And now for the third chapter! The more characters arrive, the story
progresses, you get to see some of the ancient flashbacks (not too ancient,
there's more, trust me, this story is VERY complicated)
Remember Me This Way
A few hours before the crack of dawn, Zaria awoke. It was still very dark outside. She just couldn't sleep, there was too much in her head. She turned around to look at Zeth and saw his tranquil, sleeping face. He looked like an angel. An angel with burnt honey tresses framing his angelic face. Seeing him like this reminded her of the days of the Mage war, where they had to sleep together along with many others in many forest camps. But now none of those memories would mean anything to him, because he didn't have them anymore. She choked back a sob. She would never let anyone know her suffering. She wanted so much for him to remember her, remember everything about them and their life before he had been so cruelly taken from her, but he didn't. She knew that if she accepted his love now, it wouldn't be as absolute as it was before, and if it wasn't then it wasn't worth having and it would be better for him to find someone else. For it was true that if one truly loved, one could exist without the loved one. After all, she had lived for sixty long years without her loved one. She didn't want a love that was based on unsure recollections.
Zaria sat on the bed and shut her eyes, cutting off the flow of tears. If only that fateful day hadn't come to pass . . . remembering it pained her so much.
"Zaria, wake up." Zaria slowly opened her eyes and saw Zeth's face hovering inches above hers. She smiled at him and gently pushed him away.
"Is everyone awake yet?" she asked.
Zeth shook his head. "No," he replied. "It's just us. I wanted to wake you up so. we could go watch the sunrise together. It's really nice out here in the Goblin Forest," he admitted bashfully.
Zaria yawned and dragged herself up off the mattress.
"It's so cold, and I'm still really exhausted from yesterday. Just let me sleep for ten more minutes," she complained, lying back down.
"Stop griping about everything, Zaria," Zeth chided as he scooped her up in his arms and hauled her out of the tent.
"Let me down, Zeth," she commanded drowsily, and jumped off his arms and smacked him playfully. He put up his armored wrist to block her blows. After many more endeavors, she gave up and stuck out her tongue.
They then walked over to the nearby river and stood by the riverbank facing the east. Up in the sky the birds were flying high. They were gliding through the shadows of the clouds. Zaria looked up. She was laying her memories and dreams upon those wings. She prayed that they would not be shattered.
"Zeth, I want you to promise me something," Zaria said softly, her eyes gazing towards the river.
"Anything you want, my lady," he teased.
"I want you to promise me that we'll be there for each other forever, no matter what happens," she said, ignoring his attempt at humor.
He lost the goofy grin on his face and looked down at her solemnly.
"I promise," he said. "And I vow to you, Zaria, that as soon as this war is completely over and the world is at absolute peace, I will make you my bride."
He leaned down and looked into her sparkling emerald green eyes, a color so rare that even the finest of gems couldn't match its beauty.
"I want to protect you forever, Zaria, no matter what happens."
Zaria nodded and smiled gently.
"Me too, Zeth. I'll always be there for you, waiting. I'd wait for you forever.no matter how long we get separated."
"If we ever get separated, then I promise that I will come find you.you just have to wait for me."
"I'll be there. If you go there, you'll find me, waiting in that special place, the meadow in my dreams."
Then they faced the sunrise, watching the dazzling colors in the horizon. The water in the river was clear and aqua blue, almost the same shade as Zeth's eyes, which were reminiscent to the ocean. The chirping of birds was the most harmonious sound that Zaria had ever heard, for it sounded like the birds were singing ballads of love. Everything was all so beautiful and pure. It was as beautiful and pure as their love. What they didn't know was that all their dreams were going to be shattered on that beautiful day.
Zaria opened her eyes. All those promises and all those dreams. She had kept her vow never to marry anyone but Zeth, but he hadn't even been able to remember his vows, the vows that he would always protect her. They were so close then . . . and to think that when they first met, they practically despised each other.
"Zaria, please come over here," Jesse called. Zaria got up from her relaxed position and approached Jesse with an aggravated look on her face. She had been resting after an onerous mission that Jesse herself had assigned, so Jesse should have cut her some more slack.
"What now, Jesse?" she whined. Jesse smiled to herself at Zaria's impatience.
"There's some people I'd like you to meet, some people whom you will work with," explained Jesse.
Zaria looked behind Jesse, and saw three young men. Two of them were twins, for they had the same identical aqua blue eyes and dank burnt honey tresses, and they both wore the same clothes but in different colors. One of them looked standoffish and snobby, and he was a little bit taller than his twin brother. He seemed quite withdrawn. The other one looked warm and friendly, and he was gazing at Zaria with distinct interest. The third man had flaming red hair and wore tribal jewelry of the tribe of legendary flame casters.
"This is Zaria Locke, one of our best warriors. Zaria, these people here are three very experienced mercenaries that I hired," Jesse said. "They're all five years older than you."
"Hello, I'm Galen Tasuki," said the one with red hair, giving a little wave. He smiled at Zaria. He looked very friendly, and had a warm glow in his green eyes.
The kind-looking twin held his hand out to Zaria, and Zaria reached and shook it.
"Hello, Miss Locke. I'm Link Lanier, and this is my twin brother, Zeth," he said with a smile on his face.
Zeth, who had been looking away all this time, glanced over at Zaria, and surveyed her. Zaria didn't like the way that Zeth was looking at her, like he was scanning her appearance for any flaws, but she bared her teeth and grinned at both of them anyway.
In the following days and months that the four spent together, Zaria took an instant liking to Link, and she had a susceptibility that Link felt the same way about her. She spent a lot of her free time talking to Link, and she got to know him much better. Link talked about Zeth a lot.
"Zeth seems reserved, but he really is a nice guy," Link would say. Zaria doubted that very much. Link was special to her, and Galen was like the older brother she never had. Surprisingly, Galen didn't like Link that much.
"I prefer Zeth's company much more," said Galen one day. "Zeth is so ingenuous and forthright. If he says something or does something, you know he means it because he's such a sincere, staid person, yet he has his fun side as well. Link, on the other hand . . . he's nice enough, but he's two faced. That's what I think at least, Zaria. I think you should be wary of him, he might break your heart someday."
Zaria felt troubled, for she did indeed pay attention to Galen's opinions, but she really did like Link. After a while though, Link seemed to look less and less like a faultless prince in her eyes, because he always found petty excuses to get out of doing things he didn't really want to do. Every time that he did that, Galen would give Zaria one of his looks, and those looks affected Zaria's heart and her innermost feelings.
One day, Link had particularly let Zaria down, and she was sulking in the file room by herself. Then Zeth walked in. He took one glance at Zaria and just sat down and just started sorting out files of leaders that had died during the war.
His indifference to her feelings incensed Zaria. She sat there glaring at him, yet he still ignored her.
"What is it with you, Zeth!" she screamed, driven mad out of her mind at his indifference. "Do you have no feelings? For once in your life, why don't you care about other people and how they feel, how it hurts them inside their heart when you don't give a damn about them! I'm not asking you to be like Link, I'm just asking you to please, just please, for once in your life, give a damn!"
Zeth lifted his gaze up to her and sat there just looking at her for a long while. He didn't blink or falter and neither did she. His gazed seemed to burn holes into her, and she felt like her soul was being bared to him, all her secrets and insecurities were being revealed. Then the trance was broken.
"You think I don't care about anything?" Zeth asked her in a voice with a frosty edge.
Zaria just stared at him.
"You want me to care about you?" he continued, his tone sounding mild.
Zaria's eyes widened. She hadn't expected such an answer from someone as seemingly hardhearted as Zeth. She looked down at her feet, bracing herself.
"Yes," she whispered brokenly. "Zeth, ever since you came here, I felt like nothing I ever did could meet your standards. I didn't like you at all, yet I still wanted to be the one who brought a smile to your face. I wanted to be the one that you cared for . . . it shames me to say it, but I wanted to win you over . . . have you pay attention to me."
Zeth's gaze at her slowly melted. The frosty look he had been giving her before metamorphosed into a look with kindness and warmth in it. Not the kinds of warmth and love that they had shared later, but a look that showed that Zeth did indeed have feelings.
Zaria smiled to herself. That had been the beginning of a marvelous friendship between her and Zeth. They had gotten to know each other very well, and eventually their relationship had turned into what it was . . . during the last few months before he had supposedly died. That day . . . every detail was still so vivid in her mind. Every single thing about that day had been replayed in her head for all those years she had spent in the solitary confinement of her mind.
Zaria and Zeth had spent an hour just watching the sunrise, and by the time they had returned to the camp, all the others were awake and eating breakfast.
"Come eat, you two," Galen chirped cheerfully. "You'll need the strength today! We're pretty close to finding the Magic Bandicoot. We're gonna crush it and finally end this war!"
The Magic Bandicoot was an enigmatic creature, but they believed that if they destroyed it then they would prevent much trouble, for it went around destroying towns and slaughtering the townspeople.
Zeth and Zaria sat down to eat, and although the breakfast laid out for them only consisted of gruel, they enjoyed their meal because of the blithe laughter that was going on.
Once they finished, Zeth took Zaria back to their tent, where they could be alone. Each and every day on this mission could be their last day alive, so they had to cherish every moment they had together.
All of a sudden, Zaria seemed to lose her breath, and she lost her footing and stumbled. Zeth helped her up and supported her.
"Zeth, I got this strange vibe about today," gasped Zaria, her skin wan. She had always had premonitions about upcoming events. It seemed to be a gift that had been bestowed upon her family many years ago, for every member of the Locke clan had that same ability.
"You do? What do you see, Zaria?" asked Zeth in a concerned voice. Zaria's premonitions were not to be taken lightly, for they had always proved themselves accurate.
Zaria stood up straight and took deep breaths. What she felt frightened her. Something evil was going to dominate, something evil was going to destroy her loved ones.
"Never mind, Zeth," she said, still frightened. She didn't want to talk about it. Maybe if she didn't then nothing would happen. Maybe this time it was just her own paranoia.
She sat down on a log, and beckoned for Zeth to sit down next to her.
"Zeth," she said softly. "I have something I want to tell you."
Her tone was serious, so Zeth sat down and looked at her expectantly.
"Zeth," she began, "we've known each other for about a year, and we've cared deeply about each other for only about half a year. Yet in that time, I have developed feelings towards you that I never thought I could experience. You have invoked a side of me that I never knew existed. I don't know if I have done the same for you. If I ever lost you, I wouldn't want to live. I wouldn't want to go on each day without having you there for me. I just . . . thought that if one day, we had to part, or if something happened to either of us, we need to respect each other's wishes for the other. Promise me something again. I want you to promise me that if I die, you will live, and you won't let go of life. No matter what happens, we will always be together."
