Chapter CCXL: Freedom and Character Time-Period Displacement ~Kuza

Kuza slowly opened his eyes. A teal sun stared back at him, and strange, tendril-looking weeds hung over his eyes.

"Nnh...what...happened?"

He stretched his wings under his body, checking to make sure they were still there. He then sat up and looked around. He was in a strange field, filled with the weeds that had blocked his vision in his previous position.

"This doesn't look familiar...did I leap again?"

Kuza rubbed his head and attempted to remember being engulfed by light...no such memory came to him. Suddenly, his head cleared somewhat and great realization struck him.

"It...it can't be...the leap cycle...has it been broken?"

The Anjel's sense of multiversal location, built up by 820 years of inter-dimensional travel, told him that he was finally back in the dimension from which he had originated. Kuza knew he could do only one thing...so he thrust his arms triumphantly skyward and shouted, "I'M FREEEEEEEEE!!!!"

In the weeds, another pair of eyes opened. This time they were blue, and looked about in a process similar to Kuza's. When this pair spotted the Anjel happily thrusting his fists into the air and making cries of excitement, they blinked, trying to get rid of what they thought was an illusion. However, Kuza did not vanish, so the eyes did the next thing they could think to do...they ordered the hand to draw Elohim from its sheath and attack.

The glint of the blade was caught just barely by Kuza's eyes as it slashed. The Anjel darted aside, and Elohim slashed air. The brown-haired knight jumped to his feet and took another swing.

This time, however, Kuza was ready, and was inside the knight's swing before he even made it. Kuza pushed his attacker to the ground and looked at him sternly. "One reason why I shouldn't kill you. Now."

The knight looked at Kuza, wide-eyed. "Are you an alien?" he asked.

Kuza blinked. "That depends on what race you are, my armor-clad friend...though I'd say yes based on the fact that you lack wings."

"I'm human...with a bit of Moja mixed in," the knight said in a confession-like manner.

Kuza nodded. "Well then, human...what's your name? And how about that reason I shouldn't kill you?"

"I can give you no reason not to kill me except for that I have a family that would miss me quite a bit," the human said. After a second or so, he added, "Oh, and my name is Drago Zierde."

Kuza chuckled lightly. "Well, I guess that works, Zierde." He gave Drago a hand and lifted him from the dirt.

Drago dusted himself off and looked at Kuza. "What race are you? I'd say an angel off-hand, but most angels don't dress in that kind of clothing...or have those kind of wings."

"Well, you're close, Drago, but not close enough. I'm an Anjel...Jove Anjel to be exact. My kind have the darkest physical features of the Anjel race." Kuza looked Drago over. "You look like something out of a fantasy book...where's your normal clothes?"

Drago laughed. "Hah! These _are_ my normal clothes! You're the one who needs normal clothes, my friend...such strange things you wear!" Drago continued to chuckle as Kuza growled lightly.

"You must be related to those jerks from Arthuria," Kuza mumbled to himself.

"What was that?" Drago asked, hearing Kuza's quieted voice.

Kuza chuckled and replied, "Oh nothing."

Drago gave a slow nod. "So...how am I to go about getting home?"

"That'll take a lot of explaining...let's do it on the way, yes?" Kuza started walking in one direction, and Drago took up stride beside him. As the two walked into the haze beyond, a confused look could be noted on Drago's face...