Zero No Tsukaima Fan Fiction ❯ Zero No Tsukaima Darkness Rising ❯ Split Decision ( Chapter 17 )

Split Decision

 

 

Seth turns back around and looks down at Saito who is cradling Louise or Allison, it seems that a lot has happened since he had been gone. Saito looks up at him, his eyes are filled with a kind of rage that can't truly be understood. Seth knows that he almost killed her and very nearly killed him as well. Seth puts his left hand into his pocket and his right hand on the hilt of his sword.

Rain rests her forehead against his back and brings his hands up resting against his chest, “I've missed you so much.”

Seth finally relaxes and spins around and wraps his arms around his wife and whispers into her ear, “I love you too.” He rests his head on the top of her head.

Saito lifts Louise into a piggy back position, “What are we going to do now?”

Seth lets go of Rain and looks at everyone in the group. The feeling of having an entire group of people waiting for you to make a decision seems a lot harder than before, “I guess we need to find a village, try and find some supplies, then we need to get this army take care of. Zion can you see if you can help out Louise. I think what ever they did to her should be easy enough to take care of with your power.”

Zion steps past Seth and is now within reaching distance to Saito who is still holding Louise, his eyes conveying his passion to protect her, “Don't worry friend.”

Saito closes his eyes and slowly lowers his love back to the ground. Zion grabs a stick and draws a circle around Louise and draws a few more littler symbols inside the circle. He closes his eyes and claps his hands together and the circle glows a light blue and wind begins to spin around the outside of the circle. Zion opens his eyes and his rune becomes visible inside his eye. The circle begins to shot small lightning bolts from random places. Zion stretches his arms out to either side and speaks in a whispers and Louise's body begins to lift from the ground.

The spectacle ends almost seemingly too soon considering what was happening. Zion turns and nods to Saito and he walks over to her and picks her back up.

“Is she okay?” Saito looks from his sleeping love to Zion his expression changing from lover to worry between people.

Zion scratches at the side of his head, “I did what I could do.”

Saito finds the answer to be not what he was looking for, “Well that is kinda obvious Zion, is she gonna be okay?”

Zion searches his vocabulary to find the right words but, “The damage wasn't direct magic” comes out and instantly he knows that isn't the right words. He crosses his arms and tries to think how to put it without making Saito get to emotional, especially towards him.

“Zion stop....” Seth puts a hand on Zion's shoulder and looks sternly at him, “It won't make a difference if you use soft words.”

Zion though not entirely sure that he likes the new Seth agrees with him, “The magic I used wasn't for just healing it was for.......scanning. Basically I use it as a way to find out how to undo certain kinds of injuries, you know, no point in healing the skin if the bone is broken.” Saito nods at the example, “When I used the magic I learned something a little troubling, she wasn't really physically abused and not really hurt through magical uses.”

“Zion I don't understand what you are saying, did she choose to join them?” Zion doesn't answer the question that to Saito seems obvious.

Once again Seth voices his opinion, “Just because she wasn't hurt through magic she could have been, persuaded. They probably used the facts and twisted them until they broke her. Once that would be done, it would be rather easy to make someone do things that are, out of character.” Seth turns back and looks at Rain like he is trying to tell her something.

Saito holds Louise tight to him, “I'm just glad to have her back.”

 

 

The group decide that it would be best if they just rested for the remaining hours of sunlight and start again tomorrow. Seth takes out his sword and cuts down a tree and proceeds to cutting it into pieces that can be burt or sat on. Rain lights one on fire and takes a seat next to Seth.

The rest of the group is all gone or already sleeping leaving Seth and Rain.

“Seth I'm sorry, I was trying so hard to figure out how to get Haimere back in the book, I'm sorry it took so long.”

“It's fine.”

“Fine?”

“Yeah....”

Seth seems to be detached from the conversation but Rain decided to continue to push it, “Are you angry?”

“No...”

His short answers remind Rain of a certain wind mage in the group but writes it off, “What was it like inside the book?” Seth takes in a deep breath and leans forward resting his arms across his legs, “I'm sorry, if you don't want to talk about it.”

“The words were on the inside.”

“Huh?”

“The inside of the book from this point would have nothing inside it, but where I was had a lot of words, stories, spells. I learned so many things, so many spells but I can only remember a few of them now, like my gauntlet spell and how to dispel time freezing spells.” Seth runs a hand through his much longer hair, “I also forgot a lot of things, about home. I don't remember my best friends name anymore, I don't remember my school name, I can't remember a lot of stuff that would normally seem pretty insignificant.”

“Did you forget anything about me?”

“No.....”

The question makes all the talking come to a screeching halt until Rain asks a question that she has to hear the answer to, “Do you still love me.”

“Rain, I'll never stop loving you.........what a stupid question.” Seth smiles at his own remark and Rain notices some of the changes to Seth besides the outer changes like his clothing and hair.

'He forgot things about his life before he came here, he forgot things that make him who he is, how sad'

“Rain, one more thing, don't worry about it.”

Don't worry about it. The last words Seth says before he slides down to the ground and closes his eyes. Rain walks over and snuggles into him until he wraps his arm around her shoulders bringing her ever closer to him.

'Don't worry about it, maybe he hasn't changed that much'

 

 

Saito is sitting under a tree with Louise lying in his lap as he runs his hand through her hair. She begins to stir and Saito stops. She doesn't get up but Saito can tell that she just woke up. Her breathing begins to increase. Saito moves he hand away from her head as she sits up. Saito just stays quiet as her should begin to tremble and she begins to cry.

“You idiot......You didn't come for me....You said you'd always protect me......You said you loved me...”

Saito can't reason with her because he has already lost, she is right. He didn't come for her he let himself be convinced that there were more important things. He couldn't fulfill his promise he didn't protect her. The only one of the things she said that he could fight against was that he does love her and he hasn't stopped thinking about her since they were separated.

A hand strikes him across the face and is quickly followed but the other, “I knew it!” She brings her hand back again to strike him but this time he catches her by the wrist. She begins to try and wrench her hand free, “LET GO!!!” Saito looks at her his face already turning red from the slaps and his eyes filled with sadness. She continues to struggle and stands up. Saito lets go of her wrist as she kicks him in the side. The kick makes him double over in pain as he was hurt. Louise didn't notice before but his blue coat is torn to shreds revealing wounds all over Saito's body. As she looks she notices his shoulder is still bleeding. Louise kneels down next to the physically and morally beaten Saito and tears a piece of the black cloak she is wearing and puts it on Saito's should to soak up the blood.

“I'm sorry, I tried so hard, I fail you, I'm sorry.”