shook his head and began to pull himself to his feet slowly, still trying to shake off the effects of the succubus’ kiss.

Zachariah suddenly began to grin.  “Wait, wait, the spell says only one person can be in the chamber at a time?”

Seamus raised his eyebrow and looked at him seriously.  “Yes, anyone else who tries to enter will be killed.”

Zachariah laughed out loud to himself, then pulled his ripped and torn Polo shirt over his head.  Seamus put his hands up in shock.  “Why the hell are you taking your shirt off?”

“He does that right before he does something stupid.”  Kahn spoke matter-of-factly.

Zachariah hopped on one foot, not a flattering sight, to psych himself up.

“I don’t understand what is he going to-”  Zachariah cut off Seamus by sprinting three steps forward and leaping through the doorway.

Everybody held their breath as the second Zachariah collided with the spell guarding the doorway, but he did not burst into flames.  Instead, he passed right through and crashed onto the side-stepper, the two rolling to the ground in a heap.

“How?!” Seamus cried, shocked.

“They are both Zachariah.”  Kahn said, putting a hand up to stop Seamus from getting any closer.  “The spell believes there is still only one person in there.”

“Get off of me!” the side-stepper cried as he planted both feet into Zachariah’s chest and shoved him off.

“You ain’t got your nanos anymore, buddy!” Zachariah yelled.  “It’s a fair fight now!”

The side stepper came to his feet. “Fair?”

As Zachariah stepped in for a big telegraphed overhead right, his evil twin moved fluidly, blocking the sad punch with his left and chopping Zachariah to the face with his right.  At almost the same instant, the side-stepper planted a perfect forward kick to Zachariah’s abs and sent him to his back.

“Fair?” the side-stepper continued motioning to his cut abs and toned arms.  “That’s a joke, right?  Look at me, nano machines or not, I am the picture of perfect health.  I have trained in three different types of martial arts.  You are an eight-year dishwasher who likes video games and comics.”

Zachariah coughed as he tried to pull himself to his feet.  “I’m finding myself,”

That phrase got Zachariah’s brain turning.  He thought back to the trail, to the attack, and to what the side-stepper first spoke about.

“What are you smiling about?” the side stepper frowned at his adversary.

“You lost your nano-machines.” Zachariah said as he stood.

“I don’t have time for this.”  The side-stepper said as he curled his first and punched for Zachariah’s neck.

“Nope,” Zachariah said as he circle-blocked the blow, perfectly.

The side-stepper looked confused.  That should have been a killing blow.  He balled his fist and struck again for Zachariah’s solar plexus, this time.

“Nope.”  Zachariah said again as he stepped around the blow as if he knew it was coming.

The side-stepper became furious and charged Zachariah with a barrage of attacks.

“Nope.”  Zachariah blocked his knife hand strike.

“Nope.”  Zachariah said as he slapped away a left jab.

“Nada.”  Zachariah said as he ducked a big right hand.

“Slap!”  Zachariah yelled as he countered the big blow with a huge overhand pimp slap.

The side-stepper roared in anger.  “How are you doing this?!”

Zachariah smiled and charged forward.

“Boom!”  He said as he struck Zachariah to the abs with a hammer-fist.

“Sweep!”  Zachariah yelled as he kicked the side stepper in the knee, blocking it.

“Tony Jaa!”  Zachariah yelled as he stepped in and drove the knee into the side-steppers face.

The side-stepper rolled backward, blood sprayed from his lip.  Zachariah danced backward and fell into horse stance, mocking Bruce Lee, right down to the high pitched yelp at the end.

The side-stepper shook his head and wiped away the blood with his hand.  He seemed to calm himself, trying to reclaim the situation.

“I see, now.”  He said as he pulled himself to his feet.  “The one-mind phenomenon.  My nanos are no longer shielding our thoughts from one another.”

Zachariah shrugged.  “You know it, I know it, and I believe you were trained in three different martial arts?”

The side-stepper smiled.  “Two can play this game,”

The two charged each other and both hurled a punch.  They were both reading each other’s mind and the fists struck each other in mid-air.

This incredibly awesome sight was followed instantly by an audible series of cracks and pops.

Both Zachariah’s screamed in pain and held their broken hands.

“Why would you do that?!” Zachariah screamed

“Me?” the side stepper howled.  “Who punches someone else’s hand?”

“They do it in anime all the time and it looks awesome!” Zachariah yelled back.

“The Japanese cartoons?  You really still watch cartoons?!” The side-stepper questioned, rhetorically.

“Fuck you, evil me!  Everybody’s a critic!” Zachariah said, frowning.

The side-stepper walked over to Zachariah. “Alright, I have had enough of this.  I want you to see…”

Zachariah was confused for only a second but then the side-stepper began to center his thoughts on her… The one he lost.

At that instant, Zachariah was flooded with the side steppers memories and emotions.  Zachariah saw the first time they met at the restaurant where they had both worked.  He saw her swagger and felt the want that was within the side stepper.  Zachariah saw her playful sarcastic spirit tempered with a need for logic and levity that made him respect her.  She was there every time his own depression and self loathing nature brought him down. She picked him up with only a smile.

He saw her rosy cheeks.

He saw her fair hair.

He saw the light dancing in her beautiful brown eyes.

