Zen’s Side: Hostage

This was not part of Zentella’s plan. She just wanted to keep her Uncle safe. She had wanted to keep him alive. Now Cor is taken with her all because she didn’t come up with a better plan.

The cold air from being flown through the night sky was uncomfortable. The Demon insisted that this was the optimal path. It wasn’t, but with Cor here, Zen couldn’t argue. Luckily she kept fixed eye on the shard’s direction and location. She had planned to go steal it if the Tail Rune Clan refused to offer it willingly. It was still strange seeing the Forest of Spirit from high up. It would be amazing if it weren’t for the Demon.

“Where too little one?”

Zen scoffed and pointed to the faint red speck she looked on to. Of course he couldn’t see it from this far away like she could, but he trusted her.

“I’m sorry Zen-Zen.” Cor was crying now as they descended. It seems she had realized her mistake and was now feeling guilty. However seeing as she was on the other side of the Demon, Zen really couldn’t do anything.

The Demon was strangely okay with the noises and the squirming. The latter Zentella knew was because they were hardly distractions on him. His strength could afford their movement and not be hindered in the slightest.

They touched down to where a creaking that was clearly man made(or in this case demi-human made) resembling some sort of open theater and a large cave. Zen looked away as the mana coming from the cave was intensely bright.

“Is it in there?” The Demon asked

Zen nodded having confirmed it before they got too close. It was in there, but from what Cor had told her they would not be able to enter until the ceremony. So she would just have to buy time until her Uncle arrived.

However as soon as he got closer a snarl sounded. Then at the entrance of the cave appeared the Great Spirit Lobos.

“Let the children go, lowly Demon!”

The Demon did not flinched in the slightest, “And a good evening to you O Great Spirt. I believe you have something that belongs to me. I’m more than willing to make a trade to take it off your hands. For you see,” He then held out the crying Cor “I think I have something that belongs to you.”

“You vile!” Lobos made an attempt to lunge, but stopped themselves when the Demon began to squeeze

“Uh uh uh. One more step and the little one goes pop. Frankly, mortals should get turned to stone, less messy that way. In fact…” Then the Demon’s mana flared coursing on to Cor. Soon the tips of her feet began to petrify in that cold granite color. Cor began to scream from the fear and pain.

“Enough!” Lobos barked now backed into a corner. “Release her… and you may have it.”

“Just what I wanted to hear.” True to his word he retracted the mana and set down Cor who was still crying. He did not release Zen though, to be expected. The deal was only ever for Cor anyway.

As the Demon passed the spirit, Lobos said, “Mark my words demon… I have seen stories like yours a thousand times. Keep walking that path and you will meet the same predictable end as all the rest. Without a genuine addition to your name.”

The Demon laughed, “My name is the only addition a story ever needs.”

Thy traveled into the cave and in the back was a wooden cage. It seemed that the Great Spirit Lobos only accounted for their own power for protection of the shard. Then as he reached for the shard Zentella made her move. He had been so used to them squirming that he neglected what she was doing. He had been repositioning herself ever since he landed. With a sharp kick to the head he stumbled. Then Zen finally reached her dagger and, following Lups’s teachings, infused some mana into the blade and slashed the Demon.

“Argh!” That finally released her and she went to protect the shard. He then laughed, “What are you doing? If you want the shard, then go ahead, take it.”

It was a trap. She had seen what happened to Barns and the the fallout if one wasn’t compatible. She couldn’t run with it, but she couldn’t let him get it either.

“Going on the defensive here? I supposed that’s fair. You think I need you alive to find the other shards. Well… I’m sorry that I’m the one that has to inform you.” He then put on a hollow sorrowful look, “I don’t need you anymore.” He then launched his fist at her.

She dodged avoiding the very destructive blow. However, she played right into his hand. He made her realize that her life was indeed in danger, but his propriety was always the shard. The shard that was to her back.

Crackling red man surged when he made contact with it. He also began to laugh. “Yes! This! This is the power of the next Demon King!” To her horror she saw the shard enter the Demon.

“Retreat Zentella!”

Lobos? Zen will find out later. Her mistake has cost them everything, so she needed to regroup with the Great Spirit. Luckily, the Demon was getting drunk on the power the shard provided.

When she got outside of the cage she saw someone there she didn’t expect to see. “Cor’s Mother?”

She looked like her with longer hair wearing some sort of ceremonial robe. Yet when she spoke she heard three voices, “No Zen. Cor has offered a pact. We will help for as long as we can.”

Zen nodded. This was good, with Cor channeling the Great Spirit they wouldn’t need to worry about Cor’s safety or whereabouts in the battle. She turned and prepared for the Demon. Yet when he walked out he looked the same. Even though there was no evidence, Zentella’s gut told her that they were doomed.

“This… This is only a fraction of the Demon Kings true power?” He said admiring himself not even bothering to acknowledge Cor’s transformation. “Let’s see what this book holds.”

“Book?” Zen didn’t see any book. There was nothing there. In fact, he mimed that he flipped a page just… Like her Uncle! “Lobos! Watch out!”

“Ah, here we go.” Then to Zentella another Demon appeared behind the gargoyle.

CROWN’S SHADOW