Moonhaven

Chapter 17: Ziro Experience

Carsyn and Alex found Ziro in the training room at the lowest level of the Umbramoor Manor. The entire room was a wide cylinder enclosed within fossil grey walls, while the ceiling was a midnight black void. At the center, a royal blue fighting mat stretched across the room, almost touching either side of the walls.

Carsyn had placed Helio on a metal weapon stand before returning upstairs, despite Alex's silent pleas for her to stay. She would have, but Ziro had made it clear that he wanted Alex to himself for a while.

After Carsyn had gone, Ziro rested Necrodian on a metal sword stand, then gestured for Alex to take a seat on the mat. Alex did so after setting Aetherius down on a metal bow stand on the opposite side.

Ziro sat cross-legged across from Alex. "What've you been up to today?"

Alex shrugged, not sure where to even begin. "Just a little one-on-one with each of the group. We talked about life, bugs, the life of bugs, and some of this and that on the side. I even met Silas."

Ziro nodded. "Tate also called me earlier. He mentioned you were 'really' interested in seeing a beehive for the first time, so he's planning a day out specifically for that for all of us to tag along."

"Oh...yeah, sorry about that. It'd be my first 'group activity' with people I actually like. It sounds exciting, actually."

Ziro let a bout of chuckling slip, and Alex was so shocked by the out-of-place act, that he forgot to join in. "That was something."

"You're telling me," Alex whispered.

Ziro feigned offence, and it took Alex seconds too long to realize that Ziro wasn't literally offended as he timidly averted his gaze. "Are you still going to have that sleepover with him tomorrow?" Ziro asked.

"Uhh, y-yeah. Why? Is this some last minute attempt to get me to call the whole thing off?"

Ziro hesitated; a first Alex had seen from him. "I'll tell you what happened...between us and him."

"S-seriously?"

Ziro nodded. "It happened back in the spring. This guy who goes to my school, Nickolas Pierce, overheard me talking about my hobby of weapon-making with the group one day. He came to me later and asked if I could craft something. Nickolas — Nick is what everybody at school calls him — is the kind of guy that doesn't stop until he gets what he wants. And he wanted me to craft him a sword because apparently he was taking classes on 'sword fighting', and he didn't want to buy some knock-off online. I didn't believe he was serious at first, but he got persistent. When he realized I wasn't coming around, he offered to make a deal. If he beat me in a sword fight, I'd have to craft him a sword. I was too vain myself at the time, so I agreed to it. The fight would happen in a week to give both of us time to prepare. The group sparred with me as much as they possibly could, except for one of them, who I rarely saw that week."

Alex swallowed his unease as he made the revelation. "Lev..."

Ziro gave a silent nod in confirmation. "The fight was scheduled for Saturday at Riviam Point. On the Friday before, I saw him at school talking to Nick. He said Nick was looking for me to say good luck...His usual behavior hid whatever was going on between them so well, that I didn't ask any questions. Then Saturday came. About half the school showed up to cheer on Nick. When the fight actually started, he knew a lot of my moves. Blocked most of my hits, timing was near impeccable, and used moves that looked so familiar."

"He won. It was the first time I lost a sword fight, not that that's the point..." Ziro swept a palm through his dark strands, letting his hand rest atop his head for a while. It was the most perturbed Alex had seen of him. "So, right after Nick told me something I couldn't believe...that 'he couldn't have done it without Lev'. I thought he was lying...but then I saw those two together celebrating Nick's win. I went straight over to get the truth – I didn't care who was watching. Lev admitted it...he'd been helping Nick all week, showing him how to beat me...designing this plan behind my back."

"But...why?" Alex whispered. He didn't know how to reconcile this description of Lev — a disloyal liar — with the Lev he had gotten know since moving to Moonhaven — a roughneck with several squishy layers to him.

"That's probably the worst part," Ziro continued. "Lev said I wouldn't understand, so he never told me why he did it. So I ended it right there. We weren't going to speak to him and he couldn't speak to us. He was banned from the grotto at Riviam Point. And that sword he showed you last time, Verglas, I had crafted that too. I let him keep it to always remind him of his betrayal, but he was never allowed to use it again. If I, or anyone else in the group ever saw him use it, I'd destroy it myself. Anyway, a deal was a deal. I had spent the rest of the weekend crafting a long-sword, and gave it to Nick the next week. Lev and Nick didn't really to hang around each other so much then, and that was somehow even more infuriating because then it seemed like he had betrayed me for no reason."

"So...you two really haven't spoken to each other ever since?"

"He had tried apologizing a few times, but he still couldn't tell me why. I had nothing to say to him. Do you get it now, Lex? I've literally known him since I was born. We've been sparring partners, close friends — brothers, for seventeen years, but then he suddenly decides to go and screw me over, and for what? Some spoiled asshole he doesn't even talk to anymore. You say you want friends, so you've got us now. You don't need him. But if you're still going through with it, like I've said before, watch your back. He could do the same to you at some point."

"Are you worried...about me? Actually worried? Since when?"

Ziro leaned back on his hands, appearing somewhat agitated. "Look, Syn might've mentioned in vivid detail that she'd kill me if something happened to you because of what I technically started between you and Lev."

Alex folded himself forward over his own crossed legs, trying to analyze Ziro from where he sat. "Mhm. And...you also called me 'Lex', just before."

Ziro looked unruffled. "So?"

"It's just...you've rarely ever said my name at all since meeting me, and now you're calling me by a nickname all of a sudden."

It was a few lenient beats before Ziro spoke again. "I wasn't sure about you the first time we met, but now I am. You don't like me calling you that?"

"N-no, I mean, yeah! I like it...it's cool. My dad calls me that too, but he doesn't own the nickname, so go ahead."

Ziro grinned, a wafer-thin yet bona-fide display. "Not many people can get a laugh out of me. you're a little bizarre, but you have this potential in crafting weapons. You're like a little brother that I didn't even want at first, but are starting to grow on me."

"Wow, I'm touched," Alex joked, though he was sure that he couldn't hide the cherry flush of his cheeks as he felt heat piling within them.

"What's wrong with your face?" Ziro asked.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Hey, mind if we shelve tonight's sparring? I don't want to be late and unfocused for tomorrow." Ziro's stern look returned in a nano-second, but Alex wasn't giving up so easily. He flahsed the sweetest smile he could conjure. "Please, 형 (Hyung)?"

Ziro's stern exterior didn't waver, but his tone seemed shaken. "Fine, whatever."

"Awesome! Thanks. And you know, I have yet to cook for you guys, so why not now?" He looked hopefully at Ziro. "Be my assistant?"

"Absolutely not," Ziro deadpanned.

Alex laughed, "worth a shot. I'll ask Syn if she wants to then." He got up with a vigorous spring and started for the basement's exit.

Ziro called out, "what are you going to make anyway?"

"It's a surprise," Alex grinned as he glanced back. "It's such a surprise that I don't even know what it is."