Chapter nine
Beneath The Mask
Olivia yawns, sitting upright in her cot. She really misses her hammock, and her friends even more… She rubs her eyes, pushing a bit of brown hair away from her face, before stretching her arms.
She blinks, and notices Irawulf standing outside of her "bedroom" door. Though she couldn't make out any features behind his mask, he was definitely staring right at her.
"What time is it?" Olivia asks, with another yawn. "And you ever thought about taking off that helmet?"
"Midnight. The moon has yet to sleep." Irawulf is to the point, and he places a hand on the barred doors.
"...You want something?" Olivia asks the armored wolf, shuffling out of her cot and approaching the cell door.
"Master Org requires your presence." He speaks in a growling, grumbling tone of voice, pulling open the iron door with a loud creak. "Do not try to escape."
Irawulf stands in front of the door to Master Org's quarters, shoving Olivia further inside. Master Org was staring into a pool of mist, seemingly dissatisfied.
"Where's Chiropetia..?" Olivia asks, noticing the empty room.
Master Org turns from the mist pool to Olivia. "Do not worry about that, Dear Olivia." He says, approaching Olivia, and grabbing a black mask from atop a pillar.
Olivia's eyes widen, and she steps back. "P-please, not yet… I'm still recovering from last time…" She whimpers. Master Org only comes closer, lifting the mask to Olivia's face.
"Humans are fragile. You'll have time to rest soon enough." His tone is monotonous, as he presses the mask onto Olivia's face.
She screams, and falls to her knees as the black-clad armor envelops her body, the dark spirit taking over her form. The wolfish mask covers her face, and the screaming stops.
Zen-Aku pushes themself upright, from a cower to a proper, kneeling bow. "I am at your service, Master Org."
Master Org smiles a crooked smile. "Take our prisoner. Use him to draw out Princess Shayla for us."
Zen-Aku nods, standing upright and turning around. Irawulf shifts to the side, allowing them to pass.
There was a different mutt they needed. They walk to Merrick's cell, roughly pulling open the door. Its metal squealing causes Merrick to wince, awakening and staring wearily at Zen-Aku.
"You…" Merrick hisses. "What the hell do you want?"
"Get up." Zen-Aku growls, opening Oliva's cell and grabbing her three animal crystals. They summon their crescent blade, and the crystals dart into the holes.
"What for?" Merrick grumbles, beginning to pull himself upright, despite his body being sore.
When Zen-Aku reenters Merrick's cell, they growl at their snailish pace. "You have a purpose to serve." They sneer, grabbing Merrick by the cuff and dragging him out of his cell.
"Zen-Aku…" Olivia's voice mutters in their head. "We don't have to keep doing this. Please, listen to reason."
"Quiet." They growl, dragging Merrick along to the lair's exit.
Princess Shayla hums to herself, as she tends to the Animarium's gardens. The young adults were fast asleep after their first real encounter with this new Org threat.
They were like weeds, those Orgs… Kept coming back. But she could train these new rangers properly, and they would bloom like the many flowers.
A familiar sound hits her ears- boiling water. She drops the watering can and makes her way to the fountain to peer into it.
'It's so early…' She thinks to herself. 'What could be their plan this time?'
She sees a clear vision, and her eyes go wide.
Zen-Aku drops a beaten, bruised Merrick onto the dirt, staring straight into her eyes. Their sword glows with a cryptic energy.
"Zen-Aku… But, how..?" She gasps. She turns away, to alert the rangers- but then…
"Princess Shayla!" Zen-Aku howls. Their voice sends chills down her spine.
She turns back to the fountain. "I hoped I'd never see you again… How are you back?"
"That matters not to you." Zen-Aku points their energized blade towards her, towards Animarium. "If you wish to save your precious wolf guardian, come down from the heavens and face me. Alone." They kneel down, stepping on Merrick, who lets out a pained howl into the night. Zen-Aku lowers their blade beneath Merrick's gullet.
Princess Shayla bites her lip, pacing around the boiling fountain. On one hand, it looked to be a trap. But, on the other...
"For every minute you hesitate, I break one of his bones."
She gulps, and sighs in defeat. "Spare your strength. I'm coming."
