An Army or Will Be

I should have known when Zuno said he had an army he meant he would make one. He seemed to always surprise me. I wanted to believe in him and think there was no one who could ever come close to his abilities, but a sister?! I remember watching the goddess create him out of practically nothing and yet he has her same enemies. It felt like Zuno was ancient like books I'd read in the past of strong ancient beings who were all powerful, but to be honest, Zuno was barely a week old. He was still powerful, but not ancient.

"Copper for your thoughts?" Zuno sat next to me on the wall he'd put around the bustling town. I had to wonder why no one else mentioned the changes that occured over night in the city, but they didn't ask so neither did I.

"How strong is your sister?" I finally had the guts to ask.

"I imagine you mean, Zen." Zuno sighed as he looked out at the vast woods that surrounded our town.

"Why do ypu have different last names?" I realised how random that was only after I asked.

"We are named after the realm we come from. Zen came from the dark realm, Colayzenai. I, one the other hand come from the even darker realm, Alzureiss. Before you start asking even more questions,let me answer your first one. Zen is niether stronger nor weaker than I. Being born from different realms gives us different abilities." Zuno reached around and placed his arm over me.

"What are you doing?" I looked up at him not amused.

"Well, I did offer something earlier and you never answered so I'm pushing the offer slightly harder." His smile chilled me for a moment.

"Please stop. Even if I did think of you that way, I can't take you serious enough to actually consider it." I removed his arm and walked away.

"I wouldn't go that way, Master." He spoke up suddenly.

"I'm going to regret this, but why not?" I looked back at him hoping it was something small.

"I created an army that way and they are still in the training stages. It could scare you." He looked slightly sad and worried. Was he scared I wouldn't like him if I saw his mist army. Time to prove him wrong.

"I'm not scared of some shadow mist am-Ahhh! What the fuck?!" I looked over the wall at hundreds of corpses shambling about trying to stand. Most had rotted flesh falling from their bones with tendrils of misty shadows acting as muscles.

"Told you it would scare you." Zuno sighed dramatically then smiled at me.

"You... You... Ah!" I was at a loss for words how to describe my emotions. Frustrated didn't begin to cover it.

"Oh dear, is he going to faint?" A voice caught my attention and I turned to see a full skeleton standing next to me. This one didn't have any flesh or anything. It was just bone. His mist was even so light I could barely see it.

"Maybe." Zuno laughed which fueled my anger.

"I am NOT going to faint!" I glared at Zuno who laughed harder.

"I'm sorry, Master. I honestly didn't know how you would react." Zuno calmed down and held his hands up against my fury.

"Please don't hate Master Zuno, Master Lucas. I'm very much happy to be alive." The skeleton placed it's boney hand on my shoulder. "If it helps, I don't remember my living life at all. You are working with a blank slate with a personality."

"I'm not sure that helps, but thanks for trying." I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I was talking to a skeleton. "How are we going to explain this to the people?"

"I'm already taking care of that." Zuno smiled showing a his normally hidden fangs.

"Everyone thinks Zuno is the normal one and you, Master Lucas, are the sorcerer." The skeleton informed me.

"Wait, what?" I looked at Zuno in both surprise and worry.

"Thank you very much, you dumb talking dead-"

"Don't insult the skeleton for telling me what you should have." I stepped in front of the skeleton and glared at Zuno.

"Are you defending a skeleton?" Zuno asked bewildered. I really couldn't blame him at that point.

"I... Yes, I am. Skully is at least honest with me." I stood my ground even though I was questioning my sanity.

"And you wonder why they think you're the strange one." Zuno laughed deeply causing things I chose to ignore.

"Skully? I like it! I have a name!" The skeleton jumped up and down excitedly.

"Oh no." Zuno gasped as he rushed forward. I didn't know why he was so alarmed until the weakness hit suddenly. I felt my legs go out from under me as my vision went dark.

"You did faint" Zuno's laugh was deep as I opened my eyes. I looked up and saw he was holding me close. My blush hit my cheeks hard and deep into my ears.

"Put me down." I struggled in his grasp.

"Why are your cheeks red, Master Lucas?" Skully asked squatting down. I jumped out of Zuno's arms and stood up dusting my clothes off.

"I'm going to get to work." I huffed trying to calm my heart.

"Don't be shy, Master. I'd happily sate your curiosity." Zuno walked behind me laughing. I tried to think about what to tell people about the undead army that was supposed to protect us against Zen's attack. That's what I was thinking about. Totally. Only that.

"What's that, Mommy?" Melina asked tugging at her mom's dress. I looked up in time to see her mom turn white as a ghost before she fainted. Skully squeaked and hid behind Zuno shaking. At least, that hadn't been my reaction.

I walked over tapped the unconscious woman until she woke. Melina got curious enough to go touch Skully and they were becoming fast friends already.

"What's going on?" Her groggy voice pulled me back to where my thoughts needed to be.

"Arina, we need to talk." I helped her sit up and looked over at Skully and Melina dance in circles dancing.