Chapter 2: The Grey Wizard and the Sky Maiden
Fairy Tail's She-Devil: Have no fear, he's not as powerful as many might think. Sure he has a lot of magics to use at his disposal, but he does have many(and I meanmany) flaws. And while he has a ton of raw magic power, he would sometimes match and/or lose to others with much more experience than him(Makarov, Gildarts, etc.).
But when the time calls for absolute desperate measures, he'll munster all the magic he has to bring in a victory.
Zenith, without his cloak, was currently walking down the road in Hargeon, in his new attire at that. He was in a white button up T-shirt with the sleeved rolled up to almost his elbows, along it were black vein like markings that were imprinted on his left shoulder and stopped at his mid chest and back range. He wore black pants with a silver chain on the right side, extending from the rightmost front to the rightmost back. He also had on black shoes that complimented the outfit nicely. He had on a black bracelet around his left wrist and a white one around his right wrist. He was walking down the road, carrying his staff along the stone path of the port town.
The town itself was fairly large, though not as big as some of the places in his home continent/country back in Alvarez. Though he had to admit, it was nice. The calm air with the scent of seawater that clings to the winds, the nice people, and the style of the town, it made itself calm and peaceful in the eyes of many. Suddenly he was brought out of his musing when he accidentally bumped into someone shorter than him, though he couldn't see who due to them holding so many boxes that seemed to slightly tower over the person.
Suddenly they wavered as the boxes came toppling down all over the place, Zen acted on instinct. In a flash of pure speed he ex-quipped his staff and managed to collect any and every box before they hit the ground. He suddenly remembered his folly and began to sweat nervously.
"I'm so sorry about that," he said hastily, "I wasn't looking where I was going and-" he stopped immediately at seeing just who he bumped into. It was a girl, a year or two younger than him. Her pretty navy blue hair seemed to sparkle in the light as he looked at her, his cheeks becoming warm all the sudden. Wait! What was he just thinking all the sudden?
Wendy looked at the duel colored hair preteen looking down at her, a blush eminate on her face. The way his hair was spiked in so many places along with the ponytail that hung over his right shoulder. His eyes were pure silver, it glowed with coldness yet warmth.
"Uh," she began, "it's no problem, umm…"
"Oh sorry, I'm Zenith Memoriae, or Zen for short, it's nice to meet you…" He stuck out his hand while holding the boxes with his other.
"W-Wendy. Wendy Marvel." she took his hand and he pulled her back up and she dusted the dirt off of her clothes. "I'm so sorry, I'm clumsy all the times." Zen gave her a small chuckle.
"Don't worry, I was to when I was younger." any older people near looked at the two and smiled. They found it adorable at how they were talking and meeting.
"Wendy!" The two turn to see a white flying female feline with white angelic wings flying their way. She stopped right next to Wendy and gave her a stern look. "What have I told you, you're too young to be on your own."
"I'm sorry Carla, but I wanted to look at something so I went ahead." Carla put a paw to her head, shook it and sighed. Carla then takes notice of the boy holding Wendy's boxes of items/goods/ and other things.
"Who's this?" Wendy then realised that she forgot about her new friend.
"Oh! This is Zen, we accidentally bumped into each other."
" 'We?' " Carla questions, an eyebrow raised.
"I'm kind of a klutz myself sometimes Miss. Carla." Carla inspects the boy. His hair and name were some of the oddest she's ever seen and/or heard before, but it seems his intentions were pure, and he already made friends with Wendy it seems.
"Nice to meet you young man," Carla said, "you better not do anything wrong to Wendy." Zen tilted his head to the left, confusion written on his face.
"What would I do wrong to a girl?" Carla froze in her spot in shock. The feline noticed the blush on her partner's face, but they boy wasn't aware of it.
'Oh no, he's the clueless type.' While she wouldn't have to worry about him doing anything to Wendy, they still didn't know his intentions at all.
"Alright, what are your intentions young man," Carla asked. Wendy looked at her.
"Carla, you don't need-!" The 11 year old was then interrupted by the 13 year old.
"No no, it's okay," he assured her. Carla and Wendy both looked at him, who himself was wearing a joyful smile. "I was actually planning on becoming a member of a guild." Well, that wasn't what they were expecting in the slightest.
