Kuroinu: The Power of the Third Eye
Chapter 4
Alicia and Prim
Alicia couldn't believe her eyes. The Dark Elf Queen stood in front of her. And along with her was her subordinate and some boy who looked to be Prim's age.
"Has the Dark Elf Queen decided to grab herself a boy toy or something?" Alicia asked.
The Queen's subordinate pulled out a pair of daggers.
"I wouldn't bother." Alicia said. "I know how to use a sword and I certainly know how to fight against people who use daggers."
"Now, now, there is no need for violence, yes?" The boy said as he came out in between them. "Hello there, I am Tepu, son of Braska, a priest and a messenger of Itia on a pilgrimage to spread peace and restore balance in all things."
There was silence.
"Who?" Alicia asked.
"Did you see anyone carrying…" the boy said before a third eye suddenly opened and he reached his hand into it.
Alicia was alarmed by the third eye. She remembered seeing someone with that eye before… It was only a year ago…
Flashback
Alicia looked to see a group of dead hobgoblins slain by a man with three eyes, holding two swords in his hands. One of the swords was split like a fork.
Present Day
The boy pulled an axe out of his head.
"Did you see anyone holding this?" The boy asked.
"No… but I have seen a man with three eyes."
"You have seen my father Braska? Well I am his son, Tepu, out to finish this pilgrimage." The boy said.
"His son?" Alicia asked. "So then why are you—"
"Well… this man named Volt—"
"Your mercenaries had no intention on turning me over." Olga said.
"A clever lie." Alicia said. "Not going to work."
"Actually, she speaks the truth, my memory is very good." Tepu said.
"And so are my guards." Alicia snapped her fingers.
Knights came out of the shadows and had swords pointing at their necks.
"Um… can't we be peaceful about it? No bloodshed, yes?" Tepu said.
"Oh don't worry, you won't be losing your head. But you'll be going to the dungeons." Alicia said. "From there, I'll decide your fate."
She motioned her guards to take them away.
"Wait!" A voice cried.
Alicia turned to see Prim.
"Prim, this is dangerous, go back—"
"Is it true? That you're his son?" Prim asked.
"He just said that." Olga said.
"Quiet." Alicia said, turning to the dark elf.
She turned to her younger sister.
"Sister, if this boy really is the son of the man who saved your life on that day as he claims to be and that you have a reason to believe him, I suggest you prove it." Alicia said.
Prim breathed deeply, exhaling a long breath. She began to hum a tune. Alicia turned to the boy, who then began to move his hands to his chest and arch his fingers, almost like he was holding a sphere, and began to sing along with the humming.
Euieya
Nokonemo
Mirini
The song sounded calming. A sense of warmth snuck into her heart.
Okujunoo
Asanebo
She then turned to Prim.
Rokishimanate
She turned to the boy.
Ieyui
The boy and Prim stopped.
"So, you do know that song." Prim said.
"Of course I do! It is the song of prayer, the Hymn of the Heruka." Tepu said. "As a monk and as Itia's messenger, I work sing the hymn to bring peace to all, living or dead."
"That man bummed it when he walked away. I never thought in my life that you would be his son, or that he had a son." Prim said. "Sister, this proves it. Please let him go."
Alicia knew she couldn't turn her request down. She too had a debt to the man. She and Prim both had a debt to the man.
"Take the elves away. The boy stays with me." Alicia said.
The knights took Olga and her subordinate, leaving the priest alone.
"Come, we have much to discuss." Alicia said.
She sheathed her sword. She began to walk towards the house.
Tepu followed the two ladies into the large hut. He followed them to a room with a table and some chairs. He sat down on one of them.
"Forgive me for my rudeness, it's just that I never thought Olga would need a monk to slip past her captors so easily." The woman said. "I am Alicia Arcturus, Princess Knight of the Citadel of Feoh. My sister, Prim Fiorire, is the Princess Knight of the Citadel of Ur."
The pink haired girl, who he assumed was Prim, sat down on a chair next to Alicia.
"Tell me, why did you come here?" Alicia asked.
"To complete my pilgrimage." Tepu said. "Every 100 years, my people would go on a pilgrimage. I have just reached the final stretch of the pilgrimage, or so I thought at least."
"Every 100 years… I've heard stories about your kind, the Indri I think were the name they went by." Alicia said. "Your people were once involved in Eostia, but then fled to the mountains in the north. Now all of a sudden, after 100 years or so, you just come to Eostia for a pilgrimage, but to what end?"
"To bring peace and restore the balance between chaos and order." Tepu said. "As his chosen messenger, I must bring peace to the world. Only then will I be able to return to the mountains of my people."
"I see…" Alicia said. "Your father… did you… happen to come across him by chance?"
Tepu was about to speak, but he stopped.
