The village was bustling as if it were larger than it was. The bustling was however soon interrupted. A man ran into the village, yelling "He's coming! He is coming! Make way! The Savior approaches!" He yelled, running through the streets as people backed up, allowing him to pass, thinking that he was a complete lunatic.
It is 5 years after Zero was born, though he is actually the age of fifteen. As people started to go back to what they were doing, a tall man, taller than the average man, walked through the crowd. He wore an unusual set of clothing: A strange helmet-like mask covered his face and a majority of his head. He wore a cape, leather gloves, and the most bizarre of clothing. There was a ghostly chill in the air, almost as though the man were not exactly human. People stared at him as he strolled past. Who was this man? On the back of his cape was a large, Golden 'Z' which, if you did not know who he was, was just a codename for him. His real name, was in fact, Zero. The same as the great weredragon God of Ice. Who was this Zero? If you did not study weredragon prophecies, you would not know that he was the savior of all races. The fate of the future was in his hands, all races would depend on him for insuring that they all survived.
There was muttering amongst the village people. Who was this wack-job? Why did he hide his face? Why was he here?
Rosamira was tired, but at least she was out of harm's way now. It was time to take a break. If only there were somewhere where the tired teenager could rest. She was only sixteen, making her just a year ahead of Zero as far as bodily appearance went. Searching everywhere, the exhausted girl finally gave up finding a bench and leaned against a wall, sitting carefully on the sack her provisions were in.
When she heard the voice of the man in the streets, every hair on her body stood on end and her brown eyes filled with fear. She jumped out of his way and then realized she'd forgotten her sack. People were stepping on it in order to get as far out of the way as possible. Some were even trying to leave entirely. Oh great. Her food... her money... everything had been trampled on, the food ground into crumbs by the time she'd reached it again. Her only other set of clothes, which were in the sack also, now had rips and tears in them. And more people were coming, trampling her even as she tried to salvage what little she could.
And yet... not that Rosamira knew of weredragon prophecies, but if this young-looking fellow (he looked about her age, give or take a year; she could tell by the size of his body since she couldn't see his face), really were the Savior, then a Savior was what she needed the most. Without thinking of what she was doing, Rosamira ran toward the young man instead of away. She didn't have much to offer, but if he were to rescue her, to take her someplace where she need never fear hate crimes or injustice because she had been raised by elves, then she would be eternally grateful.
By the time she reached him, she was so frightened she trembled. She had been on her knees while she tried to gather her possessions, and it was to her horror that she realized both knees bled, and oh my, did they hurt! Her hair, which had been a lovely blond, was now streaked with dirt, her natural curls disheveled by the feet of the uncaring people who wanted only to get out of the way of the crazy person they thought they had seen.
"Excuse me..." she breathed, her breath coming fast with the horrible pain she felt in her knees. "If it's really true...if you really are who that man says you are...I need help...."
Zero noticed the girl coming toward him. And he tilted his head in the slightest of curiousity. "What is it that you need help with, my dear?" he asked, looking her up and down through the sapphire jewel-colored face-part of the mask that hid his face. He could see her, but she couldn't see him. Yes, he could tell she needed help, and he could sense how desperate she was for help. "I see..." was all he said as he noted she had been wounded by the knees, and also that her hair, which looked as though it would have been rather lovely, was dirty and was in need of some care. He held out his hand, offering for her to take it, showing he meant no harm. "I am indeed who they say I am... if you are truly in need of my help, I must ask for something in return..." he said softly. "I am in need of ralliers and a seamstress for my own flag for the army I intend to raise up." He said softly.
Oh my... an army! "W-well, I'm not military...but I could help with the flag. I'll do anything you ask, though, if you only tell me how. Even though I don't know how to recruit people, I'm willing to learn."
And if anyone can get me out of the mess I'm in it's most certainly you. My name is Rosamira Mazarin. You see, my human mother died in childbirth and I was raised by elves. But I don't have anywhere to go, since my parents were forced to kick me out of my home by the community. I suppose I could stay here...in La'marri... but even though it is renowned for being nice to people like me...they think you're crazy, and I could never stay where they think you're crazy."
