All right! Super fast updates, I know...like three chapters within 24 hours...but who wants to wait? And I'm really ready for the re-write to be over so I can carry it on!
Like I said before, not that much has changed in this part. Hence the speedy update. Just slight changes and edits! I hope you enjoy it!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chapter 6 – Taken.
"...I think I just heard a scream...be quiet a second..."
They all looked at each other, listening intently.
"Rei...help me!" they heard faintly in the distance.
Rei dashed in to the woods. Followed by his father and uncle.
The three of them ran wildly in to the woods, calling Kai's name.
"Kai!? Where are you!? Can you hear me?!" Rei frantically shouted as he ran in and out of the trees.
Nothing.
Rei was starting to feel panicked. Where could he be?
Rei snapped around hopefully as he heard rustling, only to be disappointed when his father and uncle appeared.
"No sign of him..." his uncle informed him sadly.
"I don't get it...what could have happened to him? Where could he have gone?!" Rei asked, panicked.
Ken sighed, "Rei...come on, we need to go back to the others."
"You can't be serious, dad! Kai's in trouble! We can't just leave!"
Ken stepped forward and took Rei by the shoulders, "...I think...I know what has happened to him, but we need the others if we want to find him."
Rei stared in to his father's eyes, trying to read them.
"Well...where do you think he is?!"
"...I'll explain when we have everyone together. Come on." he said sternly as he turned and ran back to the others, a worried and confused Rei following behind.
A few minutes later they arrived back at the lake. Everyone's eyes turned to them hopefully, but when only three of them returned their eyes shone with concern.
Yui ran forward and brought Rei in to a comforting hug. He hugged her back for a second before pulling away.
"OK, so we're all here now, please tell me what's going on!" Rei begged his father.
Ken avoided Rei's eyes and instead turned to his wife.
"I think they took him..." he said gravely.
Rei's mother's eyes instantly watered. She looked devastated.
Rei glanced between his parents.
"Who took him!? What's going on!?"
"Rei listen, it's a long story and I don't think we have tim-"
"You tell me right now!" Rei shouted angrily, gripping the front of his father's shirt.
"Very well..." Ken sighed, "Rei...when you were two years old, you became very ill. The doctors didn't know what was wrong with you. Your health was starting to deteriorate rapidly and we were starting to get desperate."
Rei listened intently, though he didn't recall ever being that ill.
"We were running out of time and options. In our desperation, we sought help from the next clan, hoping maybe they had knowledge of your illness. They sent us to the one they called the Sorcerer. They warned us, telling us he was a cruel man who practiced dark arts. But we had no other choice, you had become so weak we feared that we would lose you." his eyes watered at the painful memories.
"We finally found him, he agreed to take a look at you. He said he knew what was wrong with you and knew how to cure you. We pleaded with him to do whatever was necessary. He told us he would only help us if we agreed to have you marry his daughter when you turned eighteen. He knew you would have great standing in the White Tiger clan. We had no choice, Rei, it was either that or you'd die."
"How could you not tell me any of this before!?" Rei questioned.
"How could we?" Yui intervened, "we were waiting for the right time but it never came...we were just so happy you were all right, we wanted you to enjoy your life since you'd been blessed with a second chance. We didn't want to force you in to a marriage with the likes of them...but what else could we have done? You would have died...we talked to the Elders and begged them to let you leave the village when you asked to...we didn't think you'd return. We thought if you left, they wouldn't be interested in you any more... "
Rei shook his head angrily. He wanted to confront them, but now wasn't the time to fight with them about keeping secrets.
"We'll discuss this later, but what about Kai?" he asked bluntly.
"They found out you'd come back to the village, they also heard that you'd met someone. They came over and demanded that we break up your relationship. But then they found out that Kai was pregnant, so it wouldn't be as simple as splitting you up. Ivy, the daughter, is the one who told Kai all those lies about you at the night of the party in an attempt to end your relationship. But when they saw it failed they must have..."
Rei's blood ran cold, "...must have...what?"
Ken couldn't bring himself finish. "Rei, Kai is in real danger. They want him and the baby out the picture and they're not moral people. They'll do anything to make sure they get their way."
