Flanella


Act VII: King of Swords


"The King of Swords is a card of duality. He is passionate and trustworthy, idealistic and dignified. He is a leader. On a negative side, the King of Swords can be one who is withdrawn and at times, aggressive, moody and bad tempered if he feels he has not received what he feels he deserves. He likes to dictate and dominate others.Often linked to positions of authority, he depicts a mature man who is a 'seeker of truth'. The King of Swords makes for a formidable opponent, but a good man to have on one's side."

Tarot, Minor Arcana

In a cage hanging next to others, locked inside of a dark room where only a thin ray of moonlight brightened the eyes of those whose freedom had been stolen, there lied a fire hawk. Its silver body reflected the brief flakes of light that drifted upon him with his weak movements. The other imprisoned creatures kept a close watch on the new specimen. It seemed they hadn't seen a bird made of iron and fire in centuries, as the golden sparkles of his long-feathered wings and tail, attracted their attention with great curiosity.

Kokko himself was surprised to notice the many faces that were staring at him. Thorn-tailed bats, six-legged snakes, and one-eyed toads among other assortments of strange species, was the last thing the trained hawk expected to find upon awakening, several hours after being knocked out by the Crabbit.

Speaking of which, before the royal bird could inquire in his own avian language where had his capturer gone, a shrilling screech tore the silence apart. Then at the hallway, running for dear life, the crow-rabbit hybrid made his awaited arrival. Blue zaps and sparks pierced his body, causing some black feathers to fly off his injured rear end. While behind him, a green-skinned woman charged at him in fuming flight, firing with fury her deadly spells.

"You useless dog!" the caged animals heard her shriek, "Lazy-butt! You sad excuse of a helper! Thou shall burn! Burn with lightning!"

"B-but M-mistress! Please let me explain!"

A dead end showed up ahead, trapping the terrified Crabbit against the wall as the angry Sky Witch approached him. Not knowing what else to do in his defense, the vulnerable familiar curled up in the corner, covering his head underneath his arms. The sight was so pathetic in fact, that the witch was forced to cease her attack.

Did she feel pity for her servant? Not in the least! The witch's maniacal laughter made itself present before the Crabbit could utter a humble prayer. To a certain point, being mocked at was better than being continuously zapped down the hall, and for this, the battered hybrid was slightly thankful.

"I don't know why I still bother on keeping such a useless pest by my side! Seriously, why can't you even get rid of a stupid flying dog?"

Crabbit struggled to get back on his feet as he replied, "Maja, I was on it! But then this weirdo jumped at me and—!"

"Excuses, excuses! Why don't you shut your beak, so that I can focus on finding a way to mend your unforgivable mistake!?"

Maja floated back to the main chamber of the antique mansion. The room was filled with tribal tokens, amulets, and charms of unknown origin. Spider webs polluted every corner and filthy nuke, just like the dust that covered each forgotten book, still open somewhere on the mossy floor. It was the very place where the witch gave birth to countless demonic spells, and brews. Her black cauldron bubbled at the center of the room, heated by the fires of hatred that burned down every passionate and desperate emotion back to their primal essence: soul sap.

By the dim light of a melted candle, the evil sorceress returned to her tarot cards. The spread of her last consultant was still on the table. She made a quick recap of the act of divination that had taken place fifteen months ago, if her mind could recall correctly. The events she had predicted were now happening, and it was her duty to manipulate destiny to her own favor.

"The last member of the Royal Suit has appeared." Maja smirked, "The complete Court of Swords in a single spread, well isn't that amusing? Indeed, this is a family matter… Blood ties clashing and entwining…"

"What are you blabbering about now, Maja?"

Crabbit limped to her side, leaning down to glimpse the cards.

"Because of you the Knight has reached the King of Swords!" she shouted, pushing her familiar onto the floor, "Now the whole process has been accelerated! Do you think this is what he wanted?! Do you think I'll get my reward after you messed everything up?!"

"W-what can I do to revert it? I swear it won't happen again!"

"For your butt's sake, I hope it doesn't!" Maja went back to the cards, tracing her fingers over the elements of the major arcana. "In order for this dark night to last forever, we must get rid of The Sun…"

Crabbit scratched his head in confusion, "Which means?"

