Cruelty of Fate

[MaryGold]

Nova Jade

I'm not a hero,

I'm a warrior,

a survivor.

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It was a slip of the lip. Nova had not meant to say it out loud. Her thoughts only vocalized, responding to Zekiel in whole. While she still wasn't truly that embarrassed about it, she could clearly see Zekiel was. She had even upset him with her dishonesty, loosely making a promise and just as easily breaking it by looking. No, she refused to say peeping because that was what perverts did and she was not a pervert. She was just … curious as she had said earlier. Nova sighed, genuinely feeling bad for her actions only because she breached his trust. Which was ironic because that was the reason he allowed her to help instead of the doctor. He trusted her and barely a minute later she proved maybe she shouldn't be. Even if it was something small, Nova didn't want him losing any faith in her, especially not now, when they had yet to know who he was, when they were the only two magic users in town and when he needed at least someone to trust and depend on. But he hadn't kicked her out like he had the doctor, so that was something, which meant he still trusted her enough to let her stay. It made Nova smile a little, though she wanted to laugh. In truth, his whining was kind of cute, resembling that of a child, including his behavior before with the doctor. But she didn't laugh not wanting to make things worse, she grinned.

"I'm sorry, Zekiel, I am," Nova said, trying hard to wipe the grin off of her face, to show how sincere she felt. Her mouth was stuck smiling though, something that didn't happen often all things considered. Being in the situation she was in now did not happen often, or to be frank, at all. Still, she was able to muffle a giggle into her palm before approaching the tub from behind. "Truly and honestly." Added the dark haired girl before she grabbed a nearby stool and sat behind him. Nova set down the shampoo at her side and handed him the sponge. Using her two hands, she pulled her long black hair into a messy bun, loose hair strands fell in her face but she simply brushed them aside and behind her ears. "If it makes you feel any better," Nova tilted her head to the side, lowering herself some to look at him properly."I didn't see anything. Well, I did see some upper body, you know for someone who was buried in ashes and covered in wounds you're in pretty good shape." she remarked.

Sitting back up, Nova nabbed a cup from the floor and used it to scoop up water from the tub. She hissed when her fingers touched the hot water. Seriously hot. "Are you ok-" Nova began to ask before remembering that hours ago he was dressed in flames and he was making so much as a peep now. She dumped the hot water over his head, wetting his hair and watching as dirt and ashes washed out. "Anyway, I solemnly swear to be good from here on out," promised Nova just as she poured shampoo onto his head and began massaging his scalp. The suds and bubbles were doing a splendid job of bringing the beautiful silver color of his hair out again.

 

[CrystalTears]

Zekiel Blaize

Bow to the King,

the martyr,

the sinner.

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"That's not making it better!" Zekiel whined when Nova complimented his body structure before handing him the sponge. The water was doing wonders on his skin, it felt really nice, the wounds didn't mind the heat because they were healing because of it. The swift water over his head had him shake it off first, like a dog, before he stood still so that Nova could wash his hair and get the ashes out. She did make a promise to be good, but for some reason, Zekiel doubted she'd be able to keep her promise. "Don't make promises you can't keep," he murmured, though he wasn't angry with Nova, he was more just embarrassed. Zekiel grabbed the sponge and soaked it in the water before he began to wash his body, mindful of the wounds that he had, as he was sure that scrubbing at the injuries wouldn't make them go away. Now that he had the chance, Zekiel could tell that all of his injuries weren't as deep. The slashes in his legs weren't so bad, a few were a bit deep, and some even ragged, but most seemed like clean cuts.

His arms were much the same. A few deep cuts, some ragged and then some small scratches. It was his stomach that seemed to have gotten the worst of it, a broad and deep slash on his side, it was only luck that had the wound missing any vital organs and not to be life-threatening. It felt clean as if whoever had done it hadn't hesitated to do so, but Zekiel was unsure why there were no signs of the blade being pulled back out. It made him all the more curious as to who had done it, and what their reasoning was for attacking him. Would he find them again? If it was bandits, like Nova had suggested, then the chance of meeting them once more was small. Even if he did meet them, none of them would know anything about him. Was there someone out there that knew? Someone who could tell him about his past? He shook his head again, wanting to not think about it anymore, before turning to Nova who was busy washing his hair. "How come silver hair is weird?" Zekiel decided to ask, wanting to distract himself from wondering about a past he had forgotten.

