Another great war has ended just before our story takes place. This war, again being between the Ryuzoku and the Mazoku, was know as teh Great Massacre. The specifics of this five decade long battle were unknown to most humans, with the exception of the results. The battle grounds were carpeted with bodies, The dead soon outnumbered the living. All but one of Shabranigdo's five generals were destroyed, the astral plain lay in ruin with disruptions and pockets of collapsed space known as death zones. The Ryuzoku bones lie scattered about the east What remnants of them journeyed across the lands as nomadic tribes, fearing Mazoku and human alike. After the war had ended few magic giften humans were born.
Within one of the many dense woods about Seyruun, a chimera sprints past the crowded trees and thick bushes, barley escaping their grasp as four shaded figures shower arrows from the canopy. Despite the chimera's speed he cannot escape the assassins through the mat of forest.
"Faster" thought Zelgadis, as he rolled through yet another thick shrub in his path, then dove to the left to avoid a magic arrow which wizzed through the air just where his head had been.
This had been the second set of Sairaag assassins that he'd encountered after his discovery, the first hadn't been of magic origin and were easily dealt with, unfortunately he hadn't been so lucky the second time. "They're good," Zel silently admired, "to have ambushed me in the deep forest, if these bushes weren't in my way I'd be safe now." Sharp thorns scratched at the chimera's stone face, as if to remind him the attackers from overhead weren't he only problems. Another shot, Zelgadis rolled to his left, and pressed himself behind a tree.
Pant, pant "Damn, third class mages, but these are different somehow," he thought. Thud! Scant inches from Zel's ear another arrow landed taking a few steal strands with it. Zel uttered a slight curse as he continued through the lovely arrangement of thorn bushes and thick vines. Making good progress shoving his way through the assorted obstacles, not to mention dodging the occasional arrow, Zel could now see the rapidly approaching plains, but somehow an offending tree branch found it's way to his foot in a high velocity collision. In a wild skid, Zelgadis crashed through the forest, now cursing his luck and that damn branch. In the second of stillness that followed a carefully aimed shot pierced Zel's left ear.
Seething pain filled Zel's skull as he rummaged through his head for a good attack spell. Finally pin pointing what he had in mind, he brought his fist to the ground and uttered, "Effus Spring". Trees collapsed in mighty screams as the ground gave way around him creating a huge curtain of impenetrable dust. Zel continued through the forest, hidden by the soot blanket, to his goal Seyruun.
Outside of Seyruun the sun warmed earth flourished, creating valleys of thick perfumes and gorgeous blooms. One of these fields was where Zelgadis stood. He took a deep breath and admired the scene, first staring at the sky, the soft silk like clouds that seemed to hover so easily just out of Zelgadis' reach. Then to the grasses, all blooming their colours, dancing lightly in the gently breeze.
Beautiful was a dull word for such a place, it seemed as if L-sama had decended from the heavens and molded this place into her dreams. It was here that Zelgadis felt human once again. In this field the chimera he had become seemed to disappear leaving only him, as he was before that day.
Zelgadis thought back on that day, as he often did when he was here, seeing the Red Priest working on the latest tactics of tomarrow's soon-to-be skirmishes. The man in red intently focused on the papers before him, scribbling down plans and routes, some through the physical world, som not, and having eyes for nothing else than what lay before him. They young man who stood in the shadows was there unnoticed by the priest.
Zelgadis watched his grandfather so intently, trying to save his people. He admired the man, despite the fact that Zelgadis saw little of him. Zel had always understood that being a vessel of Shabranigdo and leading the Mazoku armies was no slight task. That was the reason Zelgadis had come that night in fact, so he stood there silent until his grandfather noticed him.
"Yes?" Rezo finally barked suddenly. Still scribbling at his notes and maps the Red Priest didn't bother to look up to see who it was, he knew it was Zelgadis.
"Grandfather," Zelgadis, summing up all his courage, began, "I know you've been suffering from many losses recently..." Shuffling his feet on the ground Zelgadis groped for the words to continue.
"And?" The Red Priest asked coldly, not even bothering to break for a second in his writing.
Straightening himself Zelgadis took a step forward holding a balled fist at his heart and said, "I want to help you Grandfather! I want to help fight your war!" The words came out very fast, but clear as crystal. There was a long silence after that; Zelgadis still stood tall though his pulse was racing in his head, and he could feel his knees weaken if only a little. Rezo put his pencil down and turned to face Zelgadis, leaving his immensely imperative notes behind for a second. Turning to Zelgadis, the Priest gave him a hard measuring look which was returned with a look of determination and loyalty.
Zel froze under that stair, like a scared rabbit he stood unable to read the priest's bland face. His only thought was to hope that his grandfather took him seriously, so there he stood staring back at the red priest praying that he could do something to help.
Then the man in red softened his expression; his eyes continued to glance over the not so young boy in front of him. He gave a small smile and said, "Zelgadis, do you know who I fight in this war?" Zel nodded meekly. "then you must also know that you can do nothing to help me. As strong as you see yourself, you will always be outclassed by my adversaries. There is nothing you can do." Rezo finished as he turned back to the ink well and his papers.
Zelgadis froze where he stood, even if he knew that the red priest's words were true he couldn't accept it. He wouldn't. Zel began to grope his mind for anything that could possibly counter the priests words, anything that would let Zelgadis help. "You can make me strong, Grandfather!" The words erupted from Zel's lips on their own accord, even he was shocked. The Red Priest turned again to Zel. A few painfully long seconds passed. Zelgadis suddenly wished he could be very very far away.
"You want me to give you power? It will cost you, you realize Zelgadis," Rezo said silkily.
"I don't care! If I can help you the cost doesn't matter! Please give me strength!" Zelgadis was almost in tears now, he would help he grandfather no matter what. He'd give anything to help him.
Zelgadis flinched away from the painful memories now fresh in his mind. He didn't want to remember that, not in this serene place. A few birds seemed to cry mournfully for home as they flew towards Seiruun. Zelgadis followed those birds with a sigh. He would go to the great city; to his life after the war.
Meanwhile. In Sairaag....
