Christine returned to camp as the sun was setting, but couldn't find Zen anywhere. Thinking he might have gone off to look for her she decided to just eat and turn in for the night so that he would find her when he came back. She slept heavy in her tent for a few hours and then suddenly awoke hearing the sound of music come from outside the tent. There was also a brightness outside. Someone had restarted the campfire. Christine peeked outside of the tent and found Zen leaning against a tree, making music with a strange stringed instrument.
�
The music was beautiful. Christine rested her head on her hands, and listened to the long object in Zen's hand bring forth the melodies from the strings. Zen's eyes were closed as though he were in a state of deep peace. "Did I wake you?", he asked.
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"No. I...just think I can't sleep. It must be the nervousness. I wasn't sure what happened to you...."
"My apologies. How was your walk?"
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"It was absolutely breathtaking. This truly is a beautiful garden. I found gorgeous things everywhere! It's hard to believe there is a dangerous beast here!"
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Zen changed his playing and started playing a slower, more melancholy tune. "There is a beast within everything Christine. In everything. No matter how perfect it's exterior appearance, inside lies a beast searching for a way out of the forest. People, places, thoughts, all are corrupted by a beast who every so often makes a sparse appearance. And someone will always suffer for its hunger. That is life."
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"That's a rather negative view to have in a place like this. Have you always thought like this?"
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"Life...is a diversion until death. Humans try and build structures, formations to organize it, but that structure no matter how solid, will crumble when the humans die. I'm sorry if you think that's a rather bleak appearance on life, but it's my appearance. You would not have guessed I thought such things?"
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"...no. To be honest, I wouldn't have been able to tell. You don't tell a lot in your face."
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"And that is as it should be. No wants, needs, or cares to know about my opinion of life, so I will put on a face which offers no opinion at all. We all do this. Isn't the act of smiling just an excuse to hide your emotions?"
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Christine smiled. "But one can also smile for pleasure. You're music is pleasing to my ears. So, I'm smiling!"
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Zen stopped playing. "Thank you for your kindness. You have a unique personality Christine and somewhat like mine I suspect. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow will test all your skills."
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Christine yawned and said sleepily, "I'm not worried Zen....you'll be there to help me...." Christine nodded off to sleep.
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Christine awoke to hear a fierce growl outside her tent. It was early morning and the sun had not come up yet. Scared, but suspicious, Christine opened her tent, "Zen...Zen..." she whispered. "I think it's here." But Zen was no where to be found. Christine became quite scared and said louder, "ZEN!! ZEN!!" This attracted the beast's attention though and Christine saw a fierce form suddenly pounce towards her.
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In seconds, the fierce winged beast was on top of Christine and dug it's teeth deep into her arm. Christine screamed in pain and attempted to reach her staff, but it was too far away and she could barely budge under the weight of the hulking beast upon her. "ZEN!!!" she screamed. The beast sank its teeth into her other arm. "ZEN!!!!! HELP ME!!!!" But there was no response. Christine's body was on fire with pain. This hurt much more than the incident with Stix. In vain, she tried to scream once again, but her mouth gurgled blood. She couldn't make a noise, but tears flowed steadily from her eyes. All she could see was her hands, covered in her own blood. She could only imagine what the rest of her looked like. However, at that moment, she looked up and saw Zen standing over the beast. He had his backpack stretched over his shoulder as though he was ready to depart. Christine's mouth formed the word, "Why?" but no sound came, just more blood.
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"I'm sorry Christine. This was not my choice. The Academy...it's all I have. ", Zen looked on in disgust. "I can't bear to watch this." Zen snapped his fingers.
*Click to view.*
The beast disappeared. The morning sun rose behind Zen giving him an almost divine silhouette. And on the ground glistened Christine's innocent blood. Everywhere. Judgment passed. "Christine, I had to do this now....had I gotten to know you any better....I may not have..." Zen stopped. He had made a choice and would not debate over it. He turned and put on his pack fully. Christine twitched on the ground. "I'm sorry.", Zen said and walked off. The pats of Zen's feet upon the earth were louder than the heart beats within Christine's dying body. Eventually, her heart stopped and the garden was peaceful. It was again free of violence and it was again beautiful, save one ruddy stain of a sin. Who's sin no one can say.
Christine dreamed, a dream longer than she had ever known. But it was not a dream of desire. It was a dream of deceit. All the instances of deceit she had ever witnessed in her life passed against her like ocean waves, some large, some small, but all slamming against her like she was a rock. He betrayed me....
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"Miss?"
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He betrayed me.
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"MISS?"
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He betrayed me.
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"MISS?!!!"
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Christine opened her eyes. Two eyes and two fangs stared her straight in the face.
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*Click to view.*
For a second she thought it was the beast and she let out a scream.