His father was dead.
Should he tell them? If he does… but if he doesn't…
"He… he perished." Tepu said. "He is no more."
Alicia and Prim looked a bit shaken by his words.
"He's dead?" Alicia asked.
"Unfortunately. He is." Tepu said. "I had not seen him since he went out on his pilgrimage and when I started training in being a monk."
"I see…" Alicia said. "Well… you are his son. The least I can do is give you a place to live in. The attic will have to for now."
Tepu smiled and clapped his hands together.
"I thank you for your generosity." Tepu said.
"You should probably get some rest." Alicia said. "You must have traveled a great deal to get here. You can explain the rest of your story in the morning."
She got up.
"Now if you excuse me, I have to chat with the Dark Elf Queen." Alicia said. "And don't try anything funny with Prim while I'm gone."
She left the room and left the house. Tepu merely cocked his head to the side.
"I'm sorry, my sister can be quite protective of me and her people." Prim said. "You said that the last time you saw him was when he left for his pilgrimage, then you began to train as a monk. What's it like?"
"Oh, being a priest of Itia, it takes great resolve to uphold his teachings." Tepu said. "A great monk casted a spell on all who wished to become monks. This spell would protect us from the time of mating or nop rraf."
"Huh?" Prim asked.
"See, we Indri have lived longer than most of your kind. We could live for more than centuries. But unlike your kind, we become adults by 180 years." Tepu said. "When we reach that age, that is when we are susceptible to the time of mating. Occurring only every full moon. We Indri succumb to the desire to… Uh… mate."
Tepu's face was turning red.
"Oh… I'm not good with this… explaining it to a girl like you… oh…" Tepu said. "You barely know much of our customs and faith and I know so little of yours."
"It's ok. You're doing great. Tell me more." Prim encourages.
"Ok…" Tepu said, taking a deep breath. "By the teachings of Itia, we Indri must only mate with those we can emotionally bond to."
"Huh… is that so?" Prim asked. "So your people come from the mountains, correct?"
"Ah yes, Mt Sumeru. My people mostly live in Sumeru." Tepu said.
"Anyone else living in the mountains with your people?" Prim asked.
"Yes… the Wartigers." Tepu said. "They like to fight a lot. They live outside the mountains and hunt for animals."
"What do they look like?" Prim asked curiously.
"Half man, half feline. They are very swift." Tepu said. "We Indri have made a peaceful relationship with them, but they can be… unreasonable sometimes."
"Amazing…" Prim said. "So that third eye of yours, what does it do?"
"Well… I think you should see for yourself." Tepu said.
His third eye opened. It shined. There was a flash and Prim was gone. He meditates.
Inner World
Prim found herself amazed by the world she was in. There were floating islands about. She felt someone tapping her shoulder. She turned to see Tepu.
"This is my Inner World. It's the world of my soul." Tepu said.
"The world of your soul?" Prim asked. "I'm… in your soul? That's amazing…"
He grabbed her hand.
"Come on, I want to introduce you to the Heruka!"
"Heruka?"
Maha sat in the volcanic cave with Sonam's gourd. He was drinking the water in it. Maha noticed Tepu bringing Prim with him. He got up and stopped drinking.
"Oi… kid, who's the girl you got there?" Maha asked.
"Oh, Maha, this is Prim. Prim, Maha." Tepu introduced.
"Uh… hello there, Maha." Prim said.
He squinted his eyes. He walked over to them and sat down, gourd in hand before he popped the cap loose again. He looked at her.
"She doesn't look tough…" Maha said.
He began to drink out of the gourd. It was obvious that he was drunk.
"But her body is quite the pretty little thing. You got good tastes when it comes to the ladies…"
"SHAKLAVA!" Tepu said, smacking him with a pan.
"OW!" Maha said. "On Itia's third eye! I must be the only Heruka who gets assaulted in his own fucking cave!"
Tepu dragged Prim. Prim was confused.
Sonam was bear hugging Tepu when he brought the girl in.
"Oh my musko! You really found yourself a good bride after all!" Sonam said.
"Wait… uh… I didn't say anything about being his bride!" Prim said with a red face.
"Oh…" Sonam said, releasing Tepu.
She began to weep.
"Uh..."
"Don't."
Prim was hiding behind Tepu as he showed her Duga. Apparently, he didn't think this through well enough. She was scared by Duga, that was for sure.
"Tepu… he looks scary." Prom said.
"He's a really nice guy if you know him better." Tepu said. "But do not try to speak with his lower half, it is very dangerous."
"How dangerous?"
"I'm forbidden to go into detail about it for it brings a bad omen." Tepu said. "Let's move on."
Choenyi was meditating. The two just watched as he meditated.
"He's so big…" Prim said.