Rei lost his temper, frustrated. He was scared for Kai.
"Then why are we just standing here?! We have to go find them!"
Ken nodded, "I think I know where they will be, we'll need all the help we can get if we want to save him..." he turned his attention to the rest of the group, who were listening in disbelief.
Lee stepped forward immediately.
"Of course we will help. Mariah, go with Tao and find the Elders and tell them what has happened."
Mariah nodded obediently.
Shou picked up Mei and handed her to Aoba, "You take Mei home, stay there until I get back."
Aoba took his daughter, not taking his worried eyes off his husband. "...just...be careful, ok?"
Shou smiled and kissed his husband and daughter on the cheek, "Don't worry, we'll all be fine and we'll bring Kai home in one piece."
xxxx
Meanwhile, Kai was being carried down the stairs in to a damp, dingy cellar. From what he could tell, it was located somewhere deep in the woods, like some kind of underground bunker.
They reached the bottom of the stairs, Ivy rushed in front of them and opened the door, allowing the other two to carry him towards a large, stone slab, which they forcefully threw him on to.
He grunted as his body made hard contact with the cold stone.
Aeon and Ivy took hold of each of his arms and harshly chained his wrists by the side of his head. He struggled against the restraints.
He gasped as he felt his legs being roughly pulled apart, his ankles also chained to the stone.
Kai couldn't see anything, it was pitch black.
"Alexa, light the torches, would you darling?" Aeon's cold voice came through the dark.
He heard footsteps and within seconds he squinted as the room was lightly illuminated by the fire torches.
Ivy and Aeon were already stood on either side of him, smirking evilly. Alexa moved to stand next to her husband, doing the same.
Kai was terrified, he flinched as Aeon reached his hand to his face and pulled the gag away from Kai's mouth.
"Comfy?" he asked sarcastically.
Kai glared at him.
"What's going on? Why did you bring me here?!"
"Well...I suppose you deserve some kind of explanation..." he said almost lazily, "you see...Rei was not yours to take. He's ours. Unfortunately for you, we don't take kindly to people trying to rob us of what belongs to us..."
Kai struggled against his restraints angrily, "What are you talking about?! Rei doesn't belong to you!"
"Ahhhh but he does!"Aeon laughed, "when he was small he was gravely ill. His parents brought him to me in order to save him. Being the generous person that I am, I obliged and spared them the grief of loosing their son...but...I did have my conditions."
"So what? You saved his life so you think you own it?" Kai spat.
"In a way...yes. Rei's parents agreed that in exchange for saving him, he would be betrothed to my daughter."
Kai's eyes widened as he glanced over to a very smug looking Ivy.
"But why? Why would you be so hell-bent on Rei one day marrying her when he was just a kid?"
"Rei's family holds well in the White Tiger village. He is destined to become a leader of the village. Learn their secrets and skills...skills that we do not have...the White Tiger clan is known throughout the clans as being powerful but they foolishly do not use them to keep peace. With Rei marrying Ivy, he would be required to share them with his in-laws. With the power we already possess combined with the secrets of the White Tiger clan, there's no end to the list of things we could achieve!"
To Aeon's dislike, Kai actually laughed.
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"
"Oh...?" Aeon questioned, clearly annoyed by being mocked.
"You really think Rei is that stupid? Even if you take me out of the picture, he'd never tell you anything. He'd rather throw himself off a cliff than betray his people. And what makes you think you can make him marry someone anyway? He'll never go along with it!"
"Well..." Aeon said coldly as he leaned down to Kai's ear. "We'll wait and see, won't we? We have our methods. And by the way...it's not ifwe take you out of the picture, it's when. Which would be right now."
Kai suddenly wasn't feeling so brave.
"Wh-what are you going to do?" Kai dared to ask.
"Oh! Let me tell him!" Ivy piped up.
"Go ahead, precious." Aeon said as he nodded.
"First things first, we're going to give you a litttllle something to get rid of that little brat!" she said brightly, poking his stomach.
"What do you mean!?" Kai asked, petrified, he unconsciously tried to turn his stomach away from Ivy.
"We're going to force your body to miscarry. Sadly for all of us it will mean you'll have to give birth to it...being long and painful for you and a waste of time for us having to wait around."
