The next chapter after this one will be of Camila and Belos talking about the past and of Luz, also of her duties as Empress since I haven't touched on that yet and the next chapter gives me a perfect opportunity to do so.
She's not just there to look pretty, I swear.
Also, this chapter takes place on the same day as Boscha snooping around town and almost dying multiple times.
-Morning time, we have King, in the Owl House-
King took a deep breath, eyes darting back and forth, looking out for Eda or any pesky and annoying birds…
"Alright… No one is here to bother me…" He carefully sat down in the middle of the Living Room, crossing his legs, and focusing on transforming into a wolf again.
This wasn't actually an ability of his inherited family power, the Deset Ocasu, any demon worth their salts could transform into scarier forms… Not all though… Thinking on that, King was reminded of that savage demon from the Castle, the one he remembered to be so formal during Eda's capture… Kikimora was it? She seemed so familiar to him… He just couldn't place her…
"Ugh, focus Kralj!" He told himself, "You need to be able to do this on command if you ever want to go… Home…" He said softly, sighing before opening his eyes and groaning and laying on his back, "It's hopeless… I can't transform while all this Home crap is going through my head!"
King sat up again, falling to all fours and running upstairs, he looked up and down the hallways before running down and into the coat closet, closing it behind him and beginning to rummage through the many clothes before he found what had been hidden away.
The letter from the Demon Lands from his sister, he had only read the first line before stowing it away.
He silently opened the letter. It was written in Naihcone, the native language of the Demon Lands, practically a lost language here on the Isles to most, as the demons here have seemingly all forgotten how to speak it, only a few Demons knew how to speak it…
The first time King landed on the Boiling Isles with Eda, he expected to instantly be recognized by the other Demons here, but it never happened. For the last twenty-eight years, he's been on the Isles with Eda, and no one has recognized him. Except that one Oracle was sent by Praescitum, head of the Oracle Coven, and Tibbles, but he drove him out of town, so it didn't count anymore.
Curious as to why the Demons seemed so different than what he was used to, he visited the library with Eda (before she was banned) and read up on some Demon History on the Isles.
King was shocked to learn of how the old Emperor, Crisis, absolutely despised Demon kind with a passion, killing any who he came across when he was making the entirety of the Boiling Isles one unified Empire, as before it was split up into many parts. Such as Left Leg, Right Hand and Right Arm, Chest, etc. Entire Colonies of Demons were killed in Crisis's rampage across the Isles for complete power and unification.
Crisis seemed to also hate any mixed blooded Witches and Demons performing magic as well… Believing only "pure-blooded" Witches should use Magic, as it was a gift to Witches from the Titan, not Demon's or the impure.
Learning of the senseless discrimination and slaughter of his people, he came to understand why his Father decided to attack the Isles, he understood now, why he had wanted revenge on the Witches of the Isles… But why had his Father waited for so long after Belos came into power to act? Did he not know of what was happening here? Was he gathering his forces? That couldn't be it… He wouldn't get an answer any time soon, sadly…
King shook his head.
"Focus, Kralj…" He told himself again as he read the letter, which appeared to be written in red ink but in reality, it was blood. I mean, how else are Demons supposed to write personal letters, right?
"Dearest Prince of Demons and Brother…" He read out loud as he took a seat amid the coats, "It is with a heavy heart, that I regret to inform you that our mother, Ri Císařovna, Queen of Demons for 228 years, mate of Ri Imperator for over 500 years and Mother of Ri Kralj and Ri Reina, has passed on to the Spirit Realm due to Heart Break…" He said sadly with a sigh, rubbing his eyes, pushing away the tears.
"Heart Break, what a way to go…" He whispered. It was always sad when a loved one died, but it was even worse for Demon's, as they usually became Mates for life, both in Soul and Body, literally. So for a Demon to die, usually, their mate would pass on too soon after… His mother was a strong Demon though, surviving a whole extra 28 years. Unheard of.
King continued to read.
