Chapter 1: Part 4

"I am Zen Lang, I shall crush your entire army using my Zaiblade! Hiyaaaahh!"

"Ah! This sucks, I wanna be Zen Lang!"

Silou Fredrick Cadone is a free spirited young boy who always like to make-believe that he is Zen Lang. He always likes to hear stories from his grandpa Sirus about the man who can single-handedly defeat an entire army. Along with his favorite wooden sword, he and his friends would re-create the stories they have heard about their hero. He has formed a group called "Super Warriors", which is composed of Joppan Ferraza, the chubby 6 year old boy who likes food; Malvin Vargas, the intelligent 10 year old boy who likes to read and invent things; Abenett Locke, the cute 7 year old girl who loves stitching; and Johanna Cassione the tall 12 year old girl who is fond of animals.

"Hey you were Zen Lang yesterday, you cant be Zen Lang forever. Now shaddap and do your part" shouted Silou Fredrick.

"It's not polite to shout Silou. Malvin, just do your part" Johanna ordered

Johanna was the most matured in the group, always looking at things rationally. Everyone in the group knows it, and they often do what she tells them.

Malvin rolled his eyes and sighed
"Ok, ok. You don't have to be so fuzzy about it. Just wanna let you know that this sucks, that's all" he held his hands up high as a sign of surrender.

"Hey Malvin, does Keisha have a boyfriend?. I wanna be Keisha coz she's so cool" Abenett inquired with a sweet tone

Malvin is the brightest of the group, and he likes to read. He is also up to date with current events, that is why his friends always ask him about stuff. That question's easy he thought.

"No, the iron maiden does not have any boyfriend as of this moment, according to what I heard."

"Hey you know, wouldn't it be cool if Zen Lang becomes Keisha Alziege's boyfriend??" Silou said in an excited tone.

"No, no, no! Zen Lang's going to be my boyfriend!" protested Johanna, Shaking her head in disagreement.

The whole group laughed out loud upon hearing Johanna's statement.

"Hellow! Azure to Johanna! You must be freakin' out of your mind if you think Zen Lang is going to have an interest in you!" shouted Abenett

"Hey, Watch your mouth nett!" Johanna's face turned red

"Yes, the concept of our hero the Dragonwolf having a relationship with the Iron Maiden is a very interesting one indeed." Malvin said as he wipes his eye glasses with his shirt

"Wonder if Dragonwolf ever gets hungry? Coz I'm hungry" Joppan said while rubbing his tummy

"Yeah, big newsflash! You're always hungry" teased Malvin

"Haha, joppan must have a black hole in his stomach, coz he never gets tired of eating nyahaha!"

"Silou, don't be rude." Said Johanna, slapping Silou by the shoulder

"yeah, yeah, youre such a killjoy" Silou rolled his eyes and held his hands up high

Johanna noticed that amidst the laughter, Abenett was silent, and her eyes are fixed on something. Abenett was walking away from the group.

"What's wrong Abenett? Where are you going"

Abenett did not answer, instead, she continued to walk away from the group and towards the large oak tree. After a few steps, she stopped and pointed at a man lying face down at the bottom of the oak tree.

"Hey guys, There's a man lying there covered with bandages"

Quickly, the kids ran and flocked around the man Abenett was referring to

"Is he dead??" Silou inquired curiously as he poked the man with his wooden sword,

"Stop it, Silou, we better tell uncle Sirus"

The man started to move. Silou and his friends stepped back as they watched him trying desperately to get up, but as he was about to stand, he fell down to his knees, with his hands on the ground. He was panting heavily, with his head stooped down.

"A-are you all right mister??"

Slowly, the man raised his head and looked at each of the children. He looked exhausted, they thought. Again, the man tried to stand up, but he fell again, in a sitting position, with his back resting against the oak tree.

"Don't try anything, mister, or I'll get you with my sword Zaiblade!" Silou warned as he pointed his wooden sword at the stranger.

"Hey, stop it Silou, we don't know that man, lets get out of here and tell uncle Sirus" Johanna pleaded as she pulled Silou by his arm

"Go on and run scaredy cat!, I'm not afraid of him!" Silou retorted as he freed himself from Johanna's grasp.

