Running.

Tripping.

Falling.

Zelgadiss cursed. He pushed himself back up off the forest floor.

He had been running. Running forever. Running from Rezo. Running from himself. He had to get away.

No destination was in mind. He just had to keep going.

But he was alone. With nowhere to go, no one to care, he was lost. Howling. Walking aimless. Looking for an escape.

He didn't tire. Didn't get warn out. He had Rezo to thank for that. But he would have given it all up just to touch flesh again. Just to swim again. Just to live again.

He stopped.

Rezo was in front of him. His form was illuminated by a red glow against the night. Zelgadiss took an unwilling step back. Rezo smiled.

"Won't you be needing this?" The Red Priest asked. "If you want to kill me." He held out his hands. Resting gently on his palms was a sword. Zelgadiss' sword. The one he had left behind. A human boy's sword. It fitted Rezo's hand perfectly. It taunted him.

"That was your intention wasn't it?" Rezo asked calmly, "Or were you just going to run. Keep on running and hiding in the shadows like some helpless animal. Hope someone will accept you for what you are." He hefted the sword into one hand. "Your father was a good swordsman." He mocked.

Anger burnt up inside of him. And Rezo was the fuel. It wormed its way through his stone. It pushed rationality aside. It collected in the palm of his hand. "Damn you." He cursed under his breath. "Damn you Rezo."

Rezo smiled.

The anger began to take form. A ball in his hand. The easiest spell he knew.

"Fireball!"

His scream echoed about the forest, driven on by the silent night. The light illuminated the scene. Zelgadiss' hand shook.

Rezo brushed the spell aside.

"And your mother a good sorceress." The priest mocked once more. "Runs in the family."

Zelgadiss spat. "You are not my family!" He yelled, "I have no family! They are all dead!"

Rezo lifted an eyebrow. "Indeed. They are. And whose fault is that?"

Zelgadiss cried. He hunched over and hung his head once more. His family. Dead. And he had done nothing. Nothing to help them. Nothing to stop them.

His grandfather strode over to him. Zelgadiss just stood like a beacon. Rezo implanted the sword at his feet. "You mightn't have a family." His voice was cold and stern. "But you have a master. And that is me."

A strong hand clasped Zelgadiss' shoulder. He froze.

"Mono bolt." He heard his grandfather's voice.

It was if he had been struck by lightning. Only lightning was momentary. This wasn't.

Again he screamed. Again pain surrounded. Again it dragged on. Again helplessness drove home.

And again it stopped.

He was on the ground, the hilt of the sword in front of his eye. Dazed, still feeling the jerks of electricity vibrate with in him. He looked up to Rezo once more. Hatred painted his face like a mask.

"Go." Rezo said. "Go and run. Go and hide. But remember." He flicked one of Zelgadiss' ears. His finger nail hit rock. "This will always be with you."