His hair had looked very grey when Nova had first found him, but with the ashes and dirt being washed out, the hair was revealed to be very clear silver in color. "Should I have black hair?" Zekiel added to his question as he touched the silver strands and stretched them out to take a better look at them. Silver seemed like natural hair color to him, though Nova had disagreed which was why he wore the hat. There were a lot of things Zekiel didn't understand or perhaps it was that he didn't remember, either way, he was happy to have Nova by his side. She was very friendly, despite being a little bit of a pervert.

 

[MaryGold]

Nova Jade

I'm not a hero,

I'm a warrior,

a survivor.

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"Hm?" Hummed Nova as she rinsed the last bits of suds and soap from his hair. It appeared so much better now that it was clean, the true shine and color was revealed with the ash gone. Nova had never expected it to be as silver as it was compared to the grey she had first seen. It was a pleasant surprise, which she approved of as it was even prettier than she had originally guessed it to be. That also meant it would stick out more, he would stick out more than he already did, being a complete stranger with memory loss and a naivety to how the world around them worked. Constantly, the same question was posed in her head, how was this going to turn out? She didn't know but it was one step at a time. And she was determined to teach him everything if she had to, which she did. His inquiry had her pause for a moment. "Why?" She repeated, blinking her eyes twice and slowly. Though, he wouldn't be able to see it because she sat directly behind him. Of course, he would be curious about that. While it was totally obvious to her, it was a mystery to him. Nova sighed and combed her fingers through his hair as if searching for any more suds or first to wash out. In reality, his hair was soft and silky feeling, and she liked that.

"Black hair?" Nova blurted, "absolutely not. Your hair is fine, perfect even." It was tremendously finer and softer than her own or anyone else's she ever had the opportunity to touch. "It's just, it is only weird here, in Willow. In this village." She wasn't sure about any other villages or small towns. Nova never traveled anywhere else besides the forest, which most of the villagers were too afraid to venture into just because of some story about a legendary battle fought there. They treated it like sacred, or maybe even cursed grounds. And then there was the city. Nova hated the city and she hated going there even when she had to. In some ways, it was better than the village and in a lot of ways worst. It may have been her opinion, but it was a solid one. "Actually, I think your hair would be considered average in the city. They have a lot of different kinds of … people. I have to admit, I've never seen anyone with silver hair there, but who knows, maybe-" Nova cut herself off, pausing as a possibility dawned on her. "Maybe you're from the city."

The woman hopped off her seat on the bucket and instead sat on the floor at the side of the tub and by association, Zekiel. Facing him she added, "it is a total possibility, we could there sometime after you're all healed, whenever you want. Perhaps it'll jog your memory or you'll bump into someone you know." Nova hated the city, but she was willing to go for his sake. Though, she was afraid of more than the fact she feared she'd be discovered as a magic user. There were several elements she hated about the place. And honestly, she was a little terrified that if he was from the city, she would lose contact with him. Someone who had magic and didn't use it for their queen. "It is worth a try, at least."

 

[CrystalTears]

Zekiel Blaize

Bow to the King,

the martyr,

the sinner.

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About two weeks later, Zekiel's injuries were almost gone. Doctor Godfrey had commented upon his recovery rate a few times, murmured something over a cup of coffee and sent him a few judging glances, though Zekiel had ignored most of them. The first couple of days, the doctor and Nova had insisted for him to stay in bed, but after that, Zekiel had been out and about on his own. Nova had taught him a few things about Weeping Willow. How they were skeptical to strangers, how they lived in poverty, but also how tightly knit. Perhaps it was the lack of riches that allowed for the entire village to seem like one big family. Nova knew everyone, or so it felt to Zekiel, and he had slowly warmed up to the kids. The adults were a lot harder to approach, but he had managed to play a little bit with the kids, even if he had been standing in the background staring for the first times until Nova told him to stop acting like a statue. The kids had enjoyed climbing Zekiel as if he was some sort mountain, though the taller hadn't minded at all, and made sure to keep himself as steady as possible, so none of them fell and ended up hurting themselves.