He felt the pain of her death, the emptiness, the longing.

Zachariah lived the side-stepper’s life in the span of a couple of seconds.

Zachariah was weeping now, he could not control the reaction.  “She’s so… everything.”

The side-stepper took a deep breath.  “More than your false and self destructive love with the succubus, she is more than love.  What would you do?”

Zachariah steeled himself and looked into his own eyes.  “I’d tear the universe apart.”

The side-stepper had won.  Zachariah would not try to stop him.  This love was bigger than reality, bigger than creation.  It was bigger than even the two people that shared it.

It would be a crime to keep it apart.

“Go get her.”  Zachariah said and nodded at the lover.

The side stepper turned and walked toward the light, his mission finally complete.

The beam of energy known as the forbidden spell todesstrahl, exploded diagonally through the bottom of the chamber and struck the life steam crack in the second before the side stepper could reach it. The resulting explosion sent both Zachariahs sliding back towards the doorway.

The light from the pedestal in the center of the room faded in the second after and plunged them into shadows.  There was a moment of black silence before the chamber creeked and moaned and the ancient stone, once made young by the power of life, now submitted to the gravity beneath.

“Grab on!”  Zachariah heard the ninja yell as she hurled a manriki chain through the doorway to Zachariah.

Zachariah grabbed it as the room broke away and began to fall.  “Grab on!”

The side-stepper turned toward Zachariah’s outstretched hand.  “No!”

Zachariah looked confused.  “Don’t be stupid, grab on!  Quickly!  We’ll find her in another dimension!”

“No.” The side-stepper yelled.  “You find her in this one.  I’m going to find mine.  I’m going to find her right now.”

“Don’t do this!” Zachariah stretched out his free hand as the chamber came completely free.

In the last second possible, the side stepper reached out and slapped Zachariah’s hand away.  “There is only one Zachariah.”

“NO!” Zachariah screamed as the chain tight and held him in place as the chamber spiraled away, the side-stepper still inside.

 ****

The side-stepper felt weightless now as he and the chamber reached terminal velocity.

He closed his eyes and thought again about her.  He centered himself on her.  He realized now, there was nothing, not even death, that could keep them apart.

He spoke her name to himself and the wind rushing past them.

He chuckled to himself as much as he loved her he never could quite remember her middle name.  “Was it Lynn or Ann?”

The chamber collided with the ground-level of Avalon, sending bricks and rubble everywhere through the streets.

The side-stepper, known as Zachariah, found himself weightless again and floating.  He could see her now… he reached for her and she smiled back at him.

“I can’t make it easy for you Zach.”

****

Sometime later

They stood in the laundry room of the Stevenson’s house in silence.  They had just had another massive fight and this one was the taker.  It made Zachariah think back to the time after the side-stepper incident.

Mel had asked him what to do about Mary and he had told him to erase the event from her memory.  He didn’t want her carrying the burden with her, not yet.  Mel had told him he could do that but it wouldn’t bring her back, not the Mary he knew.  She would still most likely wake up as a different person.

Zachariah had told him he had to give love a chance.

Zachariah had taken that chance, and it had failed him.

“Did you ever love me?” Zachariah asked her as she put the laundry in.  The question seemed to make her think.

She looked at him and for just a second, Zachariah saw the Mary he fell in love with.  “I think I did… once.”

Zachariah nodded then walked over to her and kissed her forehead.  “Goodbye, Mary.”

He then turned and walked out on the last five years of his life.  He got in his car and he looked down at his Polo shirt and suddenly frowned.

“I need to go shopping.”

It’s been a wild ride everyone!  What a season finale!  That’s crazy about Zachariah losing Mary, but I happen to know that turns out for the better.  Tune in next season when we deal with time travel, friendship and alcohol!

I think I just might kill Zachariah!

Stranger Things: Zachariah’s trial!

25(S2E12)-Destiny

 

25

(Season 2, Episode 12)

Destiny

“Why?!” Mel screamed at Degato, his rage bubbling over at the sight of his dead father pinned to the podium.  “Why did you let that happen?!”

“Silly little mage.  Do you think I care about any of this?” Vince asked the question rhetorically.  “I have been alive since the Crusades.  I have seen and experienced almost everything the world has to offer.”

He raised his eyebrow with a wry grin.  “But this is at least interesting.”

“What if he destroys the world?  The universe?!” Zachariah cut in, pulling himself to his feet.

Degato seemed to consider this.  “I wonder if I will finally die, or will I just float through the endless nothingness that is the void?”

“You’re a mad man.”  Mel spoke under his breath.

Degato shrugged.  “A millennium of life will do that to you.  I will give you this… it’s time to fulfill your destiny.”

Mel’s face broke from anger and turned to fear.  “What do you know of my destiny?”

Vince seemed frustrated.  “Silly nex.  I’m the oldest living vampire.  What don’t I know about destiny?”

Mel couldn’t hold his gaze and shrunk away.  “I can’t.  It would destroy the city.”

Vince seemed bored.  “Eh, suit yourself.  Cling to the old ways.  It worked out so well for these guys.”

Vince motioned toward Drum and Aodan then turned and began to walk away.

“Where in the hell are you going?!”  Zach chimed in, the rage audible in his voice.  “You’re just going to walk away?!”

