Necros: A War of Zoids (Rated for Teens)

[familyghost]

AN: Please be aware that this is slightly A/U long after Genesis. I also have this posted at Fanfiction.net and my deviantart site as well.

Necros: A War of Zoids
By THE Xenomorph aka familyghost

Prologue: A History Lesson

Pay attention now, this story I tell is some 200 years old, but its root starts even further. It starts with a man made catastrophe, almost a half a century ago. The world was prospering after hundreds of years of fear from the loss of our great partners the Zoids. The world had shifted on its axis and was plunged into despair as civilization was wrought to its knees and the majority of the Zoids lost to earth, sea and fire.

Still, people lived on and managed to uncover zoids hidden in the earth. There was even a war between the forces of good and evil and from that war good triumphed and restored the ways of old to the people, but alas even good intentions can make good stage for tragedy. Perhaps even the best of stages.

For within the youthful pride of several young scientists a power greater than Zoids had been unlocked, but that power came with an equally terrible price. The world was once again thrown into war. The war was long and perilous, and the scientists found they were fighting loosing as their enemy had stolen their great power and were actively using it to make powerful weapons.

Then the hardest decision was made, the scientists decided to kill their own invention. Their invention? Oh quite simple, Artificial Intelligence. Aboard zoids these terrible machines were capable of destroying entire armies and the scientists only possessed one such A.I., their prototype. So the leader launched the only weapon capable of destroying the A.I. they had made, but it had its own nasty side effect. The weapon, once launched and detonated, destroyed the AI, but it also shutdown the entirety of the world’s electronics save for a few hidden bases. Zoids shut down not long after with no apparent reason.

It was then that the scientists disappeared, with the exception of one; a young man who had discovered the secrets of the magiks with another of the scientists. The second of these young brilliant minds was lost to history for some time…

The world on the other hand had once again been dropped into a dark age. Religious clamor and academic logic clashed and war seemed inevitable, until the mages made themselves known. The seven mages united provinces and kingdoms under treaties of peaceful ignorance. The countries would be free to run their kingdoms or republics as they saw fit, but between these countries would lay the mage’s realms to buffer any aggression.

Most of these mages would die off and pass their secrets to their students who would then unite to form the Mage’s Council, which would take over the international peace keeping duties. Still, three of the mages; Lycus; the young scientist of whom I previously mentioned, would pursue the darker arts.

Lycus himself would master the art of Necromantic Agelessness along with Tsurellis, a young student of his who would remain his close ally and confidant. And the sinister Mahin, whose later students would all follow his attempts into Lich-hood. Mahin himself would later be destroyed at the hands of the Mage’s Council for attempting to invade a peaceful state. Soon after Mahin’s destruction two more Necromantic powers would arise and bring a challenge to the Mage’s Council.

Lycus, not wanting another war, immediately sought a peaceful resolution. The Mage’s Council would eventually accept the conditions of peace in which each of the necromancers would be given their own small counties to manage. These counties would be considered lands free of any rule, except the necromancer’s. Some claimed the necromancers would be tyrants, but a condition was placed upon this contract. The Necromancers would not be allowed conference with one another, nor would they be allowed to amass armies, lest the Mage’s Council descend upon them in force.

For 250 some odd years this odd arrangement kept the world peaceful. The people would serve their countries; the countries would ignore each other, and if they didn’t the Council (or neighboring Necromancer) would set them straight. All the while the Necromancers were free to study as they pleased, their dark arts without worry of the Mage’s Council descending upon them in a fury.

But, I’m sure you can tell by now peace does not seem to last long on this planet, and the protagonists of this story are thrown to war once more. A war where zoids and magik mix and blood spills not only in the pilot’s seat, but on the ground as well. And like most wars this one too would start in part because of a woman…

Chapter 1: Introducing Nami, NOT a virginal sacrifice.[/u]

The dark halls of Lycus’ manor were barely lit, but it was a condition the inhabitants had been used to for the longest time. Most were dead anyway, and could see clearly in the dark. Still their Master insisted on having one room freely lit; the library and for most that was a serious problem. However, they rarely argued with their calm and collected master as he normally did not hesitate to physically assault his undead minions. Today was not one of those days and no one in the manor dared to cross their master on such days.

He stomped from room to room in a rage, the charcoal black granite that made up most of his walls only made him appear in the hall as an almost skeletal human being with a nasty sneer pasted across is face like an angry art project and slicked back pitch colored hair. He entered his laboratory with a fury.

“Where is it?” He bellowed in a frightful rage.

“Where is what my Master?” Asked a small, fully dimension shadow-like being that extended from Lycus’ shadow.

“Sanguri blood.” Lycus snapped, “I need it for a ritual.”

“Well, you do know there’s plenty of it in the town.” The shadow said.

“The town’s folk are nothing but superstitious idiots and I doubt they’d let me take some blood…” Lycus groaned.

“Well…” The shadow spoke. “There are two villagers’ dangerously close to our perimeter.

“Really…” Lycus seemed to cheer up.

“Oh dear…” The shadow groaned. “I don’t like where this is going.”

“Shade, get the two best men we have and fetch me those intruders!” Lycus grinned as he spun and sat in a chair.

“Uh, Sir.” Shade responded. “Your best men are guarding the basement.”

“Oh.” Lycus blinked in a combination of embarrassment and confusion. “OK, then send a skeleton and a zombie, preferably one that thinks as opposed to randomly bites.”

“Right away milord.” Shade vanished with out a trace.

“Now where’s that mug of mine…” Lycus found himself grumbling.

Meanwhile at the edge of Lycus’ land and the village’s forest…

“Come on Tari.” A slim girl of 17 spoke in a commanding manner. “Mom and dad are gonna be worried sick.”

“But Nami!” A little 10 year old girl in a dress covered in flowers whined. “I want to see the zombies.”

“Tari, the necromancer is left alone for a reason.” Nami frowned at her little sister.

“Just because you’re afraid of the undead doesn’t mean I am.” Tari blew her sister a raspberry.

“I mean it, we’re going home.” Nami saw her sister’s face change from disappointment to ecstatic joy, and the reason was behind her.

Nami, of course being the calm older sister that she was, turned around and came face chest with a six foot tall walking skeleton. She promptly screamed and passed out. Tari on the other hand just began to jump for joy as a zombie came out of the woods.

“Get the older one.” The skeleton said.

“Why? You made her faint.” The zombie grumbled.

“Uh, because I have to carry the rambunctious thing there…” The skeleton pointed to Tari.

“Wow!” Tari screeched as she listened. “Where are you taking us? Your grave, are you gonna turn us into zombies…” She played like she was a zombie. “Or maybe vampires…”

“OK, I’ll carry the quite one.” The zombie smiled.

The skeleton just groaned, “Frank, you’re an ass

“Better to be one than to not have one at all.” Franks smirked. “Right... Ass-hley.”

“There are so many things I can do to make you’re un-life difficult.” Ash said. “And don’t call me Ashley, I told you it’s Ash.” Ash then turned back to Tari who was still continuing her own little guessing game of horrors. “Why me?” Ash groaned as he picked up the 10 year old and the two made their way back to their master’s manor.

Shortly after Frank and Ash arrived back at the manor though, the young Nami awoke with a start in a strange and damp environment with the sound of footsteps closing in. She looked around and quickly saw that she was in a lounge of sorts with a dim fire and several metal pans with odd candies lying in them. As the steps came closer she heard softer steps beside them and quickly deduced that she and her sister had been captured by the necromancer. Without a second thought she leapt up, grabbed a metal candy pan and crushed it into the face of the surprised and rather handsome looking young man that had stopped behind the tall chair she was in.

After a few seconds of awkward silence Tari, who was holding an odd cone with a cold snack on top, was screaming at her sister for knocking her new “friend” out. Then the young man spoke.

“Shade, why is their pain in my face?” Lycus groaned as he stirred. “And metal too? Did I piss off Revenant again?”

“No master, your, uh, Guest was surprised and attacked you.” Shade appeared from the shadow of the chair.

“Ugh…” Lycus groaned as he stood up. “Well at least one of them has manners.”

“Why did you bring us here?” Nami pushed Tari behind her.

“I needed the Sanguri blood for a ritual.” Lycus smiled at Tari, “And Tari was kind enough to give me some.”

“Hah!” Nami smiled, “Well you’re evil plan is spoiled!”

“Excuse me?” Lycus became extremely confused.

“The only one with Sanguri blood in her veins is me! My father was the only one in the family to descend from Nakiro Sanguri and Tari’s father is my step father!” Nami wagged her finger in front of Lycus’ face.

Lycus just smiled and Nami, realized her mistake.

“I’m going to be a virgin sacrifice.” Nami shrieked and collapsed into a crying fit.

“Oi…” Lycus just sighed in defeat as he glanced over at Shade. “What do these people think I am?”

“Apparently they’ve villain-ized you as the boogeyman of the village.” Shade said as he mirrored his master’s slouched over sigh.

“Boogeyman?” Lycus was slightly insulted. “Jeez, what’d I do to deserve that?”

“I haven’t the foggiest clue Master.” Shade said sarcastically as he joined his master in a sigh.

“Listen…” Lycus tried to speak over Nami’s crying, but was failing miserably. “Uh… please listen.”

“I’ll get her to listen.” Tari said as she slapped her sister hard enough that it echoed throughout the manor.

“Eeeee…” Lycus and Shade both recoiled at the angry, monstrous glare that Nami gave her sister.

“What was that for?” Nami shrieked.

“Lycus-San was trying to talk to you.” Tari smiled innocently.

“I just need a small vial of your blood.” Lycus peered over Nami’s shoulder with a sly look on his face and a dagger and vial in his hands. “It’ll only hurt a second.”

“But I don’t want to give up my blood…” Nami whimpered.

“Well I need it…” Lycus had barely spoken before another metal candy dish was slammed into his face and Nami grabbed Tari and ran off.

“Shade…” Lycus mumbled through the metal pan. “Remind me to order softer candy dishes.”

“Of course master, but your, uh, reagent is escaping.” Shade said with a worried tint.

“Why so she is.” Lycus walked calmly to his stairwell leading up, “Might as well meet her in the basement.”

“I’ll inform the guard’s sir.” Shade said as he disappeared.

“This might almost be fun…” Lycus smiled to himself.

As Nami ran through the halls of the terrifying manor she wasn’t sure where she was going, or if she was running away from danger or to it. As she cut through several rooms she became aware of several skeletons’ chasing her and many more attempting to cut her off and seemingly steering her. She eventually found herself cornered near a large wooden door, that when opened lead downwards.

“Oh…” Nami groaned as she ran down the stairs. “I don’t wanna be a sacrifice.” Halfway down the stairs she tripped and she and her sister rolled down the hard granite plates. At the bottom Nami and Tari came to a rest at Lycus’ feet.

“Have a nice trip?” Lycus asked with a grin.

“I hate you…” Nami growled.

“That was fun!” Tari pulled herself from under her sister. Her treat was clearly smeared all over her face.

“Oh, now look at you…” Lycus sighed with a playful smile. “Shade, wake Nanners and have her clean young Tari up.”

Shade appeared from the shadow of a light fixture. “Yes sir.” He fully formed along the ground. “Come young Tari, we must get you clean.”

“W-wait, Tari!” Nami scrambled to her feet and tried to run for her sister, but Lycus grasped her shoulder.

“She’ll be fine Nanners is the friendliest ghost I have on staff.” Lycus smiled.

“G-ghost…” Nami paled in fear.

“AWESOME!” Tari yelped and ran off ahead of Shade.

“Now, Miss Nami…” Nami turned to see Lycus holding a small knife and vial. “…your hand please.”

“But I want my blood.” Nami whined.

“Young lady we can do this the easy, relatively painless way or the exceptionally hard and painful way.” Lycus sighed.

Nami looked at the necromancer, and noticed a tint of sheer aggravation in his eyes. She knew the stories of old, of how her ancestor had challenged a powerful warlock on the necromancer’s lands and both combatants barely escaped. The warlock returned, but was met by her ancestor who killed the warlock on the necromancer’s lands and was mortally wounded himself. That battle left the land scarred as the warlock’s dark blood polluted the land. The necromancer’s land was poisoned because of her ancestor and now it seemed to her that he was calling in a debt.

“Fine.” Nami pouted as she thrusted her hand into Lycus’ face.

“Thank you.” Lycus sighed in relief. “You’ll feel a small prick…”

Nami braced herself as Lycus pricked her middle finger on the knife and let the blood drip into the vial. Lycus smiled softly to himself, the young girl was deathly afraid of her own blood. He also had to admire her jet black hair, a shining compliment to his featureless pitch colored hair. Her slightly tanned skin and walnut eyes also complimented her thin, quivering lips. When he looked to the vial next it was sufficiently filled.

“You know the last person to volunteer their blood to me, before Tari that is, was Nakiro Sanguri.” Lycus smiled. “He knew the warlock’s spirit would try to leech of the magiks in my lands and reanimate himself, Nakiro’s blood prevents that.” Lycus said as he took the vial in hand and offered his hand to help Nami to her feet.

Nami just harrumphed in contempt as Lycus offered his hand. She then pushed herself to her feet. “Can we go now?”

“After the ritual is done, and you’ve had something to eat. After all, a host doesn’t let his Guests leave until they’ve had a good meal.” Lycus smiled.

“Well then I want to see this ritual.” Nami said.