"Now that the whole family is about to assemble in one place, I say we should make sure every member is present there, don't you think?"

She turned back to her servant, smirking in satisfaction as a juicy plan was formed in her brain.

"The elemental baby. You must take it to our fellow dealer! Then he will be able to fully manipulate the rest of the cards with the power that I have granted him!"

Her familiar reached out for his forehead, groaning in annoyance. "Right now? But I just came back from—!"

"Get Moving!"

More blue zaps lighted the dark hallways. And as the sparks and electricity flowed through the Crabbit's nerves, Kokko lowered his head in despair. For how could the fire eagle aid his master, when the speed and strength of his wings were kept at bay inside a cage?

x~x~x~x~x

In her mind, a vision sprawled. Cinnamon Bun stood in front of her, alive and well. His pastry complexion, rigid on the outside but soft on the inside, could only enhance the trust that she felt for him. Frustrated tears kept rolling down her golden cheeks. His sweet hand wiped them all out.

He held a firm grasp on her shoulders, peering into her fatigued eyes with his peaceful black ones. It was just like on that night, left behind in the past many months ago, before everything commenced. They had taken a decision that would change their lives forever.

She was demoralized by the lack of alternatives. He was certain that in the end it would all be fine. It was for the kingdom. Undeniably, every sacrifice they would make was for the greater good of their kingdom. This was not what she wanted, not in that way at least. But it had to be done. She would protect her people from the relentless wrath of another tyrant, no matter the cost.

Cinnamon Bun displayed a tender smile. Somehow it made her feel better. No one but him could assure her safety. No one but him could ensure that the pristine condition of her body and soul would remain intact, for the most part. Nevertheless, a knight is above all, a gallant defender of that which is pure. Every single touch had to be gentle, to soothe the pain, to spare more blood from soaking in the burning land.

"It'll hurt just a little." He whispered as to reassure her.

Not even a wince darted out of her lips. She embraced her champion instead, grateful for his unyielding devotion. He made a promise, that he would be by her side every step of the way.

Yet the road goes on, and he's nowhere to be seen.

"Where are you now, Cinnamon Bun?"

Flame Princess opened her eyes.

Her body had been lay to rest on an unfamiliar bed. Where was she now? It didn't take her long to notice that her armor was gone, leaving her only with her simple white dress and the crown, still seated on her head.

The sound of flowing water reached her now conscious ears. The air felt dense and heavy, the mere act of breathing soon became an arduous task. Everywhere she turned her eyes to, her vision managed to distinguish solely dancing shadows and silhouettes, caused by the glow of her flames.

What happened during her battle with Torcho? How did she end up there?

Pain stabbed her senses. The back of her head throbbed relentlessly, as if her skull had been crushed under the weight of a rock golem. She tried to sit up, receiving more waves of pain in consequence. Every muscle and nerve in her system grew stiff as stone. However, staying in bed was not an option.

Flame Princess mustered all of her strength to force herself up. Stumbling to the other side of the room, she stopped her body from falling as she leaned against the wall. The surface felt cold and rough like rock. It all made sense now, someone had rendered her unconscious during her fight, and then dragged her down into Furnius' underground lair.

Fearing the loss of her powers, Flame Princess shot a small fireball into the darkness, brightening the long tunnel before her, until the spark vanished in the distance. Despite the paralysis, her body wasn't any weaker than before. At least she was allowed to keep her strength, and even though this gave her some relief, a dreadful hunch possessed her heart.

Why did they choose to leave their enemy roam freely within their domains? Why didn't they chain her down and strip her of her powers? Nothing felt right, but the only way to find an answer was to move forward.

Thus, she began her descent into the dark.

Watching her step, Flame Princess noticed several puddles of icy water just in time to avoid dipping her naked toes into one. They were possibly remains of the underground streams that ran by the many tunnel networks of the area. Taking in a deep breath, she proceeded to move on.

The never-ending solitude that hosted her trek grew unbearable after an hour of aimless exploration. Wasn't there supposed to be a light at the end of the tunnel?

"Hello?" she uttered to no one in particular.