"You're a mage!?" They both asked in shock. Zen tilted his head.
"Yeah, what else would I be?" they could not answer him for the two females actually didn't have anything to say...though he did look somewhat princely in a way.
"S-sorry," Wendy said, "but you could join our guild." It was Zen's turn to look at her in shock.
"You're part of a guild!?" She smiles at him and nods.
"Mhm," she turns to the left and shows Zen her blue cat shaped guild mark on her right arm. "We're part of the Cait Shelter Guild, while it's not well known across Fiore, it's still pretty fun." Zen gained a thoughtful look on his face.
"Sound fun...maybe I'll join, if that's okay with you two." Wendy beamed at the boy.
"Sure," she said in a light, cheery tone. He returned her smile, look like things were looking up for him.
-Z-
The trio continued to shop around Hargeon for a bit, enjoying some food and each other's company. Zen loved spending time with his new friend and her partner, though she(Carla) did send him a glance every now and then for some reason, but he didn't really pay it any mind. Soon it was time to depart from the port town and they group made their way to the station, which was only a quick trip through the forest.
-Z-
The group were making their way down the dirt path, when suddenly, 10 men jumped out of the bushes and trees and surrounded them. Some held knives, magic gun, or nothing, but they did all wore a smirk on their face.
"Well well well," one of them, presumably the leader, said, "what do we have here. Two little kids and a cat. How adorable." the other men laughed as they all took a step forwards. "Now, be good children and hand over the goods."
Wendy looked frightened and held onto her friend's arm, while Zen himself didn't bat an eye to the men. He's train for things like this, and besides he sensed that they weren't anywhere near his level by decades.
"Wendy, hold these," Zen handed her the boxes to the younger mage who wore a confused and worried expression.
"Zen, what are you doing?" she was worried, and she had a feeling on what he was going to do. Said prince flashed her a grin.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you and Carla." Wendy gave a faint blush. Carla looked a bit skeptical, but didn't pester him, she wanted to see what the boy could do.
Zen stepped forwards, a hand on his hip. The men all laughed at his courage.
"The kid has balls," a thug said, "but let see him take on all of us!" it was then they all pounced on the boy, who just stood his ground. Zen then smirked as he vanished in a flash. The men's eyes all widened in shock. It was then the young mage came into appearance above them, looking down at all of them, glee written on his face.
"I am so going to enjoy this." he then came down and did a downward aerial strike on the leader's face and sent the man crashing hard into the ground as if it was nothing, also unconscious sporting a giant lump on his head with swirls in his eyes. Zen flipped back then stood up and looked back at the other 9 men, who were sweating furiously. "Anyone else wants to end up like him." Silence reigned. Not even Wendy and Carla could react, this boy just took down the leader in less than 30 seconds.
"I'd take that as a yes then." The boy charged forwards at amazing speeds and did a spiral kick on one of them and sent him crashing into a tree, causing it to break on impact. He then, without leaving the ground, launched another kick to another thug's cheek and sent him flying. Wendy was amazed at Zen's fighting skills, she didn't know he was a fighter. Carla was deeply impressed, at first she didn't peg him as a fighter or a mage, but seeing him now proved her wrong...in fighting sense not magic yet.
Zen landed and looked at the other 7 men, all of which held weapons in their hands. The boy merrily shrugged and requipped a sheathed katana into his hand. The hilt was a sleek black with silver wrapping around the grip. The scabbard was a dark midnight black and had dark blue running down the sides of it with the tip of it having a silver cap on it.
He puts it out forwards and places a hand on the grip and holds it tight.
"Ha, what's a weak looking Katana going to do to us?" Zen's hair overshadowed his eyes, then, slowly, a smirk graced his face. He only pulled the Katana a mere inch, before in a sheer instant he was on the other side of them.
Nothing happened so far, but the blade was now at his left hip, but when he returned it to its scabbard, when his actions were made known. Their clothes were torn and shredded, cuts and other wounds were slice across their bodies. They all then fell limp onto the ground, not dead but unconscious from the damage they sustained.
Zen turned back to his handy work and gave a large grin.
"That takes care of that!" He Ex-quipped his Katana as he made his way to his travel companions, who both wore stunned expressions of shock. Their guild probably hit the jackpot with this boy. Zen then turned to the two females. "Aren't you two coming or what?" They then snapped out of their shocked daze.
