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…

21(S2E8)-Father-Son Time

21

(Season 2 Episode 8)

Father-Son Time

The killer grinned as they announced that the trial of the Rognaithe would be held today and was free to all the high level dignitaries to view.  Everything was going to plan.

The killer had already found and killed one of the dignitaries in order to take his place. This task had required all of his attention because he had to find a dignitary that was around the killer’s height and weight, traveling alone, and required a ceremonial garb that would make it hard to notice the killer.

A nex called Strom fit the bill perfectly.  The killer had then followed him back to his dwelling and killed him.  Now all he would have to do is enter the trial via the crowd of other witnesses and then he would be inside.

One step closer to the chamber.

One step closer to the light.

Now he only had to wait.

****

Mel would get no sleep.

After the incident with Mary and Zachariah, he knew he would be unable to rest, so he returned to the library and buried himself back into the books in order to find a way to save his friend’s life.

 Easier said than done.

The courts of Avalon were very different from the human ones.  They were more akin to the courts of the old west, boiling down to a ‘he-said, she-said’ situation.  It would end up coming to Zachariah and Mel’s word against the remaining ward witness.  The ward would obviously garnish more respect.

Mel had not given up however, not even close.  He had even come up with a strategy of sorts.

He knew they couldn’t outright insult the honesty or integrity of the wounded ward.  This would only incur the wrath of the court and insure a quick and negative verdict for Zachariah.  There was however a way for Mel to find holes in the ward’s story and twist it to serve Mel’s needs without insulting the sympathetic survivor.

A side-stepper.

The concept is this; another Zachariah had crossed over from another dimension, parallel to our own.  This Zachariah would have gone through some situation that would have turned him into a killer.  This Zachariah, not the one on trail, had for reasons unknown, been the attacker.

A long shot at best, but side-steppers had been a proven phenomenon, so this wouldn’t be the first time.  It would explain the change of appearance and how Zachariah could be in two places at once.

There were holes, however.  In the instances of the side-steppers there was something called the ‘one world, one mind’ rule.

Contrary to popular belief, everything in the world is connected.  When a side-stepper steps out of there dimension and into another, the universe can no longer differentiate between the two.  The two versions can almost instantly feel the other.  They share memories and knowledge.  With this being said, there would be no way that this dimension’s Zachariah would not know of the other and vice versa.

Also, you have to factor in the rarity of a side-stepper.  So rare, in fact, there had only been four in recorded history.  It had been nearly 400 years since the last one.

It would be a hard sell.

“A side-stepper?” The voice came from behind him and he whirled to see his father looking down over his shoulders at his notes.  “A bit flimsy, don’t you think?”

Mel’s eyes narrowed.  “I believe it is the only defense, it’s the only thing that explains everything.”

Drum quickly shrugged and corrected his son.  “The only thing that explains everything, other than the Rognaithe’s guilt.”

Mel exhaled in frustration before turning back to his notes.  “Obviously, I believe in his innocence or I would not be defending him.”

Drum nodded and slowly walked to a nearby chair, slowly taking a seat.  “Of course.”

Mel turned back to him.  “What are you doing here?  The laws make it clear that the high three are not to confer with the advocates before the trail.”

There was a sudden and rare pain in the hard man’s eyes.  “It has been so long since we talked.  I think it will be okay.”

Mel’s face and tone became one of utter hatred.  “I see, so the laws only matter when you are doling them out, then?”

The hard edge returned to Drum’s face.  “You were practicing forbidden magic.”

“With good reason!”  Mel stood and yelled up at him.

Drum arose.  Though normally short, he now towered over the dwarf.  “There is no good reason!  We outlawed those spells for a reason!”

Mel’s eyes rose with his voice.  “And you decide the reason?!  What gives you the right?”

“I was given the right by our order!” Drum fired back.

Mel hesitated, then lowered his voice and shook his head.  “Your order, not mine.  Not anymore.”

“Do you remember the time before your rite of passage?  We used to play, we used to be close.” Drum pleaded.

Mel didn’t look up.  “That was before you kicked me out.”

Mel turned, climbing back into his chair and pretending to go back to work.  Drum’s face dropped and he shook his head.  “Meltoriptalfad.  Please-”

Mel’s head spun and he shot daggers from his eyes.  “It’s Mel.  Just Mel.  Don’t call me that.”

Drum’s scowl returned.  “Why must you fight me on every little thing?”

“Because it’s my destiny.”  Mel said matter of factly, and returned to his books.

“Have it your way, boy.”  Drum said with scorn and hurt before walking out.

 The door shut behind his father and Mel put down his pen and ran his hand through his hair.  He hated being here.  He hated dealing with these people and their rules, but more than that, he feared his vision would come true.

If only his father knew that he had been forsaken and exiled on purpose.  If only he knew that he had learned forbidden magic on purpose - that he had done it because he knew that, aside from murder, it was the only way to get his father to dole out such a punishment to his own son.

He had done it to protect them all.

He closed his eyes and tried not to remember, but it was impossible.  The vision flashed in front of him over and over again.  His rite of passage, when the nex is to stand in the chamber and look into the life force and see their future.  The images Mel had seen were burned into his head forever.

He had seen himself, using a spell of immeasurable destructive power to close the life force.

An action that would send Avalon to its destruction.  An act that would kill everyone he had ever loved.

He had never stopped running.

The trail begins in the next episode and the questions are being asked.  Will Mel’s defense hold water?  And will he destroy Avalon?  Will he ever make nice with his daddy?

Next time (maybe) on…

Stranger Things; Zachariah’s Trial

TO BE CONTIUED….