Family Reunion (Zelos/A.B.A/Everto)

[Everto Ferox]

"...Finally." Everto growled, staring from his position on the hill that oversaw the plains. He was sent upon scout duty along with A.B.A to find Mark Fri's daughter and alert them if they saw him. "Lord Kain was right, they were coming this way after all..."

[A.B.A.]

A.B.A.'s eyes scanned the distance, spotting the distant Heroes and their target. "They aren't exactly the most subtle group, are they Everto?" She looked over each one, wondering how strong they were. Surely they must have been some of the more powerful of the Heroes if they'd received the task. "What should we do? Do you think we should try and make off with the girl?" A.B.A. fondled the key in her forehead, looking eagerly over their targets. Despite the poor odds, she almost hoped he'd say yes.

[Everto Ferox]

"No. We have strict orders to alert Lord Kain but not attack them." Everto said with strong disdain. "He made it clear he wanted to deal with them himself."

[A.B.A.]

A.B.A. scowled down at the Heroes. "Well I suppose we'd best not waste time then." She slipped lower behind the hill, ducking completely behind cover before getting to her feet. "As long as they didn't see us, they probably won't be straying too far from her home." She looked over the lush fields that were laid out before them, pondering for a moment.

"Everto, do you believe this world needs to die?" She turned to him, a puzzled expression on her face.

[Everto Ferox]

Everto made an odd grunt, the knight looked strangely philosophical as he spoke, "The world dies and then starts anew, it is an inevitable circle of existence. So yes, I believe this world needs to die in order for more beings to live. But tell me, do you mean to ask it in a whole...or did you mean to ask if we Saints will kill this world?"

[A.B.A.]

"This cycle... surely it's happened at least once since we were sealed away? The people, the rulers; time has changed everything except us. Do we gain anything from forcing destruction on these people?" A.B.A. looked to Everto somberly as she spoke.

Realizing almost immediately how her words sounded her body tucked close to Paracelsus, almost fearful of Everto's response. "I... I do not mean to question Kain. I only ponder his reason."

[Everto Ferox]

"I will not pretend to know Kain's intentions," Everto said, although the words were certainly a half-lie. "It seems you and Roxa Sairen ponder the same things. I-"

He stopped, his eyes looked around through the slits in his armor.

"This...this aura, where did it come from..." the knight pondered, reaching his for his weapon when he realized it was gone from it's sheath. "What?!"

[Zelos Shinigami-Mezmillion]

"I believe you are looking for this?"

The voice of Zelos came from behind them, Everto's sword trapped in the ground behind the Sumata of Death. His narrowed eyes staring intently into his enemy's eyes. Then his gaze turned and softened to A.B.A's.

"You...are you...A.B.A?"

[A.B.A.]

A.B.A. turned to face the newcomer, Paracelsus already in the form of a short sword and shield. Her foot stepped into what would have been a full out dash at him when it hit heavy, her other foot unable to move. His face, his hair, his regal clothing. It was familiar, and suddenly she realized who stood before her.

"King Zelos. I, were it not for the few pictures I'd see of you..." Her weapons hung low at her side as she stared at him, her sentence left hanging in the air. "I have a few questions for you, but I should ask you return my ally's blade first. I do not wish violence on you." Not yet at least. Not till I know what happened so long ago.

[Zelos Shinigami-Mezmillion]

Zelos stared at Everto and his blade before slowly stepping to the side. Laying the blade on the ground, but not returning it as well. "Forgive me, this man nearly singlehandly destroyed my castle and slaughtered my guardsmen. I am a little...hesitant of returning his killing tool."

He eyed Everto as a shine of bloodlust seemed to appear in the knight's eyes, continuing to look at A.B.A. "It seems we both have questions for each other...however I believe yours have waited longer than mine."

[A.B.A.]

"Yes, I suppose they have." She starred down at the ground, using it like a blank slate for her to sort her mind out. "What happened to King Arcturius, and how did you come to be in power? By the time I had left he could not have sired an heir." Her eyes glanced to Everto briefly, catching only a moment of his intensity towards Zelos. Perhaps it's best if his weapon stays there for now.

[Zelos Shinigami-Mezmillion]

"...The man you speak of, Arcturius Mezmillion...was my father." he spoke sadly, " I am Zelos Shinigami-Mezmillion. His son, his last miracle before his powers left him...and passed onto me. This was over 650 years ago."

[A.B.A.]

A.B.A. stood stunned by the revelation. Her arms dropped lifelessly to her side, unable to speak upon hearing Zelos' words. That can't be... I was his last hope. He couldn't have given up on me. The last phrase cycled over and over in her head, the thought of what if he had lingering on the fringes.

At last she began to mutter, "No, it's not true. It's can't be." She pointed her weapon out towards Zelos, a look of restrained bitterness directed right at him. "You're lying! If he had lived so long, he would have tried to find me! Admit it!" She cried out against the King of Death.

[Zelos Shinigami-Mezmillion]

Zelos stared at her as a father who calmly listened to his child yell and scream at him, he spoke as calm as he could.

"I do not know...possibly. Perhaps. I did not know my father well, 50 years may as well be 5 days. His servants groomed and cared for me, and my father gave me lessons...however I did not know him enough to say if he searched for you or not..."

Zelos did not know his father yes, whether he searched for her or not was the past. But now, what was in front of him mattered more than his father's actions.

[A.B.A.]

It's not fair. A.B.A. thought to herself. If Zelos' words were honest, then he'd became ruler simply by existing. She thought back to the few memories that had remained through the long sleep. The days of training countless hours. The time spent learning every nuance of royal manners. The time serving in the Saints army. It had all been to show she was ready, so her father could take his eternal rest in the comfort that his kingdom would be cared for.

It didn't matter right now, truth or lie she hated him all the same. She glared at him, her weapons once again ready to strike with. "Let's say I believe you, which I don't though. So what? I'm related to you, what would that even mean? If you expect some sort of brother-sister bonding you're in for a big letdown."