CHAPTER FIFTEEN ZERO POV

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Fifteen (UNEDITED)

Zero POV

     The others were still asleep inside the car as Blake and I leaned against it. The cigarette felt nice as it burned my lungs. I looked up at the sky watching as the sun tried to peek pass the horizon. I could see the temple we were going to less than a mile away. We would go inside and get the book then leave. I frowned when I thought about what we were here for.

    “My day of rest is coming.” I spoke not looking at Blake when I did so.

    “We should make it somewhere for you to have a bed then. It will be hard on your back if you take your day in the dirt.” I inhale more smoke before passing it to Blake so he could take a drag. My eyes were on the temple on what was inside of it.I wondered what  The Order of Chaos was going to do with the book once Rhett had it.

   “Once we get this book I’m leaving.” I said and Blake looked over at me as if he didn’t understand my words. “I’m not going back to the Order. I can’t take my day of rest there. I don’t trust them. I don’t like what they are planning. I want no parts of it.”

   “What about Soji?” Blake said and I looked back into the car to see Soji sleeping soundlessly inside. I shook my head. I might have trusted Soji but he was a part of the Order. He would go where his father told him to go. He would do what his father tells him to do. I can’t live that way. I won’t be a puppet on Rhett’s stings.

   “Soji will be fine. We will leave when the others are asleep. Otherwise he will follow.” I said and Blake grabbed my chin pulling my face to his.

   “Can’t say I’m too broken up about you ditching the pretty boy. Soji gone just means there is one less person to get in my way. Don’t for a second think I’ve given up on you Zero. You still owe me from two hundred years ago.” Frowning I pulled away from him. Blake only smiled as he turned away looking to the temple we would be going inside soon. “There’s something bad in there.” Blake said and I turned to look at the temple as well.

    “I feel it too.” I said and Blake shook his head as if shaking off the feeling. “Have my back Blake.” I said and he rolled his eyes.

     “I’ve had your back since first grade Zero. There no way I’m going to let you down Natsu.” I closed my eyes against his words. Even now it still felt wrong when someone called me by that name. I hadn’t been Natsu in so long. Even when I was still human I wondered how much of Natsu I held inside of me.

     “Do you ever feel like the world have something greater in store for you. Like everyone is pushing you towards something frightening and unknown. That the more you fight against it the closer you are to that goal.” I wrapped my hand around Ban’s ring. I could feel it warming the palm of my hand. Since Soji touched it the ring had been giving off small waves of power. It was as if the energy locked inside of it had been awaken. “I feel like everyone knows what I was born for but me. Like I’m just some pawn in someone else game. I feel weak and used.”

    “I told you when we were kids you were special Zero.” Blake said causing me to roll my eyes at him.

    “You called me special ed.” I said and he burst into laughter.

    “Counts,” he said as I punched him in the arm. The doors to the car opened as the others got out of it. They looked at us then towards the temple. “It’s all on foot now.” Blake told them and Rai looked over at him then at me.

    “We are losing daylight.” Soji said reaching in his pocket and getting his cross out. “They worship Aella Goddess of War in here. There will be traps so everyone should be ready. Also there will be a guardian to protect the book. I think Zero and my magick will be enough to take care of it. If we are wise and our faith is strong she will allow us safe passage.”

    “We should all pray to Aella.” Able said bowing his head as he took Soji’s hand in his. I growled slightly at how close he was to Soji but backed away when they started to pray. Fang joined Blake and me outside of their little prayer ring. He made it clear that much like myself he didn’t believe in the Gods. The ring at my throat started to burn and I wrapped my hand around it as if shielding it from the words that Soji were speaking.

    “We’re losing daylight.” Blake said in a mocked tone as he tried to sound like Soji. With his words they ended their prayer so we could make our way up the hill to the temple. I don’t think any demon liked to go into a would be holy place. This place though uneased me.

    “Smell that?” I asked Blake as we got closer. I could smell blood and magick in the air. It was black magick like mine. Only it wasn’t as dark, not the magick of a demon but of a human that learned the dark arts. My eyes scanned the area but I couldn’t see anything. Not a person, a body, not even a drop of blood stained the ground.

