Frostbane
Chapter 8: Tremors
Author's note: Really sorry my readers. I got carried away with school and many more things. It's new year, so I think it's time to release my latest chapter yes? I'm sorry for your wait, but now I have finally broken the writer's block! Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own KFP.
Po paced furiously in his room, nervous. 'What do I have to do' He thought. 'I can't just barge in and scream out Kann's existence! That would be too risky. No, no, I need to be absolutely careful about this!' He troubled, even ignoring his pain on the legs supporting those weights.
"what's wrong dear?" His wife's voice broke his thoughts. Po startled, turning back, Tigress, with her hand on the doorknob, had just walked into the scene.
" Um, nothing, nothing dear! I was just, um, exercising!" Po scrambled, acting like he was having a small jog, *in door*.
" Realy? *In door*? Po, you aren't the work out type! What's into you?" Tigress pushed on.
" UM, nothing, NOTHING! Why are you thinking that something was up when something was definitely not up at all?" Po scrambled. He wasn't the best on keeping secrets.
" Po, I know when you're lying." Tigress tried to be patiently prying out his thoughts.
" No you don't." Po denied, widening his eyes.
" Po, I've been your wife for ten years, I think I got the hang of it." Tigress gave him a you-couldn't-be-serious look, " Po, what are you hiding from me?"
Po dashed his head around, fearing that he might accidentally unconditionally let the secret out. So, he took one last nervous look at his wife, then sighed, and took her by the wrist and plunged outside, dragging her along with him.
Po turned at a corner down the hall, then turned to his wife.
" What is going on Po?" Tigress asked, worried obviously.
" Please gather everyone somewhere safe, I'll tell you." Po whispered, Tigress after realizing the seriousness in his words, simply nodded in acknowledgement.
" So everyone? And no one else?" She asked again
"Yes Ti. I got some business to take care of, please, keep it to ourselves dear." Po said, hurriedly exited the room, leaving Tigress still a bit shocked.
The white tiger glanced around his shoulder, reassuring that he was alone. The thickness of the shadows around him sickened him, but still he went on his path. He entered the narrow entrance, leaving behind the dim light of day. The darkness embraced him, the tiger closed his eyes, the aura around him was full of dread, the stench of death.
" I see you've come, boy." A deathly grim voice broke the silence. Mitch opened his eyes, and from the abyss rose a shadow, covered in a black robe made from punished souls, his face shifted every once in a while, between different features, between different faces. He was Death.
Mitch opened his eyes. He met the gruesome sight. Yet no signs shown that he was surprised.
" Greetings, you lump of dead bodies." Mitch spat back with no fear at all of the immortal.
" What is it that troubles you young one?" Death replied with great clearance, authority.
" The fact that my dear friend's life was twisted because of your carelessness. You got captured in the first place!" Spat the tiger.
" True, it was my mistake that led to my imprisonment. But, don't you forget our task at hand: Stop that deranged man from taking the whole world." Death replied calmly to the rash verbal spat, " And don't forget Master Merindus. YOu are a familiar guest at my palace. Treasure my *gifts* carefully."
" I have, thank you for them." Mitch calmed down a bit, then proceeded " Our enemy has shown signs of movement. Yet they are absent in the North."
" Has Marron send troops to the Valley of Peace?" Death asked.
" Yes he has. A whole legion."
" Check that Valley again. A huge increase of death has surfaced down South." Death informed, followed by bewildered eyes by Mitch.
" What? This is grave news! Now you tell me?"
" The paper work was just delivered. What? How do you think I manage to look after the dead? Everyday people die, Mitch, MANY. So, even with my squadron of servants, I still lack the speed in processing all those deaths." Death reasoned.
Mitch exhaled heavily, " It's must be too late now."
" Not quite. Return. Now, tell them what happened, and" Death turned to Mitch " Tell him, old acquaintances are coming for a little talk. I'll arrange their visits."
Mitch exited the dreaded place, coughing through the dust. Looking back, the mysterious entrance quickly collapsed and was replaced by a simple doorway. The tiger then glanced back to the streets before him, remembering the warnings.
" Gonna warn Kann." He told himself.
Kann grabbed his metal mask, about to head out again. It was time for lunch. Marron sent him out again to grab some food back. Of course they were cautious not to let Marron out of the Palace. So Alvin stayed with him. Kann wondered why all of the guards must all go out just for a quick stop at some food store.
" Alright let's get goning boys. The quicker the better." Kann ordered through his mask, his accompanies nodded in unison. The small group headed out of the Palace, Kann glanced back and forth to recall the directions, then proceeded to the left. None of them noticed, a crouching figure up on a roof was watching them every move.
" Just as expected." the figure mumbled to himself. Pulling his hood on, he quickly leaped to another roof, and disappeared behind brick walls.
"The name's K. Just K." Kann politely said, receiving an acknowledging nod from a pig chef. The pig then proceeded to his previous works. Kann turned to the others, " Right, it's done. Now off we go again." He exhaled, " Sometimes I hate hiding like this." Kann whispered to his fellow guards, all nodded understandingly.
"Hm, let's see. Strangely no signs of them in the North. Have they sent anything to us?" Marron troubled on the desk with maps of many kinds, turned to Alvin and asked.
" No my lord. No letters, declarations, nothing." Alvin replied obediently, standing still at the door.
