Exiled Normie
Whether it was paranoia, or her empathic range increasing over the years, Zini could definitely tell she was being followed. Her powers sense their presence near them almost every day. The feeling started when she re-entered human territory. In years past, this someone was her mother. Zini knew it wasn't her this time because she knew her mother's "signature". It had an eerie, yet sinister presence to it. Zini hadn't felt her near in a long time. The last time she did was at the start of her exile. This new presence wasn't menacing at all. Could it be possible that her mother didn't know what she currently looked like and hired a mercenary to infiltrate the human cities to find her? If that was the case, Zini had every right to be paranoid of this presence. Even so, that idea was far-fetched. Zini's mother wouldn't employ non-Anomaly mercenaries and human or Nexus mercenaries were out of the question. The Don wouldn't allow his ranks to be defiled by the like, commissioned or not. So, this person had to be either a human or Nexus wanderer.
On the thought of not feeling her mother's presence anymore, it was a relief. A chapter closed in her life that she didn't want to go through again. If, by chance, Zini found a special someone whom she would soon marry, Zini would keep the evilness of mother and father a secret from them. It'd been several years since feeling her mother's presence and even seeing either of her parents face to face. The events that occurred on that day were very clear-both disowned her. Her mother also erased the memory of her home from Zini's mind. This included her childhood. All the places she used to visit as a child along with everyone she once knew in Caprice ceased to exist in its crevasses.
In her dreams, Zini could feel her mom's presence when the Stardust Dragon rampaged. Sometimes they were engaged in battles. The fights usually ended with the Stardust Dragon forcing the Queen to retreat while almost all in her battalion were slain by this monster. In these battles against her mother, Zini could feel that same fear she felt in her father when she tried to assassinate him years ago. The current presence she always felt near her wilderness home was one that was intriguing yet baffling. Zini went as far as moving to a small island off the Isles' coast she called Mamnue. The term was Arabic meaning "Forbidden", to get away from this person. In the meantime, during this person's absence, Zini learned how to build a log cabin. She learned how to do so after seeing a group of humans building one on the outskirts of a human city known as Roanoke months ago. It'd not been an easy project to complete. She stopped several times because she didn't have the tools to make the cabin look professional. It was sloppy. Zini hated it.
With the aid of a new emerging power, Zini was able to get her cabin to look like one of those human --homes. Soon she felt the presence again. It had been months since she felt this specific signature—the same one that was stalking her when she lived on the mainland Ancient Isles. Knowing how tumultuous the sea was crossing over to this island, Zini never knew anyone else would be so bold to cross it just to watch her. They were a special kind of brave that Zini respected. That respect quickly faded because not once did this person confront her to even say hello. They'd just camp out on a cliff watching her hours on end doing whatever, it was a bit creepy. Why couldn't they just knock? She wanted to wash her hair in the large water basin stationed in front of the cabin, but not with someone standing outside watching her. She needed her privacy, especially when she was bathing! She currently had none thanks to this creeper.
The person always showed up in the morning when she was busy with her daily routine. Enough was now enough! It was high time they faced each other. If the person wasn't going to introduce themselves, then she was going to take the initiative. Zini trekked the island behind the cliff overseeing her "Den" when she felt the presence leave the island. She setup traps around the area where this person would likely traverse. She was astonished when finding that this stranger avoided all her traps the morning after. One thing was certain. If they were a Nexus, they had to have a power that made it possible for them to detect Zini's traps and avoid them. She eventually caught a glimpse of him, sleeping in his tent near Mamnue's shore. It was a half-mile hike from there to the cliff. He looked no younger than mid-twenty.
The thought of someone invading her privacy was enough annoyance. Now she had him but didn't know what to do next. She couldn't control her emotions as a flood of them hit her in that instant. A vicarious scene presented herself as Zini didn't know what happened next. He was yelling for help in a dream. Why was she asleep? Did she step in one of his traps before entering the tent? Did he secretly gas her when he awakened to find her towering over him? No, that couldn't happen. She had to wake herself up! When Zini finally came to, she found herself choking the man from afar. Why couldn't she loosen her grip on him? While she was contemplating this, she felt a raging emotion try to overcome her. She was angry yet she was assuring herself that he was innocent. She felt confused, yet extreme pity. How could she feel two opposite non-complementary emotions at the same time? That was when she heard another voice in her head.
The voice told her, "He should die!"
Who could this be? She thought. At first, she'd assumed it was her mother, but ruled it out as soon as the thought came.
"Let this Normie die for his sin!" The voice continued to rage.
That was when it dawned on her. The voice was hers but not hers! She was sharing a mind-space with them. How was that even possible?
"I am the one whom they all call the Stardust Dragon!" The being announced, sensing Zini's confusion. "But you can call me Star."
Zini wanted to run out of her own body. If that was possible. How could her mind be split in two? How could one body host two minds? Then it hit her-all the childhood trauma she suffered. Her mind, in a struggle to process it all, compartmentalized all her hatred, guilt, and helpless into a fearless being of pure hate for her own race. But why have the urge to kill a human? They did nothing to her!
"Star, please let him go!" Zini pleaded.
"Invasion of privacy merits death." Star's answer sent chills down Zini's spine but at the same time, it bolstered her determination to not have innocent blood on her hands.
Zini struggled with Star, a long battle. It'd almost cost this stranger his life, Star was on the verge of suffocating him while Zini was trying her best to make her loosen the grip. Tears in her eyes streamed as she could feel the guy's life fleeting him along with his mental pleads for help. When she finally freed him, she saw through his mind, there was a switch in emotion from fear to something else as he watched her cry. She turned away in shame and continued sobbing. His emotion was something she hadn't felt in a long time and only between her parents and peers. It was the feeling between people who cared for one another. Did he also feel the same way towards her? She could see through him, there was no ulterior motive. She could also feel his pity. He knew something was off about Zini and had a haunch she was fighting "something" within her.
Could Zini trust him? She was going to try, risking everything on this journey. He was going to be the first person she ever truly trusted in a long time.