Chapter 1: The Fall of the House of Tildrum
Note, I own noting, all rights belong to the owners of Ni No Kuni and Accursed Dragon.
"Damn...My head..." The dressed man said as he walked away from the bedchambers. "Where am I..." He then quickly checked his phone, No reception. "Guess it was a long shot...I was on my way to the senate...Then this has to be a dream..." He then frown at a disturbing thought. "That or I'm..."
"Hey, Wait up!" The blue dragon man from before catching up to him. "Wait...You...Have any idea where we're are?" The dragon asked the man.
"Not a clue. But while we on the asking subject...Can I asked you something as well?" The man said to the inhuman being before him. "...Am I dead?"
"Huh?" The dragon stood there, taking back by the sudden question. He then crossed his arms in though. "It you were dead...I don't think I would be able to answer that..."
"Guards! Aranella! Scaleworth!" A voice called out from behind the dragon. The little boy from before had chased after the two. "Where are you!? Intruder!" He then looked around him seeing no apparent help to be found. "Oh, right. Aranella and Scaleworth are preparing the ceremony."
"Oh, It's you." The dragon said to the kid. "Look, we don't have time to play with you right now. Go bother someone else."
"W...What! How dare you!" The boy said, Suddenly, the world around them shook with the force of an earthquake.
"An explosion!?" The man said as he got his balance back.
"...Is this your doing?" The boy asked the two suspiciously.
"Hold up a moment...Your name?" The man asked the dragon.
"Coven."
"Coven, Alright." The man continued. "Let's just assume for a moment that what this kid is saying is true." He then looked at the boy. "You said you were the king, Right?"
"Yes! How many times I have to tell you?!" The boy argued.
"Oh right then "Your Majesty" Me and Coven are going to take a look around." The man said to the confused boy.
"Sooooo..." Coven then reach down and grabbed the cat boy by the collar before lifting him up.
"Hey!? Put me down this instant!" The boy screamed as Coven left him hanging by the fabric on a nearby stone etching of a lion, Hanging off one of the fangs, The boy thrashed about as he tried to get free. "Let me down this instant! Your lucky Scaleworth isn't here, He's a Dragonian and he served my family for three hundred years! Aranella!"
"Good thinking, Can't have him following us." The man said before he and Coven left the king as they traveled down the stairs.
"Don't you walk away from me!" He shouted at the two. "I. Will. Not. Be. Treated..." The boy then thrashed in the air as the sound of stone cracking was heard. "Like...This!" Suddenly, the stone fang broke off, causing the boy to tumble to the ground, Releasing a scared meow, that would've been impossible for a human, as he hit the floor.
"So...Your saying you have amnesia and the only thing you remember is your name?" The man said as the two traveled down the stairs. "Well, "Coven" Probably is the closest thing to a name your going to get..." He then stopped before extended his hand. "I'm Roland. Nice to meet you, Coven."
"Same here." Coven shook the stranger's hand. "Although it would be nice to figure out where we are..." They then approached the set of doors as they began to hear voices coming from the other side, The door was opened a crack, and on the other side were two guards.
"Something doesn't feel right..." Roland said before the boy from before pushed past them and through the door.
"Guards! Arrest those two!" The boy known as Evan said running towards the two guards and turning his back against them.
As they looked at Coven and Roland before looking at Evan, They both nodded before one of them walked up to the cat boy, raised his blade and...
*Bang!*
The rat guard fell onto his back right before he could bring the sword down on the boy king, Blood started to floor from the bullet wound as Rollan lowered his side arm. The boy stuttered away seeing what happened. "What the-!?" The other guard said before Coven broke his face in and pulled the sword away from him, knocking the rat into the indoor pool of water that was traveling through both sides of the room via a channel. The rat that Coven knocked into the water resurfaced...Face down, water turning red. Evan yelled a little more seeing the death of two guards.
"What was that noise!?" A guard said as foot steps became apparent.
"It came from in here!" Another guard said as the foot steps got louder.
"Dammit, That's what I get for getting trigger happy..." Roland said before picking up the sword from the guard he shot. "They're not here to protect you! Stay back!" Roland warned, however, the poor boy was too much in shock to register it.
