Chapter Four

"Escaped?" Alex asked, bewildered, and Zack nodded, sighing as well. "Sir, with all due respect, this Zodiac should not be one we are hunting," Zack said, catching both Trae and Alex by surprise. "You want us to forget his attempt on your life?" Alex asked quietly, and Zack nodded, "I need my wife and daughter somewhere safe of course, where I can watch over them from a reasonable distance, but for now we should be directing our priorities toward more useful captures. Such as the General." Alex looked deep in thought when Zack finished, and as the time ticked by, he nodded. "Very well. But if another tries to take your life so viciously, then we will have to take action." Zack nodded his head gratefully, and Alex exited the room, fiddling with the gun strapped to his right leg.

"What the hell are you thinking!" Trae hissed angrily, and Zack looked over at him, eyebrows raised. "This man tried to kill you, and you are willing to forget it?" Trae asked, and Zack quietly corrected him, "Teenager." Trae looked even angrier, but before he could shout or even mutter another word, the doors to the room swung open, and Lauren stepped in. "Where's Charlotte?" Zack asked immediately, and Lauren stopped her approach, "She is with the babysitter. Safe." Zack sighed with relief, stepped over to his wife, and kissed her lovingly on the cheek. "Zack, even Charlotte is starting to ask why you arrive home early in the morning every day. This is getting out of hand," Lauren said, and Zack kissed her again. "Don't worry, I have it all under control," he said, winking, and Lauren chuckled. "We have to move, temporarily." Lauren looked shocked. This clearly hadn't been what she was expecting.

"Where?" she asked, and Zack looked over his shoulder to Trae, who shrugged. "I was talking to the Captain of the United State Alliances, and he said he will try and figure something out for us. I won't be there acting like your husband, because it will draw too much attention to you, especially from those who still want me dead." Lauren looked immensely surprised but nodded all the same. "Luckily for you two and your daughter, we have a solution," said Alex, re-entering the room and holding a smile upon his face. "There is a large castle where Lauren and Charlotte can stay as guests, and Zack, you will have the opportunity of watching them from a position inside the castle." Now Lauren's eyebrows were almost floating above her head as she raised them even more, shock etched onto her face. "A castle?" she asked shrilly, and Alex nodded warmly.

"The Duke and Duchess of the land will be grateful to accept you. Their castle is in the centre of a peaceful town, and they have all agreed to help you until the General can be found." Zack chuckled and held Lauren's hand, both of them smiling until Lauren asked, "And what will Zack's position be." Alex looked around the room and picked the discarded sword Zack used from the ground, tossing it to its new owner. "You will be their Blacksmith." Zack kissed Lauren fully on the mouth, pulling away after several seconds and grinning broadly, "Go tell Charlotte to pack her things. You leave at first light." Even Trae looked amazed, and he seemed more than surprised when Alex turned to him as well. "You will help Lauren and Charlotte by being their personal protector," he said, and Trae nodded, accepting the responsibility without hesitation.

"Good, you best get going then, you have five hours until the sun rises," Alex finished, and then he marched from the room, not to return that night. "Come on then," Zack murmured, holding Lauren's hand as the two of them headed the way Alex had left, Trae trotting loyally behind. Trae and the two lovers parted outside, and when Zack and Lauren arrived at their house ten minutes later, they immediately woke Charlotte and told her to start packing. Charlotte was used to moving from place to place, so she nodded and immediately began gathering her clothes and toys into bags while Zack and Lauren had already done that. They packed every night just in case, and it was lucky they chose to. Within the five hours they were given, everything inside the house was packed into boxes or bags, ready to be moved.

They expected black limos or at least family cars to take them, so they were more than surprised when the sound of clicking hooves on concrete surrounded the house, and loud shouts came from outside. Zack opened the front door and stepped outside, finding not one, not two, not even three or four or five, but six carriages drawn by horses waiting. "Load everything up!" shouted a voice, and a knight, wearing full armour that was coloured blue and a visor hiding his face. "This isn't what we were expecting," Zack said quietly as the knight leapt off his brown horse and landed before Zack. "I am Sir Nicolas Gulfrick, but you will call me the Blue Knight with a Gold Shield," said the knight, tapping the golden shield he held in his left hand as he spoke. "Oh, I am –" Zack began, but the Blue Knight with a Gold Shield interrupted before he could say more, "Only speak when spoken to, Blacksmith!"

Zack raised his eyebrows and said, "But you just spoke to me." The Blue Knight with a Gold Shield snarled and then indicated toward the main carriage on the driveway, and Zack looked over his shoulder to find Charlotte and Lauren stepped nervously out from behind him. "Alright, the three of you get in. We will make quick work of transporting you over to the castle," the Blue Knight said, and Zack nodded. He and Lauren carefully led Charlotte over toward the carriage for them, opened the side door, helped their daughter in first, and then Lauren climbed in, Zack following closely. "Not what I expected," Lauren said, looking around anxiously, and Zack chuckled, grasping her hand softly, hoping it would act as a comfort for her. Minutes past, the only sound being the shouting of the knights outside, and then their carriage lurched forward suddenly.

