Chapter CDXXII: Le Roi ~Multehx

Alfred snickered to himself as he walked on. The Yoshi was slung limply over his shoulder, dazed and a bit burnt in spots now, the flesh blackened slightly on the surface from shock burns. Dr von Kippo had awoken a good ten or twenty minutes ago, when they were still in deep forest, and he had tried to yell out. But the professor simply let loose with the currents raging through his body, his arms, his each and every finger that was currently clasped about the Yoshi's back.

The first time he used a bit too much, and almost sent his captive into blackness, but fortunately the Yoshi was apparently accustomed to a bit of pain and hung on, panting and shivering, eyelids heavy really. He had tried once or twice more, even covertly trying to leave a message in his unique Pandoran scrawl on a tree when Alfred stopped to catch his breath. But, a few more volts quieted him down and dampened his spirits.

Trekking across the land, Alfred heard the crashes of fallen trees every once and a while. "Those brainless fools," he groaned, obviously frustrated. The Mechna Knight was a fiercely loyal, very dependable servant, but if they wanted to go somewhere or were told to, they'd go there; anything in between simply wasn't important to them. "Either a park ranger is going to come looking, or the police are going to track us at this rate."

As the man stepped up a brief incline in the mossy, now rocky ground, he reminded himself yet again that he was being overly paranoid. Of course people could follow their trail through the forest, but as soon as they reached the base of the mountain range they'd be home free. And, judging by how rough the ground was getting, they were close; in the piedmonts probably already.

Eventually, Professor Nsvem emerged from the woods and looked up at the unique greyish-purple mineral of the lofty mountains (oddly tan further up near the top). A grin crossed the professor's mouth, the one-third remnants of his face.

Lich tried to figure out what was going on as every few feet his captor's cane would go out and tap at the ground where grasses faded into rock. "Searching...but for what?" Lich pondered, listening harder.

Eventually, an odd sound, much more hollow than that of the rock, was heard. He shifted the Yoshi's weight. "Someone's feasting on their spare rations indeed," he muttered. Alfred took a step and seemingly stopped, standing two inches above the ground. The cane tapped this invisible floor again and the two began to ascend up the side of the mountain.

"Lift..." the Yoshi muttered, before screaming at the brief jolt of pain in his back before he quietened, only whimpering softly.

"Yes, that's right." Nsvem smirked as he looked off onto the horizon. "As he commands, I do," Alfred murmured to no one in particular. "Always..."

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"No good," Sir Pseudo Havering muttered in disgust. His hand, though gloved, wafted vapors of smoke as he withdrew it from the interior of the cavern. "This place has an immense sacred aura. It burns to even step into a place that should be refreshing in its darkness." The demon smirked. "Obviously, we've hit the jackpot. Holograntis."

The lesser demon appeared at his side out of apparently thin air. "Aye, sir?"

"Spread a little corruption for me." Searching inside his cloak he produced a small but ornate porcelain bottle with a jewelled stopper. "Try this out, but touch none of it, ingest none of it, inhale none of the vapors." Deftly he extended his hand to the side and released.

In an instant, Baron Holograntis clutched it within his palm, his claw-like fingers curling up about it. "Of course, sir." Drawing his staff, the Trineutare, the purple demon snorted through his nostrils and headed in. Pseudo smirked as his servant disappeared within the darkness, only slight trails of smoke wafting from him before he vanished.

"I guess being a recessive can be useful. To me anyway." Havering turned to look back in the direction he had come from. "Ah, Alfred's back. And we have company." The sinister grin spread almost instantly, that demonic smile that only he possessed, fangs showing. "Due time we had some fun. This world's been a bore since we got here."

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"What was that all about?" the King of Pandora asked.

"Nothing, sire, absolutely nothing at all."

"Hmm...I felt a shiver run down my spine for a moment there...are you sure it was nothing?"

The man nodded. "Absolutely nothing, your majesty. One of the generals in your army had to have a word with me; sought my advice. I suggest you get some rest, you have a speech to make tomorrow, remember?"

The King sighed. A smile formed on his aged, but not quite elderly lips. "Yes, I recall. You worry about me too much; I'm not an old man yet you know."

"I never said such, sire. I'm simply wanting the absolute best for the kingdom."

"I know you are. You always think of such things. I think that's why you came so highly recommended, Mr. Blight. And right when we needed your services. You're pure convenience."

Blight bowed slightly. "I thank you for your kind words, sire. I just try to be conscious of what people might need, and what insight I can provide for them. I was most pleased to become your advisor. I like to offer my services."

"Yes, as you've said, Mr. Blight. But..."

"But what, sire?"

"Your...mask."

"What of it?"

"Well...it's...rather odd. Sort of frightening in a way, if you just spoke in the proper voice I imagine. Must you always wear it inside even?"

