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// Bk9/Ch5 Blood Rose 
// Story: Love's Lost Decade 
// by Priceless911 
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Book 9 / Chapter 5
Blood Rose 
(Year 5, Month 6, Day 18)

Kante thrusted her spear as accurately as she could but once again Zeil was too quick as he used a bladeless staff to deflect her attack and parry her away. Reacting Kante countered by spinning and swinging her spear in a horizontal swipe. This time instead of parrying the attack, Zeil only blocked it as he spoke, “Stop swinging in anger… Focus… look for my openings, expect I'll block those openings and know how to counter once I do.”
After that was said, Zeil pushed Kante back as the small filly landed a number of feet away and tried again to charge and strike her opponent. Like before, Zeil could easily see her movements as he blocked three more of her attempts before pushing her back again as he spoke, “Still too slow!”
This time as Kante landed a few feet away, Zeil placed the end of his staff against the ground as he slid his weapon across the ground with enough speed to kick up dust and sand as Kante shielded her eyes from the airborne debris.

Though it was brief, Zeil used Kante’s moment of inactivity as he thrusted his staff through the dust as he accurately placed it against the blade of her spear before quickly rotating it around in her hoof loosening her grip with each rotation. Before Kante could realize what was happening, Zeil flung his staff upwards and away with enough force to disarm the young filly sending her spear into the air as it flew over their heads and embedded itself into the thatch roof of her hut nearby. After that was done, Zeil spun around using the same staff to kick her hooves out from under her, causing the young warrior to fall to the ground. Continuing his movements, Zeil quickly placed the end of his staff against Kante’s chest stopping her reactions before she was able to pick herself up. With Kante now on the ground, the young filly glared as Zeil, “That’s not fair! You kicked dust into my face, then yo-”
“Disarmed you before you could react… yes but that’s where you lost. You can choose to fight for honor or you can choose to fight to survive… never both. It’s all about what you’re fighting for. Sometimes it can be for honor if you’re fighting to protect your family or home, but other times it’s simply to stay alive. So when that’s the case, you should focus on just that. Surviving the fight. If it means using dirty tactics or what can be seen as cheating then so be it. The key is to be the last one standing when it’s all over.”

Annoyed that she didn’t understand it from the start, Kante sighed as she picked herself up, “Fine… that seems understandable. If it were an actual fight warrior to warrior then I would have lost.”
Zeil nodded, “Yes, and an added lesson. To win you need to understand one of three things. Know your surroundings, your opponent and yourself. Surroundings being the landscape, the terrain, and what can be used in a fight. Your opponent being his weaknesses, his goals, strife, and what he is willing to do to win. And finally yourself, being your own weaknesses, your disadvantages against your opponent and how you can use them to gain the upper hand. By knowing any of these three things, you can win in a fight against any warrior.”
Kante thought to herself as she replied, “Really?... I should remember this. It could help me somda-“
before she could finish, Zeil could feel Chief Basarum’s aura approaching as he looked in the direction and spoke with haste, “Kante, the chief is coming!”
Kante nodded as she took Zeil’s staff and replied, “Got it… I'll go put this away… what about my spear?”
Zeil looked to the top of the hut to see the somewhat obvious weapon lodged in its roof as he replied, “leave it… there is no time to get it now. He is too close, quickly go inside.”

Nodding in agreement, Kante rushed into her hut to hide the staff as Zeil turned around and trotted towards Chief Basarum as he spoke, “Chief, good morning… um… how are you doing today?”
Chief Basarum replied with an unamused tone, “It’s the afternoon…”
Zeil looked up at the sun as he replied, “Oh… will you look at that. I guess I got up a little later than usual. I'm just here checking on Kante, seeing if she was alright.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “Alright… well… are you ready to begin training?”
At that moment Kante stepped into the doorway of her hut as she spoke, “Oh, um chief, Zeil how are you two doing today?”
Zeil replied, “I guess we are going to begin our training, so um… I'll see you later.”
Nervous, Kante replied, “Oh… well um… good luck then.”