“What?” Lycus blinked. “Why?”

“So I know you aren’t trying something!” Nami wagged her finger in Lycus’ face once more.

Lycus just sighed, from what he had seen of this girl’s personality he knew she wouldn’t give up. “Very well, but you will not speak of anything you see in the area I perform it.”

“Fine.” Nami smiled. “Now lead on.”

Lycus was taken aback for a moment. The little girl was ordering him around like toy. If he had been as brash as he was in his younger days he would have obliterated soul in a nano-second. But his age afforded him some aspect of wisdom and he quietly sighed as he led the way.

As the two walked in the basement Nami noticed the atmosphere was changing. Instead of the usual creepy stone and torches the walls were more like metal and lined with shining bulbs. Then they upon a dead end and Nami was confused.

“What’s with the walls?” She asked.

“They’re archaic compared to today’s world.” Lycus let a laugh escape. “Funny how the advancements my friends made so long ago are ancient to the people of today.”

“Huh?” Nami blinked in confusion.

“Nothing but an ironic observation from an old necromancer.” Lycus smiled as the wall opened. “Please step in Nami.”

“What is it?” Nami asked as she stepped in. Lycus followed and pressed a small button on the side. The wall then closed and the room descended.

“It’s called an elevator, an invention from long ago.” Lycus said.

“Wow…” Nami blinked in awe as she stared out the glass windows on the side of the elevator. “What are those giant sheets covering?” For the first time Nami saw a look of pain cross the necromancer’s face.

“Once useful machines, destroyed by our arrogance.” Lycus’ face was filled with the pain of memories past. Then the elevator stopped and the doors opened. “Well, we’re here.”

“Whoa…” Nami looked in awe as she stepped out into the cavernous warehouse and followed Lycus to a glowing red symbol on a nearby wall.

“You might want to step behind something. The spirit in the symbol is powerful.” Lycus advised.

“O-ok.” Nami said. She hid behind a large relic hidden under a cloth tarp with years of dust on it.

As she watched Lycus perform his ritual she kept a close eye one the tarp. She didn’t know why but she feared the relic underneath even though she didn’t know what it looked like. Then something happened, the ritual was near its finish, but the spirit was fighting to stay in the wall, it clawed for Nami and ripped the tarp off as it was banished to the netherworld.

What Nami saw after the tarp was removed purely and utterly blew her mind away. It was a large metal thing in the shape of a beast, like a lion or tiger or a combination of both. She was so stunned she didn’t even notice the eyes of the great metal beast activate and dim.

“Liger Zero…” Lycus said with a sigh. “It belonged to Nakiro.”

“Huh?” Nami blinked.

“Nakiro was one of the co founders of the magiks, but he also worked with my best friend on Zoids.” Lycus smiled, seemingly drifting into old, long forgotten memories. “That’s what they’re called; Zoids.”

“It belonged to my ancestor?” Nami touched the cold metal.

“But it will never awaken from its slumber.” Lycus sighed. “My friend saw to that when he activated the shutdown for his own sin.”

“Huh?” Nami asked.

“A long and tiring story; needless to say my friend was forced to fight an enemy he created and his solution had a side effect no one could have predicted.” Lycus looked up at the zoid. “It killed the zoids.”

“Did you have one?” Nami asked.

“Yes, but he watches over my friend.” Lycus smiled. “Come on now, time for dinner and then I’ll take you back home.”

[rantinan]

Good quality writing at least makes this readable.. what you;'e doing with magic and zoids and undead all mixed together I'm not entirely certain.. I'll withhold judgment till i know what you are up to. Very not the standard fic, which is a good thing.

[familyghost]

rantinan said:

Good quality writing at least makes this readable.. what you;'e doing with magic and zoids and undead all mixed together I'm not entirely certain.. I'll withhold judgment till i know what you are up to. Very not the standard fic, which is a good thing.

Thank you for holding judgement. If you want to see the rest before I post it here, my fanfiction.net account has up to chapter 5. I can't really post more until I know what the site's language limits are with the stories. As for the undead and magic the former won't be any different than a typical pilot (except for some odor problems, and Frank and Ash are only 2 of 4 undead pilots). The latter however is going to have a huge effect on zoids and how they fight and are created. The focus of the story won't be exclusively Zoid fighting though. I usually start stories off with a bang, then give a large set of chapters that deal with character development.

[rantinan]

I'll be certain to look and let you know my opinions...

[familyghost]

Necros: A War of Zoids
By The Xenomorph aka familyghost

Chapter 2: Rejection - A Necromancer’s Golden Heart

After the filling meal that Lycus had provided the sisters found themselves being escorted to a small carriage. The barouche was a compact black carriage with a fearsome driver, whose face was hidden under an equally dark hood. Upon seeing the driver, both the girls stood in fear.

“It’s all right.” Lycus assured them. “He is bound to my word and will not harm you.”

The driver did not move more than a wrinkled, ghostly hand and the doors of the carriage opened. The girls warily entered the cabin, followed by their host.

“You’re coming with us?” Nami blinked in confusion.

“I feel it’s time people got to know me once more, a few centuries go by and I’m a monster to them.” Lycus smiled. Then with his hand out the window he motioned the driver onward. “If it gets too bumpy let me know.”

As the three passengers rode in silence they all observed each other. Lycus, for the first time in what he rightfully considered a long time, found the company of other people to be to his liking and despite the elder sister’s brash attitude, he discovered he was fond of the very thing that had earlier rebuked him. The fresh attitude of rebellion that Nami brought to his house, if even for only a few hours had livened his life greatly and had actually found himself smiling during his dinner as he conversed with the sisters over the town and it’s inhabitants. Then there was the youngest sister, barely a decade old and she feared only his driver. He was fascinated in turn by the young girl’s fascination with his dark arts. In his mind he could see the girl becoming a powerful apprentice, but his heart would not let him extend the cruel and painful lessons of even the lowest necromantic spells, at least not yet.

On the opposite side of the carriage sat Nami and she too quietly observed the Necromancer. Her impressions of the dark wizard were mixed; on one hand she had her first encounter with him, which had matched all the legends and rumors. He was kidnapper and user of people. Yet, on the other hand was the gentle soul she had seen after the ritual. A man lost in his own ageless pain that seemed to lift simply by telling tales of the past, however irrelevant and obscure they seemed. Still, she did not know how to take the man who was obviously older than her, but had the un-aged face of a young man. She found herself staring at him and in time, when she caught herself she realized she was blushing. She did not know if the necromancer had seen her blush, but the thought only caused her to blush more over her confused feelings.

Then there was Tari, a young girl set to observe an unfolding relationship between her own sister and her personal hero. To say she was content would be an understatement. Though, this contentment would not prevent her from mocking her sister in the months to come. Still she was the only passenger even partially aware that both the necromancer and her sister were attracted to each other and this gave her a great and powerful position.

And when the time came that the driver stopped at the gates of the rather moderate sized village, the necromancer peered outside. Much to his disappointment, the spirit driver was warded against.

“Your people can be aggravating.” Lycus muttered as the doors opened. “Come, let me return you home.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Nami said.

“If I am to ever have a hope of reconnecting with the people my friend once protected then I must destroy the image of the evil boogeyman that I have been turned into.” Lycus smiled. “Please.”

“Ok.” Tari hopped out straight into a mud puddle, he clothes once again covered in grime.

“Oh lovely…” Shade muttered from his master’s flickering shadow.

As the three neared the closed gates Lycus took immediate warning to the talismans and wards spread across the gate. The warded off demons and undead, he almost laughed. Only a fool would dare to use such superstitious nonsense. Still, such fools could be dangerous if they were zealots that opposed him.

“Hey, open up!” Nami yelled up to a tower. “It’s me; Nami. I got my sister and… uh…” She searched for words. “…a Guest.”

“Ho!” A voice called. “Open the gates, Nami returns with kin and Guest.”

Lycus chuckled as the gates opened. Soon Nami had guided him to a well sized house of brick, like most he had seen on the way in. Considering the last time he had visited the village the houses were barely held together shacks he was quite surprised. Then came a bigger surprise; weapons. Guns and swords were displayed in windows across the market they had passed to reach the house. He felt a pang of foolishness pass through him; he had hoped the people of the village would not have such weapons, in fact he had hoped for a sort of utopia. He chided himself as they walked in silence.

“NAMI!” An older woman around the age of forty sprang fourth from the door and grasped both daughters to her chest. “Tari!”

“I thank you stranger, for seeing them home.” An older gentleman stood behind the woman. His smile was inviting, but Lycus could smell the discipline on the man; he was a soldier, and whether he was active in duty or retired it did not matter, Lycus secured himself for what he knew would come.

“There is no thanks needed.” Lycus nodded.

“Please come in.” Nami’s mother smiled.

“It is an honor.” Lycus bowed his head lightly as he entered. He noted that Tari and Nami removed their shoes as they entered, but when he went to remove his boots Nami’s step-father intervened.

“Don’t worry; I know the hassle boots can be. Just be careful where you step.” Lycus thanked the man kindly.

Soon the family and their Guest sat around a table with tea and wine. It almost surprised Lycus when he learned how hospitable the family was, but he was most definitely surprised by Nami’s submissive attitude. At his castle she had been a roaring fire of life, but now she was barely kindling to the fire. She bowed to her step-father’s every decree, and obeyed her mother’s orders. The directions themselves were not offensive or rude, expected actually, but to Lycus the lack of emotion was apparent. To these two parents if they could be called such, their daughter was a servant.

“Why doesn’t Nami join us?” He suggested as he sipped his tea. He saw Tari’s face pale in fear greater than that which his rider had caused.

The step-father smiled. “She is not welcome to dine with a Guest until she has married.”

For a moment Lycus’ mind flashed to history books of old cultures. “If I am such an intrusion I shall take my leave.”

“Oh no!” Nami’s mother blushed in embarrassment. “Please stay, tell us what you think of Nami? She is beautiful is she not; a good obedient woman to be married too?”

Lycus almost choked on his tea, he heard similar sound in the kitchen. “Madame, should it not be her choice who she marries?”

“Pah!” Her step-father cried. “Romantic non-sense. Nulie and I married for political reasons and we are happy.”

“Then I do believe we have a clash of cultures.” Lycus sat his tea down. “I think I should leave.”

“But Lycus!” Tari covered her mouth soon after she spoke. The parents looked to their daughter then to their Guest, pale fear rode their faces.

“Y-y-you…” The step-father muttered.

“I am Lycus Nedale, Necromancer and mage.” Lycus bowed his head. “Your daughters were kind enough to help me this evening and so I saw them home.”

“NAMI!” The step father roared. “How did you help this spawn of evil?” He pointed a ragged, shaking finger at Lycus.

Nami trembled, and then looked to Lycus who simply nodded. “He needed Sanguri blood to cast out a demon.” Her voice was weak and Lycus’ felt his calm demeanor melting away from the once cold fires welling up inside.

“Get out!” The step-father grabbed Nami and threw her out the door. With a silent spell Lycus stepped out of the shadows of the home in time to catch her.

“Go to the barouche.” He said calmly.

“I’m going too.” Tari struggled past her father.

“No, you will not join that vile creature and your *Watch your language!* of a sister.” Her father slapped her when she opened he mouth to protest.

“Onare Deuth.” Lycus’ spell was spoken and a great bone hand, guided by an invisible force, held the father by the neck.

“You should not harm your children.” Lycus growled.

“Besides, I gave him my blood too!” Tari showed he father he cut finger and then promptly kicked him in the shin.

“Tari!” the mother cried. “He will curse us all now!”

Lycus chuckled as he released the father, people had begun to come out of their homes and some had weapons. “I am no Lich, I don’t seek to harm you people, I seek my own peace.”

“And you take our children as faith of this?” A man shouted.

“He cast his step daughter out; I simply welcomed her into my home.” Lycus looked at Tari and smiled. “As for young Tari look now upon the face of my student.”

With that Lycus spun a spell and he was in his carriage, Nami was on her side crying from shame and from an unknown hope.

“You just destroyed my life!” Nami hissed in anger as she looked up at Lycus. “I hope you’re happy.”

“You think I am pleased to see you cast out by your family?” Lycus snapped, but his cold face warmed, a deep regretful look took hold. “I am not.”

“Nami, it’s all right.” Tari crossed the carriage and sat next to her sister. “Lycus won’t hurt us, and he’ll let us be what we want.”

“What would you know?” Nami snapped.

As Lycus lay back in the carriage he could not help but feel an even bigger fool than before. Still as he watched Nami, he saw the beginnings of forgiveness form in her deep brown eyes. Then he felt a shake, something he had not felt in years. It was a subtle energy that only mage’s could sense and it came from his own home. He had Guests and one of them was a mage.

“Nami, when we return take your sister to the basement and hide.” Lycus said darkly.

Chapter 3: Liger Zero – Ancient Hero Awaken!

Lycus was in a fury when he entered his home. A mage would dare trespass onto his land. It was suicide, the only hope they had to avoid his fury would be if they came bearing a message. As he turned into his kitchen he noted several guardsmen from a neighboring kingdom were eating peacefully, they didn’t even tense up when he entered. They had no need to; the nations always escorted Mages into neighboring territories.

“Sir Torin would like to see you.” The guard captain spoke. “It’s urgent.”

