Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

101 - It's Our Problem

Dagan Zephyr - POV;

"What do you mean Aquarius? There's nothing going on," I answered the girl in a far more serious tone than I had intended.

"Do you really expect us to believe that? Especially with how you guys were acting at the ball," Indira Astra retorted stepping out infront of us.

"What do you mean by that?!" Sorine barked.

"We're talking about the fact that you all carefully covered the entire floorplan and your attention lay wholly on Duran Blaze," Aquarius spoke up.

"I'm not sure what you think you saw but you're wrong," Storm grunted, standing up from the table he had just been sitting on.

"We're on your side Zephyr," a powerful voice declared as its owner appeared behind the two girls.

We all tensed as we looked at the man staring back at us. Sorine bared her teeth and Storm clenched his fists almost immediately. Disas and Jaqueline took a couple of steps back, seemingly in fear while Celes and Winter merely stood their ground hiding any emotion.

Standing tall and proud I addressed them in a firm yet respectful tone, "With all due respect, after what we just went through we are having an extremely dificult time believing that, Regulus Astra."

"And I don't blame you for that," Grisha responded, "However if it puts your mind at some ease, Blaze has threatened both Neptulus and Astra, promising us harm if we continue to try to overturn Xyder's sentencing."

"Blaze has come after you too? What are they doing? That's biting far more than they can chew," I pondered.

"So you acknowledge that they are in conflict with your group?" the Regulus pressed.

"They are," I confirmed.

"Dagan! Are you sure about saying that?" Storm asked.

"They already have some idea of what's going on. Flat out denying it would only end up working against our favour. I'll tell what what I see fit," I answered him.

****

I proceeded to outline the series of events that had led up to this point, from the time during our journey to Fenix City until the day of the ball and all of the key moments in between.

"Have you have any confirmation of your friends' safeties?" Grisha questioned once I had finished.

"The last we heard of them, they were being tortured after we chose to go through with participating in the tournament," I admitted, "There has been nothing since."

"Blaze has stooped to a new low. All of this just to win a piece of land.... just to raise their reach and rank amongst the clans?" Grisha grumbled.

"We'll surely find them. With all of my father's resources in the World Heirarchy, it'll be a matter of hours for them to figure out where Blaze is. Your friends will be rescued in no time," Indira proclaimed.

"Let's get one thing straight," I stated seriously, "I may have told you all of this but I never asked for your help. This is our problem. It would do you well to listen to Blaze and keep yourselves out of rhis as much as possible. I'm grateful for the appeals but that's where I'll draw the line."

"What the heck?! Are you stupid?!" Indira shouted.

"Are you?!" Sorine shot back.

"Dagan, please understand we only want to make things better than they are. Sure we may not be affected physically, but our clans do respect your own and we even owe Zephyr in some instances. It wouldn't be right for us to just ignore it," Aquarius intervened.

"They really are trying to help Dagan. How can you tell them no after all of this?" Celes tried to reason.

"I understand your desire to help us but that is exactly why I tell you to stay away. You yourselves must understand that we don't who our friends are and worse, who our enemeies are. We can't even be completely sure about you three. If you go around spreading the words, the more likely it is that our enemies will catch wind of it and if they do, they'll make things worse by a hundred fold. Blaze won't hesitate to eliminate our friends if they know we are trying to get multiple clans involved in our battle. So please, for our sake and your own, don't speak a word of this and stay out of all of it," I pleaded.

"But-" Indira began.

"He's right Indira," Grisha interrupted him, "If I were in their position, I would do the same. We definitely haven't done anything to prove our credibility in standing by them and it's true that if word slips, it will only amplify the severity. I respect your decision Dagan. It was a collected, safe and independent one. With that said, the world teaches you with time that playing safe can only get you so far, so quickly. Sometimes rolling the dice is the only way to get farther, quickly. I will continue to look into the matters surrounding Xyder's conviction but it will be as a separate entity from all of you. If you ever change your mind however, please come to me."

****

??? - POV;

"Hmm? What the hell is this?!" I exclaimed, almost falling from my chair.

"What is it?" my younger sister asked curiously.

"A missing person report had been filed some time recently reguard a young man by the name of James Hinds following his failure to meet with a close relative on a planned occasion and his failure to return countless calls or respond to a dozen messages from family and friends," I read aloud for myself and the others around me, "Investigations into the matter came to a close when the brutally mutilated corpse of Mr. Hinds was discovered in an old complex only a few days after his death by an elderly woman who noticed the pool of blood leaking out of the room. Investigators linked the murder of Mr. Hinds, through evidence gathered at the scene of the crime to an eighteen year old man, taking temporary residence at Fenix City. The offender, Xyder Zephyr, Grandson of Regulus Seraphim Zephyr the Third, had been present in the region to participate in the ongoing inter-clan tournament being hosted by The World Heirarchy and had been a favourite amongst  supporters of the event. While a motive has not been provided for the crime, authorities claim the proof is irrefutable. Mr. Hinds had shared close relations to one of the VI Kings themselves; The Fifth Lord, Versailles. The World Heirarchy came out with a statement within hours of the incident, 'As many are already aware, a recent killing has taken place in the City of Fenix involving one of our own. Although the perpetrator  was Xyder Zephyr, next in line to claim the title of Regulus in the Zephyr Clan, it has been decided that we cannot afford to show any leniency as this act is not only a murder but the act is akin to treason of one of the highest orders. As such, after great debate, it has been decided that Xyder Zephyr will be sentenced to death in answering to these charges."

"Death?! No way!" my sister, cried out.

"I never liked Zephyr in general but that's not the people they are," my brother growled.

"Then that settles it. Pack your bags everyone, we're headed to Fenix City!"