Zeth looked away, and a tear slid down his cheek. Zaria saw it and wiped it away tenderly. He slowly turned back towards her and clasped her tightly, as if it were the last time he would hold her.
"Zaria, I will never let you die," he vowed. "I will protect you always, I will be your bodyguard. But if I die, you must promise to live, for we will indeed always be together. If that happens, my spirit will come and watch over you. I'll be guarding you from afar, I promise."
He released Zaria from his embrace and took off the ring placed on his finger at birth, the ring that symbolized that he was a Lanier. He took Zaria's left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.
"I'm pledging myself to you," he said. "No, I'm doing more than just that. I'm uniting our souls for eternity, for we both know that we are meant to be together for all eternity," he said, his voice shaking as he struggled to stop the tears from flowing.
Zaria looked up into his face, tears streaming down her cheeks. He knew. He knew what she had foreseen. He knew her too well.
"I know that, Zeth, but this ring is the most consequential thing to you in the world. How can you give it to me?" she asked, shaking her head.
Zeth took Zaria in his arms.
"Zaria, I want you to understand that the most important thing to me is not this ring, but it is you."
Zaria started crying, the sobs wracking through her body. Why did he have to be so damn wonderful, especially on a day when he knew that they might be parted forever?
Zaria looked at the ring, still on her finger after all those years. She twisted it, gazing at the carvings on it.
Why did things have to change?
Zaria sighed deeply. Zeth had probably known that on that day, they were going to be parted. They never should have made those promises because it pained her deeply to know that now the only one to remember them was her, and her alone.
"Tasuki, you fool, where are you going?!" Zeth yelled, as Galen ran speedily ahead.
Zaria stood right behind him, her twin swords poised in the air, ready for battle.
"Galen, stop!" she shouted. "It's dangerous to follow it any further!"
But Galen heeded no one's words. He just kept on charging after the Magic Bandicoot.
"He's going to get himself into trouble," Zeth muttered. "I've got to go stop him." He dashed off in the direction Galen had gone.
"NO! Don't go, Zeth," Zaria implored, grabbing his arm. "I have this feeling that if you go, something will happen to you! Stay with me! I need you, Zeth! I'm not ready to let you go . . ."
Zeth paused for a moment, and looked back at Zaria, gazing tenderly into her eyes.
"Zaria," he said, slowly removing her hand from his arm. "I'll be all right. Wait here for me. I'll be right back to come and get you after I get Galen." He momentarily laid his hand on her cheek benevolently and then ran off.
"Wait!" she cried, dropping her other sword. She started running after him, but the strong winds of the pulsating magic dust pulled her back and she stumbled on the boulders that she was trying to climb over.
She got up and kept running after him, but then she tripped again, and fell on an exceptionally sharp rock and it pierced her leg, leaving a very deep wound. Her leg started bleeding, and the blood was pouring out, soaking her clothing. Although the pain was excruciating, she paid her wound no heed. She dragged herself back up, and attempted to run while limping, gasping with pain. She kept on running until she saw Zeth and Galen running towards the edge of a cliff. Galen ran and leaped off the cliff, and it looked like Zeth was going to jump down after him.
"STOP!" she screamed, and half ran, half limped over to his direction, but she was too late. Zeth senselessly jumped down after Galen.
"ZETH!" she cried, collapsing to the ground. Her scream pierced throughout miles and miles of rocky landscape, the cry so sorrowful and agonizing that all that heard cringed with fear.
Her salty flow of tears mingled with her bright crimson blood, and she wearily pulled herself back up and ran to the edge of the cliff, sobs wracking her body. If Zeth was dead, she wanted to die too. She managed to drag her weakened body to the edge of the cliff and was about to jump off but then a slender arm with a surprisingly firm and strong grip grasped her from behind, pulling her back from the edge of the cliff. She turned around. Through her tears she could see that it was her friend Shana, whose eyes were full of pity and disquietude.
"Let go of me!" Zaria cried, trying to shake Shana's hands off. "Zeth is gone! I can't go on without Zeth and Galen!"
She struggled valiantly, trying to wrench herself out of Shana's grasp but Shana held on to her tightly, not letting go no matter how adamantly Zaria struggled, not even when Zaria scratched her. The wind was howling and pulling at them both.
"Zaria!" Shana shouted, tears flowing out her eyes. "Don't try to jump down! You know that Zeth would have wanted you to live! I know you love Zeth, but you can't die just because he did! He's not the only one who cares about you! There are other people who need you too! Try to understand that, please!"
"No! No! I don't care," sobbed Zaria hysterically. "Zeth and Galen are gone!"
She continued to scream and struggle, but then Jesse came and helped Shana restrain her, yet the magnitude of her sorrow and pain gave her extra strength, so she ignored the throbbing pain on her leg and continued to struggle. Jesse and Shana tried their best to pull her back but they were losing the battle, because at the moment, nothing was stronger than Zaria's will to rejoin Zeth, whether it was in life or death. Jesse yelled for reinforcements and then others warriors came and surrounded Zaria and pinned her down tightly to the ground so she couldn't move, no matter how hard she struggled. Zaria sobbed and screamed, but they managed to get her back to the camp, dress her wound, although it was a hard task to do with Zaria screaming and sobbing uncontrollably, and got her to go to sleep by injecting tranquilizers.
As soon as Zaria woke up, she felt a throbbing pain pulsating throughout her whole body. She moaned in pain, and glanced to her right, automatically expecting Zeth to be lying down beside her, but he wasn't there. She remembered what had happened and she started crying softly. She looked up at the sky.
"How could you leave me, Zeth?" she whispered sadly. "I thought we were going to get married when the war ends. I thought that you were going to protect me, and be here for me to care for you. How could you break all your promises and vows? If I go to the place that we promised and wait, will you come? Or will you leave me alone . . ." She then burrowed her head in her pillow and sobbed softly.
She remained in that state for three days, until it was time for Zeth and Galen's funeral. Zaria didn't want to go, but Shana came to her tent and had a long talk with her.
Zaria had been lying down, facing away from Shana, staring blankly at the material of the tent. She seemed frozen, her eyes wide open, dried tears on her cheeks, and her mouth twisted in a grimace.
"Zaria," Shana said softly, reaching over to stroke Zaria's hair. "Zaria, I know you have suffered a great loss, but you have to accept it instead of wallowing in your private pool of self pity."
Zaria didn't move a muscle, but just lay there, unresponsive.
"And you know how much Zeth hated how people let themselves drown in their pools of self pity, because he knew that if you spent all your time doing that, you would never get anything else in your life accomplished, and you would never feel better about anything," Shana continued.
Zaria slowly sat up and turned around the face Shana, tears lingering on her lashes.
"But that doesn't matter anymore, because Zeth's not here now," Zaria said softly, her face void of any emotion or expression whatsoever. "Just leave me alone, Shana. You don't understand," she finished adversely.
Shana, shocked, reached over and slapped Zaria on the face, her eyes stinging from the tears about to spill out. "Zaria! How can you say that? You are disrespecting Zeth's memory by not following his wishes! And in fact, I do know how it feels to lose a loved one.I lost my family, after all," she trailed off.
Zaria felt her heart softening a little remembering Shana's pain when she had found out that her entire family had been in a town that was completely destroyed by a fire, with no survivors. But.Shana still had her childhood friend, Dart. Dart had saved Shana from many fatal experiences, and Zaria had suspected that there was more going on between them than they let on.
Zaria looked up at Shana. "But you still have Dart, and I have lost Zeth," she said grievously, almost accusingly.
Shana nodded, her eyes looking far away and deploring. "Yes, but I have lost my parents and other family members dear to me. I realized the importance of living my life, and you will too," she continued. "I'm sorry I struck you, Zaria, but you need to understand. Please, respect the memory of Zeth. I'm sure that one day, you two will somehow be reunited. It is true that if one truly loves, one can exist without the loved one."
Zaria fixed her emerald eyes on Shana's dark brown eyes, and the tears started welling up, and they overflowed. Zaria sobbed, her whole body shaking, and Shana reached over and hugged her. They stayed like that for a long time, and Zaria cried out all her tears. Finally Dart came in and took Shana away, giving Zaria some time to rest. It seemed like Zaria was starting the journey of accepting what had happened, and during that talk, she had matured greatly.
But it seemed at the day of the funeral, even though Zaria had agreed to go she seemed to forget all the Shana had told her. Zaria stood in the back, wearing all black, with the black ribbon around her neck that had the silvery thread running through it, and the sterling ring that Zeth had given her. Zaria's heart felt numb. She didn't think she could ever care for anyone again, much less in the way she had cared about Zeth. She had lost her soul mate to Death, and there was nothing she could do. Then she remembered her talk with Shana. Shana was right. Zeth would have wanted her to live, even though Zaria would have much preferred dying. But she would keep all her vows. She would always think of Zeth, and would never marry or love another, because her heart and soul belonged to Zeth, as the ring on her left maiden finger symbolized.
Even though the war was still going on, Zaria couldn't find it in her heart the motivation to continue fighting. She didn't want to kill anyone anymore. She didn't want to cause anyone the same pain that she had experienced, the pain of losing a loved one. She would devote herself to helping others, to use her healing powers to help people. She still kept her twin swords, although she didn't know why. Maybe she would use them again someday.
The war ended, and all became well. Link started paying Zaria daily visits, for they both lived in the same town. He would come twice a day, and talk to her about old times. He tried to rekindle their short relationship, but Zaria's heart remained numb to all emotion. Except for agitation. Why didn't Link understand how much she had loved Zeth, and how no one could ever replace him? Yet Link still tried, until one day, Zaria just frostily told him to forget her and go find someone else. As Link left, he sadly looked back at her, and said something that Zaria would never forget.
"You're not the only one who's hurting, you know."
After that, Zaria never saw Link again, but heard of his adventures through the gossip mill. Apparently, he had been sent back in time, youthened to age two, sent to another continent, and had grown up to save a kingdom called Hyrynd. He had saved the princess of Hyrynd, and had married her. Her name was Princess Lara, and she derived from elven stock. Zaria was happy for Link, and was also happy that he was out of her life. Seeing Link was very tormenting for her, also because he looked exactly like Zeth and he even had Zeth's little endearing idiosyncrasies. Zaria hadn't been able to handle it. Now, Link probably had no memory of her or his home, or of the Mage war. It was like he had been reincarnated yet he was still the same Link. Maybe Zaria would go see what Hyrynd was like someday.
