Hello all! I am finally home from the summer, thank you for your patience with me! I will have to ask for a bit more, as things are still a little difficult. It's a long story and once it's finished I'll give y'all the whole deal. This is a longer chapter, and forgive me for the lazy editing I did. We have a new character on the scene! Not as many cute moments, I apologize for that. I think I just wanted to write a fight scene. Oooo, what do I mean? Read and see! Lol, sorry I'm being lame. Please enjoy, and remember, review!
Shirayuki woke to the sun setting and Zen sitting outside on a log. That wasn't the weird part – the weird part was that he was lazily rolling a ball of ice between his hands, meanwhile the ball occasionally groaned or muttered.
Her fever was definitely not broken, she felt like she was wrapped in burning hot clouds. Her breaths came in ffs and she thought she might actually spontaneously combust.
Zen smiled up at her. "Good morning, you look like you're about to vomit."
Shirayuki thought she tasted bile at the thought. "Hot." She managed. She turned to the river and walked forward, breathing through her mouth.
"Whoa-whoa, hang on a sec!" Zen cried behind her with a small laugh. She heard him stand and rush towards her, but she quickened her pace and he didn't manage to grab her arm until she had already stepped into the river. His grip was wet and cold from the ball of ice. "Hold on a sec there." He half laughed.
She turned and glared at him, her eyes watery. "But it feels so good, please let me go."
"No, no. If you want a bath, you'll use the soap and washcloths, and you won't go in with your gown on." He lectured. He gently pulled her back up out of the refreshingly brisk water. She sat on the ground with a huff, as he gently ran his hand over her forehead. He swept her hair out of the way then pressed his palm to her forehead. He frowned. "Wow, you're really burning up."
"I need a bath." She whined.
Zen chuckled. "Alright, alright. Go in the tent and get yourself a towel, and some soap and washcloths. Do you know what bag they're in?"
Shirayuki nodded mutely. Her eyes roamed to the ice ball, which had rolled pretty close to her. She reached over and picked it up with shaky hands, turning it to see the small man's face frowning at her.
"Oh yeah, meet our new friend – Revo." Zen snorted.
At the name, the tiny man's face scowled.
Shirayuki blinked, then started to laugh hysterically. She couldn't help it, she laughed until tears rolled down her eyes and continued until a cough cut her off rudely.
"Alright, alright, go take your bath." Zen pulled her to her feet, taking Revo out of her hands kindly.
Shirayuki hummed in discontent agreement and stumbled back into the tent.
As soon as he had zipped the tent closed, he sighed with relief and fell back. His butt hit the ground, and a puff of white made him jump. The trail had appeared as soon as the sun had set and Zen had sent Shirayuki back to bed. He watched the magic settle over his lap and around his waist, then looked up at the sound of footsteps.
The Moon stood over him, a small frown on her face. The dark stripe was progressively growing, now it nearly touched the side of her eye. "Prince." Her disembodied voice greeted.
"Hello." Zen sighed, standing back up. "We're not traveling tonight." He gestured to the tent, which aptly shook with Shirayuki's coughs.
The Moon shook her head. "I'm aware. I wanted to show you something."
Zen put his hand up. "Was it the Poisoned Rose? We already found the ship."
The Moon blinked at him with white, wide eyes. "Then you know what is coming?"
"This dude?" Zen looked around, then walked over to the side of the river and picked up Revo. The will-o-whisp was very docile now, after a day of sitting on ice. But Zen didn't trust to let him go. "He told me his name was Revo, and I've already paid him to stop torturing us."
The Moon took a deep breath through her nose and a gust of hard wind shook the tree branches and made the tent shudder. The horses tossed their heads in surprise and the knife twisted in air. "You-you gave him blood?"
"I killed a deer." Zen shrugged, raking his hand through his curly hair to get it out of his eyes. He desperately needed to get it cut. "He never specified what kind of blood he needed, though I did feel bad."
The Moon let out her breath, and this time there was no wind. "Very wise, Prince."
Zen studied Revo. "But I don't trust him not to go back to his other buyer, so he's staying in the ball until I get a confirmation he's not gonna go make things difficult for us again."
