Chapter 6: Revelation
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Restuz stood over the bodies lying on the beach, a cold and cruel smile spreading slowly across his face. "They fell so easily," he gloated, reveling in his victory. It had been such a simple plan that he could hardly believe they fell for it. His mind played through the last battle, and he sighed fondly with the memories....
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"Stop right there, villain!" Centuris's voice rang out in the still night, pausing him in his tracks. "It's time for you to pay for your crimes!"
Restuz turned around with a melodramatic flair of his cloak. "I presume you're talking to me, child?" he replied, raising an eyebrow under his cowl.
"Of course I am! Who else around here has been killing people just for fun?"
"I assure you, it was more in the line of duty," he retorted. "But then, I do believe a person should enjoy his job, don't you?"
"Which is why I'm going to enjoy this," she replied, summoning her staff. "And then, you're going to tell me where you've taken Melody and Tegan!"
He simply smiled at her as he gathered in his energy. "Silly child, do you think you can threaten me?" He launched a globe of light at her, waiting for her to strike. When she swung her staff to block it, he released his second spell. The globe shattered into many tentacles, wrapping her arms and legs and holding her immobile. He watched her struggle futilely for a few moments before walking over to her. "So you want to know what I've done with your cohorts, do you?" he purred, gently setting a finger under her chin and raising her head so their eyes met. "I suppose there's no harm in showing you, now is there?" He snapped his fingers, summoning a much larger globe of light. "There, you see? I've taken very good care of them."
Centuris gasped as she looked into the globe. Melody and Tegan hung suspended inside the globe, both unconscious and trapped by the same tentacles that trapped her. "What have you done to them?" she whispered, shock masking her fear for a moment.
"Why, nothing," he replied, turning to admire his work. "Yet, that is. I have plans for all three of you. But I wanted the matched set before I did anything."
A sudden crack of lightening across the sky caused both to turn and gaze at the top of the hill. Standing with sword in hand was Jacen, anger making his eyes burn with fury. "I don't think you'll be doing anything with my sister!" he said coldly, raising his sword. Another crack of lightening appeared, radiating around the sword.
Restuz laughed, genuinely amused by this turn of events. "Why, what do we have here? A young man playing with swords?"
"I assure you, I don't play," Jacen replied. He swept his sword down, sending several smaller lightening bolts shooting towards Restuz, who simply raised his hand to capture them.
"Thank you," Restuz said politely. "I can put this to good use." He added his own energy to the lightening, turning it red; Jacen watched with horror as with a simple flick of his wrist, he sent them straight into Centuris. She screamed as the energy pulsed through her, racking her entire body with pain. Jacen fell to his knees as the echo of her pain shook through him; nearly passing out as she did. With her unconscious, he was able to push the pain aside and struggle to his feet, shaking with anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? Didn't you know what would happen when you do that?" he demanded.
"Well, of course I did, silly boy," Restuz replied with a grin. "That was for all the trouble you put me through to get here."
"All the trouble I put you through?? You were supposed to break the link first, idiot!"
Restuz simply smiled again. "As you well know, one of you must be unconscious first. I simply did so."
"Yeah, well, next time be more careful!" Jacen lowered his sword and started walking towards Restuz. "That gave me a monster headache."
"Then I'll have to do something about that later," Restuz said, raising one hand and softly trailing his fingertip down Jacen's cheek. "However, in the meantime, we have a job to finish."
Jacen smirked at that, and turned back to where his sister was still entrapped by the tentacles. "Yeah, it's finally time. Time to be on my own."
"Not completely on your own," a soft voice breathed into his ear. He turned his head to gaze over his shoulder at Restuz, who had thrown back his hood. The setting sun glinted off the reddish highlights in his hair, outlining him infiery light. He smiled briefly. "I meant alone in my head," he replied with a wink. He turned back to his sister and placed his free hand over her face; closing his eyes, he concentrated inward, searching for their mental link. All the resentment and anger he had always felt but carefullyconcealed bubbled to the surface, giving him focus and energy. He traced back their mental link to the source and, with grim satisfaction, neatly severed the link.