"Mother's death has led to a slight uproar in the Demon Lands, of chaos as well as panic, to dissuade the masses and keep the peace of our home, just as Mother had, I claimed the throne as Queen regent." This shocked King to read.
"Reina is in charge…?" He asked, "She's so little though…" He whispered, "Can she even transform yet? How much did I miss of her life while I was away…?" King asked himself before turning the page on the letter.
"What the hell am I doing, talking like this?" The letter's tone suddenly shifted, turning from formal to very personal.
"Yeah, I hated writing like this too, sis…" He said to himself, before continuing to read the letter.
"Brother, Kralj, you rat bastard," King chuckled at that, "You must return home at once, I do not have the means of power to hold the Throne for any longer than a year or two at most. I only inherited 1 tail of magic from Mother, unlike you, who inherited the Deset Ocasu, from Father, upon his death…
"You also understand how hard it was to find you? On the Boiling Isles, of all places? I don't understand why'd you retire there of all places to grief father's death… Going where he met his final fight… Incomprehensible to the last word…"
King rolled his eyes.
"You wouldn't understand why, Sister…" He whispered, turning the page, and continuing to read.
"Enclosed is a location where an agent goes to regularly, they will be awaiting your response… They are a trustworthy demon that's been in service to her cause and the royal family for decades but even more to her home, now… That's all I ask, a response to my letter… The Crown was never mine to bear, you know this, Dear Brother… I hope you decide to return, not only for the crown, but to unlock the true potential of the Deset Ocasu, and to finish what Father started with the Isles…"
"Love, your sister, Queen Regent, Ri Reina…"
King looked at the final sentence.
"Finish what Father started," He asked himself as he rolled up the letter, "Finish what Father started… That's right… That's my "destiny" apparently…" He whispered, stowing it away again.
King carefully poked his head out of the Coat closet and looked around, after confirming that he was alone, he walked back downstairs to the Kitchen, focused. He jumped up onto the counter and grabbed the large, sharp knife, and inspected it.
"That'll probably do…" He whispered.
King then grabbed a glass cup from a cupboard and set it down. He took a deep breath, bringing the Knife to his hand and firmly pressing down on it.
"What the heck do you think you're doing!?" A voice shouted suddenly, the knife suddenly glowed yellow before it flew across the kitchen and into Eda's hands.
King groaned.
"Oh come on! Can't a demon do things in peace!?" He asked with an exasperated expression.
"Why are you trying to cut yourself open for!?" Eda shouted, levitating her potion bag onto the couch, and stomping over to him, crossing his arms in anger and worry.
"How else am I supposed to write a letter!?" He yelled back.
"With INK!?" Eda asked, incredulously.
"WHAT DEMON WOULD USE INK!?"
"ANYONE WITH A BRAIN!" She screams before taking a deep breath and sighing, "Alright King, what's going on here? Keep in mind I'm not a therapist, so don't expect million-dollar answers..." She said as she went over to King, sitting next to him on the kitchen counter.
King was silent before he sighed, laying his head down on Eda's lap.
"Eda… My family wants me to come back home…" He whispered, "To the Demon lands…"
Eda rose an eyebrow.
"The Demon lands? That stuffy old traditional place? Why would you ever want to go back there?" She asked, confused, "And they want you now? After kicking you to the curb on the Isles? You were practically starving and cold when I found you in that alley!"
King looked to the side. The "family kicking him out" story was just a lie King told Eda to keep her off his tracks, no one could know that he was the Demon Prince, Ri Kralj… Especially after the conflict between Belos and his father… Too many things to deal with, he didn't need an entire Coven on his tail.
"My home is very important to me, Eda…" He said softly, "And to Demons, loyalty and Pride are the most important things to us… Especially for me and my family…"
Eda laughed, petting King's fur.
"King, for as long as I've been cursed, we've known each other… When I found you in that alley after running around the Isle for what was like two years, you stuck by my side and you haven't left since then, Abyss, you taught me how to hunt and fend for myself, for the most part, you even helped me get this house from Baba Yaga!"
