Chapter 9 – Return To Tusk
Templar
Zed awoke suddenly. It's morning again, he thought. He sat up slowly, but this time, there was no pain. I've healed.
Then Zed's jaw tightened at the memory of his confrontation with Jimu. He stared at his hand, pale and shriveled, the shards upon it lusterless. No longer did he feel the spirit's life pulsing through him. Amil Gaoul…is gone too.
"Ah, Zed, you're awake!" Roia said cheerfully as she entered the room. "Although you shouldn't be up, you know."
"Shut up. I need to leave."
"You're not going anywhere, you idiot! You're still in pain—"
"Shut up! I'm fine!"
"Ah, Zed?"
Both Zed and Roia and glanced up in surprise at the messenger who had interrupted them. "What?" they asked.
"The committee would like to see you."
"What is it?" Zed said irritably.
"We heard reports of a clash between you and the intruder—and a strange spirit, the likes of which we have never seen before," Sebastian answered.
"And?" Zed growled.
"He is a threat to Templar—one that must be dealt with," said another committee member. "And we have it on good authority that your friend, formerly a powerful shard caster, was captured."
A girl, sitting beside Sebastian's seat, stood up silently.
"Sagiri!" Zed exclaimed. "Where's Noa?"
She shook her head slowly, tears pooling into her eyes.
"Zed," said Sebastian. "I—as well as the rest of the committee—would like you to seek out and destroy this man. The spirit he controls—" Sebastian stirred uneasily. "It is no ordinary spirit," he said at last. "We have thought it to be only an obscure myth, but apparently…"
"What is that thing, then?" Zed snapped, breaking the silence.
"The seventh key spirit," Sagiri whispered.
Her fearful words echoed in Zed's mind. The seventh key spirit…
"He is a danger not only to Templar, but the rest of the world. We need you to—" Sebastian began.
"Enough!" Zed snarled. "What am I, your pawn? And what about Noa? Is he nothing to you?!"
Sebastian sighed at length. "No. He is not simply 'nothing.'" He stood up. "I will go with you—if only to find him."
"I will too!" Sagiri said fiercely.
Zed turned to the rest of the committee. "This intruder…he called himself Jimu. Where did he go?"
It was Roia who answered.
"Tusk."
"You don't need to come with us," Zed said crossly.
"But I am, and that's final."
"Are you crazy? You're needed at the infirmary—"
"I asked to take leave for a few days."
"And if this takes longer than a few days?"
"Stop bickering, you two. We're here." Sebastian said.
The shifting circle stretched out before them, undulating slowly and emanating a cyan glow. "Whenever you're ready, Zed," said Sebastian.
Zed clenched his hand into a fist.
"Let's go."