The Fruit of Tito

Chapter 24.5: Origin of Zamezera

*in a time before Tito's birth*

The cries of a newborn baby rang out in the dead night, three people stood huddled cover the newborn as a campfire burned bright behind them.

"This one has a lot of soul energy radiating from it, h-however sir, it is a girl." The eldest out of the three spoke out, he wore a neatly ironed black butler suit that was a bit worn out, due to him assisting in child birth.

"Are you serious Micah? Please, tell me you are joking." The younger man somberly spoke as he grabbed Micah, the butler's shoulders. Micah shook his head to assure his master he was not joking.

"Master Kozu I-I'm not joking sir."

"Do you know what this means Micah?"

"You don't have to keep doing this Master Kozu."

"I already have three daughters Micah, I need an heir. Although I fear I might be too late; all of my daughters have been courted already and I'm getting old. My power has been spread between three different families, I'm barely even considered a ruler anymore, repeatedly going to different villages to cheat on my wife- I've impregnated this one AT LEAST FOUR TIMES AND SHE HAS ONLY PRODUCED GIRLS!" Kozu shouted with ferocity, a few veins in his forehead began visibly pulsating as he screamed at his butler.

"I understand sir, but you cannot use soul energy nor sense it and I assure you this one has promise." Micah tried to retort in the nicest and most respectful way he could.

"Put your neck on the line." Kozu said abruptly, making Micah pause for a few seconds.

"I beg your pardon sir?" Sweat immediately began running down Micah's face as Kozu stared straight into his soul.

"I said: if you really have confidence in this thing then put your neck on the line. And if you decline I'll have you executed anyway for proposing such a preposterous idea." Kozu grabbed the collar of Micah's suit and yanked him closer until their chests were touching. Micah whispered out a shaky "I'll do it" which made Kozu suck his teeth and release the old man.

Kozu turned his head to look at the worn out woman who had tattered rags on her body that stood for clothing, she curled into a ball while clutching her child close to her chest. Kozu then turned his head to the raging bonfire which had several burnt infant carcasses in the middle. "It's name is Jozu, Jozu Zera. Make sure you raise that thing properly." Kozu sternly stated as he walked away from the woman with a look of disgust.

Ten years later~

"Jozu it's time to wake up, you have a match soon." Jozu's mother peaked through the thin curtain of Jozu's small hut that acted like a door. Jozu slept peacefully on the hard, muddy ground but quickly stirred awake when her mother entered her hut. The now ten year old girl stood up and left the hut without any protest.

"You must win, you know that right? You have to be the strongest or else your father is going to do something really bad to us." Shiri, Jozu's mother bent down on one knee as she spoke. Jozu was hardly paying attention as she had heard this speech before every match she went to, but she still nodded to give her mother extra relief.

The two left in a small carriage to the capital of their country Shiri was slightly shaking remembering that she could possibly see Kozu at the match, Jozu put her hand over Shiri's hand in an attempt to comfort her which slightly worked. Many times Shiri thought to escape the village and cut ties with Kozu but she always had a feeling he would find them one day. This match would decide whether Jozu would be able to continue living, or die.