The two stallion nodded as Chief Basarum replied, “Then, let’s be off…”
With that said, Zeil followed as Chief Basarum trotted away from the hut and towards the edge of the village. As they trotted along, Chief Basarum spoke, “So… a spear in the roof. Perhaps your next lesson to Kante should be to keep a better hold on her weapon. Or was it she who disarmed you? If so she is progressing well.”
Zeil felt nervous, “Wait… what?”
Chief Basarum smiled, “You don’t think you can train a warrior behind my back in my own tribe and not let me find out about it? Please, even you can give me a little more credit than that.”
Zeil continued following as he replied, “How long have you known?”
Chief Basarum replied, “I found out the third day you were here.”
Zeil was confused, “And… you didn’t stop me?”
Chief Basarum shook his head, “No… I’ve spent the better part of the last two years trying to stop her. So… I felt it was inevitable. Besides, its better she learn from one she trusts then to continue wandering into the hunting grounds alone. Otherwise it was only a matter of time before she finds herself at the mercy of another leopard pride.”

Zeil nodded as he replied, “Well… I guess you’re right. I know you’re worried about her becoming a warrior because you don’t want her to get hurt, but if she hurts herself trying to become a warrior behind your back then what’s the point.”
Chief Basarum gave him a curious look, “What? Why would you think that, that is the reason I didn’t want her to become a warrior?”
Zeil replied, “Because she said so herself. She said you refuse to teach her because you don’t want her to get hurt.”
Chief Basarum shook his head, “That’s not the reason at all.”
Zeil was confused, “Really? Then why don’t you teach her to fight?”
Chief Basarum hesitated for a few second before replying, “That… is my own buissness. Anyways, if you’re insistent on training her, then do as you want… just…”
Zeil gave him a distrusting look, “Just?”
Basarum replied with a smiled, “Give her memories she can enjoy. Kante has had a very unfortunate life, and after losing both her parents, she seems to have adopted you as a brother. So by all means, treat her like a little sister, if you can that is.”

Zeil nodded as he thought about the odd request before replying, “I'll try.”
Basarum was concerned, “Try?”
Zeil nodded, “We changelings… we have an odd view on the idea of… siblings.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “Ah… I see. If I understand right, your kind are born in the thousands to a single queen right?”
Zeil nodded, “Not to that extent but, yes, if we were to address it as ponies do, my mother would be queen chrysalis and I’d have at least three hundred twin sisters and brothers. But to us changelings there are only a select few we actually consider brother and sister. So to me… I have three brothers and no sisters… or… I had anyways.”
Chief Basarum gave him a curious look, “Had?...”
Zeil’s expression became down as he replied, “I lost one of my brothers a few years ago… and the other two, I haven’t seen since Equestria.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “I see…”

Zeil gave Chief Basarum a curious look, though he didn’t show it, Zeil could tell that Basarum’s emotions seemed sympathetic to Zeil as if he had the same situation happen to him before. However before Zeil could aske, Basarum smiled, “I guess I understand the concept, though my experience is quite the opposite. I had no blood siblings, but when I was young, the current mage of Zebrica arrived in the southern tribes and informed Mage Magi that he was chosen to be the next mage, and that his teacher the enchanter of light would be my father. My father graciously agreed to teach Magi and permitted both he and his younger brother Muji brother to live here in the Northern Tribes. While they were here, both Magi and Muji became close friends to the tribe and myself. So much in fact that I considered them both brothers.”
Zeil felt unsure as he replied, “Wait… wasn’t Chief Muji the one who sent the assassin to kill you?”

Chief Basarum nodded, “I'm getting to that. Anyways… after about four years into Magi’s training, it was announced that the eldest son of the southern tribes was to become the husband of the next oracle. So to allow the two to get to know each other, Zera was asked to move into the Northern tribes to stay with him prior to their marriage. So after moving here from the Western tribe, Zera quickly became a member of the family. However, when Mage Magi started to near the end of his training, Zera became distressed. The oracle is incapable of looking into the Mages future due to the power he possesses but when she looked into her own in hopes of seeing him by her side at the alter… he was nowhere to be seen. Though he assured her that it wasn’t anything to worry about, she knew well, that the day he would set out for the final trial, would be the last they would ever see each other. And so after he left… Mage Magi was never seen again. Less than year after he left, Muji returned to his tribe to begin his preparation of becoming the southern tribe chief. But shortly afterwards, he was met with a terrible tragedy. The summer after Mage Magi left, Zebrica was hit with a terrible drought that killed a vast majority of our food supply. It was so severe that all five tribes had to combine their resources to ensure survival. Though many would die by starvation before this could be made possible. And with those unfortunate few, stood both chief Muji’s mother and father.”