Lycus flung the doors to his dining hall open and much to his aggravation someone was eating in his seat. “You had better be bearing a message from your precious council, or I’ll be flaying you for my zombies to enjoy.”

“Of course I come bearing a message Necromancer, why else would I risk death to be here?” The mage said in a lordly manner.

“I’ve asked that of many foolish mages in the past.” With a simple spell Lycus spun the chair to face him and locked it into position. “The message, now.”

“The council has sent a warning. The nations of Argoria and Detoug are at war.” The mage licked his fingers greedily.

“They would be fools to clash in my realm.” Lycus snorted.

“The council does not agree, they are warning you not to interfere in this dispute.” The mage had crossed the line and soon found himself in the grip of skeletal hand guided by the necromancer.

“The council dares to tell me how to act on MY lands.” Lycus was beginning to regret even listening to the little worm.

The doors behind him burst open seconds after he gripped the mage tighter, the guards had their spears and swords ready, but weren’t foolish enough to use them. “Send your council my message in response to their own; I and I alone am responsible for the people of this realm and I will not see war tear it to pieces.”

“T-they’ve ratified the treaty…” The mage choked. “Necromancers must now forfeit their land to the council.”

“What?” Lycus felt the old and familiar rage inside him burn and he released the mage, stunned by the news.

“Bring the metal beasts about!” The mage screamed. “ATTACK!

“Metal beasts?” Lycus barely had time to recognize what the mage meant before a familiar metal form came crashing through the walls. He stared up in horror at the great metal form.

“Behold the Zoid, resurrected from your dark seals.” The mage stood proudly. “I give you; the Geno Breaker!”

“I know what it’s called you fool.” Lycus snapped back to the mage and then turned to the guards, who were throwing spears at it in vain. “Run before it kills you!” The guards obeyed and ran for their lives.

“So tell me Necromancer, how much fear fills you in the presence of my great zoid?” Torin asked.

“About as much as I fear a newborn babe.” Lycus bluffed, he knew the power of the zoid.

Torin though, was fooled enough to be enraged by Lycus’s faux calm demeanor. “Crush HIM!”

Meanwhile in the basement Nami and he sister had been hiding near the uncovered Liger Zero. They heard the crashing above them and braced each other in fear of the ceiling collapsing around them. As the world shook around them Nami only felt a well of fear, she knew that a fight or war was breaking out above and that Lycus could die. And while she still blamed him for ruining her life, she could not let him die after the kindness he had shown by taking them in.

“I’m such a fool.” Nami muttered to herself.

Soon the crashing above stopped and minutes later the elevator descended. Skeletons and zombies held a battered Lycus up. Nami looked in horror as she recognized the face of a warrior who had fought and lost an overwhelming battle. She had seen it on her father when he died.

The skeleton’s carried Lycus over to Nami. “He’s injured, but we can hold off the enemy until he recovers.”

“Z-z-…” Lycus’ tried to mutter through a swollen and beaten face.

“Stupid metal dragon.” One of the skeleton’s snarled. “We should wake the master’s guardian.”

“Only if he commands it.” The lead skeleton said. “To arms men, we defend our home.”

The skeleton’s then left Lycus with Shade, Nami and Tari while they went to fight.

“What’s he trying to say?” Nami asked.

“I don’t know, the mage used a spell to block me from the battle, I couldn’t see or hear anything.” Shade admitted. “Maybe I should unleash the guardian…”

“The what?” Nami asked.

“A spirit Master Lycus dominated in his early years; a wraith of such ill temper and violent behavior that he sealed it in a statue down here.” Shade explained. “He’s only been used once; to hold back the warlock’s ghost.”

“Sounds like a nice guy.” Nami smiled sarcastically as she tried to pat a wet cloth on Lycus' face.

“Z-z-…” Lycus tried to speak again.

“What are you trying to say?” Nami asked gently.

A movement of shadows caused her to freeze. She thought she saw the large zoid move, but that was impossible. The zoids were dead. Then Lycus’ finger shot straight up and Nami followed with Tari following her own gaze.

“The big kitty’s awake...” Tari blinked.

“Y-yours…” Lycus muttered. “Fi-fight, b-b-breaker. Wake… Silver… Legion.”

“Master save your strength…” Shade hovered over his master. “I have to get him to Tsurellis, he can help.”

“Who?” Nami asked.

“A former student and great necromantic healer.” Shade said as the floor beneath Lycus absorbed him. “Now get in that zoid and get rid of that mage!”

“I don’t even know how to work the thing!” Nami shouted as Shade vanished, “At least take Tari with you!” Seconds later Tari vanished.

Nami was then left alone with the massive Zoid. She looked up in confusion at it and bowed before it. “Uh, I don’t know much about you great Zoid, but Lycus says I can pilot you and I need to get rid of the mage who’s attacking, so could you possibly help me up?”

The Zoid seemed to stare at her for a few seconds before it bent down and opened it’s cockpit for her. She struggled to climb in, and when she finally did the Zoid slammed shut the cockpit and roared in triumph as it finally had a worthy pilot once again.

Above ground the Geno Breaker froze as it heard the barely audible roar that defined a familiar and great struggle from too long ago. It issued its own roar and waited. Seconds turned to minutes and no more roars came. Then the ground shook around the Zoid, its pilot fresh in the cockpit was confused until the great leonine form of the Liger Zero came streaming out of the ground with its own roar of challenge.

Below all this though, the two forms of a zombie and skeleton were hurriedly digging through the manor’s rubble. The had already found the guardian spirit which hovered near them, angered by the lack of sleep it had obtained, now though the were searching for a sword their master treasured they soon found it of course, and then made their own way to what remained of the basement. On the way however they discovered most of the manor’s inhabitants were crushed or destroyed in some form or another. Even Revenant was burnt by some unknown force, though he still was alive. When they did finally reach the basement however, they were dismayed to find that they were trapped. However, several sets of large eyes were looking down upon them.

Up on the surface however, Nami was being bounced around the Zoid’s cockpit so much that she found herself screaming for it to stop. The great metal beast, which had been mindlessly attacking up until that point, froze on command. Nami straightened herself and saw the great jagged scratches down her enemy’s armor. The Liger had almost entirely stripped the sides off of the metal dragon.

Then a small screen popped up in the corner of her view field. It was a mage as far as she could tell he looked furious and was screaming at the top of his lungs. “WHO ARE YOU AND WHY HAVE YOU DAMAGED MY PRECIOUS GENO BREAKER?”

For a few seconds Nami was confused. Then she reMembered that the technology was far more advanced than anything else she had seen.

“Answer me!” Torin screamed. “Do not mock me with silence!”

“My name is Nami Sanguri, and you just destroyed my new home!” Nami shouted back, surprised by the sudden acceptance of the manor as her home.

“So you defend the Necromancer’s lair. Figure’s he’d have a girl fight for him.” Torin sighed disappointedly. “Oh well let’s get this over with then.” The communications suddenly ended and light seemed to come from the Geno Breaker’s mouth. Seconds later it streamed forth and Nami and the Liger barely dodged it.

“If that hits me, I’m finished…” Nami thought to herself as she felt the sweat on her brow begin form.

“Dammit! Stand still and die.” Torin charged the weapon again.

This time Nami took advantage of the weapons charge time and ran full speed in another direction. As she ran the weapon fired and trailed behind her, then suddenly stopped. “It can only move with the head, and the body locks itself into position to fire…” Nami noted to herself. “It can’t hit me if I run to its side and attack while it’s using that weapon."

Nami stopped and waited for Torin to fire the weapon as it fired she leapt forward and ran to far left of the beam to where it could not follow, then she leapt sharply to the right again and ripped the entirety of the left side off from the sheer force of her attack.

“What? No!” Torin screamed as his Zoid roared in pain. “Damages are to great. “Gun Snipers, finish her!”

Out of nowhere a row of five small Zoids shot volleys of powerful beams at Nami and the Liger Zero. The leonine Zoid was struck with enough force that it slid down the side of the manor’s property.

“Ha!” Torin screamed as he retreated. “Finish her!”

As the Gun Sniper’s lined up to fire their finishing volley, Nami struggled with the Liger and pleaded for it to get back up. When it finally did the weapons of the Gun Snipers were finishing their charge and were about to fire when two large mouths exploded from underneath the ground and crushed a Gun Sniper each. These new Zoids, which resembled crocodiles where followed by a third smaller tortoise like Zoid with a large cannon on its back.

“Barrigator Brigade to the rescue!” Frank and Ash said in unison from their Zoids.

“With the aid of Cannon Tortoise…” The slow speaking Revenant added. “Bad Zoids go bye-bye.” The Cannon Tortoise braced the ground and fired its cannon at the three remaining Gun Snipers which were still recovering from the surprise attack. When the blast cloud cleared, only one Sniper remained and it was in terrible condition. It retreated without hesitation, only to blown to bits by a second shot from the cannon. “Revenant wants a new kitchen.”

“Come on Boss Lady.” Ash opened communications from his Barrigator which was strangely black and grey, as opposed to Frank’s Green and grey Barrigator. “Boss-Man says we gotta get you and the others to Tsurellis’ place pronto.”

“There are no survivors besides us if you’re wondering.” A black hawk Zoid landed nearby and the communications it gave were audio only. Still, Nami felt a tinge of fear when she heard the voice speak. “I’ll scout ahead, you four stay in a defensive formation with the cannon head at the rear, and he’s got the big gun so keep him protected.”

“Let’s head out people.” The voice in the hawk ordered.

[familyghost]

Chapter 4: Spectral Warrior Wraith – Feather Fall, Moon Rise!

As Nami plodded along side her new traveling companions she couldn’t help but notice their lackadaisical attitude towards what had just occurred. Frank and Ash questioned the purpose of the Zoids, but were not stunned or frightened in any way. Wraith and Revenant remained silent.

That night the small group camped in the woods. A small fire kept Revenant and Nami warm while they ate. It seemed to Nami the small group was close with each other, but could care less about her. She looked up at the moon and sighed.

“There used to be three you know.” The guardian spirit spoke. “Three beautiful shining moons, I loved to sit and watch them…”

“I only knew of two myself…” Ash admitted, “Damn Digald bastards blew up the smaller one.”

“Digald, I reMember them.” Frank grumbled. “They killed me.”

“Same here brother.” Ash growled.

“Digald…” Wraith closed his orb like eyes. “Digald were nothing compared to the Zenebas.”

“The who?” Ash and Frank asked.

“Far before your time, long after mine.” The spirit’s eyes seemed to smile.

“He’s getting creepier by the minute isn’t he?” Ash asked.

“You got my vote there buddy.” Frank agreed.

After a moment of silence Frank spoke again. “I used to do war reports for the Digald too, killed their own man can you believe it?”

“Damn, I thought I had it bad.” Ash said. “I just worked at a little shop until some giant beam blew it up with me inside.”

“What about you Rev?” Frank asked.

“I don’t reMember.” Revenant admitted. “But I like to think I was a cook.”

“What about you ghosty?” Ash asked.

“I reMember a time before Zoids, before the planet had its second name, a time when this wasn't the only world we knew...” The ghost seemingly vanished. “And call me Wraith.”

“He really is getting creepier.” Frank admitted. “So how you feelingly girly?”

“How am I feeling?” Nami looked up from the patch of dirt she had been staring at.

“Uh-oh…” Ash said.

“Uh-oh?” Frank asked.

“HOW AM I FEELING? I just piloted a freaking machine older than my village. I JUST FOUGHT IN SAID MACHINE AND APPRENTLY I’M THE ONLY ONE JUST A LITTLE FREAKED OUT THAT THEY EVEN EXIST!” Nami screamed at the undead minions.

“Ok, so a little nervous then?” Frank asked, Nami just screamed in defeat and kicked a rock into a nearby tree.

“Ignore them.” Wraith appeared beside Nami. “They grew up at least knowing what Zoids were. You however, have never even heard of them.” Wraith sighed. “You should sleep in the Zero; it’s safer and probably more comfortable.”

“How long is it to this Tsurellis person?” Nami asked with a yawn.

“Not too far, another days journey at least.” Wraith said. “Now rest, we wake early in the morning.”

In the morning Nami was jolted awake by the Liger’s sudden movements. The Liger Zero was moving on its own with out her steering it. At first she thought the group was under attack, but a few seconds of panicked observation told her that the Liger was simply following Wraith and the others. After realizing she was panicking for no reason she gave a deep yawn, which drew the attention of her companions.

“Look who's awake.” Frank said over the communications array. “How you feelin'?”

“About as can be expected..." Nami said as she continued to take in the events of the previous day. "How can so much happen in a day?"

"You'd be surprised..." Wraith's voice crackled.

"I just wish..." Nami sighed. "I don't know what's even going on."

"You're not the only one." Ash said. "The boss-man was super-pissed after Tsurellis finished healing him and he sent Shade to get an update from us."

"The only good news we had was that we saved his freaking sword." Frank scoffed.

"Show some respect." Wraith said coldly. "That sword belongs to a better warrior than either of you."

"Hey!" Frank and Ash said in unison.

The group continued in a cloud of odd silence. Nami was lost in her thoughts and own worries. Frank and Ash were not in the mood to speak to anyone after Wraith insulted them, while Wraith was content with the silence. Revenant was simply enjoying the view as the group plodded along. It continued like this for the rest of the day until Nami spotted something on the horizon. It was a large building, almost like a castle, but flat and box like.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Tsurellis'." Frank said. "Careful kid, Shade told us the security wards were set to high."