She hadn't meant to put it like that, but it was true, wasn't it? The way they had cleared the way for him, they hadn't noticed her at all. It was then that she remembered she had a medium heal spell, but then, that never worked on herself, only on others. "I also have a medium heal spell but it never works on me, just other people." She looked up at him pleadingly, just holding his hand, wondering if she could even walk home the way her knees were hurting.
He merely chuckled a bit, gripping her hand gently, almost as though afraid he'd break it or something. "Thank you, I appreciate it..." Was all he said. He now let go of her hand and motioned for her to follow him as he continued walking through the crowd. He wondered if she would follow as she said she would. He would need to recruit much more people before he could go up against his father's uncle's army.
Though the blood was still running down her legs and she had nothing to wipe it with, Rosamira hobbled after him. "Where are we going? Do you have a headquarters somewhere?" she whispered. Looking at how richly- although strangely, too- he was dressed made her think that someone like him absolutely had to have a headquarters. Blood still pounded in her ears from where he had been holding her hand. His voice and his touch were so gentle that Rosamira felt she would almost burst into tears. Very few people had been that nice to her since she left home.
Home... what would Calabriel, her sister, and Theoden, her brother, think of this? For someone in their family to have been approached by someone who called himself the Savior was unthinkable, probably, for them. Yet here she was, ready to give anything for what she was sure had to be the kindest, most helpful young man she had ever met.
"I wish I could see my siblings again. They'd want to help us too, I'm sure. But I'm not allowed back there in Niahi Woods," she said with a mournful sigh. "Still, I'm sure that not everyone doubts that you are who you say you are. There have to be some people who believe, don't there?"
He sighed softly as he listened to her talk. "Besides you?" He asked softly. "Just my parents.... nobody else..." he said, he noticed she had noticed his clothing and said "My father made these clothes..." he said, "I am grateful that he was willing to work hard enough to make them... he even forged this mask himself. Of course, I tweaked it a bit to make it more.... I suppose how you humans would say 'Futuristic.'" He said, with the slightest of chuckles as he continued to walk. "As for the headquarters question, I have no headquarters as of yet. I'm looking for the right place to set one up, however." He said.
"Oh." She had hoped there might be at least a place to sit down and wipe her knees. "Well, no matter...I suppose there has to be a first time for everything, doesn't there? So I'm your first- um-" She wasn't sure what to call herself. Certainly not a convert, she was no weredragon after all. But still, she had to call herself something.
"...Your first follower, then, aren't I?" There. 'Follower' made perfect sense. It was something of an honor for her, being the first at something when she had been so despised at home. "What do you want on the flag?" she asked, to make conversation and distract herself from her injured and dirty state. "I can sew anything you like."
He chuckled, "Yes, my first follower..... and I'm certain you'll be talented enough to suit my purposes..." he said softly. He then smiled behind the mask so you didn't see him smile and said "We'll discuss the flag later, right now, we must find somewhere to rest and for you to heal." He said, motioning to her knees with a slight nod.
He was so gentle! Tears burned at Rosamira's eyelids. "I haven't met many people as nice as you," she admitted quietly. "I'd do anything if I could spend the rest of my life with someone like yourself." She knew that already and she hadn't even seen his face. For his supposed young age he was so mature-sounding. And though she'd tried diverting him momentarily from her injuries, he still remembered. How sweet. She'd do anything if- but no. Rosamira must not think such things. Though they looked to be about the same age, someone with the title of Savior must surely be meant to be celibate. No matter, though. Being his follower was enough. Though a part of her still desired to fall in love and perhaps always would, it seemed the gods had different plans for her. But that was just fine. She only wished she could give him something more than just her devotion, the flag, and the promise to recruit for him.
"I wish I could give my heal spell to you," she admitted. "It's only a medium heal spell, so it wouldn't even heal all the way, but it's better than nothing at all. And being able to heal people as I am is useless to me if I can't heal myself."
