Zjjan Master 94 sp05 01 05, The Possession

Intro: At the current time, the kerosine lamp radiates sunset light inside the room. Lying in the bed and half of his body under the white blanket, the boy Shin, son of Niavera Shau, listens at his mother voice, coming from outside the room,

"I'll be going now. Make sure he can rest well."

"Yes, ma'am," has replied by a woman.

The door opens. He gazes at the woman, carrying a tray of foods, eating utensils, and a pitcher. She closes the door. Placing the tray in a table near the bed, she speaks, "Good evening, Shin, how are you?"

"I'm fine..." He gazes at, under the blanket, his bandaged arm. His forehead wrinkles. His nose gusts his dismay. "I'm being confined here for two months. That was what Cristia had told me."

"It's Criselia."

"This place is boring. Why aren't mother and Ritzel resting? That's unfair."

"Come on, now. Shin, cheer up. I'm here. Your sister's loyal follower and her group mate, shall accompany you to your loneliness."

"You made me feels weird."

"Just agree, now little boy. I Chalise, shall be your big sis. Or, you prefer Ritzel should be by your side right now? So?"

"Shut up. It's not like that..."

"Speaking of which, she'll be coming here tomorrow to visit her prince charming."

"Who's prince charming?"

"You, of course."

"Huh—?" With his face in red, his head emits smoke, "A, a, are you here to cheer me up?"

"You're blushing."

"I'm not! And why would I court that arrogant brat! She's not even a good girl in the first place! Look, she accused me twice! If she'll grow with that kind of attitude, no one will like her."

"You're showing your true feeling, by trying to deny things."

"Grah—!"

"But worry not. She improves as she grows. How about it, I'll give you some questions to cheer you up. In an ancient times there was this huge cooler container that existed. So, in what way, you could put in the ancient giraffe inside the container?"

"... Huh? What's with the question..."

"Just answer it."

He thinks carefully. After his failure attempts, he has finally come to a conclusion, "I open the door, let in the giraffe inside, and close the door."

"Finally, right!"

The boy laughs. "The hell with that question... I though carefully, and just come up with, stupid answer. Where did you get it?"

"Secret. Now now now, for the next question. In the ancient times, there was this huge cooler container existed. In what way you could put in the ancient elephant inside?"

He laughs as the woman laughs. "The same. I open the door, let in the elephant inside, and close the door. What a stupid question."

"Enk, enk, Wrong!"

"Eh? Then how?"

"You need to open the door, let out the giraffe outside, let in the elephant inside, and close the door." They both chuckles. "Now now, in my next question. In the ancient times, the ancient lion, king of the jungle, had flirted to its illegal concubines. His wife ran away, pledging that will never be back and will look and live for a loyal man. The downhearted lion king called every leader of every species and wanted them create an entertainment for him. Now, there was this one leader failure to be present. Whose species is this?"

The boy laughs. "Seriously, that question is too vague! How am I supposed to answer it!"

"It isn't wrong to try. If you won't, Ritzel is your crush."

"Huh—! Alright, alright, I'll answer. Another male lion."

"Hmn... are you sure?"

"But it's clear. Because the queen lived on its new man. So, the suspect would be another male lion."

"Really?"

"Look, my reasoning supports my answer! Stop with the suspense! Give me the answer."

"You won't regret it?"

He laughs. "There's nothing to regret with that stupid question."

"The answer is, the elephant."

"How comes..." He chuckles.

"Look, the ancient lion king called every leader on each species. You locked the elephant inside the huge cooler container. The giraffe had even late in coming." On that evening, both of them continue laughing.

In the gate of military headquarters in Jelyfr, a soldier approaches Jaino, having an entrance. "Sire, a woman, I mean Judith is waiting for you."

"Why should she be here?"

"That's for you to find out."

"Alright, thank you for informing me."

The soldier salutes.

—End of Intro.

Flashback to when Amono helped Jaino to escape from Kilie in Deep Forest 04: Pouring rain intensifies his cold feeling, he, the boy, can't help but look at the colossal monster. Its evolution from a norim, a gaile, its huge face, its shutters of hundred eyes, and the many tentacles are the sight shaken his body. Imagining the process of mutation— while it has absorbed the bodies of those dead reptiles —the boy is overwhelmed at the resulted monstrous figure, restraining his mobility. Covered in blood, his sister, Jena, lying in the ground, has no response. In same situation, the cloak man, Amono, gives him no hope.