    “The Goddess of War huh.” I said when we made it to the doors. The statue of a woman was outside and my eyes widened at the sight of her. It was Aella the Goddess of War, I knew that. I also knew that I had seen this woman before. In person, in the flesh. My eyes went from the statue to Soji. The woman was his mother. What did that mean. If Soji’s mother was a God then he was a demi God. Soji was a God, no wonder he remains pure. Not even a demon can taint a God. I frowned when I remember the time I asked him about his mother. He told me he knew nothing about her. He didn’t know that Aella was his mom. That must mean he doesn’t know hes half God.

   “What’s wrong?” Blake asked as the other were going inside but I was standing there looking up at the statue of Aella. Shaking my head I took a moment so my mind could wrap around what I just figured out. “Come on Zero.”

    It was dark inside but as we took a step forward a candle lit. After that more lit themselves and soon the whole room was lit. There wasn’t much of a room more like a long hallway with a door at the end. I took a step forward and heard an odd sound at the end of the hall. As I went to take another step a dart shot me in the shoulder.

    “AHHHH!” I cried out and grab my shoulder. Blood ran onto my hand as I touched it. I growled as I yanked the dart from my arm.

      “Traps,” Blake said and touched the wallsfeeling around for a while to de-activate the traps. “No way to turn them off.” I frowned as I peered down the hall wondering what we were going to do. I could hear the soft growls of something farther down. There was no doubt in my mind that whatever was down there was the guardian that was protecting this place.

         “How are we going to make it across?” Rai asked and I tapped my chin. “Well why not go demon and fly us across.” She said and I rolled my eyes. Going demon to carry them to the other side wasn't my idea of a good time. However if every step we took was going to send darts at us flying might be the only way over.

     “Okay,” I said turning around as I shifted into my demon form. “I have wings, Blake has wings, Fang you can use your magick to turn into something with wings. Able get your little boy toy out so that he can carry you. I will carry Soji, Blake you get Akabane, and Fang you have Ayase.” I frowned when Rai and the woman was left. Blake can you carry two?” I asked and he rolled his eyes.

      “If I have to I suppose.” He said shifting into his demon form as Fang and Able listened to my directions as well.

     “I will take Rai as well then on my mark we go.” I told them and they nodded their heads at me. Taking in a deep breath I knew that we needed to be ready for this. “Ready…set…go!” I yelled and we took off down the hall darts, arrows, and fire came flying at us. I folded my wings give me move spread and only snapped them open when I had to dodge an oncoming threat. It was harder to fly with the added weight but I could handle the two of them. Everyone else seem to handle their weight also flying quickly so we could make it to the other end.

           Once we made it halfway across the floor began to fall away under us the door started to open. I know your not suppose to look down but I did. What was down there was totally darkness. It looked as if you fell you’d fall forever. The endless darkness seem to pull me in as if it was calling to me. Speaking to my very soul. I pulled away from it looking back up I saw a dart coming to me. I moved back but wasn’t fast enough and it went in my wing and stuck there. I went falling down; my one good wing was doing nothing.

     “Zero!” I heard a voice call as Soji and Rai started to slip from my hand. The spot the dart hit made it painful and awkward to fly. “ZERO!” Rai yelled as she and Soji fell away from me.

     “SOJI!” Able yelled, and I reached for the dart in my wing yanking it from its place. I folded my wings behind me as I shot like a bullet down into the darkness. I could hear Rai screaming but I couldn't hear Soji. I couldn't see him. Soji, his name whispered in my mind. I had to save him, I had to save Soji. Shaking my head I bit my lip at how selfish I was being. I needed to save Rai as well. No more members of Shu family was going to die because of me.

   “RAI!” I yelled forcing my body deeper into the darkness, making myself fall faster. My sight was better than a humans but even I couldn't seem to break through the darkness. I heard Rai scream again and it was closer to me this time. Reaching my hand out I could feel her and I grabbed her hand pulling her to me. “SOJI!” I yelled but only silence meant me. “Soji,” my voice came out weak and hollow.

    “Go up, please Zero. Take us up.” Rai said as I continued to allow us to fall. I couldn't go back up. I had yet to find Soji. I needed to get him. I couldn't do anything without him. I couldn't just leave him to fall in this darkness.

   “SOJI!” I yelled again choking on the fear and panic that was rising inside of me. Where was he? Where was Soji? “SOJI!”

    “Zero please, please go back up.” Rai begged me but I didn’t listen to her. My eyes scanned the darkness until I saw a light. I pushed myself in that direction so that I could make it to the light. I knew that it had to be him. He was the only thing that would shine in this darkness. I went down farther for him.

