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ZEN RAN THROUGH THE fields laughing as Leo followed him on his tail. The sunlight shining down without a cloud in the sky and Leo tackled him and they played rolling in the grass until Leo noticed a shadow looming over them.
"Priest." Leo sat up with his nephew in his lap.
"Sorry we got a little carried away." Zen looked as Leo picked him up and saw the scar on Zeniths neck in the glistening sunlight. Zen loved how he looked, how his hair blew in the wind, and he wanted to strive to be like him. That day was like the perfect picture except for the white scar.
"Yeah you are a little late. As a guardian you should be more careful not to show the boy." Zeniths voice was cold as they walked back.
"I know." Leo let Zen walk between them and ruffled his hair.
"He doesn't need to see him...Come on Zen have some fun it is his birthday-" Leo was cut off as they reached a white tent with several picnic tables, people, and Zen screamed as they got there.
"So leader how is his trian- school work doing?"
"It's-" The two men by the tent turned as Zen ran.
"Dad! Shi..." Zen ran and Leader caught him.
"What's up were you having fun with Leo?" He asked straightening his hair.
"What's that guys name again?" Zen asked curiously pointing at the man he was talking to and Leader smiled.
"You may call me Shiryu if you want. Happy birthday." The guy replied and patted his head softly and Zen flinched as a design glimpsed by his eyes for a second. "Ridia...he...how long has that been there?" Shiryu asked.
"What? Oh thats-" Leader hugged Zen close after jumping when he noticed Leo was behind him.
"Enjoying the party you two?" Leo asked laughing.
"Hi Leo..." Ridia whispeed.
"You are not going to keep falling for that each time are you?" Shiryu asked as Leader got up letting Zen go. Zen ran to one of the tables and Zenith brought out a cake from the tent and putt it in front of him. It was blue with white frosting and seven homemade wax candles. Zen watched as he snapped and they lit.
"No. Hey Leo-" Leader turned to look at Leo but he was gone. "Where did he-" Leader jumped as Leo poked his shoulder from behind as he yelped and Leo and Shiryu laughed. "How did you do that?" He asked. "Oh...yeah guardian stuff."
"Hush not now." Leo whispered. "Lets go sing happy birthday before Zenny gets mad." They walked to the table greeted by Zeniths glare and Zen listened as they sang.
"Blow it out and make a wish Zen." His dad smiled and sat next to him. Zen thought for a bit then blew and when he did someone wrapped a white cloth on his eyes. There was a clanking sound and ruffling then the sound of a chain. Leo and everyone held their ears as his dad took off the fabric and Zen screamed. There on the table in front of him was a birdcage and inside was a huge black crow with a necklace that showed Yin twice around its neck. It was so cute and it came with a note tied with black and gold string. Zen took off the necklace and put it on as he opened the note and read it out loud.
"To Zen smile from a friend. Happy Birthday Hope you have fun and take care of this guy. His name is Tengu yet just be careful. See you eventually in time. XO." Zen looked but there was no signature and he placed it on the table and looked at the bird. It's black eyes were curious and it pecked at the door. Zen opened it and everyone flinched then the other kids watched as he pet it then took it out carefully in his hand holding its talons gently and it went on his arm. "Wanna play crow?" It gave a slight caw and nodded then they looked at his father and he smiled. All of them called him father even though Zen was his only son.
"Father can we please go play tag?" They all asked giving him the puppy eyes.
"Sure don't stay out too long and come right back." His dad gave in and they laughed as Zen jumped down with Tengu and ran into the fields.
"Yay!" They all screamed running away from the group.
"Twenty minutes guys! Zen stay with your cousins!" Leader yelled after them and sighed.
"You are seriously going to let him go?" Leo asked sitting on the edge of the table messing with a string on his Kimono.
"No." He looked at him and smiled. "That is why you are going to keep an eye on them." Leader smiled and Leo trailed off in the direction that the kids went.
Kaze coughed and Zen lost focus and looked over to him. He wasn't by his friends so he looked back and jumped.
"Sorry." Kaze coughed laughing as he stood on the other side of the pedestal looking at the scene. "I have a slight cold and just so you know the four cousins names are Fread, Joey, Patch, and Yin. Just in case you forgot."
"Thanks." Zen smiled and they watched as the scenery changed.
"Hi." They guy paused and looked from Kaze to his brother shocked. Zen looked confused and a moment later spoke. Kaze let his friend go stand by Raziel and Michael then looked at Zen.
