Chapter 78: The Razalek with the Moon Eyes, Part IV

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A soft hum of fascination sounded from Yowlitch, the paper fluttering towards the floor before an invisible force pulled it towards Yittek. Yowlitch paid no attention to it, calm voice directed at Zidane.

"If any fortune, your genes are certainly so."

Zidane forced his posture not to deflate, the comment's sting lingering as he masked the pain in a one-sided smile. His stare stayed locked with Yowlitch's as his mind flashed to Orah—to the eyes that mimicked his own.

And that's all he gave me, Zidane responded silently. My eye color and even more problems I can't handle.

Yowlitch's focus shifted, his eyes glancing to Yittek and his smile faltering. "I presume this is your life guardian?"

"Yes," Zidane replied with a nod. "He is."

Yowlitch returned the nod, the loose fist resting against his jaw uncurling for only a moment before he spoke. "I've always been fascinated with guardians. How they've always put up with being bound to one person until death arrives for either one." The brief smile came back then, his eyes closing. "I don't believe I can ever have one, though. My wife wines enough during the brief time I allow her out."

The anger the statement sparked inside Zidane diminished, a disturbed confusion settling in its place. Keeping the emotion from his face, he quickly searched the Razalek's expression, unsure whether he should be laughing or not.

Yowlitch's smile remained. His eyes darted to Yittek, a small, humorous grunt coming as he met Zidane's stare again.

"Something is telling me we have slightly different appetites for humor."

Zidane gave the smallest of breathes; the tiniest sighs of relief. The nervousness began to loom inside him again, and he quietly cleared his throat, his attention going back to Yowlitch.

"Was there something you wanted to discuss?"

"I believe there are many things we could discuss, Jylin," the ruler responded. His hand stopped supporting his face, flourishing out to motion to the window. "We could discuss why this town is so poor and reeks of quenich droppings, or perhaps we could speak of the line of white that appears upon nightfall."

His eyes turned back, the piercing white pupils heavily contrasting the black irises. "But I, however, believe both of us are above such discussions. I would, above all else, very much like to give you a proposition."

"What... Type of proposition?" Zidane asked.

"One we could both benefit greatly from."

A pause settled into Zidane, one he had no way of avoiding... It couldn't be possible, what he was offering. Was it? Could it really be this simple?

Yowlitch's smile vanished. His brows sunk into a deep narrowed glare that immediately stopped Zidane's breath, trapping it in the middle of his throat.

The ruler's words shot through his teeth: "Who's told you about my experiments?"

Zidane's screaming mind quickly charred the frozenness and the crossbreed regained himself once more, the words escaping barely even filtering through his mind.

"I've only heard that you were fond of technology," he said. "I had no idea about anything else."

The stare remained. Then, finally, Yowlitch settled back and his hand returned to the windowsill. He nodded, acknowledging Zidane's statement. "Yes. I do enjoy the occasional potion, but the ones that severely alter the subject are far more fascinating to me." His stare turned back to Zidane, the smile returning. "Tell me, Jylin. You must hate Spiros as much as I, correct?"

Zidane withheld the fury and gave a nod.

"I'm working on one right now, an experiment," Yowlitch continued. "It's almost perfected." For the first time, his smile broke into a grin, revealing sickeningly sharp canine teeth. "Yes, just a few more tests, and I can completely change them. Make them undeniably weak. Just like those animals they've wanted so badly to kill."

Words fell away from Zidane. His mind rendered blank, thoughts nearly non-existent except for a faint realization.

Something that deactivates Spiros. This is... too perfect. This can't be possible.

Yittek's voice reached his ears, pulling him back into the unmoving carriage.

"But you'll get to them first."

Yowlitch gave the Razalek a nod. "Yes. I will. It's only a matter of time."

Before what? The fear of what might happen started to sink in, but Zidane withheld it, refusing to let it show on his face as Yowlitch's contrasting eyes shifted to him.

