Prologue: Loss

CeRa wept beside the bodies of her parents. The eight year-old Lunarian was filled with guilt for having hid whilst her mother was slaughtered by those men in black cloaks. Now she and her twin brother, CiMon seemed destined to die a slower death. Alone.

“Sis! Sis! I see someone coming!” Yelled CiMon, pointing at a figure in the distance moving towards them. “Shh, CiMon, what if it’s one of them?” CeRa hissed, and prepared to draw her father’s sword. Although she had some black magic and CiMon had some white magic, they knew only low level spells and would be no match for “one of them”.

“It’s not. It’s one of us.”

Golbez followed the army of black cloaked men, each step he took portrayed his anger. His face was set into a snarl. FuSoYa had been right, Golbez was in shock. When not under Zemus‘ control, Golbez was quite level-headed and calm. Shock had made him react with anger. The half Lunarian felt tugging at his robes, all of a sudden, and looked down. There stood two adorable Lunarian children, both with white hair and big, pleading blue eyes. If Golbez had been able to think clearly, he might have considered staying and protecting them. Instead, he walked straight on, unfeeling.

“Please, mister. Please help us…” one of the children, the boy pleaded. Golbez walked on.

“You can’t just leave us to die!” the girl wailed tearfully. Golbez sighed and knelt to seem less frightening. “There is someone coming. He is called FuSoYa. He will take care of you, but I need to hurry on,” he said in a gentle voice. As soon as he had stood, the girl cried out: “But isn’t FuSoYa that old prune who guarded us while we slept? What good is he?” Golbez’ patience was wearing thin. “He’s a very powerful sorcerer-”

“Golbez! You should not go alone,” panted FuSoYa, who had struggled to catch up with his nephew. “FuSoYa! Let me go ahead. These children need someone who can be trusted. They‘re orphans.”

“We should face the army together, Golbez. As powerful as you are, you’d be outnumbered. You can’t defeat them alone.”

“It’s your life, old man…” muttered Golbez but nodded to show he agreed. The two prepared for the upcoming battle and then set off to fight, the twins following closely behind them.

“Captain Davon!” A cloaked soldier yelled. “ Officer Garred has been killed!”

“What? By whom?” Snarled their masked captain.

“By Golbez,” the soldier whispered, fearfully.

“The dark lord Golbez? Impossible!”

“ He was there. I saw him with my own eyes!”

“If what you say is true, then we stand no chance… but I want to see him with my own eyes!”

Captain Davon, however was a calculating man. ~ Master will be pleased if I bring Golbez to him alive. I have a feeling he’d like to watch him die…~ The captain planned.

“We search for Golbez. Take him alive! Kill the others!” He ordered his men. They gasped in disbelief, but not one dared question their captain’s orders. They began their search, knowing that against Golbez, no-one stood a chance.

“There’s one!” yelped CiMon. The cloaked warrior leapt straight at FuSoYa, but Golbez dodged in front. The sword snapped in two against his breastplate. Disgraced, the soldier picked up the point of his sword and drove it through his own heart, dying instantly. “You’re not hurt ,are you? That was a stupid thing to do. What if you hadn’t been wearing that thing?” FuSoYa fussed, checking Golbez over.

“I’m fine.”

“More coming!” CeRa yelled, getting ready to use her Fire spell.

The two soldiers had not come within five yards of the four when flames hit them both, stunning them long enough for FuSoYa to use Thundaga. The enemies collapsed, dead.

“Damn! We’re outnumbered!” Golbez cried as twenty soldiers launched an attack their way.

“Ready?” Asked FuSoYa.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Golbez replied, beginning to chant. 3 seconds later, white-hot meteorites fell on the twenty-man army.

All twenty soldiers lay dead or dying on the ground by the time the burning rocks had stopped falling.

The Lunarians fought their way through horde upon horde of cloaked men. By the time the soldiers had finally retreated, all four were bruised and exhausted. “Perhaps we should rest here,” suggested FuSoYa. The other three nodded in agreement. They did not get time to rest, however, because they were attacked again. This time Captain Davon stood before them, a small army of just ten soldiers behind him. “Golbez is real? So the rumour was true… Golbez, I’ll strike a deal with you. Come with us peacefully and we’ll let the children and the old man live.” Golbez looked at FuSoYa, doubtfully. “I don’t trust you,” he said after a while.

“Very well… Attack!!!” The Captain screamed.

