Other than a few bruises and a swollen lip, Skan was not damaged. But Thom had a broken rib, and it took several weeks to mend. Skan lived in constant fear for that time, for the Zodiac Monster Ixtchil, showing up when he least expecting it.
His friends tried their best to take his mind off it. But all he would do was pour over Mustadio's diary, looking for a weakness. Summon magic and Holy magic. Which they had none. Great.
Finally, when Thom's ribs were healed, they took him and Skan to a casino.
Skan spent most of his time at the games, not the slots. With Thom, he played at the Blackjack table, they both had 18's.
"Hit him," Skan motioned to Thom, who's eyes widened in surprise.
"Skan!" he hissed. "I have 18! I should stay!"
"That won't work! Trust me!" Skan whispered back. The louder, "Hit him."
The dealer did so, giving Thom a 7. Thom cursed, and Skan shushed him.
"Hit me!" said Skan. Thom groaned and slapped the hell of his hand to his forehead, but didn't say anything. A two was landed, giving Skan a 20. The small audience that had gathered arpund appluaded softly. The dealer gave himself a 7, making his 12 a 19.
"You see, Thom?" If we had stayed, he'd use YOUR 7 to beat both of us!" Skan whispered, taking all his tokens into a tan leather bag loaned to you by the casino. Someone leaned in from the crowd and whispered in Skan's ear,
"Skan, you should quit while you're ahead. They do catch on quickly."
Skan stood up, turning around quickly. He knocked over his chair in the process, but ignored it, pulling free his gun. The crowd all pulled back as he pointed the gun straight at....Kitra. Skan sighed and lowered his gun.
"Sorry, Kit. I-I though you were someone else..."
"No problem Skan. Um, just don't do it again. You might lose a limb." It was then when Skan realized that Kitra had a sword in her hand. It vanished in a small flash of white light.
"Skan," said Thom, standing up, "We had better go. Now. I'll meet you at the car, with Nise and Teron."
"OK," said Skan. Thom left and Skan turned to Kitra. "Kit, we're gonna have a makeshift party, at my house. You wanna come?"
"Might as well. Cloud, however, can't, 'cause he-"
"What's going on in here!"
There was a jostling through the crowds. Thinking, again, that he was being attacked, Skan whipped out his gythka and crouched in an offensive position. Kitra also did, but with the sword.
Instead of Luren, or Ixtchil, there stood an elf, a little taller than Skan, with a flaming sword in one hand. He had a quiver of silver tipped arrows at his back and, slung around him was a silver bow. The silver bow and arrows were a gift from Skan.
Skan tucked away his gythka the same instant that Kitra made her sword dissapear. "Deric!" he growled. "What are you doing here?!"
The elf looked embarassed, but only for a second. "I heard that someone pointed a gun at someone else here. You wouldn't know about that, would you?"
Skan looked down at the floor and started shuffling his foot. "Ah, maybe, in a sense, I...uh..."
Kitra saved him. "Deric, we're going to a party, held at Skan's house. You wanna come?"
Deric grinned, and his sword-named Dragonbreath or something-also vanished. Skan was muttering under his breath about vanishing swords when he answered, "Well, of course I would! Why didn't you say so, Skan?"
Kitra and Deric followed Skan as he made his way through a crowd, to the door. A big black bouncer, with huge muscles, stood in Skan's way, arm's folded. "Can I help you, sir?" Skan asked.
"Skan? Come with me."
After exchaning confused glances with Deric and Kitra, even though he was sure Kitra also knew why he was being taken (Skan wanted to look as innocent as possible), Skan followed the bouncer, Kitra and Deric waiting for him at the door.
The bouncer held a door opened for Skan, who saw a label on it, saying 'Authorize Personell Only'. Inside was a middle aged man, sitting at a desk, surrounded by four bodygaurds, as large as the bouncer behind Skan.
"Ah, Skan!" said the middle aged man. He reminded Skan of a weasle. "I am Davian, the owner of The Crystal Spider." That was the name of the casino. "Mr.Erreden, I suggest you take your winnings and leave. I have the three thousand dollars you won," Davian tossed Skan a wad of bills, "and if you are ever caught card counting again, Mr.Erreden, you WILL be thrown in prison."
Skan suprressed a scowl, but couldn't resist a bow and a sarcastic remark. "Yes, Your Highness. By your leave, your Royal Majesty?"
"Take him away!" barked Davian.
Three of the bouncers took Skan by the arms, and held him as if Skan was kicked and screaming. Skan snorted. He was sure that only one bouncer was needed. Davian was fixing Skan with a hard glare, and Skan figured he was lucky no one heard the name he called the casino's owner.
