User blog:Carol of the bells/Days of Ruin --- Zen's exile, part 31

Days of Ruin --- Zen's exile, part 31
What's this? Two posts in one day?! Impossible!!!

Just a little something for my readers~ Thank you all for your support!~



As her training progressed, Zen and company made their way towards Maxwell's forest. The sheer number of different terrains was baffelling, but they managed to avoid unnecesary combat. It was when they reached the desert that things got complicated.

"Argh," Tillith complained, shielding her eyes, "This heat is killing me...couldn't we have gone a different route?" She winced as she ran a sweaty hand through her hair.

"This is the shortest way to Maxwell..." Zen replied. She had made good use of her new skills, creating a tiger-like beast to ride on so she conserve her energy. Likewise, her units agreed to remain dormat in case they were needed in battle--the more strength they had, the better. However, Zen was struggling. The Samui estate was at the base of the Egor mountains, thus placing them in colder climates, a sharp contrast to the unforgiving heat they were travelling through.

"Zen!"

The summoner glanced over at the goddess. "Did you say something?"

She shook her head. "No. Besides, that was a man's voice. I sound nothing--"

"Hey! Zen, over here!"

Finally recognizing the voice, Zen turned to her left and saw Karl waving to her in the distance, running to meet her. Seria was trailing behind him.

"Ah, Karl!" Zen dismounted her beast and it dissapated.

Karl laughed as he reached her. "Imagine seeing you here! What are you up to?"

Zen realized that she hadn't told him about her mission yet. "Ah...well, it's a long story..."

"You're not after Graham, are you?" Seria asked. "Because if you are, you can forget it. He's our prey."

The summoner shook her head. "No, I know nothing about that. I'm going after Maxwell."

Silence stole over the desert as Karl blinked in surprise. "The four fallen gods?" He asked in disbelief. "Then, you're trying to find the Juggernaut?"

"Juggernaut? What is that?"

Seria scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me. You mean you don't even know about the Juggernaut? That probably means you don't know anything about Abbadon, too."

Seeing that Zen was confused, Karl quickly explained. "The Juggernaut and Abbadon are like Maxwell's generals. They make sure nothing gets close to her. If you want to take down the goddess, you're going to have to go through them."

Zen flashed Tillith a look, and she simply shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "I may or may not have forgotten to mention those two..." She laughed nervously.

"Just stay out of our way," Seria told her, "If you somehow manage to take out the Juggernaut and Abbadon, well then fine. But don't get so full of yourself that you take on a goddess." She turned to leave. "Let's go, Karl."

Karl flashed an apologetic smile. "Well, we'd best be going. Our sources tell us that Graham came through here, but we've no leads as to where he'd going."

"Hurry up, idiot!"

He hurried after Seria, calling back to Zen, "Just be careful, okay? The monsters around here are pretty dangerous!"

Zen sighed as she watched them shrink into the distance.

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Tillith tired to comfort her, "I mean, the Juggernaut is as dumb as a rock, and Abbadon...well, he's a giant gate with an appetite. Nothing you can't handle, right?"

The summoner created another steed and mounted it. "Yes," She replied wearily, "I'm sure."



Ko walked down the dark halls of the Samui mansion, images of his dream flashing through his mind. Normally, he was ables to forget them as the day progressed, but lately they stayed with him. It was distracting him, and he needed it to stop. In all honesty, he wasn't sure how he would stop it, but he had an idea.

He looked up as he reached a large door, sealed tight by a single large lock. Chains ran this way and that over the entrance, glowing a deep blue. He extended his hand to the lock and pricked his finger on a small needle in the center. He watched as his blood slid into the keyhole of the lock. Shortly after, a low rumbling was heard as the chains retracted fromt he door and the lock opened. He pushed the door open.

Almost instantly, a menacing presence flooded past the doors. Any normal person would have been instantly overwhelmed, but Ko remained unflinching. He walked into the room, the cold air brushing past him. He decended the five steps, then stopped, staring ahead. There, on the opposite side of the room, was a gate. Unlike the door he just entered through, there was no lock, no chains. In fact, if one were to walk around behind it, they would find there was no chamber past the gates.

But Ko wasn't paying any attention to the gates. His gaze was fixed on the floor in front of the gates, were a large blood stain marred the floor.

His mother's blood.

He closed his eyes. If he listened carefully enough, he was almost sure he could hear the memory. The sound of screaming. But it wasn't his--it was Zen's. There was laughter, too. But he couldn't tell if it was kind or sinister. And a voice...a voice that said--

"You shouldn't be here."

Ko's eyes snapped open. He turned slowly, greeted by the sight of his father.

Hisagi simply returned his blank stare with a wry smile. "...but I am curious to know why you came down to such a forbidden place. Hoping to relive your last moments with your precious mother, no doubt."

Ko's eyes darkened to a glare. "...." He walked past his father.

He chukled quietly, following his son out of the chamber and closing the door behind them, watching as the chains returned and the lock slid back into place. "It's a shame you couldn't remember anything..." He muttered, "Though for your sake...maybe it's the best..."



Le drama! Gee, I wonder if Hisagi has any hidden motives?

Thanks for reading~!