These soldiers seemed more powerful than the ones before. Elite soldiers, Golbez realised. They managed to dispatch nine of the ten soldiers before they became completely exhausted. “There’s…only one…left…” FuSoYa encouraged. He did not notice the last soldier charging before it was too late. The soldier’s sword pierced the elderly sorcerer’s heart, FuSoYa countered with one last Meteo spell then they both fell to the ground.

Golbez knelt beside FuSoYa, who was still breathing and scooped his uncle into his arms. A lump formed in his throat and his head spun with panic. “Uncle FuSoYa? You can’t die, not yet! I won’t let you! FuSoYa? Come on old man, we’ll go back to Gaia and take you to a white mage. We’ll avenge the Lunarians. You were right. I cannot do this without you…”

FuSoYa smiled at Golbez, though his eyes did not open. “ Have… faith…” FuSoYa choked. He fell back and took his last breath, still smiling. CiMon sobbed and clung to his sister.

“ How sweet…” mocked Davon. “ The dark lord has a heart.”

“Your men killed him…” Golbez said, shaking.

“Is he going to cry, I wonder?”

“Bastards!!!” Golbez bellowed. He lay FuSoYa down, stood up and lunged at Davon, who swung out with his sword. Davon’s sword sliced a deep cut in Golbez’ unprotected left arm, causing the sorcerer to fall, surprised. Golbez got to his feet clutching his injured arm protectively.

“Disappointing. I thought Golbez would have presented more of a challenge. Come with me and I won’t send the kids to join the old man,” Davon smirked underneath his mask.

“Why do you want me?” Golbez snapped bitterly. He had taken his hand away from his arm, which bled heavily. His once blue robes were soaked a reddish purple colour.

“Why, for our master. He might need you for something, if you know what I mean.”

“What is your master’s name?” Golbez demanded.

“Our master’s name is of no concern to you! We fight! If I win, you give yourself up and I slit the brats’ throats. If you win, You give yourself up and I take the brats safely to Gaia. Either way, I benefit,” Davon sneered. Golbez paused and turned to look at the shivering children, then faced Davon again. “ It’s a deal…” He sighed, worried.

Golbez bent to face a tearful CeRa, who still held her father’s sword. “May I borrow this? I’m so sorry for all your losses today. I will return it when this is over.” He spoke gently to the shivering black mage as an attempt to reassure her. It seemed to work, though, as she held the sword out to him. However, as he went to take it, she pulled it away. “Only if you promise you’ll win,” she said. Her voice shook with tears as she remembered her father. Golbez smiled and stroked her hair. “I promise I’ll win.”

“Are you quite ready?” Davon barked impatiently. Golbez faced Davon and held the sword out in front of him. “En garde!” he announced.

“Wait a second. Take off your breastplate. I don’t wear armour, you don’t wear armour. Got that?”

Golbez groaned, taking off his breastplate. He mostly used his right arm -his left was throbbing painfully- he placed the article on the moon‘s grey surface. “En garde!”

Davon leapt at Golbez with tremendous speed, sword at the ready. Golbez blocked, just. Golbez swung his sword upwards, cutting Davon’s cheek. “Argh! Lucky hit, dark lord.” Davon shouted, swinging at Golbez , who lashed out with his sword. Davon’s sword sliced a deep cut across Golbez’ chest, which spurted crimson blood. Nevertheless, Golbez’ sword pierced Davon’s gut. The captain howled in pain and fell. The battle was over.

The injured Golbez approached the half-concious Captain Davon. “You’re dying…” he whispered. “You won… So you…really are unbeatable… I commend…your strength… Go free…this…time…” coughed Davon. “Just…please, finish me off…I can’t… take this pain…” Golbez placed the sword over against the dying man’s heart and lifted it above his head. “You don’t deserve a quick death, but I promised myself I’d change.” Golbez rasped before bringing the sword down.

“Mister Golbez! Look what we found!” he heard CiMon cry excitedly. Golbez limped in the twins’ direction, weakened. “We’ve found a spaceship! Now we can go somewhere safe.” Golbez looked up, and saw the exact same ship his brother Cecil had rode to reach the moon; the Big Whale.

Golbez, too weary to pilot the Big Whale himself set an auto pilot route to Baron on Gaia. He wasn’t completely sure Cecil would understand his return, but Golbez was completely sure his brother wouldn’t turn away the orphans. As Gaia came into sight, the impact of the day’s events and of his battle with Davon took their toll on Golbez, and he fell into darkness.

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This story won’t always be this bloody and violent. This second prologue is what gave this story it’s ‘R’ rating. Golbez will gain a personality. He won’t always be “Mr.Hero”.