"Weird, This is the first time I'm holding a blade...But..." Coven said swinging it around. "It feels...Natural." Suddenly, three guards entered the room.
"There's the boy! But...What!? A Dragonian!? And A humanfolk!?" One of the mice said seeing the two. "We can focus on the boy after we deal with these two!"
"Hope you know how to fight." Roland said to Coven as he held the blade above his shoulder in a lancer stance.
Coven backed away from the oncoming attack before parrying the guard's blade and throwing it into the water, He then ran the guard through with his blade before grabbing his shoulder and throwing him at the third guard, pinning the poor rat underneath his comrade's corpse. Roland clashed blades with the second guard before slashing the guards' torso. Before knocking him down onto the ground.
As their foes were defeated, they turned to the boy who was shaking like a leaf. "Stay away from me! Guards!" He yelled. But Roland shook his head.
"No one's coming, No one good at least..." Roland said to the boy.
"What...?"
"Think about it, That guard a few moment ago was about to cut you in half." Coven said to the boy.
"Don't you see!? It's a Coup!" Roland finish for the dragon. Shocking the young man.
"What!?" Evan yelled shocked before looking down in deep thought. "...Here?"
Suddenly more foot steps were heard. "We can't stay here, Come on, Evan." Roland said, although the boy was confused, He was started to clear his head, for now...These two before him didn't seem like bad people. For now, he had to just trust them.
They then made their way through the castle's corridor before entering a destroyed hallway, broken stone and the bodies of non-traitorous guards laying before them. Evan could only stand there seeing the devastation. "How...How horrible." He muttered.
"Well, Lest we know where that explosion we heard came from." Coven commented.
"Listen, You're name is Evan right? You said you were king?" Roland asked the boy who only shrugged.
"Yes, I was. Honestly, I'm a little confuse as you are on what's going on." He said to the two before saying. "We should find Aranella and Scaleworth, They're two of the most loyalist in the castle. Aranella should be okay...Scaleworth...Uh..." He then walked ahead of the two before they followed him.
"Scaleworth?" Coven asked the boy.
"Oh yes, He's a Dragonian Like yourself, And when I said he served my family for three hundred years, I mean it." Evan replied to Coven. "Dragonians can live for a thousand years, at least that what I read. He knows all of the castle's secrets..." Evan then added. "But...Well, The thing is...Even though Dragonians are suppose to be warriors by heart...He's more of a steward."
"So, Three hundred years of experience in being a steward but not a warrior?" Roland asked Evan.
"You see, Ding Dong Dell has been at peace for generations..." Evan said before they left the ruined hall. "...Until now."
"Well, In my experience, Water tends to run deep." Roland said, this caused Coven to stop for a moment.
"Experience?"
"I should know." Roland began. "...I ran a country myself."
"Wha-"
"There they are!" A female voice said as a group of guards burst through the door on both sides of their heroes. The two unlikely warriors were about to fight when a female mouse wearing a cloak approached them and cast a spell, firing a fire ball at the three. They quickly ducked, looking around and seeing them cornered. "No where left to run..." Roland said as the guards close in on them. The sorceress was casting another spell, but before she could finish, She was stabbed in the back by a dark haired woman wearing a purple dress, despite the clothes appearance they were easy to move around in as evident as she sped quickly before the group and took down several guards before looking at Evan.
"Sorry I'm late, Your Majesty, I came as soon as I could." She said to the king as Coven and Roland took the chance to take out the other guards.
"N...Nella!" Evan said seeing the woman.
"I take it your Aranella?" Coven said as he fought a guard. He then saw one of the guards getting up behind her. "Uh, Behind you."
Aranella didn't say anything but took her dagger and stabbed her attacker in the heart just when he got up without turning around. "Thanks for that." She said just as the last guards were silenced. "Now, then...I don't believe I seen you two around the castle..." She then got suspicious. "How did you infiltrate the castle walls?"
"Your guess is as good as ours." Roland replied. "We're lucky you came when you did."
"Roland and Coven saved me." Evan said on their behalf.
"Glad you saw reason, kid." Coven said relieved, he honestly didn't want to clash swords with a lady that knew more about fighting then he did in the past few minutes.