"I did not come here to warn you of Revo." The Moon warned, her voice tight.
At the sound of her voice, the Second Prince shivered. He put Revo down gently, nonetheless watching him roll back until his head touched the ground and stopped him. Revo groaned, but Zen faced the Moon. "What else is there?"
The Moon clasped her hands to her chest. "I gave you my secrecy because I knew they were searching for you. Since you let them see you back in that port – they have been hunting."
Zen's heart thudded in his chest. "The pirates?"
The Moon nodded. "For these past few days, they have been unable to track you thanks to my spell. However, they now have someone who can spot my trail – they…they channel the earth and can see through my magic."
"H-How is that possible?" Zen reached for his sword, immediately letting his eyes scan the clearing. The night air was still, it smelled like dirt and water, and he couldn't sense anything different.
"There is…more powers than just my love and I." The Moon's eyes lifted to the sky.
Zen faced her again. "Can you tell me how close they are?"
The Moon nodded. "I can see them."
Zen closed his eyes to think for a minute, letting his finer reach up to scratch his head.
The will-o-whisp Zen had dropped whistled for attention.
Zen ignored him.
He whistled a little louder.
Zen still didn't acknowledge the whisp.
ZEN! Izana's voice boomed in his head.
Zen gasped aloud. For a millisecond, he jumped to attention as if he was being faced with his brother, before instead kneeling and scooping up the whisp. "What?" He demanded.
If I may¸ I do believe I can help you ward off these enemies – for a price.
Zen groaned and rolled his eyes. A very Izana – like statement. "I don't have time to hunt you another animal."
My price does not require death this time. Revo blew a blade of grass that was creeping down his face away. He shook his head, his golden hair glimmering in the moonlight. I only need a small amount to tell these pirates off.
Zen opened his mouth, when the Moon jumped to attention. "Prince, they're close. They could be onto your camp in only a repositioning of the stars."
Zen blinked. "That timing system you use means nothing to me. Revo, I'll do it myself, I don't need your help right now." Zen told the will-o-whisp. He let the tiny man fall again and Revo cursed at him.
You'll get yourself killed!
Zen threw his cloak over him, tossing back the hood and tying it easily over his front. He walked over to Thunder. "Moon, please, lead me to the pirates. I have a plan."
"Prince, I do not mean to discourage, but there are easily twelve men coming after you. I don't see how you can take them all on your own." She turned to follow him to his steed, who pricked her ears attentively at him.
Zen began tacking Thunder up. "I don't plan to take them all on in battle, if I can help it. I'm planning on leading them away, off our trail and onto a different one." He grunted as he tossed the saddle over Thunder's tall withers.
"How in the sky-"
"That's where I need your help." Zen cut off, beginning to set up the girth. "You have to come with me, we'll forge our own path out of this…this." He wordlessly tapped his foot against the white trail to make it puff up around him. "Can you control it? Turn it off here and have it curve around to wherever the two of us take it?"
"I-Yes." The Moon nodded.
"Perfect." Zen ducked around Thunder's other side and tightened the girth – Thunder only leaned her head back to give him a warning glance. He adjusted his stirrups and took off the extra tack space. He adjusted his stirrups to give him a leg up. River pawed the ground nervously. Zen mounted and stared down at the Arabian incrediously. "You controlled lightning and stopped a demon. You'll be fine on your own for a minute." River grunted and riped his head on his leg while Zen readjusted the stirrups once more.
The knife hovered towards him, but Zen put his hand up. "Stay here and guard Shirayuki. Don't let her leave the clearing." The metal whirred slightly but spun around in air to hover over the tent like a guard dog.
The Moon glowed, and when he looked at her again she was sitting upon the steed she had when they were fleeing from the headless horseman. The Pegasus shook its head and snorted.
"Nice ride." Zen grunted. "We're looking for subtly here."
The Moon raised her shoulder at the Prince, and the Pegasus's coat changed. It darkened into a shade of black to match Thunder's, the wings and hide dotted with stars. Her eyes glowed in a clearly supernatural way.
Zen's breath caught in his throat at first. Then, he sighed. "Good enough, I guess." He gathered Thunder's reins. He stared at his hands for a moment as Thunder stood at attention. He knew he could do this, he had to face down the pirates. He looked to the tent for a long moment.
