(Zellos slowly opens his eyes and looks around him. He notices a well built camp and a soft rock and sand bed under him.)
Zellos: How long was I out?
Eva: It's only been three days this time.
Zellos: After all of that effort, only three days? (I must've only had so much power left. My body…)
Eva: Can you tell me what's wrong?
Zellos: Nothing is wrong.
Eva: I think you're lying. You've only slept after using your powers.
Zellos: You hardly sleep yourself.
Eva: I'm different. I don't need to sleep.
Zellos: Whatever, kid.
Eva: Could you finish what you said during the fight? About what happened to you while I was still a baby?
Zellos: …...I don't know exactly why, but that day, I felt an overwhelming presence. As if every amalgram from the past was next to me. I received a power boost like no other, and I went really fast. Too fast. Last I remember, I shot through War's neck and just kept going. I could feel my body breaking down atom by atom.
Eva: Sounds like particle acceleration.
Zellos: How do you know about that?
Eva: I've read books.
Zellos: Anyhow, since arriving back, my body has changed. Everytime I use my power, I weaken.
Eva: Are you returning back to a human?
Zellos: (Worse than that. My body is aging.) No, I'm not. As I said, I'm a fusion of Abisu and Zellos. I couldn't be human if I tried.
Eva: I see...Tell me about your sisters?
Zellos: Lilith was my twin. We looked the same, but she had much more energy. Raven...was loud, excitable, sloppy, brash, aggressive, hard headed-.
Eva: Jeez…
Zellos: But dependable. Friendly, caring, willing to put forth effort regardless of how she felt. I trained her too hard. Tried to make her something she wasn't. And lost my chance to apologize…
Eva: Apologize for what exactly?
Zellos: She died because she tried to prove herself to me. I tried to make her like Lilith, ignoring the fact that Raven has her own talents and strengths.
Eva: You weren't a very good big brother, were you?
Zellos: No...But I meant well. After losing Lilith, the thought of losing the others made me frantic. I pushed Raven too hard and I made her more reckless in her choices. *Anguished* It's my fault they're dead! I couldn't help Lilith, I couldn't help Hana, and I drove Raven to her death!
(Eva scoots herself closer to Zellos and hugs him.)
Eva: I may be overstepping, but I don't think it's your fault. With what Araru and all his plans and followers and humans….it was all a mess. You all were just kids. Not much older than I am now. From what I've read, and what my mom has told me, you all were sort of thrusted into the positions you were in. Most of our population were kids as well.
Zellos: I just...wish things could be different.
Eva: I understand…
Zellos: *Long pause* Now, I believe I promised you that I'd train you on how to fight better. You're agile, and you make good use of your speed, but you have no striking power.
YOU ARE READING
Collaborator Arc 4: Fade To End
FantasíaWith so few left and still trying to recover, a greater threat still prevails. What will become of Eva and the monster within her? This is probably my proudest Arc personally. I was in a dark place while writing the 2nd arc onward and I hope I've pr...