He gave a slight throaty chuckle and said "Worry not, I might be the one you seek, however, neither of us should get our hopes up very high... it would only cause heartbreak and misery if we are wrong." He said softly. "I have a healing spell, it's a little more advanced than medium, but not a full healing. Perhaps if we could combine our powers in some way... maybe it would be a close-to-if-not-full healing spell..." He said, moving his hand beneath his chin as though he were thinking. Saying only "Hmmm....." as he thought.
"My heal spell has never worked on me," she admitted. "But maybe... combined with yours, it might work."
She reached for his hand again. Maybe if they concentrated all their energies on her knees, she thought, then they would get better.
"Put your hands on my knees, and I'll put mine on top of yours. Then let's concentrate all of our energies on my knees," she suggested. If only there were somewhere to sit down! It would make this a whole lot easier. Her knees hurt so much they shook.
Zero tilted his head at her, then kneeled in front of her (after they had stopped, of course. ) placing his hands over her wounded knees after taking off the gloves, gods, he had such soft skin. He gently wrapped his fingers around her knees, gripping them gently, a gentle, almost relaxing warming sensation spread from the palms of his hands. "Like that?" he asked, glancing up at her.
"Yes... exactly like that." His skin was soft and his grip was gentle, causing her to fall into some sort of a trance, as if she never wanted to feel anything but his touch again. And miracle of miracles, when she put her hands on top of his, a warmth almost like his spread through her. "It's working!" she cried, a feeling of joy filling her so that she felt like she would burst. "So that was my problem. I've never been able to heal myself because I needed someone else's powers to sort of carry me the rest of the way. I don't know how to thank you..."
He looked up at her, and stood, he then nodded. "So...." he began. "Shall we be on our way?" He honestly didn't want anything from her, well, nothing she could offer him anyway. He turned, continuing to walk, though paused to wait for her to catch up in case she had much trouble. He was really patient too. He was so sweet.
She did have a little trouble catching up as using her powers usually left her drained. However, it was not near the trouble she would have had if she hadn't been healed at all. She looked at her knees, which had stopped bleeding, and saw that there was just barely a scratch. So her powers really did work on herself after all! But it had only been because his powers worked first.
She did wonder where they were "on their way to", but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. She had the company and the presence of this sweet individual who simply cared for her and asked little in return for his caring.
"Where would you like to go?" she asked. She didn't really care where she was going. All that mattered was she wasn't alone and hunted now.
"You'll see when we get there..." he said softly.
As they passed an alleyway, he heard something knock over. He stopped, and turned his head abruptly toward the noise.
Three men stepped out of the shadows. Big, burly men. Zero remained calm. The man on the far left said "You look like a wealthy guy... hand over all your money." Zero tilted his head a bit and said "I'm afraid I can't do that..." His voice remained soft, but, there was a slightly dangerous tone in it now.
Zero then smirked behind his mask, saying "Tell me, how should a group of men who hates the idea of peace lead their lives?" The man in the center grunted "You talking about us?" The man on the right took out what looked like a sword, but stopped in the middle of drawing it, as though just noticing the chilling, ghostly aura about him. "What's wrong? Your opponent is nothing but a teenager..." Zero said. "Or have you finally realized... the only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed?" The man on the left growled "Get him!" And they all circled around him. "Very well, just leave the girl out of this... you three and me, sounds fair on your behalf, doesn't it?" The man in front of him now chuckled. "Fine, we'll take you out first and let the girl watch..." One of the other men pulled the girl away by her shoulder roughly, out of the circle so it was only Zero and the three thugs.
Zero chuckled, thunderclouds began to blot out the sun above them, causing darkness to fall. Zero reached for something in his pocket, as the men charged, piling on top of him. For a moment, to others, it seemed hopeless to think Zero would win alone. But then, something truly amazing happened: a lightning bolt came down from the sky and broke in three places, one part striking each of the thugs at the same time. And they all fell back. Foaming at the mouth and their eyes rolling back. Zero stood up, he -looked- as though he had not been harmed. But now that the clouds rolled away from the sun, you saw he had a severe looking wound in his gut and was bleeding continuously in several other places. His breathing was hard and heavy and he staggered away from the now dead men. He staggered toward Rose, then sank to his knees.