There were a few other things he had learned too. That magic, in any way, shape or form, that was not used for the sole purpose of serving Queen Solai, was forbidden. That was why Nova kept pressing for him to never use his powers in front of anyone. What he came to understand, was that Queen Solai was a very strict Queen. There had once been a rebellion against her, but she was victorious in the end. The war began due to her forbidding all magic that wasn't used in her name, those who refused to listen ended up being imprisoned, never-seen again and possibly executed. In short, it didn't sound good. Zekiel didn't understand why she did it, and Nova had no reply to his question, but it felt weird talking about the Queen. It was as if he knew her to some level, which would make sense because she was his Queen too, but it felt different. It felt closer, but Zekiel couldn't set his finger on it, and the male didn't dare tell Nova about it. Perhaps he was a runaway magic user from the Queen, maybe that was how he ended up in his state, they may have left him there thinking they had killed him.

Doctor Godfrey had offered him some part-time job in the clinic, which he was basically living at, in exchange for a discount on the medical expenses. The doctor also had, very kindly, given him new clothes and Zekiel had kept Nova's hat on at most times to avoid attention being drawn to his hair color. Nova had also suggested for them to go to the city, as it brought more people, chances were that someone would know Zekiel. In all honesty, Zekiel couldn't remember ever being in the big city, but even the past two weeks he had spent in Weeping Willow, he hadn't recalled anything else. It was only his name. A few nights he had dreams, but none he could remember when he woke up.

Was it the right thing to pursue his memories? Zekiel sighed as he finished cleaning up the clinic and then walked outside to greet the kids with a smile. He was no longer scared to play with them, he had gotten over his fright of hurting them or being a danger to them, after playing a few times. "Okay, kids!" Zekiel said as he held out his arms, ready to become their playground once again. "Be careful though! And take turns!" He said before the kids were allowed to start climbing him like a tree.

 

[MaryGold]

Nova Jade

I'm not a hero,

I'm a warrior,

a survivor.

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Initially, the villagers were obviously wary of Zekiel and he was of then. It was to be expected, he was a stranger and he was surrounded by strangers. They had one thing in common though. Both sides trusted Nova and and when Dr. Godfrey all but took him in, they're suspicions and concerns steadily dropped. They were still there, as to be expected. But the time that passed with watching him play with their children couldn't help but make them warm to him if only a little. Nova was grateful for it, the children and Dr. Godfrey made her feel more comfortable with leaving him. Even if she did not live with him, Nova still felt responsible for him, proective, in all honesty. She was sometimes teased about being his guardian by the children, to which she laughed in response. Nova didn't deem herself to be the best guardian because even with a new magic user in town, she, unfortunately, still had plenty of work of her own to do. Most of that work included venturing out into the forest for long hours of the day. She made a living off of the woods not far off from the village. Harvesting, hunting, fishing, it WS not just her livelihood but their entire villages.

Usually, Nova liked to stay out surrounded by the green nature for as long as possible. It was the only place she felt able to speak her own thoughts and practice her magic. It was her safehaven, one that she frequented every chance that she could. The loneliness of it never bothered … That was before she discovered another magic user. Now, she couldn't wait to run home everyday and visit the clinic. There many times she wanted to take Zekiel out to the woods to practice their abilities, but the opportunity never presented itself. The opportunity to make a trip to the big city finally did. She had been looking for the time to enter the city since the day she had mentioned going. Though, she wasn't too excited by the idea, she wanted to help Zekiel the best she could.

They were bound to stick out some, all least she would. Nova obviously did not belong to any city, but because it was a urban life, they would be fine in not being pestered so much. Still, she prepared herself for the trip which also meant for the day had been short and trying to make herself look presentable or formal or just middle-class person instead of lower class scum. That meant scrubbing every inch of dirt off her body and dressing her nicest clothes possible. Luckily, those clothing were still very easy to move in, just how she liked all of attire to be. Once she put the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she headed to the clinic with her Hami following in tow.