But, no matter what, she would always keep her promise to Zeth, and would never give her heart to another. She would never be the same again.
Until Zeth came back into my life, thought Zaria. All those years, she thought he was dead. He had been stuck in some sort of time warp in the cave under the cliff. For sixty years.
But now, Zaria and Zeth had a second chance to live their lives together and be happy. Yet, the irony of the situation was that Zeth didn't remember anything about their past, and it wouldn't be right for Zaria to accept his love without him remembering. For if she did, then their love wouldn't be as pure, it would just be based on her memories alone and a feeling that told him that they had known each other before, and Zaria didn't want that.
Zaria looked at the dim light of the dawn pouring in through the window, and suddenly remembered their plight.
She turned to Zeth, who was still sleeping. How she treasured him.how much this reminded her of those mornings in the tent where she would wake him up.
She laid her hand on his arm and shook him gently. "Zeth, wake up," she said softly. His eyelids trembled slightly, and then opened. The piercing aqua blue color shot darts into her heart.
"Zaria?" he muttered groggily. "Is that you?"
The familiarity of the sound of Zeth's sleepy tone made Zaria's knees weaken, and her heart had an achy, longing feeling. Yet she stifled her true feelings and she just rolled her eyes.
"Yes! Who else would it be?" she exclaimed. "Wake up, sleepyhead! We have to get out of Werin as soon as possible!"
Zeth sat up with a start. "Oh yeah."
They then freshened up and left the motel. As they walked through the streets of Werin, Zaria marveled to herself at how quiet the town was at this time. No one was awake, so she didn't have to worry about any unwanted advances. After all, it was five in the morning. They left the town, and Zaria looked back just once. She never wanted to go to Werin again.
* * *
"Your house is so nice, Fuuko! It's like a mansion!" Cat exclaimed in a tone full of excitement and wonder, drinking in the marble floors, modern décor, classic paintings, and sumptuous atmosphere of Fuuko's family's home. She twirled around.
"Are you sure it's all right to just barge in like this?" Adrian asked Fuuko, his voice full of uncertainty.
Fuuko shrugged. "No matter whatever has happened, this is still my house," she replied nonchalantly, and kept on walking towards the library where she knew her father would be.
Zack lagged behind the group, looking at the portraits of members of Fuuko's family. They seemed so different from Fuuko, so hostile in appearance. While Fuuko looked athletic and energetic, they looked like the kind of people who only participated in inactive activities all day. He stopped short to look at one particularly small picture of a young girl who looked very much like Fuuko. He stared at the picture. He felt the gentle touch of a feminine hand on his shoulder, and turned around and saw Fuuko. Fuuko smiled at him, and turned to the picture that he had been studying.
"It's my sister," Fuuko said sadly. "The one person in my family who saw things my way, who understood me, but she ran away from home when I was only twelve. I never saw her again."
Zack looked at the girl in the picture. She looked so familiar, although she looked nothing like Fuuko. He felt like he knew this girl very well, like she was someone that he saw every day.
"What's her name?" he asked Fuuko.
Fuuko looked at the picture with a sad, faraway look in her eyes. "Her name is Faye. My beloved sister, Faye Takano. Wherever she went though, she probably changed her surname, although I know she would never change her first name. It was the only thing that my parents had given to her that she cared about."
Zack stared at Fuuko in disbelief. "Faye? No wonder she looks so familiar! She lives in my hometown, and when I was small she used to take care of me! She still lives there in Mydele, I think!"
"What?" Fuuko practically shouted in excitement. "You know Faye?"
Zack nodded. "She changed her name to Faye Kurenai, and she lives next door to me," he continued.
Fuuko grasped Zack's shoulders. "After this mission, Zack, you must take me to her!" she demanded.
Zack nodded. Of course he would take her to see Faye. He would do anything for Fuuko. "Yeah, I will," he said.
Fuuko gave him a grateful smile. Zack gazed into Fuuko's eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, the glowing blue eyes that would soothe even the wildest of beasts.
"Fuuko!" a harsh voice resonated throughout the hallway. Fuuko turned around and was slapped hard in the face. She stepped back momentarily, holding her hand to her cheek. She slowly lifted her head up and saw her father, the President of Nakano, his eyes blazing with fury and hatred. Fuuko hardened her gaze and stared up at him, challenging him to strike her again.
"How dare you return!" he yelled. "To show your face here after all you have done! After the entire dispute you have caused! After all havoc you have stirred throughout the town! You have caused great shame to befall this family by your reckless, selfish actions. Have you no shame? You're just like Faye, except she had the sense not to show up here again!"
Fuuko stared glacially at him. "I would much rather be like Faye than be like you, Father. Yes, I'm ashamed, but only of one thing. I'm ashamed of having you as a father," she spat.
Cat appeared in the hallway. Her dark eyes widened when she saw what was going on, and she hurriedly gathered up the others and got them out of the Takano mansion without anyone noticing.
Meanwhile, Fuuko's father was still spewing out insults in Fuuko's face.
"Get out of my house! Get out of Nakano! Get out of this world!" he shouted fervently. "You have shamed your family, you are no longer a Takano! You have no right to return to my home, disrupting the peace as you have done before! To be in the Takano family, you must have discipline! Faye had none, so she left because she couldn't handle any responsibility, as is the case with you!"
He raised his hand to slap Fuuko again, but Zack caught his wrist. "What the $%^& are you doing?!" he swore. "If you touch one @#$% hair on Fuuko's head, I will take my spear and you shall die the death of a thousand cuts! I don't care who you are, but you have no right to strike a woman of Fuuko's position!" He narrowed his eyes threateningly.
President Takano glared at Zack and then turned back to Fuuko.
"Another man that you have deceived with your charms, you strumpet! Have you no shame at all, Fuuko? I am ashamed to have such a low creature share my surname! You are no longer a Takano! GET OUT!" he bellowed.
Fuuko stared at the man whom she used to call Father, swallowed back her tears and gathered up the last ounce of dignity that she had, and left the mansion. Zack quickly followed her out.
They were standing in front of the Presidential Mansion, the place Fuuko used to call home.
"Where are the others?" Zack wondered aloud, and then turned to Fuuko. She hadn't uttered a word. She looked up at him, and he saw that her beautiful glowing blue eyes were glowing even more brightly with unshed tears.
"I have no family left who cares about me," she whispered brokenly, facing away from him. Zack awkwardly patted her back, and was taken aback when she turned to him and started sobbing on his shoulder.
"You have us now," he murmured softly into her ear, and he slowly placed his arms around her. They stood in the middle of the road, oblivious to all that saw them.
* * *
"Look at them," Cat whispered to Breanna, giggling. "Looks like Zack's not doing so bad," she sang with glee.
Breanna laughed, and then quickly changed her expression and looked at Cat solemnly.
"I wonder what happened with Fuuko and her father," she muttered quietly. "I can imagine."
Cat nodded. "I know what it feels like to be without a family, without a name," she mumbled, looking away, her mood darkening.
Breanna looked Cat's way. What was the girl talking about? Wasn't she adopted? She didn't need to make such a big deal about things like that, if she had a loving home. In Breanna's case, she did have parents, but they didn't care about her at all. During her teen years, she would get home at about three in the morning everyday, having stayed up all night doing numerous activities, but her parents didn't even notice. She had felt so uncomfortable, unwanted, and unloved around them. Yet as she looked at Cat, she felt sorry for the girl.
"Cat," she began, "here's an idea. How about after this mission, we stop by at Najida and tell Vincent that we have some important business to attend to. He'll understand. Then we can go look for your real parents. How does that sound?"
Cat looked up at Breanna, hope brightening up her dark eyes.
"Really?"
Breanna smiled at her.
"Of course."
"I'll go with you, Cat," Adrian volunteered out of the blue. "We can go now, in fact. Breanna, you stay here with Zack and Fuuko and complete the mission. Then in two days we'll all meet back at Najida. I'm sure Zeth and Zaria will be back by then as well."
Breanna looked at Adrian and raised an eyebrow. "You? How would you be able to help anyone, hybrid?"
Adrian was deeply offended by her cruel remark, but didn't show it. He had learned long ago never to show too much emotion, because if you did, people could find your weakness and take advantage of you. "I want to help her, and I can do it, Breanna," he said shortly.
Breanna looked expectantly at Cat. Cat nodded. "Thank you, Adrian," she said shyly.
Breanna threw her hands up in exasperation. "Whatever," she said. "I'll go bother Zack and Fuuko now." She rolled her eyes in her usual fashion and started walking towards the couple.
Adrian turned to Cat. "Let's go," he said, his face still showing no expression.
* * *
Zeth trudged slowly behind Zaria, counting his paces to keep himself from drifting off. They had been walking for hours, and still, there was no evidence of civilization in sight. The sun was approaching the west horizon now. Suddenly, Zaria stopped short and turned around to look at Zeth.
"Do you have any water?" she asked hopefully, her eyes reflecting the light of the sun. Her eyes looked like sparkling pools of verdant liquid. He shook his head. She sighed and began massaging her temples. As she put her fingers up near her face, Zeth saw a glimmer of silver on her ring finger.
He reached over and took her hand and gaped at the ring. The silver seemed to radiate ethereal light, and the light blinded him. He shut his eyes, yet the silvery light found its way through and poured into his head, filling his entire head with brightness. Zeth shook his head back and forth violently and fell over onto the ground, his body writhing in pain. Flashbacks were running through his head, and they were going so fast, making his head spin. Then, in one of his memories he saw Zaria's face up close, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her face blurred and became a black hole, the very blackness of it terrifying. He was falling, down, down, and he never stopped falling. All of a sudden, everything disappeared, and he was sitting on a crater on the moon, alone in the dark.
Where am I? He shouted into the darkness, yet nothing changed, and he was still alone.
The silver light surrounded him again, bathing him in the brilliance of it. Everything went white for a moment, and then a scene appeared before him. He saw himself, and he saw Zaria, but it was like he was watching the two of them on a screen. He then felt a force pulling him onto the screen, and the entire world around him changed.
"Zeth! Zeth!" he heard from far away. "ZETH!" yet he was still falling down the cliff and the voice sounded farther away each moment.
Goodbye, Zaria, he thought, closing his eyes as he plunged down the depths to his eternal doom, his eternal separation from his beloved. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I just let Galen go like that. Forgive me. He kept on going down, and finally he dared to open his eyes to gaze at his murky grave. He was amazed to see a large mass of swirling greenish clouds just a few hundred meters underneath him. He flew down into the clouds and was enveloped in their aura of timeless bliss . . .