Centuris jerked back from his hand, a scream ripping out of her throat. She raised her head and stared at Jacen in shock. "w...Why?" she rasped out, tears falling from her eyes.
"Because I'm sick and tired of being in your shadow!" Jacen replied, narrowing his eyes. "All our lives, I've been behind you, waiting on you, being taken care of by you. It's time for me to be my own person!" He raised his sword, setting the tip against her throat. "And now, I'll finally get what I have always wanted!"
"Just a moment," Restuz interrupted. "I have a better idea."
Jacen lowered his sword with a frown and turned. "I really wanted to do this with my own hands."
"Oh, I have no intention of stopping you," he replied. "But why waste energy on one when you can get three for the same effort?"
"Oh?" Jacen raised an eyebrow. "And just what did you have in mind?"
Restuz simply smiled. "Watch and learn, dear boy." He raised his hand and made a beckoning gesture; the globe holding Melody and Tegan cameforward and settled in front of Centuris. With a flick of his wrist, more tentacles sprung out from the globe, ensnaring Centuris and pulling her inside. Her expression of shock changed to one of terror as the three senshi were bound together; the tentacles seemed to come alive and pulsed in time with her heartbeat.
Jacen walked slowly around the globe, trailing his fingers along the outside. He watched, fascinated, as trails of energy sparked along the outside here his fingers had been. "It's pretty," he said, "but death bytentacle is not what I had in mind."
"Then hold out your sword," came the response. Jacen frowned slightly, but raised his sword level in front of him. Restuz lightlylaid his hand on the blade, whispering words of power. Reddish energy traces writhed along his fingers, weaving into the light of the sword. "Now, dear boy, strike true! Free yourself from your destiny and stand with me!"
With a grunt of effort, Jacen thrust his sword into the globe, ending his stroke in the heart of his sister. The three senshi screamed in agony as the energy released along with his strike, turning the globe into a brilliant light show. As he closed his eyes against the brilliant glare, he heard Restuz laughing behind him as the life force of each of the young women was ripped from their bodies and released into the cosmos. 'So, this is what true power is,' he thought to himself, marveling at the energy generated. 'And now, it's ours!'
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"So, just how long are you going to stand there and think?" Jacen's voice echoed behind Restuz as he stared down at his fallen foes. He turned to look at his newestacquisition as the young man let his sword unravel into nothingness.
"Why, I was just admiring your work, dear boy," he replied with a smile. Jacen's answering smile set his heart pounding; he had had his eye on this one for quite some time. It had be tricky to pull his heart away from his sister, but it had be a worthwhile effort. He reached out and trailed his fingertip down the side of Jacen's face again, marveling at the almostcrystalline quality of his teal eyes. He had been looking forward to this for quite some time.
Jacen's hand caught the trailing fingers, and he turned his head to kiss the sorcerer's palm. "Shall we go, then?" he asked, stepping close and laying his hand against Restuz's chest. His breath caught briefly in his throat as he stared into those golden orbs; the same ones that had so snared him from the start.
"I was just going to suggest that, dear boy," came the reply, and he cupped Jacen's chin in his palm, tilting his face upward for a soft, lingering kiss. The two stayed locked in that embrace for several minutes as the setting sun turned the beach sands red around them.
Jacen broke away first, reach down and intertwining his fingers with Restuz's. "So, the deal is all set then?" he asked, giving his hand a little squeeze.
"Of course it is. The building is ours. I've even set up some contacts for us to meet."
"Excellent! We'll finally be able to build our dream."
"That's right, dear boy!" Restuz gave his hand a tug and the started off down the beach, skipping lightly. "We'll have the best damn flower shop anywhere on this world. No one can stop us now!" The two skipped off into the sunset, visions of roses anddaffodils dancing in their heads.
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AN: APRIL FOOLS! *ahem* Yeah, got ya! XD Sorry, I couldn't resist. My characters are soooooooo going to kill me......*runs and hides*
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