Vince shook his head.  “Of course not, I’m going to find a good seat to watch.  Whatever happens next it will be the most interesting thing I’ve seen in a good, long time.”

Zachariah balled his fist but a new voice stopped him.  “Let him go, it’s not worth it.”

The words were Seamus’.  They had been so focused on the vampire that they had never seen his entrance.  He was staring down at his dead father.  Every vein in his body was bulging in a quiet and freighting rage.

“We have work to do.”  He looked up and strode toward the group.

“Seamus, I’m sorry about your-” Mel began but the large druid cut him off.

“Don’t.”  He stopped and looked down at the nex.  “You know what you have to do.”

Seamus turned toward Mary and surprised everyone.  “You’re with me, succubus.  We will give the nex time.”

 Mary looked confused.  “We will?”

“To do what?”  Zachariah broke in, feeling outside the loop.

“To destroy the chamber and close the crack before the side-stepper can get to it.” Seamus stated clearly.

“You can’t!” Stintelrep yelled, coming out from under the prosecutors table where he had been hiding.  “The city will fall!”

Seamus’ eyes looked to Mel’s and finally Mel nodded.  “Alright, but take Kahn with you.”

“The ninja?!  Never!” Seamus bellowed back.

Mel stepped up.  “Not negotiable!  She’s working for me now and every body counts!”

“Damn straight!” Zachariah stepped up into the circle.  “Let’s go get us a side-stepper!”

Silence fell over the room and everyone stared at Zachariah.  He became scared.  “What?”

****

“You can’t do this!” Zachariah yelled.  He was now firmly tied to one of the podiums and struggling to get free.  “This is bullshit!”

“We can’t let you go,” Mel said, feeling bad.  “We have no idea what the effect the other Zachariah may have on you.”

Zachariah frowned at him and Mary spoke up.  “Not to mention, you are just a man.  He could kill you.”

“You would be in the way.”  Seamus stated, ready to get on with it.

Kahn raised her eyebrow.  “For once, I agree with the druid.”

“Fuck a whole lot of that!” Zachariah countered.  “I killed a wyvern!  Have any of you killed a wyvern?!  Didn’t think so!”

“It choked on you.”  Mel retorted.

Zachariah scowled.  “You’re missing the point.  It’s dead, I’m not!”

They decided to begin ignoring him.  Mel turned toward Stintelrep.  “Call the strongest nexes in the field of levitation and place them around the city as fast as you can.  I will find a spot and begin the todesstrahl.”

Stintelrep looked horrified.  “You know that spell?  It’s forbidden?”

Mel raised an eyebrow.  “Do you know of a spell that can destroy the chamber that is not forbidden?  Now go!”

Stintelrep ran out of the room to get to his duties.

Mel turned to Seamus.  “Good luck - and I am sorry about your father.”

Seamus nodded.  “He did it to himself, but thank you.”

Seamus turned and began up the stairs and Kahn followed.  Mary turned to Zachariah.  “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Zachariah shrugged.  “That’s kinda how this stuff works…  Don’t do this.”

Mary shrugged.  “I’m lost in this world.  I’m lost with all this information.  The last two days have felt like a dream, some kind of nightmare, but I’m here, and until I wake up I have to just go with it.”

She ran off, up the stairs and left Zachariah screaming after her.

****

The side-stepper had taken his time.

Time to reflect what it had taken to bring him to this place.  He reached the final step and opened another large wooden door that opened into the top of the tower.  It was a large cylinder shaped stone room with a peaked wooden roof, just like out of a fairy tale.

At the opposite end of the room was a door-less archway and beyond was another smaller cylinder shaped room.  From within, the light in the center glowed the chamber.

He crossed the room, his resolve was steel.  He had told her he would follow her, he had told her he would rip the universe to shreds to get her back, and that was exactly what he had done.

He stopped in front of the entrance.  The shimmer of the ancient and powerful curse was so strong it thickened the air in front of him.

Once he passed through, it would be over.  No one could follow him.

The nano-machines that flooded his blood became restless, all firing in order to warn their master.  A blade formed out of his hand and he brought it up just in time to block Kahn’s sword.

She and the blade had materialized out of the shadows like a true ninja.  Any normal man would have been cleaved in two.  Zachariah, this Zachariah, was no normal man.

The bear’s roar echoed through the room and Zachariah’s doppelganger was not quick enough to stop the druid’s super strong arms, wrapping him in a restricting bear hug.  “I have you now, murderer!”

The side stepper frowned.  “I will not be stopped!”

The druid screamed in pain and released the dark Zachariah.  He was cut and bleeding in hundreds of pin prick spots.  The evil Zachariah had thousands of one inch blades protruding from him.

The side stepper’s blades retracted and the upper half of his pin stripe suit fell away, torn to shreds, “You wish to begin again?”

Kahn accepted the invitation

She leapt into action, hurling three ninja stars aimed for the side steppers head. The dark Zachariah turned and swiped his hand through the air.  A metal blade appeared and knocked the projectiles to the side.

Kahn was a half second behind her stars. The side stepper remained a step ahead parrying the next three quick and precise sword slashes.  He then formed another blade with his left hand and drove it down into the top of Kahn’s foot with precision.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself not to scream.  The dimension hopping Zachariah pulled the blade out and placed a brutal front kick to her chest, sending her flying backward through the air.