More memories flashed through his head, traveling with such speed that he could barely catch the gist of them. He saw many different people, a picture of Zaria appearing every now and then, her face smiling at him. All of a sudden the memories seemed to slow down, and then stopped.
Zeth speculated his options. Was he to comfort Zaria, or just ignore her? He ached to take her into his arms and whisper loving words of consolation in her ear, but she didn't care about him. She only cared about his twin brother, Link. Yet here she was, crying, and those precious tears of hers that were being wasted had been caused by Link.
No, he thought. It's better if I keep my feelings hidden, to prevent any awkwardness between us. She's too young for me, anyway.
He was surprised to hear Zaria screaming at him.
"Don't you care about anyone but yourself?" she cried, with a note of disconsolateness in her voice.
He had looked at her, and saw her in a new light. She no longer was the aloof girl who was too presumptuous for his partiality, but now she was a lonely, fragile creature who needed someone's care.
The memories started whipping around in his head again, swirling through the chambers of his mind. "Stop!" Zeth yelled, clutching his head. Everything went white again.
Zeth saw the pain in Zaria's eyes as she looked at him. He knew what she had foreseen. He knew that something was going to happen to him. Something horrible enough to make Zaria hurt inside, to make her look at him with those sorrowful eyes. The emerald green eyes had become a darker shade, and didn't seem as clear and sparkling as they had been before.
He knew she didn't want to tell him, and he didn't know what to do if he lost her, but before he was to be taken away from her, he wanted to bestow on her his most valuable possession. He knew it would be wrong to bind Zaria to him now, it would be selfish, yet he felt like someday, somehow, they would be reunited, and they would both wait for that day for the rest of their lives.
"Zaria, I want you to have this," he said, giving her his family ring, the ring that had been passed on in his family for countless generations. To anyone who knew the meaning of the ring, it was a symbol of everlasting and undying love. A rose was engraved into it, signifying the strength of the giver's feelings towards the recipient.
No matter what happened, they would someday be reunited.
"ARGH! Unnnnh!" Zeth moaned in pain. He felt like there was the pressure of an anvil pressing against every section of his head. The pain was unbearable, yet some force kept on shooting the memories through his head like darts. The flashes of light pounded through his brain, resonating into every nerve in his body, making him cringe.
"This is Zaria," concluded Jesse.
Zeth glanced in the direction that Jesse had gestured and saw one of the most beautiful sights to look at that he had ever set his eyes on in his entire life. The girl called Zaria had long, thick, dark brown hair, which in the front was short and framed her face. Her bright emerald eyes were gazing at him curiously. Around her neck was an ebony ribbon with a single silver thread running through it. The silver thread flashed iridescently, reflecting the light of ardor into Zeth's soul.
Yet Zeth could not bring himself to act friendly towards this angelic creature, for he had been deceived before by mere beauty, and he didn't want it to happen again. He saw Link expressing his interest towards the young woman called Zaria, and he saw that she was returning his interest, as most females did to Link.
Too late to do anything about it, he thought. If I thought I might have had a chance to get to know her, I was wrong, for I have no chance against the wonderful Link. I have loved and lost before, and I don't want it to happen again.
He saw Zaria glance over in his direction, so he quickly turned his head in the opposite direction and pasted a bored look on his face, concealing any feelings that might have sneaked their way out.
The whir of memories and flashbacks continued, making Zeth breathless. He didn't know what these memories were about . . . he now remembered how it had been like the day he met Zaria, but he didn't yet know why he had been so frosty to her then. Was it merely because of her beauty? What had he had against mere beauty? He racked through the collection of memories, trying to find the one that would let him remember why.
"Why have you been so heartless to me earlier?" Zaria asked him in the most innocent tone imaginable, the tone that was designed to get anyone, even the coldest of hearts, to reveal all.
"Umm, you're too young," Zeth said quickly.
Zaria pursed her lips. "Come on, really. We're only five years apart!"
He looked down at his lap. "I.just.didn't want to be hurt." Zeth mumbled awkwardly. "Things are not always what they seem, you know," he muttered.
"Who hurt you?" Zaria had asked him candidly. "Tell me about it, Zeth."
Zeth had been very reluctant to reveal the pains of his past to anyone, even Zaria. Although he had actually known her for only a short time, he felt like he could tell her anything about himself and she would understand. It was a mutual feeling, a feeling that drew him to her.
He began telling Zaria his story about the one whom had made him close up his heart to any signs of love. It all started when he was a carefree, conceited young man, thinking that since he was good-looking and was a dexterous combatant that he could have anything he wanted. He hadn't known that his life was all a cruel lie. He had been lied to about his origin, lied to about every single detail of his life.
He had thought his place of birth was the town of Galdia, but he later found out that he was from Mydele, the same place as Zaria was from. He had been lied to about his ancestors, lied to about his family. Only after he had found the truth had he fled the place he grew up in, gone to Mydele and sought his relatives, and acquired the Lanier family ring. The ring that had been placed on his finger at birth but then taken away was finally restored to him.
Yet that was not the reason that he had shut himself off from all forms of love.
As with every story, there was a girl, a girl named Ray. Her full name was Ray Cyranno, and she had heavenly silvery blonde hair that sometimes took on a greenish tint. She was very quiet, and seemed emotionless, yet Zeth had been able to get through to her heart. As soon as he had accomplished that, she had been one of the most wonderful things that had ever happened to him. She had taught him how sometimes, you had to work hard to get what you want. She had taught him that not everything would come to him just because he wanted it to. She taught him how to care about other's feelings, how to show them you cared about them.
For that, Zeth would be forever grateful. Then, one day, a shocking piece of news had hit him. Ray had been taken away, taken to another continent, yet no one knew where. Zeth had wanted to go seek her, and he was about to set out on his quest to find Ray when Ray's adoptive parents had stopped him, and told him the truth about Ray.
Ray was not a normal human being. She had been born in an experiment, a result of the experimentation of DNA. She had only been temporarily sent to live at Galdia, and she was sent back to her homeland to be frozen until she was needed in the future, whence she would be thawed. They had only wanted her to grow to the age of eighteen, and then she was to be preserved until many years later when they would need her. Zeth wanted to go and find her anyway, so maybe he could wait until she was thawed and be with her then, but then he was informed that no one knew when Ray and her unknown power would be needed. She might have to be preserved for decades, maybe even centuries. No one knew. Yet Zeth still was determined to find her and bring her back. Until Ray's adoptive parents told him that if by some miracle he did happen to find her in her home country's top secret laboratories, if he didn't know the proper procedure to thaw her, she would die, and what would the point be then?
Zeth had then finally admitted his defeat, and had sunk into a depression. No one had been able to approach him, for if they did, he would go into fits of rage, demanding to be alone. Many village elders shook their heads, thinking of what a waste it was, to have a young man with such high potential turn into a lunatic, but Zeth didn't care what people thought of him.
He thought for a while, and decided to go and find his real family. He traveled throughout the continent, visiting every single city, questioning anyone who would talk to him. Many were concerned about him, a teenage boy traveling alone, although he was quite adept in the martial arts.
Finally, after a year of wandering, he found what he was looking for in Mydele. He found his grandfather, and he found that he actually had a twin, whom was named Link, after his true father Link Lanier the Third. Zeth didn't like Link much, for Link seemed very pretentious, yet he did have his good qualities. After all, he was Zeth's twin brother.
He stayed in Mydele for a few years, getting himself under control, training in order to continue the warrior pride of the Lanier family. War befell Nova, and Zeth, Link, and many other young men defended the town of Mydele. Then one day, Link asked Zeth if he wanted to join a large group of warriors whom were in the front lines. Zeth agreed, and that was how he ended up meeting Galen, a special friend, and Zaria.
And with that, Zeth looked at her intently. "And I do not regret meeting you, Zaria."
Zaria gazed at him. "Zeth," she murmured. "You have suffered so much more than I."
He looked down, but then looked back up to meet Zaria's gaze.
"Even though you are still quite young, you are wise. You came along and healed the wounds of my heart. You were my medicine, the cure for my pain. Thank you, Zaria."
The scene replayed itself repeatedly in his head. Now, Zeth remembered, remembered all those intimate moments with Zaria. He also regained his memories of Ray, with her rare yet gentle smile and cornflower blue eyes, her soft, shy voice. He remembered his grandfather, his real grandfather, and the tears that had fell from the old man's eyes when he had seen that his other grandson had indeed lived. He remembered Link, his double in appearance, yet his opposite in personality. He remembered the people whom he had thought were his parents, how they had given him their love as though he were their own. He remembered the torturous day that he had found out that Galdia had been destroyed, burned down to ashes during the Mage war. He remembered Zaria's pained expression when she had found out, and how she knew exactly what to do to help him get over his arduous pain. He remembered his best friend Galen, how Galen had guided him through so many ordeals. He remembered everything about his life before he had been sucked in the time warp in the cave. The pain slowly subsided, as the flood of memories gradually descended, and then ceased.
Zeth slowly opened his eyes, to see a pair of intense emerald eyes gazing at him in concern.
When Zaria saw that Zeth had regained consciousness, she cried out in relief and threw her arms around him, tears dripping out of her eyes.
"Zeth . . . I was so worried, I thought I had lost you again," she sobbed.
She slowly drew back and wiped away her tears with her gloves. "I'm sorry to confuse you, I know you probably don't know what I'm talking about . . . I'm sorry . . . just ignore what I said," she whispered brokenly, ignoring his intent gaze.
Zeth put his hand under her chin and lifted her face up, smiling at her.
"You're wrong, Zaria. I do remember now. I remember everything. I remember Galen, Link, Jesse, Ray, my grandpa, everyone, and most important of all, I remember that I love you. I remember now, Zaria," he said, smiling softly at her the whole time.
Zaria breathed hard for a moment. She was still in a state of disbelief.what had caused this sudden return of memory? But then, the important thing was that she had her old Zeth back again.
"Zeth!" she cried through tears of joy. Finally, finally, she had been truly reunited with Zeth.
This time, she wholeheartedly embraced him, sobbing out all the misery that she had gone through for the sixty years that she had spent waiting. Zeth put his arms around Zaria, and a tear fell out of his eye.
"Zaria..."
Wow getting a little bit more intense ( I hope you like it more as the story progresses! Don't worry; it's not too sappy, there are just some parts. Please review if you want me to continue posting or if you think it's terrible and I should never write again. This part is quite sappy, the rest of the story isn't! Thanks!
