Shen patiently waited for his brother to make an appearance. The courtyard was just as he remembered it. Teeming with the smell of metal and sweat still, even hours after training. The rain began to gently spray the grounds with a light dusting of mist, which began to sink through Shen's clothes. He was beginning to stumble as Zed was nearing, and his already hazy vision from it being midnight was not helping him at all. The guards had ordered the townsfolk to back away from the area, leaving the two to be at peace when discussing matters.
Zed, on the other hand, stumbled down the long, dark corridor of his home. The walls were keeping him in balance, as he constantly leaned and arm or hand against one to prevent him from falling over. Syndra followed closely behind him, watching his every step.
"Zed please, are you sure you don't need help?"
"Syndra.. I am fine. Leave me be."
Hesitantly, they both stopped moving. She stared down at Zed, who was keeling over against the wall. Syndra slowly stepped towards Zed as he emotionlessly lifted his head to face her. Her warm touch could be felt under Zed's chin as she gently caressed him. Zed closed his eyes, and allowed himself to slide down the wall and sit on the floor.
"I'm so weak.."
"Zed, I know, you just need to-"
"No, Syndra.. Not like that.."
She looked at his lifeless-seeming body with confusion.
"What, do you mean?"
Zed looked up at Syndra and smiled, not smirked, smiled. An expression with emotion. He lifted up an arm and stroked her warm, soft cheek with his weaponless arms.
"You, Syndra.." He whispered. "You.. Make me weak.."
Syndra blushed, and happily smiled back.
"So do you.." She spoke softly, followed by a tender and gentle kiss. The kiss held for what felt like minutes. Zed leaned closer in, and Syndra became weaker and weaker at the knees, until she couldn't lean on the anymore.
She let go of the kiss but kept her hand on his chin, looking at him in the eyes.
"You should go."
"I should."
Shen was kneeling down in the most comfortable way possible without tiring himself out even more, or without causing any further pain to his headache. The rain gently pattered on the tin roofs of the somewhat distant buildings, the owls fell silent, knowing they won't be hunting tonight, and the moon shone especially bright.
He looked up to the moon in awe. Admiring the blood-red colour it was currently creating.
"Such a.. Shame, isn't it?" A deep voice was heard. The person was struggling to both move and talk.
"Isn't it.. Brother?" Zed was clutching his head whilst still wearing his mask. Both of them removed their gaze from the moon and looked at each other, when anguish began to build within Zed.
"Don't you dare.. Call me that.." He ordered.
"Brother, I-"
"ENOUGH!" Zed's outburst had begun. Knowing that this would happen, Hei-An and Syndra watched from one end of the courtyard whilst Ven and Zed's shadow watched from the other. Zed had lost almost complete control over his shadow during the time of his and Shen's connection re-kindling, but it was still able to live and work for him, except Zed had no say in what it did.
"This does not bode well. What do you think, shadow?" Ven questioned.
"I know exactly what he wants."
"What is it he wants?"
"Shen's head."
"AGGHHHH!" Zed lunged at Shen at the speed of light it seemed, he had no weapons on him, and had to resort to using his bare hands to contain Shen with. Zed landed on top of him and began punching Shen hard in the face, eliciting no scream of pain to Zed, as shen knew this is what ed wanted. Zed wanted pain to be inflicted, whether it be emotional or physical, he didn't care, he was already too lost in the one goal - to finally kill Shen.
"ZED!" Syndra called, she quickly jumped out of the tree that she and Hei-An were in and sprinted over to Zed, until he lifted a hand and blocked her off with a dome of shadow, disallowing anyone in, or out of it.
Shen lifted up his legs and threw Zed off to this side of him, disorientating the Master of Shadows, and giving Shen that one second window to stand up.
"Zed please! I am here for no fight, we have important issues to discuss!" He raised his hands in the air as a signal for surrender. Zed laughed at him.
"You are just as weak as father!" He laughed harder. "I will take your head also!" Zed ran at Shen but he dodged it, sending him to the wet, cold ground.
"Shen!" A female voice could be heared from the village entrance, a voice no one was expecting. Zed dropped the dome to see Syndra walking towards the mystery woman. Shen began to step forward also but Zed grabbed him by the neck and restrained him from any further movement.
"Unnecessary anger gives you energy I see brother.." Zed held him tighter upon hearing the words fall form Shen's mouth.
The mystery woman was accompanied by four guards, who took a bow and left when Syndra got closer. Zed watched from a distance. The woman was wearing green clothes, but also had no weapons. Zed could recognise those clothes from anywhere.
"Akali.." He murmured in anger. "What is she doing here Shen?!"
"I don't know.. Zed.. You're strangling m.."
"Zed stop!" Akali screamed. It fell silent in the training ground. Ven and Zed's shadow emerged from behind Zed and quickly hit him in his weak spots and released Shen. Ven threw a shadow-conjured bola at Zed which sent him flying to the ground in anger and pain.
"Stop this at once!"
"No, Master. I will not allow this dishonour to a fellow ninja who is clearly trying to make amends with you. My apologies." Ven retorted, completely fearless of his Master.
A baby was heard crying.
"Raiden? You brought Raiden, Akali?"
"Yes! You and I both know Zed would not conform."
Hei-An followed up behind Syndra, and gently placed her hand on Syndra's shoulder. Akali had Raiden in her arms, amongst a bundle of dark-coloured blankets.
"Syndra.." She gulped. "This.. Is Akali. Shens...?" She extended her sentence and awaited a response.
"..Wife." He finshed the sentence once he got closer to Akali and Raiden.
Zed summed up the strength to sit up.
"So Syndra was right.."
Everyone's focus was purely on Zed.
".. You have bared the Eye of Twilight a son.."
"Brother.. I-"
"No, Shen.." Zed exhaled heavily, sounding very sad.
"Please, can we get the meeting over and done with?" Zed sounded defeated.
"Zed, you must promise to not kill Shen or Akali." Syndra looked down at him from a distance.
"Or the baby."
"I hereby declare as the Master of Shadows, that so long as enemies have stepped foot upon the earth of my home, I will not show hostility towards them or towards their allies.."
Akali exhaled heavily in relief.
"I thank you, Zed. Both Shen and I promise to adhere to any rules that you have in place."
"Good.. Let's discuss War then, shall we?"