Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

59 - They're Not Just Tales

Seraphim Zephyr - POV;

"Father, I entrust you with Xyder's future. Protect him in my stead and see him to happiness. I don't know what will come of myself and my dear Cynthia so I beg you. If everything you have said thus far about your opinions and emotions towards me then keep Xyder away from the evils which plague this world. Let him live a happy, carefree life. One day he will mature and when that time comes, let him be. But until then, be the father for him that I failed in becoming."

"Kristæl, you say this to me but how can ecstasy persevere in the heart of a youth whom has lost the parents he has long looked up to?" I ground my teeth together as I spoke the painful words.

"In the same way you have," Kris smiled, "You may not see it but I do. Xyder and yourself aren't very much different. Both of you carry a brave heart on your sleeves. He shall become a far superior Regulus than I ever could. He may even rise to be as great as you; that's no simple feat father."

My son opened his arms in a welcoming manner and I walked forward briskly to embrace him for the final time. In that instant, a pitch coloured bolt of lightning smashed into the tough earth between us.

"He will walk the Earth again Seraphim. My loyal slaves- I mean vessels will ensure it. Plus, you have given me the greatest vessel of them all. I should thank you," a sinister voice cackled in the amassing shroud of darkness.

"Tenebrae," I hissed.

"Turn around Seraphim," he snickered. I complied, finding myself eye to eye with decapitated heads of five individuals mounted on bloody wooden stakes.

"You sent them all to their deaths. Kristæl, Cynthia, The Mayor's dearest mistress... even your own parents. Tsk, tsk, tsk. History is doomed to repeat itself and now the damned will soon follow. You dug his grave yourself on the day you placed that unholy curse. And then you let the others follow."

"What are you saying heathen?!" I shouted.

"It's all on your own filthy paws," he mocked with a smile.

I stared wide eyed at the glistening scarlet fluid staining my previously clean hands. At my feet lay a number of corpses which I quickly identified. Glaring at me were the lifeless eyes of Cheryl Mayer and piled beside her was a mountain of our Epitomes' bodies.

"This is your fault," a male voice gasped as he held his torso up by his blade alone. He raised his head, oxblood hair sprawled over his muddy face.

"Indeed," another laughed as he grabbed Xyder's torso and tore the defenseless boy into halves overhead and bathed himself in the raining fluids. I froze in the spot as I looked upon the muscular, tattooed body of the man standing before me.

"You're next!" he roared shooting forward and throwing out a grasping arm towards my chest.

I shot up from my bed in an ocean of sweat and took heaving breaths.

"I can't allow this....."

* * * *

"I can't stand by idly while the prospect of Zephyrus returning to this world looms over our heads, father!" Catherine stated sternly.

"And neither can I, but what can we do?! As much as I would love to, we can't barge into Blaze's base of operations and kill them all because our clan would surely be executed for genocide on that level. Besides, it would make us no different from that bastard. Hell, even if we were willing to take the chance, no one actually knows where Blaze keeps itself in hiding!" I growled at my daughter-in-law whom had suddenly burst in while I was enjoying lunch.

"I understand this father but we can't just wait around and do nothing. Besides, what of the Zegarth Clan?!" she pressed.

"That's certainly worrying," I admitted, "For Vessels of Darkness to have arisen once more, it can only mean that Tenebrae's influence is growing. No doubt the seals are weakening and it's only a matter of time before the pagan God walks amongst us again. How we should deal with it though, I'm not sure."

"You're not sure? Well let me open your eyes. Tell Xyder the truth! You've kept everything so greatly hidden thus far and yet it seems nothing has actually worked! Each and every day he has been moving closer and closer to learning what happened in our history and time is running short. If we are to prevent disaster, HE MUST KNOW!" my daughter-in-law boomed.

"No!" I roared, "I've told you a thousand times that he must not hear the entire truth until he is older and loses the righteous attitude. As long as he thinks there is a chance to save them, he will barge right in and do Blaze's bidding for their damn reject of a Clan!"

"You don't know that! I've seen the boy mature and grow for the last few years! Ever since Kristæl entrusted him to me! I can't bear looking at him each and every time, knowing that he is completely in the dark!" she exclaimed.

"Enough!"

"No," she muttered defiantly, "What you're doing is wrong. I have already made up my mind to oppose those decisions when I think necessary and I have begun by revealing everything to Evelynn!"

"YOU WHAT?!" I screamed.

"She's bound by a powerful liquid spell to not relay any of what she heard to any other but she had to know," she gritted her teeth.

"And why the hell is that!?"

"Because she was trying to resurrect Kristæl and Cynthia by finding the Wolven Devil!" Catherine shouted. The second I heard the name, I dropped my sheathed katana to the ground in shock. With the loss of support for my legs, my knees buckled due to their strength devoid state and I fell to the ground.

"Father, are you alright?!" Catherine questioned worriedly as she rushed to my side.

"Bring my damn metal legs," I gasped.

* * * *

I stood alongside Catherine infront of the decorated doors. The surrounding region was unpopulated, thus allowing a feeling of desertion to persevere. I pushed against the metal and walked into the elaborate room, sealing the entrance behind me.

Looking at the idols scattered around, I began to speak, "A potential threat which I would never have expected to see in my lifetime has begun to rear it's head. With each passing moment, I can only assume that the time until the return of the Primordial one decreases exponentially. To add to this entire mess, a long forgotten God has recovered some of his prior strength and has given rise to new powers across this land. If things continue as such, it is only a matter of months before Yin and Yang are revealed to the world. This entire mess could very well spell the beginning of the Apocalypse. I don't know what Blaze intends to gain from this, but as far as the world is concerned, a being long dead like Zephyrus should remain this way."

I leaned my head back and began to chuckle to myself, "Xyder seems to not believe in the existance of the Elemental Deities. An athiest if you will. I can't blame him however since I was exactly the same not so long ago. It's extremely difficult to believe in something as preposterous as Gods isn't it?"

"I can only imagine so, especially after we refused to show ourselves to him as per your request," a crackling voice murmered as a figure of flames emerged from the nearest totem.

"It's about time you showed yourself to me once more, my Guardian Deity Ignis."