After a few more moments of silence she asked; "Did Shade say anything about my sister?"

"Yes." Wraith said before Frank or Ash could respond, "She's already mastered a basic summoning spell."

"What?" Nami's face flushed.

"The boss decided to teach her some basic magic." Ash explained. "He taught her how to summon a pixie or something."

"Boy do I feel sorry for that sprite..." Frank snickered.

"He's teaching her magic? Why?" Nami asked in a shrill voice.

"Calm down Nami." Wraith said, "She wants to learn and he hasn't had a student in over two-hundred years. It'll do them both good."

"Hey Wraith..." Revenant's slow paced voice piped up. "Are those guys with us?"
The group looked at where the cook was pointing. Much to their surprise and dismay a large group of zoids were approaching at high speed and when they got closer to the group a cloud of smoke engulfed the zoids.

"Command Wolves!" Frank hissed. "Be on guard, they like to play games."

"I thought I saw something big behind them." Nami said as she and the Zero watched the cloud of smoke float closer to them.

"Could be anythi..." Ash was cut off as his Barrigator was flipped over several times by seemingly invisible attackers. When the zoid landed on it's back several Command Wolves visibly stalked closer to it from within the approaching smoke cloud.

"Hey!" Frank yelled as he fired several blasts from his front blasters into the smoke. "Leave him alone you jackals!"

"Nami, you've gotta take the offense with me." Wraith said calmly. "I know it's frightening, but..."

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Nami shouted as she and the Zero lunged forward into the smoke cloud.

"Ok, maybe not so frightening; more like..." Wraith was cut off as a Command Wolf was tossed out of the smoke and past his Buster Eagle. "...I think she's stressed."

"You think?" Frank snapped as he used the Barrigator's powerful tail and jaws to ward attackers away from Ash's zoid.

As the four servants watched in confusion and terror they saw Nami clear the small attack group of Command Wolves away with almost no problem. The four Command Wolves were eventually beaten to the point that they retreated with pilots screaming in terror.

"And next time don't piss me off!" Nami shouted from her Liger.

"Hey..." Ash shouted. "Little help here?"

With a quick grasp and flip Wraith had flipped over the Barrigator. The ghost was about to make a snide comment, but several powerful blasts threw the Buster Eagle to the ground.

"I told you I thought I saw something!" Nami and the Liger gazed to the direction that the shots had come from.

"Yeah, yeah..." Wraith grumbled from in the Eagle. As the flying zoid struggled to the air another set of shots plunged it back into the ground. Inside Wraith cursed aloud.

"What? Those came from behind us..." Nami swung around with the Liger.

"It's probably sniping us." Ash said. "Nothing but a god damned coward"

"Well he better come face us or I'm gonna get really pissed..." Wraith growled as the Buster Eagle wobbled to it's feet and was blasted square in the chest, again from a different position. This time however the zoid exploded and when the smoke cleared the others could see that it had turned to stone. Wraith was setting on the tip of the beak with an unhappy glare.

"Everyone... Run." Wraith ordered the group as he vanished.

"Nami, grab Rev and sling him on your back!" Ash shouted.

"What?" Nami screeched as several blasts landed near her side. "Ok, ok, I'm going!" Nami screamed as she hefted the tortoise zoid in the Liger's jaws.

As the three retreated as fast as they could Wraith stood on the beak of the buster eagle, invisible to the world around him. Soon the large dominant form of a brown König Wolf wandered into view. He only narrowed his eyes in anger as he identified his new enemy.

Chapter 5: Tsurellis – Necromantic Playboy

As the Liger Zero ran past a series of wards Nami noticed that the areas surrounding the wards flashed a brilliant purple and then hardened into a wall. Her first thought was that she was trapped. Then the group stopped near the large square building and her second thought was that they were lost. She just could not picture a necromancer living inside a giant plain looking box. Soon the ground beneath the zoids shifted and lowered.

"What's happening?" Nami panicked.

"Easy, underground elevator for Zoids." Frank reassured her.

As the elevator lowered itself into the ground Nami noticed that the "plains" that made up the elevator were quite fake, almost made up of cloth or something similar. Then as the elevator bottomed out she saw a large zoid in front of her, a large lizard that stood tall upon two legs, massive cannons were strapped to the back and left arm. It was also badly damaged. As she climbed out of the Liger she was greeted by Lycus and a strange man she assumed was Tsurellis.

"Nami, this is my former student and friend; Tsurellis." Lycus said in an annoyed tone. "Don't listen to anything he says unless it's about magic or zoids."

Tsurellis took on a look of mock offense. His pale copper complexion, silver hair and golden-orange eyes just lent to his bizarre appearance. He also wore a suit of current fashion in a neighboring country that Nami recognized from a traveling merchant, a great contrast to Lycus' flowing robes. "Honestly, Lycus you wound me."

"I really will wound you if you play your games with her." Lycus glared at his former student.

"Ok, ok, no need to get snippy." Lycus smiled. "A pleasure to meet you." He crossed his arms both in front of his waist and behind his back as he bowed to Nami. "I hope you'll enjoy your stay here, however brief it may be."

"You mean we aren't staying here, safe behind the purple walls?" Nami asked.

"Temporary blockades, my dear." Tsurellis sighed. "The mages will crash through them in a day or so."

"We're stocking up on everything and loading it into the Gustav as we speak." Lycus said. "Well, Tsu's servants are anyway."

"Gustav?" Nami blinked.

"Transport zoid. Normally to slow of any use in the situation, however this is a Metal Empire Zoid so speed is not an issue." Lycus nodded to a large blue domed zoid with giant boosters attached to it. "One of the oldest zoids in existence, still have no clue how DM got such a relic to work."

"Who?" Nami asked again in confusion.

"A friend." Lycus said sternly, a warning not to push it further.

"Whose crypt we will be heading off to in the next few hours." Tsurellis commented.

"It's not a crypt Tsurellis." Lycus growled, "Crypts are for the dead."

"Oh right, because someone who never practiced necromancy or lich-craft can always stay alive past natural age induced death." Tsurellis rolled his eyes in disbelief.

"Trust me." Lycus gave a sly smile as he walked away with a confident stride.

"You'd never guess he was near death when Shade brought him in." Tsurellis slightly held back a laugh and then turned to Nami and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"What's wrong?" Nami asked.

"Well, while I may not have ever ridden a zoid I was around long ago enough to at least have some knowledge of what they would have worn." Tsurellis sighed. "And my dear; peasant clothes of a maiden were no where in that selection. Not to mention they hardly suit the heir of Sanguri."

"Well what am I supposed to wear then; boys clothes?" Nami asked.

"No, I can make a nice jumpsuit for you in only a few hours, now follow me so one of my servants can take your measurements." Tsurellis grabbed Nami by the arm and drug her into the house.

Inside the house Tsurellis took her to a room divided by a large curtain and placed her on one side. Within a few minutes a ghostly white woman appeared and began taking a tailor's tape and measuring everything about her from her inseam to her bust and shoulder width. All the time Nami was screaming at the woman to stop poking her.

"Oh Nami, what colors are your favorite?" Tsurellis called from the other side of the divider.
"What?" Nami asked angrily.

"What colors would you like this new suit to be?" Tsurellis asked.

"I don't know!" Nami yelled as the ghostly woman accidentally poked her again. "Surprise me!"

"Oh!" Tsurellis seemed happy. "Noru, the measurements please." The ghostly woman passed through the divider and handed a parchment to Tsurellis. "Nami, please stand as still as possible, crafting spells are quite tedious to repeat."

"Crafting spell?" Nami asked as she felt her body freeze in fear. Then she heard Tsurellis begin to rasp out a series of magikal syllables and soon she felt her clothes melt away, but as she watched they were slowly changing into something else. A blue hue took shape around her legs down to her ankles where a black form was taking shape tipped in purple. Her arms and hands were also covered in black, her stomach was blue like her legs and her palms were purple too. Then she saw a division of a glove and boot on her left and right sides. Soon a medium length skirt of black and blue swirled stripes appeared. Then all at once the colors solidified into a strange feeling cloth. She had new clothes.

"Well what do you think?" Tsurellis asked.

"I have new clothes." Nami stammered as she walked out from behind the divider.

"Yes, and you look quite fetching in them if I do say so myself." Tsurellis smiled with pride as he took in his latest fashion statement. "Blue and black are typical the Zero Squad's colors, but I added in some purple for the new heir."

"Zero Squad?" Nami asked.

"Your ancestor's Zoid Squad." Tsurellis smiled. "Oh you look so gorgeous in that. I wish my camera still worked. And I had film."

Nami was busy slipping her gloves and boots off to inspect them. "They're not cotton."

"Nope, well not entirely." Tsurellis admitted. "Synthetic fibers, fireproof and tear resistant."

"Wow." Nami blinked.

"Believe it or not Nami, but our world was once a scientific haven of wonder, then it fell into a cataclysm and once again began to build itself back up, but then another thing happened and.... well, you can guess." Tsurellis smiled. "Now lets go show Lycus, I bet he'll be speechless."

"Hold on, how do I get the rest off and how do I wash it?" Nami asked. "And where's Tari?"

"Oh your sister's around here somewhere, probably taking care of that rat problem I have." Tsurellis smiled. "Don't worry though her familiar should be able to crush them."

"Why would I be worried about my sister killing rats?" Nami asked.

"Um..." Tsurellis held back. "No reason."

"NAMI!" At that moment Tari came charging into the room. She too had clothes similar to Nami's but she wore red with gray as opposed to blue and black. "I knew you'd make it."

"Tari, what's this about killing rats?" Nami asked as she broke free of her sister's hug.

"Oh nothing, Tsurellis just had a bunch of rats in his wine cellar and the poison wasn't killing them so he asked if Shay and I could kill them." Tari smiled

"Who?" Nami asked.

"Shay's my familiar!" As Tari spoke a small blue light flew out of her jumpsuits pocket. "She's a fey."

"Oh goody..." Nami sighed. "So Lycus really is teaching you?"

"Mmmhm." Tari smiled.

"Oh great..." Nami forced a smile. "How nice."

"Oh, come on Nami..." Tari frowned, "I want to learn this, Necromancy is fun!"

To this Tsurellis couldn't help but chuckle and Nami gave him a glare that could kill. "I'll be checking on the Gustav now."

As Tsurellis left for the Gustav he couldn't help but note that Nami could have a very commanding prescience, it reminded him of the first and only time he had met her ancestor. He almost felt a shiver down his spine at the memory of the commanding warrior and scientist.

When he finally made his way down to his former mentor his discomfort had faded and he was once again smiling like his normal self, but with a surprise.

"Out with it." Lycus said without looking up from a ledger he held.

"I got her a pilot's outfit." Tsurellis smiled.

"Lovely, now how much more of your junk do we actually need?" Lycus asked.

"Just because you live like a hermit doesn't mean I can't enjoy the finer things in life." Tsurellis defended himself.

Lycus merely read off the list. "Thirty crates of fabric and crafting supplies?"

"We are going to need flags and clothes you know." Tsurellis smiled. "Speaking of which shouldn't you be getting into your old uniform?"

"That was another life Tsurellis, I was a different person then, in it." A visible pang of worry and fear passed through Lycus as his former student watched in concern.

"You know I still remember the stories you told me when I was a child with Nyla." Tsurellis smiled. "I just wish she hadn't gone down that path."

"Your sister made her choice, you did what you had too." Lycus said with out a hint of emotion, then in a comforting tone he added; "You did the right thing."

"I know, oh but that was so long ago." Tsurellis sighed.

"We never forgot those we care about." Lycus smiled.

The sound of metallic doors sliding open alerted the necromancer's to Nami and Tari's arrival. When Lycus peered up from his ledger he was in shock at the form fitting jumpsuit that Nami wore, his jaw was even hanging open.

"Told you he'd be speechless." Tsurellis smiled.

Both Nami and Lycus turned beet red at the realization.

"And they're a cute couple." Tari smiled, a glare from her teacher silenced her. "Sorry Lycus-Sensei."

"Come on, we're almost finished." Lycus said. "Get in the Zero with your sister, you'll be safest there."

"OK." Tari smiled as she and her sister walked off.

"We have to leave the other stuff behind." Lycus turned to Tsurellis. "Wraith reported a König Wolf with dual sniper rifles."

"I saw the wreckage the revenants brought in." Tsurellis said. "Poor Buster Eagle."

"He's taking the König here by the way." Lycus said.

"Fine by me." Tsurellis said, "Not my style anyway."

"All right then, go get in that snail." Lycus smiled. "I'll be in one of the Brigades." Lycus said.

"Speaking of, those Barrigator's are a bit big, aren't they?" Tsurellis noted.

"Special designs DM made before the incident." Lycus said, "Twenty percent size increase for a better cockpit and if need room for a passenger, albeit very little room."

"So to the north then?" Tsurellis smiled.

"To the north." Lycus agreed as Wraith appeared and handed him the sword Frank and Ash had retrieved. "Let's get out of here before they realize we're planning to leave."

[rantinan]

Ok, that's more like it
Zoids, as written by Ed Wood.
I freakin love it. not relay a genisesy fic (which i think is a good hting) more of it;s own special crazy. Crazy in a good way.
The one critisisim i have, and i'm guilty of this to, is your battles are explosively short. Getting a good battle scene to flow is helava hard work and requires practice, so yeah, dont worry n keep on keepin on, this is good stuff.