King narrowed his eyes, tail swaying cautiously at the mention of the name.
"I still hate that fena Čarodějnice…" He whispered in Naihcone, shivering at the memory of Eda's old mentor, "She turned me into a sandwich, Eda…" He said, "I haven't looked at two slices of bread the same way since…"
"Yeah, yeah, you were traumatized, listen buddy-" She suddenly picked him up and stared him in his purple eyes. "What I'm trying to tell you, is that I've known for a solid 28 years now, and I know that you don't need your family! Because you already have one here!" She stood up, carrying King in her arms, "You are the proud King of Demons and our hearts! You even caught the admiration and love of a Princess!"
Eda then laughed and hugged King tightly.
"Guess what I'm trying to say buddy, is that you are already home with your family! Heck, and I'm sure that Luz would be super sad to hear that you just up and left her before the next demon lesson!"
Mentioning Luz, King couldn't help but feel bad for befriending her… She would hate him if she knew the truth of who he was…
King sighed.
"Eda… I… Thank you for your help all those years ago… I know what I gotta do…" He whispered, jumping out of her arms, and quickly running out the door.
Eda wondered where King was headed but couldn't help but feel worried, but he could take of himself… She hoped…
It was now the night.
A three-tailed wolf jumped out from the forest and landed in a large clearing, the supposed meeting spot of this "Demon Agent" of the royal family. King had of course assumed that Reina meant his royal family.
The wolf curled into a ball and slowly transformed back into our loveable King.
He stumbled a few paces and groaned.
"That'll never feel right…" He whispered, "I should practice more…" He said softly.
He began to walk through the clearing, if he remembered correctly from his own studies of the place, many spots in the forest were home to demons in the old days, before Crisis's rampage across the arm.
"Where is this dang agent?" He asked, walking deeper into the clearing, passing by destroyed trees, some had healed burn marks, and some were black and dead from a conflict years ago. Even a lot of the grass was black and charred, no longer growing.
"What in Mataka's name happened here…?" He asked himself, already knowing that the answer couldn't be good.
All of sudden, King spotted a cloaked figure, they appeared to be short and were standing in front of a stone statue. Looking closer, the figure was kneeling in front of and even cleaning the statue. As King walked forward, he stepped on a twig, it cracked under him. King looked down at the twig then back up to find the figure and finding that they were gone.
Before King could even think on asking where they went, his tailed twitched. He jumped back, narrowly avoiding the flaming Warhammer that struck the ground where he stood, the figure holding the handle tightly.
"Hold on! Hold on!" King stumbled back, "Don't kill the Prince!"
"What in the name of-" The figure removed their hood, revealing herself to be Kikimora, Emperor Belos' right hand for many years.
Kikimora's eyes widened in recognition before she willed the hammer to nothing and quickly kneeled to the young Prince, who was on his back, heart still pounding.
"Prince Kralj! I didn't know it was you!" She apologized, "Please, forgive me, and also… The vulgar behavior I displayed a while back…" She said, mentioning how she had turned into a killing machine at the castle to put down the beast.
"Don't worry about it, Kiki…" King said, standing up and patting himself free of the dust and dirt, "I actually really admired seeing an actual warrior fight after being away from home for so long…" He said, crossing his arms, "Besides, you can act however you want, especially after helping me out during that Witch's duel incident." He mentioned, remembering how she brought him food when he was in a jail cell during that fight between the Clawthornes… It was good food too…
To say Kikimora instantly recognized him as the Prince Of Demon Lands, was an understatement. The moment King had been brought in by Lilith, she watched closely from afar, making sure that King was safe until he reached the dungeon cell. Even instructing the Guards to put him in a private cell meant for higher security targets to make sure of his safety.
"It was just me doing my job, Prince…" She played it off, acting like she didn't pull strings, "Even if it weren't, I'd do anything for the Ri family, you know this…" She whispered, still kneeling.