"Zen?" Asked the Moon.
Zen turned Thunder's head. "You lead, you know where they are."
The night came quickly, and it brought the dark of the night. They kept their horses at an even trot, stopping to a walk when Zen saw the light of a fire.
"That's them." The Moon's whisper felt otherworldly.
Zen steadied his heartbeat and nodded. He dismounted. Even with his training, his hands still trembled just slightly. "I'm gonna take a look, see how many we're dealing with here. How far off of our path can we get them in a night?" He asked the deity.
The Moon's steed moved slightly. "I'm not sure. I can potentially keep two paths going."
"Then do that. For now, I'll be right back."
"Careful, Prince." The Moon cautioned.
Zen threw his hood up, looking back to smile. "I will be." And so forward he crept.
The forest was still around him. The night air crisp. He was downwind, which was somehow reassuring, even though he had no need to worry about bloodhounds as far as he knew. He stepped on thick tree roots and held his hand on the hilt of his sword, the other lifted forward to feel changes in the wind and air. His heart thudded in his chest, bugs chirped around him. He stopped to watch a snake slither in front of him, scales almost completely see through as it didn't even acknowledge his presence.
Zen knew they hadn't been able to truly touch him, but the experience had jarred something vulnerable in him. He didn't want to face the pirates, he didn't want to have to ever see another again.
As soon as the snake's tail vanished, he continued.
He stopped behind a tree a good distance away. He couldn't hear them speaking, but he watched them pack camp and made a careful calculation, eyes never sticking to one person longer than it took to distinguish an easily recognizable feature.
He crouched lower. While the rest of the pirates were packing camp, one was unmoved – sitting right…it looked like directly over the fire. Zen narrowed his eyes and shifted slightly. The man was floating over the fire, legs crossed and eyes closed. Below them, the path of the Moon glowed, but it refused to puff up for their steps or items.
Zen guessed the man floating would obviously be the magic user who could sense the magic from the moon. The man was floating over fire, for goodness sake. He had his headcount, and he had who he needed to trick the most. He began to take a step back when the floating man suddenly opened his glowing green eyes and stared straight at the Prince.
Zen felt an icy chill run down his body. He waited for a minute more, wondering if he had heard him or was really making eye contact with him.
Sure enough, the floating man flew forward, uncrossing his legs and stepping over the flame, which was put out the moment he set his boots on the ground. He cracked his neck, and then Zen heard a voice; run. Icily clear despite being somehow unusual.
Zen whipped around, grabbing his shawl so it wouldn't fling out as he hurried back to the Moon.
He never got there.
Suddenly, a force tossed him into a tree – hard enough that his breath was pushed out of him. He groaned as he hit the ground, hard. "Oh." He coughed, shaking his head. His hand went through a bunch of already fallen leaves, and he saw a few fresh leaves his impact had shaken free.
"A pleasure, Second Prince of Clarines." Said the drawl of a voice.
Zen looked up to the man with the glowing green eyes. His hair was a heavy mop of brown, his was pale skinned and he was definitely not a pirate. He wore almost royal-looking, expensive garb. Familiar, managing to make Zen feel a pang of homesickness. "Feels like a pain." Zen grunted in response, managing to sit up. "Are you the magician?"
The man gave a soft, thoughtful smile. There was something about him – Zen felt like he was watching the electric eel patrol his cell again. Distrusting, smug…powerful. He didn't sound like the voice that threatened him in his dreams, but Zen took no chances. His green eyes pulsed, the light spilling out around his cheeks slightly. "I am a magician." The man took a bow. "Hisame Lugis, Your Highness."
"L-Lugis-ah!" Zen was cut off when he was suddenly pushed up the tree by the back of his neck. Hisame casually reached up and grabbed his neck, and the magic holding Zen dropped him into his grip, creating a choke so heavy Zen saw stars.
"Hmm, yes. Perhaps you know of my family. Money does buy many, many things, Highness."
Zen gritted his teeth. He swung his leg out and pushed.
Hisame howled and backed away, letting Zen go to clutch his crotch.
