The Fallen Kingdom, A Mysterious Return: Chapter Two
Authors notes at the bottom. Enjoy
Disclaimer: I don't own Twelve Kingdoms just this plot and original creations.
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Kuya laminated on his current situation, he slowly pulled Rei-Nai closer to him as he let many options run though his head and be quickly dismissed. It would be almost impossible to just slip past the guards that would be scattered through the halls. It would be no problem for Rei-Nai to do so but he knew his life hung in the balance.
"I will get us out of here somehow, " he said in a soft tone to Rei-Nai as she looked up at him with a puzzled look at his suddenly brash and almost harsh body language. His arms were tense around her almost to the point that it would have hurt her if he had not controlled himself. "The first thing that we need to do is to change your clothing to blend in a little more." he said as she gently took her hand and slowly moved to the door.
"Ok," Rei-Nai whispered as she let him lead her towards the door. It was still a strange situation for her. All of the primping and pampering was not what she was used to. Not to mention the idea that she, of all people was the Kirin was totally not possible. She let herself be lead slowly out the door and into the hallway. Kuya moved almost silently as he stalked down the hallway in the dungeons to a set of stairs.
"This looks promising," he whispered to her as he led her up the stairs at a quicker pace. His heart was racing, like he was in a battle. The racing however was not the good kind, he wanted to suddenly bolt into a side room. Deciding to follow his gut feeling he quickly slipped into the room and let the door close behind him. Not more than a minute after they had entered the room a loud commotion came from down the stairs where he had just been.
"The prisoner has escaped and the Kirin is missing." a yell came from the lower level. A response quickly followed. "Gather all the guards and search the palace and the surrounding grounds." a gruff voice called from near the door they were hiding behind. Kuya stiffened hearing the voice and he pulled Rei-Nai close to him, he shushed in her ear to keep her from alerting the guards that were walking by. After a few long tense moments it grew silent outside in the hallway and Kuya finally relaxed.
"I think it is safe enough for us to go now." he said to Rei-Nai as he released her from the embrace and took her hand again in a tight reassuring grip. He opened the door slowly and peaked his head out, his yellow hair had come out of the knot at the top of his head and was fluttering just at his his shoulders, giving him a more wild look to go with his sharp indigo eyes.
"Lets go," Rei-Nai urged him as she pressed against his back. Kuya let out a slow breath as he collected his thoughts to himself and then stepped back into the hallway. There were voices calling each other every which way he wanted to go. Eventually he was led up, more stairs leading up into higher parts of the castle. Rei-Nai following him all the way, her quick steps behind him were silent because of the soft shoes she was wearing.
"Here, I think this is the best place to go," Kuya said, his voice seemed almost to lag as if he was in a trance. Rei-Nai noticed his strange attitude and gently placed a hand on Kuya's back to bring him back around. He shook his head a few times and then came back to his senses and he led her through a large set of doors.
"Wow." Rei-Nai said as she stepped in the room with Kuya. A soft wind pulled her hair out of the final loop that was lagging from her once elaborate hair style. Beyond the two of them was a large open field, it was sectioned off into two high fences corrals and a stables flanking along the back of the open area. In the smaller of the two corrals was a tall thick post, tied to this post with a thick chain was a large creature. It looked like a huge lion, taller than any youma either of them had ever seen. Its head was shaped like a bird with a sharp beak at the end, it let out a screech and flapped its large wings when it sensed them. Its body was covered in a deep blue coat of fur with silver sprinkled through it giving it a dappled look. Its wings were a shimmering silver color with gold sprinkled through it.
"I have never seen a youma quite like this one..." Kuya whispered as he moved to the corral doors and slowly opened the doors, he let Rei-Nai's hand drop as he pulled the doors open. The youma let out a loud screech it sounded like a long shrill roar. It clawed at the ground and moved away from Kuya as he and Rei-Nai slowly approached it. The chain that was attached to the creature was intertwined with a thick strong halter and bridle.
"I think I have heard of this one before... it is a rare one from the koukai one that was almost never seen beyond the borders of the koukai or the Kongou mountains.... I think it is called a Raion-Washi," Rei-Nai said as she slowly approached the youma. It opened its beak and let out a loud shrill roar, it made both of the people shiver just slightly. Kuya walked up right behind Rei-Nai, he put a hand on her shoulder in almost like a supportive manner. The Raion-Washi let out another shrill roar and clawed at the ground but neither Rei-Nai or Koya budged an inch. Eventually the youma let out a softer almost squeak and moved slowly towards them. Rei-Nai shifted back into Kuya and she looked up at him.
"I think it is ok, I think he gets that we will not hurt him," Kuya said as he moved to the youma with Rei-Nai. Kuya reached up and pulled the reins for the halter from the chain. He gripped them tightly like he was expecting the youma to bolt but it calmly walked up to them and it sniffed them both for a long moment before it seemed satisfied that they were not a threat. It let out a happy chip and pushed against Rei-Nai, pushing its beak into Kuya's hand so that he could pet him.
"He is sweet," Rei-Nai said as she ran her fingers slowly along the dark fur of the huge creature. Kuya gently rubbed the beak of the youma and and Rei-Nai giggled softly as it's eyes closed as it was enjoying the attention. "He needs a name," she said thoughtfully as she tried to come up with the best name for their new friend.
"Kerai...his name shall be Kerai." Kuya said with a slight smile on his face. The youma seemed pleased with the name and it let out a happy chirp and then a soft growl that sounded like a purr. Kerai looked at Rei-Nai and then at Kuya for a lingering moment, they locked eyes with each other for a long silent moment before the youma back away just enough to pull the reins almost taught. It lowered itself down in a lay and pulled Kuya closer to him as if saying get on. Kuya let go of the reins and picked up Rei-Nai and placed her on Kerai's back. "Well I am not going to argue with him." he said with a soft laugh and he got up on the youma behind her.
"It seems that he likes it." she said and then she let out a squeak when Kerai stood up and opened his wings, they spanned out slowly and the they all looked toward the sky. It was then that they heard them, the voices.
"There, in the stable areas! They are there," one of the guards called, 6 of them rushed into the garden. Four of then had swords drawn and started to charge the youma as it started to lift up into the air. The other two remaining guards pulled bows from their backs and put arrows to them. The youma let out a screech as it felt the swords graze against its legs as it clawed at them. Kerai started flapping his wings harder to get more lift as the guards started to try and hit it again. The two guards with the bows drew back the arrows and let them fly. Kuya let out a gasp and pushed Rei-Nai against Kerai's neck and covered her as best as he could with his own body.
"Go Kerai! Fly High!" he screamed out in pain as one of the arrows embedded deep into his shoulder and piercing into his chest. The second arrow pierced Rei-Nai in the leg and she let out a low scream as she felt the arrow go through her leg and embedded into the side of Kerai. The youma screeched loudly and flapped his wings very hard, a heavy gust of wind pushed the guards to the ground in a whoosh the youma and his riders were lifted out of the inner stable area.
"Kuya...." Rei-Nai gasped out in pain as she gripped Kerai tightly, "It... hurts.." she gasped out, tears slowly leaked down her face as the pain started to spread from her leg up her body. Kuya wrapped his good arm around Rei-Nai.
"It will be ok," he whispered softly to her as the pain in his shoulder and chest made it difficult for him to breath. "Go... Kerai, find a safe place." he said to him as his vision started to blur and then he knew nothing more.
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End of Chapter Two
Authors Notes: Well, it has been over 3 and a half years since I last updated this story. It helps when you get an ephifinay. Lol. Well I hope to post more as soon as I am able to. I hoped you enjoyed the next instalment of this story. Please check back for more soon.