The bear roared again as Seamus came in from the dark Zachariah’s blindside and brought his massive mist into the side-stepper’s abdomen before he could defend the blow. This sent the side stepper spinning through the air and crashing back first into the hard stone wall.

Seamus rushed forward, cocking his fist back and launching it forward to end it once and for all.  The side-stepper was ready this time and ducked, letting Seamus’ fist hit and crater the wall.

He rolled forward and came to his feet behind Seamus.  In one fluid movement he spun and launched a blade from his hand at Seamus.

Seamus brought up his arm and the blade pierced his forearm and appeared on the other side.  The druid howled in pain.

Kahn pulled herself back to her feet and rushed the side-stepper.  She threw herself into the barrage, attacking with all the speed she had.  He went on the defensive, blocking each quick and well placed stroke but only just barely. Her speed was pushing him to his limit which was interesting to the side stepper. He waited for the opening he knew would come.

She stepped in and took a big backhand swing and the side stepper found his opening sinking his blade deep into her chest. Her body went ridged with the blow and the dark Zachariah smiled.

Suddenly the ninja was not there anymore and he had his blade sunk deep in what seemed to be a log which dropped to the floor with a thud.

The side-stepper’s eyes went wide as he spun all too late.  Kahn’s illusion had worked and her blade impaled the side-stepper with little resistance.

****

Zachariah had begun to wiggle.

At first it was violent and uncontrolled but then he noticed the podium was actually loose.  He had begun a rhythmic movement back and forth.  If he could overturn the podium, he could free himself.

At least that was the idea.

He had no idea what he would do after he got free but he could not be left out of this.  He had to participate, had to find out what was going on.  He couldn’t let Mary face this alone, regardless of her powers.

Not to mention, he felt responsible.  After all, the bad guy had been him in the end.  Even though Zachariah was not the killer, he was, given the right circumstances, apparently very capable of it.

Suddenly the podium tipped forward sending Zachariah crashing face first into the floor.  The podium followed and broke.

It hurt, but he was free…

****

Mary had such high hopes.  She had planned to help, to put off dealing with the waves of emotions and revelations that had been hitting her non-stop for two days.  This proved too difficult for her.

She had gotten to the top of the stairs and frozen as she watched some twisted evil version of her lover battle a ninja and a druid for the sake of the universe.  It just became too much.  What was she supposed to do?

Even worse, she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that everything Mel had told her was true.  Not just the succubus part but the changing mind part as well.  She had already begun to feel the slip.  Whatever had happened to bring her back from the dead only minutes ago had taken a lot of energy.  She was already becoming someone new.  Soon the person she was would cease to exist and would be replaced.

Her love of Zachariah was fading.

She also knew his never would, like her tortured husband.  If she continued, Zachariah would end up being another mindless follower.  So, what now?

How could she help?

Suddenly, Kahn’s blade struck true and it appeared to be over.  The ninja had done it. The side-stepper stumbled as if to fall.

Mary couldn’t help the tears from forming, in a twisted way she was watching Zachariah die.

Then his legs strengthened and he smiled.  He looked up at Kahn and the sword disintegrated.  The hilt fell to the floor with a clang and even the ninja’s eyes were wide with surprise.

“Apparently you were not listening earlier,” He explained.  “The machines constantly repair my body.  They also repel attackers.  I am immortal.”

A blade stabbed out from his hand and through the ninja’s shoulder.  She howled.  “You however, are not.”

Mary’s mind suddenly cleared.  As the side-stepper formed another sword to finish the ninja off, Mary began to walk forward.  Her problems, and Zachariah’s problems, she could solve them once and for all.

The side-stepper noticed her and turned, raising an eyebrow as she strode to him.   “And what is it you think you are doing?”

“Breaking up with you,” she said, and then stepped in and kissed the side-stepper.

Quick thinking from the confused succubus, using her kiss to attack the side-stepper, but will it work and put an end to his reign of terror?  Sources say, probably not… but here’s hoping!

Next time!

Stranger Things; Zachariah’s Trial

TO BE CONTINUED…

24(S2E11)- WHY?!

24

(Season 2, Episode 11)

WHY?!

Zachariah stopped his punch mid stride as he heard the words from behind him.  He turned to face an emotionless Kahn.  “What do you mean, ‘employer’?”

The side-stepper Zachariah decided to answer for her.  “As in, I pay her for services rendered.  I am the one who contracted with her to protect you.  I had already made the jump to this dimension.”

Zachariah shook his head and turned.  “Why?!”

The side stepper answered.  “In every dimension I have been to, two things have been constant; we are dead and Avalon is destroyed.  The cause is always different, but somehow your death always means the destruction of this place.  The fact that it was so easy to use you to enter the city, was merely a bonus.”

Zachariah’s face was curled in rage.  “But, why?!  What the hell are you trying to accomplish?!  What the hell is this all for?!”

“The chamber.”  The twisted mirror image answered, his face darkening.  “The chamber and what was inside.  It is a crack, a hole directly to the life stream.”

“The what?” Zachariah looked confused.

“The life steam,” the side stepper answered.  “The place where all souls come from and go to.  An energy force that binds all time, space and dimensions.  When a human is created, the energy is pulled from the stream to give them a soul.  Conversely, when they die, their soul is deposited back into the steam.”

