A Timely Encounter (Kazn)

[Kazn Ezel]

Kazn's feet met with the resistance of the cow skull. The sound it made when his feet struck the bone was somewhat nauseating. Kazn clenched his teeth and hopped off immediately. The skull had been protecting Zarek's head, but that was hardly any assurance that the man would be without injury.

Unless, of course, Kazn was fighting an actual specter.

However, this specter seemed to be flesh and blood like the rest of the living. And he was certainly quite angry. He was getting terribly worked up over a bit of bone. It wouldn't be that much trouble to go kill another cow, would it?

However, something was not quite right with Zarek. Kazn's eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was something familiar about the face under the skull. They eyes and hair were not quite right. He supposed that he never had given Zarek that close of a look before, otherwise he might have suspected an impersonator.

Kazn had failed to resume his combative stance after his last acrobatic maneuver and so he was caught unprepared when Zarek launched another attack. At best, Kazn was able to lean back slightly as Zarek took a wild swing. It cut across his shirt, and the blow would have sunk deeper had the sword not met with something metallic in one of his pockets.

He swung his leg back to catch himself. Kazn would rather not trip and fall now, of all times. But he was even more distracted. He wanted to pull the watch out of his pocket, but he was certain that the blade had already ruined the trinket. Kazn's face was no longer calm. Zarek wanted to kill him? Well, then... so be it. The challenge would be for Zarek to survive long enough to strike a killing blow.

Kazn raised his sword to bring his saber down on the Boogie's head once more, but instead watched as Zarek collapsed in a coughing fit. Immediately everything pieced itself together. "Kristopher Roberts."

Originally it had been a name that Kazn could not remember, even after removing the boy's eye. That had been an unimportant incident. After turning the boy into a medical case, however, he deserved enough attention that Kazn could remember the problem's name. He had suspected something like this from the beginning, but he would have never guessed Zarek.

"This is markedly different from what I anticipated." Kazn steadied himself. If Zarek was limited by the boy's pitiful physical constraints, then it seemed that Kazn was never really in much danger to begin with.

It was remarkable the boy's body had held out for as long as it did. "I recommend surrender. Anything more might kill your host, and you with it."

[zarek]

Hunched over, the boogie coughed violently until he felt as if his lungs where going to be dislodged from his body. He had never known such pain in a common cough. He felt as if he had been running a sixteen mile marathon mile without a break or a single sip of water. It rather took him by surprise, which only angered him more.

Grunting in rage, he slammed the blade into the floor to steady himself. His wild eyes looked up at Kazn, the red eye's pupil was slitted as a snakes from behind his green locks, while other remained human and more natural.

Zarek was raging like a bull inside, his breathing even seemed related towards one. However, it took a moment for him to be standing at the ready again. If Kazn thought he was out of harms way, he was surely mistaken.

"What DID you expect, Kazn?" Zarek smiled then, a sick twisted one that did not belong on the humans face. "Tell me your theories, I can't wait to get a good laugh out of them!" He declared, he couldn't help his rage, he went forward again, this time using both sheath and blade to attack the older boogie on both sides. Either to cut his head off or wind him with the sheath.

But his body was limited on its actions, he could only do so much. He was pushing the limits, stretching them as far as they could go. To him, he believe he could achieve more, that he could still fight and force Kazn into submission.

"My body is perfectly fine and will greatly improve if you give me what I need." Yes, medicine would put the body in to much better health, but it so would not keep Zarek's influences at bay. From day one, he had been influencing the boy and little by little, he was getting what he wanted. Creating more rage, more disobedience, freedom, and a far sharper tongue.

[Kazn Ezel]

Not very many people were able to get underneath Kazn's skin. Likewise, there were not all that many individuals capable of stirring his interests. Even in the midst of a match, duel or fight, Kazn would work to maintain his composure.

Events in this room had unfolded and Kazn was quickly becoming bored. He had just come from his evening practice with the sword, and the prospect of even more of it was not entertaining. However, it would have been rude to turn down an old friend, even one who was dead.

However, Kazn was not in the business of fighting humans or cripples. Fights were a thing of honor, and Kazn would not tolerate anything beneath a certain standard of behavior. Honorable fighters did not use anything but their weapons, they did not punch, kick or grab, and they most certainly would have the sense to surrender when the fight was lost.

However, Zarek's behavior was able to excuse some minor transgressions against the rules. Knowledge that Zarek was in a crippled boy's body completely shattered any remaining interest in keeping up the charade.

Kazn quickly switched the saber from his right to left hand with a toss. His fingers wrapped themselves around the handle and he brought the blade up to block Zarek's attack. His right hand, now free, swung out and grabbed the man's wrist. His fingers tightened as he twisted his aggressor's hand.

"We are done. Why don't we drop the toys and clean up, child." That was not a question.

[zarek]

This so wasn't part of the plan. This was supposed to be easy, find the information desired, the drugs, take them and go. He never expected for Kazn to come along and stick his nose in Zarek's business. It also didn't help that his temper got the best of him and that this stupid body failed him!

