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!!!