Zelgadis's eyes opened slowly, and one thing registered in his mind-- pain. He hurt all over, or so it seemed. Especially his head, though. His head pounded terribly, and he felt dizzy. He looked all around him, and saw the wood and stone all around him. But somehow the ceiling had fallen in such a way that it didn't fall on him, just around him.
Slowly, Zelgadis pushed at the junk above him to try to move it. He shoved, but it didn't move. That reminded him of just a while ago. He couldn't lift his father's sword. He wasn't strong enough. If he'd been stronger, he might have been able to help them. They might not have died if he'd been strong enough to help. And now he wasn't even strong enough to save himself.
Zelgadis held his breath and stopped thinking when he heard something. He crawled as far back in his small space as was possible, praying that it wasn't that monster. The rubble above him was shifted, and light poured in from outside. Zelgadis shielded his eyes, and looked up.
"Grandpa Rezo!" he shouted upon seeing his grandfather standing above him.
Rezo reached into the space, and lifted Zelgadis out under his arms. He set him down carefully on the ground, and said, "You're hurt. Let me help you." He then placed his hand in front of Zelgadis's face, and the white light washed over him.
Zelgadis was always amazed at his grandfather's ability to see things without using his eyes. And he also used magic, which awed Zelgadis as well.
As the spell progressed, Zelgadis felt the pain he'd had go away, and he didn't feel as dizzy. "What happened here?" Rezo asked after he'd finished the spell.
Zelgadis felt tears in his eyes, and he blinked furiously. "There... there was a big monster, and it came, and... mommy and daddy... it..." Zelgadis couldn't finish. He broke down in tears over what had happened. He felt himself being pulled into Rezo's arms, and lifted off the ground.
"I understand," Rezo said. "Come with me. As I am your closest relative, you will live with me."
"Thank you, Grandpa Rezo," Zelgadis said quietly, crying into the sorcerer's robes.
Rezo took Zelgadis to his mansion, a large red and white building with five stories, not including the basement. The stairs were all carpeted in red and had golden railings. The tapestries on the walls were all perfect, and there were several golden-framed mirrors. Colorful vases adorned every table, sometimes filled with flowers, sometimes nothing at all. Zelgadis was taken upstairs to the third floor, and Rezo set him down on the bed. "Do not worry, Zelgadis," Rezo said. "You will be safe here."
Zelgadis nodded, and watched his grandfather turn away and close the door. Once the door was shut, Zelgadis turned over, and started crying into his pillow. His parents were dead because of him. He wasn't strong enough to save them. It was his fault! He wasn't strong enough... He had to be stronger! He'd get stronger so he could protect his family and loved ones in the future. He wouldn't let anyone get hurt again-- not when he was there to help them.
Suddenly, Zelgadis stopped crying. He couldn't cry if he wanted to be strong. He HAD to be stronger. He WOULD be stronger. With that thought in mind, Zelgadis drifted off into an uneasy sleep.