Chapter 14: The Story of Zale
Night found the small band of travellers in a Shelter Serra provided. The present discussion was what Akumu could possibly want from them. Unfortuanately, the only one who had any inkling of Zale history was Rei, and she was rather busy cleaning Rune. She didn't look too happy, either.
"What did that weird kid mean 'book'? What book?" Serra asked. Lucca shrugged.
"I'm perplexed as well." Lucca said. Crono shrugged his shoulders, as did Frog.
"The master spellbook of Zale. That's what he wants." Rei said, polishing Rune. Everyone looked at Rei.
"But what's so important about it?" Lucca asked, adjusting her glasses.
"Nicely put, if he got it, we'd be screwed three ways from Sunday." Rei said, warily trying a phrased she'd overheard Serra use earlier.
"Why, m'lady?" Frog asked. Rei leaned back.
"It's a long story going back ages." Rei said calmly.
"I'd say we've got time." Serra said. Dalton nodded his head next to her.
"Fine then." Rei sat straight up. "You asked for it. A long time ago there was a magic kingdom that floated over the land. People born there could use magic from birth, and held beleif in prophetic dreams, and magic. Anyone inable to use magic lived in the harsh enviroment below. Ultimately, the Kingdom crashed down, and many that survived the Great Collapse lost all ability to use magic. They joined those on the Earth to start anew. But some still had their magic, and decided to try to continue their magical ways. Some of those from the Earth followed them, and they built a village. Several artifacts from the Floating Kingdom survived, including a book that noone in the village could open that had washed ashore. Because noone in Zale could open it, it was assumed to be a source of magic, and placed in the library of the village where noone could find it, to protect it. Other artifacts survived, but most where destroyed with the village in 590AD. The book vanished."
"The people of the village, named Zale, had several legends, some about the book, some about the magic of Zale, there's all kinds of stories. Most of them are shrouded in mystery, except those born of dreams. Those are the true ones. The Ancestors knew Zale would be destroyed, but they pressed on anyway. The legend had it that Zale would be destroyed in the time of Reiketsu. Supposedly, noone would survive, and very little would remain. But I guess even the Ancestors made a mistake or two." Rei resumed polishing Rune in silence.
"Thy ancestors were from Zeal, M'lady?" Frog asked. Rei shrugged.
"Yeah. With some non-magic users mixed in. The bloodline's note exactly Zealian and not exactly normal. It's a mix." Rei said, still polishing Rune. A glint of text caught Lucca's eyes.
".....Does that say 'Melchior'?" Lucca blinked. Rei shrugged.
"It does. Why?" Rei suddenly had a defensive hand on Rune. Lucca blinked at the reaction. About then, the Masamune decided to react. Serra and Dalton eyed Masa and Mune warily, then Rune as IT reacted. Doreen materialized from the blade, glancing around. Doreen was promptly hugged by the Twins as the three siblings were finally reunited. The three promptly began catching up on things, boggling most people in the Shelter. Noone noticed when Rei rose to her feet, and slipped out of the Shelter, save for one. Dalton quietly left his mother's side and followed Rei into the darkness of night.
Dalton found Reiketsu sitting on a rock, looking at the full moon. The small boy climbed up and tapped Rei's shoulder. Rei looked at him.
"How come your so sad?" Dalton ventured to ask. Rei blinked.
"Why do you think I'm sad?" Rei looked at Dalton in confusion.
"I can see it, because you look and act like a sad person, especially with those siblings started hugging. Why? Did something happen to you?" Dalton asked. Rei looked forward again.
"I guess it's hard to watch families become reunited when your own was broken apart in a way that can't be fixed." Rei said softly.
"What happened to your Mother and Father?" Dalton asked. Rei looked at him.
"When I was ten... A bad man named Magus came to Zale with an armoy of Mystics. They didn't show any mercy, and killed everybody in Zale.. except for me. The swordsman Slash killed my mother... I watched Magus himself slash my father at the waist with his scythe, then electricute him with a lightening spell. For some reason, I was allowed to live. I thought I was the only one, but..." Rei shook her head. Dalton looked at her.
"How come your so scared of telling people then? Especially Frog?" Dalton asked. Rei shook her head.
"I don't know." Rei glanced down.
"You could atleast talk to Frog? He likes you. Alot. I can see it." Dalton said. Rei turned to the boy.
"How can you...?"
"Well, isn't this a sappy picture. Makes me want to vomit." Came a snarling voice. Rei and Dalton whirled to face the source, and Akumu stepped from the shadows.
