Vanished (I LUV U.) - Abide With Me Book 1

Chapter 3 - When the Mission Starts

 INTRODUCTION: Zenzu must choose, become the person who he was, the person he so hated for all his life, or let every human that ever existed - past, present and future - die a horrifying death.

=========================================================

Chapter Three - WHEN THE MISSION STARTS

      “Whoa.”

      There was a long, seemingly endless hall before him. It looked ancient, yet, at the same time, completely new. Zenzu slowly stepped out the elevator and marveled at the astonishing Gothic architecture. The concrete walls had been fashioned into a beautiful rib vault design. Beneath each arch was a cabinet of books. Each cabinet that came next was older and dustier than the last.

 ======================================================

[Author: The picture to the right shows what the hall MAY have looked like.]

======================================================

      Fluorescent lights clung on to every arch’s legs. Above the lights would be a painting framed with bronze. Just from the style, Zenzu could tell it was old. Yet the paint still looked wet. When he turned to see the elevator, his combat boots squeaked with the varnished floor. The floor had a black-and-white checkered pattern. He expected it to stand out from the hall, yet everything seemed so beautifully balanced.

      Zenzu awed at the marvelous architecture for an astonishing five minutes. After that, he looked a little further into the hall.

       “No way,” Zenzu mumbled.

      Standing at the very end of the hall was a lonely sword. It rested on its tip, supported by a marble table about as high as his knees. Roots had grown out of the floor, bore holes through the table and hugged the blade up to its hilt. From its blue hilt and the ruby gem hammered onto its grip, Zenzu didn’t have to guess what it was.

      The fifteen year old ran to the Bo-shuriken blade. With each step, his sword seemed further away. But he wasn’t about to let that get in the way. As he moved, the books beneath the arches got older and dustier. The air was getting thick with dust. His strength started to leave him. Still, he wouldn’t give up.

      Man, this hall is long! Zenzu thought.

      He paused to catch his breath. Looking ahead, the sword was getting closer. Won’t be long now. With a deep, long breath he pushed on the floor and sprinted as fast as he could.   His toes ached whenever his foot slammed onto the ground. Sweat from his skin got dragged back by the thick, dusty air. It was an ordeal Zenzu would never forget.

      Zenzu paused again, taking deep, short breaths of air. Only now did he realize how out of breath he was. His strength seemed to evaporate away. But when he looked ahead and spotted his sword’s ruby gem, it was all he needed to make one final push.

      Closing his eyes, Zenzu ran with all his might. He could almost smell the metallic scent from his blade. He felt power that he hadn’t felt for two years rush around in his body like adrenaline.

      Unfortunately, if Zenzu hadn’t closed his eyes, this wouldn’t have happened:

      THUD!

       “OW!” Zenzu fell on his rear. The world was shaking before his eyes. Before he could do something about it, he felt the checkered floor slam against his back. “OUCH!” he yelped.