"Please stand," King said, letting Kikimora get to her feet again, "I didn't know that you were the Agent my sister's letter talked about, does Belos know that his right hand is a spy to the Demon Lands?" He asked.
Kikimora was shocked at the accusation.
"I am not a double agent or spy! I would never betray Belos to the Demon Lands for any reason!" She shouted, defending herself and crossing her arms with a huff, "The Emperor helped me bring justice to my parents' death, after Crisis's deadly campaign against Demons…! He was the one who gave me the status I hold now! I would do anything for him because it was he that I…" Kikimora paused and sighed, looking down at her feet before looking back up at the Prince, "That doesn't matter anymore…" She told herself before facing King again.
"I would never betray the Emperor for any reason, but…" She paused again, "I am forever loyal to the Demon Lands, as well… My home… And where the House Bojovník resides, so I'll help the Royal Family in any way I can…" She whispered.
King then snapped his fingers in recognition.
"Oh, that's where I remember you from!" He said suddenly, "You're from House Bojovník! I remember when I was just a youngling, I sat next to my father's throne when the Warriors of House Bojovník visited, to give graces for my little sister who was just born!" He said, the story coming to him, "They had a clumsy demon with them who was swinging a wooden hammer…" He said, chuckling at the thought. "Glad to see you learned how to use an actual hammer!" He said, laughing a bit louder.
Kikimora blushed in embarrassment at the mention of her past.
"I was hoping that the Prince had forgotten of those events…" She whispered, looking down at the ground to avoid his eyes, "I was only a youngling as well, you cannot blame me for having no skill with a blade,"
King waved his arms in a defusing manner.
"I'm not!" King said quickly, "I just thought it was funny to see you here, now! On the Isles, right hand of the Emperor, working to help two Royal Families…" He chuckled as he walked forward and looked upon the statue Kikimora had been cleaning, "So what's this statue?" He asked.
The statue was of a pair of horned demons wielding weapons and a shield, holding the line against an unseen foe.
Kikimora walked past King's side, standing in front of the statue with a pained expression about her.
"It's not a statue, it's my parents' gravestone…" She said, placing a hand on the mossy statue, "When Crisis tore through this settlement of demons, he burned the homes here to ash and made sure that it was a scarred clearing in the forest once again…" She said grimly, a blade appearing in her hands. She once again kneeled in front of the statue and used the blade to scrape the moss off the plaque, which read "To the fallen Heroes of House Bojovník and the many they saved in their sacrifice."
"I was the only one in my family that survived the attack, pinned under a collapsed building, presumed dead by Crisis, his army, and my parents… But I was alive, obviously, still conscious and breathing when I heard my parents take their last breath… Too weak to even help them! If I wasn't stuck I could've… Saved them…" She shouted, stabbing her sword into the ground, tears uncontrollably falling off her cheeks and staining her clothing.
King was silent for a moment before placing a hand on her shoulder, surprising her.
"I understand, how you feel Kikimora…" King whispered, sitting next to her, "I always ask myself the same, what if I was there during my Father's final fight with Emperor Belos…? Things could've been different if I were just there to help…" He then turned to face Kikimora, "But I always come up to the same conclusion, I'd probably be just as dead as he is, and nothing would change…" He said sadly.
King then sighed and turned back to the gravestone.
"I bet your parents would be so happy if they knew that their daughter was still breathing after that attack, even more, ecstatic to know that she fulfilled her revenge against Crisis, avenging every last demon's blood that was on his hands… I know I am," King said with a smile.
"So don't go around still being sad!" He stood up suddenly, hands on his hips, "They're probably smiling down at you for all you've accomplished, and here you are, moping around like a Goblin! It's an insult to their memory and sacrifice to this settlement! The Prince of Demon's demands you to find pride in their sacrifice!" He said with a huff.
Kikimora stared up in shock at the Prince, his bold and direct words actually reaching her… Who was this Prince, to tell her to get over it, and for it to actually affect her? She stood up with him.