But the worst was when Kazn switched his hand and stopped his blade with one hand and captured his wrist with another! It was an insult! This would normally not happen to Zarek, he was a decent duel wielder that could hold his own. However, this was when he actually had his body that was rightfully his, not this sick and dying thing he lived in!

Zarek growled and stared up at the older boogie with pure hatred that was soon clouded over by some other emotion that could not be named. The boogie pulled hard on the hold as his sword remained up. But of course, a human body was not made to fight a boogie in this fashion.

The face of Kristopher Roberts looked up at Kazn, "Let go of me, Kazn." said Zarek as he shook his head. He wasn't going to win this one, not like this, it seemed like his temper was finally going away.

"All I want from you is help, but you refuse to give it. I need medicine, Kazn, this body is dying and I refuse to go with it!" Dying a second time was not appealing to the boogie, in fact its never appealing to anyone for that matter.

But was Kristopher's body really dying or was it a simple way for Zarek to receive help from the other in some form? Who could tell.

[Kazn Ezel]

In light of everything that had happened so far, Kazn was fully in his rights to just be done with the entire situation. He would inform Naelona of the tragic news and the necessity of his actions, and then everyone's life would go back to the way it should be. Kristopher Roberts would finally be dead, Zarek Camulu would be where he rightfully belonged, Naelona would not have the troublesome slave to worry about and Kazn might actually get some peace and quiet.

So why was it that he was entertaining the difficult way through this ordeal? There was really only one conclusion given Kazn's pragmatic disposition: he felt like there was still something to gain.

"Oh, I will help you, Zarek Camulu. This entire matter accelerates what plans were already in place." In actuality, it cut out the necessity of most of the excruciating life-threatening tests and diagnoses. Kazn felt just a twinge of disappointment that he no longer had a legitimate excuse to perform most of those tests.

"I will help you, but understand that I am working on my own whims. You have no sway over my actions and have certainly forfeited any right you may have previously claimed to bargain."

Lines about the body dying did not evoke any pity in the hollow confines of Kazn's soul. Keeping the body alive would be a pet project and nothing more. After Kazn had what he wanted it was likely that he would simply pull the plug on the entire thing.

Finally, the eldest Ezel let go of his aggressor's body, albeit with a rough shove backwards. Any further attempts at retaliation would be met with automatic and merciless retribution.

[zarek]

Oh, the humor of it all. A past "friend" living in a slave that could never die for whatever reason. Even if Kazn did stab the boy's body through, there as a chance he would survive. Nothing seemed to keep him down for long, not even a head wound, a broken leg, and ammonia.

Zarek blinked in confusion and slowly lifted a golden brow as his dark eyes narrowed. "Accelerates what plans?" He inquired, what on earth had the other been planning or did he know all along things would play out like this, damn the Ezels

Now he was starting to wonder if getting help from this manw as a good idea or bad. However, in reality of the matter, he didnt have a choice. Kazn knew everything about him, his body, life, and now his current form. Kazn was the only boogie that could help him as much as he hated it.

"I have forfeited nothing by asking for your help, you don't rule me, Kazn. You never have and you certainly don't rule this either." He made a sweeping gesture to Kristophers poor excuse of a body that sent him coughing again. Once the coughing came to an end, he growled in irritation.

Zarek stumbled backwards, however magically he kept his balance and sheath his cane back into its stealth and held it tightly. There was no longer a need to fight, even though he still wished to stab the other boogie clean through the head!

But that would have to wait, he would wait until this body was fully healed and strong on medications before he would end the others life. Oh, what a pleasant thing to be able to do...a sweet and twisted revenge for everything he has gone through in his life.

[Kazn Ezel]

Kazn produced an oiled handkerchief and started to wipe his blade clean. It was true that the blade had not drawn any blood, but this treatment was something of a ritual after any time he used the tool. It was a simple matter of principle. During the entire procedure he did not move his eyes off of Zarek. Kazn would not trust this Boogie so far as he could throw him. Given Zarek's current body, that might actually be a lot further than he was comfortable trusting him.

Kazn's temper was perfectly in check at the moment. His only annoyance was dealing with a less-than-compliant Zarek. "Killing you and your host is completely within my rights and my power at this moment. I doubt there would even be any retribution given the timing of this little tantrum of yours." The thought gave him a rather smug outlook on the entire dilemma. No matter what happened, Zarek was the helpless one.

"Allow my to run my tests and I will medicate this body. Tracking down whatever is left of your body is up to you, however." It was not a point that Kazn was willing to budge on. Also, he would not give Zarek any hints as to where he might look to figure out the hints. Kazn was not even certain the answers were anywhere to be found. It might very well be that the eye was all that was left of him.

He could always try and talk to the Doctor Nationis and get him to stitch together a body for him. Kazn actually quickly took a draw from his flask in mourning of the late Doctor Nationis. He doubted the late Doctor was even aware of Kazn Ezel's forays into medical science.

But that was a story for another time. "Your options are simple. Come with me and let me run my tests, or leave and find your medication elsewhere." In Kazn's mind there was only one choice that Zarek could reasonably make.

"And try not to die." Revivals were such a pain.