"Jesus is this a dream?"
"Yes it is a dream Zenny." Kaze replied in his sarcastic attitude voice.
"What really?" Zen wondered
"No it's not." Kaze spoke sharply yet stayed calm.
"Huh?" Zen was confused.
"You really are slow." Raziel stood up. "Ok...If that is Mike Rose, Kaze, the deity Kamikaze, Jesus Christ, God or Zeus whatever you guys call hi, Kaze's wife Kaminari, saints around a throne, past shadowhunters, David, Joseph excetera, then me the angel Raziel, Tubal Cain, Leader your dad..."
"Dad..." Zen gasped.
"Hi Zen." His dad waved and Zen just looked at him until Kaze pushed and turned him toward the orb.
"Let's just finish this ok watch." Kaze whispered.
"Ok." Zen replied and they quieted down and Zen watched as the scenery changed. It was night and no stars were out except for a red moon. Zen was running alone when a shot rang out.
"Tengu!" Zen cried now in a patch of roses and stopped in the center. Another shot rang out, this time it was closer and Zen jumped as something fell to his feet. It was the crow with two shots in its chest and Zen sat and held his friend crying. "Tengu...What happened to you? Who-" Zen froze hearing footsteps coming through the roses toward him and a white mist started to spread. Then it became denser and in moments it was fog tinted gray like ashy smoke. Something was coming through slowly barefoot and Zen spoke trembling and his voice was shaking truly afraid. "Hello? Who's there..." The sound stopped. "Leonith is that you?" Zen asked and they started up again. "No...Who are you? Don't come near me!" The source of the sound was revealed and a dark figure walked then stood in front of him.
Zenith was standing by the table smoking and watched the red moon in the dark sky and then looked ahead at the abrupt sound of something sprinting and he saw a gray wolf running back toward him. Zenith put it out, dropped it, and hid his handmade spark lighter bracing himself a bit as Leader turned back jumping onto him frantically. He was scared, screaming, and mumbling his name trembling then Zenith pushed him off and held his shoulders snapping his eyes black pits with cold long white fangs.
"Ridia sensei stop it!" Zenith scoffed then sighed. "Chill what is wrong buddy?"
"Ze...Zenith...it's him. It is really him back from the dead!" Rida started crying and Zenith gently wiped his eyes clean.
"It's ok." Zenith whispered. "Its ok don't worry just tell me everything and what happened."
"I found Leo by the patch of roses and there were fifteen crosses around the perimeter each carved with runes and the clans seal in the center. We couldn't get through them. It was like there was some invisible barrier around the whole perimeter. We walked back and Leo checked my watch and froze. He told me 'I knew this day would come' and then after he sent the kids back he told me he knew where to go. Leo then left to the boat after telling me a little story." Hle replied quickly.
"What..." Zen stepped back a bit and let go of him. "What story?" He asked softly a tad nervous hidden by his calm face.
"It's the wind spirit the time lord but, Leo said that he is weak so he is in his mortal form. Remember-"
"Yes..." He cut Leader off sharply. "My experiment that failed. Finish."
"What?"
"Finish it!"
"Ok, okay. Lilith and Raziel gave him a mortal father but, she tainted him and he went mad. You tried to revive and rebuild his dead body that we found in your experiment lab but, it only made him stronger. He woke up and destroyed the lab then died and his body disintegrated in the sunlight. Once he was reborn he was born dead remember? Leo had left him at the altar till the storm came and he found him crying awake and alive. You had used his powers to try and contain him like father and many others Leo said but he became more broken. Sorry Zenith Leo said Priest if he is in there could be dead. My watch said it was the 29th and now it says it is the 30th yet, when Leo checked his it was still the 7th at 7:30 a.m."
"He is back! That suicidal dead kid of yours! No it can't be." Zenith froze his secret spilled then pulled Leader with him forcing him to run and then ran through the trees to the shore and met Leo at the boat.
"Zenith, Ridia hurry and get in we will get our stuff then come back alright." Leo helped them on the boat after letting them catch their breath first. The mist became grey and Zen had to read as words showed up and faded.
"The light has dimmed, the night has crawled in. It stalks its prey throughout the night, for 15 days without a sight. This dreadful sight the creature bright as light shall darken just as pure. Let it be seen as nothing changes but, takes in real time an hour. A son, fallen one, so unclean yet still a dream. Five scenes, sin, not clean. Forbear Cain, nevermore the crimson moon." Kaze coughed when he was done and Zen whispered and it paused then melted to the next scene. "Kaze."
