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Dumb.  So dumb.  But damn... did it feel good.  To have an [i]external[/i] opponent to fight once again, was a very nice sense of normality.  To vent some frustration by punching someone, even if that someone was his friend, was extremely satisfying.  Even the feeling of [i]getting[/i] punched was nice, although Zell wouldn't be able to explain why.  Zell looked at the paladin across from him with not just 'no hard feelings' but full-on [i]gratitude[/i] for being the right person, at the right time, in the right place.  Zell wasn't sure anyone else would have fit the bill and he felt closer than ever to the man, for doing him this solid.

[Color=Green]“You hit like the very giants that created the Sibliconians.”[/color]

"A bloody good job too.  It's like hitting a piece of iron, hitting you.  Think I might've broken me hand."

Zell chuckled quietly.  It was apparent in his speech that he'd busted his mouth open (probably Barracker's headbutt) and laughing any louder would have hurt too much.  Additional injuries consisted of a split skull, courtesy of hitting his head on the corner of the drawers, when Barracker had damn-near put the Englishman through the fucking wall.  A possible broken hand - it wasn't just banter when Zell attested to the toughness of Barracker's iron chin.  Aside from being sore in different areas, that was about it.  Truthfully, Zell knew he had got off lightly, picking a fight with Kass.  The vampire probably could have destroyed him.

[Color=Green]“I am not mad at you, only Baphomet."[/color]

"Yeah, same goes, mate," Zell interjected to agree.

[Color=Green]"Only he deserves the blame for this mess.”[/color]

Zell nodded.  Blood from the cut just above his hairline, had built up enough in his bed-head that a trickle came down to be caught by his eyebrow.

[Color=Green]“You are cursed Zell, just like a hundred men before you.  You do see it, don’t you?”[/color]

The nod of reply that followed, this time, was far more reluctant than the last.  Zell's head lightly hit the wall behind him as his eyes went to the window.  Maybe the vampire's stone gaze was too much for the moment.  Maybe he was looking to the heavens, hoping they could hear him.  "You know," he started.  "In my world, when we say, 'I'm cursed' we're usually just decrying our bad luck.  Fuck, if only.  Who knew there'd be a world where being cursed means there's an actual Devil living in your head.  Talk about 'Rent free.'  I feel like I'm being slowly eroded to dust, bro.  And there's nothing I can do."

Barracker assured him they would sort it and Zell assured him that he would cooperate.  He also, not realising just how much the vampire knew, told Barracker that James had already put in hard work to help him and that he'd messed it all up by being insincere with his feelings.  But he would be honest with both the paladin and his best friend, from now on.

Anything else they had to say was interrupted by a knock at the door and MacKensie popping her head in.  [i]Shit.[/i]  And if anyone thought that things couldn't get any worse, more footsteps could be heard approaching and next was a Clive appearance.

"Well... if it isn't the two best-sounding accents in all Mytheria."  Zell gave a guilty and nervous laugh as Clive folded his arms.  It was clear by the faces of the Frenchwoman and American that quips weren't going to cut it.  At the same time, Zell thought it bad enough that in addition to James, now Barracker was aware of what was going on.  This was one too many already.  Something told Zell that the more people who knew, the more unpredictable and problematic this situation would get.  He just hoped that it was his gut telling him this, and not Baphomet.  "It's nothing guys.  Barracker and I are just screwing around and it got a bit out of hand."  It was an obvious lie, but he hoped they would take it.  "We're fine.  Go on," he told them.  "We'll be down in a sec."

Once they were gone, Zell took a breath and got to his feet.  He waited for Barracker to be up, then they clasped forearms in Barracker's patented warrior's handshake, Zell pulling him in to pat him on the back.  "Thanks for going along with that, mate," he said.  "Everyone has enough on their plate, right now.  After the battle, if everyone needs to know then, then fine.  But let's just see about saving Valhiem before we go about tackling my problems, eh."

Going downstairs (and forgetting to clean himself up, therefore leaking a trickle of blood down his forehead and sporting a bloody, busted lip to boot) Zell said, "Hey," to everyone like nothing was remotely wrong at all.  He spotted Alison come in but did not even look twice.  He sat down like normal, then waited for MacKensie to introduce Alison to the group before doing anything, showing his acting skills by feigning his reaction to fit with everyone else.

"Zell Brooks.  A pleasure."  He offered Alison a one-sided grin and his hand to shake.  "Any friend of Mac is a friend of mine."  And if MacKensie had already revealed that Alison was also from their world: "[i]Boy[/i], do we have a lot to talk about."