As soon as the shiba inu saw the children climbing on top of their favorite new playground, he too decided to join in on the fun. Hami swiftly sprinted ahead and leaped onto Zekiel, knocking him and the children over in one charge. While the children giggled, very used to playing with the dog and his excitable nature, Hami made sure to give them all a kiss. "Oh, gross, Hami. Off." Nova demanded her pet, pointing to another spot for him to sit in. The dog whimpered, but obeyed nonetheless. She rolled her eyes only a moment before he was pampered by the very kids he knocked over. It was the same routine."Here," she bent over and offered Zekiel her hand to help onto his feet. "I came to see you. I sent a message to a friend living in the city about a week ago. She's going to help us out, in fact she also sent a ride." The walk would have taken too long for her liking. "We can go to the city today."

"The city?" One of the younger girls, who Nova knew to be Claudia, whined. "Is Zekiel leaving?"

"No!" They all whined simultaneously, grabbing on to Zekiel.

"He's ours now!" Claudia went on whining. "You can't take him away!"

"He doesn't belong to any of you." Nova placed her hands on either side of her hips. "And we're going."

"Nooo!"

"Yes!"

 

[CrystalTears]

Zekiel Blaize

Bow to the King,

the martyr,

the sinner.

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If Zekiel had been paying more attention, he usually would have braced himself for the Shiba Inu to pounce on his back; unfortunately, the playful puppy came from behind and threw its entire body at the taller male. "Woah! Hami--!" Zekiel barely managed to say before cushioning the kids' falls by becoming their landing pad with an "oof" escaping from him. "Morning Hami," he chuckled and patted the dog on its head, turning his own as the puppy licked his cheeks before Nova appeared with the stern order of getting off him and the kids. The dog obediently did as told, even whimpering, though it didn't take more than half-a-second for the dog's tail to start wagging again as the kids gave it some attention. "Morning Nova," Zekiel greeted the girl and reached out to take her hand in his own.

He had gotten to know Nova very well, and her village. It was a beautiful place, despite looking so rundown with the first glance. Everyone knew everyone, and because they had so little, they shared. Of course, not everyone got along with one another, but it didn't seem to stop the small society from working. They hadn't been too welcoming, parents hiding their kids from him and others glaring him down when he was doing small tasks for the doctor to pay back his medical debt. However, they had warmed up a bit. Far from friends, but they had stopped glaring, and the kids were allowed to play with him now. He was sure it was thanks to Nova, who had checked up on him every single day, something which he was grateful for. No more memories had returned, to his disappointment, though he was happy he managed to remember the new ones he was creating.

"Thanks," Zekiel smiled as he stood up with Nova's assistance and began brushing off some of the dirt from the clothes the doctor had provided him. They were far from luxurious, but they fit him. They were a bit dirty and even had a few holes, the sleeves got torn due to it being the only clothes he had, and he always wore them. "Oh, we're leaving today?" Zekiel asked as he looked at Nova. Now that he got a better look, Nova did seem to have prettied herself up today. She looked very clean, not that she was dirty, but her job required for her to go into the forest and scavenge a lot, and her clothes were different from her usual ones. They were nice; she looked beautiful.

Zekiel patted down his hat, a thing he had worn the entire time because his hair stood out before Claudia clung to his side. She was a sweet girl, one of the first that had approached him, so he had gotten to know her somewhat well. The rest of the kids followed suit, clinging to him and claiming him as their own. In all honesty, Zekiel was hoping he could return. He too didn't want to leave. A hand came to rest on top of some of the kids' heads, ruffling their hair before moving on to the next. "Come on guys. . . I gotta go! I'll be back before you know it," Zekiel insisted as he gave them all a smile. "I won't be gone for long, I promise!" He added, in the hopes that they would let him go without any more complaints.

 

[MaryGold]

Nova Jade

I'm not a hero,

I'm a warrior,

a survivor.

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"I won't be gone for long, I promise!"

Nova hoped that promise to be true, not just for now but later too. The children may have grown attached to him, but so had she, maybe even more. He was the only other magic user she knew who didn't work for the queen. In truth, she wanted Zekiel to stay just as much as the children who clung to him, but a promise was a promise and she had no intentions of breaking it or holding him back. If there was a possibility that he did come from the city, then they had to take the lead in hopes of getting any of his memories back and hopefully his life. She only hoped in remembering his past, he wouldn't forget about his present with Nova or any of the others. It would be painful to go back to the same lonely state of keeping a heavy secret to herself and wandering the woods for hours alone with nothing hopeful to go back to. Zekiel's innocence was as refreshing and cute as any of the children's, if not more.

