Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

62 - The Rise Of Blaze / 63 - Exile / 64 - A New Ally

Chapter 62 - The Rise Of Blaze

Xyder Zephyr - POV;

"So you're saying that after all of the drama, you had to run back here to avoid being arrested?" Evie enquired.

"That pretty much sums it up," I confirmed.

"Hmm...." Evie seemed deep in thought, "That still doesn't explain why the two of you snuck out together in the middle of the night. Wait..... Don't tell me! Public Exhibiti-"

"Nooooo!" Satella and I screamed in unison.

"Hmph. You two are no fun," she pouted, "Anyway, why did you bring the suspicious bloody guy in the corner again?"

She pointed to Nero whom stood leaned against the wall behind her with arms crossed.

"Well, we did go to save him.... although he ended up saving us in the end but that's beside the point. Either way, we would have gotten lost and certainly caught if he wasn't there to guide us through the back roads of this damned city," I explained.

"But he is the murderer right?" she whispered as she leaned closer, "What if he comes after us next?"

"I have no interest in killing you," Nero muttered, still holding his position.

"Kyaa! He's onto me!" Evie squealed, diving behind my back. He continued his staring contest with the floor, seemingly unwilling to lose against it. The air around us seemed to grow more and more tense as the seconds passed.

Finally, I broke the ice, "Nero, I brought you here but I must know. What the hell is going on?!"

He raised his head slowly, our eyes locking momentarily.

"Nero?" Evie pondered aloud, "Come to think of it...... you're the representative for the tournament's biggest sponsor! Nero Mendax was it?"

Nero's grim face broke into a smile as he shook his head, "Yeah.... the one and only."

"Riiiight..... except that businessman sponsors don't have badass fighting skill and go around killing people," I stated sarcastically.

"Well that's clearly wrong. Here I am," Nero announced jokingly spreading his arms open.

"Alright! That's enough! Stop playing games!" Satella abrubtly burst out, bringing the room to dead silence. Nero adopted his stern tone once more, leaning back against the wall in an almost saddened manner.

"I wasn't lying about the business aspect. It's all true," Nero sighed, "What I may have done was withhold some additional information that I frankly had no need to share with anyone. Now however, you are all involved so I might as well let you know.  The situation has changed."

We stood in bated breath awaiting the news that the boy was about to share. After a brief period of hesitation, he continued, "I am an assassin; a warrior bred and raised for the purpose of eliminating life; a murderer. However, this isn't my only trait as I have been reinforced with extensive knowledge on espionage making me a bona fidé spy. Blaze and I have not been on the greatest terms as of recent and this is wholly due to my investigation and discovery of some of their Clan's secrets including both their history and future ambitions. Do you not find it curious that when the highest powers of the World Heirarchy were prepared to hand over a certain piece of land, a sudden interest blossomed in the hearts of Blaze? To comprehend their train of thought, we need to go back to a tale long gone. This is the truth of how the Blaze Clan came to be."

***

*21 years ago*

"Duran! Duran! You must see this!" a young girl shouted as she burst into the tent. Duran remained glued to the manuscripts and books sprawled out before him, his archeologist blood forcing him to be engrossed in his research.