Kazima Lament: Desert Castle pt1

Circa, 10 years after the war

Name: Zeff Kazima

Age: 23

Location: Shiro Sabaku no Kazima/ Kazima Desert Castle

                Five people enter the darkened room. Four of the five that entered were men the fifth was a female who was flanked on all four corners. Cold eyes watched from a throne and a dais on the opposite end of the room as the guests continued forward. Torches flickered light out casting shadows around the room.

                “Zeff Taka!” The eldest looking male spoke out from his spot on the right corner. He glared at the man on the throne. His gaze was equally met with disdain. Moments of silence went by before Zeff got up from the throne.

                “Kazima”

                “What?” The eldest and then the other three males clenched their fists. The female just tilted her head as she shifted the large scroll on her back moved with her.

 

                “Zeff Taka, no longer exists”

                “Why you insolent-“ The female in the center of the men held out her hand and the eldest male fell silent and the remaining males unclenched their fists.

                “Kazima, Zeff-sama” The males were all caught off guard as the female softly spoke. “I am Yukari Taka, from the Takane village.”

“Oh? Yukari? You’ve grown…” Zeff sat back down on the throne and watched from one eye.

Yukari slightly blushed then continued “ I have been sent here by Zenju-sama-“

“Old man Zenju? He is still among the living that’s amazing…” Zeff  continued on as the guests got angered again. “I had always heard he knew the secrets of youth, might have to talk to him about that one day.”

“Respect your elder you cur, we of the Takane village have yet to forget your atrocities it is only by the village elder; Zenju-sama, that you live!” The eldest male clenched his fists and  shook it in rage as he moved off the corner of his spot.

“Hataya-san…!” Yukari held out a hand to grab him but she missed as he walked forward.  Hataya was too enraged. Behind him four semi transparent walls appeared and then flickered and faded around the men and Yukari.

Zeff ignored the man whose fists shook and stared at Yukari.“A barrier? Now I am hurt Yukari-chan… here I was under the assumption you fine Taka’s were here as guests and under diplomatic reasons.

“Diplomatic!? Why would we want to be diplomatic with someone who insults our leader and who killed his own parents!” Hataya pointed at Zeff “You killed my Aunt and Uncle mercilessly, you don’t deserve the breath you take much less the honor of being my cousin!” Hataya spat at the ground. Zeff calmly stood back up.

“Atrocities? Insults? Hataya… you have forgotten much in your rage. You’ve forgotten the years of torment by you, your siblings and the rest of the village upon the ‘black sheep’ known as Zeff simply because he could not use water as an element. There were four footprints  among the ash,  two belonged to Zeff and two others that weren’t identified; even elder Zenju believes Zeff didn’t do anything!” Yukari clenched her fists not at the cold Kazima before her but at her fellow Taka.

Yukari…  Zeff slightly un-tensed.

“No Yukari, Zeff has you under some genjutsu; Zenju-sama would never say such things everyone in the village knows that Zeff killed his family…” Zeff tensed back up as Hataya jumped in front of her staring at Zeff on the dais as the three other Taka men moved to form a triangle around Yukari. “You’ll pay Zeff!” Hataya started to form hand seals.

“Not a chance…”  Zeff formed hand seals one handed.

He’s so fast… “Tch” Hataya  clenched his teeth.

“Kage Kono’o no Kyouki”  Shadow Blaze of Insanity, Shadows from the torches slithered out along the floor and caught Hataya and the other three Taka men. In their struggles the shadows  widened around them stilling their bodies before the flames followed along the shadows from the torches to cover their bodies.

Hataya and the men screamed in agony.

“Enough Zeff! Please stop it” Yukari looked at the men around her as they stood still and screamed from the searing pain in their heads. Yukari unable to see the horror that they saw. Tears streamed down her face as she knelt on the ground and looked at Zeff. She continued to plead with her watering eyes.

Zeff snapped his fingers and Hataya and the other three men collapsed to the floor. Hataya was the only one able to catch himself before hitting the floor. “Bastard…” Hataya panted as his own eyes watered. He clenched his fists but he was unable to do anything.

Zeff faded from the throne and then reappeared in front of Yukari. “Yukari, you have raised your hands against me when you were only suppose to be here as guests of diplomatic nature. Any word you say or hand over in writ. I cannot believe…”

 “Please Zeff… Hataya is wrong… Zenju-sama sent us here to ask for help…” Yukari continued to cry and stare into Zeff’s cold eyes.

Zeff sighed staring back as more red filled into his irises. “There is but one method; in which I can believe you…”