His words of reassurance did more than anything Nova said or could have said. She watched the kids around him pout and whine but release him him all the same. Her stare off with Claudia was over the moment the girl looked away from her and to Zekiel. "A promise is a promise, keep your word." she huffed and proceeded to glare at Nova, as if she was the one who'd get in trouble if it was broken. By the look on her face, Nova would most likely be the only one punished. Wasn't only half a month ago they were all clambering over her, anticipating her visits and seeing her as someone who was cool. How quickly the tides changed, had they no sense of loyalty? Or maybe they did, but it was clear to see some of them, obviously including Claudia like Zekiel over herself.

"I'll bring him back," Nova rolled her eyes but assured them still. "Can you guys watch Hami while we're gone. If you did, I'll bring you back gifts." She promised pointing a finger at them all and couldn't help but smile at their cheers. That had clearly set them in a better mood, though she knew they would have taken care of the gregarious dog without any sort of reward as they did so many times before. They enjoyed the canine's company, but Nova also enjoyed giving the little prices of happiness, the simplest things that had been robbed from them because of an oppressing sovereign. "Be good," was her last instructions to them all as she pet her dog's head and inched away to grab Zekiel's hand. "We'll be back before you know it." She waved the children goodbye and led them to the waiting carriage. It was more state-of-the-art than her friend, Aeryn, to be able to send. Then again, it was just as strange that a humble barmaid could afford to send a rid in the first place. Something had changed, Nova simply didn't know what.

"Gentlemen first," Nova said after greeting the chauffeur and opening the door. She used a simple hand gesture to direct him inside and climbed after him. "Are you excited or nervous or both?" The question was easy enough, but the answer was what mattered more. If there was thing Nova was feeling, it was nervousness. Entering the city that was crawling with sorcerers always left her nervous. It was unfamiliar territory too, she feared more than once she'd be caught and it would be just as bad if Zekiel was too. Naturally, she had zero intentions of allowing that to happen. "I do hope we find something on you, or something familiar to you." It would be a busted trip if they didn't.

 

[CrystalTears]

Zekiel Blaize

Bow to the King,

the martyr,

the sinner.

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Zekiel was happy to see that his promise made the kids let go of him. He wouldn't have had the heart to tear himself out of their tiny hands, though their pouts and whines didn't help ease the tight feeling in his chest. "Yes, ma'am," Zekiel chuckles as Claudia lectured him about the meaning behind a promise. He had no intentions of breaking it, he really did want to come back to the Weeping Willow. Zekiel may have lost his memories, and in the beginning, he felt very uncomfortable in the small village. It was nothing against Nova's hometown, but it was just how they acted. They knew he was an outsider and treated him such, not that Zekiel could blame them, but it didn't help when Zekiel knew as much about himself as them. However, as they had warmed up to him and the mysteries that surrounded him, Zekiel also began feeling more at home. Nova was a great help for that too, which was why the small quaint village had become his new home. Even if he did find someone who knew him in the big city, Zekiel still wanted to come back.

Their whines were exchanged with cheers as Nova asked them to watch over Hami, her pet dog, with the added deal of some gifts from the city the kids never had, and probably would never, visit. It was perhaps for the better. Zekiel had his fair share of prejudice when he first arrived, and he was sure it would be at least ten times worse in the city. "Goodbye, kids!" Zekiel waved before Nova grabbed his hand and began leading him towards their transportation to the city. He had hoped some memories would have sparked up, like when Nova asked about what he wanted to be called, and Zekiel remembered his name, but he doubted something like that would happen again. A quick bow was given to their driver before Nova allowed him to step into it first, making him chuckle, though he didn't insist Nova to get in first and instead took the inner seat.

"I'm pretty nervous. . ." Zekiel admits as Nova sat down next to him. "I am worried I won't remember anything, or if no one recognizes me. It would make me feel bad if you're going through all of this for me to not remember anything at all," he sighed before the chauffeur started their long journey to the city. "I hope we find something too. . . But I'll apologize in advance if we don't. Thanks for doing so much for me Nova, I still don't know what would have happened to me if you didn't find me," Zekiel smiled to her before taking the time to catch a bit more sleep.