"Oh, um, right," Wendy muttered, "let's go."
Soon the trio were on a train sitting on in a booth, Carla and Wendy on one side, Zen on the other. The ride went on in silence for a while, till Wendy decided to break it.
"So, um, Zen," she began, "what type of magic due you use?" The boy gives her his usual smile.
"A lot actually, and they're pretty powerful...but I prefer to stick with Requip, Light, and Dark magic." This caught the others' interests.
"Impressive" Carla admits, "but what other magics can you use?" Zen gave her a sly smirk.
"I'll tell you another time, I like to leave people in suspense." Wendy slumped forwards and Carla hmphed, she didn't expect him to be cheeky. "So, Wendy, what magic do you use?" Wendy sat up straight and gave him a smile.
"I use Sky magic, in fact I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer." Zen looked at her in shock. She was a Dragon Slayer!? And a Sky Dragon Slayer, no wonder why she smells like pure clean air, the way it cleanses any smell near, it would be the only thing he would smell in his lifetime if he could.
"Really!? That's Awesome!" he shouts, but not too loud to bother anyone else on the train compartment. Wendy blushed from the comment.
"T-thanks." A while later the train comes to a stop at their destination and they all hop off. They then make their way through a somewhat dense forest. Zen could feel a dark power somewhere near them, but it was sealed away for some reason...he would investigate the phenomenon later. It was then the group came upon a small village like area. It had a textile design to it and a cat like look on it.
Zen felt...no one around.
By no one, he means he senses no life force anywhere, which was extremely odd since this was suppose to be the guild hall.
The group entered the hall to see people talking and doing regular everyday things, but Zen was slightly wary of them, for he sensed nothing, as if they were just projections of a person's imagination. It was then the trio came upon a short old man in a weird looking old style get up. Zen sensed something off. The man did have some life, but it was very faint, almost non-existent.
The old man looks up and smiles at the three.
"Welcome back Wendy, Carla." He then takes notice of the new face in the group. "And who might you be young man?"
"Oh, I'm Zen Memoriae, a pleasure to meet you sir." They shook hands, which-on the inside-surprises Zen, seeing as how the old man was somewhat corporeal.
"And I'm Roubaul." After they shook hands Wendy steps forwards.
"Master, he would like to join the guild." This piece of news surprises the old man.
"Really? Well, that's wonderful news." he turns to the young male mage and pulls out a stamp marker. "Now young lad, where would you like your guild mark to be?" Zen thought about it. His back was out of the question due to the Alvarez mark on it, and he didn't want it on his chest…
"I'll have it on my right back forearm, in grey please." he sticks out his right arm. Roubaul places the marker a few inches above his wrist and with a small pop, Zen was an official member of Cait Shelter.
"Congratulations, you're an official member of our guild," The old man then directs Zen's attention to the board on the far right near the wall, "you can take any requests as you desire, though we don't get many around here." Zen merrily shrugs.
"It's okay." He didn't really care about making himself known...yet anyways. He had enough gold from his vault back home to last him for a couple of years if needed. Besides, he rather focus on training first. Having so much power one needs to work up control as well as keep themselves in cheek with their body, also he didn't want to over exert himself.
For now he would take a job, a small one for starters.
He was looking at the request board with calculating eyes as he scans every job on the board. From a small distance away, Wendy watches him as he looks at the board. She wanted to ask him if he wanted to form a team with her, but she didn't have the courage to ask him. Carla saw this and shook her head. Wendy was too nice and shy for her own good sometimes.
"Wendy," Said Dragon Slayer jumps a few inches in surprise from Carla's sudden appearance. "You should stop sitting around and ask him already."
"B-but but but, I don't know If he'll want to form a team with me." She said, every word filled with worry.
"Child, you'll never amount to anything if you're too shy all the time," Carla scolded her.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it," Wendy said back, sweating heavily from both embarrassment and nervousness. Carla gave a deep sigh. Hopefully young Zen helps her break out of her shell sooner or later...but hopefully the former.
While these two were bickering, Zen found a job with a decent reward and prize at that too.