"Sorry..." Kaze replied laughing a little.
"Shh!" Zen shushed him.
"Fine." Kaze played it and Zen fell in as the figure was slowly revealed.
No. Zen thought. Please no.
Zen then looked up and met white eyes against the man's cold pale face. He had terrible wings, both spiked at the top joint like a talon covered in ichor, and hands bloody with long claw nails and hands.
The mist turned black and surrounded them on the perimeter. He was covered in stitches, and scars with pale skin, black hair, and he smiled showing long pointed sharp needle like fangs.
"You're a greater one...Why are you hear and how did you find me and why? Are you alright you look hurt." Zen asked concerned and the guy licked his fangs and smiled. "You are a vampire aren't you?"
He nodded and Zen almost thought he saw his eyes flash white blue but, they were still white. "No. I think I've seen you before...Are you Okami Jikan? The time wolf? The fallen of the worlds and the God that can change time. I'm sorry." Zen brushed the hair from his forehead and showed him his birthmark. "Dad said no one not even you can kill me because of my birthmark-" The guy lunged at him and drove his fangs in his neck sinking them deep. The smoke in the orb went white again and Zen was shocked pale.
"It is you Kaze." Zen quietly whispered not knowing what he just said out loud. "Or was that Kamikaze?" He wondered and Kaze grew tense and then he snapped out of it. "Kaze are you ok-" Zen whispered and he jumped at the sound of shattering glass.
The people behind them gasped frightened. Kaze was tense and had swatted the orb to the ground and it shattered. Smoke leaked from it and something pulled Zen back by his wings as the pedestal crumbled to dust. Zen screamed at the pain of his wings being pulled at and someone yelled after Kaze who was now behind him. Zen guessed it was Kaminari his wife who yelled at him.
"Kaze Allen Kamikaze the second! Let him go! Stop it now!" She yelled and Kaze started to growl in Zens ear behind him possibly turning but his grip tightened.
"Never..." Kazes voice went dark and icey then more hands began to grab Zens wings while the ground began shaking and Zen was screaming as Kaze laughed behind him and he realized who was holding his wings. The saint's. Kaze and the saints held his wings and Zen cried as the floor parted into a deep hole showing the earth below. Kaze looked at him sad and let go as Mike, his dad and the Saints held on tighter. Kaze then walked in front of Zen and took a step on the circle now hovering over the hole standing on air facing him. Their eyes locked and Zen saw him smile darkly under his blank mask. He was scared and yet smirked at Zen. Kaze soon placed a hand on Zens shoulder and brushed the hair from his forehead. "And it was too much for him to bear. So it engulfed him in flames." Kaze rose the hand on his shoulder that brushed his forehead. White light then streamed from his left palm and flames shone in the clear golden light. Zen looked up at him crying and Kaze struck his forehead hard and yelled as Zen screamed and there was a flash of light. It dimmed and Zen hung his head looking down then Kaze held up his chin gently and lifted his head up to face his. They locked eyes again and Zen froze at the warm burning sensation on his forehead.
Kaze lifted his eyes to his as Zen tried looking back down and then Kaze smiled softly and like a mirror Zen looked into his light blue eyes. In the center of his forehead under the strands of glistening hair was sevenfold placed there as if with a thin and thick paintbrush. Kaze smiled as he store at his mark in his brothers eyes and then let Zens shoulder go. Kaze stepped back and whispered silently.
"Jade wind tenfold son of the angel Raziel." A flaming white sword appeared in his left hand from within the mist on the floor and wind blew under them blowing his white gold hair from his eyes. His eyes were closed for a second of quiet breathing deep and hard yet soft. He was holding back. Then suddenly after a moment's pause they snapped open making Zen jump at the sight of his brother. His marks shone gold, his eyes were a blazing white, nails and hands grew into long talons, and his hair began to darken to black and his wings were turning ebony as well as the mist around them.
Zen cried as they started to pull off his black wings from the joints bleeding hard as they tore away from his skin lit on fire from all the pain then Kaze stepped back as the hole grew.
Kaze slowly pointed the sword at him lifting it and then fire blasted at Zen and he fell screaming as the hole closed in the clouds and Kazes sight was the last thing he saw as he fell unconscious.
It became hot and he woke up in a room being engulfed in fire. Something held his hand and he froze as he sat up.