Revenant Slaves Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Zain

Read chapter 8 of Revenant Slaves by Zee on NovelPedia.

Chapter 7: Zain Zain was lean and long-limbed at sixteen, his body stretched thin by constant space travel and years that had demanded more of him than they should have. His skin had the slightly sun-kissed hue of his father, dulled by recycled air and cold; his face was narrow and sharp. His dark hair fell in loose, uneven waves and curls. He had his mother's eyes, green by nature, with a faint glow of an implanted lens. He wore a long, thick jacket of dark synthetic polymer that fell to his ankles. It split open at the front and hung heavy from his shoulders. A normal person would have struggled with the weight, but not Zain. An old exoskeletal frame braced his spine, legs, and most other joints, plainly visible along his thighs and calves, but hidden underneath his clothes on his upper body. Most people needed support like this on planets with gravity above 0.8 SG (standard gravity) after long stretches in space. Ordinary people relied on extensive bone-growth serums and physical therapy. At the same time, suits like these were reserved for military use, for quick, efficient deployment, or for the affluent who could afford them. (Zain Render Below) https://i.ibb.co/j9CxNHdY/Chat-GPT-Image-Jan-15-2026-12-16-22-AM.png Zain stepped up to where the little girl and the new boy lay. He squatted in front of the boy, observing him. “Maya, he's badly bruised. We need to make sure that whoever did this to him isn't still chasing him.” Maya came and stood over him, looking down from above Zain's shoulders. She had light coffee-colored skin and dark brown eyes; her curly hair was tightly braided into rows. “Not we. You. That's why you're babysitting. We can't afford to waste time; the rest of us will continue to the main building. And if he were being chased, the others would have alerted us. They found this one and led him here as well,” Maya said matter-of-factly. Zain turned and stared right at her. “Or we can leave them here, and you let me be part of the actual mission. It would help to have another helping hand in the temple.” Maya's gaze softened. “True, true. If it were anyone else, maybe. But you? You're just terrible. Besides, the Imam already gave you your duties, or have you forgotten?” she said with a wide grin. Maya wore one of the deceased knights' uniforms: black tactical armor and a red poncho. “Yeah, right… and no, I haven't. I'd rather stick with you; someone has to save you from your suicidal self.” As Maya lifted the hood onto her head, she ran her hand through his hair haphazardly. “Hah! And you say you don't love me. Be careful, little man. If this fails, you know what to do.” Zain slapped her hand away in mild annoyance. “Come back alive, aapi,” he whispered. Maya turned away and soon stepped out of the shed into the rainy night, leaving Zain alone with the sleeping pair. Zain heaved a sigh. “Well, better get you both out of sight.” He tried to be gentle, but there was little he could do while dragging the unconscious kids. He had sedated the little girl, so he knew she wouldn't wake anytime soon, but he hoped the movement would at least rouse the boy. He remained asleep as well. 'Should get on with treating both of their wounds,' Zain pulled a kit out of his jacket and set it up on the ground. He started by applying a basic ointment to the boy's face, where the worst acidic burns were, and then gently removed the red robes he had been wearing. The boy had massive swelling in his abdomen and forearms. The burns from rain exposure were still minimal, at least compared to the girl's arms. Zain applied bandages with anti-inflammatory paste to the boy, then did the same for the girl, whom they had left half-treated on hearing of the boy's arrival. He leaned over a shelf, hoping the storm outside would mask the noise he made, using it as cover from prying eyes to set up a fire, dragging both kids in front of it for warmth. He force-fed the boy some painkillers and other pills he had learned about in basic training be