"You can't be serious..." Kai questioned in disbelief.
"Oh, we are. And to help things along, this is for kicking me in the woods earlier..." she spat nastily as she lifted her arm up and powerfully brought her fist down on to Kai's stomach.
Kai cried out in pain and wheezed, winded. His reaction gave Ivy a look of satisfaction.
"Enough, Ivy. Come, let's get this show on the road. It's going to be a long night" her father instructed as he took his daughter by the arm and led her and his wife out the room. He turned and smiled viciously at Kai before slamming the heavy door shut behind him.
Kai watched them go. As soon as the door closed he furiously struggled against his restraints. He had to get out, his baby was in danger. Who knew what these freaks would do. He was overcome with panic and continued to struggle and grunt in frustration as he failed to loosen them.
He stopped, breathing heavily before letting out a small sob. He was helpless. There was nothing he could do to protect his child.
He groaned as a sharp pain errupted from his belly.
"No..." he cried quietly. Ivy's punch must have done something.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ken led Rei and the others through the dark woods. It was eerily quiet.
"So, where is this place you think they've taken him to?" Rei asked as he caught up with his father.
"These woods connect the land of our two clans. I'm taking us to where we found them when you were ill. If they're planning on doing anything to Kai, I'm almost certain it would be there."
"...and how far exactly is it?" Rei asked, looking out at the vast woodland.
"At this pace, another hour or so." his father answered.
Rei growled, "Not fast enough! Come on, guys! Let's pick it up!" he ordered as he broke in to a run.
The others followed suit, but Lee ran faster to catch up with Rei.
"Rei...I know it's all well and good getting there as quickly as possible. But don't you think we should come up with some kind of strategy? I mean, these people are nuts!"
Rei continued running, a determined look etched on his face, "No. We go in, get Kai, and worry about those creeps when it comes to it. I can't afford to let time go by making plans when they could be doing anything to Kai and our baby..." his voice trailed off as his started to pant, tears prickling.
"We're coming, Kai...just hold on a little longer. I swear if they do anything to hurt either of you I will kill them..."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kai lay still on the stone slab. The room was silent apart from his breathing and groans of pain as the pains dulled and then sharpened. He'd made numerous attempts to get himself free from his restraints, but to no avail.
He was exhausted, all he could do was lay still and cry silently, waiting.
His body jolted as he felt movement in his stomach. He let out a sigh of relief to feel it move despite the pains. The baby was still alive at least.
He desperately wanted to touch his stomach. Feel the baby from the outside too.
"I'm so sorry...I'm sorry! I put you in this position. Why did I wander off? It's my fault they're going end your life before it even started. There's nothing I can do to stop it and it's all my fault..." he cried, talking to his unborn child.
He heard the door creak open, and suddenly his heart beat faster than it ever had before.
The door pushed open. Aeon and Alexa walked slowly back in to view pushing a metal trolley with them.
Kai tried to get a look at what was on the trolley, but he couldn't see anything.
His eyes went from the trolley to his captors.
He really was helpless, defeated.
He knew the only thing he could do was plead with them, there was no other card to play.
"Please..." he started, his voice trembling, "You don't have to do this..."
Aeon just looked amused.
"Oh, we don't?"
"No, just let me go! I can disappear, Rei will never hear from me again."
"Ahh the pleas of the desperate..." Alexa mused, "they never get old!"
Aeon chuckled, "well, if it was just you then maybe we could have worked something out, but unfortunately, a baby makes everything a bit more complicated."
"But I can take the baby with me!" Kai pleaded.
Alexa snorted, "As long as that child lives, our plans don't work."
Kai was about to plead again, but he felt Alexa's cold hand cover his mouth.
"Enough. All this crying and pleading is wasting precious energy you will need later."
Kai's hope was gone. There was nothing else he could do.
He held his breath as another sharp pain radiated in him. He tried his hardest not to let on to them that it was happening.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They'd been running for what felt like forever. Sweat pouring out of all of them. While the White Tigers were used to this kind of endurance, Max, Tyson and especially Kenny were not. Max and Tyson were doing their best, but Kenny wasn't able to keep up. Gary was carrying him.