"This is where, I hope, you can be of great service to me, Jylin. We both have a common goal, so it naturally makes sense for us to become common powers." His lips spread into another grin. "Eztya, she trusts you. But I can give you so much more than simple trust."

In the flash of hesitation, thoughts darted through Zidane's mind. What had Ezyta ever done for him? Perfected his ability to thieve? Wasted a year of his life by feeding him pure, impossible lies?

She taught me how to use my Razalek side, he realized. If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have been able to really hide myself until I met Yittek again.

Yowlitch gradually leaned forward. "What?" he asked. "Was she nurturing enough for you?"

Please, Zidane thought.

"It must be a type of guilt then," Yowlitch mused. "Some regret, spawning from somewhere." His eyes narrowed. "Tell me," he began, "whose life did you take?"

No words came into existence. Zidane felt his throat tighten, guilt numbing him as Kyrene enveloped his thoughts.

"I admit I'm surprised you're not trying to deny it," Yowlitch continued. "The height of your ability to deceive made me assume you'd deflect it." His stare intensified, shooting lightning through Zidane's emotions. "But I know eyes like mine when I see them."

Zidane remained still, locked with Yowlitch's stare. All the pain was starting to release itself, beginning to fill his lungs. Making it that much harder to breathe.

The smallest of laughs came from Yittek. "I can see this isn't a good time for—"

"Silence!" Yowlitch's hand swiped out, melting Yittek's lips together. Zidane's stare was forced away, back to the moonlike eyes that stayed perfectly calm. Yowlitch's arm returned to the windowsill, hand curled near his cheekbone.

"They were female, were they not?" he asked. "Your reaction to my joke prior gave insight to that."

Piecing himself back together, Zidane looked down at his lap, wringing his hands together; something Zooka would do. Just stay calm, he told himself. He can't get in your head; Yittek made sure of that.

"It's in the past," Zidane said finally, voice quiet.

"Ah, but to you it's still the present."

From the edge of his eye, Zidane noticed the ruler lean back, his hand draping across a crossed knee.

"This death is clearly a weakness, Jylin. Your lies grow less confident the further we dig. Which is certainly a shame, considering how well they started the second you entered my presence."

Zidane's eyes shot back up, widened in shock. Yowlitch's smile only crept upwards in reply, his stare narrowing with a chilling slowness.

"I will say this only once. I do not ever want to see either of you again. If your faces ever cross my path, you will experience the last second of your life. And, to make my last point perfectly clear..."

Zidane flew forwards at a high angle, his muscles deactivating as Yowlitch stood, meeting him face-to-face. A hand reached out, catching him by the front of his shirt and roughly jerking him forwards.

Whatever breath Yowlitch had sent out had deactivated Zidane's ability to move. He could still feel his body hanging limply, feel his now visible tail hanging like pure weight. His thoughts stuck to the revealed limb for only a moment as his eyes were suddenly forced to lock with Yowlitch's deadly stare.

Yowlitch's mouth opened, slipping an unstable exhalation into existence. His teeth closed, sharp canine blades now more evident than ever, and words fired out of him in quick bursts.

"I... Do not... Live... With... Your kind!" The hand holding Zidane swung, sending the crossbreed flying. Zidane let out a breath, softly landing on his feet and crouching low, his tail swishing wildly. Taking the stance of an ancient Spiro warrior.

Yowlitch barred his teeth, his hand almost coming into a complete fist. His fingers shook, not quite connecting with his palm, and he spoke, voice equally unstable.

"Cherish what little time you have left, Spiro."

Zidane disappeared through the carriage's wall, flung back with the sight of Yittek's body erupting in flames.

A thought came to Zidane, as the outside light greeted him and Yittek's aura glowed from behind. An emotion, an idea he didn't dare fully develop; even when his speed slowed and a swirling mist carried him away.

He only put the feeling to words as he strode forward, feet against Yittek's marble floor.

Submitted: December 04, 2019

Fantasy love abuse family romance adventure