[familyghost]

rantinan said:

Ok, that's more like it
Zoids, as written by Ed Wood.
I freakin love it. not relay a genisesy fic (which i think is a good hting) more of it;s own special crazy. Crazy in a good way.
The one critisisim i have, and i'm guilty of this to, is your battles are explosively short. Getting a good battle scene to flow is helava hard work and requires practice, so yeah, dont worry n keep on keepin on, this is good stuff.

Thanks!

But yeah, these battles are meant to be short. After about chapter 14 there should be a significant increase in the length of battles as I'll be concentrating on larger battles with more zoids. I'm actually trying to make the next few battles a bit longer, but I tend to write myself into corners if I'm not careful, so if the next few battles are short it's because I had to pull myself away and say "Oh darn... how are they going to get out of this?"

[familyghost]

Chapter 4: Spectral Warrior Wraith – Feather Fall, Moon Rise!
As Nami plodded along side her new traveling companions she couldn’t help but notice their lackadaisical attitude towards what had just occurred. Frank and Ash questioned the purpose of the Zoids, but were not stunned or frightened in any way. Wraith and Revenant remained silent.

That night the small group camped in the woods. A small fire kept Revenant and Nami warm while they ate. It seemed to Nami the small group was close with each other, but could care less about her. She looked up at the moon and sighed.

“There used to be three you know.” The guardian spirit spoke. “Three beautiful shining moons, I loved to sit and watch them…”

“I only knew of two myself…” Ash admitted, “Damn Digald bastards blew up the smaller one.”

“Digald, I reMember them.” Frank grumbled. “They killed me.”

“Same here brother.” Ash growled.

“Digald…” Wraith closed his orb like eyes. “Digald were nothing compared to the Zenebas.”

“The who?” Ash and Frank asked.

“Far before your time, long after mine.” The spirit’s eyes seemed to smile.

“He’s getting creepier by the minute isn’t he?” Ash asked.

“You got my vote there buddy.” Frank agreed.

After a moment of silence Frank spoke again. “I used to do war reports for the Digald too, killed their own man can you believe it?”

“Damn, I thought I had it bad.” Ash said. “I just worked at a little shop until some giant beam blew it up with me inside.”

“What about you Rev?” Frank asked.

“I don’t reMember.” Revenant admitted. “But I like to think I was a cook.”

“What about you ghosty?” Ash asked.

“I reMember a time before Zoids, before the planet had its second name, a time when this wasn't the only world we knew...” The ghost seemingly vanished. “And call me Wraith.”

“He really is getting creepier.” Frank admitted. “So how you feelingly girly?”

“How am I feeling?” Nami looked up from the patch of dirt she had been staring at.

“Uh-oh…” Ash said.

“Uh-oh?” Frank asked.

“HOW AM I FEELING? I just piloted a freaking machine older than my village. I JUST FOUGHT IN SAID MACHINE AND APPRENTLY I’M THE ONLY ONE JUST A LITTLE FREAKED OUT THAT THEY EVEN EXIST!” Nami screamed at the undead minions.

“Ok, so a little nervous then?” Frank asked, Nami just screamed in defeat and kicked a rock into a nearby tree.

“Ignore them.” Wraith appeared beside Nami. “They grew up at least knowing what Zoids were. You however, have never even heard of them.” Wraith sighed. “You should sleep in the Zero; it’s safer and probably more comfortable.”

“How long is it to this Tsurellis person?” Nami asked with a yawn.

“Not too far, another days journey at least.” Wraith said. “Now rest, we wake early in the morning.”

In the morning Nami was jolted awake by the Liger’s sudden movements. The Liger Zero was moving on its own with out her steering it. At first she thought the group was under attack, but a few seconds of panicked observation told her that the Liger was simply following Wraith and the others. After realizing she was panicking for no reason she gave a deep yawn, which drew the attention of her companions.

“Look who's awake.” Frank said over the communications array. “How you feelin'?”

“About as can be expected..." Nami said as she continued to take in the events of the previous day. "How can so much happen in a day?"

"You'd be surprised..." Wraith's voice crackled.

"I just wish..." Nami sighed. "I don't know what's even going on."

"You're not the only one." Ash said. "The boss-man was super-pissed after Tsurellis finished healing him and he sent Shade to get an update from us."

"The only good news we had was that we saved his freaking sword." Frank scoffed.

"Show some respect." Wraith said coldly. "That sword belongs to a better warrior than either of you."

"Hey!" Frank and Ash said in unison.

The group continued in a cloud of odd silence. Nami was lost in her thoughts and own worries. Frank and Ash were not in the mood to speak to anyone after Wraith insulted them, while Wraith was content with the silence. Revenant was simply enjoying the view as the group plodded along. It continued like this for the rest of the day until Nami spotted something on the horizon. It was a large building, almost like a castle, but flat and box like.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Tsurellis'." Frank said. "Careful kid, Shade told us the security wards were set to high."

After a few more moments of silence she asked; "Did Shade say anything about my sister?"

"Yes." Wraith said before Frank or Ash could respond, "She's already mastered a basic summoning spell."

"What?" Nami's face flushed.

"The boss decided to teach her some basic magic." Ash explained. "He taught her how to summon a pixie or something."

"Boy do I feel sorry for that sprite..." Frank snickered.

"He's teaching her magic? Why?" Nami asked in a shrill voice.

"Calm down Nami." Wraith said, "She wants to learn and he hasn't had a student in over two-hundred years. It'll do them both good."

"Hey Wraith..." Revenant's slow paced voice piped up. "Are those guys with us?"
The group looked at where the cook was pointing. Much to their surprise and dismay a large group of zoids were approaching at high speed and when they got closer to the group a cloud of smoke engulfed the zoids.

"Command Wolves!" Frank hissed. "Be on guard, they like to play games."

"I thought I saw something big behind them." Nami said as she and the Zero watched the cloud of smoke float closer to them.

"Could be anythi..." Ash was cut off as his Barrigator was flipped over several times by seemingly invisible attackers. When the zoid landed on it's back several Command Wolves visibly stalked closer to it from within the approaching smoke cloud.

"Hey!" Frank yelled as he fired several blasts from his front blasters into the smoke. "Leave him alone you jackals!"

"Nami, you've gotta take the offense with me." Wraith said calmly. "I know it's frightening, but..."

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Nami shouted as she and the Zero lunged forward into the smoke cloud.

"Ok, maybe not so frightening; more like..." Wraith was cut off as a Command Wolf was tossed out of the smoke and past his Buster Eagle. "...I think she's stressed."

"You think?" Frank snapped as he used the Barrigator's powerful tail and jaws to ward attackers away from Ash's zoid.

As the four servants watched in confusion and terror they saw Nami clear the small attack group of Command Wolves away with almost no problem. The four Command Wolves were eventually beaten to the point that they retreated with pilots screaming in terror.

"And next time don't piss me off!" Nami shouted from her Liger.

"Hey..." Ash shouted. "Little help here?"

With a quick grasp and flip Wraith had flipped over the Barrigator. The ghost was about to make a snide comment, but several powerful blasts threw the Buster Eagle to the ground.

"I told you I thought I saw something!" Nami and the Liger gazed to the direction that the shots had come from.

"Yeah, yeah..." Wraith grumbled from in the Eagle. As the flying zoid struggled to the air another set of shots plunged it back into the ground. Inside Wraith cursed aloud.

"What? Those came from behind us..." Nami swung around with the Liger.

"It's probably sniping us." Ash said. "Nothing but a god damned coward"

"Well he better come face us or I'm gonna get really pissed..." Wraith growled as the Buster Eagle wobbled to it's feet and was blasted square in the chest, again from a different position. This time however the zoid exploded and when the smoke cleared the others could see that it had turned to stone. Wraith was setting on the tip of the beak with an unhappy glare.

"Everyone... Run." Wraith ordered the group as he vanished.

"Nami, grab Rev and sling him on your back!" Ash shouted.

"What?" Nami screeched as several blasts landed near her side. "Ok, ok, I'm going!" Nami screamed as she hefted the tortoise zoid in the Liger's jaws.

As the three retreated as fast as they could Wraith stood on the beak of the buster eagle, invisible to the world around him. Soon the large dominant form of a brown König Wolf wandered into view. He only narrowed his eyes in anger as he identified his new enemy.

Chapter 5: Tsurellis – Necromantic Playboy

As the Liger Zero ran past a series of wards Nami noticed that the areas surrounding the wards flashed a brilliant purple and then hardened into a wall. Her first thought was that she was trapped. Then the group stopped near the large square building and her second thought was that they were lost. She just could not picture a necromancer living inside a giant plain looking box. Soon the ground beneath the zoids shifted and lowered.

"What's happening?" Nami panicked.

"Easy, underground elevator for Zoids." Frank reassured her.

As the elevator lowered itself into the ground Nami noticed that the "plains" that made up the elevator were quite fake, almost made up of cloth or something similar. Then as the elevator bottomed out she saw a large zoid in front of her, a large lizard that stood tall upon two legs, massive cannons were strapped to the back and left arm. It was also badly damaged. As she climbed out of the Liger she was greeted by Lycus and a strange man she assumed was Tsurellis.

"Nami, this is my former student and friend; Tsurellis." Lycus said in an annoyed tone. "Don't listen to anything he says unless it's about magic or zoids."

Tsurellis took on a look of mock offense. His pale copper complexion, silver hair and golden-orange eyes just lent to his bizarre appearance. He also wore a suit of current fashion in a neighboring country that Nami recognized from a traveling merchant, a great contrast to Lycus' flowing robes. "Honestly, Lycus you wound me."

"I really will wound you if you play your games with her." Lycus glared at his former student.

"Ok, ok, no need to get snippy." Lycus smiled. "A pleasure to meet you." He crossed his arms both in front of his waist and behind his back as he bowed to Nami. "I hope you'll enjoy your stay here, however brief it may be."

"You mean we aren't staying here, safe behind the purple walls?" Nami asked.

"Temporary blockades, my dear." Tsurellis sighed. "The mages will crash through them in a day or so."

"We're stocking up on everything and loading it into the Gustav as we speak." Lycus said. "Well, Tsu's servants are anyway."

"Gustav?" Nami blinked.

"Transport zoid. Normally to slow of any use in the situation, however this is a Metal Empire Zoid so speed is not an issue." Lycus nodded to a large blue domed zoid with giant boosters attached to it. "DM really loves that thing."

"Who?" Nami asked again in confusion.

"A friend." Lycus said sternly, a warning not to push it further.

"Whose crypt we will be heading off to in the next few hours." Tsurellis commented.

"It's not a crypt Tsurellis." Lycus growled, "Crypts are for the dead."

"Oh right, because someone who never practiced necromancy or lich-craft can always stay alive past natural age induced death." Tsurellis rolled his eyes in disbelief.

"Trust me." Lycus gave a sly smile as he walked away with a confident stride.

"You'd never guess he was near death when Shade brought him in." Tsurellis slightly held back a laugh and then turned to Nami and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"What's wrong?" Nami asked.

"Well, while I may not have ever ridden a zoid I was around long ago enough to at least have some knowledge of what they would have worn." Tsurellis sighed. "And my dear; peasant clothes of a maiden were no where in that selection. Not to mention they hardly suit the heir of Sanguri."

"Well what am I supposed to wear then; boys clothes?" Nami asked.

"No, I can make a nice jumpsuit for you in only a few hours, now follow me so one of my servants can take your measurements." Tsurellis grabbed Nami by the arm and drug her into the house.

Inside the house Tsurellis took her to a room divided by a large curtain and placed her on one side. Within a few minutes a ghostly white woman appeared and began taking a tailor's tape and measuring everything about her from her inseam to her bust and shoulder width. All the time Nami was screaming at the woman to stop poking her.

"Oh Nami, what colors are your favorite?" Tsurellis called from the other side of the divider.
"What?" Nami asked angrily.

"What colors would you like this new suit to be?" Tsurellis asked.

"I don't know!" Nami yelled as the ghostly woman accidentally poked her again. "Surprise me!"

"Oh!" Tsurellis seemed happy. "Noru, the measurements please." The ghostly woman passed through the divider and handed a parchment to Tsurellis. "Nami, please stand as still as possible, crafting spells are quite tedious to repeat."

"Crafting spell?" Nami asked as she felt her body freeze in fear. Then she heard Tsurellis begin to rasp out a series of magikal syllables and soon she felt her clothes melt away, but as she watched they were slowly changing into something else. A blue hue took shape around her legs down to her ankles where a black form was taking shape tipped in purple. Her arms and hands were also covered in black, her stomach was blue like her legs and her palms were purple too. Then she saw a division of a glove and boot on her left and right sides. Soon a medium length skirt of black and blue swirled stripes appeared. Then all at once the colors solidified into a strange feeling cloth. She had new clothes.

"Well what do you think?" Tsurellis asked.

"I have new clothes." Nami stammered as she walked out from behind the divider.

"Yes, and you look quite fetching in them if I do say so myself." Tsurellis smiled with pride as he took in his latest fashion statement. "Blue and black are typical the Zero Squad's colors, but I added in some purple for the new heir."

"Zero Squad?" Nami asked.

"Your ancestor's Zoid Squad." Tsurellis smiled. "Oh you look so gorgeous in that. I wish my camera still worked. And I had film."