Remember Me This Way
A few hours before the crack of dawn, Zaria awoke. It was still very dark outside. She just couldn't sleep, there was too much in her head. She turned around to look at Zeth and saw his tranquil, sleeping face. He looked like an angel. An angel with burnt honey tresses framing his angelic face. Seeing him like this reminded her of the days of the Mage war, where they had to sleep together along with many others in many forest camps. But now none of those memories would mean anything to him, because he didn't have them anymore. She choked back a sob. She would never let anyone know her suffering. She wanted so much for him to remember her, remember everything about them and their life before he had been so cruelly taken from her, but he didn't. She knew that if she accepted his love now, it wouldn't be as absolute as it was before, and if it wasn't then it wasn't worth having and it would be better for him to find someone else. For it was true that if one truly loved, one could exist without the loved one. After all, she had lived for sixty long years without her loved one. She didn't want a love that was based on unsure recollections.
Zaria sat on the bed and shut her eyes, cutting off the flow of tears. If only that fateful day hadn't come to pass . . . remembering it pained her so much.
"Zaria, wake up." Zaria slowly opened her eyes and saw Zeth's face hovering inches above hers. She smiled at him and gently pushed him away.
"Is everyone awake yet?" she asked.
Zeth shook his head. "No," he replied. "It's just us. I wanted to wake you up so. we could go watch the sunrise together. It's really nice out here in the Goblin Forest," he admitted bashfully.
Zaria yawned and dragged herself up off the mattress.
"It's so cold, and I'm still really exhausted from yesterday. Just let me sleep for ten more minutes," she complained, lying back down.
"Stop griping about everything, Zaria," Zeth chided as he scooped her up in his arms and hauled her out of the tent.
"Let me down, Zeth," she commanded drowsily, and jumped off his arms and smacked him playfully. He put up his armored wrist to block her blows. After many more endeavors, she gave up and stuck out her tongue.
They then walked over to the nearby river and stood by the riverbank facing the east. Up in the sky the birds were flying high. They were gliding through the shadows of the clouds. Zaria looked up. She was laying her memories and dreams upon those wings. She prayed that they would not be shattered.
"Zeth, I want you to promise me something," Zaria said softly, her eyes gazing towards the river.
"Anything you want, my lady," he teased.
"I want you to promise me that we'll be there for each other forever, no matter what happens," she said, ignoring his attempt at humor.
He lost the goofy grin on his face and looked down at her solemnly.
"I promise," he said. "And I vow to you, Zaria, that as soon as this war is completely over and the world is at absolute peace, I will make you my bride."
He leaned down and looked into her sparkling emerald green eyes, a color so rare that even the finest of gems couldn't match its beauty.
"I want to protect you forever, Zaria, no matter what happens."
Zaria nodded and smiled gently.
"Me too, Zeth. I'll always be there for you, waiting. I'd wait for you forever.no matter how long we get separated."
"If we ever get separated, then I promise that I will come find you.you just have to wait for me."
"I'll be there. If you go there, you'll find me, waiting in that special place, the meadow in my dreams."
Then they faced the sunrise, watching the dazzling colors in the horizon. The water in the river was clear and aqua blue, almost the same shade as Zeth's eyes, which were reminiscent to the ocean. The chirping of birds was the most harmonious sound that Zaria had ever heard, for it sounded like the birds were singing ballads of love. Everything was all so beautiful and pure. It was as beautiful and pure as their love. What they didn't know was that all their dreams were going to be shattered on that beautiful day.
Zaria opened her eyes. All those promises and all those dreams. She had kept her vow never to marry anyone but Zeth, but he hadn't even been able to remember his vows, the vows that he would always protect her. They were so close then . . . and to think that when they first met, they practically despised each other.
"Zaria, please come over here," Jesse called. Zaria got up from her relaxed position and approached Jesse with an aggravated look on her face. She had been resting after an onerous mission that Jesse herself had assigned, so Jesse should have cut her some more slack.
"What now, Jesse?" she whined. Jesse smiled to herself at Zaria's impatience.
"There's some people I'd like you to meet, some people whom you will work with," explained Jesse.
Zaria looked behind Jesse, and saw three young men. Two of them were twins, for they had the same identical aqua blue eyes and dank burnt honey tresses, and they both wore the same clothes but in different colors. One of them looked standoffish and snobby, and he was a little bit taller than his twin brother. He seemed quite withdrawn. The other one looked warm and friendly, and he was gazing at Zaria with distinct interest. The third man had flaming red hair and wore tribal jewelry of the tribe of legendary flame casters.
"This is Zaria Locke, one of our best warriors. Zaria, these people here are three very experienced mercenaries that I hired," Jesse said. "They're all five years older than you."
"Hello, I'm Galen Tasuki," said the one with red hair, giving a little wave. He smiled at Zaria. He looked very friendly, and had a warm glow in his green eyes.
The kind-looking twin held his hand out to Zaria, and Zaria reached and shook it.
"Hello, Miss Locke. I'm Link Lanier, and this is my twin brother, Zeth," he said with a smile on his face.
Zeth, who had been looking away all this time, glanced over at Zaria, and surveyed her. Zaria didn't like the way that Zeth was looking at her, like he was scanning her appearance for any flaws, but she bared her teeth and grinned at both of them anyway.
In the following days and months that the four spent together, Zaria took an instant liking to Link, and she had a susceptibility that Link felt the same way about her. She spent a lot of her free time talking to Link, and she got to know him much better. Link talked about Zeth a lot.
"Zeth seems reserved, but he really is a nice guy," Link would say. Zaria doubted that very much. Link was special to her, and Galen was like the older brother she never had. Surprisingly, Galen didn't like Link that much.
"I prefer Zeth's company much more," said Galen one day. "Zeth is so ingenuous and forthright. If he says something or does something, you know he means it because he's such a sincere, staid person, yet he has his fun side as well. Link, on the other hand . . . he's nice enough, but he's two faced. That's what I think at least, Zaria. I think you should be wary of him, he might break your heart someday."
Zaria felt troubled, for she did indeed pay attention to Galen's opinions, but she really did like Link. After a while though, Link seemed to look less and less like a faultless prince in her eyes, because he always found petty excuses to get out of doing things he didn't really want to do. Every time that he did that, Galen would give Zaria one of his looks, and those looks affected Zaria's heart and her innermost feelings.
One day, Link had particularly let Zaria down, and she was sulking in the file room by herself. Then Zeth walked in. He took one glance at Zaria and just sat down and just started sorting out files of leaders that had died during the war.
His indifference to her feelings incensed Zaria. She sat there glaring at him, yet he still ignored her.
"What is it with you, Zeth!" she screamed, driven mad out of her mind at his indifference. "Do you have no feelings? For once in your life, why don't you care about other people and how they feel, how it hurts them inside their heart when you don't give a damn about them! I'm not asking you to be like Link, I'm just asking you to please, just please, for once in your life, give a damn!"
Zeth lifted his gaze up to her and sat there just looking at her for a long while. He didn't blink or falter and neither did she. His gazed seemed to burn holes into her, and she felt like her soul was being bared to him, all her secrets and insecurities were being revealed. Then the trance was broken.
"You think I don't care about anything?" Zeth asked her in a voice with a frosty edge.
Zaria just stared at him.
"You want me to care about you?" he continued, his tone sounding mild.
Zaria's eyes widened. She hadn't expected such an answer from someone as seemingly hardhearted as Zeth. She looked down at her feet, bracing herself.
"Yes," she whispered brokenly. "Zeth, ever since you came here, I felt like nothing I ever did could meet your standards. I didn't like you at all, yet I still wanted to be the one who brought a smile to your face. I wanted to be the one that you cared for . . . it shames me to say it, but I wanted to win you over . . . have you pay attention to me."
Zeth's gaze at her slowly melted. The frosty look he had been giving her before metamorphosed into a look with kindness and warmth in it. Not the kinds of warmth and love that they had shared later, but a look that showed that Zeth did indeed have feelings.
Zaria smiled to herself. That had been the beginning of a marvelous friendship between her and Zeth. They had gotten to know each other very well, and eventually their relationship had turned into what it was . . . during the last few months before he had supposedly died. That day . . . every detail was still so vivid in her mind. Every single thing about that day had been replayed in her head for all those years she had spent in the solitary confinement of her mind.
Zaria and Zeth had spent an hour just watching the sunrise, and by the time they had returned to the camp, all the others were awake and eating breakfast.
"Come eat, you two," Galen chirped cheerfully. "You'll need the strength today! We're pretty close to finding the Magic Bandicoot. We're gonna crush it and finally end this war!"
The Magic Bandicoot was an enigmatic creature, but they believed that if they destroyed it then they would prevent much trouble, for it went around destroying towns and slaughtering the townspeople.
Zeth and Zaria sat down to eat, and although the breakfast laid out for them only consisted of gruel, they enjoyed their meal because of the blithe laughter that was going on.
Once they finished, Zeth took Zaria back to their tent, where they could be alone. Each and every day on this mission could be their last day alive, so they had to cherish every moment they had together.
All of a sudden, Zaria seemed to lose her breath, and she lost her footing and stumbled. Zeth helped her up and supported her.
"Zeth, I got this strange vibe about today," gasped Zaria, her skin wan. She had always had premonitions about upcoming events. It seemed to be a gift that had been bestowed upon her family many years ago, for every member of the Locke clan had that same ability.
"You do? What do you see, Zaria?" asked Zeth in a concerned voice. Zaria's premonitions were not to be taken lightly, for they had always proved themselves accurate.
Zaria stood up straight and took deep breaths. What she felt frightened her. Something evil was going to dominate, something evil was going to destroy her loved ones.
"Never mind, Zeth," she said, still frightened. She didn't want to talk about it. Maybe if she didn't then nothing would happen. Maybe this time it was just her own paranoia.
She sat down on a log, and beckoned for Zeth to sit down next to her.
"Zeth," she said softly. "I have something I want to tell you."
Her tone was serious, so Zeth sat down and looked at her expectantly.
"Zeth," she began, "we've known each other for about a year, and we've cared deeply about each other for only about half a year. Yet in that time, I have developed feelings towards you that I never thought I could experience. You have invoked a side of me that I never knew existed. I don't know if I have done the same for you. If I ever lost you, I wouldn't want to live. I wouldn't want to go on each day without having you there for me. I just . . . thought that if one day, we had to part, or if something happened to either of us, we need to respect each other's wishes for the other. Promise me something again. I want you to promise me that if I die, you will live, and you won't let go of life. No matter what happens, we will always be together."