"Says here that all I have to do is guard some guy and I get 300,000 jewels as well as a tome about a rare magic...sounds perfect." He plucked the request off the board and made his way over to Roubaul, who was talking to someone else. "Master, I would like to take this job please."
"Hmm...alright, be careful and good luck." Zen smiles and made his way out of the guild hall. Soon Wendy notices that he's gone and slumps her shoulders.
"Oh no, he's already gone," she muttered. Carla gave her a stern look.
"Alright child, when he comes back you're asking him to form a team with you, no questions." Wendy gave Carla a shocked look before she looks down herself with a sad look on her face.
'Will he want to join me?...No, I shouldn't think like that,' she then gains a determined look on her face. 'I'll ask him to form a team with me when I see him again.' Carla gives a small smile. Now that this new mage is around, Wendy finally has someone around her age to finally socialize with, instead of older people from around here. And seeing how she reacts to him it won't be long before she discovers her feelings for the mage, something she'll gladly accept.
Zen walked down the dirt path towards his destination. It was mid evening and the sun was still halfway in the sky. He kinda wished he brought Wendy and Carla with him. He was bored going alone, but he needed to make a living on something other than gold...and he didn't want to lose his physique. The train ride was bearable, due to the scenery of the land, but still, it was boring without any company to keep him occupy his time.
An hour and a half later he was walking towards the town of Cedar, a port like town that usually has knights to guard it, but for some reason they requested the help of a mage. He then comes up upon a large mansion like building and looks at the flyer and the building. He proceeds to knock on the door with loud bangs. At first nothing happened...but then the door creaked open to give way to a beautiful looking maid.
"Hello," Zen began, "I'm the mage who came to help guard someone." The maid beamed at him.
"Oh thank you! Please come in." She opens the door wider and the young mage enters. The foyer hall was very lavishing, a crystal chandelier hung high on the ceiling with elegance, the floor was decorated with marble tiling that gleamed from the light, meaning it was waxed recently.
Zen then, on one foot, turns around to face the maid.
"Now, can you tell me why you need a mage's help?" the maid's face fell as she gave a low, small sigh.
"You see, the young master is paranoid about a recurring vision they've been have as of late, one about their supposed death that is due to happen any day, so they're asking for protection."
Zen thought how it was odd, a person having a premonition wasn't unheard of but greatly rare among those of Earthland, a celestic gift to many, but someone having a recurring one was unheard of, and taking steps to prevent it was unheard of, you couldn't prevent a premonition no matter how hard you tried.
"Okay then, how did he see their death?" The maid looked down, a dark look on her face.
"Someone's going to kill them." Zen's eyes widened in shock. They saw someone trying to commit an assassination attempt on their life!? Now he couldn't blame the guy for being paranoid. "They said the person held a weapon and slashed at them, causing blood to go everywhere, then everything went black." Zen was silent for a moment.
"I...I see." Zen responded, "does he have any idea on when this happens?"
"They said when help comes it'll happen somewhere in the next 12 hours." So a count down clock. He's been talking with the woman for about ten minutes if his internal clock was right. Wait...what was he doing standing here then!?
"Okay then, I'll go to the client immediately," He was about to make a run off to somewhere random, but he remembered a teeny tiny problem. "Uh, where's their room?" The maid gave an amused giggle
"Up the stairs and the last room on your right." He gives her a grateful smile.
"Thanks," and he was off.
-Z-
After a few minutes of walking, Zen was upon the door the maid told him about. He took a calm breath and gave a knock.
"Hello? Sir, I'm the mage who came to help you." No response what so ever, just silence. Then, another few seconds later, a voice broke the silence.
"Come in." Zen did as told and entered the master bedroom. It was highly decorated with anything a rich person needs, but the owner of the voice shocked him slightly.
Instead of a man, like he expected, it was a beautiful woman. She had long silver hair that draped down to her waist. She had on a flowing gown of green with jade woven into the clothing, mainly around her large breasts, which showed some cleavage. The gown had long sleeves that hugged her slender arms with care and delicacy. All in all she didn't look a day over 25. Said woman turned her dark blue eyes to the mage and raised her eyebrows.
"I didn't expect you to be so...young." Her voice held slight dread, worry, and disappointment. Though after looking over him more she found him very cute actually, and he had that aura around him that so few possessed, so she shrugged. "But it's okay, as long as you're strong enough." Zen flashed her a warm, charming smile.
