Dark Storm Dawn
by Lord Akiyama
The follow-up to "Fantasia Crisis"
Chapter One
"Check," Yen Sid said as he placed the bishop piece upon the appropriate square. The master of masters looked up at his opponent with a light grin on his face, hoping to catch the other in a tight predicament.
Chernabog studied the board and sighed as he begun to strategize his next move. He glanced every once and a while at the wizard across from him, his mood unchanged as the bitter and powerless being trapped within his eternal prison. "You seem to be finally grasping the concept of chess, old man," he muttered aloud. "And it only took you a year of almost endless play to do so."
"Making excuses already, Chernabog?" Yen Sid chuckled. "If anything I have learned from the year of play we have had is that you complain every time you are about to lose."
"If not for the fact that you are a goody-two-shoes, I would claim the game was rigged," the demon spoke. "But then you would have to take into account that I still have more victories over you than loses."
"Yet slowly this old man is catching up," the wizard chuckled. "For the last nine games, I have been the victor eight times while you were just barely victorious in the fifth game."
"Is it not fun to finally start gloating a limbless being?" Chernabog said sarcastically. "Oh wait, this conversation is not about who is better than whom. It is about killing the boredom that is waiting for me to finally make my move, is that not right old man? Well, then here is my move! Queen overtakes bishop!" At those words, the queen piece belonging to Chernabog magically began to move toward the bishop piece and knock it over.
"You still have much to learn about controlling your temper, Chernabog," the wizard chuckled as he picked up his queen piece and moved it within striking range of his opponent's king piece. "Check mate."
Chernabog studied the board to confirm that Yen Sid was victorious. Moments later, he growled in dissatisfaction as his slammed a fist against the bottom potion of his spherical prison. "Blasted wizard!" he grumbled. "Your foolish blabbering threw off my concentration!"
"More excuses, I see," Yen Sid laughed. "My oh my, the tide certainly has changed the last month or so in our gaming." It was then that a pair of knocks was heard at his door. "Perhaps a little break is in store before that temper of yours continues to cloud your thinking," the wizard continued as he stood himself up and made his way to the door. "Facing an opponent who does not have control over his emotions hampers the enjoyment of the game."
Yen Sid gently opened the door. Normally he would be expecting his apprentice to appear on the other side. Instead, his was face to face with the firing end of a musket. "Trick or treat," a voice from behind the weapon spoke. And then all went dark for the master of masters.
Chernabog watched as Yen Sid nearly flew backwards, ramming into one of the many bookshelves that covered the walls. He watched as the wizard struggled to stand himself up and attempt to clear his vision. The demon watched as two gunmen entered the room. One was loading his weapon, no doubt the one who fired. The other got down to one knee and fired his weapon. He watched the old man get hit hard in the stomach, knocking him back against the bookshelf before collapsing on the ground.
The first gunman ran over to the fallen body, positioned to fire again if needed. He then dropped down to check the wizard's pulse. "Unconscious," he said with a hint of laughter. "This was a lot easier than I thought. The master of masters taken down perfectly by two shots."
"If not for the fact that he is needed alive, it would've been quite the kill," the second gunman said. "Now hurry up before the others notice."
"Well thank you very much gentlemen," Chernabog spoke quite the sudden surprise of the two gunmen. "You just so happened to be taking away the one person who kills the boredom produced for being imprisoned liked this."
The gunmen were quite alarmed for a moment before realizing who it was and the current state the demon was in. "Such sacrifices are a necessity in order to complete our missions successfully," the second gunmen said. "Just be glad that I'm not allowed to shoot you just for sport."
"Your bullets would not have been able to penetrate my skin, you idiot," Chernabog said. "The only weapon that could harm me in locked in a stone that only one person can remove. And neither of you fit such a description. Since we are having this wonderful chat, I might as well leave a message for your boss."
"Be quick about it," the first gunman said, hoisting the unconscious Yen Sid upon his shoulders. "We should have been out of here two minutes ago."
"Oh, this one is an important one, I can assure you," the demon grinned. "Tell that parasite that I know what game he plays and the manner to which he is using to secure a victory. The question is whether or not he understands the result should he be successful."
"What are you blabbering on about?" the second gunman asked curiously.
"If he knows the answer to my question, then perhaps he will gladly share it with you," Chernabog said. "As much as I wish to continue talking so that I can kill the boredom, go away before you annoy me any more than you already have."
The gunmen looked at one another dumbfounded. A moment later, they shrugged and dashed off out of the room and away from the demon's presence. Chernabog sighed and appeared to slouch as best as he could given that he is missing limbs below the waist. It wasn't long before he groaned with dissatisfaction. "Not a minute has passed and already I am bored..." he muttered aloud.