"Let's just move on…" Tepu said.
The light blue skinned Taro was sitting in his chair. His place was full of ice and cold. Prim was shivering from the cold. Tepu kept her warm. Taro looked displeased with Tepu. He merely sighed.
"Tepu, the women of this land may be sexually attractive, but that does not mean you can turn your inner world into a cesspool of lust." Taro said. "Need I remind you that we have a pilgrimage to attend to?"
"I know that." Tepu said.
"Then why is it that this woman stands before me?" Taro asked. "Unless you think she might be special."
"I don't know Taro, you tell me." Tepu said.
Taro got up and looked at the shivering woman. He scanned her from top to bottom.
"I see… not physically strong enough to tackle a belu, but I sense great magical potential." Taro said.
"Huh?"
"Ah! You mean she could be a powerful Magoi user!" Tepu said.
"That is exactly what I said." Taro said, flicking a finger at Tepu.
"You mean I can become a great mage?" Prim asked.
"Yes, with the proper training." Taro said. "Now leave, I hate to be pestered."
An old man with a staff was stroking his beard. The Thunder Heruka, Yudron, looked at Prim with fascination.
"Hm… she has potential with Magoi. A fine woman indeed." Yudron said.
"Um… thank you Mr. Yudron." Prim said.
"Oh please, don't flatter this old man." Yudron said. "It was nothing."
Prim looked to Tepu.
"So, why is Yudron an old man?" Prim asked.
"He is one of the wisest Heruka to live. His fayth was a hermit." Tepu said.
"A hermit…" Prim said.
"He could call down a cataclysm of storms down that could even turn forests into wastelands." Tepu said.
"Really?"
"Oh it is true. In fact I can show you how it's done." Yudron said. "But only if you take your panties off, get naked and let me see those bare melons."
"W-What?!" Prim said, putting her arms over her breasts with a red face.
A vein popped off in Tepu's head and he kicked the Heruka in the face.
"STUPID OLD PERVERT! YOU JUST WANT TO SEE HER NAKED!" Tepu said. "DAMN JIJI!"
A vein popped in Yudron's head before he smacked Tepu with his staff.
"DISRESPECTFUL KOZO!" Yudron said. "HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR YOUR ELDER'S WISHES?!"
"WISHES?! YOU ARE STUPID PERVERT OF AN OLD MAN!" Tepu said. "ALL YOU CARE ABOUT ARE BOOBS!"
Prim watched as the two just squabbled.
Back in Feoh...
Prim came out of Tepu's third eye. Tepu woke up.
"Wow…" Prim said. "I never knew your father was accompanied by them."
"Yeah… and I was only learning about them." Tepu said. "So uh… my father, what was he like when you saw him?"
"He was… well… he seemed like a warrior who has fought countless battles." Prim said. "I could have sworn that was what the smell of blood on him was."
"Huh?" Tepu asked. "I see… he slayed a lot of demons…"
"Yes… and… he saved my life." Prim said. "I want to make it up to that man, so… tell me what exactly brought you to bring the Dark Elf Queen into Feoh?"
He was silent. He wasn't sure if he should tell her. But he can't lie to her. That's against Itia's teachings. To lie about something that is highly important is a terrible thing to do.
"Do you know about the Black Dogs?" Tepu asked.
"Why of course I do. The Seven Shields Alliance hired them for a reason." Prim said. "To put an end to the war."
"Then… you don't know." Tepu said.
"Don't know what?" Prim asked.
"That they had no intentions on helping you in the first place." Tepu said.
Prim's irises shrunk along with her pupils. Her face was one with shock.
"Y-You're lying…" Prim said. "You mean they… they… but… you're lying!"
Tepu frowned.
"I wish I was." Tepu said. "But if I did, Itia wouldn't forgive me if everyone knows that I lied to them."
In the dungeon…
Alicia had never been so furious. She trusted them just as all the other Princess Knights had. And now Volt has… and to make matters worse, the Dark Elf Queen's magic potential has gotten weaker, and if the Orcs know, then…
"So then… where are they going to strike?" Alicia asked.
"If I were his advisors, I'd go for Feoh and Ur. Those two are the closest to Garan." Olga said. "I could help you beat them, but then you'd have to restore my magic capabilities first. Do you have something for that?"
Alicia was silent.
"How am I to trust you?" Alicia asked.
"Do you have any other option?" Olga replied.
A/N: Sorry for keeping you waiting.
The Indri Song of Prayer
It's like the Song of the Fayth, only... huh. Actually I think I may have just thrown random words here and there.
Yudron
He's basically Ramuh with the personalities of Master Roshi and Jiraiya and could still kill you with a Judgement Bolt.
Taro
Uh... He's basically male Shiva, only colder than ice.
Stay Tuned for next time.