It took about a day to get there, which was insufferable long for Zekiel to sit still, though having an escort to get there had made the travel time significantly shorter than what it would have been on foot. Zekiel had a thought at the back of his head that there was a third option to travel, but he had never figured out what it was.

Stormdale, the city, was much more significant than Zekiel had thought. It made Weeping Willow look like a speck of dust in comparison, or maybe just dirt when he took the entire place in. None of the buildings had holes in them, and they all looked brand new. They were some taller and some smaller, but all well-lit and decorated as well, especially the shops that seemed to litter the streets. Merchants were yelling about their sales while a few entertainers were juggling, singing or dancing around, hoping for their fair share of the coins being traded. Sweet scents were lingering in the air, both of food and baked goods, and he spotted a toy store which he thought would be excellent for getting the kids something when he returned. Even if he felt a bit overwhelmed by it all, it was evident that no gears were grinding in his head.

It felt as if he had just arrived in a city he had never been too, which in some aspects was true, but he might have been here without remembering it. Zekiel found the second-guessing of all locations he saw as if he had been there or not. So far, his brain wasn't doing him any favors either.

"Nova!" Zekiel called out as he grabbed her hand and began pulling her to one of the stands that were selling sweets. "This smells so good! What is it?" He asked with admiration sparkling in his eyes. Since his brain wasn't planning on remembering anything, or if it even could, Zekiel decided to throw his worries to the wind and at least have fun and create memories he wouldn't forget.

 

[MaryGold]

Nova Jade

I'm not a hero,

I'm a warrior,

a survivor.

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Nova had only reached her balled fist towards the open sky when she heard Zekiel call her name out. She hadn't even a second to do anything else before he grabbed her hand and led her away to whatever had caught his attention. After getting over the small shock, her gaze switched over to the foods on the stands and couldn't help but smile at the sight and the all too mouth-watering aromas coming from them. The scent of cinnamon helped to awaken her fully and open her senses. "I can't put a name to them all, but this .." She pointed to the swirled bread she had breathed in the scent of. It made her nostalgic. "Is cinnamon buns. My mother used to make them all the time." She said almost proudly, reminiscing fondly of the times when her family ran the village bakery. They were more well off than most in the village, probably just as much as the clinic or whatever other businesses still ran in the town. Yet, those were the day where her worries were simple things like begging her parents to let her keep a puppy or fighting over toys with other kids and being grounded for being out too late. Those were the days before her she became aware of the growing magic inside her, making money to support herself and taking care of her current orphan family. They were the "good days", as good as days could be in their poor village.

"Here," Nova reached in her back pocket and took out her money purse to open the flaps and pull out two coins. "Why don't we have them, we haven't had anything to yet and I think we deserve a treat." She smiled softly and handed off two to coins to the vendor. She handed one of the iced cinnamon buns on a napkin to Zekiel before biting into her own. "Our destination is a tavern, but we have plenty of time on our hands, so let's walk around." She gestured to the streets. They could stretch their legs that way after that long ride. Nova swore that she was going to die of boredom if they hadn't arrived when they did. She wasn't used to riding anything more than she was walking and exploring her surroundings. It also made her feel vulnerable to be without her usual companion, but having Zekiel at her side made her feel more at ease. "Do you think you've ever been here before?" Nova questioned, glancing up at the taller male at her side. She hoped that something in the city would help him remember something like how the baked sweets reminded her of her deceased mother. There had to be something that would stir a memory in him, right?

Her gaze scanned the streets and instantly, she looked away when seeing a royal mage, one of queen Solai's many pawns. It was obvious when she saw the green symbol on his neck that he was. However, he was too busy talking among others, Nova and Zekiel were far from his mind. She couldn't help but be conscious, always afraid of being caught one day. It was wonderful how she even lived this long without being caught or joining the queen.

 

[CrystalTears]

Zekiel Blaize

Bow to the King,

the martyr,

the sinner.