Zachariah looked even more desperately confused.  “SO?!  What the hell does that have to do with all this death and murder?!  What is worth this?!”

The side-stepper’s eyes narrowed.  “She is.”

Zachariah raised an eyebrow and glanced at Mary.  This made the side stepper scowl.  “Don’t be ridiculous.  Not her.  Not silly romantic love, I mean earth shattering need.  The kind that makes you realize that it doesn’t matter, unless you’re with her.”

“You lost someone?”  Zachariah asked, not the answer he was expecting.

“Of course.”  The side stepper eyed him knowingly.  “Why do we do anything?  I’m going to reach into the life stream and pull her out.”

“That’s insanity.” Mel said pulling himself to his feet.  “It’ll destroy you.”

The side stepper shook his head.  “It won’t, for the same reason I could cross to this dimension without harm, and for the same reason my mind is separate from your Zachariah’s.  I have nano-machines running through my entire body.  They shield me from the effects of the one-mind phenomenon and other damage, as well as give me other abilities.”

“The blades.” Zachariah finished the thought.

“Yes.” The side stepper answered.  “The blades.”

“I won’t let you do this.”  Zachariah said, his fist clenching.

“You don’t have a choice.”  The side stepper scoffed.  “Even if you stood a chance against me, which you don’t, you are going to be busy.  Kahn, kill Mary.”

Zachariah’s eyes widened and he spun.  “No don’t!”

Kahn pulled the blade and ran Mary through.  It was as simple as that.

“NO!” Zachariah screamed as he desperately scrambled over the pews to get back to her.

Kahn pulled the blade out of her abdomen and the blood pooled out of the woman before her knees gave out and she fell.

Zachariah’s teeth grit and his fists clenched as he came over the first pew.  Kahn turned towards him and did not move.

If Zachariah had not been blinded with rage, he might have seen the tinge of sorrow in her face.  Instead, his fist connected with the side of Kahn’s head.  She made no move to defend, and instead, went rolling over the defense desk to the floor.

Zachariah turned back to Mary and fell to his knees next to her.  He pulled her head into his lap and begged her not to die.

“Your services have been completed Kahn.  I no longer have need of you.” The side stepper said, as Kahn pulled herself to her feet.

She bowed once in understanding.

The side stepper then began to walk back toward the podium, only to find the vampire, Vincent Delgato, standing in his way.

The side stepper raised his eyebrow.  “Do you intend to try to stop me?”

Vincent’s mad grin stretched across his face and he shrugged.  “Of course not.  I find this whole situation just too interesting to stop now.”

The side stepper seemed surprised, for the first time.  “Really?”

Delgato chuckled.  “My dear boy, I have been alive for a millennia.  There are very few things I have yet to witness.  A side stepping techno wizard who is attempting to reach into the ether and pull the woman he loved back from the dead?  It’s just so, amazingly new.  You have my blessing.”

The vampire stepped aside and the side stepper smiled, moving to the doorway behind the podium and opening it before taking a deep breath and entering the one thousand step staircase that led to the chamber.

To his victory.

Tears flowed down Zachariah’s cheeks as he sputtered out all the cliché things one does when they are watching their loved one die.  “Come on baby, don’t do this.  Don’t die.”

She loosely chuckled in a weak voice.  “I can’t believe this is happening.  I still don’t even understand what is going on…”

“Please… Please…” Zachariah was begging.

The light began to fade in her eyes and she whispered.  “Kiss… me…”

Zachariah took a deep breath and kissed her.

An icy feeling roped into his body.  He felt it deep within his body and then, a pulling sensation that was absolute ecstasy.  Somehow it felt so right, like he was giving her his life and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to do just that.

After all, what was his life worth?  In this dimension he was a loser of such monumental proportions, it was his best defense for his trial.  In every other dimension, he was dead. Except, of course, the one where he got the right chances, the right schooling and right drive, only to become a murdering psycho.

Even when he was successful, he was still a loser.

Suddenly, he was struck by an earth shattering force and was thrown across the room.

He hit the wall and felt pain all over his body, an unending ache.  “No I need it!”

Mel’s fingers were still smoking from the lighting he had called forth to separate them.  “You can’t!”

“I have to.  It’s the only thing I have to give it to her!” Zachariah yelled as he scrambled to his feet desperately trying to get back to Mary.

“Kahn!” Mel yelled and Kahn, who was just standing there, turned toward him.  “I’m hiring you!”

Kahn cocked her head and did not move.  “Two million.”

“Dollars?!” Mel exasperated.

“Yen.” She replied.  “That’s for the week.”

“Ten thousand.  That’s dollars, and for the day,” Mel responded quickly as Zachariah closed in on Mary.

“Twenty.” Kahn responded coldly.

“Done!”  Mel yelled.

Kahn stepped in just as Zachariah was about to reach Mary, and kicked him in the face. The blow sent him sprawling across the floor.

“Deal.”  Kahn said calmly, retracting her leg.

Zachariah slowly pulled himself up, shaking his head.  “What the hell is going on?”

“The succubus kiss.”  Mel responded.  “She can draw you’re energy and life force all at once in order to heal herself.  Anymore and you would be her thrull for life.”