Blight smirked gently, though it was unseen. "Always."

Eventually, Blight was dismissed, and he walked out into the hallway. As soon as the doors shut behind him he grinned. "And thank you, general," he murmured. "Without your dismissal of that incident, I might have had to actually do some work."

Adjusting the ornate, blue mask upon his face, he slipped into the door that led to his quarters. There was a click as the lock was turned.

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As Alfred entered, he was greeted by numerous nods of approval and quite a few compliments. The professor beamed, and waved his hand with a flourish as he headed for the main stairs. "Was there ever any doubt in your minds, those of you with them?" he snickered, revelling in the praise, totally ignoring the flat glares in response to yet another show of his egocentrism.

Up the stairs he went, estimating the Yoshi was shivering gently in response to the nice little series of shocks given to render him docile. But Lich shook for another reason.

Fear. Who wouldn't be afraid, in the midst of so many hideous beasts of lesser demons, those odd beings of crackling electrical energy, and of course more Mechna Knights. Their soulless appearance, how they could stand stock still like they did, without even a hint of life to their names when he knew they were very active rattled him the most.

At the top of the stairs he was taken down a long, narrow hallway and into a room on the far right at the end. It was a larger room, with a raised portion of the floor near the center of the rear, a dais of sorts, with an ornately carved oak chair upon it. The Yoshi was deposited upon the floor unceremoniously. Metal cuffs were quickly snapped shut about either ankle, and investigation showed they were attached to chains bolted to the floor. A pair of very closely attached handcuffs were slapped about his wrists, "Can't have any of that annoying Mana magic bothering the master now." Satisfied in his work, the professor grinned.

"Thoroughness has never known such a master's hand." Lich growled in defiance, turning as much as he could before the chains prevented him from turning but his head. "You work for him, don't you, impostor?"

"Impostor?" Alfred smirked. "My boy, I'm nothing but the absolute genuine artefact." He snickered, adjusting his bowtie and tapping the butt of his cane upon the ground. "And you will refer to me by my title."

"And what's that?" Lich resisted the temptation to spit at his feet.

"Professor." The man smirked before turning and heading for the door. "Professor Alfred Nsvem."

The door closed behind him, leaving the Yoshi all alone in the strange room.

Lich Yoshi von Kippo was growing used to this; being captured, tethered or bound. Someone always wanted him for something; the boomerang, his status as a bargaining chip, and then there was Havering. The Yoshi couldn't quite grasp that one. The fascination the Time Bender held for him seemed one both eccentric and...very morbid indeed.

Sir Havering was a genius, a twisted one, so there was no doubt in Lich's mind there was some insidious reason behind his emotional and psychological torment as well as physical at the demon's hands. How could his brother stand it, he pondered.

His reverie was cut off abruptly as the door closed again. A familiar, sly chuckle came from behind him and the newcomer strode slowly passed his restrained form. Brown leather boots with metal reinforcements, the crimson, no, blood-red silk pants, that flowing purple cape; Pseudo turned and sat upon the wooden chair. He smiled in his sly, cruel way as he regarded the Yoshi who glared back.

The two sat in silence like this for a time, just looking at each other. The Twilighter eventually smirked. "Yes, yes, yes, no, whatever I damn well please, and don't even think about it; I'd have your hands off faster than you could process the thought."

Lich flushed, and paled at the same time. The demon grinned, summoning up his brandy snifter, half filled, into his upturned palm, glass stem between two fingers.

"Now that the formalities are aside, to the heart of the matter." Rolling the liquid about in the glass a bit, Pseudo raised it to his face, seemed to inhale gently, then took a hearty drink. He smiled, savoring before swallowing. "Hmmm, have you ever wondered what happened? A gap of time seemingly escaped, only glints and flashes remaining, excuses filling in most but not all of the gaps."

Lich didn't respond verbally. A shiver just ran down his spine. Havering grinned and produced a copy of a book, with the title Light and Metaphor on the front. "Of course you did; I already knew that. Silly question really." The book vanished in a burst of blue fire that was gone as quick as it had come.

"What happened to Yob, to you, the agent, to," he grinned a bit more cruelly, accentuating the word, "Ms. Darikuri." The Yoshi's blood ran cold, and Pseudo smirked. "Yes...these thoughts haunt you, I know. What really happened with your real brother, weren't there others with you on this crazy venture to begin with?"

He rose to his feet, and began pacing slowly about his captive audience. "Yes. At first there were many..." He opened his hand wide, palm up. "Then, the weeding out began." Slowly his fingers began to close inward. "Apparently, some didn't have what it took to make the cut. We sent those weaklings packing right at the start, back on Zolott." His fingers slowly closed in more, almost grasping air in his palm. "As the plot thickened, more lost their nerve and were sent packing; for whatever reason, fear overtaking them at the thoughts of my cruelty."