"Well, If Evan counts you as Allies, then I will have to do the same." The woman said before sheathing her dagger. "My name is Aranella, I've been his Majesty's governess since birth." She then looked behind and called out. "Scaleworth! You can come out now!"
Suddenly, one of the nearby giant vases shook before tumbling over. A large, green chubby dragon like man, who wore a orange tunic. Squeezed out from his hiding place. He had two straight horns on top of his head. Straightening his byfolds on his snout before turning to face the four. He had dark sideburns on both sides of his face as they got a look. "...Is it over? The...F..Fighting?" The dragon said before he then look at the two other intruders before screaming and getting on his knees. "Don'tkillmedontkillmedon'tkillme!" He begged for mercy.
"Your more then a governess. You're a bodyguard." Roland said ignoring the terrified steward.
"Thank you, Although, I never had to prove it until now." She said before Evan started to think.
"Nella? Do you have any idea what's happening?" Evan asked the governess. Scaleworth then got up before she and Aranella looked at each other.
"Chancellor Mausinger has started a rebellion. He means to kill you." Aranella answered before Scaleworth cleared his throat.
"That damn rat's personal guards had already killed off most of the troops that were loyal to you." The green dragon said grimly.
"Mausinger? But he was my father's most trusted advisor." Evan said in shock before saying. "I must speak with him, I must make him see reason!"
"It won't work. This isn't a spur-of-a-moment uprising. This thing was planned." Roland said causing the boy to back away. "If he says he wants you dead, He means it."
"...Us included if he catches us." Coven added, causing Roland to nod in agreement.
"I'm afraid we are at a complete disadvantage here." Scaleworth said before looking around. "We have to keep moving! More guards will arrive shortly." Suddenly, a rift opened up behind the dragon before a trio of black, skeleton like creatures emerged.
"What the heck are those things!?" Roland said backing away.
"Those are skeleplasms, they're a common monster around these parts." Aranella answered. "They must've been summon by Mausinger's sorcerers..."
"If they're monsters, Then they probably not as smart, Right?" Coven asked before dashing at the group before slicing through the phasms like jello, making a clearing to escape through. "Come on!" The group followed after him, The group was moving down a more larger hallway before Aranella stopped them. "Hide!" She said before she force the group into a nearby room. She, Evan, Roland and Coven peered out of the doorway to see the source of Aranella's worries.
There, A black armored guard was on standby, looking around for his prey. "Who's that Nel-" The woman shushed Evan before he could finish.
"That's the black knight." She said, Suddenly. The knight turned their way. Quickly, the four pulled their heads into the room they were in before the knight could see them.
Inside the room was a parlor, Scaleworth was pacing back and forth muttering to himself. "I knew it, Knew it. I knew that Mausinger was plotting something! I tried to warn his majesty, But did he listen? NO! Said it was all apart of my "Overworked" Imagination, Then he gave me a forced vacation." Scaleworth muttered worrying.
"We going to have to take one of the secret passages. Thankfully, Scaleworth said there was one in this room." Armella said to the three. "The Black Knight is Mausinger's most loyalist...and deadliest guard, If we face him...He will kill us. So we can't go running about shouting off our heads." She then looked at Roland and Coven. "...We can start by making you both lest conspicuous..."
"Huh?" Both said before the governess went to a nearby wardrobe and opened it. She then came back with two sets of clothing. "One size for Humanfolk, and one size for Dragonian." She said handing the two their new clothes. "Well go on and change." She said shoving the two behind a screen that was set up in the room. Eventually, The two came out wearing their new gear, Roland was wearing a dark blue waistcoat that was worn by bodyguards, Coven's was lighter color, it was more of a vest then a coat, having been tailor for Coven's kind, he also had a metal shoulder guard strapped to his right shoulder.
"I should also give you these." She then reach into her pocket and pulled out two golden wist bands.
"What's this?" Roland said taking his and putting it on. Coven did the same.
"Those are Arms Bands. They useful for transporting weapons, Three melee and one ranged." Aranella said before looking at the weapon's in the corner. "Pick up your weapons and hold it up to your bands to register them." Coven picked up his blade and held it up to the band, suddenly the band itself glowed before the weapon faded into a blue light. Coven then waved his arm, suddenly. the sword from before appeared in his hand again.