Flame Princess knew it wasn't her smartest idea yet, but she was running out of options anyway. As expected not a single soul replied, no one except for a brief shimmer of red on her left. Taking that as a signal, the fire elemental drove her feet deeper into the unknown.

Magma flowed gently, following the eroded paths that were carved along the entrails of the earth. Upon arriving, Flame Princess sent a grateful smile to the furniture that decorated the mysterious chamber ahead. Finally, a sign of civilization! It was the melted rocks, circulating by the vaulted walls, what produced the comforting glimmer that she had spotted earlier.

Curious since birth, Flame Princess walked up to the large desk in the center of the room. There, standing on a plain board, a multitude of clay figurines faced the east wall before them, as if they were part of a marching army.

Flame Princess blew a raspberry, "Must be some nerdy strategy game." She rolled her eyes and advanced to the other end of the chamber, "And here I was, thinking my evil cousins were too old to play with toy soldiers!"

However deceitful, the mettlesome elemental couldn't avoid feeling attracted to the great and colorful collection that was on display before her: butterflies, thousands of them. Each specimen was carefully mounted on the wall, labeled, and probably arranged in accordance to some specific order unknown to her.

"These must be Volcanic Divers, from the lowlands…" she whispered, tapping the glass-case softly, "And these… These are like the ones that used to fly by my house when I used to live near the Grasslands…"

A stroke of sadness painted her expression. She remembered watching a blue-colored butterfly flapping above her excited eyes once; she was lying flat on the grass, Finn was next to her. The blue-winged insect passed by then, and she had never seen a butterfly before.

Finn noticed her bewilderment and sat up to catch it. When he opened his hands, the pretty creature made its way to his thumb, spreading its wings for the young girl beside him.

"Are those things poisonous or somethin'?"

"Wuh? Nah! These are just cute little fellas! See?"

The butterfly suddenly decided that it was time to fly off, and leapt forward, right into the human's nose. Startled, Finn rolled backwards, causing Flame Princess blurt out in laughter.

What if the butterfly behind the glass, now with its thorax and wings pierced onto the foam was the same one from that day back then?

Stepping back in sorrow, the young woman sighed, "How can something that looks so beautiful seem so cruel?"

"Preserving beauty demandsss cruelnesss sometimesss…"

A voice hissed on her back.

Flame Princess spun towards it, igniting her flaming fists.

"Did you sssleep tight, dear cousin?"

She furrowed her brow in anger, even though the constant pulsations in her head made her wish she could scream in pain.

"Furnius!"

x~x~x~x~x

Exhausted, Finn collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. He didn't care if the rocks that covered the ground were now pricking his back. He didn't give a crud if the chilling winds from the Ice Kingdom slapped his face. For all he cared, a crack could just open wide in the ground, so that the earth swallowed him once and for all.

From his experience in the last two hours of intense arguing, Finn could now conclude that Flame Princess' brother was a giant butt. Sure, he was the great Flame General, the all mighty lord of every single being in existence. Mister "I'm right and you are wrong!"

What could he know about battling? In Finn's opinion, it was the experience earned through years of fighting monsters with one's bare hands, rescuing princesses, and even falling in defeat, what made a true warrior. Besides, he knew Flame Princess' handwriting better, and he was in fact, an expert when it came to unveil her cryptic tactics. But, no! Flame Princess' sibling had to brag about his ten years in the military, and the magnificent general that he was.

No wonder that in the middle of their arguing, Finn had accidentally knocked the general's lava mug all over Flame Princess' chart, instantly turning their only course of action into cinders. Of course, the Flame General exploded in anger and kicked the human out of the mission. And of course, the aforesaid stormed out of the tent in reply.

"Why do I always ruin everything?!" Finn exclaimed, as if begging the heavens for an answer.

The giant fire wolf strolled to the human's side, lowering its head and nuzzling his ribs gently. Finn sighed and stared back at Jake 2. The hound cried softly, urging him to sit up. With a short crooked smile, he pushed himself upwards and patted the animal's forehead gently.

"You know, I think I really get you!" he chuckled, "We're both valiant warriors, aren't we? We are fierce beasts, no one's pet! And we kinda do like the same stuff!"

The hero went to scratch the wolf's ears, only to notice how the over-grown dog buried its head between its hind legs and meticulously licked its genitals.

