The New Era (Zene)

Chapter 9- Fever?

Zane couldn't help but purr as the warmth of his freshly washed blankets welcomed him, and so he did.

"Lord Líkúorianō, you seem to be enjoying yourself..." Vepar giggled softly, the corners of her mouth curved upwards into a slight smile.

"I am..." Zane sighed in calmness, easing his worked up condition.

"How did everything go with Lord Gene?" Arunasura asked, her ruby red eyes showing concern.

"Did he threaten you!?" Luana demanded, placing a hand on the handle of the sword she always carried with her, in times when  self-defense would be necessary. "I swear if he threatened you or your children--!!!"

"Settle down, Luana." He sighed, curling his tail around his leg. "He did not threaten my unborn child, my children, or myself. He took the information of my pregnancy much better than I thought he would..."

".... S-So he knows....?" Phenex whispered her question as she took Zane's wrist gently, inspecting it. "He knows who the other father is..?"

"Goodness, no." He denied as he shook his head, not minding that she was holding his wrist. "If he knew Baphomet was the other father.... he wouldn't have me get an abortion.... he would have the child be born, and then he would slowly kill them in front of me..."

A dreadful silence fell over the bedroom, as the maidens were at a loss of words. They had known Gene kept Zane from his children, made him have abortions if he was having the child of another.... but they never expected something as cruel as that from Gene....

"Are we sure, not that I doubt your feelings, my lord, but are we sure that this is the same Gene you felt an undying admiration towards?" Okiku asked, tying her hair into a bun. "Please think about it..."

"I..... I don't know...." Zane admitted, before levitating a picture frame over to him.

The picture inside was of Zane, Gene, Dante, Zenix, and Sasha. Zane was being squished to death by Gene, who had his arm protectively around his shoulders. It was hard to tell what Dante, Zenix, and Sasha were doing, because Gene had vandalized the picture, crossing out their faces with a black marker, and placing the spotlight on him and Zane, but mostly him.

"Lord Líkúorianō...." Mikan began, tears falling from her face as she ran her thumb over a patch of skin on his wrist. "W-What is this...?"

Zane looked to his wrist, to see the deep cut he had placed on his way to his room. He bit his lip, unsure on what to say as the maidens all turned to stare at him.

"I-I fell on my way here...." Zane lied, looking back to the picture. He hated lying to his maidens, but he wasn't sure if he could even trust them anymore.

"You were harming yourself again...." Ibuki sighed, frowning as she looked away to grab the bandage roll.

"My lord.... why...!?" Okiku asked, terrified that Zane would commit suicide as her tears rolled down her face.

"I don't deserve to live..." He answered, closing his eye. "I let my people suffer, all because I brought him here...."

"Lord Líkúorianō." Luana began, getting his attention. "You are an Occult Councillor. You have been keeping your people safe by obeying Lord Gene. You have been keeping him at ease, which has kept him from making decisions like that."

"He.... he executed Baphomet, all because I loved him more...." He whispered, feeling guilty for Baphomet's death. "I was happy with Baphomet...."

"Lord Líkúorianō...." Phenex began, but sighed afterwards, as she had never been very good at bringing the Occult Councillor's spirits up.

"I'm just so confused...." He sighed, looking at the ceiling. "How did it ever end up like this? Tell me Irene, what did we do to deserve this?"

"Lord Líkúorianō...." Luana frowned, before putting her hand to his forehead, then yelling and snatching it away as if she just touched an extremely hot straightening iron.

"Luana?" Mikan asked, shocked by the yell, as she had jumped back a bit. "What's wrong!?"

"He's hot." She replied, rubbing her hand that she had used to touch Zane's head.

"....... We hear that from Lord Gene all the time..." Arunasura coughed, frowning at Luana's reply. "I don't think that Lord Gene would appreciate one of his husband's maidens calling him hot."

"I'm talking about his forehead!" She snapped, glaring at the other maiden. "Why would you even think that's what I meant!?"

"I...." She began, but found no words, so instead she braced herself for a storm of insults. It was what the maidens did whenever they thought one of them was in love with Lord Líkúorianō, or punishment for when falsely accused one of it, but they always apologized afterwards.

"Ladies, please do not argue...." Zane begged them, feeling lightheaded. "I do not feel well..."

"Of course, Lord Líkúorianō.." Both Luana and Arunasura replied at the same time, turning their heads to face him.

"It is possible that he has a fever...." Mikan had been thinking it over, as she felt Zane's head herself. "Hm.... his forehead is burning up..."

"B-But the baby..." Vepar gasped, her eyes darting to Zane's belly.

"As long as the glowing symbols are the same pastel blue as always, the baby is healthy and alright..." Mikan attempted to calm the younger maiden down.

"O-Okay..." Vepar giggled a bit at her own stupidity, giving Mikan a small smile as she blushed a light shade of an embarrassed purple.

"..... Lord Líkúorianō, you have to tell Lord Gene sometime." Mastema sighed, facing the Occult Councillor, not even flinching or taking her word back when the other maidens glared at her.

"Why..?" Zane asked, for a second fearing that Gene's words were invading his maiden's mind.

"The sooner Lord Gene knows, wouldn't it be for the better?" She asked him in return, tilting her head to the side.

"No..." He shook his head, sighing. "As much as I would like for it to be that way, he will snap..." Zane whimpered as he felt his halo shudder. "Maidens.... please, get me my husband...."

The maidens nodded, running out of the room and down the corridor, towards Gene's throne room.

Zane hauled himself out of his comfortable bed, and over to his mirror. He leaned against the wall for support, as he forced himself to look in the reflective glass.

He was beyond horrified.

One second, there was him... pitch black hair, dark grey Werewolf ears, golden halo dripping a black liquid, silvery and silky white wings pulsing deep blue lights, purple eyes, a white Demon tail.... then the next....

A monster.....

Pitch black hair, dark red Werewolf ears, black horns, black wings that had no color to them, black eyes with red slits, the pentagram in his normally blinded eye being upsidedown, his Demon tail entirely black.... then the lights on his belly....

There were none.