"I'm… Sorry, Prince Kralj, you are right… I have been mourning their death for too many years now… Maybe it's time to start looking at the bright side of it all…" She whispered, clenching her fists.
"Don't apologize to me, I don't need it," He said, waving his hand, "And you can call me… King… I haven't been Prince Ri Kralj in years…"
"Alright… King…" She said with a hidden smile, before turning back to the Gravestone, pulling her sword out of the ground, and cleaning it of the dirt, and staring at the blade for a moment, thinking on her mother's final words to her before she looked back up at King.
"I appreciate your words and actions, King, they've put many things into perspective… Now, why did you come here?" She asked, willing the blade away.
That reminded him of the purpose he had forgotten about when he came here to meet this agent.
King was so sure of his decision on the way here, but now, he was having second thoughts… He wasn't sure anymore. He was never sure of anything.
"I…" He hesitated, thinking.
'Come on, King, just say that you want to go home to the Demon Lands to take the Throne and lead the charge against the Isles… Against…' He paused, remembering Luz and her promise, the day when Eda turned into the Owl Beast for the first time.
"I, Luz Noceda-Belos, as the current Princess, and future Empress of the Boiling Isles, promise never to hurt anyone of Demon King so long as I may live! That's a royal promise!"
It meant so much to him, to hear that, to hear that the Princess… He realized something at that moment, then and there.
"No!" He said aloud, suddenly, spooking Kikimora, as he was just staring off into space for a solid thirty seconds.
"King?" She asked again, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I mean…" He cleared his throat, crossing his arms, "No, I didn't come here for any reason… Just… Practicing the Deset Ocasu and exploring the woods when I found this clearing in the woods…"
Kikimora narrowed her eyes at King, skeptical of him.
"Prince, I know that is a lie," She said, crossing her arms, "Otherwise, how would you know that I was an agent for the royal family?" She asked.
King groaned, arms falling to his side.
"Fine, fine… I originally came here to have you help me find a way back home… But… I can't! I won't! I don't… I don't want to finish what my father started!" He said as he sat down in front of the Gravestone, staring up at the statue, "I'm not my father, I can't take the crown and I can't lead an army against... Against my new home… Eda, Luz… Hell, even hooty…" He said softly.
Kikimora was silent for a moment.
"Does the Princess know that you're Prince Kralj of the Demon lands?"
"Gods no," He said, shaking his head, "No one else but you knows the truth… What if Belos found out? I don't think he'd be too thrilled to hear that an enemies' kid is just hanging around his daughter… What if Luz resents me if she learns the truth? That my father nearly killed hers? She would tell Belos!"
"Prince-"
"King." He corrected her once again.
"King," She rolled her eyes, wondering why no royal ever wanted to be called by their title?
"You don't give the Princess enough credit, from the short month I've known her, I quickly realized that she is nothing like the Emperor, she is more kind than Belos by miles," She said, crossing her arms, "Even if she did know the truth of who you were, she would keep it a secret… Hopefully better than her keeping the secret of her status as Princess," She said with a rare chuckle, Kikimora then took a seat next to King.
"Princess Luz is kind and honestly a breath of fresh air in the castle, especially for the cold heart of the Emperor… She'll be fine Empress one day, and maybe then she can help bring peace between the Demon Lands and the Boiling Isles…"
King looked at her, slowly nodding before looking up at the sky above, seeing the many bright stars moving across.
"Yeah… Luz will be great one day…" He said softly, "I wonder what my Father would say to me, for staying here and away from the throne…?"
"My word, is the Prince who just instructed me to get past my parents' death now thinking on his own parents' death?" Kikimora asked, "For shame," She shook her head.
King laughed, crossing his arms.
"Fine, fine, you got me there…" He said, shaking his head.
"So, King," She said, summoning a parchment paper and quill, dipping it into a bottle of ink, but King knew that it was blood, "What should I write to the current Queen of Demon's?" She asked.