Zeth looked away, and a tear slid down his cheek. Zaria saw it and wiped it away tenderly. He slowly turned back towards her and clasped her tightly, as if it were the last time he would hold her.
"Zaria, I will never let you die," he vowed. "I will protect you always, I will be your bodyguard. But if I die, you must promise to live, for we will indeed always be together. If that happens, my spirit will come and watch over you. I'll be guarding you from afar, I promise."
He released Zaria from his embrace and took off the ring placed on his finger at birth, the ring that symbolized that he was a Lanier. He took Zaria's left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.
"I'm pledging myself to you," he said. "No, I'm doing more than just that. I'm uniting our souls for eternity, for we both know that we are meant to be together for all eternity," he said, his voice shaking as he struggled to stop the tears from flowing.
Zaria looked up into his face, tears streaming down her cheeks. He knew. He knew what she had foreseen. He knew her too well.
"I know that, Zeth, but this ring is the most consequential thing to you in the world. How can you give it to me?" she asked, shaking her head.
Zeth took Zaria in his arms.
"Zaria, I want you to understand that the most important thing to me is not this ring, but it is you."
Zaria started crying, the sobs wracking through her body. Why did he have to be so damn wonderful, especially on a day when he knew that they might be parted forever?
Zaria looked at the ring, still on her finger after all those years. She twisted it, gazing at the carvings on it.
Why did things have to change?
Zaria sighed deeply. Zeth had probably known that on that day, they were going to be parted. They never should have made those promises because it pained her deeply to know that now the only one to remember them was her, and her alone.
"Tasuki, you fool, where are you going?!" Zeth yelled, as Galen ran speedily ahead.
Zaria stood right behind him, her twin swords poised in the air, ready for battle.
"Galen, stop!" she shouted. "It's dangerous to follow it any further!"
But Galen heeded no one's words. He just kept on charging after the Magic Bandicoot.
"He's going to get himself into trouble," Zeth muttered. "I've got to go stop him." He dashed off in the direction Galen had gone.
"NO! Don't go, Zeth," Zaria implored, grabbing his arm. "I have this feeling that if you go, something will happen to you! Stay with me! I need you, Zeth! I'm not ready to let you go . . ."
Zeth paused for a moment, and looked back at Zaria, gazing tenderly into her eyes.
"Zaria," he said, slowly removing her hand from his arm. "I'll be all right. Wait here for me. I'll be right back to come and get you after I get Galen." He momentarily laid his hand on her cheek benevolently and then ran off.
"Wait!" she cried, dropping her other sword. She started running after him, but the strong winds of the pulsating magic dust pulled her back and she stumbled on the boulders that she was trying to climb over.
She got up and kept running after him, but then she tripped again, and fell on an exceptionally sharp rock and it pierced her leg, leaving a very deep wound. Her leg started bleeding, and the blood was pouring out, soaking her clothing. Although the pain was excruciating, she paid her wound no heed. She dragged herself back up, and attempted to run while limping, gasping with pain. She kept on running until she saw Zeth and Galen running towards the edge of a cliff. Galen ran and leaped off the cliff, and it looked like Zeth was going to jump down after him.
"STOP!" she screamed, and half ran, half limped over to his direction, but she was too late. Zeth senselessly jumped down after Galen.
"ZETH!" she cried, collapsing to the ground. Her scream pierced throughout miles and miles of rocky landscape, the cry so sorrowful and agonizing that all that heard cringed with fear.
Her salty flow of tears mingled with her bright crimson blood, and she wearily pulled herself back up and ran to the edge of the cliff, sobs wracking her body. If Zeth was dead, she wanted to die too. She managed to drag her weakened body to the edge of the cliff and was about to jump off but then a slender arm with a surprisingly firm and strong grip grasped her from behind, pulling her back from the edge of the cliff. She turned around. Through her tears she could see that it was her friend Shana, whose eyes were full of pity and disquietude.
"Let go of me!" Zaria cried, trying to shake Shana's hands off. "Zeth is gone! I can't go on without Zeth and Galen!"
She struggled valiantly, trying to wrench herself out of Shana's grasp but Shana held on to her tightly, not letting go no matter how adamantly Zaria struggled, not even when Zaria scratched her. The wind was howling and pulling at them both.
"Zaria!" Shana shouted, tears flowing out her eyes. "Don't try to jump down! You know that Zeth would have wanted you to live! I know you love Zeth, but you can't die just because he did! He's not the only one who cares about you! There are other people who need you too! Try to understand that, please!"
"No! No! I don't care," sobbed Zaria hysterically. "Zeth and Galen are gone!"
She continued to scream and struggle, but then Jesse came and helped Shana restrain her, yet the magnitude of her sorrow and pain gave her extra strength, so she ignored the throbbing pain on her leg and continued to struggle. Jesse and Shana tried their best to pull her back but they were losing the battle, because at the moment, nothing was stronger than Zaria's will to rejoin Zeth, whether it was in life or death. Jesse yelled for reinforcements and then others warriors came and surrounded Zaria and pinned her down tightly to the ground so she couldn't move, no matter how hard she struggled. Zaria sobbed and screamed, but they managed to get her back to the camp, dress her wound, although it was a hard task to do with Zaria screaming and sobbing uncontrollably, and got her to go to sleep by injecting tranquilizers.
As soon as Zaria woke up, she felt a throbbing pain pulsating throughout her whole body. She moaned in pain, and glanced to her right, automatically expecting Zeth to be lying down beside her, but he wasn't there. She remembered what had happened and she started crying softly. She looked up at the sky.
"How could you leave me, Zeth?" she whispered sadly. "I thought we were going to get married when the war ends. I thought that you were going to protect me, and be here for me to care for you. How could you break all your promises and vows? If I go to the place that we promised and wait, will you come? Or will you leave me alone . . ." She then burrowed her head in her pillow and sobbed softly.
She remained in that state for three days, until it was time for Zeth and Galen's funeral. Zaria didn't want to go, but Shana came to her tent and had a long talk with her.
Zaria had been lying down, facing away from Shana, staring blankly at the material of the tent. She seemed frozen, her eyes wide open, dried tears on her cheeks, and her mouth twisted in a grimace.
"Zaria," Shana said softly, reaching over to stroke Zaria's hair. "Zaria, I know you have suffered a great loss, but you have to accept it instead of wallowing in your private pool of self pity."
Zaria didn't move a muscle, but just lay there, unresponsive.
"And you know how much Zeth hated how people let themselves drown in their pools of self pity, because he knew that if you spent all your time doing that, you would never get anything else in your life accomplished, and you would never feel better about anything," Shana continued.
Zaria slowly sat up and turned around the face Shana, tears lingering on her lashes.
"But that doesn't matter anymore, because Zeth's not here now," Zaria said softly, her face void of any emotion or expression whatsoever. "Just leave me alone, Shana. You don't understand," she finished adversely.
Shana, shocked, reached over and slapped Zaria on the face, her eyes stinging from the tears about to spill out. "Zaria! How can you say that? You are disrespecting Zeth's memory by not following his wishes! And in fact, I do know how it feels to lose a loved one.I lost my family, after all," she trailed off.
Zaria felt her heart softening a little remembering Shana's pain when she had found out that her entire family had been in a town that was completely destroyed by a fire, with no survivors. But.Shana still had her childhood friend, Dart. Dart had saved Shana from many fatal experiences, and Zaria had suspected that there was more going on between them than they let on.
Zaria looked up at Shana. "But you still have Dart, and I have lost Zeth," she said grievously, almost accusingly.
Shana nodded, her eyes looking far away and deploring. "Yes, but I have lost my parents and other family members dear to me. I realized the importance of living my life, and you will too," she continued. "I'm sorry I struck you, Zaria, but you need to understand. Please, respect the memory of Zeth. I'm sure that one day, you two will somehow be reunited. It is true that if one truly loves, one can exist without the loved one."
Zaria fixed her emerald eyes on Shana's dark brown eyes, and the tears started welling up, and they overflowed. Zaria sobbed, her whole body shaking, and Shana reached over and hugged her. They stayed like that for a long time, and Zaria cried out all her tears. Finally Dart came in and took Shana away, giving Zaria some time to rest. It seemed like Zaria was starting the journey of accepting what had happened, and during that talk, she had matured greatly.
But it seemed at the day of the funeral, even though Zaria had agreed to go she seemed to forget all the Shana had told her. Zaria stood in the back, wearing all black, with the black ribbon around her neck that had the silvery thread running through it, and the sterling ring that Zeth had given her. Zaria's heart felt numb. She didn't think she could ever care for anyone again, much less in the way she had cared about Zeth. She had lost her soul mate to Death, and there was nothing she could do. Then she remembered her talk with Shana. Shana was right. Zeth would have wanted her to live, even though Zaria would have much preferred dying. But she would keep all her vows. She would always think of Zeth, and would never marry or love another, because her heart and soul belonged to Zeth, as the ring on her left maiden finger symbolized.
Even though the war was still going on, Zaria couldn't find it in her heart the motivation to continue fighting. She didn't want to kill anyone anymore. She didn't want to cause anyone the same pain that she had experienced, the pain of losing a loved one. She would devote herself to helping others, to use her healing powers to help people. She still kept her twin swords, although she didn't know why. Maybe she would use them again someday.
The war ended, and all became well. Link started paying Zaria daily visits, for they both lived in the same town. He would come twice a day, and talk to her about old times. He tried to rekindle their short relationship, but Zaria's heart remained numb to all emotion. Except for agitation. Why didn't Link understand how much she had loved Zeth, and how no one could ever replace him? Yet Link still tried, until one day, Zaria just frostily told him to forget her and go find someone else. As Link left, he sadly looked back at her, and said something that Zaria would never forget.
"You're not the only one who's hurting, you know."
After that, Zaria never saw Link again, but heard of his adventures through the gossip mill. Apparently, he had been sent back in time, youthened to age two, sent to another continent, and had grown up to save a kingdom called Hyrynd. He had saved the princess of Hyrynd, and had married her. Her name was Princess Lara, and she derived from elven stock. Zaria was happy for Link, and was also happy that he was out of her life. Seeing Link was very tormenting for her, also because he looked exactly like Zeth and he even had Zeth's little endearing idiosyncrasies. Zaria hadn't been able to handle it. Now, Link probably had no memory of her or his home, or of the Mage war. It was like he had been reincarnated yet he was still the same Link. Maybe Zaria would go see what Hyrynd was like someday.