"Magician or not, you should still protect the real moneymaker." Zen gasped, rubbing his throat. He unsheathed his sword and lunged for Hisame, but the magician looked at him with glowing green eyes and suddenly Zen was stopped when a root grabbed his calf. Zen managed to plant his other to stop him from going flying, but just barely. He stared at the root in shock, then back at Hisame, who was glaring at him. "What kind of magic is this?"
Hisame blinked with eyebrows that said take a guess.
Zen hacked the root off with his sword and turned back to Hisame, only for a branch to reach down and grab his sword arm. He cursed. "Is your whole family weird like you?" Zen demanded while reaching up to grab his sword with his other hand, then slicing his arm free.
Hisame groaned but stumbled to his feet while Zen ripped the branch from his arm. "Not all of us, but a good few."
Zen's side still ached from the throw. He panted against the pain and leveled his sword at the magician. "Why are you helping the pirates? What do you want?"
Hisame rolled his head, eyes still glowing. When he closed them, the skin glowed red from blocking it. "I don't need to explain anything to you."
Another root burst from the ground and went for Zen's neck. Zen threw his head back and slashed the root in half, backing up rapidly. "Cheap shot." He grunted. "Where's your buddies?" He spared a second glance to the camp, and a root grabbed him around the waist. He gasped as it wrapped around him a few times and began to squeeze.
"I'm sparing you their revenge, Prince." Hisame breathed. "You should be thanking me."
Zen groaned, but his side burned. With a puff of white smoke, the roots were pushed off of Zen's midsection. Zen slashed them in two hurriedly, grabbing his side in surprise.
Hisame's eyebrows went up, almost disappearing into his hair. "Ah, the Moon's blessing. Of course, of course." Hisame then shoved his hand towards Zen, and Zen had enough time to feel a weird dizzy feeling, before he was thrown against the same tree. "Ah!" He yelled, just managing to avoid his head getting cracked open. "Stop doing that!" He demanded.
Hisame managed a laugh. "Highness, I am sorry to say I won't be obeying you tonight."
Before anything else happened, however, Thunder suddenly leapt a bush and rammed her head into Hisame, sending the magician flying past two trees.
Zen gasped with relief and grabbed his steed around the shoulders. "Good girl." He managed. Quickly, he threw himself over her back. She needed no prompting to gallop back through the bush. She kept running, and Zen forced himself to sit up and ride. As Thunder found her stride, a glow appeared beneath their feet. Zen looked down to see the trail appear, glowing ever just in the night.
He looked up, and the Moon was in front of him, cantering side saddle like it was nothing, not even looking at the trail she blazed. "Are you hurt?" She asked.
"A little banged up." Zen grunted.
"I saw it. That magician is not as powerful as I thought he was."
Zen laughed. "He seemed pretty powerful to me!"
"Yes, but for the magic it takes to unearth my spells? That is high level. He must be channeling from-" The Moon started to unhelpfully explain.
"Right, you'd be better off having this talk with Shirayuki." Zen cut off. "Thank you, by the way – for getting the roots off of me."
The Moon shrugged. "Do not thank me yet, Prince. We still have a long ride."
They rode, Zen glancing over his shoulder every few strides. Eventually, they slowed to a canter, then a trot, then a walk to let Thunder and Zen catch her breath.
Zen stroked her shoulder and neck. "Thank you." He whispered.
She flicked her ears in recognition and walked on.
The Moon looked up to the sky. "It has been a good few hours. Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes." Zen nodded. "It's just a bruise."
The Moon nodded ahead. "There is a lake up this way, let's take a break."
They walked only a few minutes more before they arrived at the lakebed. Zen let out a breath. The tall grass swayed, and the lake stretched out, shimmering reflections of the stars and the moon in miniature ripples. A refreshing breeze was free to ruffle their hair once they were out of the cover of the trees.
Thunder ignored Zen's instructions and marched promptly to the lake. She marched in up to her knees then thrust her head into the water, drinking in huge heavy gulps Zen could feel against her sides. He laughed at her antics. "Okay, okay! Could've waited for me to get off first."
The Moon smiled serenely at the scene, only to then suddenly gasp as the grass beneath her began to glow a familiar, eerie green. Her Pegasus reared, and she clutched its mane. "Prince! It's a trap!"