Everyone met at Skan's car, a sleek black car, and Skan drove everyone home. As usual, Kitra and Nisemeisho seemed to know each other, and neither seemed to be best friends. Kitra called Nisemeisho something like 'Hotoru', under her breath, and only Skan and Nisemeisho heard it, though Skan supposed neither one was supposed to hear. Skan didn't understand WHAT she was talking about, but Nisemeisho bared his teeth at that remark. Skan shrugged and figured it was a curse he had never heard.
It wasn't a long drive, but it was quiet. They usually were. But Teron and Nisemeisho couldn't hold back a sound of awe at seeing Skan's huge house. The massive brick building looked amazing, even in the dark, it seemed. Skan smiled, almost proud.
Skan opened the door to the house, which was unlocked, and let everyone in. Tad sat on a stool in the main room, polishing his gun. He grinned at Skan, uncannily matching his brother's smile. "Look what the cat brung in." Skan was sure 'brung' wasn't a word, but let it drop. "Some friends, eh? I know Kitra, and Thom," Tad growled at saying the next name, "and Deric.... but who is everyone else?"
Skan sighed. Tad hated elves, and always WOULD hate elves. It happens when you are captured as a slave for ten years by a pack of elves. "This is Nisemeisho, or just Nise, and Teron." Everyone shook hands.
"Um," said Skan scratching the back of his neck. "There's some beer and snacks in the upstairs fridge. I'll be there in a second, I need to go 'train' my Bonzai plants, in the dojo." Nisemeisho and Teron mouthed the words 'Upstais fridge?' before Kitra grinned and pushed them both upstairs. Tad remained sitting on the stool, polishing his huge C-14 Cannister Rifle.
Skan turned around to the left and entered the dojo, which had a door like a sliding, paper Japanese door. The dojo, like it's door, had a Japanese fix to it. He practiced weaponary in here, or just sat in relaxation. One wall was nothing more than a large mirror. Another, the one opposite the mirror, was lined with several weapons. Nunchaku, throwing staes, another gythka, a bladed boomerang, called a kyorthka, Skan's chakram, a small 'basket' that was six inches long and two wide, with a hole in the bottom that a spike hung through, meant for propelling the spikes, called a pelota, and a very small crossbow. In each corner was a bonzai plant, 'trained' with thin copper wires to make it grow in odd ways, bent, twisted, etc. But none of this held Skan's attention. It was the man sitting on the mat in the middle who did.
Luren was sitting down, one hand in the pocket Skan was sure held the Zodiac Stone. The smiled cruelly when Skan entered the room, and stood up straight. "Skan, I have been waiting for you."
Skan bent at the knees and elbows slightly, his hands clenching fists he didn't even remember grabbing, in front of him. They trailed along the floor. Skan growled, then said, "En Gaurde, Luren!!"
One minute, Luren was merely standing there, the next, hurtling himself right at Skan, as if not bothering with the intervening space. Skan dropped, and Luren fell on top of him. Skan kicked him off and flipped back to his feet.
As Luren jumped to his feet, Skan wrapped a whip around the sword he just drew, and tugged. The sword tumbled away, but Luren might as well have planned it for all the surprise he showed. He grappled Skan, hands around the neck. Skan choked and threw all the weight he had into trying to break free, to no avail. He tried again, using all of his strength, but Luren barely twitched. Just as Skan was beginning to weaken with lack of oxygen, Luren grunted in surprise and pain and let go of Skan's neck.
Skan pulled free, and fell onto his back, not caring. He pulled in more air, sweet air, before he got to his feet and see what happened.
He saw his brother, Tad, locked in combat with Luren. They both seemed skilled in martial arts, their hands and feet blurs. Finally, Luren broke through Tad's defences and hit him in the chin, sprawling him back.
Instead of honorably getting back up, Tad reached in his vest and pulled out his C-14 Cannister Rifle. He barely aimed-Skan saw no reason at this range-before he fired.
The Stone offered Luren very little protection. The powerful gun ripped apart his upper torso, almost enough that he was in two. Skan almost retched at flesh and blood that spilled out onto his mat. Almost.
It was amazing Luren could even move. Slowly, but faster than Tad or Skan could react, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone.
Again, the blue aura surrounded him. Spirits flew it, lighting sparkled, and the stone exploded in the same white light Skan hoped he would never see again.
In Luren's place was Ixtchil, showing no signs of the wound.
Hearing the gunshot, everyone else, including Deric and Kitra, rushed into the room, weapons at ready. They all gasped at seeing the Zodiac Monster. Ixtchil grinned. Skan wasn't quite sure how he could, with such a mouth, but Skan got the feeling.
"You bring allies? Fine. Then I will as well!!"
In three bursts of light, three demons stood behind him. These were the demons that Skan and Nisemeisho together could hardly fight, which Skan later learned were named "Archaic Demons".
"Let the games begin!!!" roared Ixtchil.
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