Chapter 10

Their reactions were somewhat different. Gaku bowed slightly and murmured something like, "pleased to meet you", while Blaster was less formal.

"Are you insane?" He yelled, "This is a Zibong!"

"Yes, it is a Zibong," I agreed, calmly, "However, it is also my wife. Her spirit is in there, somehow, and she seems to be in control. For now. Don't threaten her, though, the Zibong part of her is still very strong."

"Gareth," Gaku whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "Isn't your wife dead?"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," The Zibong had started to move side to side, not getting any closer.

"What is she doing?" Gaku asked.

"I believe she is laughing," I replied.

"How could you possibly know that?" Blaster was obviously skeptical; "It may just be getting ready to cast Deathstrike on all of us!"

The agitated motion increased.

"I think you are safe, Blaster," I said, "Let me explain it this way. When you die, some items that are very closely tied to your spirit will often stay with your spirit, instead of dropping to the ground like empty armor. Somewhere inside that Zibong is the Love ring I gave her when we wed. I can feel it. All these years and I still wear my own Love ring. Through the link between our rings, I can sense her emotions and her thoughts. When you said she was getting ready to toss a Deathstrike at you, I saw an image of you with smoke coming out of your hair! Now that is PteriDae's sense of humor!"

"Even if I believe this nonsense," Blaster said, "What does it mean?"

"It means that someone has perpetrated a horrible crime against the Kingdom and we must do everything we can to stop him."

"Why does she stay so far away?" Gaku wanted to know, "When I move towards her, she moves away."

"Remember that she is a Zibong," I explained, "I can't really hear much through the link between our Love rings, but one thing that I sense is constant. She is terrified. All the time. I would guess that the first time she felt ANYTHING other than fear was when she sensed my presence as I came north. I think my poetry helped focus it for her, because it is such a distinctly familiar part of me."

"So she knows she can kill me?" Gaku stopped his little dance, making PteriDae move forward with him, then drifting back down hill again, all while watching her responses.

"My guess is she won't let herself get within killing distance of anyone."

"Any chance she could lead us to whomever is behind all this?" Blaster was starting to regain some of his determination. "I think I would like to set some wolves on him."

PteriDae moved in a slight bobbing motion.

"That means yes, right?" Gaku smiled, quickly getting over his fear, he seemed to be enjoying making friends with a Zibong.

"Then lets get going," I said, unsheathing my axe, "We have souls to free."