Monica’s Vendetta
Sixteen
The Millenia Cataclysm


Lusaka was alone. She stood in silence as she worked under Tekaru’s old Bedroom. It was evening, and the golden sun started to sink down into the hills. Lusaka had not yet told Roger about her two assassins – Leo and Spyda, who she had hired to take down the AU when they raided the castle. Roger assured her that the V4 would take care of them, but Lusaka reminded him very sternly that Therebus could not leave his confinements at all.

“He’ll tell his brothers everything; he’ll run!” she recalled herself saying. Roger caved in, as he generally did, and had instead gone to the library to try and persuade his other three sons to fight for him.

“It’s no use,” Scott snapped. “I’m too weak to summon Delvil.”

Luke nodded in agreement, having tried the same technique. Poor Karadon lay on a splendid table, many of his bones shattered and broken from Roger’s attack days ago. Since Therebus had gone, Karadon could not get healed.

“We have to keep trying,” Luke said, getting up again. “Father has got hold of Therebus – who knows what he’s doing to him?”

“Torturing him for the location of the Wysha Diamond, no doubt,” Karadon replied weakly. Little did they realize, Roger was working for people who knew exactly what the Wysha Diamond did.

Suddenly, as Luke grunted and tried summoning his spirit, the bookcases surrounding the door all lifted up and drifted across the room in lines. Roger opened the doors magnificently and wandered into the room. He stood proudly, back straight, black boots echoing off the walls. His crisp blue regal clothes looked very grand, with golden shoulder pads.

“Hello, boys,” he said fatherly, running a finger across his moustache.

“Where is Therebus!” Luke snapped.

“I will tell you where he is,” Roger said calmly. “And hand him back over…if you do me one favor.”

They listened in interest. Scott looked distrusting, and Luke too looked somewhat hesitant about striking a deal with this sewer-rat. Karadon spoke up.

“What do we need to do?” he asked.

“The AU is invading the Castle,” Roger began. “I can’t hold them off, and they plan to simply kill me. If you fight for me…I might be able to live. Please, my marriage is so close, and I would never want to perish alone.”

“What do you think?” Scott asked Luke. Luke felt conflict inside himself. Should he give in to Roger’s demands? Or take the noble path, and defy any of this mans words. As his stomach rumbled, Luke realized the three had no hopes of surviving with no food. And they were all very tired. Luke looked into his Fathers eyes and, although he was disgusted by the man…he could never allow his death.

“I…” Luke began. Karadon nodded calmly. “I think we should. Ok Roger, we will fight for you.”

“Ahem,” Roger began. “Call me Father, please. Do you not remember your upbringing?”

“As it stands now, I’m trying to forget my upbringing,” Luke replied sourly. “I personally disrespect you, Roger, but I will fight for you. You are, after all, family.”

“Thank you,” Roger said kindly. “I shall heal Karadon for you.”

Stepping up to the table Karadon laid on, Roger held his hands over the young man. A vivid, pulsing raspberry energy coursed through Rogers’s body and wafted over his son. Karadon instantly sighed in relief as pain leaked from his limbs and he began feeling everything again. Roger took a step back, smiled at him, and wandered to the door.

“Thank you,” Karadon said breathlessly, leaping off the table.

“Come up to my private chamber when you have eaten,” Roger explained. “Goodbye for now.”

Shutting the door, the three brothers exchanged glances. Karadon wandered down in his usual self-proclaimed, busy posture.

“So?” Luke asked, eager for his older brothers input.

“You made the right choice,” Karadon sighed. “As long as we remain loyal to Roger we have a home. We have money. I for one dread the idea of working for oneself…and I wouldn’t allow it. Even though he is rude, and a manipulative man…we will do as he asks.”

“For now, though, right?” Scott barked.

“We shall see,” Karadon said. “If we earn his trust then we can stab him in the back later. After all, we know where the Wysha Diamond is…and we have plans for it, too.”

*

Meanwhile, in the Crufia inn, Salo paced nervously around the room. Zuuki looked concerned for the poor girl, who was very upset about not finding Damien. Chrome, however, simply studied the map in the corner of the room.

“He’ll be ok!” Zuuki said enthusiastically. “He’s a strong boy.”

“He got mugged by Seryun before!” Salo cried, thinking back to when the boy was attacked in Perlei. “What if someone does the same here?”

“You mustn’t think like that,” Zuuki said back. “He’ll be back, don’t worry!”

She put her hand on Salo’s shoulder, but the girl pulled away.

“If anything happens to him, I’ll blame you two for not even thinking of helping him!” she cried.

“I blame you for having no faith in him!” Zuuki said, as loud as Salo. The young girl, who flopped onto the bed, ran her chestnut-brown hair around her finger. “If you really loved him, you’d respect his decision and accept he can defend himself!”

Salo sniffled slightly.

“It’s getting late,” Zuuki said. “He’ll be back any time now.”

“He ran off yesterday,” Salo mumbled.

“Which means he’ll be missing you so much he’ll be back any day!” Zuuki explained. Just as she said this, the door of their room burst open. The three looked to see Monica, Al, Nat and a figure they did not recognize, who must be Prince Tekaru, charging into the room.

“Monica!” Zuuki cried. “You’re…here!”

“Good to see you all,” Chrome said deeply. Monica was gasping for breath. Tekaru seemed rather nervous around everybody, and Nat really didn’t know any of them. Al stepped forward.

“We’ve been running all night,” he explained. “People in Samyura were working to keep us there. To stop us getting here. We ran all night to make sure we could get here and begin the operation as soon as possible.”

“Please,” Chrome said, stepping aside. “We have four beds. You can rest for now.”

“We have already got a room,” Tekaru said, twirling some keys on his finger. Zuuki gave a smirk as she eyed the handsome prince up. “Thank you anyway, Mr…?”

“Chrome,” the man replied. “I am Chrome.”

“I am Prince Tekaru,” Tekaru explained. “It is a pleasure to meet the three of you.”

“I’m Zuukiyasha Dragonfree,” Zuuki said, shaking Tekaru’s hand. “B-But…I just get Zuuki.”

“And what’s your name?” Tekaru asked, giving Zuuki little acknowledgement and admiring young Salo.

“Salo Kirke, sir,” Salo mumbled.

“Well it’s nice to meet you,” Tekaru said kindly. She smiled at him.

“Hang on,” Al said. “Where is Damien Oak?”

“Oh,” Zuuki said slowly. “He’s…having a bit of ‘me-time’ right now. His Father was not happy when he left, and he’s been very down since.”

“Should you let him loose in Crufia?” Nat asked. “With the V4 around?”

Zuuki gave Nat a disgusted look. Salo beamed at the Justice Quaker.

“He’s not an infant,” she said snootily. “He can defend himself.”

“Whatever,” Nat said. “I’m going to crash.”

“Listen,” Tekaru began. “We’ll all get some sleep, and when we wake up, we shall organize Teams A and B, sort out our strategy and prepare for the attack.”

“We’ll be waiting,” Chrome said dolefully. As the four left the room, Zukki turned to Salo with an acidic look in her eye.

“You are SUCH a flirt,” she snapped.