Thunder whirled so quickly Zen nearly lost his seat. He just managed to stay on and looked with horror as the Moon's whole form froze. She flickered, then in the blink of an eye, was gone. The grass still glowed where she had been.
Zen cursed, and then felt a hard thump into his side – right against his ribcage, that sent him flying off of Thunder, who reared in shock and bucked almost involuntarily. Zen hit the knee deep water with a great splash, aching only a little thanks to the clay bottom of the lake. He gasped and sat up, to see a pirate with three throwing knives glaring at him from the lakebed. Next to him floated one of those knives. Without thinking, he grabbed it and tucked it into his belt.
Zen forced himself to rise and wielded his sword. Behind him, Thunder made worried heaving noises. "Easy, girl." He soothed. His ribs hurt, another bruise for the night. The knife must have hit him hilt first instead of point first, thankfully. He watched as the pirates appeared – all ten of them, wielding wickedly curved blades and knives. One swung an axe with a maniac smile. The axe man – Zen remembered him specifically from the Rose.
The magician appeared in the midst of the glowing grass.
Zen met his eyes. "What did you do to the Moon, Hisame?"
Hisame snorted. "Obviously nothing." He gestured up to the still shining not quite quarter moon in the sky. "To think a human could ever touch such a power is astonishingly daft."
"Then where'd she go?" Zen demanded. He waved his sword warningly at the man with throwing knives, letting him know he was still in Zen's sights at all times.
"I blocked her astral form – that projection. I am sure she is still with you, so I thought I might bring the fully armed physical party with me this time instead." He gestured to the leering pirates. "He's all yours, gentlemen."
They rushed for him with a roar that sent Thunder rearing up behind him.
Zen took a calming breath. The water was cold around his boots, but if he reached, he could feel the stirrings of its own little tides. This lake was far from still. He opened his eyes and pushed out with his hands. The lake in front of him suddenly curled with the might of a huge, oncoming wave. It bowled into the pirates and sent them rushing back against the ground with the wave. The water retreated and Zen swung his sword with his eyebrows raised. "Bold move, Hisame. Setting a trap in the middle of a lake for someone who has been gifted the shield of the Sea." With newfound confidence, Zen rushed forward. The water around his ankles splashed, and he suddenly had an image of Obi, rising with the swell of a wave to thrust a spear at Zen.
Zen twirled and the water reached up to roll around him, lifting him as he lunged down for the man with the throwing knives. The man's eyes were as wide as the moon as Zen came down and with a devasting blow, cutting him down his chest. The man screamed as Zen landed, letting the water drop around his back. He turned to glare at the next pirate, this one also wielding a sword. His was curved in a hard C shape, however. The man gritted his teeth and lunged for Zen.
Zen twirled out of the way and knocked the opposing blade away with the flat of his own blade. He kicked the man in the chest, then made a clawing motion with his hand in the same motion. The man didn't even have time to properly hit the ground before a wave rushed up and covered him, freezing midway to leave the man sitting in an enclosed field of icy spikes.
Zen walked towards the next man, the water around his ankles swirling in floating whirlpools. It had been a long time since he fought on land – and the Aigua seemed to power him. His instincts kicked in, and he swung his sword. The balance was wrong, but it would do. As three men lunged for him, the whirlpools knocked them off their feet and pulled them past Thunder and into the middle of the lake, leaving them to frantically swim against the sudden riptide.
Zen locked blades with the next pirate, this one's breath smelling like chewing tobacco. The man attempted to kick Zen's thigh, but Zen struck him in the stomach with a punch first, leaving him to stagger backwards and fall over, holding his stomach as the pirate was forced to heave.
The next one tried to run, and Zen watched him go with a smirk. He looked ahead to the remaining four. Two came at him at once, clearly accustomed to teaming up. They both struck downwards at him with an X shape, and Zen knelt, blocking one blade with his own and another with a blade of ice that shot from the ankle deep water.
Both pirates gasped, then both blades were knocked back as Zen stood. He slashed at the first man's leg with his sword and then spun to slice his sword in a deadly vertical line down the man's shoulder. As for the other pirate, the ice blade melted just enough to reform and stab him in his thigh. He howled, and Zen pushed his head out of his way, sending him skittering to the ground. The ice melted as he hit the shallows.