Nami was busy slipping her gloves and boots off to inspect them. "They're not cotton."

"Nope, well not entirely." Tsurellis admitted. "Synthetic fibers, fireproof and tear resistant."

"Wow." Nami blinked.

"Believe it or not Nami, but our world was once a scientific haven of wonder, then it fell into a cataclysm and once again began to build itself back up, but then another thing happened and.... well, you can guess." Tsurellis smiled. "Now lets go show Lycus, I bet he'll be speechless."

"Hold on, how do I get the rest off and how do I wash it?" Nami asked. "And where's Tari?"

"Oh your sister's around here somewhere, probably taking care of that rat problem I have." Tsurellis smiled. "Don't worry though her familiar should be able to crush them."

"Why would I be worried about my sister killing rats?" Nami asked.

"Um..." Tsurellis held back. "No reason."

"NAMI!" At that moment Tari came charging into the room. She too had clothes similar to Nami's but she wore red with gray as opposed to blue and black. "I knew you'd make it."

"Tari, what's this about killing rats?" Nami asked as she broke free of her sister's hug.

"Oh nothing, Tsurellis just had a bunch of rats in his wine cellar and the poison wasn't killing them so he asked if Shay and I could kill them." Tari smiled

"Who?" Nami asked.

"Shay's my familiar!" As Tari spoke a small blue light flew out of her jumpsuits pocket. "She's a fey."

"Oh goody..." Nami sighed. "So Lycus really is teaching you?"

"Mmmhm." Tari smiled.

"Oh great..." Nami forced a smile. "How nice."

"Oh, come on Nami..." Tari frowned, "I want to learn this, Necromancy is fun!"

To this Tsurellis couldn't help but chuckle and Nami gave him a glare that could kill. "I'll be checking on the Gustav now."

As Tsurellis left for the Gustav he couldn't help but note that Nami could have a very commanding prescience, it reminded him of the first and only time he had met her ancestor. He almost felt a shiver down his spine at the memory of the commanding warrior and scientist.

When he finally made his way down to his former mentor his discomfort had faded and he was once again smiling like his normal self, but with a surprise.

"Out with it." Lycus said without looking up from a ledger he held.

"I got her a pilot's outfit." Tsurellis smiled.
"Lovely, now how much more of your junk do we actually need?" Lycus asked.

"Just because you live like a hermit doesn't mean I can't enjoy the finer things in life." Tsurellis defended himself.

Lycus merely read off the list. "Thirty crates of fabric and crafting supplies?"

"We are going to need flags and clothes you know." Tsurellis smiled. "Speaking of which shouldn't you be getting into your old uniform?"

"That was another life Tsurellis, I was a different person then, in it." A visible pang of worry and fear passed through Lycus as his former student watched in concern.

"You know I still reMember the stories you told me when I was a child with Nyla." Tsurellis smiled. "I just wish she hadn't gone down that path."

"Your sister made her choice, you did what you had too." Lycus said with out a hint of emotion, then in a comforting tone he added; "You did the right thing."

"I know, oh but that was so long ago." Tsurellis sighed.

"We never forgot those we care about." Lycus smiled.

The sound of metallic doors sliding open alerted the necromancer's to Nami and Tari's arrival. When Lycus peered up from his ledger he was in shock at the form fitting jumpsuit that Nami wore, his jaw was even hanging open.

"Told you he'd be speechless." Tsurellis smiled.

Both Nami and Lycus turned beet red at the realization.

"And they're a cute couple." Tari smiled, a glare from her teacher silenced her. "Sorry Lycus-Sensei."

"Come on, we're almost finished." Lycus said. "Get in the Zero with your sister, you'll be safest there."

"OK." Tari smiled as she and her sister walked off.

"We have to leave the other stuff behind." Lycus turned to Tsurellis. "Wraith reported a König Wolf with dual sniper rifles."

"I saw the wreckage the revenants brought in." Tsurellis said. "Poor Buster Eagle."

"He's taking the König here by the way." Lycus said.

"Fine by me." Tsurellis said, "Not my style anyway."

"All right then, go get in that snail." Lycus smiled. "I'll be in one of the Brigades."

"Speaking of, those Barrigator's are a bit big, aren't they?" Tsurellis noted.

"Special designs DM made before the incident." Lycus said, "Twenty percent size increase for a better cockpit and if need room for a passenger, albeit very little room."

"So to the north then?" Tsurellis smiled.

"To the north." Lycus agreed as Wraith appeared and handed him the sword Frank and Ash had retrieved. "Let's get out of here before they realize we're planning to leave."

[familyghost]

Chapter 6: Travels – Nightmare of a Necromancer

Lycus did not recognize the lands he now walked. Only minutes earlier he had been listening to Frank and Ash chatter over their communications like two little girls on a communicator. Now though he stood in a world once very familiar to him, now nothing more than a dangerous alien landscape. Towers of ivory and mirror sprouted from the ground as he ran. Each time he thought it was over another building would rip through the landscape and frighten him in another direction.

As he ran from the sprouting structures, the surreal feel of the lands became even more threatening as wild and greatly exaggerated zoids clawed their way to the surface from crypts deep in the ground. Soon the zoids had him cornered between several large buildings and he could do was think about how it all had to be a dream, but the realistic look of several zoids kept him in disbelief of his own mind's power.

The zoids began to close in, several voiced by pilots of his past. People he had killed, people returning for vengeance. They all came closer, seemingly marching and creeping as one massive skeletal hand reaching for a victim's throat. He closed his eyes waiting to die. Then the roar came.

A chilling roar of power and fury distracted the zoids and then all at once tore through them. Lycus' eyes flew open and before him stood the nightmare made reality. His past. His zoid. His-

"BOSS!" Ash shook his master awake gently.

"What?" Lycus sprang awake, the cockpit's dim light allowing him to see his skeletal companion and his reflection which showed him drenched in sweat.

"You were screaming like a banshee." Ash said, slightly worried about his master.

"It was nothing, just... bad memories." Lycus sighed. "Are we camping soon; I'm getting cramped."

"Another hours boss, right now we're still in the open and Wraith says it's best to have cover with this König after us." Ash said calmly. "I got some water for you though if you want it." Ash held up a glass bottle with a cork.

"Thank you Ash." Lycus sighed as he took the bottle and sipped from it as a child would test a new drink.
"No prob boss." Ash said. "So, uh, bad dream huh?"

"Yes." Lycus muttered.

"Zoids?" Ash asked.

"How did..." Lycus started.

"I don't know, you just always seem... apprehensive around them." Ash said.

Silence filled the cockpit as the two plodded behind the large Gustav. Within an hour the group found a nice large wooded area to camp near. The Barrigator Brigades were hidden and the Zero and König Wolf which Wraith had commandeered were nearby on an almost constant patrol while the Cannon Tortoise and Gustav rested just outside the woods. As the Liger Zero came in to rest for the night Lycus was busy finishing a small lesson with Tari.

"So much has happened in only two days..." Revenant commented as he boiled a nice soup to go with the deer that Ash had caught for the group.

"Time's funny that way." Ash snickered as best a skeleton could.

"Hey boss, want us to join Wraith on patrol?" Frank asked.

"No, he can handle it." Nami grumbled. "I have never met a more obstinate, arrogant, insufferable jerk!"

"Have you looked in a mirror." Lycus said with a joking smile.

"I'm not in the mood." Nami snapped. "He said I was slowing him down..."

"Maybe you should practice piloting the Zero then." Ash said.

"I pilot it whenever I'm not sleeping, hello running for our lives!" Nami snapped at the skeleton.

"Technically, you're not piloting it." Lycus said. "Liger Zero is special, you can't just tell it what to do. You have to respect it, treat it as if it were a part of your family, even an extension of yourself. It lives and thinks just as much as you." As if to punctuate Lycus' statement the Liger roared loudly as the sun set.

"Whatever." Nami groaned as she sat next to Tari. "So what'd you learn today; how to kill someone with a single word?"

"No." Tari was disappointed. "He's only teaching me basic magic until I'm sixteen."

"She needs to be able to master the basics and some advanced skills before she can hope to master even simple necromantic spells." Lycus smiled. "She also has a lot of work ahead of her."

"But summoning Shey was so easy." Tari moaned.

"Summoning one's first familiar is always easy as it never goes beyond the abstract." Tsurellis came out of the Gustav. "Tari should probably get inside..."

"Incoming?" Ash hopped to his feet,

"Command Wolves and a König." Tsurellis said. "You coming too Lycus?"

"Yes I am." Lycus gathered his materials together and headed into the Gustav without a single word after that.

"You guys should probably get ready." Tsurellis said.

"Right; guys lets get to it." Nami popped up, "How do these guys find us?"

"You're joking right?" Ash asked in a condescending tone. "You think we just blend in with giant metal animals walking the land? Any village would have non stop chatter if they so much as saw our shadows."

Nami just growled in frustration and stomped to the Liger Zero.

"I bet she has a mental brake down within the week." Frank blinked with a smile.

"Ha, you're too kind; I give her three days." Ash laughed as the two Barrigator pilots made their way to their zoids. "If not tonight."

Meanwhile across the plains the leader of an elite zoid corps, the pilot of the König Wolf, was marching his men foreword at a steady pace, unfortunately the mage Torin was slowing the group down.

"Mage Torin, I advise you to keep pace with the company." The leader snarled into his communications.

"Captain Morello I am more than capable of handling my own pace, thank you very much." Torin's smug face appeared on screen and then immediately recoiled. "By the Seven Scepters!"

"I told you not to open visuals with me you moron!" Morello shouted as he closed the link and recoiled his scared face into darkness. "Now keep pace you bloody mage!"

"Y-yes, right away." Torin fell into a steady pace with the Command Wolves and Morello let a cruel smile slip onto his lips. His distaste for mages made this mission more of a hassle than anything else, but orders were orders and his ruler was not the kind of man to tolerate a single soldier's complaints, even if the king also agreed.

"All right men, here's where we divide and conquer. Torin, keep that Liger Zero busy while my men reduce the rest to scrap." Morello commanded from the König Wolf as it leaped to a higher position. "When they scatter I'll bring them down."

Torin and the group acknowledged the order with a simple grunt. Torin quickly led the men and the Command Wolves into the clearing, on the opposite side of which was the Gustav and Liger Zero.

"This will be simple, and I'll pay that girl back for damaging my precious Breaker..." Torin grinned as he opened communications with the Command Wolves. "Break off and attack, now!"

Nami barely had time to react as the Command Wolves stormed down on her and the Gustav. She couldn't believe the number of the command wolves, she counted at least twenty coming from each side and the Geno Breaker charging in from the front.

"By the gods..." Nami panicked. "We're going to die!"

"HEY!" Ash was forcing several Command Wolves back with Frank's help. "Get these guys quick!"

"Where's that damn ghost when you need him?" Frank shouted as several Command Wolves slammed into his side. He managed to grab and twist the leg off of one.

Soon Nami and the group found themselves backed against the Gustav with little hope. The Command Wolves had herded them into a small area where they could not fight back.

"Should I hit the button now?" Tsurellis asked with a yawn from within the Gustav.

"Go right ahead." Lycus smiled as his apprentice simply looked on in confusion. "Mess with a Metal Empire Zoid, please we dare you." Lycus said to no one as Tsurellis pressed a large blue button. Soon the Gustav shook with a violent force and shed a small section of it's armor from which a large gattling gun poked out of.

"What is that?" One of the Command Wolf pilots asked before the large gun began to tear through the large group of zoids with little problem. Soon only a few remaining Command Wolves stood next to the shocked and awed Geno Breaker.

"That's NOT POSSIBLE!" Torin shouted from within his zoid.

"Kids these days..." Tsurellis smiled.

"Ain't they a trip?" Lycus joined in the smile.

"No!" Torin shouted as he brought forth his zoid's large blades. "I'll kill you!" He charged towards the Gustav, but tripped when Ash threw his Barrigator's tail in the way of the Geno Breaker's legs. Nami immediately followed up with a savage claw attack to the Breaker's side armor. "Morello get this psychotic female off of me!" Torin shouted into his communicator.

On a hill far from the battle, but not to far to be out of range, Morello sat with his König Wolf and aimed his sniper rifle carefully. He still couldn't fully believe that the Gustav had a hidden weapon inside it, and worse yet it had flattened most of his men in mere seconds. As he took his aim he became aware of a strange sensation, a sensation he rarely felt. He had become someone else's prey. Without a second thought he dropped his aim and quickly rolled to his right, which spared him an attack from a solid white König Wolf. He marveled at the purity of the zoid, completely bare of armaments and he could definitely respect an pilot capable of sneaking up on him, but he also had a mission to complete.

"Identify yourself." Morello commanded, a visual communication opened and for once Morello was shocked by what he saw. A pitch black cockpit with two glowing blue orbs greeted him. A sinister laugh followed as the obscured pilot spoke.

"You shouldn't have shot down my Eagle..." It hissed in anger.

"Nobody could survive the wreck I left that thing in." Morello thought as he heard the voice. "What are you?"

"What am I indeed..." The voice trailed as the video feed began to shake and fade, then finally it cut off completely.

Morello then watched in complete horror as pure black tendrils sprouted from the White König's shadow and began to pull the beautiful zoid into the ground. Soon more tendrils sprouted and forced the zoid to it's haunches and then it was completely absorbed in the pitch of the tendrils.