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"Hey Miss. Take it easy. I'm not THAT ugly!"
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"ZEN!!! Where? Who?....Who are you?"
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"My name's Raff. I'm part beast so I'm not all that surprised you screamed. I get it a lot."
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"How?...How did you get here?!!"
Raff pointed into the forest. "There's a teleporter in the forest. I come to this garden sometimes to relax. It's really a beautiful place. I feel like the only beast within it! HAHAHA!" Christine didn't smile. "Uhh...sorry, Miss...uh...Miss?"
"Christine. I'm sorry.", she put her hand on her head. "I'm just confused." Suddenly, Christine noticed that her hand was dry, not covering in blood. Her clothes were clean, there was no trace of blood anywhere. Her clothes weren't torn, and she only felt a bit groggy, but otherwise fine. "There's no blood. I'm not bleeding!"
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"Umm..I'm not really keen on female anatomy Miss Christine, so I can't help you on that."
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"No, I meant...", Christine laughed. "No, no. Tell me. How did you find me? In what state?"
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"Just as you are ma'mm. Except unconscious. What kind of brute would leave you out here alone?!! GRRR."
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Christine giggled. Maybe it was all just a dream. Maybe she dreamed it and Zen just left her in the forest. "Why you're very chivalrous, Mr. Raff."
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Raff put his hand behind his head and looked embarrassed.
*Click to view.*
"Oh? ME?", Raff scratched the back of his head and turned red.
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"That's an interesting set of boots.", noted Christine.
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"Oh, you like them? They're legendary, from a legendary hero, Lord Leo, the White Knight, defended our planet from Zophar many years ago! Someday I'm gonna be a white knight too. And I'm gonna save girls and stuff."
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Christine laughed. "Well, you saved one today, Mr. Raff." Christine stood up. "I have to go. But thank you very much for watching over me."
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Raff blushed again. "No problem Miss. Need an escort back to wherever you're heading?"
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"No, that's okay.", to be truthful Christine didn't know WHERE she was heading. Probably back to The Academy, and Raff certainly couldn't go THERE.
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"Alright. Well, be careful Miss." Raff walked off.
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"Goodbye."
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Christine started heading back to The Academy, but not swiftly. She was depressed. Even if she wasn't hurt, Zen had left her in the forest alone. He had still betrayed her trust, like everyone at the Academy. She knew the Dean hated her, just like everyone. Everyone hated her. And why not? She gave no reason to be liked. You aren't liked in this world unless you give a reason to be liked. Christine sighed and thought how her parents would want her to come back home. She had told Bap her parents were supporting her at The Academy, but in truth they were against it. They wanted her to stay home. Home....that word wasn't sounding so bad now. "Maybe I'll just go home. ", she thought. "No, one wants me at the Academy. I would miss Bap...but she'd get over me. Why should I stay someplace where I'm not wanted?"
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Christine approached the transporter. "How will I even get out of here?" she thought. She had no better idea, so she touched her hand to the terminal identification print. The teleporter glowed. She could use it. Maybe Zen had left some sort of recognizable print. In either case, she would go back during the night, steal her things, and use the teleporter to go back home.
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When she approached the gates, she snuck quietly inside and into her room. Bap was sound asleep. Christine started packing up, but was too noisy. Bap woke up.
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"Uhhhh....Christine. What are you doing?"
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"I'm leaving, Bap. Zen put me through a test, and I failed. I'll be expelled anyway. I'm just going to leave now." Christine started crying.
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"HEY! HEY! What do you mean?!! I'll talk to the Dean tomorrow. We'll fix this."
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"No, Bap. I don't want you involved. The Dean is hard. It will affect your record. You just do well. Do well for me."
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"Christine...." Christine hugged Bap. "Hold on a second...." Bap brought out her staff and summoned the blue powder puff. "Take Blue with you. He'd miss you anyway." Blue meeped and jumped into Christine's luggage.
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"Thanks Bap. I'm sorry about this."
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"These things happen. But I still think you're the smartest student here, Christine."
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"Goodbye."
Christine carried her stuff to the front gate. She looked back at the university one last time, and then left.
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Up high in Zen's quarters, Bat was watching Christine leave from the window. "She's gone, Zen." Zen came and sat on the window sill with Bat.
*Click to view.*
"I know." Zen stroked Bat's head.
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"I know it was a tough choice. I don't condone your methods, but at least now you know."
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"Yes. She must be part of The Legacy. I saw her die. There is no way she could have come back without a scratch."
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"So, what are you going to do?", said Bat with a grin. Zen said nothing but moved away from the sill and back to a book. "That's okay. You don't have to say it. We're going after her. But this time, instead of killing her, why don't you talk to her?", Bat smirked.
"That's enough out of you."
Thanks for reading! Go check out Chapter 3- Glass Houses