Rosamira screamed, falling backward when the rough-looking man grasped her shoulder and threw her out of the circle. There had been that much force. But though her back now throbbed, she saw when the fight finished that Zero was hurt much worse than she was. Panting heavily, she forced herself to get up. She was going to be sore tomorrow, but she didn't care. She just needed Zero to be all right. If he wasn't, she wouldn't be.
"Zero... I can see that you are hurt, but I can't heal you here," she said, tears stinging her eyelids. It wasn't fair. He needed pillows and blankets and hot drinks and soups. "Where's the nearest inn? You have to tell me that much...please."
Zero looked up at her, and turned his head to the left. The same direction they had been heading in, there was an inn about 200 yards away, if he could make it inside, he'd -possibly- be fine. Plus, that was where his father was staying. If nothing else worked, the comfort of his family was healing enough. He gripped her shoulder, gently, and tried hoisting himself back up, he managed, but with some difficulty.
"Lean on me," she whispered. It would be hard work, nearly carrying someone who weighed as much as she did, but she felt sure she could do it if she concentrated all her energies on it. She kept going in the direction of the inn. She refused to think about all the pain she was in right now, both from the big burly man throwing her and from Zero leaning on her. Rosamira only kept whispering his name, just to say it, in hopes that he wouldn't pass out. It took awhile, but they finally reached the doorway of the inn. Rosamira could see as she peered inside it that there was a couch near the front desk. If she could just get him to that couch....
"Make way! Make way! An injured man is coming through!"
She was very afraid. What if her powers were too drained already to heal him? Suddenly Rose felt incredibly selfish. All that power, both hers and Zero's, just to heal some skinned and bleeding knees, when she could have used all of her powers for...something like this.
She had to see if he were hurt anywhere else before she thought about healing him, though. What good would focusing her energies on his wounds do if she couldn't see all of them?
"Help me...someone...please. He needs to have his clothes removed or he might suffocate." Rose could loosen the clothes on his body, but when she tried to lift the face mask, it was just too heavy. She almost burst into tears for frustration.
Ziggy was in the corner, watching the goings-ons. But when Rose burst through the door, carrying his son on her shoulder, his eyes widened, and he immediately rushed to them, Zero had been lain on the couch by the time he got to their side. He kneeled beside Zero, tapping the side of the mask a few times in random places, or so it seemed, and there was a hissing noise as though steam had been released, and the back that held the face mask to Zero's head had lifted, and Ziggy was able to remove the mask...
Zero by now, had almost passed out, several times, but Rose's voice had kept him awake for now. So far it was just an almost fatal-looking gut wound and a severe gash on his arm. That was about it. Zero's breathing was still hard and heavy even after they had removed the mask.
"C'mon, Zero, you gotta stay awake, c'mon, stay with us, here..." Ziggy muttered. If you saw how much alike they looked, you'd realize who this man who was so desperately trying to keep Zero alive was.
Relieved when someone came to their side and removed the mask, Rose had tears of gratefulness streaming down her face, though she didn't realize it. Placing one hand gently on the gut wound and the other on the gash, she then concentrated her energies on Zero's wounds and nothing else, though she did whisper his name every now and again. She hoped this worked. She must heal him as he had healed her. Her very being wished it so.
And the warmth flowed through her again, at first weakly, then stronger. As she felt more power leave her, she glanced upward, her eyes coming to rest on his face. He was so...so... where was her vocabulary at times like this? His skin was just as immaculate as it was soft, and his dark hair was streaked with bronze. He was..."perfect" didn't even begin to describe it. Her heart pounded in her ears at how beautiful he was. And even before she had seen his face, she had known he was just as attractive inside, where it mattered. She was in love with him. She knew she was. Gods help her. And at that realization, the warmth of her power increased. After a few more minutes of this, she carefully took her hands away and inspected his wounds.
They were healing.
Zero flinched when her hands touched his wounds, and he gave the slightest of whimpers and then he relaxed after a couple seconds. His hand reached up, and gently ran his fingers through her hair and moved down, stroking her shoulder, he then swallowed hard, his eyes turning from sapphire blue to silver. He was nervous about... something, maybe he was nervous of dying? Or was it..... something else?