“What about Mary?” He asked

“I’m Okay…  I think…” Mary spoke, as she slowly pulled herself up.

Somehow the wound had healed.  Both Zachariah and Mary stared in disbelief.  “So that’s it?”  Mary sputtered.  “I am a succubus.”

“You have bigger fish to fry,” Vincent cut in, still standing there.  “After all, the world is about to end.”

IS IT?!  With the heroes in shambles and no way to stop the side stepper, what will they do?  The world is on the brink of destruction and yet, the only people left to stop its demise is a dwarf mage, a greedy ninja and a useless dishwasher.  They aren’t the smart bet.

Be back next week.

Stranger Things; Zachariah’s Trial

TO BE CONTINUED.

 

 

23(S2E2)-The Calm

Episode 23

(Season 2, Episode 10)

The Calm

Seamus was quickly in a rage.

His father had thrown another tantrum when he had found out the Rognaithe was still alive.  The orc had somehow failed and now the trial would happen.  Seamus was okay with this.  After all, he was a staunch believer in justice and the laws of Avalon which is why he did not understand this, nor his father’s choices as of late.

If the Rognaithe was guilty, the High Three would find him as such in the court and the law would be upheld.  Why the need to kill him now?

His father was in no mood to be asked these questions and when Seamus had broached the subject, he had been immediately remanded to wall duty for the remainder of the week.

Wall duty was a punishment duty.  You were to guard the walls of the city.

It was a floating city.

Seamus sighed and thought better of it.  At least he was no longer party to his father’s injustices.

It was at this time that an earth shattering boom shook the city.  Seamus spun and caught the end of a plum of explosion, sending bricks and mortar spinning into the city below.  The screams of the city dwellers below suddenly arose and Seamus cursed under his breath.

Seamus began to run, but knew it was too far…

****

“I have always enjoyed this part,” He said while smiling into the dumbfounded staring faces.  “Then again, I should say ‘we’, now.”

None of them could speak, so the side-stepper, Zachariah, adjusted his pin striped suit and began to move down the aisle.  “It’s the part of the story where everyone realizes what’s about to happen.  That everything has just gotten, how would my less articulate side phrase this... Ah yes, fucked.”

“Wait,” Zachariah mumbled from the podium.  “You’re me?”

The side stepper’s powerful brow furrowed.  “No, that is very, very, obvious.  I do share your name, but not your history.  My mother died when I was six, murdered by my father who was then, in turn, sent to prison.  With them out of the way, I was free to become the man I could always be.  I was a millionaire by the time I was twenty five.  You are actually poorer than when I started.”

“Okay, hold on.”  Zachariah began defensively.

“Please don’t bring down the moment with your mouth.” The side-stepper said.

“I have had enough of this.”  Drum broke in.  He and Aodan had come down around the podium and were advancing on the side-stepper.

“If you are the guilty party you will be punished.”  Aodan spoke as he removed his robe.

Aodan’s body was unlike his face, not old but hard and chiseled, covered in tattoos from head to toe.  Only a set of small shorts covered his lower areas.  He was downright scary in the flesh.

Drum did not disrobe but a power seemed to ebb from him.

The side stepper placed his hands in his pockets and smiled.  “Come gentlemen.  You are not dealing with a loser, alcoholic, dishwasher here.”

“Hey!” Zachariah yelled.

The side stepper ignored him and focused on the two threats in front of him.  “Mel, tell your father and his friend that this is pointless.”

“Drum he’s right, you can’t-” Mel began but Drum stopped him.

“I am going to end this now, son.”  Drum spoke without taking his eyes off the target.

Aodan and Drum stopped ten feet in front of the side-stepper, who’s hands remained in his pockets.  The delegates had all, very calmly and quickly, exited the room.  Zachariah was nervous now, things were moving too fast and nothing that was being said was making any sense to him.

Mel was focused on the situation so Zachariah turned towards Kahn and Mary.  “Kahn! Kahn we need to get out of here!”

Mary turned back and looked confused.  “Why are there two of you?”

Zachariah shrugged.  “As soon as I figure that out, I’ll fill you in, Kahn!”

“I cannot help you.”  Kahn spoke softly.

Drum had begun the indiscernible chanting that could only mean a spell was in the works.

The side stepper shook his head and grinned.  “Last chance, gentlemen.”

Drum finished chanting and let loose a bright and endless stream of light.  The room became blinding and the light engulfed the side stepper and there was a deafening boom.

Slowly, the world became viewable again and, much to everyone’s surprise, the side stepper had not moved an inch.  His crooked grin continued to eat at his attackers.

Zachariah was stunned.  “How the hell did you do that?!”

The side-stepper’s gaze fell upon him confused.  “You don’t know?”

It was Zachariah’s turn to be confused.  “Don’t know what?”

“You are stupider than I thought.”  He said.  “Magic cannot harm you, have you not noticed that literally no spell cast around or at you has worked?”

Zachariah seemed to think about it.  “Well, I guess I hadn’t really thought about it,”

The side stepper continued.  “Of course not.  You are not really a thinker, are you?  It’s the same reason for the trial.  The same reason you were attacked by the orc for the foolish title of Rognaithe.  They want you dead.”

“I was a sacrifice to the wyvern,” Zachariah countered.