"They have the wizard," a near raspy female voice spoke. "I'm impressed."
"As you should be," a commanding male voice said. "They are the two best hunters that can be found on this planet and they have a reputation of always finding a way to take down their prey swiftly and quietly. And it didn't hurt that the wizard was occupied with playing chess all the time."
"You do realize that they won't be able to nab all twelve," a second male voice spoke. "As soon as a few of them get picked off, they will be more prepared or possibly go into hiding in that 'mystic realm' of theirs."
"Which is why we hired the mercenary, Captain," the first male voice said. "For someone who is supposed to be the most experienced to have encounters with the twelve, you seem to be quite the nervous one Captain Hook."
"Maybe it's because these things don't ever end well for us," Captain Hook said with a glare. "If they could take down Chernabog, the odds are great that this thing won't succeed."
"Perhaps the reason why that campaign failed in the first place is because of some God who wouldn't take sides," the female said. "I just hate it when people don't do what they are supposed to. They remind me of Kronk, that moron of a servant."
"Hey, don't everyone blame the Lord of the Underworld all at once, huh?" a voice suddenly spoke. "You know how it is, those in power fight for control and poor little ol' me is forced to know the consequences for taking sides. So I went with option C and took control myself and let the players make their move, nothing for everyone to cry about. Too bad we couldn't have a barbeque in the mix because you know how much of a party animal I am."
"Be gone, devil!" the first voice ordered. "I banish you for the house of our lord!"
"Dude, do you know who you're talking to?" the mysterious figure laughed. "I'm Hades, Lord of the Underworld. God of the Greeks, not Catholics. We don't have anything called Christianity. Just more Gods than anyone knows what to do with. And because I'm not a creature of your faith, I can appear in this place whenever I want. I can even do anything!" With a poof of smoke, a top hat and cane appeared in Hades' hands. "Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my rag time gaaaaaaaaaaaal."
"Great, even more trouble from the 'wild card' of whatever battle," Captain Hook moaned. "Why should we suffer your foolishness to begin with?"
Hades disappeared and quickly reappeared behind Captain Hook, minus the top hat and cane. "Because I just wanted to tell you guys that I have a ringside seat to the biggest extravaganza this side of Athens," he grinned. "Also, I figured I needed to be sure you people were serious about what you guys are doing before I take my seat."
"We are banishing this world of cruel wizardry and witchcraft," the first voice said proudly. "These heathens represent everything against the will of our lord, and nothing will detract us."
Hades grinned wider than ever as he moved towards the speaker. "Well then, Judge Claude Frollo," he said. "I guess I'm going to get my money's worth. I'd wish you luck, but that's just not my style nowadays. Especially with guys who find no sense of humor in others. Might as well get back on down to the little hole in the ground, I mean, I still got plans for April and the floor to mop. So much to do, so little time, right? Adios!" Another poof and the Lord of the Underworld was gone.
"What was that all about?" the woman asked.
"For now it means nothing, Yzma," Frollo said, turning toward the table where an open book rested. "Let the mercenary know that he is to proceed with his first assignment immediately. And be sure to remind him that there are to be no fatalities."
"Any one coming?" Simba asked, sitting next to a closed door.
"No one yet," Amelia said, glancing over her shoulder from looking down the hallway. "Knowing Robin, he's probably spending time entertaining little children. Quite the caring one, he is."
"Very caring, indeed," Simba chuckled. He turned toward the opposite side of the room. "How is the dress, Sprite?"
The Spring Sprite giggled as she twirled herself, watching the long skirt follow along. "It's very cute, Simba," she said. "Thank you for the dress, Amelia."
"You should thank a Mrs. Sarah Hawkins if you ever get to meet her," Amelia chuckled, glancing back to look at the Sprite in the dress. "Robin is here now."
And with that, Robin Hood hopped in looking as if he accomplished a heroic deed. "Sorry for the delay, dear friends," he said proudly. "There were some children being read one of my many tales and I decided to appear for real, kindly giving them some of the riches I happened to have upon me."
The others laughed. "We're not surprised, but very kind of you to do so," Simba said. Then everyone fell a little quiet. "Well, I guess we better go in."
"Knowing Helga, I doubt she would be too pleased to see us," Amelia commented. "Especially after going through labor, take it from me."
"But it would be sad for the little child to not have so much love," the Spring Sprite said. "I'm sure in the end she would appreciate it."
"Kind of a long shot of that happen, I'm sorry to say," Robin chuckled, "but it wouldn't hurt to try."
"Then I guess we should get this over with," Simba said with a sigh and a chuckle. The others sighed as well just as Amelia walked over and opened the door.
to be continued...