"Rei..." Tyson panted, "I...can't...run...anymore!"
Rei was panting, too. "Suck it up...Tyson...we don't have time...to stop!"
Ken stopped running. Leaning his hands against his knees, catching his breath. The others did the same.
Rei noticed and turned around.
"Guys! There's no time! We have to move fast!" he protested.
Ken stood straight again. "Rei, it's just across that brook..." he pointed at small mass of a water gently flowing nearby, "I suggest we discuss what we're going to do while we catch our breaths back."
Rei was getting annoyed, surely they realised the severity of the situation?
"There's nothing to discuss, there's three of them and..." he did a head count, "dad, uncle, Lee, Kevin, Gary, Tyson, Max, Kenny, Shao and myself..."
"Ten of us!"
Ken shook his head, "Rei my boy, there may only be three of them but they are capable of terrible things. We should not be so hasty..."
"And besides..." Lee added, "even if we go in and fight them off, what then?"
"Good question..." Rei thought, hating to admit maybe this wouldn't be as simple.
"We bring them back to the Elders and have them decide their punishment. They're endangering a Neko life, it's for them to pass judgement."
Tyson, Max and Kevin lay sprawled on the floor, trying to regain their breath.
"Break time is over guys...we have to go! I'm sorry, but we can't afford to waste any time." Rei announced, helping the younger boys up.
"We're here for...you...buddy!" Tyson panted, a little softer than before, but clearly still tired.
Rei smiled at him, he knew they'd do the best they could to help him save Kai and their child.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kai watched, terrified as his two captors tinkered with various things on the trolley. They added a few drops of one fluid in to what looked like a test tube, before adding a few drops of something else along with it. Their eyes focused. This went on until Aeon finally spoke.
"Just the finishing touch...Alexa, would you do the honors?"
Alexa dipped a dropper in to one more fluid and added two drops in to the tube. It bubbled and fizzed, seeing a cloudy swirl appear in the small tube before it settled and turned in to a vibrant, red colour.
"Perfect..." Aeon praised smoothly.
Alexa smiled bashfully at her husband's praise and handed an empty syringe to him. He took it, dipping the needle in and pulling the plunger back, filling it with the red liquid.
Kai watched in horror and trembled as he watched him hold up the needle, pushng the plunger to push out any air that was in it, causing a small amount of liquid to shoot out the end. Kai was already scared of needles, let alone this particular one that was going to do something awful. He grit his teeth and tried to hide the stabbing pains that kept coming in waves.
He turned to Kai, enjoying watching the boy squirm in fear.
"You won't win you know...even if you do kill me and my baby, Rei will never go along with your stupid, power-hungry plan." Kai snapped as he trembled, knowing full well he couldn't bite, but he could at least bark.
"Again, you're so wrong...see, in my hand I'm currently holding something I personally created that will force a male body..." he gestured to Kai, proudly, "to reject a foetus, cause a birth canal to grow and have the bearer forced in to premature labor. You really think I don't have tricks up my sleeve to get one stubborn brat marry my daughter?"
Kai stayed quiet, he had nothing more to fight with. He was scared for Rei now as well.
"Now, if you don't mind, this is going to take a while as it is...so let's start shall we? Oh...and I hope you've got a high pain threshold...you'll need it."
Kai's eyes burned with fear, Aeon lifted up Kai's shirt and rested his hand on his stomach, stretching the skin slightly to make it firm and so easier to get through.
Kai tried to wriggle out of his touch.
"No...wait, stop! Please, just stop..." he cried, helplessly. Aeon growled and held him firmer.
Kai let out a blood-curdling scream as he cried, "STOOPPPPP!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Rei tip-toed down the stone staircase in to the bunker and approached the door, he turned and gestured for the others to be quiet. He pressed his ear against the door and listened
"Please...just stop...STOOPPPP!"Kai's loud, distressed scream carried all the way up the stairs, the whole group gasped.
Rei's eyes slit and felt every fibre of himself boiling with rage. He screamed as he burst through the door, for a fraction of a second his eyes darted around the room taking in the tall man that had one hand on Kai's stomach, the other approaching it with some kind of needle.