"This war is not over that easy. Alvin, get me those envelopes, I need to send something back." Marron still fixed into his map, not bothering to look up. Hearing no reply, he turned frustrated " ALVIN!" He snapped, looking up. Alvin's throat was slit, his blood spilled all over the floor. Marron, shocked, quickly spinned his head around the room, " Who's in here?"
" Marron Marron." A voice came from behind him, Marron spun around, and he met a masked figure clad in black. The masked man continued " It's good seeing you still lively active." He spoke with a mocking tone.
" If you're here to kill me, kill me. I never fear death." Marron fearlessly replied. The masked man just chuckled.
" Oh, you've mistaken my intentions, Wise one." Though he was masked, Marron could see his smile curls up behind the mask.
Suddenly, Marron felt a sting behind his neck. quickly reacted, Marron snapped a hand to the back of his neck. He pulled out a poison dart. Instantly the old wolf felt dizzy, disorientated. Marron fell, but caught himself by leaning against a chair. He shot a disgusted look at the masked man.
" No, it wasn't lethal poison. Old fool." The masked man moved closer calmly, " You wouldn't worth shit if you're dead to us, right?" He laughed mockingly, waving a hand over Marron's face. The old wolf's eyesight worsen, then he dropped into unconsciousness.
Kann paced hastily through the streets, followed by the group of guards. He was sensing something was wrong, and the guards are barely keeping up with him. He turned at a corner, finally reaching the palace. Looking up, he just wanted to check. His eyes shot with burning sting when he saw the windows of the room was cracked and wide open. And, a figure was exiting carrying Marron! Kann quickly shot into the palace, sped through corridors and stairs, finally reaching the floor where they stayed. Kann drew his swords, charging into the room, but all he could find was emptiness. Spinning his head back and forth, Kann checked for any signs of clues. And he met the image of Alvin, dead in a corner holding his sword close to his chest. Kann ground his teeth, slowly knelt down to Alvin's side. He checked his pulse. The guard, sadly, was dead. Kann exhaled heavily, then stood up, closing his eyes.
" Hello sir." Suddenly a familiar voice came behind him.
Kann, startled, spun back and swung his blades. The blade came to a stop when it almost touched the neck of the ghost standing in front of him. Kann's arms tensed.
" Alvin?" He asked.
" Yes, sir." The ghost replied with the obedient it possessed in life.
" How can I...? How did you...? How can I see you?" Kann asked confusedly.
" It's a temporary ability." Mitch's voice came, climbing in through the windows, " Death chose to give you this ability, so that you could finish what must be done."
Turning to Mitch, Kann asked, " Where were you? And now I'm suppose to see dead people?!"
" I was meeting him, and correct, dead people." Mitch replied, wiping the dust off his clothes.
" Marron was captured sir. By assassins. They killed me swiftly so that they could easily take him." Alvin interrupted.
Kann turned to the ghost, " How?" He asked steadily.
" A blade came at my throat. Then, I saw the windows were silently opened. Three figures enter the room. One, I could see very familiar. Perhaps I saw his face down at the market." Alvin recalled the events.
" They're watching more carefully than you think Kann. Perhaps they know that you were going out for some food. Their skills had boosted since they failed the first time." Mitch added.
" I knew I shouldn't take too many guards with me." Kann blamed it on himself.
" NO sir, Marron ordered it. For he fears if they ever find out about your true identity, they would finish the war more quickly." Alvin counselled.
Kann exhaled heavily " So what now?"
" You must be king." Came yet another voice from out of the dark. Everyone spun to the sound's source.
" Now whose ghost is this?!" Kann said out loud, annoyed.
" Tarvon the Vast at your service." An armored polar bear ghost came out of the wall, bowing.
" YOU?! You should have stayed in Hell for the things you had done!" Kann spat.
" I was influenced by your uncle's magic." The bear calmly replied, " And my sanity was never the same since then. I come to you with a message from your father."
Kann shot his eyes to the bear " What?"
" Your father. He knew about these events, without Marron to guide your nation, your people will be leaderless." The bear counselled, " Now it's time to reveal your true identity. Show them, that the Frostbane line is not dead, and the King, has return."
"It's true sir. You must succeed your father as a King." Alvin said.
" It's time Kann." Mitch calmly agreed.
Kann fused his brows, deep in thoughts. Could he rise, as a King? Or is he more of a wanderer? Kann questioned, but then he came into decision nonetheless.
" I will." Kann said clearly. Then he turned to Tarvon, " Return to my father, tell him, his debt is going to be paid." Kann promised. The bear nodded, then disappeared down through the floors. Then Kann turned to Alvin, " Go now. You may rest, my friend."
Alvin bowed respectfully, then his body began to disappear. When it was only his face remained:
" Send words to my family for me sir."
" I will" Kann promised. Then, Alvin completely vanished.
Just after that, the group of guards came with thundering steps charging in. They looked bewildered, at the events before them.
" What happened sir?" One asked.
" Marron is captured. Alvin is dead." Kann told them, still facing Mitch.
" What? So what do we do now sir?" One asked.
" Ask the emperor for a declaration." Kann ordered.
" For what sir?" One guard asked, confused.
" For the coming of my time on the throne." Kann replied to them, words full of pride.
Author's note: So there it is everyone! Happy NewYear to you! This is my present! More things will be revealed in the next chapter! Don't forget to review! PEACE! FrozenTongue's out!