"What..." Morello could not even find the words to describe what he was seeing.

"I give you..." The video feed re-established and Morello let his eye very briefly wander to see the ghostly form the piloted the Wolf, then his eyes shot forward again as the blob of black broke and a warped and twisted form crawled forward. "...The König Beast."

The zoid that was once a pure König Wolf was now twisted. It's white armor was now a warped and hollow black, the pure red eyes now a vicious and sickly blue. The claws once merely dangerous were now glowing with a deadly white hue. What colors on the Wolf that weren't twisted to black were some shade of blue-green. Morello could also clearly see a new weapon mounted on the Wolf's back, but could not discern it's function.

"I think it is time for you to die..." It was the last thing Morello heard before the flash of the dangerous claws ripped his zoid's head from it's body.

Chapter 7: The Crypt – Fabled Warrior's Resting Place

Morello woke up hours later to an abandoned battlefield, Torin's Geno Breaker was gone with signs that it had escaped at the cost of high damage. Morello smiled for a moment before he pulled out a mask with his squadron's symbol over the forehead. He had always wanted to fight a true monster, now he had gotten his wish and for a moment he thought about retiring. Then he saw the wreckage of his König, ripped to pieces beyond the recognition of most pilots, but Morello could barely make out his squadron's mark.

Morello then silently made his way to the piles of Command Wolves and found most of his men wounded and resting against the massive heaps. Some of the men were plagued by odd marks or burns. Morello didn't need to be told what had happened, one of the Necromancers had unleashed an acid spell and devastated his men.

“No man can have such power...” One of his men mumbled.

“Necromancers are not men.” Morello said sternly through his mask. “Casualties?”

“Sir!” A private approached and saluted him. “We've lost the Sargent and most of the troop leaders and at least a half dozen other men.”

“Damn...” Morello cursed. Even he couldn't escape the outcome of two failures, especially one that had casualties. He looked off in the direction the large Zoid tracks were in and grunted. “Get everyone together, we'll have to march to the nearest town. Leave no body behind!”

At the edge of the plains an almost endless desert was sprawled out before Lycus and his small group of friends and followers. Lycus was one of three awake as the Zero and other Zoids were being towed along by the Gustav. He sat at the front of the transport zoid idly watching the scenery as old thoughts painfully rose to the front of his mind.

“The past is a painful thing for you master...” The towering form of Revenant joined Lycus at the front of the Gustav. “You should not think on it so much.”

“It's not that easy Revenant.” Lycus sighed.

“What was it like when zoids were all around?” Revenant asked.

Lycus just gave a small smile. “Wondrous and at the same time... lacking.”

“Lacking Master?” Revenant asked.

“It was a world where science ruled. Superstition, swords, and magick were all fantasy.” Lycus smiled. “At least until we found out how magick really worked.”

“Ah...” Revenant remained quite. “Sir, there's a small cement door in front of us.”

“We're here.” Lycus lightly applied the brakes tot he Gustav. “Get Ash and Frank, you three guard the area.”

“Yes sir.” Revenant nodded as he exited into the rear, Lycus soon followed.

“Everyone we're going in.” Lycus smiled.

A few minutes later the group was outside the small cement door. Most of the group looked at the small cement and metal rectangle with confusion. Nami was even poking it with a stick.

“Uh... Lycus, not to question your dead friend, but why did he build a small shack in the desert.” Tsurellis blinked in awe.

“It's an elevator, isn't it?” Tari jumped.

“Correct.” Lycus smiled as he pulled the sword from it's sheathe and plunged it into a small hole in the shack. Then he twisted the blade and the door slid open. “Everyone in.”

The group silently piled into the elevator where a single button was on the pad. Lycus pressed it and the elevator descended into the deep shaft. Soon a light tune began to play much to the confused look of everyone except Wraith and Lycus.

“AHAHAHAHA!” Wraith laughed at Lycus' look of embarrassment. “Elevator music! I like this guy already.”

“DM...” Lycus growled in silent as the elevator descended and hit the bottom.

When the doors opened the small group exited the elevator where everyone's jaw dropped; except for Wraith who had no jaw and Lycus who smiled smugly.

“H-h-ow... many... zoids are here?” Tsurellis gawked.

“Not a lot...” Lycus admitted. “These ones are just shells meant for decoration.”

“Why is that Gustav so small?” Tari pointed to a smaller Gustav shell.

“Because we're using the Great Gustav or the Gustav M.A.D.E. Model, a Metal Empire mobile base zoid.” Lycus smiled. “One of DM's favorite...”

As the group walked down the giant hallway Lycus pointed out and named various zoid shells. Then the group came upon a great door where a Liger Zero stood, it was inactive and wore a strange armor that had multiple blades and was colored in the black and blue of the Zero Squad.

“Whoa...” Nami looked in awe.

“Sanguri Schneider Armor.” Lycus smiled. “We can put that on the Zero a bit later.” Lycus smiled as he tapped the sword's sheath against the Zero's shell. The door behind it then lurched open.

“Why such a large door?” Wraith asked as he observed the great height.

As the group entered they could not help but look up in fear and awe as a great zoid held a small tube between it's jaws. Even Wraith's eyes were wide in surprise.

“There's a person in that tube and he's alive.” Wraith commented.

“What is that zoid?” Tsurellis gulped.

“Gojulas Giga!” Lycus shouted and the room lit up. The massive zoid's eyes lit as well and began to roar before it seemingly reMembered the tube. “Release the tube gently.”

Nami stared in fear as the zoid gently set the tube in a strange casing directly below it. Then she reMembered what Lycus had told her earlier. “Is that your zoid?”

“He was...” Lycus said as the zoid bent down almost like a dog would expect a pat on the head for doing good. Lycus simply walked past and the zoid let a low confused growl escape.

Lycus then walked to a control panel and pressed a few buttons. The tube then hissed to life as half of it slid open. Soon a long yawn came from it and a young man appearing as the same age as Lycus popped up. He wore a camouflaged jacket and black shirt, reflective sunglasses covered his eyes and his shaggy brown hair and silly smile made Tari laugh.

“Awww...” The young man moaned, “I was having a nice dream...” Then he noticed Lycus in the corner. “Hey man!”

“It's been a while.” Lycus nodded as the Gojulas Giga gently bumped it's massive snout against it's master. “Not now.” Lycus tone caused the massive giant to back away.

“Still the same as ever.” The young man groaned. “It's all right Giggles, he's just being stubborn.”

“Giggles?” Tari laughed. “I like it!”

“Hey Ly, you gonna introduce me?” The young man asked. As he jumped out of the tube in camouflaged boxers.

Lycus just smiled as everyone else gave some exaggerated reaction. “Everyone, this is DM...”

“Nice to meet you.” Tari walked up to DM as he struggled to put a pair of camo pants on. “I'm Tari, Lycus' student and that's my sister Nami, she pilots her ancestor's Liger Zero.” She then leaned in and whispered. “I think she likes Lycus too.”

“What was that?” Lycus and Nami shot dual deadly glares at the young mage in training.

“Yup, and he likes her as well.” DM whispered back.

“Will you two stop whispering?” Lycus snapped.

“Ok, so Nami and Tari.” DM smiled as he went to an odd machine and pressed a few buttons and a cup with coffee popped out of a small hole. “Whose the ghost and uh... the other guy?”

“You mean the fashion fruit here?” Wraith nodded towards Tsurellis.

“WHAT?” Tsurellis snapped. “I'll have you know the Detoug Kingdom sees this as the height of fashion!”

“Thats Tsurellis, Ovin's son.” Lycus smiled.

“Didn't he have a sister?” DM asked.

“Touchy area DM.” Lycus said.

“Got it, steer clear of sister talk with fruit boy.” DM smiled.

“HEY!” Tsurellis protested his new “nickname”.

“The ghost is Wraith.” Lycus said coldly.

“Love the elevator music.” Wraith smiled as he too got a cup of coffee from the machine.

DM looked in awe as the ghost downed the cup of coffee with ease. “Lycus?” DM noted the lack of coffee on the floor.

“Don't ask.” Lycus said. “You'll hurt your head.”

“Well let's get your zoids down here so we can outfit them.” DM smiled as he leaned against a wall. “I assume that's why you woke me up.”

“Why else.” Lycus said, then explained. “The field's been absorbed by the magick in the world. I don't know how long zoids have been active, but it took some time for it to reach me in the form of a mage in a Geno Breaker.”

“Whoa.” DM stood up straight for the first time. “You still got your stuff in the cellar, right?”

“I doubt anything survived the self destruct... if it went off.” Lycus growled. “But we managed to get the Barrigator Brigades and a Cannon Tortoise along with Nakiro's Zero... excuse me, Nami's Zero.”

“So...” DM walked over to Nami. “This is Nak's descendant huh?”

“Uh, hi...” Nami blushed. “It's nice to meet you.”

“She's a bit shy ain't she?” DM smiled.

“Shy?” Lycus raised an eyebrow. “I highly doubt that.”

“HEY YOU SHUT UP!” Nami shouted as she tried to lunge at Lycus, but DM simply grabbed her by the collar.

“Yup, she's related to Nak all right.” DM gave a flat smile. “You just have to piss off everyone you meet, don't you?”

“It's a gift.” Lycus smiled as he left the giant hall. The Gojulas Giga quickly followed.

“Damn him..” DM pushed his glasses up by the bridge of his nose.

“I couldn't agree more, what an ass.” Nami pouted.

“You don't get to talk about him like that.” DM frowned. “I have multiple reasons for being pissed at him.”

“My step father disowned us because of him.” Nami growled at DM.

DM just harrumphed, “Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to put the Schneider armor on your Zero.” Suddenly the entire underground was shaken. Several shells outside in the hall shook and fell.

“What the hell?” DM jumped to a small panel. “Who are these guys?”

“Let me!" Tsurellis pushed DM out of the way and looked at the screen that had appeared.

“Hey watch it fashion fruit!” DM snapped as he stood back up.

“Detoug! They have zoids?” Tsurellis blinked.

“Not just any zoids...” DM felt sick. “AI driven Blade Ligers.”

“Not to worry I'll take care of them.” Nami bolted out of the room.

“Wait no!” DM shouted, but Nami was gone.

“Let her go, she's a natural.” Tsurellis said confidently.

“Not even Nakiro could beat these things you lunatic!” DM shouted as he ran and grabbed his sword the Lycus had left lying on the ground. “I gotta get to K2.”

“To what?” Tsurellis asked as DM ran past him.

“My zoid!” DM shouted.

[Xehn]

LAWL. Zombie named Frank. That WINS. *rofl* I drew a zombie years ago that I named Frank.


Points for original idea! Yay!

[familyghost]

blitztactics said:

LAWL. Zombie named Frank. That WINS. *rofl* I drew a zombie years ago that I named Frank.


Points for original idea! Yay!

Actually Frank is named in parody of the Dead Rising Protagonist. Ash is named for... well if you don't know Bruce Campbell and the humor is lost on you.

[familyghost]

Chapter 8: Madness of the Gojulas Pilot

“Nami wait!” Lycus shouted as Nami ran past him and into the elevator. “You need the Schneider armor first!”

“Later!” Nami shouted. “I'm gonna take out these other Ligers really quick, by the way what's an AI?” Lycus' face paled as the doors closed.

DM soon came running down the hall and plunged his sword into the wall next to the elevator. “Tell me you guys didn't move K2.”

“No, we didn't.” Lycus was obviously concerned. “He's still there.”

“We might need you and the big guy.” DM said as another door slid open.

“You know that's not going to happen.” Lycus looked up at the large zoid that stood by him. “Hurry up or she'll be slaughtered.”

“Right.” DM nodded as he ran down a long narrow hall way to the center of a room that could hold twelve Gojulas Gigas with room to spare. “Initialize K2 Combat System!”

“System Initialized.” An electronic voice rang as a small golden box in the center of the room began to glow.

“Fürher Mode!” DM shouted, but nothing happend

“Uh, we have a problem.” The Zoid said.

“What now K2?” DM asked as he stepped on a platform that raised itself high.

“Your stupid weapon wiped 90% of my memory.” K2 snapped, “Honestly how do you expect an AI system to function when you wipe it's freaking memory?”

“Fine, Geno-Mode then.” DM said.

“Most of the weapons are damaged.” K2 said.

“Just open the elevator doors and lets tear up those Blade Ligers ok?” DM snapped.

“Nakiro in trouble again?” K2 asked as he opened the doors and scanned the battle field. “Jeez! Where's the armor?”

“That's Nak's descendant, we've both been out for quite some time buddy.” DM said. “Let's give her a hand shall we?”

“Charging main guns...” K2 said with a slight tone of mischief, but a sharp beep cut the tone desperate. “Or I would be if they weren't damaged!”

“Great...” DM groaned. “We'll have to melee, repair the CPC in the meantime..”

“Melee with Blade Ligers?” K2 asked. “We're gonna die.”

“Don't worry, just wipe them out!” DM shouted as Geno Saurer crested over the edge of the elevator and DM caught his first look of the battle; Nami was faring terribly as the Blade Ligers bashed the Zero around like dogs playing with a ball. The smaller zoids had centered around a large Gustav M.A.D.E and were barely keeping themselves from being torn to shreds.

“Jeez!” K2 said in shock. “Brigades? I thought you never got around to making them.”