Aeon barely had time to look over to see what had come bursting through the door when in a blur, Rei had leapt at him with everything he had, knocking him to the floor.
The others ran in behind him, Ken and Shao tried to grab Alexa. She moved with incredible speed and avoided their attacks.
Tyson and Max ran over Kai, who was struggling again against his restraints.
"Guys...please! Get me off of here!" he begged, clearly distraught.
The two boys quickly fiddled with the restraints, setting the boy's wrists and ankle free. They both grabbed him and dragged him off the table, directing him to a corner and standing in front of him, forming a protective barrier.
Alexa noticed them at the corner of her eye, she dropped low and swung a kick, knocking the two men fighting her off their feet. She darted over to the corner and in a flash of speed and strength grabbed hold of the two boys and threw them out the way. She spun around and grabbed Kai's throat, pushing him against the wall.
Aeon saw her pin him against the wall, and with a powerful shove, pushed Rei off him.
"Alexa!" he called. He threw the needle up in the air towards her. She reached out and grabbed it around the middle, before adjusting it in her hand. She pulled Kai forward and moved around him, one arm around his neck, the other aiming the needle at his stomach.
"Enough!"she screamed.
The men stopped in their tracks, raising their hands up, fearing for Kai.
Aeon smirked and got back on his feet as well.
"What is going on here!?" Ivy's voice shrieked angrily as she ran in to the room.
Alexa growled, "It's about time you showed up!"
Ivy just scowled at her, she looked around at the group of men standing helplessly as her mother held Kai and smirked, "It looks like you didn't need much help anyway..."
"Enough talk!" Rei snapped, the three captors turned their attention to him, "I know exactly why you're doing this..."
"Oh, do you now?" Aeon replied sarcastically.
"Yes...I'm supposed to marry your daughter, not Kai."
"I'm impressed, Rei. It's about time your parents had the backbone to tell you."
Rei ignored him.
"There's no need for all this..." he began again, "let Kai go and I will go along with whatever you want..."
"My, how noble of you..." Aeon chuckled, "forgive us, but we're not the most trusting of people.,,, How do we know you'll keep your word."
Rei's eyes subtly looked around the room and landed on the metal trolley in front of him, there was a scalpal on it...
"Well, I now know what you're capable of...I'd be a fool to risk my child's life by going against my word, wouldn't I?" he argued confidently.
Kai watched and listened.
"Rei...what are you doing?!" he thought to himself, frantically.
Rei turned around to face Ivy, holding his hand out, indicating to her to come and take it. "Let him go and I'm yours..." Rei said directly to her.
Ivy looked like a lovesick puppy. She'd been told her whole life that Rei belonged to her. It didn't matter to her that he was only doing it to save the one he really loved. Rei was hers. She was finally getting what she wanted. And Ivy wasn't the kind of person who was accustomed to notgetting what she wanted.
She stepped forward and took his hand before her mother or father could warn her otherwise.
Rei reached and grabbed the scalpel, spinning Ivy around to hold her as Alexa was holding Kai, but with a knife to her throat.
Aeon and Alexa gasped.
"Ivy, you idiot!" Alexa shouted at her impulsive, naïve daughter.
"That's not wise, Rei..." Aeon warned, Rei merely smirked as he heard a hint of worry in his voice.
"Really? Because it looks like we're on even ground now...you hurt my child, I hurt yours..." he could see the pair of them hesitate.
"Or...we could do this the easier way...you let Kai go, I let her go..."
Aeon and Alexa exchanged glances.
"Drop the needle..." Rei warned.
Neither of them moved.
"I said drop it..." he said viciously as he pressed the scalpal firmly against their daughter's throat, enough to draw a little blood. Ivy shrieked.
"Alexa...do what he said..." Aeon ordered, defeated, unable to bear seeing his precious daughter in this position.
Alexa growled before throwing the needle away and pushing Kai forward, releasing him from her hold.
The needle landed near Lee's feet. He stamped on it, making it useless.
"We've done as you asked, now hold up your end!" Aeon demanded.
Rei didn't move.
"Guys...you know what to do..."
