Awake and Alive

"Doctor! The patient is showing signs of activity!" The nurse shouted over a communicator.

"I'll be right there. Inform Colonel John as well. He wanted to talk to him the moment he gains consciousness." The voice replied.

"What the hell is... happening?" the patient murmured. "Where am I?"

"Mr Lancaster, please don't get up. Your condition is still fragile. You were in coma for six months you can't just get up and start running around." the nurse replied pushing Zeroll back on the bed.

"What use this place?"

"You're in the hospital of Regea, the southern capital of human empire. That's all I can tell you for now. Col. O'Connor would be here soon, you can your questions then. For now you have to rest."

Zeroll didn't had wait for long. Within ten minutes, about 20 people, clad in black combat suit entered the room and along with them entered a man who was a split image of Niall.

"Niall?" Zeroll asked.

Colonel gave him a sad smile, "I wish I am but I'm not him. My name is John O'Connor, Colonel Major and the President of the southern human empire."

John then pulled a chair near Zeroll's bed and sat there. "But don't worry, I've heard a lot about you. Frankly, I don't remember a single time when my brother didn't mention your name, you must be quite an intriguing guy or else my brother wouldn't have wasted his life trying to save yours."

"So you do know what happened to him. I'll be grateful to him as long as I live. But what am I doing here?" Zeroll asked.

"Do you remember anything at all?" join asked stroking his chin.

"I..." he tried to think and immediately, the images of his massacred comrades starting flashing in front of him. How everything he had was shattered by one person's betrayal... his eyes were filled with rage, everyone in the room could feel his murderous intent, a few gulping down their saliva.

"Just who is this guy?" they thought.

"Calm down, Zeroll." Even John felt a little intimidated from Zeroll now. "Would you mind telling us why did those monsters attacked Livania?"

Zeroll then proceeded to tell them everything he knew, omitting some details as he pretty much knew they wouldn't believe him and might even throw him in some type of asylum. Everyone was shocked when he finally stopped.

"So you mean, that the one who was attacking you, wants to annihilate the humans?" John asked.

"Pretty much." Zeroll replied.

"And this Xephirous person is leading them?"

"Him and Ashira, the human like ogre."

"Why didn't you asked for our then?"

"Do you honestly think, your people would've helped me fight someone? For all I know you were either afraid of me or you wanted to kill me. "

"That is... unfortunately true. Some people still want to do so because of the soldiers that you killed."

"And how is that my fault? If someone attacks me or my friends I'll do what I have to for their safety." Zeroll shrugged his shoulders.

"We understand and that's why we have a proposal for you."

"What?"

"Would you like to lead the battle against our common enemy, Xephirous. We have the technology and resources and you have the experience and power. I believe, that together we can defeat them."

"I... need some time to think about it."

"Sure. There will be a high level meeting tomorrow you can tell us your decision there." John said left the room along with the others, leaving only the doctor and the nurse with him.

"We have to do some test. Shall we proceed?" the doctor asked.

"Knock yourself out." Zeroll replied.

*****

Zeroll couldn't sleep that night and even after the protests from the doctors and nurses, he left his room for a stroll at night. The basic structure of Regea was similar to that is Livania. It even had the same cloaking technology which gave the night sky a familiar feeling. He sat down on a bench staring at the man made sky. He had a lot of memories with stargazing and he was soon lost in those memories of the first night he spent in Livania, how beautiful the night was, the people, friends and comrades... he couldn't believe they were gone... his eyes eventually found their way to constellation called Emydidae, the same constellation Nissa once told him about.

"Born under the throne, destined to rule." He repeated what Nissa had said that night. "Rule my ass! I couldn't even protect the people I cared about."

His voice started breaking, on the outside he was the ever strong leader people could look up to but on the inside he was a mess. Before he could realise it, his eyes couldn't hold back the tears anymore. He had never cried when once since his parents death, but he couldn't hold his emotions anymore.

"They'll have to pay for what they've done. Even if it's the last thing I do." He wiped off his tears. He had made up his mind for what he was going to say in tomorrow's meeting.