Equilibrium

Chapter 40 - It's been a while

The debilitating pain crashing through Zen eased some as Nexus' portal opened. As he mastered himself and accepted his responsibility to Sion. He stood slowly but purposefully and took a cleansing breath.

"Are you okay, Zen?" Kara asked eyebrows scrunched and arm in arm with Chay. The Fairy's folded wings tipped downward.

"Yeah."

Kevyn moved in front of Zen and put his hands on his shoulders. "Time to be an asshole. You ready?" he challenged.

"I was born ready," Zen replied imperiously, and Kevyn laughed.

A cool confidence washed over Zen, the persona taking life within him. He would wield it like a weapon, as he did those many years ago. But it was different this time because he cared for so many of the people around him, knew the stakes if he failed, and knew that Kevyn would keep him grounded.

Kevyn stepped back and gestured in a gentlemanly way for Zen to walk through the portal and back to Hellgate.

Zen did, still shaky and wracked with the echoes of pain, but he hid it expertly as a smirk graced his lips.

~

Zen walked through to the same conference room in the Keep that the gang popped into those long months ago. This time, however, the scene he came upon was quite different. Kevyn came in behind him and the portal snapped closed.

Sion and Cyanide were locked in a brotherly embrace. Brock and a redheaded woman sat side by side with slightly bored expressions. An intricate diagram lay in the center of the table in front of them.

"Zen! Kevyn!" Brock yelled and stood up. Relief, excitement, and concern warred in his expression.

"Brock!" Zen returned with a smile. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, not kidding," Brock half laughed.

"How's it going, Red?" Kevyn greeted.

Sion turned to the new arrivals, and Cyanide followed suit.

"My runaways have returned," he commented.

"They meant well in retrieving us," Zen said, putting his hands in his pockets, "but we have business here. And new business to discuss. So we came back."

Sion scrutinized Zen, sizing him up. "You're ready to accept my proposal?"

"I am," Zen answered. "I realized while I was out there that I can't go back to my old life. Not when I know I could have what was taken from me."

"What about the goody-goody?" Cyanide asked, indicating Kevyn.

"We talked, and though he doesn't agree that the ends justify the means, he won't stand in my way."

"Is this true?" Sion asked Kevyn.

Kevyn frowned and crossed his arms. "The seal isn't fair to any of us. I can't truly blame him for taking the chance to break it. I don't know how it's done, and it's probably better that way. I'll honor our original agreement, Sion, and stay out of your way for anything to do with the seal."

"Why don't we sit?" Sion invited Zen with a gesture, and then Cyanide. "We have much to discuss. Kevyn, you're free to go."

"You could bake us some cookies," Cyanide suggested dryly as he pulled up a chair at the table.

"I'll do some training," Kevyn said with a frown. Then he mock-considered, "Maybe I could make cookies after, but they'd only be for Zen. And Brock. And maybe, I'm sorry who are you?" Kevyn asked the woman.

"I'm Celeste, a warlock. A pleasure to meet you - Kevyn, is it?"

"Cool. You get a cookie too."

"And a pirate," Brock chimed in.