#i... wrote so much oopsie sdkalhfaklsd

[umbra-domini]

| @flower-bites plotted a starter!

Zed was never the kind of person to be paranoid about things. He took most in stride and often times did not worry himself with matters that he didn't see worth worrying about. There wasn't much that bothered him, wasn't much that was enough to make him start keeping his guard up. He knew that he was powerful, that he was strong enough to hold his own in the majority of cases. Realistically speaking, there really wasn't much that should bother him, yet alone make him feel ebbs of … anxiety? worry? paranoia? Whatever it was.

But it was like a small lurch in his stomach that was eating away at him. Something that he refused to acknowledge. Something that, like with the majority of what he felt - he would refuse to acknowledge until it was too much to ignore. But it hadn't gotten to that point. So he would choke it down and drown whatever feelings that he was having. He was far too busy trying to look after his order and keep an eye out for any threats to Ionia to deal with it anyways.

Ironically, his keeping an eye out for threats was what had caused these feelings in the first place. It wasn't confirmed, no, but there had been some people talking about killings in the nation of Zaun that struck a chord within him. That seemed eerily familiar. Ghosts of his past that haunted him, shadows in the dark that kept him up at night. The horrors of what he had seen as a mere boy… things that stuck with him and shaped him into the man he was now. Shaped him into what could be seen as a ruthless killer, not wanting to simply toss a threat away in a prison but instead choosing to snuff them out with his own hands. He had reasons for what he did -- as much as he may be seen as cruel for it. No - he knew that it was the only right thing to do, that not bringing someone of the likes to justice was only leaving the door open for more harm in the future.

There was a bitterness within him, and he knew he couldn't change it. And yet he still fixated over it when things got too quiet, when he found himself with nothing to do. The thoughts getting far too much, regrets of the past. He was bitter that they had not killed the man who brought so much destruction to his beautiful Nation. That they had not brought justice to the man whose name still haunted him --- Khada Jhin.

That instead, he had been taken to rot away in stone walls. Something that had been ensured would be forever, that there was no chance of him escaping. But as he caught wind of more and more murders across nations far from here.. ones that were just as … gruesome as those years ago. There was a part of him that wondered if perhaps it hadn't been a set in stone guarantee, that perhaps, something had happened that resulted in that psychopath with a heart of ice being set free. Being able to slaughter men like cattle once more.

Of course.. that wasn't possible right? It merely had to be a coincidence… there was no way that Jhin could have gotten freed without an accomplice. But… the whole thing had put Zed on edge. He was more alert, more aware of the people that were coming in and out of Ionia. Anyone that seemed out of place, seemed a bit suspicious was someone that he would set his sights on and trail for a bit. Just to make sure there was no nefarious purpose. And so far, things were fine there wasn't anyone that he had deemed as too out of place that had raised any red flags after he spent some time looking into it. Things would be fine right?

But there was someone that stuck out to him, and he was quick to pull himself to his feet. A woman who looked out of place, someone who wasn't from here. It was not hard to spot someone who clearly didn't belong, who wasn't from Ionia. Between the ways they dressed mixed with looking out of place, pinpointing someone who wasn't local wasn't hard. Another person to follow, someone who, Zed was certain would end up like the others - of no interest. But it never did hurt to check, and so he was on the move yet again. Bringing himself closer to her, gaze narrowing slightly as he watched.

Then - after a few moments, he would approach. His gaze flickering over her as he tried to determine her purpose here. Then he would speak - " You don't look like you're from here. " there was no attempt to come off as friendly, if anything his tone was more like he was prodding for information. Trying to figure out where she was from. What her purpose was.