User blog:Carol of the bells/Days of Ruin --- Zen's exile, part 1

So here is part one of a new series. It takes place before the start of the game. It's about Zen's exile and how she got to know her units. Thanks to everyone who's read my stories, I hope you all like this one! Enjoy!



The roar of the arena drowned out Zen's senses as she lay on her side in a pool of her own blood. What had happened? Why was she wounded? Her vision blurry, she barely managed to make out the form of another human, standing adjacent to her. That must be her opponenet. Had she lost.

"Get up!" A female voice urged her.

"Quickly, Lady Zen," another hissed, this time male. "We can still make it!"

She recognized these voices as her units. Why were they so desperate to continue the fight?

Then, she saw a face. Then, she remembered.

The face belonged to her eldest brother, Ko, and he was staring down at her with dissapointment. That's why her units were pleading with her to get up; she was fighting in the arena in the name of The Samui family, her family.

And the consequences for losing would be drastic.



"Father wishes to speak with you, sister," A monotone voice spoke.

Zen looked up to see Ko. "Alright..."

Ko gave her a look of disdane before walking down the hall. Zen stood from her bed and exited her room. She knew what was coming; she just wanted it to be over with.

As she walked through the dimly-lit halls of the mansion, she past by one of her older brothers, Riku. He had always been optimistic, though Zen had never been sure if it was a facade or not.

"You'll be fine," Riku encouraged with a bright smile.

Zen simply nodded in response. She didn't believe in optimism; it would never chase away the cruel reality she lived in. She through the mansion until she reached the throne room, as she laid her hand on the door handle, a voice in her head spoke.

''"Have courage, Lady Zen." ''Aem, one of her units said in her mind.

"....Courage?" Zen said in a whisper, "Courage means nothing to my father." She twisted the door handel and pushed.

The domed room echoed the sound of the double door opening. The room, like the rest of the mansion, had nothing to light it, save for the natural light that poured through the windows, offering a dull gray setting. At the far end of the room, on an elevated throne, sat her Father.

Hisagi Samui.

"Come here," He ordered, his deep voice beckoning her forward, luring her into a false sense of relief. His voice was not overbearing, nor was it pliable. But it held a darkness that made her shiver.

Zen obeyed and kneeled down on both knees six feet away from the base of the throne.

"Do you know what you have done, child?" Hisagi asked calmly.

Zen bowed her head. "I have shamed our family name in public with my defeat, Father."

"So you have. And you know what is to follow?"

Her fist quivered, but she stilled it. "....I will accept any punishment."

Hisagi seemed to ponder something for a moment before he leaned his head on his fist in a bored manner. "Very well. Zen Samui. You are hereby banished from the family until you can learn what it means to have true strength."

Zen's eyes widened and she looked up. "B-banishment?!" It couldn't be. Surely her father was not this irrational. "Father, please--" She stood and stepped forward.

"My decision is finaly," Hisagi glared down at her. "You will leave. Now."

Zen lowered her head again. She wanted to say something, but she knew nothing could change his verdict. She turned and left the throne room.

Haku, Ritz, Riku, and Kaine all watched from the balcony as Zen's image grew smaller and smaller on the horizen.

"I didn't know Zen was leaving..." Ritz muttered.

"Hey, Ko," Riku called out to his older brother as he passed by. "Where's Zen going?"

Ko looked at him with expressionless eyes. "Sister has been banished."

The brothers were shocked by the news, and just as equally surprised that he had said it so calmly.

"What do you mean?!" Haku, the second oldest demanded. "Is this father's doing?" Without waiting for a reply he stomped over and jerked Ko up by his collar. He may be younger, but Haku was taller. "Why didn't you stop him! You could've--"

"It was not my decision to make," Ko replied cooly. "What father says is law. None of us can change that." He calmly pulled his brother's hand from his collar and walked from the room.

Such are the affairs of the Samui family.