Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

23 - To Usurp The Throne

Xyder Zephyr - POV;

"Maybe a stew mushroom soup to go on the side?"

"Yeah, that could work. Or we could go all the way and make a full course of lasagna!"

"Come on, you know we don't have money to throw around like that!"

I opened my eyes slowly as my body became conscious once again. I raised my head slowly and propped myself up against the bed head. I looked around the small room to see that I was in some kind of medical room or office. A curtain closed the small door sized opening connecting this room to the adjacent one. I could make out the silhouettes of Rydia, Evelynn, Satella and Cheryl in what was evidently a kitchen on the other side of the fabric.

"Hey I'm gonna go check up on Xyder," Cheryl stated washing her hands.

"Just don't rape him okay?" Evie remarked cheekily.

"O-ofcourse I won't! Jeez!" Cheryl pouted. She walked in and looked around, jumping in surprise when she realised that I was missing. She was about to scream so I jumped out from behind the wardrobe where I hid and grabbed her from behind, making sure to cover her mouth.

She struggled against my grasp, unaware of what exactly was going on. I pinned her against the wall, still cupping my hands over her lips.

"Hey, it's me! It's me! Shhhhh!" I whispered frantically. She calmed down and looked at me.

"Xyder?" she was shocked.

"Hey."

Cheryl wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. I emulated her gesture.

"We have to tell everyone!" Cheryl exclaimed running out the room and dragging me behind her. The kitchen was empty so she pulled me outside where a sizeable group of familiar faces had gathered.

On each and every face, I could clearly see surprise and awe. It seemed as if everyone was completely shocked to have me standing here before them.

In addition to myself and Cheryl, there were Rydia, Satella, Fira, Evelynn, Dagan, Alva, Mayor Mayer, Storm and Caitlyn.

Evelynn and Caitlyn dove on me and the younger of the sisters began to cry in joy. The rest of them just stood by giving nods of approval while flashing smiles or thumbs up signs.

"Xyder.... good of you to return to us," the Mayor said shaking my hand.

"Yeah, I agree. Anyway, I need someone to fill me in on what's going on," I told them.

"You don't remember huh? I expected as much since this happened the last time it took over as well," Dagan said.

Each and every person spent a combined six or so hours telling me everything about what was happening at the current time. They didn't spare any details either.

"There's this video footage we managed to grab from the fight as well," Fira announced handing me the small disc. Thesecond I put in in I was blown away by one surprising fact. I immediately recognised this 'Demon Xyder'. He was the very same hell hound taming bastard that I had encountered when I went after my Persona in the Trials. I reviewed the disc and paid special attention to everything this 'other me' was saying.

I closed down the portable disc playerand looked around at those in my vicinity. "So in summary, Evie was captured and locked away by Seraphim but Dagan happened to overhear someone say where she was held and so Rydia was sent to reacue her?" I summarised.

"Yes," Rydia confirmed.

"And during the fight against Sorine, I was almost killed but at that moment this 'Demon Xyder' came forth and wrecked her before going toe to toe against Seraphim himself," I continued.

"As you saw in the footage," Fira reaponded.

"Then after this I fell unconscious and the few of you rallied to escape from Zephyr with me and so now we have been hiding out in the Estates for the entire month that I have been out. And the reason that we came here was because Seraphim had been plotting against me all this time and you feared for my life......" I trailed off.

"It's true. But we hadn't put our lives on the line purely for you only. All of Zephyr is at stake. We cannot remove the Patriarch from his position but if you can prove that you are indeed worthy of being heir then we will all be so much safer and the future of Zephyr will be in good hands. The tournament ended without a winner so now is the time to return before Seraphim can spin a tale. Lady Catherine is trying to damage control as we speak and is covering for us as long as possible but its only a matter of time before we are found. The Mayor is putting alot at stake by hiding us here," Dagan added.

"And for that I must thank you," I turned to Mr. Mayer.

"No. I am merely continuing to repay the debt I owe to you and your father my boy," he told me.

"But now what are we going to do?" Satella questioned.

"That's right, we hadn't completely thought that through," Alva admitted.

"I have to prove that I have the power necessary to take charge of this family. We will march on Zephyr tomorrow at dawn and I will force my way into the Altar of the Deities a.k.a. the Alter of Elements. Only there will I be able to ascertain what power lies within me that my grandfather has so dearly tried to keep hidden. Once the clan sees that I am destined for great power, they will see Seraphim's flaws," I explained.

Later that evening while I was alone deep in thought, a tap on the shoulder brought me back to reality.

"Hey, I have something to tell you," Dagan whispered in a serious tone.

"What's up?" I asked him.

"Here," he began as he handed me an old page with tattered edges and a dirty brown colour, "I was told to recover this from Seraphim's safe in his study and show it to you."

"Eh? Who told you to do that and how did you knkw Seraphim's password?" I interrogated him.

"The Devil told me," Dagan muttered turning around.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said and walked off.

I sat back and began to read the parchment only to soon realise that it was an extract from someone's journal and it detailed the truth behind what happened all those years ago in the beginning of this era..........