Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

60 - I Miss Him Too

Xyder Zephyr - POV;

"Who is it?" I groaned as I was awakened by the subtle knocks on my room's door.

"Can I come in?" A gentle voice whispered.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered.

Satella peeked her head through the opening she made in the door, freezing on the spot as she stared at me rising lazily from my bed.

"I- um... That's..." she was evidently flustered by my state of undress for I was clad in naught but a pair of boxers I usually wore to bed.

"What's up?" I asked throwing on my usual pair of scarlet jeans.

"I was um... wondering if you'd like to go outside with me. For a walk," she murmered.

"A walk?" I inquired, staring curiously at the darkness shrouding the streets beyond the plain window, "This early?"

"If it's a hassle you don't have to worry!" she perked up immediately.

"Even if I don't, you'll probably go anyway right?" I questioned. She looked away, clearly ashamed of her answer.

"That's no good. Not with Blaze around. Alright, alright. I'm coming," I sighed as I slipped into a warm crimson sweater.

We walked through the City at this twilight hour mostly in silence, however I quickly found the awkwardness plaguing the air to be overbearing.

"It's nice to do this once in a while. It helps take my mind off of things," I broke the silence.

"Yeah," she muttered before allowing a prolonged period without words to ensue once more.

"So...... is something wrong?" I pressed.

"No."

Yikes. It was far too obvious that there was a problem and I wasn't going to be the seemingly retarded protagonist who doesn't see that.

"Come on, if you start getting down, you'll make me sad too," I told her half jokingly, "The atmosphere is making me think about everything horrible that is ensuing around us. As we speak, our friends are being hurt by Blaze. Even before, not so long ago, I watched that innocent family be torn apart and their home destroyed. Then Uncle Incendio.........."

I bit my lower lip and stared at the ground as a wave of depression swept over me. Even though we had never really met frequently and we shared a distant relationship along with few memories, I held my uncle in great reguard. I could never forget the times my father spent together with Incendio and the brotherly love they held so dearly. Whether it be as they drank together or complained to each other about their wives in a drunken stupor, the genuine ecstasy that they would exude was always something I admired.

After my father's passing, Incendio was never the same. Some of his delight and youthfulness had been cremated into those fires he had painstakingly lit. In official matters he would be as stern as always but on our casual conversations which were few and far between, he would do his best to appear cheerful. Such was the character of the legend, Incendio Zephyr. I hadn't even realised when the single stream of tears formed down my agonised face. I hadn't exactly let myself grieve the man's death and it seemed that those emotion were desperately trying to come forth and the light drizzle which had developed only seem to encourage it.

"He was strong. Not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well," Satella whispered, "When your father died, he was crushed. I'd never seen a person be more destroyed than Master was in that time but he would never show that truth to anyone. He always did his best to cover his feelings with false smiles and lies of joy."

'Master?' I thought to myself, 'That's right. Satella was actually studying under Incendio. He was her teacher of sorts in both swordplay and fire manipulation. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that she had an even tighter relationship with him than myself.'

"The day before we left for Fenix City was the last time I had seen him. It was right when we had wrapped up training," she continued.

***

*flashback begin*

Satella - POV;

"Crack!"

Incendio's bamboo sword slammed into my own with a deafening sound. Effortlessly, he knocked my weapon out of my grasp and it fell to the floor easily ten metres away.

"That's enough!" he boomed turning his back to me as he returned to his neatly placed kotatsu in his personal room just adjacent to the dojo. I followed him and he beckoned for me to be seated across from him.

"So, you will all be leaving tomorrow for Fenix City isn't that right?" he asked me, sipping on his tea.

"Yes Master. Along with the Epitomes, Xyder asked me as well as Storm to accompany him to the tournament. Although I am going just for the trip. The Epitomes are the ones taking part," I explained to him.

"Even so," he continued, "you have come a long way child. When you had begun, you could barely lift a stick. Now, you swing your sword with grace. Armed with the heirloom blessed upon you, I have no doubt that you will become a formiddable warrior. It warms my heart to see you progress so smoothly. It truly is like watching the daughter I never had. Once this tournament and hindrance blows over, Xyder will be guaranteed the position as Regulus of the infallible Zephyr Clan. I love that boy dearly and I can see a bright future ahead with him steering the family at the helm. He will certainly be the greatest Regulus the Clan has ever witnessed and his name will become legend. However, great men need great and loyal close allies and more importantly, an incomparable woman to give him his drive."

"I look forward to the day we truly become related Satella. Take good care of Xyder, he is my one and only nephew. Okay daughter-in-law?" he smirked.

"W-what?!" I squealed as my face became flushed. Incendio erupted in a chorus of laughter amidst my engulfing embarrassment and I could do little more than hide my face in shame.

*flashback end*

***

I had recalled the tale and absentmindedly told it to Xyder while taking special care to avoid the details of Incendio's proposed marriage.

"So Incendio always held faith in me. Telling me such a thing now will make me want to cry," he stated in a monotone as he stared directly up at the sky. Despite the now heavy rainfall, I recognised and looked on as the rivers of tears poured from his eyes. Without a second thought I wrapped my arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I miss him too. He was like a second father to me and everytime I think that I won't see him each week at that old dojo it makes me feel like dying!" I cried out, "That's not what he wanted however. Crying and giving up isn't what he wanted for us nor the clan! What he wanted was for everyone to be happier and free of the conflicts we are bound in and until I complete it, I will carry on his dream! I will become stronger so that I can match up to the greatest Regulus this world will ever see; Xyder Zephyr!"

We held our positions for a while in silence. Suddenly, Xyder placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me away but holding eye contact and a determined expression. Grinning he announced, "Then let's start by saving our friends and winning the tournament. Under my rule, no one will be left behind. We are one body, one clan, one family!"

"Do you think this is a joke you little runt?!" a man's voice abruptly echoed throughout the deserted streets.  Both Xyder and myself were immediately on our guard, ready to act upon this percieved danger.

With the boy leading the way, we crept cautiously towards the convoluted alleys which linked the city's roads. With their almost maze like structure, it was easy to see how they would make perfect locations for crime if one knew the workings of the place. He signalled me to halt and I could soon tell why. Voices echoed throughout, painting a clear image of the event.

"Yeah. I do find you lot to be hilarious," another male growled. Xyder's face was muddled with deep thought and I opted to give him some time without questioning. This soon paid off as his eyes shot open in realisation.

"I know that voice! I'm sure of it. It's unmistakably a friend of mine..... Nero!"