Zeil was surprised, “Wait… you mean that both his parents died the same year that Magi didn’t return?”
Chief Basarum nodded as he replied, “Yes… and as we know, when so much tragedy takes place at once, it can cause one to become bitter. Chief Muji felt that he had been wronged in some way but at the time he didn’t focus his blame on any one zebra… until… the following year, when Zera’s betrothal to the eldest son of the southern tribe was canceled, as passed on to the Northern Tribe instead.”
Zeil gave Basarum a surprised look as the chief continued, “When Mage Magi didn’t return, Zera fell into a pit of despair that seemed endless. Since I was the only one there, I consoled her through those hard times, and seeing this made the assembly of chief’s change their mind. In a vote of four to one the tribal chiefs to include my father and Chief Muji decided that since Mage Magi’s return seemed unlikely, that the oracle of Zebrica would become the wife of the Chief closest to her. In other words, me.”
Zeil thought to himself as he replied, “So in that vote of four to one… Muji was a chief then so he was the one who voted against the betrothal, wasn’t he?”
Basarum nodded, “Yes, after Muji heard that the chiefs wanted me to be the one to marry Zera, he assumed that this was my plan from the very start. He thought that I was somehow jealous of Magi Magi’s power and privilege that I would set out to steal it from him. He accused me a sabotaging mage Magi’s final trial and tricking his betrothed into falling in love with me. He actually believes that I could possibly hurt one of my own brothers and take his wife as my own. And it’s this belief that has driven him into hatred and anger.”

Chief Basarum sighed in disappointment as he continued with a slight slowing in his pace, “Since that day, Chief Muji has made every attempt to either accuse me of killing his brother and stealing his wife, or making me look like an unworthy chief in front of my or the other tribes. Most were simple attempts to frame me for crimes that his tribe was responsible for, but others even went as far as… well… attempts at assassination, or trying to provoke a declaration of war.”
Zeil felt confused, “But… why would he try to provoke you into war when he could just declare it himself?”
Basarum replied, “Because whoever is the first to declare war would obviously be disrespecting all that Chief Rafi fought to establish. Peace between all tribes.”
A different voice replied, “And any who disrespect that peace will have no support for the other tribes should war be the decision.”
Zeil and Basarum looked down the road as they saw Lady Zera approaching from their destination as she continued, “To disrespect Rafi’s efforts is an insult to all of Zebrica. And no chief, rival, ally, or friend will ever support one who disrespects all like that.”

Zeil smiled as he nodded and greeted the mare, “Good afternoon Lady Zera. I guess what you’re saying make since.”
Zera smiled as she changed the subject, “So, you’re off to begin your training to become the mage? I knew you had something special about you.”
Zeil smiled, “As if you didn’t see it from the very start?”
Lady Zera smiled as she nodded, “Actually… I couldn’t.”
Zeil gave her a confused look as Chief Basarum nodded, “As I said moments ago, the Oracle is incapable of seeing the mage’s future. It has something to do with his power predating her own.”
Zera nodded, “So… you couldn’t see my future at all? Then… why didn’t you shun me like Chief Basarum?”
Zera smiled, “That’s easy, because I have incredible intuition. While my husband… can't seem to keep an open mind.”
Chief Basarum gave her an annoyed look she turned and followed the two on their path.

As they continued, Zeil had another question for the oracle, “Um lady Zera? I'm curious… about your ability to see the future… I had something similar happen to me once, though… what I saw was more of the distant past.”
Zera was curious, “The Past? How so?”
Zeil replied, “Well, I stumbled upon a city called Lilith. And when I arrived I found that the place had been under a curse that had lasted for a few millennia, but the vision I had was of the day it became cursed. It was as clear as if I had seen it firsthand. Is that what your visions are like?”
Zera shook her head, “Actually… no they are not. When I force myself to look into the future, the visions are hazy and never clear to whom they may concern. It’s as if I am standing in a room with shadows acting out a scene. The only real reason I can understand what happens is because I usually can tell who they are by the subject I'm looking into. For example if I were to look into my husband’s future I may see a room in the center of the temple with a number of shadows bickering around a table. But since I know it’s my husband’s future, I can assume it’s a meeting between him and the other tribal chiefs. Though when visions come to me naturally, they are much clearer. But what you saw, was most likely your own ability.”

