In Fear Of Destruction

By: AtomicKokoro

Storyline

Princess Zera of the Seekers claims to be Zed's half-sister. They share the same Dad. However, Zera isn't interested in a family reunion; she wants Zed's power to destroy enemy nations. Zed is kidnapped by Zera and tortured into doing what Zera wants. Sagiri tries to help as much as possible and Roya, Mikki, and Noa try to get their friend back.

Before You Read

Alright. The next chapter. Sorry it's so short!

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On with the story!

…

Chapter 10

What's Wanted

Zera stared in horror as Zed calmly walked up the steps to the stand and stopped with so close, she could feel his breath down her neck. They stared at each other for a moment, Zera shaking her head, tears forming in her eyes. "Why...?" she whispered. "Why? Why can't I bring you down? How are you so strong?"

His blue eyes flared for a moment before returning back to it's calm appearance. "Everyone has something to fight more, Zera," he replied, his voice strong and confident. "What really decides the battle isn't how bad you want it, but how much you love it."

"Love...it?" Zera repeated. "But I love Mother. And I love..." Her voice trailed off. Destruction? Creation? Control? Power?

"Do you see what I mean?" Zed asked. He showed as though he could read her like a book. "You're doubting yourself. You want what's best for your mother, but even you know this isn't what she wants. She doesn't want power. She doesn't want control. She doesn't want destruction or creation." Zera looked up at him, waiting for the answer. He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "She wants you."

The room dropped into a very still silence. Zera glanced over Zed's shoulder and looked at her mother, who nodded in agreement. Zera pushed passed Zed and jogged to her mother. "Is this true?" she asked, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. "Is what he said true?"

Her mother nodded. There was a long pause. Suddenly, Zera collapsed into her mother's arms, sobbing. Everyone feared to even breathe in case it caused Zera to explode in anger and try to kill them all again. Zed, however, found it was safe and skipped down the stairs. He stood beside Noa and watched as Zera found her innocence again.

Even if only Zed knew, everything was going to be alright.

…

Zera disappeared into her chambers with her mother, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Zed glanced around, realizing there was some damage done to people and objects he hadn't seen before. "What happened?" he asked, tracing his finger over a slit in the wall created by Noa's sword. His eyes trailed around some more and he spotted Mikki laying on the floor. His eyes grew wide and his knees went weak. "M-Mikki?"

He stepped forward then stopped and looked at everyone else. When his eyes rested on Sagiri, he noted the scratch on her cheek. "Sagiri," he gasped, getting to one knee and reaching out. "How did you get that cut?" Sagiri backed away before Zed's hand could touch her and she stared at him, almost fearfully. Zed's eyes widened in realization and he looked as though he were going to cry. "D-did I do that?"

He turned to look back at Mikki. "Did I do that?" he whimpered.

Noa kneeled beside his friend and grabbed his shoulder. "Zed. Zed, hey." He shook his friend to try and gain his attention, but it was hopeless. Zed was in shock.

…

The medical team came and went and brought everyone back to Templar, including Sagiri was in need of a place to stay until the Seeker's Frontier was repaired. No one saw where Zera and her mother went off to, but it was assumed they returned to their ship and drifted away to never be seen again.

Glad to finally be in the below the clouds and on the ground, Roya walked through the meadow by the lake. The wind blew her hair in different directions but her mind remained on track. The lake was in her view so she wandered over as that was where the wind seemed to guide her. She stopped dead when she spotted Zed laying beside his old fishing rod.

The bob submerged underwater for a split second before surfacing. Then it dipped underwater and never rose again. Zed didn't respond to this. "You have a bite," she said, assuming Zed was too lost in his thoughts to even acknowledge he was still fishing.

He broke out of his thoughts and tilted his head back to look at her than leaned up to reel in his catch. The fish was quite big, but Zed hadn't been fishing for food and set the fish back into the lake. He didn't say anything and laid back down again.

Roya frowned and took a seat beside him. "The doctors say Mikki going to be alright," she said, depressed about what had happened. "But he's going to be in the hospital for a couple weeks...months..." Zed turned over onto his side away from Roya as though he didn't want to be bothered. "Sagiri's with Noa right now. They're playing together." She chuckled. "They're so cute."

Zed didn't respond. Roya stared at him, hoping he would say something but he wasn't even making eye contact. He was just so lost.

Suddenly, a paper airplane glided into the lake. It floated for a moment before sinking due to the weight of the water. "Aw no!" Noa gasped, running to the lake. "We lost it!"

Zed leaned up and looked over at Noa. He stared at him for a moment before his eyes trailed over to Sagiri. Sagiri stared back and moved behind Noa. Zed got up and walked away. It took a moment for Roya to realize Zed was leaving then got up to follow him. "Hey, where are you going?" she demanded, grabbing his shoulder.

"Anywhere but here," he muttered, trying to break the grip on his shoulder but she held fast.

"Instead of sulking around and doing nothing, why don't you do something about what's going on?"

"Fine. I'll go see Mikki."

Roya pulled him closer and lowered her voice. "Talk with Sagiri, first."

Zed pushed her hand off his shoulder and leaned in closer, whispering furiously, "How can I patch things up with Sagiri if I can't even look at her without her wondering if I'm gonna bite her head or something?"

"Then don't look at her."

Zed thew his hands in the air, tired of the conversation between him and Roya. "Oh, terrific! Let's play mind games. Here's one: Why did I ever come back to this damn place?"

Then he turned and left without another word, leaving Roya on the verge of tears.

…

Zed sat at the side of his bed, face buried in hands like he was trapped in the room Zera imprisoned him in when he had been captured. "I should've never come," he whispered to himself. "It would've been so much better. None of this would've happened. None of this would have..."

He glanced over at the flower necklace on the wall at the end of his bed. He reached over and pulled it off the hook. He rubbed his fingers over beautiful, soft petals.

"Even though you're as useless as this flower, I do need that power. Amil Gaoul."

"Dammit!" he cursed, balling his fist around the flowers. "Dammit!" He slammed his fists against his forehead and held his breath, tears forming in his eyes. "Don't cry. Don't cry." He hadn't even begun to notice he was saying the words out loud. No one would hear him, and even if they did, they would just leave him alone and forget about it later. But even as he continued to tell himself, "Don't cry. Don't cry," his voice was beginning to crack. "Oh, God, what have I done?"

Even if he looked, he wouldn't see her through the tears that took his vision, but Sagiri was watching him, a flower necklace in her hand.