Grazing The Sky

"There's preparations we need to make." Arzo's smooth voice rang out between them.

"Preparations for what?"

A grin spread across Arzo's lips.

"A well-deserved end."

Zidane only heard Zooka's gasp before turning around. His sight blurred, the side of his face hitting the earth, his body pressed flat against the grass.

He didn't even hear them sneak up—he didn't even feel their energy.

His eyes snapped wide, hearing the sound of a sword unsheathe.

Shit.

Zidane struggled harder, trying to breathe right against the grass. But he couldn't get enough oxygen in his lungs...

When he got enough, he had two options...

"Every time I see a human..."

Teleport.

"I'm reminded of the plague infesting this world."

Or fling the sword from Arzo's hand.

Option two could misfire, resulting in hurting Zooka. Possibly decapitating her, if the angle and pressure was off. This was likely, given the fact Zidane couldn't see either of them right now.

He heard Arzo take another step, and then Zooka's feet scampering back like a deer. Dammit.

"Would you like to be added to the body count?"

He sensed Zooka shake her head; he could even see the way her earrings flashed in the sunlight as they knocked against her neck. He needed to get to her...

"Please..." That voice... That angelic voice... He couldn't let it turn into a scream.

"That tongue," Arzo spat, vehemently growling the words. Zidane sensed his grip on the sword increase. "I'll rip it out!"

Zidane moved, forcing his face to the ground and biting into the earth. Just enough energy sparked into his body, and instantly the flames roared around his feet, his legs... The teleportation couldn't come fast enough.

The warmth swallowed him, and instantly it died down.

The burn from the slash came all at once. Igniting across his torso, tearing fabric and the skin beneath it. And then, a more concentrated pain.

The blade pierced through his jacket, then his shirt before sliding into his c.h.e.s.t. The skin and the muscles; the skin and the fabric on the other side. Completely embedded through him.

He heard Zooka stagger away. "Z-Zidane..."

Only darkness came to his eyes; he shut them a bit tighter, teeth gritted against the pain. He needed to keep her safe...

Resting his gloved hand on the blade, he gripped the sword, eyes opening to Arzo's. Zidane's lip was bleeding, having been bitten in the process of teleporting.

The sword inside him twisted. "So this is how you repay me," he said. "I try and do this world a favor, and I end up spilling tainted blood."

Zidane's mouth opened in a silent scream, a groan emitting from the back of his throat. The blade moved in deeper, and he heard Zooka scream for him.

"Stop it!" She was speaking to Arzo now. "Stop doing this!"

Arzo stepped forward, moving the sword along with him.

Zidane breathed in, holding the oxygen before releasing it again. He deserved this. All he was lacking was a little physical pain...

"You could teleport away from this," Arzo mused, head tilting to one side, "but you're not. So why, Zidane? Have you finally learned your place?"

No, Zidane replied silently. All those months of you slamming my face against the floor and beating me senseless made me feel limitless...

The lesson was learned; this was where he belonged. Suffering in silence under the hand of someone superior to him. It only made sense, this tradeoff. The weakest was always eaten by the strong.

And I'm the weakest thing imaginable.

The sight of the serum knocking against his fingertips came again. The drop of his very soul, the plummet of disappointment...

It only made sense...

With a deep hum, Arzo pulled the blade out. Zidane dropped to his knees, holding the wound in his c.h.e.s.t with one hand. Blood pooled into his palm, overflowing and spotting the earth below.

Angelic hands came to his shoulder. "You can heal, right?" That voice just hurt to hear... "I tried contacting Yittek, but he's not answering..."

Zidane pulled in a breath, letting it out with the intent of healing.

The wound kept stinging; the blood kept pouring.

What was happening?

He looked up, raising onto his knees. "What'd you do?" he asked Arzo. "What sword is that?"

Arzo twirled the blade, flinging blood in their direction. "In time," he said. "I hate giving away secrets..."

Zidane nearly wanted to talk back; say something that would hurt him. But that would just result in another—

The blade plunged into his c.h.e.s.t again, this time piercing a lung. The organ popped, blood rushing inside instantly.

"Our minds are still connected, Zidane," Arzo said, nearly singing the words. "So, do control your thoughts."

Blood dumped out of Zidane's mouth, landing in thick heaps on the ground below. He spit, wondering how in the hell this was happening.

It's like... It's like I'm fully Spiro...

Why couldn't it have been the opposite? Tears breached his eyes, and Zidane blinked them away. Shut them tight, imagining for a moment he was back inside Adelah's house, feeling her hand scrub the blood from his hair.

"I'll always be here for you."

Are you here now, Adelah? he asked. His body lunged forward against the blade, more blood pouring out. Where are you now?

Kazuo...

I'll be joining you, soon...

"ZIDANE!"

Zidane's eyes cracked open, and the blade pulled out again.

Yittek?

"I'll leave your human to stitch you up," Arzo said, stepping away. "We have work to discuss afterward."

Zooka's hands were on him, Yittek's voice ringing out in both of their heads.

"I'm not sure why, but I can't teleport to you. I can't bring you here, either."

"He's bleeding, Yittek," Zooka thought, and Zidane heard a buckle come undone. "I—I think I can stitch it up." He could tell by her thoughts that she was fumbling with the needle and thread, hands shaking violently.

Zidane breathed in, feeling fire in his c.h.e.s.t. F.u.c.k.

A small, tingling feeling came to the top of his mind. And then fire swarmed both him and Zooka.

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