(Zane x reader) The Divine Chronicles Book 1: Change

Chapter 14: Zane

I had been working on my house all afternoon when Laurence came to check on me. "How's it going?" He called up into the rafters where I was perched on a long wooden beam. I wiped sweat from my forehead and stopped swinging my hammer "fine" I called down.

"You need any help?"

"No. Thank you though" I said as Laurence made his way to my counter. "Ooooo pie!" I heard him say "don't touch it!" I yelled quickly. I watched him put up his hands in surrender and back away from the pie "ok, I won't" he said. I went back to nailing in the final nail into the the board I was putting up and moved on. "So how's everything going?" Laurence asked "what do you mean?"

"How do you like Phoenix Drop?"

"It's fine, I've been enjoying it so far, everyone seems to be really nice" I said shrugging my shoulders

"Well that's good"

"Ya, I don't think katelyn trusts me"

"That's probably because she doesn't" Laurence said shrugging his shoulders. I stopped hammering, bringing the hammer down on the nail with so much force that the nail went straight down into the wood with just one hit. "Well that's ok, I don't trust her" I said through clenched teeth. She was a former member of the Jury, how could I trust her? Once a member always a member, but what about Zane? He was a member, in fact he was their leader, how was I going to ever get him back? I guess that's the real question, and the answer? I don't think I was going to get him back. As much as I tried to deny it he was still my bestfriend, and it hurt, it hurt knowing that I had hurt him, knowing that it was my fault that he had become a monster, knowing that I may never get him back, knowing that he may hate me...forever. I wish I could take everything back, but I couldn't, I knew I couldn't, but that didn't mean that I couldn't try to help him, it's my fault he's this way. "You two should probably work that out" Laurence said. I rolled my eyes "she doesn't trust me, I'm not gonna trust her, not like she really deserves my trust anyway" I said
"why don't you trust her?"

"She was a member of the Jury"

"That doesn't seem fair, she left the Jury"

"I don't care, I don't trust her and that's that." I said finishing up the last board and making my way down to where Laurence was in the soon to be kitchen. Laurence shrugged his shoulders "well then I guess it is what it is"

"If you want to help, you can always help me hang these up" I said lifting a sconce (a sconce is the metal thing that holds a torch on the wall, learned that in my English class) off the table. "Sure I'll help" Laurence said taking it from my hand. "Where do you want them?"

"One between each window and on either side of the door" I said "alright then I'll get to work" he said picking up the spare hammer. "Speaking of, shouldn't you be getting to that? You are on duty today, are you not?"

"It's my break"

"Ok if this is how you want to spend your break then be my guest" I said as I went back to work.

About an hour had passed and we had finally finished putting up all the torches.  The light filled the room illuminating it in a wash if soft yellows. It was just reaching the later afternoon hours as the sun was slowly making its way closer to the horizon. "Thank you" I said. "No  problem, if there's anything else I could help you with just let me know, I'll very glad to help." He said with a smile. "I would ap-" I was about to ask his help putting in my kitchen when the alarm sounded off in the distance. I shared a look with my brother and we sprung into action dropping our tools we raced out my door. I drew my sword from my side as it once again took up its blue glow. Laurence and I raced down the path to the guard tower where the alarm was sounding from. We rounded the corner and the building came into view. I stopped every muscle in my body froze, and my blood ran cold, there he was, Zane.
He was standing in the middle of the square, sword drawn. It had been years since I last saw him, of course I had heard about the terrible things he had done since I left, stories of his Jury spread farther and faster than they ever had before. A smirked was visible behind his mask. Aphmau, Garroth, and Dante were there standing in front of him, their swords drawn as well. Garroth was once again wearing his helmet, I'm sure to keep his identity from his brother. Aphmau was yelling at Zane but I wasn't patting attention to her words. My mind was racing, why was he here? What is he looking for? I couldn't do this. My eyes burned as I fought back tears.
"Hey! Y/n! Y/n! Hey!" Laurence was yelling at me, trying to get my attention. Before I had the chance to look at my brother I had already locked eyes with Zane. His cold expression faltered. I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into his arms, but I couldn't move. I saw his lips form my name and the tears I had been holding back spilled down my cheeks.
Zane, he was so different. The loving caring boy that I had known wasn't the one who was standing in the square, but in this moment the Zane I knew and loved had come back, and I was filled with a sudden hope. Slowly I was able to move my body, I took a step forward dropping my sword to my side.
Then once again his face changed back into the cold expression he wore before as as his lips curled back bearing his clenched teeth. My heart stopped and my stomach churned. He had disappeared, the Zane I knew had once again receded into the darkness. I stepped back in fear, tears still streaming down my face. The Zane I knew was still in there, he had shown me that much but he was doing what Zane always did best, he was putting up walls. I was going to get him back but I couldn't do that today.
I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. It was Dante taking the chance to atack Zane while he was distracted. He noticed and was able to block the attack. Dante quickly rebounded and tried again but Zane easily stopped him, sending him flying into the guard tower.
"Dante!" I screamed as I rushed to his side. "Are you ok?!" He groaned and sat up "I'm fine, it's alright."
Garroth and Laurence were moving in on Zane. He had landed a blow to Garroth's shoulder that sent his sword so flying out of his hand. Aphmau had joined me by Dante's side as she helped him to his feet.
I watched as Laurence hurled himself at Zane but once again he was able to block the attack. He was strong, somthing was different, he had always been a good fighter but so was everyone else. Laurence hit a nearby tree with an awful bone crunching sound. "No!" I screamed as I watched my brother slump to the ground. A rage boiled inside me, I was mad, I was mad that I was watching my friends, my brother get hurt I was mad that it was Zane who was hurting them, and I was mad that it was all my fault. "STOP! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" I yelled with as much force as I could. Zane froze, mid laugh to stare at me. "STOP IT! ZANE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THIS ISN'T WHO YOU ARE! YOU'RE NOT LIKE THIS! Please, stop." More tears spilled from my eyes his hard expression faltered again, I was getting through to Zane, my Zane.
"Zane please, why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice cracking. His pale blue eyes grew darker, "because, I'm a monster" my heart shattered, his words bring up the memory that had haunted me for years. "That's what you called me, right? A monster?" I stepped back "no! No! Zane I'm sorry I- I was being stupid! I was scared! you're not a monster!"

"Then why were you scared?! you knew what you were saying! It's too late now! It's too late to take back what you said!" my vision blurred as more tears filled my eyes. "NO! NO! I was wrong! you're not a monster! Zane please just stop this!" his eyes darkened and his expression turned cold, he grimaced. "you're pathetic," a Cheshire grin spread its self across his face. Pure hatred seethed behind his eyes. He hated me, the person I loved most in the world hated me, and it was my fault. I'm responsible for creating one of the most evil people alive. he swung his sword at me and I only had a few seconds to react. The sword in my hand sung as it made contact with Zane's, a bolt of energy ran up my arm as I dogged another one of his attacks. I had always beaten him when we were younger but he was stronger now and I wasn't in the best condition to be fighting. Memories of our days spent together from our childhood flood back to me, like the times I would wake from a nightmare terrified and Zane was there to comfort me, the countless times we had played together, all the nights spent at his desk in his study, or on the library floor. Distracted Zane managed to land a blow to my side that sent me rolling to the ground, my sword flying from my hand. Zane smirked as he looked down at me "you've grown weak. I will let you live another day, killing you now won't do me much good, I'll be back, I've had enough fun for one day." those were the last words that I heard before darkness consumed me.