    “A little closer.” I said reaching out for him. “Grab my hand Soji.” I told him and when he touched me his light send a ripple of pain through my body. My mind went blank as I returned to my human form. Rai fell away from me as I dropped like a weight. My body was so heavy, my mind so foggy.

   ‘Get up, get up, get up, GET UP!” Something yelled into my mind and my eyes snapped opened again I could see the ring glowing at my neck so I reached up and pulled the chain from my throat. Tossing the chain away I slipped the ring onto my finger. My body went numb for a moment then a burst of energy shot through my very core. My demon form the one with the words moving along my flesh came as I saw Soji again. Reaching him I grabbed him pulling him into my arms as I shot out of the darkness.

   Sitting Soji down on the landing where the others were I felt a knot twist in my stomach. Rai, I dropped her, I let her fall. I went to leap back into the darkness but Blake grabbed my arm. I looked at him as he shook his head stopping me from going any farther.

    “She gone,” Blake said and I shook my head going back to my human form. It was impossible. Rai couldn’t be gone, she couldn’t be lost to me. She was all I had left. She was the only thing of Shu and Kar I had with me. I couldn’t have failed them. I couldn’t have allowed Shu’s daughter to fall. “She’s gone Zero.” Blake said again when I tried to leap once more. Pulling me away from the edge he sat down beside me. “I’m sorry old friend.” He said and Soji walked over to the edge.

   “Its my fault,” Soji said tears freely falling from his eyes. “I’m so sorry Zero.” He said and I stood up and held him pulling him into my arms. I swallowed the lump in my throat. Shaking my head I knew that now wasn’t the time to mourn Rai. We had something to do, we were here for a reason.

    “Let’s move forward.” I told them and they nodded turning to the door that was behind us. Walking into the room I could see anything. There was an altar but there wasn't a book on it. Everyone spread out as we started to search the room for the dumb book we came here for. I felt something breathing on the back of my neck. I slowly turned around to see a lizard man standing five feet over my head. The guardian of this temple decided to show itself at last. I backed up and that’s when it made its move. Swing its long arm and the claws cut me across the gut. I fell back and the other drew their weapons. Calling a blade of darkness to me I set my eyes on this fend. It wasn't a demon but it wasn't anything I ever saw before either. Maybe something made by the Gods.

       “Remember you have to remove the head.” Able said and I charged. Since Able knew about Gods I trusted his words this time. I moved out the way as the beast swung again and stabbed it in the leg. Soji with his blade of light was on the other side and was cut up the other leg. We had to bring him down so we could read his head. Blake then took out his wings and with his double bladed sword went to the thing face. Good idea I thought instead of wasting my time at it's feet I wanted to go for the kill.

     I stabbed my sword in it again and begin climbing up it’s back. The beast cried out in pain as I made my way slowly up the back of the beast. Ayase was shooting at it as was the guns weren’t doing much. The beast then begins to go crazy roaring and moving around wildly. In a fit of rage it slapped Blake out the sky and kicked Soji across the room. He moved as if to step of Able, Fang, and Ayase and made the move and take cover. Then it slammed it’s back against the wall knocking the breath out of me but I wasn’t giving up.

    My wings snapped out of my back the only part of my demon forming showing as I flew in front of it’s face. It stabbed at me me catching me in the shoulder with one of it craws. Letting out a hiss of pain was the one sign of being hurt I showed. Wounding me just gave me more reason to kill it. I gather up as much energy as I could and released it in it’s face.

     Nothing seem to happen at first. My dark energy passing through is as he stood there looking at me with blank eyes. Then all at once the whole head blew off. It's green blood spilled out by the gallon it seems. I frowned in disgust of the blood spilled all over me. Getting into my mouth and the wound it burned like acid. Dropping back down to the ground next to the others. They all rushed over to me then backed away.

    “You stink,” Blake yelled grabbing his nose as he waved a hand in front of his face. Standing up again I held onto my shoulder ignoring the pain when I heard someone clapping. Our eyes went back to the altar where we saw a boy sitting on top of it. The book we had come here for in his hands as he clapped for us.

   “Good show,” he said smiling. I knew he was a demon. I could smell the demon blood that flowed in his veins. I grind my teeth as we got ready for whatever was to come next.

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