His hand closed entirely. "And in the end, down came the proud, the crucible melting them from the gold that dares oppose me still." He laughed darkly, sending another shudder through the Yoshi at the fearful face of a gleeful madman indeed. "You might not recall, but I invaded the Neo Aurorium a time back indeed, and its sanctuary. I hoped to seal the door to Yoshi Olympus, to prevent any interference from the pathetic Yoshi Pantheon, whom I knew were watching you closely."

Pseudo frowned. "I was apparently too late in doing so. I managed to, before being chased off by the agent, but apparently a few were in the mortal realm at the time; your cousin and his belle for example." His smile returned as he paced around back. "Though, lot of good that does you now."

Lich glared, defiant indeed. "What are you on about now, demon?"

Pseudo smirked as he rounded to the Yoshi's right. "Ok, let's be frank here." He got down, kneeling beside the Yoshi, who stared straight ahead, glaring, refusing to look his tormentor in the eyes and keep some dignity in this vulnerable state. This didn't phase the Time Bender, he spoke in a calm, rather relaxed tone.

"Let's take the facts here: Your Yoshian friends, Keshi and Chrono are gone. Naaro and Rynn are...heh, indisposed and not in my hair presently. And your cousin." With a snicker and a shake of his head he continued. "Your cousin is no problem whatsoever to me at this time. I haven't felt his movement in some time, nor that of Sapphire. And as for his god-hood? The Yoshi pantheon was a joke. By their standards, I held power to be a supreme overlord of a Yoshi god, if I would reduce myself in species to your kind. Remember, I deftly defeated your 'guardian' in his own realm back before Zolott."

Dyluck was at a loss for words. He felt like someone had driven a knife deep into his mind; his innocence of childhood beliefs preserved were dealt a mortal blow indeed this time. Markior, defeated by this...this...demon? It was impossible!

But...at the same time...not really. He already knew this beast in finery by his side was capable of such tyrannous acts, so fiendish, so foul indeed, that he probably could fulfil such a claim if he hadn't really already. His teeth clenched, but he stayed firm, trying not to show a hint of being shaken.

Pseudo smiled kindly. "The gods and goddesses have all fallen and given in to their selfish desires, they have abandoned your kind. Like Zeus of the Greek pantheon, Luna of the Yoshi pantheon has lost her power to protect. The only true remnants of the time when they were any bit a threat now are simply rotting buildings, crumbling statues, and the long-forgotten tomes in the abandoned library underneath their sanctuary."

"Stop it." Lich glared harder.

"And none are exempt; even your cousin, and his beautiful goddess, are fading fast. I'm sure you've noticed it. He hasn't been a 'god' to you ever, has he? Has he ever rescued you when you were imprisoned? Where was he now, sword shining in all its noble glory of the so -called 'god of warriors'? Where is Sapphire to heal your wounds, soothe your soul, as the 'goddess of healing' should?"

Leaning in closer, Pseudo whispered in the Yoshi's almost invisible ear. "Where's Markior to calm your mind, solve your dilemmas, and to guard you from fiends like me?"

Lich shut his eyes tight indeed. "Stop it!"

"Face the facts."

"Stop messing with my mind!"

"The pantheon is DEAD and GONE. Your species has no protectors any longer; your prayers have been in vain, and your lives are all just awaiting my judgement- thumbs up to live another day, or thumbs down and to the lions you go. I am superior to your gods, I always shall be. I'm fate. I'm your despair, and only chance of salvation, or utter destruction. I'm Pseudo Havering, Le Roi des Villains."

He lost it. Teeth grit hard, a tear trickled down from the side of the Yoshi's tight shut eye. He shook his head, shivering a little as a gloved hand patted him on the back. "Poor little lizard. It's unfair, isn't it? Unfair you've endured this all, mislead to believe in some Yoshi divine beings would grant your wishes and help you to live in true happiness." The hand began gently rubbing his shoulder. "It is cruel to do that, as it was cruel of Chronolactagatalus to erase your precious memories; to blanket them with that haze. Which is why I shall show you all that happened right now."

He stood up, waving a hand. A television appeared a few feet in front of the Yoshi, a video cassette tape protruding from the VCR. Havering grinned as he walked over to it. "You can keep this tape if you wish, as a reminder of it all. But no human shall ever be able to view this tape; call it a little failsafe of mine." He smirked, finger pressing the tape in fully, and PLAY appearing in the corner of the now black screen. "Watch closely, and despair. Now all the lies, comforting and not, shall be erased, and the icy sting of the truth shall be known to you."

Taking another long draft from his alcohol, the demon walked casually back to his chair, turned, and seated himself. He sat there, watching the Yoshi's expression with schadenfreude as his main desire.