Zillas – now thirteen – was getting slightly…bored just staying in Ralir all the time. The voice in her head had stopped talking a year ago, having taught her all it knew about magicks (which wasn't much, to be honest – it had only taught her Boost, Flare Arrow and the Fireball – that last spell blew up in her face more than once!), and she had the urge to travel and learn more magicks and to see the world.
The only problem with that was the fact that she was so young, and her mother was hesitant to let her leave.
"But Mama!" Zillas said. "I'll be able to learn sooooooooooooo much more if I travel! This small, unknown town has nothing more it can teach me!"
Riana sighed and folded her arms over her chest. She was getting old before her time, and Zillas' whining wasn't helping any.
"Zillas," she said. "It's a dangerous world out there! Only experienced travellers can–"
Somebody knocked on the front door, cutting Riana off. Sighing, she went to answer it.
"Yes?" she asked, staring at the strange man. He was in his early twenties, with long black-brown hair with dark grey eyes wearing a black sleeveless vest, black cotton pants, heavy-looking boots and elbow-length fingerless black gloves. He had a sheathed sword at his side – his eyes, however, were elliptical.
Riana froze – she knew that this Mazoku-in-human-form had come for Zillas. His gaze was so intense that Riana couldn't tear her eyes away from him. His voice, when he spoke, was cool and even – even seductive.
"Are you the mother of Zillas?" he asked coolly. Riana nodded.
"Please, come in," she said, opening the door and stepping to the side and letting him in.
Zillas looked at him, but she wasn't scared like her mother was. She was comforted – she knew that he would be her friend. The Mazoku calmly entered the house and sat down on one of the chairs, smiling at Riana and Zillas.
"You know why I am here," he said, his gaze never wavering, not even for a moment. "If you allow your daughter to come with me willingly, you will be spared a lot of trouble."
Zillas stood to the side, watching silently. She knew that she was supposed to go with this man, even if it meant sacrificing her mother. Riana, too, saw this, and sighed.
"All right," she said, nodding her head. "But, will she be all right? Will you take care of her?"
The Mazoku nodded. "My Master has ordered that I take care of her and teach her magicks," he said. "She will fine with my Master and myself."
Riana nodded and spoke to Zillas without looking at her. "Zillas go upstairs and get what you need."
"Wait!" the Mazoku said, standing up. "Get only the scrolls and the talismans, nothing else. I will provide you with what you need to survive."
Zillas froze. How did this man know about the scrolls and the talismans? Nobody, not even her own mother, knew about those! She didn't say anything, though; she just went upstairs to retrieve the scrolls and talismans.
The Mazoku continued to hold Riana in his unsettling gaze. "You haven't told her."
It was not a question – it was a statement.
"No," Riana said. "What am I supposed to say to her? That her father is a Mazoku, and that she might turn into a heartless killer bent on destroying this world?"
"Maybe," the Mazoku shrugged. "It is out of your hands now. I will teach her to survive, you have my word on that."
"Thank you," Riana said softly, although she knew that she would most likely never see her daughter again. "What will you tell her about her…other half?"
"The truth, when it comes down to that," the Mazoku said, putting his hands together and sat casually, resting his elbows on his knees. "I am just curious, do you know exactly who her father is?"
Riana shook her head. "No."
The Mazoku smiled slightly. "He is Xellos Metallium, General-Priest to the Greater Beastmaster Zelas Metallium. He is the most powerful Mazoku under the Five Dark Lords. Your daughter will be powerful when she grows up."
Riana remained silent, ignoring the cramp that was coming to her legs from standing for so long in one place, and looked at the Mazoku intently. "Who are you?" she asked.
He smiled. "Me?" he asked. "I am the one who will teach Zillas how to control her powers. You see; my Master, Chaos-Dragon Gaav, is also half-human, half-Mazoku. He needs a good soldier, and Zillas has the potential to out-power her father if she dedicates herself to studying and creating spells."
Riana hesitated. "What will become of her?" she asked. "If your Master isn't satisfied?"
"She will die." The Mazoku stood up. "Now I suggest you stop asking questions, human. My Master wants your daughter in his ranks, and you are powerless to do anything about it."
Riana swallowed and looked away. "All right," she said.
Zillas came downstairs, wearing her Demon Blood Talismans and carrying her scrolls in a bag at her side. The Mazoku looked at her and was surprised at how much she resembled her father.
A pity that she might end up killing him, he thought. "Come, Zillas, kiss your mother goodbye. We must start our journey."
Zillas went over to her mother and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Mama!" she said, smiling. "I'm gonna learn all about the world!"
Thus, she left, not knowing that she would never see her mother again.
Author's Notes: Having fun yet? Comments, please!!