And the huge face gazes down at him. Giving him despair, its voice thunders aloud, "Two insects are still alive." Its stomach opens, like a huge mouth asking for its preys to voluntarily spoon themselves. "Now, offer yourself for I'll be your salvation. Or do you want me perform the hardest way?" The boy, his head he shakes sideways. He begins to stand. Heavy tears are falling from his eyes. His every steps are the seconds counting for his doom. Obeying, his thoughts give him no choice. His will surrenders. A fearful voice thunders, "That's right. Faster, faster and become one with me. Ha ha ha ha." The angry reptile bars the boy. "Oh, your master is dead. No need to follow orders from someone that used you as a weapon. Ha ha ha ha." That reptile throws two lightning bolts. Hitting the surface of face of the huge monster, those lightning bolts spark and vanish. "Oh, that's hurt. Ha ha ha ha ha."

On the boy's thoughts, Someone, please save us...

A tentacle heavily lashes the reptile slamming into a tree. "I'd grown impatient. You should die instead." Its tentacle rises. And to the boy, it slams.

The curious monster feels the warm from the light as column, barring the child from harm. It gazes at, nearby; the huge serpent behind the trees. "A fitting contender for my newly acquired strength has come. Come, I welcome you with delighted."

In the boy's mind, a foreign voice speaks, You who seek for help. I can lend you my strength. But in return, you'll be offering me yourself as my aid. I own nothing to you. And you own nothing to me. A favor shall be returned by a favor. Your situation demands agreeing in my request. I but a phantom don't have time physical. I shall grant your wish. You must grant my wish. Do you accept my offer?

Yet in the boy's thought, Save me.

Very well.

The boy loses conscious. Yet, he isn't fallen down.

The voice of the colossal monster thunders, "Oi, oi, we haven't started our fight, and you're vanishing. Don't give me that. I need to try my strength."

The huge serpent, its body cracks and turns to dust. The boy's eyes open. He says, "You're but not a norim any longer. For your emotion doesn't exist for those slain and the majorities of your kind disagree your activity, the judgment shall be upon you. Your situation even didn't permit you to cease someone."

"Huh, did you speak brat?"

"You heard what you ask. As a previous selected contender against the representative of your kind that has yet to exist, I shall enlightened you, bloodline of the land. You futile insect living in this world, your origin ruled that one from your kind shall rise in par on us. You, abnormal, you commit a taboo, called as calamity, named by the four major origins. Your pleasure is but momentary. Soon your consciousness shall be devour by your own insanity. Result, yourself shall drain the very being within your reach."

"Brat, you're saying that my experiment is a failure. You're insulting me!" It rises one tentacle and slams it to the child. A blueish sphere renders its action.

"A futile attempt from an egg that has yet to hatch. Listen, tiny brain and widen the hole of your ears. The four contenders from the selection resulted by the rules created by the four origins, have also a task. One has reached the pinnacle and become the ruler of Zjjan, the Zjjan Master must eliminate the calamities and severe it source. Yet you have become one, who has opened the forbidden. For I shall burn you by the bluish flame, hear me, your repentance isn't needed."

"There is no need to repent! You have anger me for some reason. I shall give you death painful and no mercy." The colossal opens its mouth, the one from its head. "I'll burn you first!" Its mouth expels a huge fire. Despite of the rain, its flame remains in the trees momentarily. Its monstrous mouth expels a second breathe, a heavy dense of cold mist, chilling and freezing the place. "Ha ha ha ha, you speaks a lot brat. You can't even survive at my dominance."

"Your domination is futile, lamb whose path has long lost." Surrounding ice melts by dancing bluish flame cloaking on his skin. His action has left the colossal being, speechless. "Here is your death, I declare. The sacred torches from the depth shall turn you to dust." A bluish flame surrounds the monstrous creature and spreads to its body.

It cries, "My body is burning! It can't be happening! The rain is pouring! Why is it still burning? Grraaa!"

"This flame that I haven't passed down to my lineage. The flame that I crafted and only me knows it and its worth. The very flame shall give you taste on your own medicine."

The bluish flame eats the monstrous body. The colossal crumbles and ashes land to the ground. The bluish spheres, each surrounds the boy, Jena, Amono, and the last reptile of Amono. The boy mumbles, "Boy, Ferdie, your pain is my pain. Yet I'm not a god that can revive the lost. Accept your loss. And hear me, I shall take you outside this place that your memories told me is your home. By then, your body is yours. Sooner you'll know my plea."

