Chapter 4

Using Their Gifts

Zechs sighed with frustration. He sat down on the dry grass and looked over at Noin who was fairing much better than he.

"I don't get it! This is the fourth time I've tried and nothing I do makes a difference. This is hopeless!" Zechs complained.

"It's also the fourth time you've whined at me today. I tell you again, you're concentrating too hard, you just need to relax," Noin replied with her usual calm self.

"I've tried doing that!" Zechs said disgusted, "At this rate I shouldn't have needed to hide my gift, because I don't even know what I'm to do when I want to use it. Do yours again, and maybe I'll understand."

Noin just laughed softly at him. "It doesn't exactly work like that Zechs. I have to have something to use my gift on."

"Hey! Maybe that's it! Maybe I have to really want to use it on something."

"Well, it's a start," said Noin as she wandered off through the rustling grass.

That night, Zechs slumped down onto his sleeping roll. He was so tired that he could hardly keep his head up to stare into the open flames of the fire. Much as he tried, Zechs had been unsuccessful in every attempt that day in summoning forth his "power." He began to think that after a time, the gift would just fade away because it hadn't been used enough. He realized that if that were really true he would be very sad. In a way he liked being different, and being able to do something that not many others could. Now he only wished that he had something to show for it. His mind then wandered to a time when he had still been living at home and using his gift had been a part of his everyday life. He tried to think of why it had been so easy, but for some reason his memory of the past had been dimmed. He berated himself on not wanting to remember his past ever after he had met Noin. Then he reasoned with himself that Noin wouldn't be able to use her gift either if it was just a matter a long delayed use. Zechs's mind began to fog over with sleep until it was too much of an effort to keep on thinking about it.

Noin awoke to an odd prickling sensation on the back of her neck. The kind one gets when knowing that they are being watched. She opened her eyes slowly and almost cried out when she saw the shadows of three figures bending over her. She shut her eyes and tried to stay calm. A second later she was jerked into full consciousness when one of the beings grabbed her and roughly stood her upright.

"Get over there!" he growled and shoved her to the other two men who grabbed her arms and bound them tightly behind her back. Then Zechs too was hoisted up and tied before his sleepy mind could comprehend what was happening. He snapped wide awake though when he realized what was going on. They then were sat roughly on the ground as the thugs ripped open their meager supplies. When they moved closer to the dying embers of the fire Noin recognized their faces. They were the same men that had been in the deserted town, who had run from the deadly fire. They now sat about grabbing food and stuffing their faces. The small cache of food that Zechs and Noin had was soon gone however, and the men's apatite was clearly not sated. They rummaged through the destroyed packs searching for more, but found none. They then fell into a rage, cursing each other and their captives.

After a few tense minutes they settled by the fire with their backs to the travelers. Zechs and Noin waited until the flames had died down enough so that they were cast in complete shadow.

From a cleverly concealed pocket Zechs slowly pulled a small dagger, only about four inches long. Discreetly he began to cut the ropes that held him. It was stout cord however and the process was painstakingly slow. Noin meanwhile had wedged herself in front of Zechs's tied hands to give him added covering lest their captors caught on to what it was they were doing.

Zechs heard the slight pop as the tight rope was severed. He wiggled his fingers experimentally to try and bring back circulation. He then passed the knife to Noin who likewise cut her bonds. The men hadn't noticed anything, and by then were almost asleep from the warmth of the fire. One man was propped on a small outcrop of rocks and snoring quietly. One of the others had also fallen completely asleep, curled up like a dog at the feet of the third man. His back was toward them however, and Zechs couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep. He decided to risk it though and try to make a run for it. He signaled this plan to Noin and she nodded her head in understanding.

Zechs leapt up and hit the still sitting man on the back of the head with a piece of the brittle firewood. The stick snapped with a resounding crack, but the man fell forward, unconscious. The noise however had awakened the other two. They sprang up, and seeing their fallen companion, charged the defenseless Zechs and Noin. One man drew a long broadsword and swung it through the air, aiming for Zechs's head. The other had a hatchet and advanced menacingly towards Noin.

Zechs grabbed another log by the fireside and blocked the swinging sword. His opponent however was inexperienced and clumsy in handling the large sword. Zechs took advantage of this and rushed in, hitting the man in the chest and head after every miss of the blade. The man's chest heaved with the exertion of wielding the blade, and was soon weakening to the younger, faster Zechs. With a final charge the bandit rushed Zechs, sword pointed at his chest. Zechs easily sided stepped the attack and whacked the man soundly on the back of the head. He fell forward like a fallen oak into the fire.

Noin however was not fairing as well. Her man was an experienced fighter, and had backed her up the edge of the stagnant stream that Zechs had found earlier. The man had a wicked smile curved on his features, and licked his parched lips in anticipation of the kill. Suddenly he heard a sound from behind a wheeled around only to confronted by Zechs holding the broadsword. The two opponents attacked each other and blade met blade with a shattering clang. Zechs's hands stung with the vibrations of the hit. His opponent however seemed totally unphased and continued his relentless assault. Zechs soon found himself on the losing side as the more experienced man gained more ground. Zechs was soon pushed back to the camp. Still concentrating on the swinging hatchet, he stumbled over the inert body of one of the other men. He tried to stay upright, but fell backward. The sword fell from his grasp and skittered across the dirt. Zechs felt the wind knocked out of him and stared up at the approaching killer. With a sneer, the man raised the hatchet to deliver the killing blow.

Noin watched in dumb horror as Zechs fell to the ground. She ran forward through the dead grass, but saw that it was already too late. The man had raised the hatchet. It came whistling down towards Zechs.

Suddenly the man's clothing burst into bright yellow flame. He was thrown violently backward. He rolled on the ground trying to extinguish the flames, but that only seemed to make things worse. The flames leapt higher, and Noin smelled the stench of burning flesh. The man writhed in pain and then with a last shuddering movement, died. The flames still licked over his body until they at last died out. Noin then noticed Zechs standing to the side. His eyes mirrored the pale yellow light. His face was calm and almost impassive. He looked, almost like he had enjoyed it. Noin let out a small cry, and Zechs turned and saw her. She ran forward, and collapsed sobbing into his arms.

Zechs carried Noin's sleeping form for as long as his arms could hold out. He then set her by the road in a patch of soft grass. He sat down as well and reflected on the night's events. Pale light streamed across the wasteland, brought on by the coming day. Unwanted tears rolled down Zechs's face. He quickly wiped them with the back of and hand and closed his tired eyes. All that he saw however was the body of the burning man. He had done that. He had killed that man. Then he saw Noin's shocked face, frozen with horror, and a wave of shame came over him.

The sun was already halfway up, but that could be seen was the dead grass, the dead trees and the cloud covered sky. Zechs looked up towards the darkened sky and saw his life, his world, his soul, in the bleak colors of black and white.