Lao Who Mai- He was never really in hiding, he just lived kinda out of the way. Thanks for reviewing, it's nice to know that someone's reading my stuff. Anyhow, on with the show!

Chapter 2; Recluse

It is said that, the day after, the Crimson Flash's rage could be heard all throughout the continent. The skies grew dark and stormy, Thunder crashed ominously and Lightning zinged from the heavens in a fearsome display of power. Upon this storm, this thunder and lightning, she reputedly swore revenge against the one who did her, and the empire, an injustice. She would see to it that this Zenith character was put to rest.

As soon as she found him. She assumed, with that sort of wound from her own spear, that he wouldn't be able to get past her men. In case he did, he wouldn't have been able to get too far. However, when she checked the scene, she found several mangled bodies, none of which were the target. She immediately recognized outside interference, how could you not? Arrows were poking out from the neck region of her soldiers.

'Freedom Lights' left them in there, to taunt the empire. She knew that they had gotten a hold of them, and she also knew that it was up to her to take care of this threat, before it got out of hand...

-

Zenith woke quickly and easily, bolting straight up on the uncomfortably hard mat. He examined the room, feeling as good as normal. Which struck him as odd, because he had the faint recollection of being stabbed in the side--- but there was no wound. He shrugged it off, he wouldn't have been injured in a fig--- Where was he? His gaze darted from nook to nook, from corner to corner, he needed to find out where he was. His bearings were off, he noted the room was pretty much filled to capacity, three men and two women were all sitting around on stools of wood.

"So, kid, you're up alrea..." The man who piped up, the same man he was talking to before, WOULD have had a sword pressed against his throat. However, these people had enough foresight to remove the sword from his range while he was sleeping. So, Zenith did the next best thing. On his feet and up in the other man's face in a flash, it was most humorous to see his face shift from carelessness to fright. Zenith's pointer and middle fingers, which he noted with quite a bit of sardonic humor that someone was lacking, were pressed ominously up against the speaking man's Adam's Apple, the imposing nails ready to puncture flesh on command. Four other weapons trained on Zenith's decidedly smaller frame.

"Where am I?" Zenith demanded, ignoring the other weapons and focusing all of his attention upon the man that he was threatening. The other man grabbed his wrist, which was quite the mistake. Weaving his way between the weapons that were pointing in his direction, he brought the man's arm behind his back. He knew he would be overpowered if the other man was given a chance, so... He kept pulling, even after the point that would hurt. A sickening cracked filled the room, followed by a cry of pain. The man who's arm had just snapped was laying on the ground, one of the women went to tend to his wounds.

"I won't say this again. Where. Am. I?" Looking more like a cornered wolf than anything, he was ready to injure the rest of the people in this room if need be.

"Slow down there, tiger." This one was older, much older. He carefully took a step forward, Zenith didn't sense anything hostile in his intent, yet. "You ever heard of the rebel group, 'Freedom Lights'? Well, this is their main headquarters, as it were." He stepped forward again, and if he took another step, he'd find himself tangled up in a disconfigured heap worse than the other man's arm. He sensed it, and stopped walking forward. "You've got some fearsome speed on you, lad."

"I have a name. Use it." Came the curt reply.

"Okay, okay. Just stay calm." Beads of sweat already started forming upon his brow. Perhaps in his prime he'd be able to keep up with this kid, but as it stood now, he'd never be able to even get a move in. And it scared him. "Zenith. We've heard of your abilities, and your qualms with the empire, so we ask you. Join us."

Zenith didn't even take the time to think. "I have nothing against the empire. I refuse to join a bunch of hopeless ingrates such as yourselves."

The old man, he gulped. Try to stay calm, try to stay calm. People like this can sense fear. Gather your courage, plunge forward. "I don't think you realize your position, young man. You're in the main headquarters of 'Freedom Lights'. Hundreds of people, waiting to bear down on you if you refuse."

"Hmph. Hundreds of ingrates. If they're anything like you, I won't even need my weapon." If the kid wasn't so damn scary, his demeanor would drive the old man up the wall. However, he knew that he wasn't going to get through to the kid. He sighed, wiped the sweat of his brow, and looked straight into Zenith's eyes. He saw nothing, no compassion, no remorse. Nothing for all that he's done. Even the man, who was groaning in pain not too far because of an action this... sixteen-year-old kid did WITHOUT HESITATION, didn't bring any sort of feeling to his face.

And the old man laughed, but he felt like crying. "You youngsters, I can't keep up with you anymore." He turned on his heel, scooped up the man with the broken arm, and left. The three remaining in the room eyed Zenith warily, but Zenith made no moves to escape. It was almost as if he didn't mind that he was a quasi-prisoner. He laid on the ground, and stared at the ceiling vacantly, leaving the other three baffled.

Soon enough, the old man returned, and whispered something to the other three. They scurried away, leaving Zenith alone with the geezer. For the longest time, neither of them spoke, Zenith didn't even recognize the old man's presence. He just stared... Time passed by quickly, and the old man fell asleep, almost as if he was waiting for Zenith to say something... So...

"What do you want, fool?" The old man snapped awake, confused. How did this boy know he wanted something. "Your nervous energy is practically choking me. What do you want?" The old man was awestruck. He did his best to mask this feeling, but... He might as well have spit it out.

"Well, the boss wants to see you." A wicked smile lit up Zenith's features, a chance meeting with the leader of this band of meager pups. "But, uh.. I can't really force you to go anywhere, seeing as how you're a guest and all..." The fact of the matter was, there were probably only two or three people in this structure who COULD force him to go somewhere without having to be in a pack of fifty.

"I accept." With that, the old man stood up, and Zenith did likewise, and they were off, to wherever the old man would lead him to. Walking up to a grandoise door, the old man threw it open and stepped inside. Zenith followed promptly, striding up to the chair which was currently facing a large desk, no towards the two who had just entered. A smile erupted on Zenith's face. "How demeaning. Your leader is a WOMAN?"

The older man stuttered, he had no idea how Zenith knew that. He thought the leader was still in her chair. However, that was not the case, as when he looked back at his charge, he saw the boy with a sword between his hands, struggling to keep it aloft as the woman bore all kinds of pressure down on him. It had been a while since he had felt overpowered this way, so he ducked to the side and let her stroke fall through. The place where the wound was in his side twinged, it distracted him as blood once again stained his clothes.

"When did you injure me, woman?" He had been virtually upstaged by two women today, and he was infuriated. His gaze would kill if given the opportunity, if he had his weapon the woman in front of him would not be long for this world. However, he was at a disadvantage, and for the first time, he doubted that he'd be able to get her sword away from her. He'd need to find another means of attack...

But she sheathed her sword, looking at him. "So. This is all that this 'Zenith' I've heard so much about has to offer? Get out of my sight." She snarled, glaring at him. Her shoulder length silver hair whipped about as she threw her head in his direction. The slim sword, resting on her brown belt, matched the rest of her very-common looking clothes.

"I'll be back." Zenith smirked, and strode through the doors. Ignoring all the other rebels, he glided through the halls indignantly.

"Don't let him leave the complex." She ordered the old man, and with a nod, he left. It was only then she allowed herself a shudder. If he had had a weapon, would she have been able to inflict the wound on him like that? It was only a scratch, at the very most, but she did at least draw some blood. He was too valuable to lose to the empire, yet too powerful to kill. How would they be able to convince the young man to join their side...?