"You have nothing to worry about madam, I'm here to follow through with your request till the very end." She smiled at his bravery and loyalty. Why couldn't most men be like this boy?
"Thank you, and for reference my name is Veridian." The now named Veridian told him.
"Thank you Miss. Veridian," then nothing happened for a short while, which made Zen bored, "so, is there anything in particular you want to do?"
"Well, we could play a game of chess." He beamed.
"Sounds fun."
-Z-
Under them in the kitchens, many chefs were at work preparing dinner for their loving Mistress. One however wore his hat over his eyes as he was preparing her soup. Then a sinister grin crossed their features. While the others were preoccupied they took out a small vial of shimmering purple liquid. They poured it into the soup as the color turned purple, then back to it's pale yellow color.
'Finally, the bitch gets what coming to her for taking away what was precious to me.'
Their smile faded as they placed the soup on the tray along with the other food. The maid comes to get it and left the kitchen.
The chef from before gave a small, sadistic smile. By the time she's asleep she'll be dead, then they'll be gone after the week ends, and their revenge will be complete.
-Z-
Back with the tycoon and young mage they were on their 5 game of chess. Veridian was astonished at how amazing Zen was at the game, he hasn't lost a single game yet, and being the wealthy person she was this game involved strategy, something she was good in. But the young boy had more strategizing then she did and was always a few steps ahead of her.
Suddenly their game was interrupted by a knock at the door. Zen pouted, he was about to win again, but sometimes he believed that fate was playing with him. The mage got up and went over to the door to see who it was, putting up his guard. He opens it and looks up to see the maid from earlier, holding a tray with a silver dome on it.
"Oh, hello," he said, letting his guard down slightly, "what can I do for you?" She puts the tray forwards.
"This is Mistress Veridian's dinner young mage." He takes the tray and thanks her for the food. He brings the food over to the table in the room as Veridian comes over to see what was given to him.
"What's this," she asks.
"This is your dinner Miss. Veridian." he lifts the silver cap as stem emerges as gormont food was seen steaming on the plate. The sight caused Zen's mouth to slightly water at the sight. He felt his stomach growl as he saw the food. Veridian sat down and prepared to dig into the food. She was about to take a spoon full of the soup, till all of Zen's senses screamed. He grabbed her hand right before she placed the spoon in her mouth.
"Don't," he warned, "it's laced with poison." her eyes widened.
"How do you know?" his eyes narrowed as his gaze was upon the soup bowl.
"I have high senses and an intuition that gives me warnings anytime something's wrong, but we can test the theory for it being poisoned." he requipped a backpack and dug into it, while the Tycoon watched him, wondering what he was getting. He then pulled out a vial, full of a clear liquid and a small syringe attached to the top. He unscrewed it and placed the syringe above the soup. "This is a special made potion that I have with me, it shows if food has been poisoned or tampered with." He then releases a single drop and it splashed on the top of the food. At first it seemed like everything was okay, then the soup glowed brightly as it shifted from pale yellow to a sickly purple color.
"I knew it," Zen said, his arms crossed with a frown on his face. Veridian looked at the food in horror, her premonition almost came true right before her eyes. Her gaze then fell on the other food on her tray...where they all poisoned?
"A-a-are the other things poisoned?" Zen gave her a small smile. He picked up a piece of meat on the tray and took a bit of it. She looked at him in pure terror, was he crazy!? After a few moments, nothing happened.
"Does that answer your question?" She gave a relieved sigh.
"But, how did you know my soup was poisoned?"
"Like I said, my senses were on the fritz...and it scent smells dark and foul, even though a normal human like you can't smell it, I-and a few others-can." She looked at him amazed, but that left one more thing.
"Who wanted to kill me though?" Zen went into a thinking position at the thought. Who would want to kill a nice and kind lady like Veridian?
"I honestly don't know...have you ever done anything that a person would want to kill you for?" Veridian looked down in thought...till a memory hit her.
"I may have an idea...but...I'm not so sure." Zen shrugs.
"Well it's better than nothing, so begin your story." She took a breath before telling him what exactly she did and how she gained her fortune.