“The Wyvern that you killed by accident with a sword?”  The side stepper laughed, mockingly.  “It was never about stopping the old lizard, it was about killing you.”

“Why?” Zachariah said finally.

“It’s because of what you are, what you have inside you-” the side stepper was cut off.

“Silence!” Aodan roared, his voice echoing through the hall.  “You have said enough!”

Aodan’s tattoos began to glow and dance.  They moved and weaved between each other with beauty and perfection, becoming a symphony of light and colors.  The druid was tapping all his powers into himself.

“I haven’t said anything yet, old man.”  The side stepper’s words had a serious air of hate to them.

Aodan suddenly moved, becoming a blur.  The sounds of the forest erupted loudly and echoed through the hall; the robin that used to sing when Kathleen would teleport, the bear that roared when Seamus became strong, and still more.  A wolf howled and a lion roared.

Then there was silence.  Absolute and pure.

Aodan’s blur had stopped two feet from the side stepper.  A wicked shaped blade had been plunged through his mid section.  Everyone knew the wicked weapon had come from the side stepper but no one had seen him move and no one could fathom where he had been keeping it.

Dark red blood began to pour from the wounds were the blade had entered the druid’s center on the front and protruded from his back.  The dance light around Aodan and flickered and faded and everyone watching the scene knew that the majesty of his tattoos would never again give off that light.

“The side stepper looked into the druid’s eyes.  “I have been to many dimensions and killed many, but I always make sure to kill you.  I have always taken pleasure in watching you die.”

Aodan crumpled forward to the floor and the blood began to pool under him.

“Demon!” Drum yelled and began to chant.

The side stepper’s arm lashed out in a downward motion and then a glint of teal flashed through the air.  Another sadistic blade flew through the air catching Drum in the chest and impaling him to the podium behind him with a yelp.

“NO!” Mel screamed.

He turned back, beginning the chant himself, when the side stepper clasped his hand over the nex’s mouth.  No one had seen him close the gap, but somehow he had done so in a second.

“And then there was you.”  The side stepper’s eyes narrowed.  “Of all the cheats and liars gathered here today, you are the worst offender.  Calling Zachariah your friend while keeping so much from him?  It’s your turn to pay.”

Zachariah had enough and leapt out of the box, charging his evil twin.

The side stepper chuckled before hurling Mel across the room to crash into a room of wooden benches.  “You don’t understand!  I’m doing you a favor.”

Zachariah cocked back his fist as he closed to throw a punch.  “It’s time you picked on someone your own size!”

Mary spun to face Kahn who watched stowicly.  “What are you doing?  You are his protector, right?!”

Kahn’s gaze met Mary’s.  “I am paid to protect him, as is my clan.”

“Then why don’t you help him?!” She screamed desperately.

“Because, the man in the suit, the side stepper Zachariah… Is, in fact, my employer.”

BIG EPISODE, HUH EVERYONE?!  The Zachriahs are face to face and it turns out Kahn has been working for bad Zachariah the whole time!  But with the High Three nearly defeated and only Zachariah and Mary to stand against him, what hope do they have against his mysterious powers?  Probably little.

Find out when Zachariah gets the crap kicked out of him next time!

Stranger Things: Zachariah’s Trial.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

22(S2E9)-Trial & Tribulations

Episode 22

(Season 2 Episode 9)

Trial & Tribulations

The courtroom was like something out of an old British movie, but thankfully, without the powdered wigs.  Zachariah stood by himself in a large wooden square in the front corner of the High-Three room.  On the other side of the High-Three was another square box which was open for the advocates to interview the witnesses.  Between the crowd of onlookers and the High-Three sat wooden tables, one for the accusing advocate and one for the defending advocate and his group.

Zachariah had cringed when his group entered the room.  The sight of a succubus and a ninja, outlawed and despised, did not make him look innocent.  A wave of decent washed through the crowd when they entered.

“Rognaithe, do you understand the crimes you are accused of?”  The druid, Aodan, said with spite.

Zachariah looked around the room.  “No, I don’t.  This is insane.”

Mel shot daggers out of his eyes.  “Zach, shut up!”

Zachariah scowled.  “My name is Zachariah.”

Mel blinked.  “Great start, alienate the people judging your fate.  Don’t make this easy for me, or anything.”

“Hey, ladies,” Mary said suddenly with frustration.  “You guys want to lock it up.”

Mel and Zachariah now realized that, because of their distance to each other across a room with great acoustics, they had been having a screaming match.  The accusing advocate, Stintelrep, a tall lean and well put together nex, turned toward the crowd with a smile.  “It looks like they are going to argue my case for me.”

The crowd laughed at Stintelrep’s joke and Mel knew, without a shadow of a doubt, they were already in the hole.  Mel had never had much care for Stintelrep, even when he was a young boy and still in the good graces of Avalon.  Stintelrep had been born, like most, into a life of privilege.  He had never spent a day off of the floating city.

Mel would have to stow his contempt.  It would not do him any good to show the hate he had for these people who had no idea what it was like on the surface.

“Enough!” Aodan’s voice silenced the room instantly and put all eyes to the front.  “We are here to decide the fate of a man’s life.  This is not a joking matter.”

No one spoke after Aodan so he began the ceremonies.  “Stintelrep, make your case for Zachariah’s guilt.”