The ride was long and exhausting. Zack was used to airconditioning in their car, so he was dripping with sweat from the heat by the time they saw old-fashioned buildings pass through the main, glassless window opposite from the door. "We have arrived," said the carriage driver from above, pulling on the reins firmly and drawing the horses to a sharp stop. The carriage swayed slightly, and the door opened, the Blue Knight standing in the doorway. "You two," he said, pointing at Lauren and Charlotte, the latter shying her head behind her mother, intimidated. "You are to go with Sir Renold," Lauren nodded, looking slightly intimidated as well, and she stood, leading Charlotte out as they headed over to the other Knight the Blue Knight was pointing to. "And you," the Blue Knight snarled, venom in his voice. Zack could easily tell that this Knight did not like him.

"You are to go through the main castle gate, turn left onto the first path you come across, and follow it to the left-hand side of the castle. The Weapons Room is there." Zack bowed his head, trying to look as respectful as possible as he climbed out the carriage and went down the path the Blue Knight had instructed him to. He was barely walking for five minutes before he opened the dark oak door, stepped inside, and let it snap shut behind him. The room was bare. The far wall contained many hammers, metals and rubbers, but aside from that and the many wooden turners where weapons could be hung, there was nothing. Zack stood still, observing every inch of the room and wiping the floor with his feet. It wasn't even a suitable floor. Just smooth stone that had sand covering it.

"Enjoying yourself?" came a voice, startling Zack, and he turned to find a knight with his helmet under his arm standing in the doorway. Zack had not heard the door open. "I was just looking around," Zack said defensively, and the knight laughed, setting his helmet on the table that rested beside the door. "I'm guessing it is not what you are used to?" Zack shook his head, and to his surprise, the knight drew his sword. "This sword came from a Zodiac who dared try and storm this place. He was an excellent fighter, I will add. He took on all of the knights with his skills, and even worse, he escaped. He never came back for his sword." Zack cocked his to the side and pointed at the sword, "How did he lose it?" The knight smirked slightly and nodded his head at Zack before answering. "I disarmed him, and then took his left foot." Zack whistled lowly, impressed.

"I don't need to teach you how to make swords, you will know when you are to make your first one. And I am to request the first sword you make." Zack doubted he could figure it out all on his own. He had never made so much as a sock puppet in his life, let alone a sword. "A bid you farewell. We will meet again soon," said the knight, and he sheathed his sword before exiting the room, swinging the door shut behind him. Zack turned his back to the door and approached the furthest wall, where the anvils and tables and metals were set out for the next person to create. Zack noticed a stone arch set into the wall next to the table, and then he found a box of matches beside the arch. Instinctively he lit one and threw it onto the coals inside the stone arch, feeling fire immediately burst to life.

It was a forge. Zack smiled at himself, and then found a long sheet of metal under the wooden table. Time to get to work.

***

The knight entered the room, instantly feeling the heat of the fire. He had left the Spectre in here for well over twelve hours, the sun had set a few hours ago. "Spectre?" he called, stepping further into the room and then ducked his head aside quickly as a sword dangled from one of the wooden turners. There were four words in total, and then the blue-haired Spectre rose from behind a table, wielding a steel sword that glinted in the light of the fire, the handle of which a smooth, pale wood and the guard thin. "I see you have been busy," chuckled the knight, and the Spectre nodded, putting the sword aside, picking up a bucket of water and then throwing the liquid into the forge, killing the fire instantly. The knight stepped forward and picked the sword from the ground, examining it with interest.

"It is incredible that you have made these in such a short time," he murmured, handing the sword back to the Spectre, who couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "Now to put it to the test," the knight said, drawing his own sword and then dramatically swiping it through the air. It smashed against Zack's sword, and the two weapons spun away from each other. The two stared at one another, panting, and the knight chuckled, sheathing his sword. "Your sword is strong. It will do you well," said the knight, and Zack planted it on the table behind him. "When do I get to see my wife and daughter again?" he asked anxiously, and the knight sighed. "I do not know, Spectre. Things are being put together still and not even I have an answer to your question. Most likely not for a while."

Zack hung his head, disappointed, but the knight reached forward and patted him on the shoulder. "Keep doing work like this, though, and some improvement will definitely happen." Zack nodded his head thankfully, and the knight once again headed toward the door. "What's your name?" Zack suddenly called, and the knight turned. "I am Sir Renold," he said, and then he disappeared out the main door. Zack immediately grabbed the sword he just made, set it back on the table, grabbed a chisel and hammer, and then began to carefully engrave words onto the side of the sword. He finished ten minutes later after smoothing out the words that he dented permanently into the metal, and he stared down at them, smiling: THE PHANTOM

Four Months Later

"What do you mean? They can't possibly be coming!" Lauren said, her voice high in fear, and the Blue Knight nodded gravely. "The Zodiacs employed the help of the Black Riders, a group of rogue knights, to find you all. Our scouts have said they are getting closer and closer to finding this place. You need to go back home, where you are safe." The doors to the large marble room opened, and the Duke stepped inside, dressed in his black tuxedo like he usually was. He truly was a grand man. "Come on, Blue Knight. If she does not want to leave then we can hide her from the Black Riders," said the Duke, and the Blue Knight with the Gold Shield sighed. "Sir we do not even know if our scouts truly saw them! The Black Riders should be on the other side of the country!"