Rei's father, uncle and Kevin darted towards Alexa, pinning her against the wall. Lee, Tyson and Max grabbed hold of Aeon.
"I never said I'd let her go right now..." Rei growled. "You'll come with us quietly. One wrong move and I swear to God, I won't hesitate on digging this knife in to her neck! Is that clear?"
Aeon and Alexa merely glared, but stayed quiet.
"Kenny, you help Kai..." Rei ordered, Kenny nodded and moved towards a shaken up Kai. As he reached him, Kai clutched his stomach and curled over, letting out a groan.
They all turned to him.
"What's wrong!?" Rei asked, worried.
Kai looked up through his slate bangs. A mix of rage and panic in his eyes.
"...She hit me...it hurts..." he panted and growled through angry and worried tears as he eyed Ivy.
Rei's eyes slit again. The scalpel pressed a little harder against Ivy's neck again.
"Gary...get him home. Quickly." he said bluntly.
The gentle giant nodded and scooped up Kai with ease as he had done once before. Kai kept his scared eyes on Rei as he took off. Worried for the baby but also worried to leave Rei and the others with these people.
Rei's grip on Ivy tightened roughly once he was gone.
"...you hit him?" he growled in to her ear.
Ivy started to shake at the vicious tone.
"...Where did you hit him?" he asked darkly. He knew the answer. But he wanted to hear her say it.
She stayed silent. Afraid to answer.
He snarled and dragged her by the hair, shoving her roughly against the wall, his hand clutching her throat, eyes piercing hers.
"Answer me..." his voice hissed.
"...the stomach..." her voice choked out quietly.
Rei eyes slit even more as he began to feel his chest rise and fall heavier. White rage pulsed through him.
His growl rumbled and got louder as he dug his nails in to her throat.
The growl grew in to a ferrel cry in rage as he lifted the hand holding the scalpel and slashed her face with it.
Ivy screamed at the flash of pain as her skin slip open, blood poured down her face. She brought her hand up to it and cried out.
"Shut up!" he barked "...Consider yourself lucky I didn't drive this in to your neck..." Rei spat as she continued to wail.
"That's gonna leave a nice scar..." Rei said darkly, "let it be a reminder to you...you ever come near my family again...I will end you..." he snarled.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tao, Aoba and Rei's mother Yui waited in the medical ward. That's all they could do. Wait and be prepared. They'd been gone for hours. It was already the middle of the night.
Mei slept peacefully on an empty bed, too young to understand what was going on.
She stirred as the door burst open.
Gary ran in clumsily, panting, holding Kai in his arms.
They stood up.
"Kai! Are you all right!?" Aoba asked automatically.
Kai shook his head, clutching his stomach.
"Put him on the bed...easy now..." Tao instructed Gary.
Gary did as he was told and gently placed Kai on the bed. Tao and Aoba rushed to his side.
"What happened?" Tao asked sternly.
"One of them punched me in the stomach...it keeps hurting...I think they did something..." Kai cried, panicked.
"All right...stay calm, we'll take a look..." Aoba soothed as he rubbed his back, "We're going to need you to be as calm as possible..."
"I think we should give him something for his nerves." Tao said, looking up at Aoba.
Aoba knew that was his cue to go and fix something. He left instantly.
Rei's mother could only stand back and watch.
Tao began feeling Kai's stomach. The panicked boy watched impatiently.
"Is it all right?!" he asked desperately.
"Shhh...quiet now..." Tao replied sympathetically.
Aoba returned a few minutes later holding a glass full of earthy green liquid.
"Drink this..." he instructed as he held it in front of him.
Kai didn't bother asking what it was. He took it and threw it back. It was vile, but he didn't care.
As it settled in his stomach, he felt his muscles start to relax. His mind felt sedated. His head fell back on the pillow and his breathing slowed.
Tao and Aoba went back to work.
Mariah burst in about half an hour later.
"They're back! Where are the Elders?!" she almost yelled.
Her eyes fell on Kai.
"...Is he all right!?" she asked, noticing his dazed expression.
"We sedated him...we're still examining him. The Elders should be in the next ward." he informed her before going back to what he was doing.
She nodded and ran to the next ward.
She burst in, alarming the occupants of the room.