But, no matter what, she would always keep her promise to Zeth, and would never give her heart to another. She would never be the same again.
Until Zeth came back into my life, thought Zaria. All those years, she thought he was dead. He had been stuck in some sort of time warp in the cave under the cliff. For sixty years.
But now, Zaria and Zeth had a second chance to live their lives together and be happy. Yet, the irony of the situation was that Zeth didn't remember anything about their past, and it wouldn't be right for Zaria to accept his love without him remembering. For if she did, then their love wouldn't be as pure, it would just be based on her memories alone and a feeling that told him that they had known each other before, and Zaria didn't want that.
Zaria looked at the dim light of the dawn pouring in through the window, and suddenly remembered their plight.
She turned to Zeth, who was still sleeping. How she treasured him.how much this reminded her of those mornings in the tent where she would wake him up.
She laid her hand on his arm and shook him gently. "Zeth, wake up," she said softly. His eyelids trembled slightly, and then opened. The piercing aqua blue color shot darts into her heart.
"Zaria?" he muttered groggily. "Is that you?"
The familiarity of the sound of Zeth's sleepy tone made Zaria's knees weaken, and her heart had an achy, longing feeling. Yet she stifled her true feelings and she just rolled her eyes.
"Yes! Who else would it be?" she exclaimed. "Wake up, sleepyhead! We have to get out of Werin as soon as possible!"
Zeth sat up with a start. "Oh yeah."
They then freshened up and left the motel. As they walked through the streets of Werin, Zaria marveled to herself at how quiet the town was at this time. No one was awake, so she didn't have to worry about any unwanted advances. After all, it was five in the morning. They left the town, and Zaria looked back just once. She never wanted to go to Werin again.
* * *
"Your house is so nice, Fuuko! It's like a mansion!" Cat exclaimed in a tone full of excitement and wonder, drinking in the marble floors, modern décor, classic paintings, and sumptuous atmosphere of Fuuko's family's home. She twirled around.
"Are you sure it's all right to just barge in like this?" Adrian asked Fuuko, his voice full of uncertainty.
Fuuko shrugged. "No matter whatever has happened, this is still my house," she replied nonchalantly, and kept on walking towards the library where she knew her father would be.
Zack lagged behind the group, looking at the portraits of members of Fuuko's family. They seemed so different from Fuuko, so hostile in appearance. While Fuuko looked athletic and energetic, they looked like the kind of people who only participated in inactive activities all day. He stopped short to look at one particularly small picture of a young girl who looked very much like Fuuko. He stared at the picture. He felt the gentle touch of a feminine hand on his shoulder, and turned around and saw Fuuko. Fuuko smiled at him, and turned to the picture that he had been studying.
"It's my sister," Fuuko said sadly. "The one person in my family who saw things my way, who understood me, but she ran away from home when I was only twelve. I never saw her again."
Zack looked at the girl in the picture. She looked so familiar, although she looked nothing like Fuuko. He felt like he knew this girl very well, like she was someone that he saw every day.
"What's her name?" he asked Fuuko.
Fuuko looked at the picture with a sad, faraway look in her eyes. "Her name is Faye. My beloved sister, Faye Takano. Wherever she went though, she probably changed her surname, although I know she would never change her first name. It was the only thing that my parents had given to her that she cared about."
Zack stared at Fuuko in disbelief. "Faye? No wonder she looks so familiar! She lives in my hometown, and when I was small she used to take care of me! She still lives there in Mydele, I think!"
"What?" Fuuko practically shouted in excitement. "You know Faye?"
Zack nodded. "She changed her name to Faye Kurenai, and she lives next door to me," he continued.
Fuuko grasped Zack's shoulders. "After this mission, Zack, you must take me to her!" she demanded.
Zack nodded. Of course he would take her to see Faye. He would do anything for Fuuko. "Yeah, I will," he said.
Fuuko gave him a grateful smile. Zack gazed into Fuuko's eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, the glowing blue eyes that would soothe even the wildest of beasts.
"Fuuko!" a harsh voice resonated throughout the hallway. Fuuko turned around and was slapped hard in the face. She stepped back momentarily, holding her hand to her cheek. She slowly lifted her head up and saw her father, the President of Nakano, his eyes blazing with fury and hatred. Fuuko hardened her gaze and stared up at him, challenging him to strike her again.
"How dare you return!" he yelled. "To show your face here after all you have done! After the entire dispute you have caused! After all havoc you have stirred throughout the town! You have caused great shame to befall this family by your reckless, selfish actions. Have you no shame? You're just like Faye, except she had the sense not to show up here again!"
Fuuko stared glacially at him. "I would much rather be like Faye than be like you, Father. Yes, I'm ashamed, but only of one thing. I'm ashamed of having you as a father," she spat.
Cat appeared in the hallway. Her dark eyes widened when she saw what was going on, and she hurriedly gathered up the others and got them out of the Takano mansion without anyone noticing.
Meanwhile, Fuuko's father was still spewing out insults in Fuuko's face.
"Get out of my house! Get out of Nakano! Get out of this world!" he shouted fervently. "You have shamed your family, you are no longer a Takano! You have no right to return to my home, disrupting the peace as you have done before! To be in the Takano family, you must have discipline! Faye had none, so she left because she couldn't handle any responsibility, as is the case with you!"
He raised his hand to slap Fuuko again, but Zack caught his wrist. "What the $%^& are you doing?!" he swore. "If you touch one @#$% hair on Fuuko's head, I will take my spear and you shall die the death of a thousand cuts! I don't care who you are, but you have no right to strike a woman of Fuuko's position!" He narrowed his eyes threateningly.
President Takano glared at Zack and then turned back to Fuuko.
"Another man that you have deceived with your charms, you strumpet! Have you no shame at all, Fuuko? I am ashamed to have such a low creature share my surname! You are no longer a Takano! GET OUT!" he bellowed.
Fuuko stared at the man whom she used to call Father, swallowed back her tears and gathered up the last ounce of dignity that she had, and left the mansion. Zack quickly followed her out.
They were standing in front of the Presidential Mansion, the place Fuuko used to call home.
"Where are the others?" Zack wondered aloud, and then turned to Fuuko. She hadn't uttered a word. She looked up at him, and he saw that her beautiful glowing blue eyes were glowing even more brightly with unshed tears.
"I have no family left who cares about me," she whispered brokenly, facing away from him. Zack awkwardly patted her back, and was taken aback when she turned to him and started sobbing on his shoulder.
"You have us now," he murmured softly into her ear, and he slowly placed his arms around her. They stood in the middle of the road, oblivious to all that saw them.
* * *
"Look at them," Cat whispered to Breanna, giggling. "Looks like Zack's not doing so bad," she sang with glee.
Breanna laughed, and then quickly changed her expression and looked at Cat solemnly.
"I wonder what happened with Fuuko and her father," she muttered quietly. "I can imagine."
Cat nodded. "I know what it feels like to be without a family, without a name," she mumbled, looking away, her mood darkening.
Breanna looked Cat's way. What was the girl talking about? Wasn't she adopted? She didn't need to make such a big deal about things like that, if she had a loving home. In Breanna's case, she did have parents, but they didn't care about her at all. During her teen years, she would get home at about three in the morning everyday, having stayed up all night doing numerous activities, but her parents didn't even notice. She had felt so uncomfortable, unwanted, and unloved around them. Yet as she looked at Cat, she felt sorry for the girl.
"Cat," she began, "here's an idea. How about after this mission, we stop by at Najida and tell Vincent that we have some important business to attend to. He'll understand. Then we can go look for your real parents. How does that sound?"
Cat looked up at Breanna, hope brightening up her dark eyes.
"Really?"
Breanna smiled at her.
"Of course."
"I'll go with you, Cat," Adrian volunteered out of the blue. "We can go now, in fact. Breanna, you stay here with Zack and Fuuko and complete the mission. Then in two days we'll all meet back at Najida. I'm sure Zeth and Zaria will be back by then as well."
Breanna looked at Adrian and raised an eyebrow. "You? How would you be able to help anyone, hybrid?"
Adrian was deeply offended by her cruel remark, but didn't show it. He had learned long ago never to show too much emotion, because if you did, people could find your weakness and take advantage of you. "I want to help her, and I can do it, Breanna," he said shortly.
Breanna looked expectantly at Cat. Cat nodded. "Thank you, Adrian," she said shyly.
Breanna threw her hands up in exasperation. "Whatever," she said. "I'll go bother Zack and Fuuko now." She rolled her eyes in her usual fashion and started walking towards the couple.
Adrian turned to Cat. "Let's go," he said, his face still showing no expression.
* * *
Zeth trudged slowly behind Zaria, counting his paces to keep himself from drifting off. They had been walking for hours, and still, there was no evidence of civilization in sight. The sun was approaching the west horizon now. Suddenly, Zaria stopped short and turned around to look at Zeth.
"Do you have any water?" she asked hopefully, her eyes reflecting the light of the sun. Her eyes looked like sparkling pools of verdant liquid. He shook his head. She sighed and began massaging her temples. As she put her fingers up near her face, Zeth saw a glimmer of silver on her ring finger.
He reached over and took her hand and gaped at the ring. The silver seemed to radiate ethereal light, and the light blinded him. He shut his eyes, yet the silvery light found its way through and poured into his head, filling his entire head with brightness. Zeth shook his head back and forth violently and fell over onto the ground, his body writhing in pain. Flashbacks were running through his head, and they were going so fast, making his head spin. Then, in one of his memories he saw Zaria's face up close, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her face blurred and became a black hole, the very blackness of it terrifying. He was falling, down, down, and he never stopped falling. All of a sudden, everything disappeared, and he was sitting on a crater on the moon, alone in the dark.
Where am I? He shouted into the darkness, yet nothing changed, and he was still alone.
The silver light surrounded him again, bathing him in the brilliance of it. Everything went white for a moment, and then a scene appeared before him. He saw himself, and he saw Zaria, but it was like he was watching the two of them on a screen. He then felt a force pulling him onto the screen, and the entire world around him changed.
"Zeth! Zeth!" he heard from far away. "ZETH!" yet he was still falling down the cliff and the voice sounded farther away each moment.
Goodbye, Zaria, he thought, closing his eyes as he plunged down the depths to his eternal doom, his eternal separation from his beloved. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I just let Galen go like that. Forgive me. He kept on going down, and finally he dared to open his eyes to gaze at his murky grave. He was amazed to see a large mass of swirling greenish clouds just a few hundred meters underneath him. He flew down into the clouds and was enveloped in their aura of timeless bliss . . .