Zen learned that she ran a Lacrima mining business, the most dominate and large one at that. It extends through all of Earthland, having multiple branches and members mining the pure crystallized form of magic energy...but one day, there was an accident at one of the mines.
It was a warm spring morning in the country of Bellum, further east on the Ishgarian Continent. Veridian was doing a routine mine inspection to ensure that her loving workers worked in a safe environment. Besides her was her second in command.
He was a tall man with a lean build to him. He had short combed, slicked backed, black hair that gave a faint shine in the light. He had black squinted eyes that wanted nothing more than to see through with the company's well being. He was dressed in a dark blue business suit. This was Xander Ravelt.
"How's the mining coming along, Ravelt," Veridian asked.
"It's going smoothly ma'am, all the Lacrima are full of magic and are safely being harvested."
"And what about the workers?"
"They are working to their best abilities and the working conditions are to all their liking." She gains a small smile and nod. While she looks like the person to care for nothing for her business, she actually cared more for the well being of all her workers. For all she cared her business could plummet down the drain, but lives are more important to her.
"Good." Suddenly a worker, who wore a very worried look on their face, made her way over to the two.
"Ma'am, Sir, bad news." Their undivided attention was directly on the worker.
"Explain." The worker handed her(Veridian) a chart.
"The mines are shown to be growing unstable at a rapid pace, and if we don't stop mining sooner or later, the whole cavern will collapse." Veridian took immediate action.
"Stop the mining process and get all the people out of the mines." Xander gave his superior a look.
"Miss, you can't be serious!? Thing about your business." Veridian turned her gaze unto him.
"I don't really care about it, I care more for the well being of my workers than making money." and with that she walked away to settle other matters of business. Xander wasn't having any of it, all he cared for was the money.
"Now listen here, I don't care what she says, I'm your superior and what I say to you goes, so get back to work!" The worker, not wanting to get yelled at anymore or even fired, scurried away. Xander smirked, what could go wrong?
Later that day at mid evening everything seemed normal to Veridian, who was looking at some paper work. She then looked out her window to see her workers working the mines like usual...wait, something's very wrong with this picture here. It then hit her, they weren't supposed to be working!
'What's the meaning of this!? I told her to stop the mining.' Suddenly the ground began to quake violently as Veridian looked on at the cave. In that short moment the cave collapsed in on itself as dust, dirt, and smaller rocks were sent flying everywhere from the event. Veridian looked on in horror at the sight.
In less than a few minutes, those who weren't in the mines were standing, Veridian right in front of the crowd. The Company founder/president fell to her knees, her hair overshadowing her eyes.
"How…" she began, her voice betraying no emotion. "How many?"
"T-t-t-ten ma'am," the worker from before told her.
"And why?"
"Mr. Ravelt told me not to ma'am, I'm sorry, I should have listened to you but-"
"No, no no. It's not your fault." She then turns slowly to her second in power, her eyes showing unrestrained fury. "Ravelt!"
"Don't worry ma'am," he said, "We will have this mine up and running in no-"
"That's not what matters!" Everyone jumped from her outburst. "What matters are the lives that were lost, on your hands! You care for nothing other than money, from henceforth you are FIRED!" The once second in command looks petrified in shock.
"Y-y-you can't do this to me." Veridian scoffs and turns her gaze away from him.
"I can, and I did. Guards!" Two burly men grabbed Xander's arms, "get this man out of my sight." The two nod and drag the man away.
"You can't do this to me! Do you know who I am!?" Veridian paid him no mind as she looked on at mines, a depressed look on her face. Now she had to explain to the families of the accident, something she didn't look forwards to one single bit.
"That's horrible," Zen said, taking a sip of the tea he was given. Veridian nods in agreement.
"Mhm, I fear it's one of the deceased men family members, or worst my ex-second." Zen thought about it.
"From the sound of it, I guess it would be this Ravelt guy, he sound like someone who would do anything to get revenge against those who he thought did him wrong."
"You may have a point, but we have to make sure...but how?"
"Well, we could gather all the workers, question them, or you look at them and see if you could recognise them." She nods, it was a good plan in hindsight, but there was a snare in that she realised.
"But, it's night, all the workers left and they won't be back till tomorrow morning." Zen sighed.
