Show Yourself (Sfaira Mageias Series #3)

Chapter 05

Chapter 05

Cogs

"Have a nice trip!" Zeit waved his hand in the air along with that radiant smile on his lips.

"We're not leaving without you, jackass!" Hachidaime pulled Zeit away from the manor as we dashed our way to God-knows-where.

"We're exactly are we heading, Hachidaime?" I asked while examining Zeit's state; he appeared unbothered with his arms crossed across his chest. "Does bringing Zeit have something to do with where we're headed?"

Hachidaime didn't answer any of my questions; she remained silent, but I've noticed the seriousness on her face, and in her presence as well.

I sighed and tried contacting Wolken using our mind-link, though it seems like he doesn't want to be bothered at this point.

Why are they avoiding me? Don't they want to engage in a conversation with me? Even if it's only for a little?

I sighed once more and focused myself on our track. There's no use if Hachidaime won't talk to me. I guess I'll just have to see things for myself.

After a few minutes of running there, here and everywhere: Hachidaime halted, and so as I; she's panting with her right hand resting on her chest, while her left hand is still holding Zeit's arms, tight-grip.

"Hello there, children. What can I do for you, lot?" a man around 30s asked with a polite tone as he bowed his head in serenity.

"It's nice to see you again, Mister Mader. How have you been? Are you still guiding people to where they're headed?" Zeit removed Hachidaime's grip on his arm, shook off some dirt from his shirt with the used his hands, and smiled at the old-man, like they knew each other for a long time.

"I failed to notice you were there. My apologies." he again bowed his head. "I'm doing great, my boy; you know what they say: 'When you love what you're doing, you'll never get tired of it.'"

"Good to here that from you, Mister Mader. By the way, they're my friends: Sloane and Gedeon. Would you mind guiding them the way out?"

"They?!" Hachidaime asked incredulously.

Zeit turned his head at Hachidaime and looked at her with face filled with innocence. "Are there any problem?"

"What do you mean, they? You're coming with us!" she placed her hands on her hips and raised a brow at Zeit.

Zeit let out an understanding laugh—which I thought, ceased to exist—and held Hachidaime's hand. "I am, but I also am not."

"You're confusing me." Hachidaime's eyes started to water. "I can't understand you anymore—what are you even saying?"

Zeit scoffed gently and his eyes sparkles as the ray of sunlight kissed it. "Am I?"

I think you're confusing her more, Zeit.

"Of course you do, you jackass! I hate you! I hate everything about you!" she snapped, or should I say, she stumbled.

He let out a gentle laugh and caught Hachidaime when she lost her balanced; locked her in his embrace as he caressed her hair, like he's caressing a baby's head.

"I'm a fragment of my true self—I'm aware of that, and we're all aware of that. In order to assemble the true me again, you need to collect my pieces from different time period; you need to seek me, piece by piece," his voice turned husky, like he just woke up from a wonderful slumber.