At the current time, still at night, caressing her fingers onto her golden braid hair, Judith speaks, "What take you too long? I'd begin to think you won't coming back to your duty." She's sitting in the sofa on the guest room, illuminated by lamps.

The surprised Jaino, his heart beats faster. After observing her for a moment, he replies, "Is that really you, Judith? But, how comes your hair grows quick?"

"I'm wearing wig," She removes the braid hairdo, exposing her short hair. She has stood, and walks to Jaino. Face to face, she asks, "So, your promise? Give justice to my parents. And the people who had lost for no apparent reason."

Seeing her at close is really dangerous... He holds her hand. The woman's face shows her surprise. He says, "I will, but I can't have this hand, be tainted by blood for vengeance." He holds her hand tightly. "I want you to believe me wholeheartedly."

With her face in heat, she removes his hand, "Idiot, you already have a wife." She suddenly notices Jaino turns quite. His face substantiates the information that she had gathered. "So, it's true..." Both hands, she holds his hand. "I'm so sorry..." The heat over cloaks her body. They stare at each other's eyes. They stare as if time doesn't tick. They stare as if the nightfall remains eternally.

They stare at each other while Criselia stares at them. "Oh, you were the woman, that Jaino had kissed in the forehead," her word has made Judith's thoughts explodes.

The flustered woman pushes Jaino. "What are you talking about? Seriously you are mistaken."

"Hmp, really? I'm sure, I was right..."

Jaino asks, "Criselia, why are you here? I thought you be concealing your presence."

And Criselia whispers near his ear, "Oh, so you can cheat on me?" her words have startled Jaino. She distances herself and she walks near to the shadow. "I have come to pick her."

Into the shadow, a figure, begins to be cleared. It's Jesifer, leaning into the wall. Judith's face turns red. To Jaino, she speaks, "I, I have to go now. See yeah."

Jaino holds Judith's hand. "It's harder to let the words unsaid. And we might regret it. Kilie always yelled to me to have courage. Please, listen to me. I'm grateful to have met you that time—"

Criselia gazes down. Jesifer becomes interested.

"—You're the first person that made my heartbeat. Until now, my feelings for you is stronger as before. I have wanted to embrace you. To repent my sins, I have wanted to go deeper in the underworld. But, my strength wasn't enough for the mission. I was defeated against the first prince that clearly showed my incapacity. But, I have met someone who bestowed me something. I still don't know how to use them well. But, I will try my best. Won't you believe me?"

Judith nods. "I believe in you." She lowers her voice, "Jaino, you're coming back right? Be alive, for me too..." She hugs him.

"Judith, could it be..."

"You're right, I feel the same too... Longer of years..." Her words sadden the face of Criselia.

"Judith, I be alive, for you and for everybody else. But I'm not the man that can stay for you longer as someone. My life is already caged by an agreement. Yet my feeling for you is true, my duty for a certain someone takes priority first."

"Jaino..."

"Believe me..." He whispers near her ear, "This might be painful to me. And I know you can understand me." Beside, our past had taught me something.

"Idiot, do what you want." And she leaves the room.

I'm sorry... has thought by Jaino.

In Criselia's mind, Sorry my dear. But I need him. She smiles. To Jesifer, she whispers, "That woman won't give up though." She smirks. "She's planning something. Come let's go."

Knock, knock, in a door of her bedroom to the balcony, Kilie slowly gets out from his bed. This idiot brother again. I need to rest. I should have the one left and went to Crewtner Village. Damn, those castle guards, doing as they please. Trampling the citizens. How am I supposed to do my job? To the balcony, knocking thrice, she senses a murderous aura. Under the bed, the knife she picks up. She has stood nearby the door and peeks out to the glass hole. A silhouette of a woman, with curly hair and black dress, speaks, "Let me come in. I have something to talk to you, about Jaino. Do not be frighten. I'm here not bringing trouble but to investigate further his relation between you and my sister."

Kilie shoves the knife into the wall. It buries until the hilt. She opens the door. A woman, the pale beauty under the moonlight, bows slightly of thanks. Her gaze gives Kilie a frightening feelings. "Depending of your identity, I won't speak out the confidentiality."

"Jaino warned me not to reveal my identity. So... it's no gain for me coming here..?"

She's an important person... "Ask him instead."

"He dodged my question. However, my investigation brought me to the closest person of which he was related and visited most of the time while he was not in solitude. The daughter, whom her father adopted him, is in front of me."

Truth is hardly acceptable

The reason of contradiction

and exceeding limitation

Chapter end