Reading the status, Zero came to the realization that this transformation was probably what zapped Adrian's energy in the first place.
However, before he could investigate further, a stumbling figure caught his eye.
The figure was all the more bizarre was that everyone that should be here was accounted for and sleeping on Adrian.
Having completely forgotten the ball of light and the thing that took its place, Zero assumed that this entity had somehow broken into this world when it changed.
A protective glint appeared in Zero's eyes as his figure flashed, disappearing from the temple's peak.
******
Minutes earlier…
After taking a few minutes of rest, Sakura jumped to her feet, refreshed and ready to continue her hike up the steps.
Without her noticing, a black dot atop the temple moved from its stone-like state just after she got back on her feet.
Unperturbed by the daunting amount of steps between her and her goal, Sakura's determination only grew stronger with each step.
Much like her mindset, her previously inept movements from before Sakura had become increasingly more skillful and bouncy.
Each step, while still clumsy, seemed better than the last as she made massive improvements.
Though even while improving leaps and bounds, Sakura would skill occasionally stumble and misstep.
After clearing another two hundred steps, Sakura was starting to feel tired as her body screamed in pain.
Pushing her body to the limit, Sakura believed she would improve faster if she could make it even one more step.
While progressing towards that goal, Sakura's footwork started to retrogress, becoming more and more sloppy as she experienced side stitches for the first time.
It was at this time that a certain shadow-like entity's eyes were caught as she stumbled, falling on her butt.
Gasping for air, Sakura's face filled with blood making it resemble a cherry tomato.
As a side effect of designing her soul body according to biology, her body was drenched in a thick layer of sweat.
Resting her eyes, Sakura blinked for only a second before she had a near heart attack as a claw-like hand held her shoulder.
***Skip this next bit if you are sensitive to suicidal imagery or traumatic topics. Please look after your mental health!***
Teleporting just behind this 'intruder,' Zero wanted to ambush them, but when he noticed how small and fragile this exhausted figure looked, memories flooded his mind.
The figure of a child, bruised and exhausted from the torment his bullies put him through, flashed through his mind.
Desperation filled Zero's mind as he watched the kid limp away from a dark alley towards the highway on his way home.
In a moment of weakness and depression, the kid from his memories jumped in front of a moving vehicle, being sent flying tens of feet before the memory blacked out.
A second memory started with blinking as fluorescent lights filled his vision.
***This is where those topics stop being directly brought up for this chapter. Again, please take care of yourself!***
Before the memory could continue, Zero heard the figure in front of him start gasping for air as they fell to the ground holding their side.
Without a second thought, nor realizing that his body regressed into a child's, Zero rushed to the figure's side, putting his hand on their shoulder as he desperately called out, "ADRIAN! IT'LL BE OK! I'LL GO GET SOMEBODY!"
Scared and shocked, Sakura jumped up, causing pain to jolt across her body as she stumbled backward, falling up the steps.
Watching her stumble, the now child-sized Zero lunged forward to catch Sakura as her figure and young Adrian's overlapped in his mind.
Panicking, Sakura pushed Zero back as she stammered in between shallow breaths, ~ I-I-I'm not Adrian! Who… You're?! Oww!~
Grabbing her side, Sakura winced in pain as her eyes fluttered and her head fell back, fitting the steps.
Just before she passed out, she saw a depthless blackhole stand over her.
******
Standing over the unconscious body of Sakura, Zero reached down, picking her up, still under the delusion that Sakura was a young Adrian.
His mind couldn't register her words from before as those memories kept relaying in his mind.
Through ragged breaths, Zero held Sakura tight as he mumbled, "Help…"
Once those words escaped his mouth, he and Sakura teleported to the temple's peak.
With his mind in a mess, his body seemed to lose its normally malnourished form, becoming a blond-haired, pale, and skinny Russian kid.
If Adrian was awake, he would instantly know who Zero had become as it was the twelve-year-old him, long before Mythos had awakened, but well after the 'other' had taken root in his mind.
Back when there was only one form, and that was Adrian Scolvof…
After returning to the temple's peak, Zero commanded the air once again to form a bed before laying Sakura gently on the bed.
It was then that a soft voice perked up behind Zero drawing his attention.
Groggy, Dee had woken up, transforming back into his spirit form by the chaos Zero caused during his breakdown.
Dee's cute voice called out to the blond kid that had appeared while he was asleep, "What are you doing?"
Hearing Dee's familiar voice, Zero quickly turned around only to see Adrian lying down peacefully surrounded by warmth snapping him out of his trance.
Realizing his mistake, Zero's mind calmed down, remembering where, when, and most importantly, who he was.
Turning back around, Zero found he had brought the intruder into the temple's peak.
Now that he could get a closer look, Zero remembered the figure as the one that was traded out for the ball of light from before.
Confused, Zero forgot to respond to Dee as his form returned.
Luckily for Zero's mental state, he reformed, fully cloaked and vibrating.
Thinking Sakura was a danger to the kids and Adrian's safety, Zero's hand formed a claw slashing down at her head.
Fortunately, Dee was nearby as he jumped in front of Sakura's unconscious soul body.
Dee's actions only served to further confuse Zero as he demanded, "MOVE! We don't know who this is! They could be here to hurt us!"
Rolling his eyes, Dee scoffed at Zero's words as he said, "Yes, we do! Can't you tell this is Sakura. I just saved you!"
Pouting, Dee grabbed Sakura's hand, raising it for Zero to see before he continued, "See this Deddy has one too! Don't you remember Deddy and Sakura exchanged Lover Bonds!"
It took Dee a few tries on the harder words, but he got his point across before Zero committed a grave mistake.
If he had actually harmed her with the intent to kill like he was about to, her lover's bond would have gone off as everyone here would have been bathed in Hades' understanding of the unpunished path of death, leaving nothing but Sakura and Adrian behind.