The next pirate Zen faced held his blade unsteadily, knees knocking.
Zen smirked. "Boo." He said, not with any real conviction.
The pirate turned and fled out of the water.
This left the axe man, who looked like he was made with anger. "Scum of the land." He spat.
"Scoundrel of the sea." Zen responded.
The axe man charged him and Zen thrust out his hand. A blast of high powered water hit the man dead on, but he was only pushed back. The man screamed in frustration and Zen kept the assault of water up, pushing against the man to make it heavier.
As the man was pushed further and further away, he let out an enraged shriek and tossed his axe – full speed, at Zen.
Zen was unprepared for the speed. The world slowed as he watched the end of the blade flip until the edge of the sharpened weapon lunge straight for his eye. Zen gasped as it struck him –
And bounced right off with a metallic cling that made Zen's teeth jitter.
Zen dropped his hand and the power of the water immediately. He stepped back a few paces, reaching to feel his face for the blood that must surely be pouring down him. His breath came in sharp, panicked huffs. He felt down his chest, but unbelievably, he was fine. Not a mark on him. "H-How?" Zen asked.
"That's some powerful protection magic." Came Hisame's voice.
Zen rolled out of the way of a blast of green magic. He came back up with his sword ready, hair dripping with water. The magician was floating above the surface, eyes still glowing.
"But not given form the Moon. Interesting. This kind of magic…" He let himself drop and stood in the shallows only a few feet from Zen. "Ah! It must be mer. I have yet to experience that which is Below Surface, care to share a glance?"
"Happily." Zen grunted. He thrust his hands up and the water underneath Hisame rose in an upside down waterfall, thrusting him in the air. Hisame calmly flipped back, but Zen forced the water to curl after him. Hisame blinked and the water crashed over nothing. Zen let out a breath and gasped in shock as a hard hit struck the back of his neck.
He whirled and lashed out with his sword – and he managed to slice the axe man across his stomach. The axe man immediately grabbed his wound, but blood still poured and began to turn the lake water red. The man staggered, staring incredulously at Zen, then the broken dagger in his hand.
Zen rubbed the back of his neck, but there was no pain. "That's new for me to, buddy." Zen grunted. He moved away from the man and looked to Hisame, who had somehow managed to appear back on his glowing grass. "Coward." He hissed.
"Lame insult, I would expect more from Your Highness." Hisame calmly returned.
"I just beat down ten of your buddies without a single drop of blood to spare. How can you still be so calm?" Zen demanded, shifting his stance.
"I mean, those three are coming back." Hisame offered.
Zen scowled, and without looking tilted his head.
The three men screamed as the water suddenly exploded around them, sending them high into the air.
"Those men?" Zen asked, as three individual plops and snaps cut through the air on the pirates screams. They weren't dead, Zen hoped. He didn't think he had powered them that much.
Hisame hummed. "Alright. I'll retreat for now, Prince. But know we'll find you and the girl, and there are much more powerful magicians out there who have been recruited for this mission. You will find no friends back home." With that, the magician bowed, and the grass glowed brighter, until Hisame was just a silhouette.
And in a blink, him and all his pirates were gone. Zen whirled to make sure, but he only saw Thunder shaking her head, and a few red pools of blood. When he returned his gaze to where the glow had been, he saw the Moon and her steed standing there instead.
"Moon, glad you're back." He said, dipping his sword in the lake to wash it. He whistled as he exited the lake, and Thunder trotted over to him. He affectionately tickled her under the chin until she snapped her lips at his fingers – no teeth. He laughed and patted her behind the ear as he sheathed his sword and mounted again.
"I saw the whole thing. Prince, you should be proud." The Moon said. "Let us return."
"Sure." Zen grunted, throwing his leg over Thunder's side. "But I have a question for you. Did you protect me? When the pirate threw his axe at me, and when he tried to stab me."
"I did not." The Moon said. "I thought you were as good as dead, as well."
Zen pursed his lips. "Alright then, something new."
With that, they spurred their mounts, and they walked back towards camp.