The Duke seemed to think of this for a few moments but then shook his head, dismissing the idea in seconds. "The Black Riders are dangerous, so we have to be ready for anything. Tell our Blacksmith to get to work immediately!" The Blue Knight let a sound of displeasure escape his lips, and the Duke and Charlotte turned to him. "I don't like that bastard," he said quietly, and Lauren's face changed into a furious expression. "That bastard is my husband!" she hissed, and the Blue Knight took off his helmet. He had dark skin, short black hair, brown eyes and a scowl on his face. "I am respectful, but that Spectre does not belong here. I am made to protect this place, so, if I see fit, I will throw him out!" Something cold touched the side of the Blue Knight's neck, and he saw a man with brown hair standing behind him, sword drawn and pointed at the Blue Knight's neck.

"I don't think disrespecting our guests is part of your job description," he said lowly, and the Blue Knight sighed, stepped away and not moving toward the sword at his belt. "Forgive me," he said, and then he strode from the room, head held high. "Thank you, Trae," said the Duke, looking rather angry as Trae sheathed his sword, the chainmail armour clinking against itself loudly. "I do apologise for the behaviour of the Knight. He can sometimes forget his job place," the Duke said hurriedly, and Lauren nodded, accepting the apology. "May we be left alone?" she asked kindly, and the Duke nodded, leaving the room the way he had come. "You can go back if you want," Trae said, "My job is to protect you, but these Black Riders sound extremely deadly." Lauren shook her head, smiling, "It is probably some story the Blue Knight came up with to scare us away."

Trae could not argue with that, and the two laughed together. "Where is Zack?" he asked, and Lauren's smile slowly faded. "The Weapons Room. I know no one told you where he was. But he is pretty...consumed...by his work." Trae did not believe it was that bad, but when he entered the Weapon's Room twenty minutes later, he found Zack working tirelessly at hammering a sword together, which was glowing a bright orange colour. "Hello, friend," Trae said, and Zack looked over his shoulder, his soot-covered face brightening instantly. "Friend!" he said dropping what he was doing, hurrying over to Zack and then embracing him. It was a very quick hug as Trae pulled away, trying not to get the soot on his armour. "Sorry I haven't been down to see you. There has been talking of Zodiacs getting closer to finding you," Trae said, and Zack shook his head, looking tired. "It's alright. I have been working for these months."

Trae looked around, deeply impressed as he saw swords, axes, shields and even helmets hanging from the wooden turners and the slots on the walls. The room was full of weapons, and it was clear Zack did not want to stop anytime soon. "Have you seen the Duchess recently?" Trae asked absent-mindedly, and Zack looked taken aback. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen her in a couple of days. "No...do you know where she is?" Zack asked, and Trae shook his head. "The Duke thinks that she is out shopping in a different town. However, I sent word to the closest town, Maplemoor. She has not yet arrived." Zack swore under his breath, feeling uneasy. "Can you go and find her?" he asked, but to his surprise, Trae shook his head. "I am the protective bodyguard for your wife and daughter. I cannot drop this to go and search for the Duchess, no matter how important she is."

Zack did not like this turn of events, but he did not let the immense disappointment show on his face. Instead, he firmly nodded and said, "I will go and look for her." Trae looked alarmed as Zack headed over to a wall that held many sheaths, and he connected two to either side of his belt. "I'm not sure about this," Trae protested, but Zack was barely listening as he locked a sword into each sheath and then grabbed a saddle from the wall. It was not just weapons he made. "Zack, I am honestly not sure if you should ditch your position just to go searching for this Duchess!" Trae continued. Zack walked toward the door outside, paused for a second, and then picked three axes from the wall before fully exiting the building. Trae was hot on his heels as they approached the stables, and once they were inside Zack immediately stepped towards a magnificent white horse.

Zack strapped the saddle onto the horse's back, and then climbing up, propping himself on the saddle and then gripping the reins. "I can't stop you, can I?" Trae asked, and Zack shook his head, a small smile on his face as Trae sighed with exasperation. "Just...be careful, ok?" Trae asked, and Zack chuckled again, this time more warmly than the last. "You know me. I never fail at a mission. I promise to bring her back!" Zack said, confidence infecting his words, and Trae believed him. "Do hurry, and I am sure you won't need that many weapons," he added as Zack secured the steel heads of the three axes to the saddle. "I will return before morning," Zack said, staring straight ahead at the closed doors to the stable, and Trae hurried over to unlock the wooden doors and push them open, revealing the bright day and the few people that went along their day-to-day lives.

"See you soon," said Zack, and he kicked at the horse's side, feeling the stallion buckle forward as it raced out the stable and onto the dirt road, dust raining up from behind the horse as it raced away.