Chapter 72 - Back At The House Of Black

"What do you mean this morning?!" Obsi asked pointedly. "You have been missing for a month!"

"A month?!" Zell replied. "There is no way I was gone for a whole month!"

"You were!" Obsi continued. "It was the oddest thing. We got worried the second day, because you are a human doing something designed for dragons. We went in to check on you and you were there. The room was completely empty, nothing. We panicked thinking we had inadvertently killed you."

"I was gone?" Zell was confused. "I was in the room the whole time… wasn't I?"

"No, you were definitely not in the room." Obsi replied.

"So, all of that happened and it wasn't just in my head?" Zell asked.

"What happened?" Obsi asked back. "Please tell me what went on. How you vanished."

"Well, it was like you all said." Zell explained. "I went inside to find another me. We fought and I somehow managed to win."

"So, you killed your double?" Obsi asked, shocked.

"Yeah, was I not supposed to?" Zell asked. "He said he was going to do horrible things and use my power for his personal gain. I had to stop him."

"Normally killing your double is impossible." Obsi said. "What normally happens is a mutual understanding of each other and the way to magic opens. I have never heard of anyone killing their double before. Go on. What happened next?"

"Well, the room was damaged from the battle and broke, shattering into pieces." Zell continued. "I found myself in a soundless and lightless void until a woman with nine fox tails placed me into a forest. But there were two of me, one of my former life and one of my new life."

"A woman with nine tails?!" Obsi interrupted. "What was she?! Is she a god or what?! Why was she there? Who is she?"

"Whoa!" Zell said to interrupt the onslaught of questions from Obsi. "Look I tried to find out who she was, but she only said that I was not ready to learn that yet. Regardless it was all a trap to try and get me to surrender my life over to my doppelganger. I refused and she released me. I found myself back in the room, and I assumed I had never left."

"I have never heard of a god like her." Obsi said. "Also, to be able to move someone that is still alive without a connection to the gods… I fear what kind of power this implies. Perhaps the elders will know of her."

"I hope so." Zell said. "I have so many questions now."

"Tell me, did you at least achieve what you set out to do?" Obsi asked. "Did the training work for a human?"

"Yes." Zell replied. "When I reentered the white room, a tattoo was on my hand. After it activated, I have been able to feel the magic all around me. Both the primordial and the magic put here by the gods."

"A new tattoo?" Obsi asked. "Can I see it?"

"Well, it vanished after burning so hot it felt like my hand was going to come off." Zell explained.

"I doubt the tattoo had anything to do with your ability to sense magic." Obsi replied. "That came from you understanding yourself. That is the only way one can sense magic, at least true magic. I worry that the woman put that tattoo on you, for what purpose I have no idea."

"One mystery after another." Zell said.

"Mistress…" Lucille entered the room carrying more dishes of food, she saw Zell froze and dropped them. "He is alive?!" She yelled out.

"Yes." Zell said, walking over to help her clean up the mess. "I am sorry if I worried you."

"You did not worry me." Lucille explained. "I care not if you live or die. My mistress was just so saddened by your loss, I am happy to see the smile return to her face."

Obsi blushed. "Lucille, please refrain from telling our guest such things!" She protested.

"Yes mistress!" Lucille replied. "I am sorry to have told the human that, what punishment would you wish me to have?"

"No punishment is needed." Obsi said. "Just please don't do it again."

"Are you sure my lady?" Lucille replied. "I have betrayed your trust, you should punish me most harshly. I can endure it, my lady. Please do whatever you wish to do to me. Use me as a stool, have me fan you all night. Whatever you like, mistress. Don't let my slight go unanswered."

Zell stood back up and backed away slowly.

"Please do not mind Lucille." Obsi said to Zell. "She only wishes to make me happy and all her years alone in the mansion has given her certain… quirks. Please sit and eat, you have not eaten in a month, you must be starving."

"Oddly enough I am not hungry at all." Zell answered back. "I should try and eat anyway, I guess." He said as he sat down at the table ready to eat.

"Tomorrow we will go down to the elders and try and get some answers." Obsi said. "But tonight, we celebrate your successful mission and safe return. It is not every day that someone returns from the dead! Lucille break out the best wine!"

"Yes mistress." Lucille said as she left the room and headed to the manor's wine cellar.

"I really am happy that you returned to us Zell." Obsi said, picking at her fish with a fork. "I really meant everything I said before, being alone forever is the worst feeling, I would be so happy if you chose to spend eternity with me."

"We are still freshly met." Zell replied. "Why would you want to be with me after such a brief period together? Especially forever."

"Because a dragon knows who they belong with the moment they meet them." Obsi said. "I have met every one of my kind and did not have that feeling once. I thought I was doomed to spend my life alone forever. Sure, I would have fun from time to time, but my true partner was missing. Either they had not been born yet, or they had already died. I lost all hope. That is the main reason I did not want to come back home. At least if I was alone in a cave, I had an excuse. Being alone surrounded by your own kind is just sad."

"And you felt this feeling towards me?" Zell asked.

"I know it isn't something a human can easily understand." Obsi said. "Just know from the moment you defeated me in combat. I knew exactly who you were to me. I could feel it in my very essence, everything that I have is drawn to you and I always want to be with you. I have forever so I am willing to wait, but please give me a chance one day."

"I had no idea." Zell said. "So was the real reason you told me about the pool that gives immortality so that you could spend forever with me?"

"Maybe it was." Obsi teased. "But I also told the truth, the gods cannot touch you here aside from sending champions from other worlds. If you stay alive you never have to face their retribution for your defiance. You can stay safe."

"You know I am going to have to fight them one day." Zell said. "That is what I promised your elders."

"Forever is a long time." Obsi replied. "There is no reason to rush headlong into a fight with gods. Besides the elders said you needed to get a lot stronger first."

"I do." Zell sighed. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence as Zell thought of what Obsi said.. He declined to partake in the wine and went to his room to sleep until morning.