About five years later, Zelgadis still hadn't given up his thoughts of being stronger. He practiced as often as he could with a sword he'd found in the basement. But right now, he wasn't training. In fact, he was leaning out of the windowsill, talking to a beautiful young lady. She had long green hair that reached her waist, and was always tied in a braid. She had dazzling green eyes that seemed to hypnotize Zelgadis, and a smile that made his stomach flutter.
"Zel?" the girl said, smiling again.
"Yeah, Jemmy?" Zelgadis asked.
Jemmy smiled, and said, "I'm gong to be going away for a while."
"How long?" Zelgadis asked, suddenly stiff. He didn't want her to be away for long. He couldn't protect her if she wasn't with him.
"About a month," Jemmy told him.
Zelgadis stood up in shock, hitting the back of his head on the window. He grimaced, and rubbed the back of his head while Jemmy giggled. "Why a month?" he asked her. "Where are you going?"
"We're going to Seyruun," Jemmy said, a twinkle in the back of her eyes. "The city of white magic. I've always wanted to go there! I'll be back before you know it, Zel," she told him.
"But--"
"Don't worry," Jemmy said. She kissed Zelgadis's cheek, and said, "See you later, Zel!"
Zelgadis just grinned, and watched as Jemmy scaled down the trellis that conveniently ran down beside his window. He followed Jemmy with his eyes as she dashed away from the mansion and into town.
Town... Zelgadis hadn't been to town or Market Square in over five years. In fact, Rezo had strictly forbidden him to leave the mansion's grounds at all. Zelgadis had learned never to question his grandfather, so he did as he said without complaint, though he did wish he could see Zolf and Rod again, or go to Market Square and watch some of those old plays.
Zelgadis sighed, and looked up at the sky. It wasn't dark yet. He could get some training in before the sun set. So Zelgadis went over to his closet, grabbed his sword, and headed down the trellis outside his window. Even if he was allowed on the grounds, he still didn't like going through the mansion to get there. There were too many stairs and turns that it took so much longer.
Once he was on the ground, Zelgadis hurried to the forest behind the mansion. Technically, he was allowed there since it was on the grounds. So he went in there, and started going through training exercises he'd taught himself. All the while, he said to himself, like a chant, "I want to be stronger! Stronger!"
After he'd been going for about ten minutes, he swung his sword, and it struck a log, lodging itself in there. Zelgadis grabbed the hilt of his sword, and tried to pull it out of the log, but it was stuck fast. He still wasn't strong enough. He couldn't even get his sword free. If he couldn't do that, how was he supposed to protect his friends and family?
Behind him, Zelgadis heard the sound of metal ringing on metal, a sound which he'd identified long ago as the sound of Rezo's staff. Zelgadis turned around quickly, and faced his grandfather. "Rezo," he said quietly. He'd long outgrown calling him "Grandpa Rezo."
"Zelgadis," Rezo said. "You would like to be stronger, wouldn't you?"
Zelgadis stared. Of course he wanted to be stronger. That was his mission right now-- to become stronger so he could save everyone when they needed it. But all he could do was nod in determination.
"I can make you stronger, Zelgadis," Rezo said. "If you will work for me when I ask it of you. But I warn you, there will be consequences. Are you prepared to live with them?"
Zelgadis didn't know what consequences there could possibly be for being stronger. Being stronger was a good thing-- he could protect his friends. So he nodded again. He didn't care what happened, as long as he was stronger.
Rezo swung his staff around, and the red orb at the end pointed directly in Zelgadis's face. The jewel started glowing brightly, and that light engulfed Zelgadis as well. Suddenly, pain shot through Zelgadis. He dropped to his knees, screaming in pain. It felt like he was going to be torn apart from the inside. His skin burned, his head spun, his eyes stung. Finally, it all stopped, and the red light faded away. He heard Rezo walk away, leaving him there.
But he was stronger. That was all that mattered. Slowly, Zelgadis opened his eyes, and looked down at his hands, expecting some sort of magical aura or something. What he saw was a blue hand covered in rocky pebbles. He stared in shock, and slowly lifted his hand to make sure it was his. His hand felt like rock, and looked it as well.
Zelgadis felt something prick his ear, and brought his hand up to brush it away. The first thing he noticed was that his ears were now long and pointed. The second thing was that his hair was what pricked him-- it was sharp and cold, like wire.
Realization came to Zelgadis, and he knew that this was the consequence of which Rezo spoke of. He was changed physically. He was stronger, but he probably didn't look exactly human anymore.