Chapter 4: Lose it All
After the flash of light, Zelgadis feels strong hands grab him as his body begins to experience an odd sense of weightlessness. When a sharp pain erupts across his skull, the bright light fades into pitch black.
"By the stars of L-same you're finally awake and not a moment too soon," a man says inches in front of a chained and gagged Zelgadis. Zelgadis is not thrilled in the slightest and attempts to use the strength from his magical item to escape this degrading plight. But not before the creepy man in front of him snatches the trinket out of his clothing. "Oh, oh, oh Zelgadis Greywords, how could you possibly rely on something so . . . so . . ." The item explodes as the evil man tosses it into the air, ". . . worthless." He giggles in delight as he skips around Zelgadis, which sickens our captive hero even more.
"There must be more, Mmmm? And what else do we have here," the man says as he stops in front of Zelgadis. The villainous sorcerer begins to pat Zelgadis down. The touch infuriates Zelgadis, but at least this way he can get a closer look at his enemy. The evil mans eyes are hazel, with strands of yellow doted inside its core. The strange eyes sends a disturbing chill up Zelgadis's spine. He also has light blue hair, pale white skin and clothes meant for a high ranking sorcerer. In elegant folds of white, grey, and blue, his robes and armor tightly hang over his body. He is taller than Zelgadis and has the appearance of someone in their late twenties or early thirties. It is very difficult to pin point his age.
Before long, the sharply dressed sorcerer finds the blow demon trinket neatly nestled around Zelgadis's waist.
"Well of course you would still have something from your cheerless past dragging you down," the sorcerer says. "You don't need this; you already have everything you need." With a twirl and quick spin of delight, he throws the trinket to the ground as it explodes in a dazzling show of light and sparks.
"Ha, HA! What a wonderful day today is turning out to be, wouldn't you agree Gadis-wadis, hmm, hmm." He says as he steps in front of Zelgadis once again with a sickening smile on his face. "After all . . ." the joy in his instantly changes dark and serious. " . . . I have been waiting so very long to meet you, heir of Rezo the Red."
Zelgadis glares at the man, not wanting to give the sorcerer the satisfaction of seeing him struggle.
"Oh, you're no fun. Why bother acting so tough," the man says as he casually walks away with a slight swagger. "Did your gloomy past make you into this emotionless monster Zel? That is what your friends call you isn't it. What a shock. You actually have friends; maybe you should have brought them with you. HA! Or perhaps you tried and they said no." He laughs and his joyful demeanor returns to Zelgadis's displeasure. After the sorcerer is a short distance away, he pivots daintily back to face Zelgadis once again. A joyful bound in his step.
"Well I suppose we should get back to business, ha ha! Of course this business transaction will be completely one sided. Hhhmm hhmmm. Chezem, Klide, Ditle, please come here."
Three monsters appear in a row directly behind the mad man. Instantly, Zelgadis recognizes two of them as the monsters who were attacking Xellos earlier. The other is a new face. Unlike the other two he looks nearly human, with blond hair and blue eyes. Any woman who met him would fall for his charm if they met. Zelgadis glares at the monsters and the handsome monster smiles back, revealing an unnatural shark like grin. The glaring captive frowns, so much for looking human.
"These are my friends and they are going to help me out with my latest experiment, won't that be fun!" the sorcerer says gaily. As before, his happiness bluntly disappears and is replaced by a creepy demeanor of self control and calm. "Not too long ago you stumbled across the chimera group that I had left under Salit's care. I was most put out when you intervened and my precious experiments followed you back to Seyruun. Don't you realize how much time I spent on them? And after I granted them a few weeks of fresh air. Tisk Tisk. At least they are still all together, but then you had to go ahead a turn most of them back into humans and pure blood beast men." The man pauses as he raises his finger at Zelgadis. A slight playfulness returns back to his eyes. "That was way past un-cool."