Zeil was confused, “My own ability? What do you mean?”
Chief Basarum replied, “It was a message to you about something you needed to look into. Since you are meant to be the mage, occasionally you may get visions about an imbalance in the area that you must adress. So whatever vision you had was what you were supposed to see as the mage. My question is… did you balance whatever event you saw?”
Zeil thought to himself as he nodded, “Yes I think so…”
Chief Basarum smiled, “Good, then there isn’t anything to worry about. Your vision was simply what you were supposed to see. A hint to what imbalance was nearby and what must be done to fix it.”
Zera nodded, “As the mage, you are meant to keep balance, and if you have visions similar to those, then you must ensure balance is kept. Though that may also mean that if you have a vision of the future, then that future may be possible to change. Unlike my visions.”

Zera’s Expression sank as Zeil could only feel sadness from the mare as Chief Basarum changed the subject, “Never the less… we’re here.”
Although he wanted to ask Zera about her comment, Zeil still looked forwards as he saw a large patch of white roses sitting in front of him as he spoke, “Wow, I’ve never seen roses so white before… wait… are those the Blood Roses I’ve heard so much about?”
Seeing his confusion, Lady Zera replied, “Oh? Were you expecting something else?”
Zeil nodded, “Well, I just assumed with a name like Blood Rose, they would be a little more… red.”
Chief Basarum smiled, “Well, the reason they call these Blood Roses aren’t because of their color.”
Lady Zera smiled, “Yes you see, these roses have an ability of their own. They are the most fragile plant in the world, but they are also one of the most terrifying.”
Zeil was confused, “Terrifying? How so?”
Chief Basarum gestured towards the roses as he replied, “See for yourself… touch one.”

As Zeil heard the statement, he felt somewhat worried. He knew about plants as poisonous as the Moon Weed, and as mischievous as the Poison Joke so to be told that this one was terrifying and to also be suggested to touch it seemed uneasy as he looked at the roses then to lady Zera who only gestured and replied with the same suggestion, “Do not worry, the rose is somewhat unnerving but… I promise, its safe.”
Though her explanation didn’t fully convince him, Zeil still felt that it was a crucial part of his training as he gave a bracing sigh and replied, “Okay… here goes.”
Worried, Zeil approached the closest of the snow white roses as he raised his hoof and gently caressed the rose blossom at the top of the small thorny stem. As soon as he touched the rose, Zeil thought his mind would be filled with vision of darkness or that he would immediately feel weekend by some unruly magic, but after touching the plant, Zeil felt confused that nothing happened. After seeing no ill effects from the plant Zeil turned back to the two zebra as he spoke, “I don’t understand, what make this rose so ter-“
All of a sudden, Zeil felt a strange feeling run down the side of his hoof as he looked back to the plant and moved both his head and his hoof around so he could get a good look at what was causing this feeling. However as soon as he saw what it was, Zeil jumped back away from the rose and stared at it in fear, “Wh-what the?”

As Zeil quickly examined his hoof again he felt worried when he discovered that the strange feeling he felt was blood running down his hoof and dripping onto the ground. Worried, Zeil quickly wiped away the blood and examined his hoof for the wound that the plant had given him but when he found no wound on him at all, he felt both concerned and confused, “Wh-what was that? Was… was that an illusion?”
Chief Basarum shook his head, “No… that blood was as real as you and I. the color, the texture, smell, even the taste… that blood was your own.”
Zeil looked at the rose in fear, “Wh-what? But… how?”
Lady Zera smiled, “The Blood Rose is by far the most terrifying plant in existence… not because it can cause any simple harm or curse, but because of the physiological effect it has on those who encounter it.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “The Blood Rose has the ability to sense the magic in all living things. Though it doesn’t have eyes, it can see everything and everyone around it. And when one touches it, it immediately identifies what creature you are, then bleeds the same blood that you hold. If a creature with yellow or blue blood were to touch the Blood Rose, then that is the color blood that would be running down their hoof.”
Zeil looked at the remnant of the blood that was on his hoof as he replied, “So… there was no real wound there?”