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There were a lot of baked goods that Zekiel had never seen before. Bread was the only thing that he recognized, and not even that, looked entirely like the bread that he had back in Weeping Willow. Of course, he might have had all of these and just didn't remember. His gaze moved over to what Nova pointed out, it looked delicious. It was baked to be like a swirling circle, topped with sugar and something else. They had yet to eat, and Zekiel's mouth watered a bit at the sight of it. "Cinnamon bun?" Zekiel parroted when the delicious treat was named. "You can make these?!" his eyes tore itself off the cinnamon buns and looked over at Nova in admiration. If she knew how to bake them, then that would indicate they could have them more often. Zekiel wasn't too sure of his own baking capabilities, but he was more than willing to learn. It was all he was doing recently learning.

"Huh? Oh, but I can pay--" before Zekiel had a chance to offer to pay for his own treat, Nova had already bought two and handed him his. He had earned his own money while working for the grumpy doctor. Thankfully, the doctor hadn't asked him a lot of questions of who he was or why they were going to the city. Yes, Nova had already explained his amnesia, but that still didn't solve the mystery of where he was found. An ashen wasteland, with no living being or creature except himself and Nova. Despite that, he had been found injured and then told that magic was forbidden unless used in the service of Queen Solai. How come her name was so familiar? It wasn't familiar as if he had just heard it before, it was familiar to a different extent. As if he could call her by her name only, but it made no sense as to why. She was an unjustly Queen, and since Zekiel possessed magic, she must have been his enemy. Did she try to kill him? Was she the reason he was buried there?

"Hm? Ah yeah," Zekiel said as he tore himself away from the sweets before following Nova. The crucial question of him recognizing anything fell upon him, and Zekiel's eyes wandered about. There were tall buildings, well-built and much sturdier than Weeping Willow's best homes. It felt lively, kids were running and laughing in the streets with parents trying their best to keep up. Vendors from left and right were shouting and ringing bells about sales and their wares, the highest quality and so on. Did it ring any inner bells though? No. It was annoying, Zekiel was trying his best to think of something, anything that would make his gears grind, but came up empty. The whole reasoning why they went was to try and recover his memories, it didn't help if he couldn't think of anything.

"I don't remember-" Zekiel didn't get to finish his sentence as the splitting headache returned. His free hand traveled up to his head, mindful of the hat he was still wearing, before groaning in pain.

It felt hot, but he was far from bothered by it. There was blood on the brimstone, dark and dried, but most of it looked fresh. Flames were swallowing up several buildings. The streets were littered with charcoaled corpses, a horrendous smell thick in the air along with the smoke. There were still screams in the air, begging for someone to save them or to help them, but no one was there. What was the most striking, was how the flames weren't red. They were a bright green, swallowing up everything in the city.

There were several guards around him. They all had this symbol, something dark on their necks. He couldn't make it out, but he could see they all matched. In front of them stood a woman, he could only tell due to her long dress, her face once again obscured by some sort of cloak of darkness that his mind provided. However, it wasn't enough to hide the wicked apathetic smile on her face.

"Good job, Blaize."

Zekiel opened his eyes, realizing he had closed them, before looking around. A small crowd had gathered around them, but he didn't mind them. The more important matter was how they were all alive. Was it this city? Was it a different place? Why did he remember something like that? Eyes darted around until they landed on Nova, unsteady breathing evening itself out before glancing around again. It felt so real, everything he saw, it had to be a memory, right? What was he doing there? Was it his home? And who was she? "N- Nova. . . I'm sorry I--" Yet another sentence stopped as he saw the guards and the mage a bit ahead. This time, he could make it out, the mark on their neck was a dark green crown. It was the same, the same as he saw in his vision.

He had fallen to his knees at some point, and shakily, he managed to stand up. Zekiel grabbed Nova's hand with his free one and then began pulling her away from both the crowd and the men with the marks. "L- Let's go!" He said, trying to sound cheery, but it was hard with the way both his hand and voice was shivering. His head was still throbbing with pain, but he wanted to get Nova away from them. The death head seen in his "memory" was something he didn't want Nova to experience.

 

[MaryGold]

Nova Jade

I'm not a hero,

I'm a warrior,

a survivor.

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"You can pay next time," Nova laughed merrily, still feeling rather proud, maybe a little smug too, and happy by Zekiel's own admiration for her. Especially since the reason was as simple as being able to make a treat as simple as Cinnamon Buns. Still, it made him happy and in return it also made her too. Her features brightened up when she did laugh. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes smiled when she did, something she wasn't too fond of. But it was a vast improvement from her her usual aloof face that she held. Zekiel seemed to invoke positive reactions from her along with warm feelings. She was certain, she could gain a lot more admiration from him by showing off her other skills some time later as well. He was guileless. That innocence of his was both endearing and easy to take advantage of, she would be sure to watch out for him until the very end.

