Sighing, he decided to fix himself first. A snap of his fingers dissipated the ache in his neck. The abrasions around his wrist and ankles vanished, revealing smooth, unblemished skin. But he could feel some residual aches here and there.
The same kind of aches mortal bodies had.
Something wasn’t adding up. There was only one soul inside him—there always had been. Zizi was the Fourth King; the Fourth King was Zizi. But why had his body remained human even after his return? Like Rui, his mortal form had been born a vessel capable of holding immense power. But since his power had fused with his soul, he’d assumed the vessel should have transformed into his immortal form.
Yet here he was, aching as if he’d run a marathon at top speed. He was also craving a nice cup of organic single-origin coffee. Which was absurd. Was he something in between human and god, like ademigod, perhaps? Zizi didn’t like the sound of that. It felt as if he’d been demoted. Maybe it was because he was still missing a few memories. He could sense gaps in his mind. Would they fill up eventually, or was there something he had to do to regain those memories?
Zizi’s stomach growled, and he sighed again. He would figure things out sooner or later like he always did. First he needed to nourish this body, which meant he had to get out of his prison. He could try to blast his way out. It would be a spectacle, and like some of his siblings, he was fond of theatrics. But it was likely that his cage was reinforced with a layer of extra security that would make it hard to leave without a lot of effort. Given how weak he felt, it was probably unwise to test the limits of his strength.
The second, more efficient option required less energy, and Zizi was inherently lazy. He took a deep breath and bellowed, “Hellooooooo? I’m awake!”
Footsteps came running.
Two guards appeared by the entrance of the cavern, one with a half-finished cigarette in hand. They stared at Zizi in shock.
“Ah, Fool One and Fool Two,” Zizi greeted them pleasantly.
Fool One gasped, “We were only gone for a few minutes. When did you wake?”
“When did you wake,Your Majesty,” Zizi corrected him, glaring for fun. To his delight, the fools started trembling. “Get me down from here,” he commanded.
“I—w-we don’t know how to, uh, Your Majesty.”
“Then bring me someone who does.”
When they didn’t move, Zizi threatened with a stern finger.Thatgot them in motion. Fool Two scrambled for the exit, tripping over himself and falling on his butt, and Fool One had to help him up. With fearful glances over their shoulders, they dashed off.
Zizi snickered. If he was stuck in Hell forever, he would have to find ways to amuse himself. And until he knew why his mortal form remained, he’d just have to convince the other Kings that he truly was one of them.
It wasn’t long before he felt their presence.
A little girl entered the cavern. Her eyes gleamed like jewels in the dark, but she looked worn. Guilt pinched his chest. The Nothing must’ve ravaged the Seventh Court in his absence, and his little sister suffered for it. Thankfully, he could see some color slowly seeping back into her cheeks and clothing.
“You’re finally awake!” Seven exclaimed, skipping to him.
She was clapping excitedly. To Zizi’s dismay, he saw that her left hand still bore signs of stubborn decay, and her pretty brown curls remained a dull gray. His return should have nullified the effects of the Nothing on the Kings, returning them to their full powers and allowing them to rebuildtheir Courts. But maybe it wasn’t something that happened instantaneously. Maybe it took time to restore the balance and Zizi was still too weak.
And too mortal.He shivered at that thought.
Seven nodded once. The shackles around Zizi’s wrists and ankles vanished. The drop to the ground was quicker than he expected, and the hard landing rattled him. He struggled to stand. It was so undignified for a god to feel like an aged human with bad knees.
“Careful, Seven,” he said as she hugged him tightly. “I’m a little fragile.”
“Oopsie. I missed you.”
She stepped aside, then quirked her head, assessing him. He could sense her power crawling all over him, like a many-legged insect. Her pupils narrowed into slits, and she didn’t look so childlike anymore.
“Stop it, Seven,” Zizi said, shuddering as her reptilian stare slid up and down him. “It’sme.”
She pouted. “You look different. You talk different too.”
“It really isme, little bug,” he said.
The nickname didn’t soften her. Instead, he felt the full weight of her power crushing him. Ten could be a real jerk, but Seven was just as difficult to please. Zizi relaxed, allowing her to do what she was supposed to do. Ifshebelieved him, the others would soon follow suit.
Seconds later, he felt her power retreating.
“Itisyou,” Seven concluded.