King thought about it before nodding.
"I know exactly what to say…" He said, suddenly standing up, a look of confidence about him, "Take note scribe!"
"I'm a scribe, now?" Kikimora asked with a risen brow.
"Silence! Now take note; Dearest Reina…" He began, but he suddenly felt his tail twitch, he looked around the clearing, cautiously, "Did you feel that?" He asked.
In Kikimora's case, it was her ears that were twitching in caution.
"Yes… I feel that too…"
Suddenly the tree line broke, a purple fireball raging towards the two demons.
They were quick to jump out of the way of the fireball, it sailed past them and lit the trees behind them up in flames.
"Who the hell would attack us…" King asked, getting to his feet, and helping Kikimora to her feet as well.
RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAR
"The only stupid enough to try…" Kikimora said, staring at the flames that raged behind her, they looked familiar…
From the burned away trees, a large, scaled beast emerged, its body was covered entirely in red scales and was standing on both of its hind legs, a large, spiked tail swaying dangerously behind it. It bared its claws and roared at the pair of Demons, shooting several more purple fireballs at them.
The demons were quick to jump out of the path.
"What the hell is a Diamarill doing in these woods!?" King shouted, "On the Isles of all places!? I thought they resided in the underwater volcanos!?" He asked.
"Am I supposed to know why we're being attacked by one!?" Kikimora shouted, jumping to avoid a stray purple fireball, summoning her Warhammer, running forward, and lifting the hammer high above her head, and bringing it down on the beast.
Kikimora watched in shock as the Diamarill instantaneously shifted to the right, avoiding her hammer swing and roaring as it attacked, swiping its claws at her.
Time slowed as she watched the razor-sharp claws going to slice her to ribbons, when she was suddenly snatched out of the air by her cloak, as if someone grabbed it, just narrowly saving her life from the claws.
"What in the world!?" Kikimora asked as she looked up at what had saved her, and her eyes widened to see a rather large, red-eyed wolf, carrying her by the hood of her cloak in its jaw, "P- Prince!?" She asked amazed.
King, in wolf form, swung Kikimora around onto his back, his tail wrapping around her waist to secure her in place, as he landed a few paces away from the beast and turned to face it.
"Kiki…" King whispered in an entirely different voice, one deeper than his usual one, "I can't hold this form any longer, I already used it today… We need to take care of this, quick…" He said, circling the Beast, his footsteps leaving behind black flames once again.
Kikimora was still in shock, seeing the Deset Ocasu in action was a sight only seen during fierce battles against armies. Titan below, she could feel the magic radiating off King it was almost suffocating to be around, and she was just riding on his back.
"Y- Yes, sir… King… I understand…" She summoned her Warhammer to her hands again as King charged forward.
The Diamarill roared as it continued to shoot purple fireballs from his maw, but King was much faster in this form, sidestepping them all and even jumping high in the air to avoid them.
With a particularly high jump, the Diamarill watched as King sailed through the air and tackled it to the ground, sinking its claws into the Diamarill's body, easily piercing what was supposed to be steel scales.
It roared in pain and tried to move its body out of King's pin, charging another fireball but a furry tail choked the beast from firing.
"Now, Kiki…" King whispered.
Kikimora springboarded off King's back, flying high into the air, swinging her Warhammer with untold speeds, practically spinning like a wheel, and gaining momentum and force before she drove the hammer into the creature's head. The force alone cracking the very earth under where she struck.
King closed his eyes as the beast's blood splattered his face and parts of him. He swore he saw its brain turning to goo, frame by frame, with his enhanced sight and perception.
Kikimora laughed loudly with excitement.
"YES!" She screamed, "UNMATCHED!" She shouted, pulling her hammer out of the beast's corpse, and swinging it in circles with ease, the blood and brains flying off from the force.
"NONE ARE MATCHED TO HOUSE BOJOV-"
"Ahem,"
Kikimora's eyes widened, realizing what she was doing, and cleared her throat, standing straight.
