Her name is Zelda

"You have to tell me. I demand to know." The voice of a young boy resounded through the forest. If one went closer, they would find it was Fjammi except he was younger.

The face of the person he spoke to was quite hazy as they replied. "I cannot tell you yet Fjammi, you are still too young."

Fjammi frowned, clearly not liking the reply. "You are never going to tell me! I know you are leaving! I heard Nak say it!" The boy yelled with tears in his eyes. "You are going to leave and I will never see you again!"

The person rubbed their forehead and let out an esasperated sigh. "Nak" they groaned.

Crouching so they were only eye level with Fjammi, they held his cheek and made a promise. "I will come back for you Fjammi. I swear on my blood. And when I do, I will tell you."

Fjammi's eyes widened as they rubbed his hair and stood up. It was not the action that has surprised him but rather, it was the promise. They never swore because it such actions always caused serious damage if broken, mostly to what was sworn on, and they had sworn on their blood.

"Zel wait!" Fjammi called out but they were already gone. "I will wait for you." He whispered into the air where he knew a shadow was watching from. His suspicion was confirmed when the trees ruffled unnaturally.

***

The shadow glided nimbly into the trees, where a silhouette was crouched, watching both men discuss about her.

Most of her face was hidden but there was a malicious grin on her face. "Nak'la" She hissed, glaring at the man with contempt.

"So you believed I would not return?" She chuckled darkly. "Unfortunately I have returned and you will pay your debt."

Then the chuckling stopped and a whisper of a prayer began.

"Dear Lord, save me from the evil that resides within me. Save my soul so that I may not be doomed."

***

Wara stomped out of the tent and yelled, "Sean Sicarius Thiery!" The wind blew, carrying her shout to the man who was slowly making his way back.

Nak narrowed his eyes, wondering where she had heard those names from. He was starting to really regret meeting her behind that veil on that unfortunate day.

Sica walked closer and suddenly, the sand, rocks and twigs beneath his feet began to pull him towards Wara.

"Why did you abandon her?" Was the first question she asked. "You knew that thing would hurt her. Why did you not warn her?"

Sica did not react, instead he spoke in a detached tone. "Because I saw no reason to."

Wara frowned and the stones began to dig into his skin. "Do you not care for her?"

Sica stared into her eyes, wondering where she had gotten that assumption from.

"I do not. And neither does she." At his statement, Wara turned to Yhra and found absolutely no reaction from her. It seemed like it was the truth. The stones and twigs released Sica immediately. She looked down in embarassment.

"But you embraced like lovers. I saw..." Wara was confused. She had planned to accuse the man of being heartless and then continue the questioning from there but things had not gone as planned.

"You saw?" Sica questioned, a certain bite in his tone. "You of all should know that things are not what they seem. After all, no one would know that a girl as young as you is actually a mother with a murderous heart."

Wara snapped her head up to his, her eyes flashing a deep shade of purple. "You dare call me a-"

Before she could finish the growl, Nak interrupted her. "Deny it. I dare you to deny it." Wara became silent.

"I hadn't seen it before because I was blinded by your beauty but then when we met for the second time and then the deal you made me make. I knew you were a murderer."

Nak really regretted meeting her.

Wara did not deny his accusations, neither did she accept. They remained silent until Yhra spoke.

"Who, is that?"

Her words were broken as she had spoken in the general language and not in her tongue as she did when speaking to Wara.

Nak let out a frustrated sigh and replied at the same time Sica did.

"An abomination."

"Personification of darkness."

Yhra frowned, even more confused.

"What?" She breathed out but Wara had gone still. She looked horrfied as she remembered something. Stories Senior Frenvìr and Pax had told her when she was younger.

It was strange, neither looked like the Āsimati in these new memories.

"A foreigner invaded the house of the high priestess of hope and defiled her, slaughtering her people and bringing death to her home. She bore a child within her corpse that crawled out of her belly, finding its way to the foreigner's home, exerting revenge on it. Only, the wrong person had been killed and was the high priest of death. The child was cursed with the touch of death, anything and everyone it held dear would die by its hands. Then the god of hope had mercy on it and gave it salvation, it was blessed with the power to become incorporeal. But with every gift comes a drawback and so, it would corrode the souls of those who had never been touched by it. The child eventually found a way to curb the curse but at a cost. It had to kill the one it held the most dear to it. It had to kill it's beloved."

Wara gasped, remembering the story as clear as day.

"She is Accursed." She whispered, or so she thought. Everyone had heard her. Including Fjammi who had appeared sometime ago but had hidden out of view.

"Her name is Zelda, and she is the Accursed." Wara spoke more loudly.

The men were confused but Yhra seemed to understand. She repeated the word and then froze, fear coming over her face.

"Well well well." A voice said from behind them all, in the direction at which Yhra had been looking at. It belonged to the shadow, only this time, it wasn't a shadow but a woman. A tall and dark skinned woman with dark brown hair that had been cut short by a blade to reach her shoulders. Her hair looked like static currents had just passed through it as almost every single strand stood straight in her wild hair. Some parts of it were as white as her eyes. She had unnatural eyes that had a drop of silver as her pupils. They swirled and danced like they were liquids trapped in her eyes.

Those two balls of silver liquid slowly drifted to stare at Wara, sending shivers down her spine.

"So you know who I am. I am not surprised. I even wonder why it took you this long Khari." Then she grinned, terrifying Wara even more.

"Long time no see..."