Yet, with all that in mind, it was going to make it even more painful to see him go when he found his home and regained his memories. It had only been two weeks since he'd come to their village and already she couldn't imagine him not in it. She would have to go back to her lonely somber days, still hiding the fact that she had magic within her and hadn't submitted herself to their sovereign. And with that in mind, it made Nova wonder how Zekiel had lived so long with magic of his own but was not under Queen Solai's will. Had he too been hiding since forever? It was clearly a possibility considering she had been doing it for years, but something was out of place and naturally it would be with his memories missing.

Sighing softly, Nova looked over at Zekiel when he suddenly stopped short, just in time to see him grip his head. Her brows shot up before forming a frown and asking, "are you okay?" Apparently, he couldn't hear her over the migraine he was having. When he dropped to his knees, she immediately crouched down in front of him, grabbing his shoulder gently and calling his name. "Zekiel? Zekiel, can't you hear me?" It was evident hie did not, her worry only increased when his breathing labored and they began to be surrounded by curious and prying strangers. Instinctively, Nova place herself securely in front of him, putting her arms around his head and blocking his face from the whispering crowd. "Zekiel?" She whispered, not knowing what else to do. She was so usually observant and conscious about her surroundings, but her only focus was on the male in pain. Worry had taken over her senses, she didn't even see the guards and mage approaching them until Zekiel suddenly snapped out of it and led them away from the crowd.

"Are you okay? What happened?" It dawned Nova the situation was slightly similar to the moment when he remembered his name, though more extreme. "Did you remember something?" She asked, very hopeful.

 

[CrystalTears]

Zekiel Blaize

Bow to the King,

the martyr,

the sinner.

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Zekiel didn't stop pulling Nova away from the crowd before he felt they were at a safe distance. The men with the marks on their neck, while he couldn't see it clearly in his head, he could see it clearly now. It had to be the same mark because it was in the same spot. What he saw, did they do that? Had they destroyed the city? But what about the flames? They were green, he couldn't forget how green they were. However, there was another thing bothering him. Why did he not feel scared? Why was he just standing there, and that woman's voice. . . was it thanking him or someone else? Who was Blaize? There were a lot of holes in his memories, many more questions than there were answers, and it made the quest for his lost memories seem worse and worse with every passing second. Could that city have been his home? But then again, he really didn't feel anything, despite seeing that many burned corpses, presumably, burned alive.

He took a glance around, eyes still shifting nervously everywhere to make sure they were out of view from anyone before he looked at his palm. A red, but small, flame began licking the tips of his fingers, brightening up the little alleyway that Zekiel had pulled them into. They were red, his flames were red. Did that mean there was someone else there? Someone else who also possessed the ability to manipulate fire, but the color of their flame was different? If there was such a person, did they hold the answer to who Zekiel was?

"H- Huh?" Zekiel asked as he hurridly clenched his fist to hide the fire. "Y- Yeah, yeah I did--but. . . " Again, the bewildered man had to look around to see that the town was indeed standing and not burning down to the ground. There was still mutters and chatters in the air from the crowd in the distance, he could hear bells from merchants wanting to attract attention and even some rats skittering in the alleyways they were hiding in. Yes, this city was very much alive. "I- It was so much Nova. . ." Zekiel said, unsure how to explain what he had seen. "T- The town-- A- and the people they--! They were all dead. . ." Zekiel took a brief pause to catch his breath and attempt to recollect his thoughts. His hands were still shivering, it felt so real. . . It had to be a memory, but was it from his home? Or perhaps it was a memory of him traveling? It left so many gaps, so much he still didn't know. It was a puzzle piece, but he didn't even know what the whole puzzle was meant to look like.

"They were there," Zekiel pointed out. "T- The ones with the mark, they were in my memory. T- They had just taken out a city. It was drowning in a sea of green flames. . . T- They work for her, don't they? The marked people? They killed so many people. . . I don't know if it was my home. . . Or if I was just traveling, but there was so much death. . ."