Night found the small band of travellers in a Shelter Serra provided. The present discussion was what Akumu could possibly want from them. Unfortuanately, the only one who had any inkling of Zale history was Rei, and she was rather busy cleaning Rune. She didn't look too happy, either.
"What did that weird kid mean 'book'? What book?" Serra asked. Lucca shrugged.
"I'm perplexed as well." Lucca said. Crono shrugged his shoulders, as did Frog.
"The master spellbook of Zale. That's what he wants." Rei said, polishing Rune. Everyone looked at Rei.
"But what's so important about it?" Lucca asked, adjusting her glasses.
"Nicely put, if he got it, we'd be screwed three ways from Sunday." Rei said, warily trying a phrased she'd overheard Serra use earlier.
"Why, m'lady?" Frog asked. Rei leaned back.
"It's a long story going back ages." Rei said calmly.
"I'd say we've got time." Serra said. Dalton nodded his head next to her.
"Fine then." Rei sat straight up. "You asked for it. A long time ago there was a magic kingdom that floated over the land. People born there could use magic from birth, and held beleif in prophetic dreams, and magic. Anyone inable to use magic lived in the harsh enviroment below. Ultimately, the Kingdom crashed down, and many that survived the Great Collapse lost all ability to use magic. They joined those on the Earth to start anew. But some still had their magic, and decided to try to continue their magical ways. Some of those from the Earth followed them, and they built a village. Several artifacts from the Floating Kingdom survived, including a book that noone in the village could open that had washed ashore. Because noone in Zale could open it, it was assumed to be a source of magic, and placed in the library of the village where noone could find it, to protect it. Other artifacts survived, but most where destroyed with the village in 590AD. The book vanished."
"The people of the village, named Zale, had several legends, some about the book, some about the magic of Zale, there's all kinds of stories. Most of them are shrouded in mystery, except those born of dreams. Those are the true ones. The Ancestors knew Zale would be destroyed, but they pressed on anyway. The legend had it that Zale would be destroyed in the time of Reiketsu. Supposedly, noone would survive, and very little would remain. But I guess even the Ancestors made a mistake or two." Rei resumed polishing Rune in silence.
"Thy ancestors were from Zeal, M'lady?" Frog asked. Rei shrugged.
"Yeah. With some non-magic users mixed in. The bloodline's note exactly Zealian and not exactly normal. It's a mix." Rei said, still polishing Rune. A glint of text caught Lucca's eyes.
".....Does that say 'Melchior'?" Lucca blinked. Rei shrugged.
"It does. Why?" Rei suddenly had a defensive hand on Rune. Lucca blinked at the reaction. About then, the Masamune decided to react. Serra and Dalton eyed Masa and Mune warily, then Rune as IT reacted. Doreen materialized from the blade, glancing around. Doreen was promptly hugged by the Twins as the three siblings were finally reunited. The three promptly began catching up on things, boggling most people in the Shelter. Noone noticed when Rei rose to her feet, and slipped out of the Shelter, save for one. Dalton quietly left his mother's side and followed Rei into the darkness of night.
Dalton found Reiketsu sitting on a rock, looking at the full moon. The small boy climbed up and tapped Rei's shoulder. Rei looked at him.
"How come your so sad?" Dalton ventured to ask. Rei blinked.
"Why do you think I'm sad?" Rei looked at Dalton in confusion.
"I can see it, because you look and act like a sad person, especially with those siblings started hugging. Why? Did something happen to you?" Dalton asked. Rei looked forward again.
"I guess it's hard to watch families become reunited when your own was broken apart in a way that can't be fixed." Rei said softly.
"What happened to your Mother and Father?" Dalton asked. Rei looked at him.
"When I was ten... A bad man named Magus came to Zale with an armoy of Mystics. They didn't show any mercy, and killed everybody in Zale.. except for me. The swordsman Slash killed my mother... I watched Magus himself slash my father at the waist with his scythe, then electricute him with a lightening spell. For some reason, I was allowed to live. I thought I was the only one, but..." Rei shook her head. Dalton looked at her.
"How come your so scared of telling people then? Especially Frog?" Dalton asked. Rei shook her head.
"I don't know." Rei glanced down.
"You could atleast talk to Frog? He likes you. Alot. I can see it." Dalton said. Rei turned to the boy.
"How can you...?"
"Well, isn't this a sappy picture. Makes me want to vomit." Came a snarling voice. Rei and Dalton whirled to face the source, and Akumu stepped from the shadows.