I immediately bow down to her after she said those words to me,

“I’m very sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful to your country or anything…”

“It’s okay. We got that kind of thing very often.”

This girl calls herself as Mei. She said that she’s the leader of these hooded people. She also said that they were trying to resurrect all of the four animals of The Four Symbols. Even so, there was still a lingering problem that I seem to be wondering for the longest time but I just can’t seem to be able to ask her about it. Have I met her before? She looked awfully familiar but I just think that she might not be the same person as what I believed to be.

“Why didn’t you even try to say the country’s name, Blax?” Hosuke asked me.

“It’s embarrassing…” I slowly spoke, “It is too hard for me to pronounce it.”

“Oh is that it?” Hosuke laughed a little and punched my shoulder, “Here I thought you were being insensitive to others.”

“I’m not trying to be insensitive to anyone.”

“Is that what you said when you back talked me?” Hosuke was jokingly eyeing on me.

“Okay that’s enough. We have other things to attend to.”

We turned to Mei and her crew and began discussing about what was happening.

Mei started the conversation by asking the right question, “Are you on our side or on the enemy side?”

“That depends on what you guys will say next” said Haz as he sits down to the ground.

“Very well.” Mei took a breather, “What do you want to know?”

“So you guys are trying to resurrect The Four Symbols, huh? Why are you doing this?”

“We need the help of the animals to fight against the impending Undead Legion of Shihuangdi”

“Hold on, isn’t Shihuangdi is the name of the first emperor of your country? I thought that was ages ago. Is this a different person?”

“No. He was resurrected by a twin that goes by the name of Zing and Zang.”

“Zing and Zang? Never heard of that.”

“We don’t know as well but we only know them based on the design of their armour. It was metallic with a mix of purple and gold. We couldn’t see it all because they were wearing a tattered robe. Some of us noticed that they have a wicked eye locket dangling down on each of their chest.”

“Wicked eye locket? Could this be what I think it is…” I began to connect the dots and asked Mei one more thing, “Do you happen to know about a person named Nova?”

“Nova?” Mei begins to think, “That name…I don’t think I’m familiar with that name.”

I looked back at Hosuke and Haz and nodded to them. Then I turned back to Mei and said, “Alright hear us out, Mei of Zhongguo. We believe that this Zing and Zang might be the one that we’ve been looking for the past few months. We’re going to help you guys resurrect The Four Symbols so your people can fight and defeat Shihuangdi and eventually, Zing and Zang.”

“Very well, mister…”

“Blax Tank.” We shake hands to commemorate our alliance.

-

We’ve set up an encampment near the pillar next to the other Zhongguo people. The Zhongguo was actually building an altar for the pillar. From what Mei had told us, this pillar was one of the four other pillar that dropped down to earth after the initial summoning from the central pillar that has always been at Zhongguo for the longest time. So the process of resurrection goes like this…first Mei and her people does a ritual at the existing centre pillar that is located at the capital of Zhongguo. After that, four other pillars started to drop from the heaven. Each of the four dropped further away from each other. The East Pillar is where Qinglong will be resurrected. Zhuque will be on The South Pillar. Baihu on The West Pillar and Xuanwu on The North Pillar. Right now, we are camping next to The South Pillar. The Vermillion Bird.

“Can you tell me again why you think this Zing and Zang is the one that we’ve been looking for?” Haz asked me.

“I’m not quite sure. White never gave a name but he did say they were twin. This Zing and Zang fits with what he had told us.”

“I can’t believe White had to face something so terrible after his family moved out of here.”

“That’s what happens when you decided to leave your friends, I guess.” Hosuke jokes around.

To give some context to what we were saying. After we finished high school, White and his family had to move out because of his father’s job. After he moved out, he was met with this mysterious twin. We believe this might be the same twin that White met during that time before he even entered his academy.

“But still…” Hosuke lies down on the tent we set up, “Why did you agree to help her? Don’t you think she might lie to us about this? You know how resurrection usually ties with something bad.”

“Those only happen in fiction. This isn’t that, Hosuke.” Haz told Hosuke as he was cooking something.

“Mei and her people have their reason to do this. She showed her resolve to us as she bravely stooped in front of us even after what we’ve done. She even allowed herself to be interrogated by us. She’s not going to backstab us.”

“But if she does…” Hosuke pulls out his Mizusame, “she’ll get to see Leviathan’s Wrath.”

“Leviathan…” I said that in a interested manner, “Say, Hosuke. Have you been able to talk with that dragon of yours?”

“No, I haven’t. It seems that was the only time I was able to talk to it. Quite disappointing really. We could have gotten a lot of information to help White and his ongoing journey to find what was his ancestor Cyclone was talking about.”

I sighed and looked at the night sky, “What are we again?”

“We’re Team Stardust” Answered Haz.

“That’s not exactly what I meant but…yeah.”

I didn’t tell them what I exactly meant. What I meant was what are we to White? Are we just a bunch of tool to him? Helping him out only when he needs something from us? He never even contacted us for anything unless it is related to Dragons. Is this what he means by best friends? This just only gives me more hatred toward him…

What am I thinking? I shouldn’t think like that to that little guy. Ever since The Black Berserker and I absorbed all of those Corrupted cells that were controlling me, I kept having this weird feeling at certain occasion. Was this one of the side effects of accepting The Black Berserker as a part of me? Or was this the work of Nova and his Corrupted Cells? I’d rather not slowing down my friends with this burden I have. I’ll handle this on my own. They’ll understand.

“Blax.” Haz called me.

“What is it?”

“Come over here. Let’s talk.”

“What do you want?” I take a seat next to him.

“I’ve already checked around the area and it seems the EMP attack was because of the impact of the pillar falling down to the ground. The EMP should be over just in a bit. Perhaps you’d like to call someone and see what’s up?”

“What are you implying, Haz?” I was a little confused at first until Haz told me exactly what he meant.

“Call him. He needs to know we are alright.”

“Oh. You mean, White?”

“Who else?” Haz shrugged, “Of course it’s him. Call him. He might be worried of us or something.”

“But isn’t he still lying down on his bed? Isn’t that what Hosuke told us earlier today?”

“Well if he’s not answering, at least deliver the message that we are alright.”

“Fine. I’ll call him…”

I dialled down the numbers on my smartphone and called White. The call was taken but it wasn’t White’s voice. It was probably his new ‘girlfriend’ or whatever he calls her today.

“Still out, huh? Well then, just tell him that we are alright on our side. We’re still up and healthy.”

“I’ll tell him that once he wakes up. He is sure to be glad to know that you guys are safe.”

“Thanks a lot, uh…”

“Zenith.”

“Ah, yes. Zenith.”

“By the way…” she continued, “I didn’t know that White would have such wonderful friends…It kind of…inspires me a little…and I'm 100% sure...he appreciates that.”

Hearing her said that blows me away all of the doubts that I have had on White. I should have been more supportive as his best friend. I shouldn’t have doubted his decision. He knows what he is doing. I know what I should be doing. Time to get busy for tomorrow I guess…

“Thank you, Zenith.”

TO BE CONTINUED