Lady Zera approached the rose as she replied, “There wasn’t… but then again, those who don’t understand this rose don’t know that. Any who encounter this plant and make contact with it see blood and are terrified of the wound that this plant created and the fact that they didn’t feel any pain when it was made. Though even after discovering that there is no wound, there are very few to test the plant a second time. Instead, they along with any animal who encounter this rose simply avoid it altogether. It’s a survival instinct that both this rose and all living things share. To not encounter that which makes you bleed.”
Zeil approached the rose again as he looked at the blood that was still dripping from the rose blossom, “Wow, that truly is terrifying.”
Chief Basarum nodded as he too approached a rose and spoke, “The ability of this rose is to sense those around it and to react with blood in hopes of warding any who choose to harm it… however, if one is able to hid their magic completely, they will be able to hide their very presence form this rose… and as a result…” 
Chief Basarum reached up and picked the rose from the ground as he held the blossom towards Zeil allowing the changeling to see that not a single drop of blood came from the rose, “Then, one can pluck it from the very earth without spilling a single drop.”

Surprised, Zeil watched as Chief Basarum placed the plucked stem of the rose back onto the stem that was still in the ground as the two seemed to merge together leaving no visible traces that the rose was ever picked as Chief Basarum then looked to his student and spoke, “This will be your first lesson.”
Zeil as confused, “Lesson?”
Chief Basarum nodded, “Yes… the mage when fully honed will carry with him a large amount of magic, and despite your good intentions, it will be dark magic that can be sensed by any skilled enchanters you may come across. Your lesson is to learn how to hide that magic to avoid detection.”
Lady Zera added, “The Mage of Zebrica is a position of… mixed opinion. Some if they know who you are will welcome and respect you, some may fear and reject you. Kingdoms can welcome you into their ranks, cast you away, condemned you as a threat, or even worse, use you to do their bidding. Because of this, it is unwise to ever reveal your identity as the Mage of Zebrica, and to better keep this secret, you must learn to hide the power within you.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “This is the point of this lesson. I want you to hone your skills in hiding your magic, then once you know how to do it, I want you to bring me a Blood Rose without a single drop of blood on the pedals.”

Zeil nodded as he felt he understood the task, “Okay, so bring you a Blood Rose… got it… now how do I hide my magic? Is there a special skill you’re going to teach me?”
Chief Basarum shook his head, “No… this is a lesson you must learn on your own. Every day at noon I want you to meditate for no less than two hours. By meditating and feeling the world around you with greater detail, you can soon sense your own magic then focus on trying to hide it. As for the rest of your day, you can meditate some more or simply try to understand the answer to a particular question.”
Zeil was confused, “Question? What question?”
Chief Basarum replied, “You must tell me… What is the difference between light magic and dark magic? I will give you only one chance to answer this question weekly, but… you must find the answer for yourself and even if you bring me a Blood Rose before you answer that question, you will not progress until both these tasks are met.”
Zeil gave Chief Basarum a strange look as he replied, “The difference between light magic and dark magic? Isn’t it that light magic is used for good while da-“
“Wrong…”
Zeil was surprised at Chief Basarum’s interruption as the chief continued, “That isn’t the right answer… and since that was your answer for the week… you may try again in no less than seven days.”

Though Zeil felt there was more meaning to why his answer was wrong he still felt somewhat skeptic as he replied, “So… to pass this lesson I need to pick a Blood Rose and answer that question right?”
Lady Zera nodded, “Yes, and there is no cheating. Only you can answer the question and you cannot ask any zebra else… not that they would know mind you.”
Zeil asked, “How long did it take for the last mage to answer this question?”
Chief Basarum replied casually, “Eight months.”
Zeil was surprised, “E-eight months?”
Zera nodded. “Yes, give or take a week or so. Eight months sounds right.”
Zeil was confused, “Exactly how long will it take to become the mage?”
Chief Basarum thought to himself, “Well considering you’ve already completed many thing’s needed to know first… and given it took Mage Magi eight years before he left for the final trial… I would say… about four, maybe five years before you are ready for the final trial.”

