A Long Quest

Chapter 14: An Unexpected Surprise

Zoria 50000 woke up, her face red and flush with tears. All she could think of was the source of her horror. Her captor, Rolgiz 9000000, was at it again. She was once again at the Tower of Zendal. Then she dreamt that the meteor swarm happened again, destroying the tower. She visualized herself back on the ship again, and since she was still dreaming, it was so.

Despite it all being a dream, she could not escape the emotional trauma that it put her through. As frustrated as she was at Kyle with his recent encounter with Zardin, she couldn't ignore just how much he loved her. And when she thought of this, she couldn't help but love him. Where would she be without him? And Pix 100000 and Zinka 30000 too! They all had a part in her rescue, and there was no way that she could escape if it were not for Kyle freeing her from the glowing sphere that immobilized her.

She then thought of his encounter with Zardin again. Considering that Kyle came from a culture that she didn't grow up in, she had to try to look at things from his perspective. After all, from what she has learned from Kyle so far, earth was not a planet steeply focused on magic, and was only practiced by a minority that lived there. If he so strongly thought that the Master Creator made the universe, then would that make her parents out to be liars? Her parents, she knew, loved her very much, and would confide in her everything they knew about how Zorpoz and their universe was made. After all, her grandparents taught her parents everything they knew, and so on throughout the generations. She sighed, still feeling torn on the whole issue. She would certainly want to discuss this with Kyle later on.

With a huge headache, she used a cure spell and another sleep spell. Her eyelids grew heavy and she fell back asleep.

***

Kyle woke up, glancing in the vacant spot next to him. In a way, he partially hoped that Zoria 50000 would come back into the room and sleep next to him. Afterall, they can't argue like this forever. If Zardin was the father of the Zorpozian race, then shouldn't his advice be respected instead of rejected? Why did so many Zorpozians hate him so much? He only wanted to prevent what ended up dooming Vexasis, a planet that used to be so good before the magic corrupted it. Zardin wanted to get away from it all, and create a planet of hope. But that planet of hope shriveled into only a tiny remnant of Zopozians that still held onto Zardin's teachings. Kyle would want to hear about what these Zorpozians had to live with. All of the opposition that they faced on their own planet. He was sure that Zardin was full of stories regarding what the Master Creator (what Kyle knew as God) did for the Zorpozians that faithfully followed him.

Kyle picked the sleep out of his eyes and sat up. He knew that he couldn't keep using magic, but at the same time, he knew that Zoria 50000 would surely be a goner without it. He stood up and got to his feet. There was no sleeping at this point, so he might as well have breakfast.

Just as he opened the door, he almost ran into someone that he didn't recognize. He gasped when he saw someone that looked like a Zendian, only they had female features. She had smooth gray skin, with long crimson red hair flowing down her neck. Her eyes and her smile tried to win Kyle over, but he knew in his heart that he was taken. Zoria 50000 got him first, so he was off limits. Also, this could be an intruder, so he eyed her suspiciously.

"Stowaway!" Kyle shouted. "Identify yourself immediately!"

The Zendian woman held her hands up and got down on her knees. "Please!" she pleaded. "I come in peace! I intend no harm to you or anyone on this ship!"

Kyle read her mind just to be sure. He closed his eyes and nodded. She indeed meant what she said. He didn't want to delve too deeply into her personal thoughts, so he decided to let her share her story.

"Reading my mind?" she asked, smiling. "It's okay. I know what kind of reputation my race has. They are fierce warriors bent on conquest." She glanced at Kyle and gave him a curious stare. "Are you Zorpozian by any chance?"