| Doubt causes fear and unsurety. For whoever it may be, do not turn your back on your friends. -Dragon�s Words; vol. 6, pg. 57 Part 58 Garland turned from the panel at the top of the stairs. � Well, now you should be fully aware of the meaning of your existence . . .?!� He looked down at us and transported himself to some lower stairs. � Yeah, I�m aware of all the laughter, all the tears I shared with the people I grew up with on Gaia.� � Forget all that. You are destined to live among the stars for all eternity. You have the power, the position, the motive to do it.� � I don�t want that power. I only want a place I can call home . . . My brothers in Tantalus, Vivi, Freya, Amarant, Quina, Steiner, Eiko, and . . . Dagger . . . My home is with them on Gaia! You say I have a motive; it�s to punish all of you who brought pain to my friends! I�ll destroy Terra! That�s reason enough for my birth here as a genome!� Garland turned and headed back upstairs and I started to feel strange, like something bad was about to happen. � Regrettable . . . I thought your soul would be perfect for my new angel of death.� � I am the new angel of death! Yours!� � Do you know what it means to meet your maker?� � Shut up! I�ve heard enough of your crap! I�m taking you out right here, right now!� � Foolishness . . .� The body becomes a vessel, which greets a new soul . . . Zidane clutched his head and curled over himself. � W-What�s happening?!� I snarled at Garland, yelping when Zidane collapsed forward. � He�s too good to make a regular genome . . . But I have no choice.� There was a bright white flash and when I caught my bearings I realized that I appeared to be floating in the middle of a penetrating blackness. Zidane was nearby; he had probably pulled me in with him by accident. Who . . . am I? I don�t know anything. I cannot think at all . . . � Zidane!� Who was that? It sounded like Eiko. Yeah . . . I was called that once. Many people called me that. � You always have to show off, don�t you?� Eiko�s voice teased. Yeah, maybe I do. � Why you worthless mendicant!� Steiner raged in one of his little fits. Yep. Sounds about right. � How very becoming of you,� Freya said softly. Becoming of me . . .? � I really learned a lot by traveling with you, Zidane,� Vivi confessed. Yeah right. I have nothing to teach . . . � You teach me many more important things than tasty munchies!� Quina put in. No! I don�t know anything! � You call that friendship?� Amarant scoffed. Friendship . . . Friendship . . .? � You can�t get anywhere without the correct balance of determination and strength,� Tiovex lectured. What do you mean . . .? I don�t . . . I don�t understand. � You�d be a lot cuter if you were a dragon, Zidane,� Vanel giggled. A dragon? Why a . . . dragon? � You are my son. I will never abandon you. Never, Ziaden. Do you understand?� That was me! No . . . I don�t understand. I . . . I have no parents, therefore I cannot be anyone�s son. And who is �Ziaden�? � Zidane!� Garnet called. I don�t know . . . who I am . . . � You were always there for me, Zidane . . .� she continued. I�m so . . . tired . . . � How come you�re always so . . .?� she wondered. I . . . I am . . . an . . . empty . . . vessel . . . � Zidane!� Was that Eiko again? Why couldn�t I open my eyes? Who? � Wake up, Zidane!� Vivi was nearby too? Who . . .? � Come on, Zidane, wake up!� Zidane�s mind seemed to rip away from whatever was holding it and he jerked as he woke. � . . . Huh? What�s . . .?� Eiko sighed. � Good grief, Zidane! You gave us a heart attack! We thought you were dead!� He got up and half-staggered, half-limped past them. � Leave me alone, you two.� When they didn�t, he yelled at them. � Shut up and leave me alone, stupid brats!� Stunned into silence, they watched him stumble slowly away. I scrabbled after him, hardly able to stand. When my front end went left, my back end went right. I had almost no control over myself. Once I regained my balance and could move steadily, I walked alongside Zidane, who ignored me mostly. � You knew, didn�t you?� [No.] � Liar.� [I do not lie. I did not know you were created. A while ago Tiovex and I got into a discussion about dragons who had had their souls taken from them.] � And?� he demanded. [There had been dozens of reported incidents, but there were only two in the royal family. The only reports that mattered.] � So tell me already!� he snapped. [The name of the first victim was Ajuk Cecin VI.] <--Part 57 Part 59--> |