Third filled me with questions.
I struggled to answer them myself, and failed. I walked along in silence, my head so low until it was surprising that it wasn't touching my knees. I fiddled with my sapphire necklace, remembering the day Third gave it to me. I was only thirteen then.
"Zia, wear this with you all the time."
I smiled unconsciously, and pulled it over my head, wanting to take a closer look at it.
The sapphire was tear-shaped, with the slightest carving of a flying bird in its heart. On closer inspection, I realized the bird as the Iracine (ee-RA-sin). Why it was carved in a sapphire eluded me. Third said that the necklace once belonged to my mother.
I touched the Iracine, and images flashed before my eyes. I saw a man with silver hair and blue eyes, but he was not Thor, and he was sitting on a chair, face thoughtful and slightly happy.
I saw great many things that had happened in Chimera at the time before I was born, but they were lost to me when I saw the final picture.
I saw a woman, but not her face, for her hair was covering her face, and she lying in bed, screaming, as a shadow covered her. In the hands of the owner of the shadow was a gun. There was a bang, and then there was blood everywhere. The image turned into another, of the same man in the first picture appeared once more. His face was neither thoughtful nor happy, but anguished and etched with pain. He held a child in his arms, and rocked it as tears slipped down his cheeks.
…………………………..
Someone shouted in the distance, and I whipped my head away from the crystal. The shouting sounded somewhere to my left, so I ran that way, pulling the crystal over my head at the same time. The shouting sounded again, to my right now. I swerved right, slipped, saw a gash on my right leg, got up, and ran again, trying to ignore the pain that burned at every step.
The shouting grew louder and louder, and, at last, ceased into the clashing of swords. I followed the sound, and reached the source. I crumpled in a heap when I saw Thor fighting Zagi. He didn't kill Karim! My mind screamed in indignation. I was barely aware of Tiz kneeling next to me and wrapping my wound, as I stared helplessly at Thor and Zagi, as they fought furiously, always connected, only to be disengaged by their own momentum.
Thor fought with his beam-blade, and the look on his face was so fierce and anguished I wanted to run over to them and stop them, before anyone got hurt too badly. But I knew I mustn't. It turned out to be a fight for the Jyu-Oh title.
Tiz was tapping my shoulder, and I managed to tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me to look at her. She pointed behind me, and I looked behind, and almost fell in shock. A trail of blood lay there, more at alternate steps when I had placed my right leg down.
"You have to lie down," Tiz said softly. "You can't faint now."
"I'll be fine," I said stubbornly. I didn't want to miss a single moment. It was frightening and exciting at the same time. Tiz hesitated.
"Lean against the wall, then." I looked to my left to see Third. Where did he come from? Without resistance from me, he picked me up and sat me next to the wall. Just then, Thor dealt the final blow to Zagi. Zagi fell to his knees, with blood spilling out from his chest where Thor's beam-blade had went through him.
Third stood on an old building. "The new Jyu-Oh!" Everyone cheered. Tiz smiled. I went pale. Something was not right. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something was not right.
Thor and Zagi talked to each other softly, and Thor suddenly leaned in to listen to what Zagi had to say. Third walked to them, and Zagi gave the slightest of gestures with his head at Third. I struggled to hear him. Oh, Phoenix! Bless me with your hearing!
"… don't trust that guy."
Don't trust Third? But he had saved Thor so many times! Yet he had scorned me for worrying over Karim's death. I got up, and walked to Thor, limping ever so slightly. Tiz followed me. Thor looked at my leg. "What happened to you?"
"I could say the same about you," I shot back. Thor was cut on his right arm, and his left side had a gash.
Tiz went to Thor's ear and murmured something. Thor looked at her and nodded. I went to Zagi. "You didn't kill Karim, did you?" I whispered.
He looked at me and I recoiled. His eyes burned into mine. "No."
I nodded. It cleared one part of the mystery, unless, of course, Zagi was lying. But then, it was obvious that he did like Karim a little bit, but no one really knew how he felt. He was like a wolf; it was no wonder how he got his nickname.
I got up, and returned to my Top–no, not my Top. My ex-Top. Zagi was my Top, now.
Just then, the Dagger Pagoda flashed suddenly. A beam of light shot up, and everyone gasped. Third looked at Thor. "Now's the time, Thor." Thor shook his head.
"I want to see Karim one last time," he said softly.
Third hesitated, then sighed. "Alright. 5 minutes. That's all you get."
Thor nodded and walked off. Tiz chatted quietly with Zagi. I stood in silence next to Third, who seemed ridiculously pleased with his own self. I broke the silence. "What was my mother like?"
The question seemed to startle Third, but he covered it up quickly. "She loved animals and other people, and everyone loved her. Her motto was, 'Love and be loved.' She would be proud of you," Third added quietly. He seemed sad for a moment, then I asked, "How well did you know her?"
"Very well. We could almost read each other's minds; and-" Third broke off, and looked away. Thor came back then, so I couldn't ask him about my father. "Let's go." Third led the way. Thor followed. Tiz and I did as well. I looked at the Dagger Pagoda, and blinked away tears. No matter how much knowledge I had, I would never know my parents. Never.