"Im not a scaredy cat!" Johanna's eyes widen

"Oh yeah? Scaredy cat, scaredy cat!" Silou teased Johanna. He was moving his hips from left to right while raising his left and right hands in the air alternately, as if to add insult to Johanna.

"Shaddup! Stop that you moron!" Johanna shouted

By this time, the whole group joined Silou in teasing Johanna. The group mimicked Silou's every move, like a synchronized dance group, while repeating the words "Scaredy Cat". Johanna doesn't want to be called a scaredy cat, and the whole group knows it.

"h..h..hahhHHAHAHAHAHA!"

The children stopped instantly as they heard the stranger laughing hysterically. The stranger held back his laugh when he sees the puzzled looked in the children's faces. After a few seconds, he bursts into laughter again.

"He must be hungry. I always laugh like that when I'm hungry". Joppan reached for his pouch and retrieved a small round shaped fruit. He then steps forward and extended his left hand as if he was offering the fruit to the stranger.

"Here mister have a Pearappine, its my last one"

The stranger stopped and looked at Joppan. He smiled and took the fruit from the kid's hands.

"Wanna see a cool trick? " the stranger said calmly. He looked at Silou's wooden sword as if he had just thought of a brilliant idea. "Kid, let me borrow your Zaiblade for a while?"

Silou hesitantly gave the wooden sword to the stranger.

"O-Ok… but if you damage it,ill kick your @$$"

The man closed his eyes and threw the round shaped fruit vertically into the air. Then in one quick motion, he took the wooden sword from Silou, then slashed upward from left to right. Then he extended his left hand like he was waiting for something to fall into his hands. The round fruit landed on his left hand, splitting into six equal pieces instantly.

"Whoahhh!! Way cool!"
The children was amazed and cheered loudly. They have never seen anyone do that. They were jumping up and down like they have seen a great magic trick.

"Still as sharp as always, eh friend?"

Everyone looked at the direction where the voice came from. It was Sirus Cadone.

"Grandpa! Did you see that did you? He threw the Pearappine into the air and split it and it was so cool!" Silou ran to his grandfather and held him by the leg.

"Yes, yes, I saw it." Sirus smiled as his grandson went back to his group.

"Hey kids, fetch Misha for me will you? Tell her I found our patient. "

"But grandpa, we wanna see him do some more tricks" Silou protested

"Well, he cant do anything when he's sick like this right? Be a good boy and fetch your mom,ok please?" Sirus calmly pleaded

"Well, ok grandpa. " Silou said hesitantly. "Lets go super warriors" the kids waved at the stranger and ran off.

"Oh and tell her to bring the medicine" Sirus shouted. He then turns to face the bandaged man

"You shouldn't be out here, Zen Lang. Your wounds are not healed yet." Sirus said as he sits besides Zen.

"Sirus Cadone. I never knew I'd find you here. Where am I? What are you doing here?"

"Well, you are in Alamoren. I live here. Some good-hearted family brought you here so we can treat your wounds . How are you feeling?"

"I feel so weak. I cant even stand up." Zen sighed

"No, don't stand up, just relax, help is on the way. So do you remember what happened to you?"

"Well, lets just say someone double-crossed me. I don't want to talk about it." Zen was looking at a distance, as if his mind was far away.

"Ok, lets leave it at that." Sirus quickly replied.

There was a deafening silence in the air, and Sirus did not like it. He can feel that Zen has a lot going on in his mind. He never saw Zen this weak he thought, and he knew that being helpless and weak at the moment is what's bothering this man of legend.

"I heard you were promoted as the captain of the Black Guards of Losgoth last year." Sirus wanted to change the mood.

"Yeah. I hate that job. I'm sick and tired of war. I'm never gonna go back."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I don't know. I want to have a peaceful life for a change. Maybe become a farmer or something. Anything. As long as it will take me away from the bloodshed"

Sirus was silent. The man he was talking to at this very moment was very different from the Zen Lang he once knew. There was a different air around him. He wanted to help him, for he owes this man his life.

"Well, we are in need of farmers in this village, you know? You could stay here if you…"

Sirus words were cut short when he sees Zen Lang lying motionless with his eyes closed. Quickly, Sirus checked his pulse to check if he's alive.

"Whew! He's just sleeping. Crazy kid! Almost game me a heart attack" Sirus sighed in relief.