Stintelrep bowed low.  “Thank you High-Three, and thank you, people of Avalon, I do not look to waste anyone’s time so I will get straight to the point.  Zachariah Van Sluyters, the Rognaithe, attacked and killed three wards and wounded another during an unprovoked act of violence.”

Stintelrep moved around the room as he spoke, beckoning the crowd and court to agree with his charisma and presence.  Mel would have a hard time overcoming it.

When it was Mel’s turn, he didn’t bother pacing around the room or making a show, he knew these acts would be lost because of his height.  So instead, he climbed onto his table and ignored the crowd, staring at the High-Three.

“Zachariah did not do this.  I am going to prove it.”  He then sat down.

Mary turned and raised an eyebrow.  “That was it?”

Mel frowned at her.  “It was straight and to the point.”

Zachariah was staring at Mel, mouthing the words, “what the shit?”

Stintelrep was staring at him, then, finally realized that, yes in fact, he was done.  “Um… I would like to bring Hammish, the ward, to the court.”

From the back walked a large tattooed druid who stood low like a scared field mouse.  With his big size, this gave him a almost cartoony look.  His right hand was missing and wrapped in layers and layers of bandage.  His bloodshot sleepless eyes were locked on Zachariah.

His entire body was wracked with fear.

He stood in the empty witness box and Stintelrep beckoned the man to tell his story. Hammish began to ramble through the sad story.  His group of four had shown up in an inner city Cleveland warehouse, deserted.  They were looking for a group of black magic users.  The job was routine and the mission was low-level; an easy takedown.

That is when it all went wrong.

Zachariah exploded from the shadows in a pin-striped suit.  Hammish described Zachariah as some kind of wraith, attacking without moving, being everywhere at the same time.  Blades rained from the sky and grew from the floor.  Everyone died and Hammish was wounded.

He did not know why Zachariah had let him live, but he had then vanished into the dark from where he had come.

Stintelrep smiled.  “I believe this is all the proof I need, the word of a trusted ward.”

Stintelrep sat down and motioned to Mel, sarcastically, that it was his turn.

Mel sat there and stared.  The silence in the room was heavy and everyone looked to Mel to do something.

He just sat there.

Mary whispered.  “It’s your turn.”

He continued to wait.

Slowly the court steward walked out and refilled Stintelrep’s glass of water, then Mel’s. He then walked out.  The room had now spent almost a full 2 minutes in silence.

Finally, Drum had enough.  “Meltoriptalfad, if you would please make your case-”

Mel suddenly stood in the middle of the nex’s sentence, grabbing the glass of water and over-head-pitched it across the room.  The heavy glass thunked off Zachariah’s forhead and water went everywhere before the glass tumbled to the floor.

Zachariah’s head snapped backwards and his hand went up to cradle his eye.  “What the fuck was that for?!”

The room gasped at the act of violence.  The vampire, Vince Delgato, snickered and Aodan stood angry.  “What is the meaning of this?!”

“That hurt like hell!” Zachariah continued to whine.

Mel ignored everyone in the room and turned to Hammish.  “A wraith?  A deamon that rained blades from the sky and grew them from the floor?  That is how you described Zachariah when he attacked you?”

Hammish nodded confused.  “Yes, that’s what I said.”

Mel nodded and shrugged.  “Interesting, because I just hit him in the head with a water glass.”

Stintelrep stood.  “I don’t understand the point of this side show act?”

Mel looked at him like he was stupid.  “The point is, this man is just that, a man.  Not a monster.  He’s akward, walks funny and oblivious.”

“As well as obnoxious.”  Kahn mumbled under her breath.

“This is literally the worst help I have ever received.”  Zachariah groaned.

“Shut up, jack ass.”  Mel snarled at him before turning back to Hammish.  “So, you saw this man, you already said he was wearing a suit. Is he dressed that way now?”

Hammish scowled.  “No, but he could have changed his clothes!”

Mel shook his head.  “This man is a dishwasher… professionally.  He can’t afford a suit.”

Zachariah looked at Mel, hurt.  “Hey, I’m finding myself.”

“You’re finding out that you’re a loser” Mel shot back.  “Were there any other noticeable differences?”

Hammish was reluctant.  “Yes, his hair was longer.  Held back with a pony tail.”

Stintelrep realized where Mel was going and stood abruptly.  “This is outrageous.  There is no evidence of a side-stepper!”

 Mel turned and grinned.  “I think the evidence is obvious,” Mel gestured to Zachariah.  “Just look at him.”

“Hey.”  Zachariah mumbled hurt.

Stintelrep shook his head.  “And what of the one mind phenomenon?  Zachariah would know everything about his doppelganger!  Why does he know nothing?”

“Allow me to explain.”  A voice broke the argument and everyone in the room turned to see a nex wrapped in ceremonial robes.  Slowly, the delegate removed the hood and cloak and dropped it to the floor.

The room collectively gasped.

Zachariah blinked and rubbed his eyes.

Standing in the aisle, dressed in a pin striped suit with long slicked back hair in a pony tail behind him was Zachariah.

A second Zachariah.

A second Zachariah?!  There goes the neighborhood!  But what is he here for and where did he come from?!  Zachariah is about to face his greatest challenge.  Himself.

Next week on…

Stranger Things; Zachariah’s Trial

TO BE CONTINUED…