"Oh, Nice!" Coven said looking at the sword before making it vanish again.
"Now, do you have any other weapons?" Aranella asked the two.
"I have this pistol." Roland said holding his sidearm. "But it's out of bullets."
"That's alright." Aranella said assuring. "Weapons that are assigned to an Arms Band will have their ammunition replenish each time their summoned."
"Wow, I..Uh...That's great." Roland said surprised. He then held the weapon to his band, and it just vanish just like that.
Aranella then approached Evan and handed him a large bag. "I took the liberty and grabbing some of your belongings, I even put in an extra Arms Band for you as well, Evan." Aranella said to the boy. Alarming Scaleworth
"An Arms Band!? Aranella! He's just a boy, he can't fight!" The older dragon yelled.
"You, Hush." She ordered firmly. She then looked at Evan who showed a fearful expression, Which was natural in this situation. "Listen to me. You cannot give up."
"O...Okay, Nella." Evan said straightening his posture.
"Scaleworth, We're leaving the castle." Aranella said to the green dragon behind her.
"Right then, I'll pack some essentials." The dragon began but the woman stopped him.
"Too late for that now, We take noting." She said firmly, shocking the green reptile.
"Not even Pajamas?"
Aranella looked at the dragon sternly. "Alright, Fine. Now then.." He then walked over to a nearby wall. "If my memory hasn't faded too well...There should be..." He then felt around the wall before knocking on several spots on a walls in a distinct order, upon the the tenth knocked. The section of the wall released a click- "There we go!" -before it opened up like a door, reveling a hidden staircase. "This passageway had been here long before Evan's father was born. Not even Mausinger knows about it." He explained before the group. "Royals first please. Bodyguards and pushy governess' second." Evan looked behind him at the others before hesitantly starting down the staircase as the others followed. Scaleworth then looked around before grabbing the edges of the secret door and pulling it shut.
"There should be a way through here." Aranella said as they walked among the stone walkway. The water channel running next to them. Evan then slowed down. "Why would Mausinger do this?" Evan began. "Is it because I became King."
"These sort of things are never that simple." Roland said before looking towards Aranella. "By the way, I couldn't help noticing a...certain species divide between both sides of this conflict."
Aranella nodded sadly. "Relations between the Grimalkin and the Mousefolk have never been entirely civil." She began. "King Leonhard did his best to heal the long standing rift between the two...But." She bit her lip as she said that.
"Let me guess." Coven said in place of her silence. "It didn't end well?"
"Father..." Evan sighed. It was then Aranella and Scaleworth looked at one another.
"You have to forgive him, It's all still very raw." Aranella said to Coven and Roland.
"I can imagine." Roland replied.
"...Tell him, Nella." Scaleworth said surprising the boy. "He doesn't deserve to be kept in the dark anymore."
"What? Tell me what?" Evan asked, Aranella looked away at first. But mustered up the strength to speak.
"It's...About your father..." She began. "Chancellor Mausinger...Poisoned him."
"What!?" Evan backed away at that. "Poisoned him!? NO! He died of an illness, Nella! A rare untreatable Illness!"
"Yeah, But something tells me that this Mausinger guy couldn't wait for something like that to happen..." Coven said causing Evan to back away in horror.
"Me and Scaleworth convince one of Mausinger's bodyguards to talk." Aranella began.
"And by "Convincing" She meant threatening to make him into a rat-fured coat." Scaleworth added. "Turns out they put a little extract of sand cobra venom into his food. Just a little, However, the toxicity of the venom was strong enough to make it look like a rare illness..."
"Huh...So they must've been planning this for sometime..." Roland said, Evan was still processing what he just learnt.
"How...Could he?" Evan said looking down, the news had struck him like a sack of bricks.
"...I know this must be hard, Evan. But we must keep moving. Come on." Roland said to the downtrodden boy.
"We can't let this Mausinger have the satisfaction in killing you just like your father." Coven said as well. The boy then wiped away some tears before nodding.
A coup, cats, mice and dragons. It was all very strange for Roland. Where was he? Who was the mysterious dragon that fought beside him? Those questions would have to wait...
So excited, I posted this chapter ahead of schedule. Can't wait to play the game!