"Anyway," the cold hearted sorcerer says, as he begins to ramble off once again. "It really does seem that you are making a real name for yourself Zel. A real great sage wannabe, but alas you aren't quite ready for that miraculous task I am afraid. After all, what is a sage without first experiencing some heart wrenching trial!"
In a flash the man races in front of Zelgadis and desperately grabs him by the clothes. "I'm not the villain here," he cries shaking Zelgadis roughly before letting him go and putting on an act that would make any director proud. "I am doing this all for the world, that they may move forward and become something chaos herself would actually be proud of. That is why I've been experimenting so fervently recently; it's such a shame I have to go to such lengths, in secret even! But alas not everyone understands their own plight. They are blind, mute and deaf to it. . ." The evil man stops abruptly, frozen in an elegant pose as an idea strikes him. "Ah of course!" he snaps his fingers. "I now know what trial you must endure on your journey to becoming the next great sage! Your trial shall mirror the plight that plagues all the people, including your great grandfather."
He dances to one of the many tables scattered around the lab and begins to drop down some notes, while speaking them aloud. "I must make certain that you won't be able to cure yourself and transfer yourself into a new body. This seal must be grafted to your very soul, yes that's it! And it is possible; every curse doesn't just affect your body. Just like Rezo's curse. That way you will have to go deep within yourself for salvation and become what you are truly meant to be."
"First your mouth shall be sealed. Chezem!" the man says. "Seal his voice."
The smiling Mazoku steps forward, still grinning, as he moves towards Zelgadis. With his left hand he grabs Zelgadis's jaw and with his right he seizes his throat. As Zelgadis gasps for air, Chezem removes Zelgadis's voice from his body and soul before ripping off the gag.
Zelgadis tries to curse out the monster, but nothing escapes his lips. Chezem snickers.
"Oh goody, this way you won't be able to cast any magic spells either. But don't worry, I won't seal off your magic, if you become great enough you should be able to cast spells without using your voice, just like the great sages of old AH HA! And now for your pointy ears; Ditle would you do the honors."
Ditle steps forward stiffly and Zelgadis has the honor of actually seeing under the monsters large collie hat and into his cold silver steal eyes.
"By sealing away each of your senses using three different Mazoku it will make the job of curing yourself even harder." The man continues as Ditle gently places his hands near Zelgadis's sensitive ears. "By splitting the sealing curse it will nearly be impossible for you actually. I suppose since you won't be able to hear me after this I should give you some last minute instructions. . ." He pauses as Ditle patiently waits.
A sickening silence ticks by as Ditle waits.
Zelgadis's eyes widen in fright, he cannot believe that this is actually happening. Is it real? He gazes at Ditle and tries to speak. When nothing comes out of his mouth he knows the truth. Yes, yes this is real.
"Hmm, well nothing comes to mind, sorry Zel," The sorcerer says in a mocking tone as Ditle softly places his long cold nails over Zelgadis's ears and head. Swiftly, the evil sorcerer's demon like giggle turns silent. There is nothing to hear, not even the buzz of his quickening pulse. There is nothing at all.
Sweating with fear, Zelgadis watches as the last monster, the shortest one named Klide, floats in front of Zelgadis. Rezo's great grandson begins to panic as the monsters cold hands reach out towards his face. In desperations, Zelgadis begins to silently scream and struggle against his bounds, but to no avail. Like thin ice hitting the floor, the monsters hands break into Zelgadis's eyes and mind. That is the last thing he sees as everything turns into nothing.
Immediately, Zelgadis goes into shock and faints, becoming completely numb to the world around him. By the time he wakes up, Zelgadis is forced to face the reality that he is now mute, deaf, and blind.
Author's Note: It was my sister's idea to make Zelgadis mute, deaf, and blind. Blame her. When I originally got to this point of the story, I had a list of things I could do to him, but my sister convinced me that writing from the perspective of a blind, mute and deaf man would be good for me. Let's just say it wasn't easy.