More memories flashed through his head, traveling with such speed that he could barely catch the gist of them. He saw many different people, a picture of Zaria appearing every now and then, her face smiling at him. All of a sudden the memories seemed to slow down, and then stopped.
Zeth speculated his options. Was he to comfort Zaria, or just ignore her? He ached to take her into his arms and whisper loving words of consolation in her ear, but she didn't care about him. She only cared about his twin brother, Link. Yet here she was, crying, and those precious tears of hers that were being wasted had been caused by Link.
No, he thought. It's better if I keep my feelings hidden, to prevent any awkwardness between us. She's too young for me, anyway.
He was surprised to hear Zaria screaming at him.
"Don't you care about anyone but yourself?" she cried, with a note of disconsolateness in her voice.
He had looked at her, and saw her in a new light. She no longer was the aloof girl who was too presumptuous for his partiality, but now she was a lonely, fragile creature who needed someone's care.
The memories started whipping around in his head again, swirling through the chambers of his mind. "Stop!" Zeth yelled, clutching his head. Everything went white again.
Zeth saw the pain in Zaria's eyes as she looked at him. He knew what she had foreseen. He knew that something was going to happen to him. Something horrible enough to make Zaria hurt inside, to make her look at him with those sorrowful eyes. The emerald green eyes had become a darker shade, and didn't seem as clear and sparkling as they had been before.
He knew she didn't want to tell him, and he didn't know what to do if he lost her, but before he was to be taken away from her, he wanted to bestow on her his most valuable possession. He knew it would be wrong to bind Zaria to him now, it would be selfish, yet he felt like someday, somehow, they would be reunited, and they would both wait for that day for the rest of their lives.
"Zaria, I want you to have this," he said, giving her his family ring, the ring that had been passed on in his family for countless generations. To anyone who knew the meaning of the ring, it was a symbol of everlasting and undying love. A rose was engraved into it, signifying the strength of the giver's feelings towards the recipient.
No matter what happened, they would someday be reunited.
"ARGH! Unnnnh!" Zeth moaned in pain. He felt like there was the pressure of an anvil pressing against every section of his head. The pain was unbearable, yet some force kept on shooting the memories through his head like darts. The flashes of light pounded through his brain, resonating into every nerve in his body, making him cringe.
"This is Zaria," concluded Jesse.
Zeth glanced in the direction that Jesse had gestured and saw one of the most beautiful sights to look at that he had ever set his eyes on in his entire life. The girl called Zaria had long, thick, dark brown hair, which in the front was short and framed her face. Her bright emerald eyes were gazing at him curiously. Around her neck was an ebony ribbon with a single silver thread running through it. The silver thread flashed iridescently, reflecting the light of ardor into Zeth's soul.
Yet Zeth could not bring himself to act friendly towards this angelic creature, for he had been deceived before by mere beauty, and he didn't want it to happen again. He saw Link expressing his interest towards the young woman called Zaria, and he saw that she was returning his interest, as most females did to Link.
Too late to do anything about it, he thought. If I thought I might have had a chance to get to know her, I was wrong, for I have no chance against the wonderful Link. I have loved and lost before, and I don't want it to happen again.
He saw Zaria glance over in his direction, so he quickly turned his head in the opposite direction and pasted a bored look on his face, concealing any feelings that might have sneaked their way out.
The whir of memories and flashbacks continued, making Zeth breathless. He didn't know what these memories were about . . . he now remembered how it had been like the day he met Zaria, but he didn't yet know why he had been so frosty to her then. Was it merely because of her beauty? What had he had against mere beauty? He racked through the collection of memories, trying to find the one that would let him remember why.
"Why have you been so heartless to me earlier?" Zaria asked him in the most innocent tone imaginable, the tone that was designed to get anyone, even the coldest of hearts, to reveal all.
"Umm, you're too young," Zeth said quickly.
Zaria pursed her lips. "Come on, really. We're only five years apart!"
He looked down at his lap. "I.just.didn't want to be hurt." Zeth mumbled awkwardly. "Things are not always what they seem, you know," he muttered.
"Who hurt you?" Zaria had asked him candidly. "Tell me about it, Zeth."
Zeth had been very reluctant to reveal the pains of his past to anyone, even Zaria. Although he had actually known her for only a short time, he felt like he could tell her anything about himself and she would understand. It was a mutual feeling, a feeling that drew him to her.
He began telling Zaria his story about the one whom had made him close up his heart to any signs of love. It all started when he was a carefree, conceited young man, thinking that since he was good-looking and was a dexterous combatant that he could have anything he wanted. He hadn't known that his life was all a cruel lie. He had been lied to about his origin, lied to about every single detail of his life.
He had thought his place of birth was the town of Galdia, but he later found out that he was from Mydele, the same place as Zaria was from. He had been lied to about his ancestors, lied to about his family. Only after he had found the truth had he fled the place he grew up in, gone to Mydele and sought his relatives, and acquired the Lanier family ring. The ring that had been placed on his finger at birth but then taken away was finally restored to him.
Yet that was not the reason that he had shut himself off from all forms of love.
As with every story, there was a girl, a girl named Ray. Her full name was Ray Cyranno, and she had heavenly silvery blonde hair that sometimes took on a greenish tint. She was very quiet, and seemed emotionless, yet Zeth had been able to get through to her heart. As soon as he had accomplished that, she had been one of the most wonderful things that had ever happened to him. She had taught him how sometimes, you had to work hard to get what you want. She had taught him that not everything would come to him just because he wanted it to. She taught him how to care about other's feelings, how to show them you cared about them.
For that, Zeth would be forever grateful. Then, one day, a shocking piece of news had hit him. Ray had been taken away, taken to another continent, yet no one knew where. Zeth had wanted to go seek her, and he was about to set out on his quest to find Ray when Ray's adoptive parents had stopped him, and told him the truth about Ray.
Ray was not a normal human being. She had been born in an experiment, a result of the experimentation of DNA. She had only been temporarily sent to live at Galdia, and she was sent back to her homeland to be frozen until she was needed in the future, whence she would be thawed. They had only wanted her to grow to the age of eighteen, and then she was to be preserved until many years later when they would need her. Zeth wanted to go and find her anyway, so maybe he could wait until she was thawed and be with her then, but then he was informed that no one knew when Ray and her unknown power would be needed. She might have to be preserved for decades, maybe even centuries. No one knew. Yet Zeth still was determined to find her and bring her back. Until Ray's adoptive parents told him that if by some miracle he did happen to find her in her home country's top secret laboratories, if he didn't know the proper procedure to thaw her, she would die, and what would the point be then?
Zeth had then finally admitted his defeat, and had sunk into a depression. No one had been able to approach him, for if they did, he would go into fits of rage, demanding to be alone. Many village elders shook their heads, thinking of what a waste it was, to have a young man with such high potential turn into a lunatic, but Zeth didn't care what people thought of him.
He thought for a while, and decided to go and find his real family. He traveled throughout the continent, visiting every single city, questioning anyone who would talk to him. Many were concerned about him, a teenage boy traveling alone, although he was quite adept in the martial arts.
Finally, after a year of wandering, he found what he was looking for in Mydele. He found his grandfather, and he found that he actually had a twin, whom was named Link, after his true father Link Lanier the Third. Zeth didn't like Link much, for Link seemed very pretentious, yet he did have his good qualities. After all, he was Zeth's twin brother.
He stayed in Mydele for a few years, getting himself under control, training in order to continue the warrior pride of the Lanier family. War befell Nova, and Zeth, Link, and many other young men defended the town of Mydele. Then one day, Link asked Zeth if he wanted to join a large group of warriors whom were in the front lines. Zeth agreed, and that was how he ended up meeting Galen, a special friend, and Zaria.
And with that, Zeth looked at her intently. "And I do not regret meeting you, Zaria."
Zaria gazed at him. "Zeth," she murmured. "You have suffered so much more than I."
He looked down, but then looked back up to meet Zaria's gaze.
"Even though you are still quite young, you are wise. You came along and healed the wounds of my heart. You were my medicine, the cure for my pain. Thank you, Zaria."
The scene replayed itself repeatedly in his head. Now, Zeth remembered, remembered all those intimate moments with Zaria. He also regained his memories of Ray, with her rare yet gentle smile and cornflower blue eyes, her soft, shy voice. He remembered his grandfather, his real grandfather, and the tears that had fell from the old man's eyes when he had seen that his other grandson had indeed lived. He remembered Link, his double in appearance, yet his opposite in personality. He remembered the people whom he had thought were his parents, how they had given him their love as though he were their own. He remembered the torturous day that he had found out that Galdia had been destroyed, burned down to ashes during the Mage war. He remembered Zaria's pained expression when she had found out, and how she knew exactly what to do to help him get over his arduous pain. He remembered his best friend Galen, how Galen had guided him through so many ordeals. He remembered everything about his life before he had been sucked in the time warp in the cave. The pain slowly subsided, as the flood of memories gradually descended, and then ceased.
Zeth slowly opened his eyes, to see a pair of intense emerald eyes gazing at him in concern.
When Zaria saw that Zeth had regained consciousness, she cried out in relief and threw her arms around him, tears dripping out of her eyes.
"Zeth . . . I was so worried, I thought I had lost you again," she sobbed.
She slowly drew back and wiped away her tears with her gloves. "I'm sorry to confuse you, I know you probably don't know what I'm talking about . . . I'm sorry . . . just ignore what I said," she whispered brokenly, ignoring his intent gaze.
Zeth put his hand under her chin and lifted her face up, smiling at her.
"You're wrong, Zaria. I do remember now. I remember everything. I remember Galen, Link, Jesse, Ray, my grandpa, everyone, and most important of all, I remember that I love you. I remember now, Zaria," he said, smiling softly at her the whole time.
Zaria breathed hard for a moment. She was still in a state of disbelief.what had caused this sudden return of memory? But then, the important thing was that she had her old Zeth back again.
"Zeth!" she cried through tears of joy. Finally, finally, she had been truly reunited with Zeth.
This time, she wholeheartedly embraced him, sobbing out all the misery that she had gone through for the sixty years that she had spent waiting. Zeth put his arms around Zaria, and a tear fell out of his eye.
"Zaria..."
Wow getting a little bit more intense ( I hope you like it more as the story progresses! Don't worry; it's not too sappy, there are just some parts. Please review if you want me to continue posting or if you think it's terrible and I should never write again. This part is quite sappy, the rest of the story isn't! Thanks!