Zeil was shocked as he replied, “F-five years?”
Lady Zera nodded as she replied, “Give or take… you see, Magi was skilled, but he was always impatient and at times a slow learner. Not to mention he didn’t even know the lowest lesson on magic when he began his training. Learning to conceal your magic is… I want to say step five in the lessons?”
Chief Basarum nodded as he replied, “Let’s see, meditation was lesson one, then physical and spiritual balance, then herbs and potion brewing, next would be finding your center and meeting your spiritual guide. So yea, Lesson five would be magic concealment. Though the question I want you to answer was actually part of lesson one which is why I need an answer before progressing to lesson six.”
Zeil sat down in disbelief, “Five years… but… will Zecora still be waiting for me by then… that will almost mark almost eleven years since I left Equestria… will she even remember me?”
Zera smiled, “If you meant anything to her in the first place, then yes she will remember you. Zecora may be a mare in love, but she is also one who has mastered patients. Perhaps she will understand your reasoning should you return a little late. Besides, you cannot change your mind… not anymore.”
Zeil asked, “Really? Why?”

Chief Basarum replied, “The Assembly of Chiefs decided to train you to become the Mage of Zebrica… if you go against the assembly then you will be condemned. As is our law.”
Zeil gave him an unamused look, “So… it’s either stay and become the mage… or die.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “Same options as yesterday… only now you make that choice.”
Zeil sighed, “Well it’s not like I was going to change my mind in the first place but I guess it’s nice to know I have no choice.”
Chief Basarum nodded as he smiled, “Good, as long as you know. Now, I'll leave you to begin your first meditation session and to begin trying to pick a Blood Rose… oh and by the way, if you’re wondering why I'm starting your daily meditation at noon instead of first thing in the morning, it’s because I assume you already have an agreement with Kante about her training to become a warrior correct? If that is so, I hope you will uphold your side of that agreement and continue her training… I only ask that… you make it enjoyable for her.”

As that was said, Zeil felt an unusual sadness from both Chief Basarum and Lady Zera as he nodded and replied, “Sure, I'll be sure she gets the best out of it.”
Both the chief and his wife smiled with content as he replied, “Good, then I'll leave you to your training. Just don’t get too frustrated, we aren’t expecting you to finish within the week after all.”
That said Chief Basarum turned and trotted away as Lady Zera spoke as she turned to follow, “Good luck to you Future Mage Zeil of the Black Sand… I look forward to your trainings completion.”
Zeil nodded and smiled as the oracle started trotting quickly to catch up to her husband who was only a few paces ahead of her. As the two left the site, Zeil looked at the closest Blood Rose as he mumbled, “So… I need to hide my magic if I want to pick one of these?” he reached towards the rose but this time before he could even make contact with the white plant, blood started trickling from between the rose’s petals as Zeil sighed, “Well… this may take a while.”

Back on the trail as the chief and his wife trotted back into the village Zera smiled, “So, you told him you know of Kante’s so called secret training then? I hope you didn’t make it seem as if you were angry at him for hiding it.”
Chief Basarum’s expression seemed a little depressed as he replied, “I could never be angry for him trying to make her life a little better. She deserves it after all.”
Seeing his expression Zera asked, “Did you tell him?... about what I saw in her future?”
Chief Basarum shook his head as he replied, “I couldn’t… as I said before, if I tell him the truth, he may be more lenient in his teaching. I’d rather she know all she needs to become the warrior she wants to be.”
Zera nodded and she spoke, “You think it is he that she protects in the first part of my prediction?”
Chief Basarum nodded, “The Young Warrior will stand between a spear and her friend thereby claiming her mark... Perhaps he is… either way it won't change the second part of the prediction. Have you discovered when it will take place?”
Zera shook her head, “It’s hard to say… I still don’t even know who she will face or who she will protect. The vision was too hazy to see clearly.”
Chief Basarum nodded, “Then, we can only hope it is a long ways away… For both their sakes.”