"Except for that. I definitively don't do that!"

Jake 2 ceased its self-cleaning behavior and immediately gave its full attention to the young man. In reply, Finn erased his disgusted looks and chuckled back in content.

"Sometimes I wish everyone in the Fire Kingdom was as supportive as you…" his grin faded, "I guess Cinnamon Bun raised you well…"

The fire wolf leaned against the human and gratefully licked his face, going back to its happy panting after that.

Finn laughed at the friendly display of affection, however he couldn't help to fix his eyes back on the General's tent, stressed.

"I don't think I'll be able to handle an entire army on my own… If I want to find FP and bring her back to safety I'll need to find a way to get along with her sib…"

Jake 2 tilted its head, moaning in worry.

"I know." he replied, "It ain't gonna be easy… If only I could prove him my worth somehow, perhaps he would take me seriously then. I don't even want to imagine how will he react when he sees the changes on Flanella… What will he think of me then?! There's no way he would ever let me near Flame Princess again! And all I want is to be with the two of them, FP and Flanella… Glob, I miss 'em…"

Both wolf and human placed their stares in the darkened skies, sighing. For a moment there was silence, the kind of peace that conveys a feeling of security, a sense of safety and calm. Then, an unnatural hum echoed in the air and a soft vibration was felt. Finn connected his palms to the ground, sensing how it gradually grew into a quake. He quickly pressed his ear against the earth and gasped.

"Something's coming! Something loud, with many feet! I-I think it's an army!"

Finn ran to a nearby hill, followed by Jake 2. A cloud of dust became visible in the horizon. They were hundreds of soldiers coming from the west, heading straight to Flame Princess' military base.

"What are we gonna do now, Jake 2?" he asked, alarmed.

The hound frowned, growling and snarling. Before Finn could say anything else, Jake 2 jumped into the sky and flew off to nowhere.

"Wait! What are you doing? You can't just leave me like that!"

No matter how much he called it, the fire wolf never returned. Clenching his teeth Finn chose to forget about it and headed to Flame Princess' brother as fast as he could. At first the fire elementals displayed plenty of anger because of the human's sudden intromission. However, this changed the moment he declared that they were soon going to be under attack.

Every soldier available was mobilized into the fields, shielding their hard-rock bodies with heavy metal armors and helmets, while they clutched fiery spears and lances. The strikes of their feet, heeding to their general's call, provoked their forces' own small quake. Before long, every fiery man was shooting itself into the sky, leaving behind thick trails of smoke and fire on the dark heavenly canvas, as they all dashed towards the imminent battle ahead.

Finn watched them in astonishment, frightened yet, at the same time, anxious to fight by their side. Even so, he still had an impediment to take care of. Rather than just being unarmed, he couldn't exactly rocket his body into the night sky like the other soldiers, and to top it all, Jake 2 had abandoned him.

What was he supposed to do? Run after them? By the time he manages to cover the great distance between them, the fight will probably be over. Once again, that dreadful feeling of being useless crawled over Finn, forcing him fall on his knees and punch the ground in anger.

"Hey, Buff Baby!" the Flame General called, a smirk on his confident face. "Are you going to stay there crying, or are you going to join us and fight like a man?"

Frustrated Finn snapped, "Dude, I can't fly! Alright?! How am I even gonna get there?!"

Flame Princess' brother walked up to him and kneeled by his side, patting his armored shoulder blades.

"Get on my back."

"What?"

"Are you waiting for a written invitation?" the general shouted, "I said get on my back!"

Finn gulped, staring at the fire elemental man with a trembling smile.

"Are you really going to carry me all the way there?"

"I just wanna see if you have the guts you bluffed about a while ago! Besides, my right arm is all jacked up, and you've got a full-functioning mechanical one there. Do you get my point? This is your chance to prove that you're not just a buff baby, ya hear me?"

"Sir, yes Sir!" the hero cried in excitement, lunging over the general's back.

"Easy there! I'm not a horse, stupid!"

"Sorry sir…"


Author's Notes:

Psst! Remember, it's not what it seems!

Glad you guys are enjoying this story so much! And thanks for all the support and feedback!