“We made a small force, looks like only two are left...” DM said as he targeted several of the ligers and fired, only then did he notice his weapons were now completely depleted. “Only seven total, shouldn't be too bad.” The remaining Blade Ligers then lowered their energy blades and charged the deadly weapons. “Oh yeah, forgot about those, maybe we should all re...” DM heard the sound of the elevator closing and descending. “Uh... K2...”

“IT'S NOT ME!” The AI insisted.

“Lycus?” DM opened a channel. “What's going on?”

“I don't know!” Lycus responded. “I'm trying to get the elevator back up and running but...”

“It's broken?” DM shouted, “How does it just break?”

“It's not broken, some idiot programmed a time lock onto it...” Lycus growled. “I can't open it for another... three minutes.”

“Oh geez...” DM looked at the slowly approaching Blade Ligers. “We'll be kibble by then Ly...”

“Keep the defensive up, I'm going to activate the base defenses!” Lycus said as he bolted from the main room down a small corridor that broke off from it.

“Oh great...” DM groaned as he dodged a flurry of in coming blades. “These things are going to rip me apart.”

“You're forgetting something...” K2 said. “I AM THE ZOID!”

“Well then we're going to be ripped apart.” DM snapped.

Suddenly one of the blade ligers went flying into the distance and landed with a giant hole in the middle. DM looked to see the Cannon Tortoise's cannon smoking. Then a white blur came streaking in and smashed one of the ligers across the face, it stumbled and recovered. DM smiled as he realized he had at least some back up in the battle.

“Listen Nami, don't let those yellow blades catch you or you'll be in some serious trouble.” DM advised.

“Yeah I know, they cut a huge hole in the Gustav.” Nami snarled.

“Let's get it on.” DM said as K2 roared in defiance of their enemies.

Meanwhile Lycus had come to a surprising discovery. The corridor he had followed was now crushed in and collapsed. The room he needed to be in to activate the bases auxiliary defense systems was inaccessible. He took a good moment to catch his breath and look in despair at the cause of his friend's possible defeat. He then quickly ran back to the main room in a desperate attempt to hack the systems and return the main defense systems.

“How the hell did they even get taken off line?” Lycus thought to himself.

Back on the battle field DM was busy forcing the jaws of the last liger that had challenged him open to a breaking point. It took a few moments but it eventually snapped under the great pressure. The other two ligers were also broken in similar manners, with other limbs ripped from their bodies.

DM then looked to see Nami was baiting several of the ligers into chasing her while the Cannon Tortoise would fire and strike them along their broadside. DM recognized the tactic and was not surprised when she brought the ligers into a sharp turn and the tortoise struck a direct hit and removed the head of one of the ligers. The second one then turned its attention to the tortoise and fired on the small zoid. Nami took that moment to rip the twin blades from it's back.

“Not bad...” DM admitted. “Good job Nami, but watch out fo...” DM was cut off as a brilliant light encased the Blade Liger and sent Nami and her Zero flying backwards. “... the shield.”

“Charged Particle Cannon is repaired!” K2 announced.

“Finally...” DM smiled. “Man, we need to get you repaired pronto K2!” The Geno Saurer clamped itself into the ground and straightened itself as stiff as a board. It's tail then sprang open at several areas and it began to hum as it charged.

“I know that sound...” Nami looked up from inside her Liger Zero and saw DM's Geno Saurer fire it's beam weapon at the remaining Blade Liger. When the beam died down all that remained were the paws of the Blade liger.

“Huzzah!” DM shouted with joy, but was suddenly jerked to the side by a massive claw. “What the hell?”

“It's Torin!” Nami opened a communications window with DM. “He's dangerous and psychotic.”

“Where is that blasted Necromancer?” Torin roared from within his zoid. The left side of the Geno Breaker was scarred by large amounts of acid damage. “I won't forgive him, not after this!” Torin tossed the smaller zoid with such force that DM had the wind knocked from him.

“Lycus!” Nami opened a channel to the small base. “Help us!”

“Yes Necromancer, help them!” Torin roared as he picked up and tossed the Liger Zero into the Gustav. “Help them Necromancer!”

In the base's main room Tari, Tsurellis and Lycus watched in horror as the zoids were tossed around with their friends inside. Lycus slammed his fists in anger.

“No...” He groaned.

“Lycus-Sensei... My sister... DM-San... the others...” Tari was crying in fear for the first time since Lycus had met her.

“I can't...” Lycus said forcefully. “Not again, I can't risk it...” A roar came from the elevator room and soon Wraith appeared. “Go help them!” Lycus jumped as he noticed the ghost.

“I can't.” Wraith said. “My König was heavily damaged by your acid spell, reMember?”

Lycus cursed as he reMembered the night prior when Wraith cam charging in just as he released a torrential acid spell on their enemies. In the end it defeated the command wolves and seriously damaged the König.

“I'm still forcing the core to make it's own repairs and that takes time and strength.” Wraith snapped.

“I... I can't go out there.” Lycus sopped as he watched the Breaker stomp on the Cannon Tortoise.

“Your past?” Wraith growled. “You think you've had a bad past; think about it necromancer, you messed up ONCE and quit. You never even thought about getting back in the Giga did you?” Wraith tossed Lycus to the side. “I bet if I hadn't decided it would be fun to work with you, you would have given up Necromancy along time ago.”

“Silence!” Lycus shouted. “You don't know a thing about me!”

“I don't huh?” Wraith's eyes glowed. “You're nothing but a quitter, a whining brat who stops trying when he doesn't get his way. Face it, you loose control of the Giga once and you don't pilot it. Your student betrays you and it takes centuries to even think about taking another one and then you come here and I bet you were just gonna turn around after waking your friend up too.”

“Shut up!” Lycus shouted. “Firende untio.” Lycus shouted. He was surprised when Wraith simply stayed in place.

“You don't command me.” Wraith said. “Only the strong can command me, only those who never quite trying to command me can command me.” Wraith narrowed his eyes. “You disgust me.”

Lycus fell to the floor in shock. The absence of control shattered his ego and mind. Thoughts of his past came flooding back. Images of friends crushed in the jaws of an enemy Gojulas Giga. The traitor he crushed under foot in rage and so many bottled up angers once again came rushing back, and with them the long forgotten sorrows as well.

“Weak.” Wraith scoffed an turned to Tsurellis. “You, there's a large Dibison at the elevator room. Get in it and keep him busy until I can repair my Wolf.”

“Are you sure, I can't pilot anything but the Gustav...” Tsurellis gulped.

“Do it.” Wraith snarled.

“Hey!” Tari snapped. “You need to apologize to Lycus right now!”

“What?” Wraith sniffed in amusement, “Why?”

“Because if he's afraid of something then he has to have a good reason!” Tari shouted “And loosing control is a good reason, especially if he's in something as big as Mr. Giggles!”

Wraith laughed. “The Giga is made for destruction kid, he's supposed to loose control.”

“No he isn't!” Tari shouted. “Last night Lycus-Sensei said that a Zoid and it's pilot have to be perfectly centered or they won't work well.”

“What do you know you little witch.” Wraith grabbed Tari by the collar and raised her up. “I'm in charge now...”

“Firende untio.” The words were soft and deliberate, but they did as they were supposed to and Wraith crumpled to the ground in agony. He looked up to see a seething and quite mad Lycus.

“Do not ever touch my student again.” Lycus' voice rang with a rage he had not felt in years. It burned and consumed everything in his soul and the need to destroy would not be quenched. His eyes were pinpoints of rage and they became specks as he watched the feed of the breaker ripping the armor off of the Gustav. The Gojulas Giga's roar once again echoed in the halls and Lycus turned to face it.

“Once again...” His voice echoed with anger and his look soon reflected it as he spoke simple words. His robes stretched and rolled into different folds and soon he wore a black shirt and pants. His boots fit snugly under his pants and their buckles fastened themselves tighter. “My old friend.”

“Lycus...” Tsurellis looked in awe at his old master, but Lycus ignored him. “Lycus...” He called again.

“I don't think Lycus-Sensei can hear us.” Tari sniffled.

“Oh by the gods not this again...” Tsurellis whimpered as he recognized the look in Lycus' eyes.

Above the base Torin was tearing into the Gustav like a mad man. He was convinced that Lycus was hiding inside it. But when he could not get the necromancer to come out he began to turn his rage once more to Lycus' friends.

“Where is he?” Torin shouted. “Give him a zoid and get him to me!” He stepped on the Geno Saurer's head.

“This guy is pissing me off.” DM groaned. “K2, can't you recover your Breaker data?”

“I was lucky to recover the CPC function data.” K2 snapped. “Now let me concentrate on keeping us alive!”

“Give it up already!” Nami shouted. “He won't pilot a zoid just to fight you!”

“What was that you little witch?” Torin snapped.

“He doesn't need one to beat you.” Nami blew a raspberry over the communications window.

“Why you little...” The ground shook lightly.

“K2, please tell me it's not shaking this much because of an excess of weight.” DM gulped.

“Ok, I won't tell you.” K2 gave an electronic shudder. “I also won't tell you that he's completely unarmed.”

“This cannot end in any positive manner.” DM groaned.

“What won't?” Nami asked.

“He pissed Ly off.” DM said despondently. “It's pretty much a death sentence, magick or not.”

Soon the head of the Gojulas Giga crested the rise of elevator. Soon it towered over the immediate area and the Geno Breaker. It moved slowly off of the elevator which quickly lowered and closed.

“So...” Torin smiled. “He has a big zoid.”

“Buddy...” DM opened a channel to Torin. “I don't know what you're thinking, but trust me when I say 'Turn and run', or else you'll be Giga chow.”

“Shut up fool!” Torin snapped and closed the channel. The he locked his breaker into place and the Charged Particle Cannon began to warm up. The Gojulas Giga did not even move.

“He's going to be killed!” Nami shrieked.

“Who, Lycus?” DM laughed. “Not a chance in hell.”

“But that weapon...” Nami panted in worry.

“Will not get past his shield.” DM assured her. “Then he dies.”

Suddenly the cannon fired and Torin laughed like a freed maniac. He laughed until the dust his weapon kicked up settled and the Gojulas Giga stood with it's shield shimmering in the mid day sun.

“Thats not possible!” Torin gasped.

The shield of the Giga dropped and the massive zoid slanted to a more horizontal position. Then a channel opened, and though Nami knew it was Lycus in the feed she could have sworn she was staring at a demon.

“Torin...” Lycus' soft voice barely carried over the feed. “You've made my Giga and me very angry.” The Giga growled as Lycus spoke. “You've hurt our friends and destroyed my home for the second time.” The channel then closed as the Giga slightly reared and let out a massive roar that flung the remains of a blade liger against the destroyed Gustav.

“This...” Torin panicked and began to run away, but the large Giga quickly out paced it and lowered it's cockpit head down to it's prey's eye level. “This isn't a zoid, it's a demon!” The Giga roared as it turned it's head and ripped the side claw off of the Geno Breaker with a simple tug.

“Demon...” Lycus' voice came over a channel. “This is no demon, this is our power and you have incurred it's wrath!” The Giga toppled the smaller zoid with ease and quickly tore into it's body until it pulled out a gleaming rectangular cockpit. “The pressure's on Torin, think you can take it...” He was about to command the Giga to crush the cockpit, but Nami screamed.

“STOP IT!” She opened a channel and Lycus could see the fear on her face. “Don't kill him Lycus, please. I know he destroyed your home and he is a bad guy, but killing him won't fix those things. Nothing can, just let him run away so we can make repairs and get out of here. Please.”

Lycus closed the channel and was about to ignore her when he felt a strange stirring. “You think she's right don't you?” He asked his large zoid. “She probably is, but it's so tempting...” Lycus could feel his rage building and subsiding all at once, and then his anger panned out. “And it would only create more problems. Drop the cockpit.”

The Giga obeyed and after a long pause for DM and Nami it dropped the cockpit. DM sighed in relief as did Nami. Then a channel opened up.

“I'll carry everyone in one at a time. We can make basic repairs here.” Lycus said softly. Nami was relieved to see the insane look on his face had vanished and he was seemingly back to his somber self. “After that...”

“After that you'll get your butt back in that pilot's seat and get us into Gorgon Repair station, if it still exists.” DM shouted.

“We'll see.” Lycus said.

In the main room Tsurellis watched as Wraith's green form rose once again.

“Shouldn't you be down for the count.” Tsurellis asked in awe.

“No why would you think that?” Wraith chuckled, “Oh well at least he's not cowering behind his failures any more. Can't believe I had to wait so long to tell him how much of a pansy he's been.”

“Just how old are you again?” Tsurellis asked.

“Old enough.” Wraith said with a smile. “Now my König needs me, so if you'll excuse me.” With that Wraith vanished.

“Was he trying to help Lycus-Sensei?” Tari asked.

“I wish I knew kiddo.” Tsurellis blinked as he heard the elevator descend. “Come on kid, we got maybe a day to learn how to repair a zoid.”

“Yay!” Tari yelled in amusement.

[Xehn]

familyghost said:

blitztactics said:

LAWL. Zombie named Frank. That WINS. *rofl* I drew a zombie years ago that I named Frank.


Points for original idea! Yay!

Actually Frank is named in parody of the Dead Rising Protagonist. Ash is named for... well if you don't know Bruce Campbell and the humor is lost on you.

Hm, never played Dead Rising. I'll get it once I get a 360, though...

But I did get the Ash reference. xD