Four feline-like old men stared at her, their long hair and long beards of pure white. They were almost identical to each other. Dressed in the same robes but in different colours. Red, blue, gold and green.
"Elders! They're back!" she announced with relief.
The four elders in perfect synchrony took hold their long staffs and stood to their feet before walking out after the girl.
By the time Mariah had led them out, the group had made their way back in to the village.
As they met, the Elders gestured for the men to bring the convicts forward.
They did so and pushed them forward, Ivy still clutching her bloodied face. The four older men pointed their staffs at the three outsiders.
"So, Sorcerer...we meet finally..." one of them said bluntly.
"We've been trying to stop you for some time...but endangering that boy and an unborn Neko-jin's life is something we will not allow you to get away with." another warned. As he finished speaking the ends of their staffs glowed with a light green light. It surrounded the three, bewildered prisoners.
"You are being held by the power of the White Tiger ...struggling is pointless. It will not allow you to escape from the boundaries of our land." the third informed them.
"You will be taken to our prison and held under the White Tiger's power until we have discussed and agreed your punishment." the fourth finalised.
The first turned to the group of tired men, "You have all shown a lot of bravery and courage tonight. And because of your actions, an unborn child will live to see this Earth. Not to mention saving its mother from tragedy. You've done the White Tiger clan proud."
The Chinese men bowed deeply. Tyson, Max and Kenny noticed and copied.
The four Elders bowed back, the one in red stepping forward, "we will handle the prisoners from here. Please ensure the carrier is all right." he said, referring to Kai.
They stood and watched as they walked away, the three prisoners uncontrollably following, still with the green glow surrounding them.
As soon as they had made some distance, Rei took a step forward and turned to his friends and family.
"I...can't thank you all enough...if we had showed up even a few minutes later..." he stopped, unable to vocalise the consequences.
Lee stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, "No need to thank us, friend. Now you should go to Kai, he'll need you."
Rei nodded before parting from them and making his way in to the medical ward, Mariah leading him to where he was.
As he entered, Kai was fast asleep, tucked up in the hospital bed. Aoba and Tao sat to the side of him, their eyes rising to meet him as he entered.
Rei's eyes welled up instantly.
"Please tell me they're both all right..."
Tao and Aoba let out a soft smile.
"They're both all right..." Tao confirmed.
Rei felt himself break down in relief. He was terrified something had gone wrong. He made his way to Kai's side and stroked his hair before gently stroking his stomach.
"The trauma and the strike did cause the baby and his body stress...naturally. We gave him a sedative to calm him. Everything seems fine, but I'm prescribing complete bed rest here until I say he can go." Tao explained.
Rei nodded, overwhelming relief flowing through him.
"May I stay with him?" he asked.
"Of course..." Tao smiled, "I expected as much. I've set you up a futon over there."
They heard a soft moan and turned their heads to Kai. He was stirring.
His eyes opened sleepily, catching sight of Rei standing over him.
"Kai...?" Rei spoke softly. Despite the sedative, Kai instantly got upset. His eyes watered.
"Rei...I'm so sorry...I tried to get away, but I couldn't..." he said groggily, "they tied me down and I couldn't get out...I couldn't do anything..." his voice was filled with pain and guilt, "If you hadn't of found me when you did they would have..." his voice drifted off, unable to finish the sentence.
Rei smoothed his head.
"Shhh...it's all right...you're both safe now. And don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault at all."
"The baby is all right?" he asked.
Rei smiled and nodded.
"Yep...it's a tough one. Just like you."
Kai let out a sigh of relief.
"Get some sleep now. You need to rest." Rei said gently, taking his hand.
Kai squeezed it and nodded.
Rei leaned down and kissed him.
"I love you..." he said softly before leaning down and kissing Kai's stomach, "...and I love you, too."
Kai's heavy eyes started to fall closed, the sedative kicking back in.
"...we love you too..." he said quietly as they closed.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
End of chapter! Finally caught up with the re-write! Now on to the new stuff!
Only a few changes here from the original, I hope you enjoyed it! And I hope you continue to read as the story finally moves on after however many years!
Thanks for reading! Any comments always appreciated!