"Right, sorry…" She said, turning to face King, who was still in wolf form and was now licking the blood off his paws. The form was in all honesty amazing to gaze upon. The soft, furry swaying three tails, the red glowing eyes, the sharp fangs and jaw, the pronounced horn, even though one was missing. Even the way he moved, it all felt otherworldly to her... Even coated in blood, the form was beautiful.
"Amazing…" She whispered to herself in awe of the Prince of Demons.
"Don't apologize, you did amazing, an amazing warrior…" He said softly, sitting down and placing a paw on Kikimora's head, causing her to blush, "No wonder Father held House Bojovník in such high regards… Titan, I'm about to pass out…" King panted out.
Kikimora watched the young Wolf prince curled up into a ball, being covered in shadows before King stumbled out of the shadows, holding his side, groaning in pain.
"I still… Can't use it for longer than for a few minutes a day…" He whispered, panting as the burning feeling in his chest grew as if it were spreading across his entire body, shutting his eyes in pain.
"Ugh, what is this feeling!? Why isn't it going away!?" He shouted, falling to his knees.
"King?" Kikimora asked worriedly, crouching next to him, and holding him up, "King, are you alright? What's happening!?" She asked louder.
King didn't have an answer as he let out a scream that turned into a roar that reverberated across the entire forest, scaring away any birds that were in the trees and startling all the beasts of the forest.
Kikimora hissed in pain, covering her ears at the sheer volume that the small demon was producing with ease. She watched as his eyes shot open, they were glowing with the dark energy of his birthright, his entire form glowing before a flash of dark light occurred, blinding Kikimora momentarily.
King panted as he fell from Kikimora's arms, looking at his hands in confusion.
"What in the Abyss happened…?" He asked himself as he took a step forward but stumbled, "Alright something is different…" He said, feeling himself, "Nothing physical that I can see…"
Kikimora rubbed her eyes and narrowed her eyes at the prince and rose an eyebrow, easily noticing the changes.
"Your horn is longer, you have an extra tail and… I'm also detecting some… Magic coming off of you now…" She said softly.
"What…?" He asked, feeling his horn, it was indeed longer, so that meant she wasn't joking… He cautiously looked behind him and just as Kikimora said, there was an extra tail, "AH! JAK SE TO KURVA STALO!?" He shouted in Naihcone, essentially asking "what the hell".
"Come on, come on…" He focused, thinking hard on making the extra tail disappear.
Kikimora watched in amazement as this extra tail disappeared in a cloud of shadows.
King sighed in relief.
"Oh thank Mother that's over- BURP!" King then unwillingly burped out a black ball, firing it across the clearing into an undamaged section of forest. It compressed before exploding, destroying any trees that were around.
Both demons were stagnant, silent, and just starring forward at the leveled trees that were just destroyed in a single blast.
"King…" Kikimora asked.
"Yeah, Kiki…?" King asked, staring in
"Was that a beast bomb? Said to be able to level entire armies…?" She asked, her face seemed to show that she was excited, but her voice showed intense levels of… Excitement? Fright? King couldn't tell which it was.
"Yes, Kiki… It was and I did it at Base form… Just like my father…" He said softly, falling to the ground in shock, sitting and then laying down to look up at the stars.
"Amazing…" Kikimora whispered, taking a seat next to King and then making the parchment and quill appear again, "So… About that letter?" She asked.
"Right… Dearest Reina, acting Queen of Demons…" He said softly as Kikimora wrote the letter in their native tongue, not noticing the corpse of the beast shimmer away, as if it never existed.
-In the same forest, far far away-
"You fucking idiot…" Hawk said, punching Eagle in the forehead, knocking him to the ground, "What part of watch don't you understand!?" She shouted, stomping a foot onto his chest, and looking down at Eagle.