Rose's heart pounded in her chest as he ran his fingers through her hair and then stroked her shoulder. That felt good, considering she'd just been thrown to the ground not so long ago.
"You're not going to die, if that's what you're thinking," she whispered after she was done. She didn't really know what to do next. Should she hug him, or kiss one of those immaculate cheeks? Maybe she would do nothing at all, so as to avoid spoiling his handsome person. "Has anyone ever told you that perfect doesn't even begin to describe you? But for now, I think you need to rest."
And suddenly, she thought she might know what he was afraid of, if it wasn't dying. But it was all right if he thought he might not love her, she didn't deserve someone like him anyway. She turned instead to the man who'd helped her by removing the mask. She gasped, looked from him to Zero, and back again. No doubt about it, they were definitely related.
"You're his father, aren't you?" she asked stupidly. "I'm Rosamira Mazarin. Rose to most people. I- I'm his first follower."
Zero smiled at her comment of perfection. Mouthing a 'Thank you...' before relaxing, laying his head back on the couch, resting now.
"It would be wise to let sleeping dragons lie..." Ziggy said. "But yes, I am his father..." He said softly. He did notice that she had a slightly lovestruck look on her face. Then he smiled, knowing why she looked the way she did. "You can have him, y'know... I'm certain you have mine and Yuna's blessing..." he said with a smile.
"B-but aren't saviors supposed to be celibate?" she stuttered. She'd thought nearly all of them were, or had been. Gods forgive her for her desire! "It's just that I hardly ever meet someone this close to my own age. I am in love, I think...you're right. But if we're not supposed to be in love...if there's some kind of law against it...or if he doesn't even want me, then it's all right. It's true that I would like to fall in love, maybe get married and have children, but perhaps...perhaps I don't deserve..." She couldn't go on.
Ziggy sighed. "That law doesn't apply to weredragons... elves, perhaps, I'd have to ask Yuna... Zero is a hybrid, born between an elf and a weredragon, by the law of nature he shouldn't have even been born... I'm grateful for the miracle you see now lying on the couch... he's meant to save us all... But I'm sure you already knew that..."
"I did, sir. At first I was a little skeptical, but I ended up needing his help, and I could see that whatever prophecy he was meant to fulfill- I haven't read any weredragon ones you see- that he was going to. I have to admit that I don't understand what he was meant to save us all from, but he's saved me already...from not having a home first and then from some thugs in an alleyway, which is why we are here. They were going to try taking me out first, but Zero convinced them to take him first.If he hadn't managed to survive, they would have taken me too, if the lightning hadn't gotten them first. Not to mention he's sweet, considerate, and helpful. Those are all the things I've ever wanted in a young man. But as I said, if he doesn't want me, it will be all right too. Just to be near him, breathing the air he breathed, would be enough."
Ziggy smiled. "You would be a very dedicated follower.... perhaps even a loyal lover for him, should he decide to take you as one..." He said softly. He didn't know what to do next, he gently patted her shoulder and said "Go get some rest, you'll need it after everything today..." He said softly to her. "Don't worry, he won't go anywhere without you tomorrow..." he said softly.
She nodded. "I would be a loyal lover. I promise that I would." She took Zero's hand for a moment and kissed it. "Sweet dreams," she whispered, then released his hand and turned back to Ziggy. "Is there anywhere I could get a bath? My shoulders are sore from where the one of the thugs threw me, and my hair needs some washing, too."
He smiled. "There's a washroom upstairs." He said softly, kneeling beside Ziggy, then shifting so he was sitting beside the couch. He sighed as did Zero in his sleep when Rose kissed his hand.
She nodded. "Thank you." While climbing the stairs, she was reminded of just how much she had been through, in the form of a shooting pain in her lower back that radiated upward and into her shoulders. After she ran a warm bath and washed her hair and body, Rose stayed in the bath for a long time, letting the warmth ease the aching she felt. When she was done and had found a room, she was so exhausted that she fell asleep without drying her hair. She hoped Zero slept as well as she did.
((End this thread, then? Are we finished with it?))
(I guess so. Next thread would be where he's better and he takes her... wherever they were going to go.)
((Yep.))