"I was afraid of that, so I guess I'll stay for tonight...if that's alright?" Veridian could only beam on the young preteen in front of her.
"Of course, I would love for you to spend the night here." She then raised a small bell and rang it. In an instant the maid from before appeared.
"You rang ma'am?" Veridian nods.
"Yes, could you please show our young guests to one of our guest rooms." The maid nods and directs Zen to follow her. The young mage bid Miss. Veridian a goodnight and left the room along with the maid.
The maid directed Zen towards a room down another corridor, one thankfully not far from Miss. Veridian's room. The maid opened the directed Zen into it.
While room wasn't as big as his old one, it was still lavishing, having a queen sized bed, a desk, a drawer, a closet, and thankfully a bathroom of his own.
"Thank you for your hospitality Miss., um…?"
"Anne, my name is Anne." Zen nods as she left him to his things. In a swift instant the young mage made his way into the bathroom and had a nice soak in the refreshing hot water. It eased his mind after all that's happened today. First, meeting Wendy and Carla in Hargeon, second, joining a guild called Cait Shelter with them, and now taking this job to get a cool type of magic.
All in all, he made a right decision to leave home, to have a life full of adventure, though he also wanted to see the magic this world also had to offer. Though, for now, he was enjoying himself, unaware of what's to come soon enough.
Elsewhere in Fiore, in an unknown location in a forest.
It was a dark and moonless night as the sky was coated in a sea of seemingly endless array of stars. In the middle of the forest, laid a house. It was small, big enough for a small family of maybe 3 or four, but only one was in the house. Underneath it in it's dark basement, tables were topped with beakers, flasks, spilled liquids, and other scientific devices. At the furthest wall was a chamber, and in front of it was the owner of the house.
He looked to be in his early 40s, his hair was brown in color, with a few stards of grey in it already from sleepless nights and overworking himself on his project. He had black colored eyes that showed true intelligence that so few can truly grasp. He was wearing a white lab coat with a white t-shirt with black pants and shoes on. He also had a pair of glasses on his face.
His eyes were glued to the transparent chamber that held his experiment, the one he had worked years on. Infused with core magics that were said to be the gifts from the gods, and his blood for he was made from him...more specifically his sperm.
Inside the chamber was a humanoid figured, curled up in a fetus position. They only looked to be only 13 years of age, only an inch or two shorter than the average height for the age group. They had pale grey skin with zig zag lines running down under each eye to their cheek. Their hair was short, reaching almost to their shoulders, and pure white with two plucks of hair sticking out, but flowing forwards down their forehead. On his chest and abdomen he had ancient markings, and on their back was a in-burn glowing grey magic circle. It had a six pointed star with a circle in the center of the circle, and four smaller circles at the cardinals directions along the circle.
"It's almost time." The man said, "Now, for the final touch." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a oval shaped black stone from his pocket. To him, someone who doesn't use magic, may mistake it for a black colored Lacrima, but to a normal mage it was something much more. Suddenly the stone floated out of his hand towards the Chamber. The stone phased through the chamber wall and imbedded itself into the humanoid's chest. At first nothing happened, but then the body began to glow faintly, then it began to grew stronger and stronger with every second, putting a smile on the scientist's face. The stone itself began to change in color, from red, to blue to yellow, each color illuminating with untold magic power. The stone shifted back and forth repeatedly, not stopping for a single second.
The scientist ran a loving hand down the chamber wall, his smile turning softer as he looked at his greatest success in his lifetime.
"Soon my son...my child, my...Homunculus."
No one is getting any information out of my on the Homunculus, but know they'll play a part in the story...a major one.
Anyways, that was a rather interesting start, Zen meeting Wendy and Carla, being somewhat of a klutz at times, but when the time calls for it undoubtedly serious. Plus it was kind of nice seeing him rescue the fair maiden from the evil bandits that blocked their path.
As for Zen's senses they tend to vary at times. But mostly and only, they are active in life threatening situations. So if he's drugged by an unknown substance his nose has no history of smelling he's vulnerable to it.
Sadly that's all I have to say for this chapter.
Also, note that this story will be updated Weekly, so no pestering me on updates.
Remember to leave questions in review or PM me, and make sure to follow, favorite, and review your opinions, and until next chapter.