"We find out that Ri Kralj is already on the Isles, the one thing I tell you to do, WATCH. HIM. AND YOU ATTACK HIM AND KIKIMORA," Hawk yelled, lifting a glowing hand, causing Eagle to glow golden before he was lifted into the air, she clenched her fist, choking him and making him squirm for air, "AND WHAT DO YOU UP DOING!? MAKE HIM GET STRONGER!"
"I… was just trying to see..."
"SEE WHAT!? THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ISLES FIRST-HAND!?" She shouted, "I AM TIRED OF YOUR IDEAS GUS!" She opened her hand and just as quickly, formed a tight fist.
CRACK
There was a rather loud sound, comparable to wood snapping, heard from Eagle, body falling limp in her magic hold.
Hawk released her hold on them, letting the corpse fall to the ground with a thud, their mask falling off to reveal an older Gus, eyes whited out from a snapped neck, and now dead, it would seem.
Hawk stared at the body for a moment, panting as she removed her mask, rubbing her temple in annoyance and muttering curses under her breath.
"You can explain yourself now…" The older Luz said, "I'm calm for now…"
"You act more and more like your Dad every day…" A voice said. Falling from the Treeline, a maskless Eagle landed next to the corpse of himself, he kicked the corpse and crouched next to it, looking it over.
"Got you good this time, didn't I, Luz?" He asked before standing up, lifting his hand over the corpse and a set of blue ethereal strings connected to the body. His fingers twitched several ways before there was another sickening crack and the head was now facing the proper direction and it stood up on its own, facing Gus with a perfectly blank face.
"Illusion puppet magic… This has got to be the best thing I've ever made…" He said with a smile, drawing a spell circle. The puppet flashed blue, and the illusion fell from it, revealing it to be a wooden life-sized doll. There were several glyphs spread across its body. One enhanced strength, others made it able to hold his illusions and others just preserved it so he wouldn't have to run maintenance on it.
He snapped his fingers and in a poof of blue smoke, it shrunk to the size of a doll. He picked it up and stowed it away in his cloak. The only thing left behind was the Eagle mask that was now on the forest floor.
"I bet Lord Lovelace would be so proud… Maybe Skara wouldn't call it weird looking if she understood it more…" He said, falling into his own world of thought.
"Gus," Luz said, staring the illusionist down with narrowed eyes, "Are you an idiot? Or just eager to die?" She asked.
"I was just seeing if I could take care of a problem before it became one... I got impatient and angry hearing him talk of family, as if he weren't destined to end countless other families…" Gus said softly, turning around to face his old friend.
"You know that's not how it works, Gus," She said, rolling her eyes, "Things are different here, Boscha is a Havenstar instead of Morningstar, the me here is being mentored by Edalyn Clawthorne, instead of Lilith Clawthorne, etc. Since things are different, we can't go around trying to change things, we'll only cause havoc, understand?" She asked.
Gus was silent before giving a nod.
"Yes… I understand…" He whispered, turning away from her, his ears twitching, "You sound… Very angry today… It would've been her birthday, today, right? 22, right?" He asked.
"…" Luz didn't answer his question as she turned away from him as well, putting on her mask once again and becoming Hawk once again.
"Don't forget why we're doing this, Gus…" She whispered, voice becoming disguised once again, "Ed and Em said that it would be a pair of Twins, right?" Hawk asked, "We don't want them to grow up in a broken, war-torn world, now would we…?" Hawk whispered.
Gus floated his mask back into his hand, holding it tightly in his hand before looking down at it. The Eagle, symbol of the Father and freedom from bondage. Or in his case, freedom for his soon-to-be family.
"No… They deserve the best life there is…" He said he put on his mask, "I do this for Skara… For the life I know she deserves with me… For what my family deserves…"
"Then remember…" Hawk said, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it, "The Titan always keeps his promises…" She whispered.
Eagle nodded.
"The Titan always keeps his promises…" He repeated, looking up at the moon of the Isles, remembering home, "Don't worry, Skara… I'll do anything for us to live a happy life…" He said, determined to change his future.