Heart of Darkness
Chapter 28
Magic swept out, percussive force of power sending Xellos flying out of the way as the black-clad figure of Zelgadis advanced on Jedah. The combination of magic force and subsequent sound of Xellos hitting the floor caught Amelia’s attention, and she dropped the pack that she had only just picked up to run into the room.
Light blue eyes narrowed and Jedah’s hasty barrier snapped into place before Amelia could cross back over the threshold. She yelped in indignation as she bounced off of the barrier, causing Zelgadis to turn and look at her. What started as a protest died on Amelia’s lips as the cold blue diamond gaze slid over her and Zelgadis turned back to Jedah.
Jedah was glad of the distraction Amelia had so inadvertently provided, for it allowed him the chance to step in front of Lina, effectively blocking the Sorceress from Zelgadis. He’d made a promise. He had to keep it. Even if it meant keeping them from each other.
Once Xellos recovered his equilibrium, Jedah knew that he would do what he did best and run… hopefully taking the onlookers with him. Lina, however, would fight any attempt to take her away from Zelgadis tooth and nail, no matter how Zelgadis was. She’d cause more problems that it would be worth risking Zelgadis noticing her presence.
Lina suddenly found herself squarely behind Jedah, hidden from view. While a part of her understood it, another part of her fumed. Mazoku or not, that was Zelgadis. Her husband.
“Hello, brother. I was wondering where you’d gone,” Jedah began calmly, as if nothing had happened, as if Zelgadis wasn’t standing before him looking very much like the Dark God reincarnated. Underneath it, however, Jedah’s power was working overtime, a desperate hope that somewhere in there was the Zelgadis that had a soul, a conscience. A heart. Anything at all that could indicate that there was any shred of humanity left.
“You, of all Mazoku should know that I am not your brother, Jedah, son of the Greater Beast. And, while I was of your… making… for a time, that is no longer the case. I have recalled who I am, I have retaken my place, so long thought vacant. The Dark God’s will is my will, and so it will be.” Zelgadis spoke quietly, the cadence of his words almost hypnotic with the dark promise of so much more, so much power carried there. It was uncannily akin to what Jedah had so recently done to Naga.
Xellos, by this point, had managed to gather himself and slip through the barrier. No sooner had he done it, Amelia and Naga had corralled him with questions. Shaking his head, he staggered towards the cave exit perhaps unintentionally leading the four who had been at risk of danger out along with him. There was a time and a place for sarcastic comments about secrets. Right now wasn’t it.
Jedah noted that with a mental smile, and looked to Zelgadis quietly. “As you’ve gone so out of your way to fine me, I can only surmise that you recall the events that took place at Ambervale,” Jedah finished, dismayed that his sensing hadn’t revealed a single flaw, not one remote chink in Zelgadis’ borrowed armor. It was as if the being before him had never been the man that had stood alongside Lina in battles, fended off Amelia’s crush, or held Lina’s hand in marriage.
“Oh, I
remember. I remember the innocent eyes, the innocent smile that touched your
lips as you burned fire through me, as you tore me apart with your boyish
gaze.” Zelgadis replied calmly, softly, dangerously. “I recall it all with
startling clarity. Shall I share it with you, Jedah? Shall I extend to you the
self-same courtesy that you showed me so recently?”
Jedah couldn’t have backed up
it he had tried. Lina’s presence was suddenly all too clear to him as her hand
gripped his shirt, tightening convulsively over the soft fabric, crumpling it
into what was certain to be hundreds of tiny little wrinkles. He could feel her
breathe, could feel the confusion and fear that radiated from her. Fortunately,
he was blocking Zelgadis’ sensing her. Unfortunately, he found that he was
feeding off of her without intending to, feeling his power rippling from
within.
And then it hit Jedah with full force.
Recently.
Zelgadis had said ‘recently.’
Puzzle pieces formed, fell into place, creating a picture that Jedah didn’t want to see, but found he had known all along.
Whatever
had broken Zelgadis, whatever dark force had taken him from Lina,
it had thrown his memory backwards, turned back the blanket of time and put
Zelgadis back in the days after Ambervale. It had set him back at that
crossroads, and without Jedah present to contain the
Damn.
Before Jedah could do anything about it, before he could so much as reach for her, Lina burst out from behind him, throwing herself headlong into an unfathomable danger at the hands of the simulacrum of the man she loved.
“Zelgadis! Stop it!” Lina gasped, completely unprepared for the altered appearance of the man she’d married. Tall, dark, breathtakingly powerful, Zelgadis overshadowed Jedah in sheer power and presence. Even in standing there, he had a lazy feline grace that suggested that he was merely standing there because it suited him to do so at the time.
Those cold, blue diamond eyes narrowed, finely-chiseled features taking on the faintest impression of a frown as the redhead’s interruption attracted his attention.
A flash of red hair.
Crimson eyes, blinking.
The scent of smoke-kissed pine.
A figure, barefoot in white, hands reaching out.
A woman’s voice, edged in desperation, calling out his name.
Confusion lanced across the blue eyes, pain following quickly after, and as Jedah grabbed Lina’s arm in concern for the worst, Zelgadis stepped backwards quickly, vanishing into the shadows.
Once again, Jedah found himself alone in the cave with Lina.