Kuroinu: The Power of the Third Eye
Chapter 5
The Siege of Feoh
The people of Feoh were evacuating the citadel's streets. Soldiers were at the ready and Alicia watched from her castle. Alicia held a crumpled up letter sent by the Black Dogs no doubt. It was appalling. Make this country a service nation? Like hell she was going to let them do that. The Black Dogs were approaching Feoh.
"Madam, we brought the Dark Elf as ordered." Her knight commander spoke.
She was a brunette.
"Bring her in." Alicia said.
The doors opened and Chloe came up to Alicia.
"So, why exactly do you need my help?" Chloe asked.
"I have a feeling something isn't right." Alicia said. "I've had all the civilians taken so they could be evacuated from the city. But so far… there's only one person who hasn't reported in. Find the minister of Feoh and get him to one of the evacuation areas."
"Hmph. Alright then, but only if—"
"Don't worry, your Queen will use magic again, that I can promise." Alicia said.
"Fine then." Chloe said.
'Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!' Beasley thought. 'The whole Citadel is on high alert! How the hell did they find out what happened?! I knew I shouldn't have agreed to that stupid offer!'
He got the powder barrels near the gate. The man was in tears though at the thought of everything completely wrong. He got the torch lit. All he had to do was—
A dagger barely missed his head. He turned to see a grinning dark elf.
"Now this is very convenient. Of all the places I'd go just to find you and never did I think that you'd be here, oh minister. And Alicia sent me to find you." The dark elf said.
'Knew it!' Beasley thought. "B-Back! I'll lit the barrels if you come any closer!"
"Do it and you may find that you are one hand short." The dark elf said.
"I'll do it! Don't you even dare!" Beasley said.
His hand was shaking. Before he could light the barrel, the elf kicked him in the face just away from the barrels, sending the torch into the air. She caught the torch and blew it out. She tossed it off to the side.
"Good thing you didn't touch the barrels or I would have gladly severed a hand." The elf said. "Now let's just go and take you elsewhere."
An explosion went off at the furthest wall. They had broken through.
"And so it begins…" The elf said. "Too bad the only ace in the hole fumbles."
'I'm dead…' Beasley thought.
Elsewhere…
Tepu was ordered to be Prim's protector by Alicia herself. He stood with Prim in the only safest place Alicia could think of.
The basement of the house.
But even then, the sound of an explosion could be heard.
"It's starting…" Prim said.
Tepu felt it wrong to stay here, but he couldn't leave Prim without a weapon. An idea came to mind.
"Hop into my Inner World." Tepu said. "I'll take them on!"
"W-Wait… I think…" Prim said.
She looked through the basement and found a pair of swords. One of them had two prongs designed like flames and another being that of a simple sword. The first sword had a holster on it.
"Your father let my sister have his swords, but she felt it was best to keep them in the house in case there was someone who can use it, so—"
Tepu took the swords. He puts the smaller sword into the holster. The holster slid out and extended. The prongs formed a spear.
"My father's weapon." Tepu said. "He thought of everything…"
"R-Really? I thought it was his way of saying thanks." Prim said. "Also… when could it do that?"
"Since my father made it." Tepu said. "Also, I'm pretty sure that would imply that he would want either you or your sister to use."
"Oh…" Prim said.
He splits the spear into the swords again.
"Now then, time for me to fulfill my duty as Itia's Messenger!" Tepu said.
"Wait, you're going to fight against my sister's orders?" Prim asked.
"As a Priest, it is my duty to guide those into peace and tranquility." Tepu said. "But it is also my duty to banish the wicked from this plane of existence!"
"I see… so no matter what I say, you'll go anyways?" Prim asked. "Fine then, I shall accompany you."
She was absorbed into his third eye. He ran upstairs and left the house to join the fight.
Elsewhere…
Alicia cuts down an orc. The battle wasn't in her favor. She had to hold out. She and her forces had to hold out in this battle or it could be all over. Her Knight commander joined her.
"Milady, the enemy is pressing their advantage against us. How long can we hold?" Her knight commander asked.
"We have to hold out until the Dark Elf Queen's magic is restored. It's our only way out of this mess." Alicia said. "We can't surrender!"
"KYAH!"
Alicia turned to see—! Imps! And with nuns tied down and most of their clothing removed! Damned savages!
Tepu cuts an orc down and gets into a street where a bunch of nuns were being sexually assaulted by imps. One of the imps noticed Tepu and quickly looked at him.
"Well… it's been a while since I've spilled the blood of wicked demons such as yourselves." Tepu said. "Tell me little belus, have you ever tasted the fury of the Son of Braska?"
"Son of Braska? Hey boys! We got ourselves a comedian here!" The lead imp said.
The other imps looked at Tepu and got off the nuns.
"Do you wish to face me now?" Tepu asked. "I would suggest you'd run, but I do not offer anything to wicked beasts."
"It's five on one! You don't stand a chance!" The lead imp said.
"I'm not so sure." Tepu said.
He rushed at the Imps and slashed one of them without hesitation, cutting the imp down. The other imps jumped at him. He puts the swords together and forms the spear. He twirls it around, parrying their attacks. The monk impales an imp before piercing another one. One of them got its sword up, but he cut the imp down. He tossed his spear at an imp that was fleeing. The imp is pierced on the spear, killing it instantly.
He picked up the spear and splits it up into two swords.
"Incredible… you took them out without even a sweat…" Prim said.
"Just doing my duty." Tepu said.
"Priest! What are you doing?! Where is—?!"
"Worry not!" Tepu said. "Lady Prim is safe in the Inner World of my soul."
"The—what?" Alicia asked.
His third eye opened up and Prim suddenly appeared.
"L-Lady Prim!" One of the nuns said.
"I'll get them out, keep me and the others protected." Prim said.
"Yes." Tepu said.
"I—I see…" Alicia said. "Carry on! And make sure she returns to your… 'inner world.'"
"Will do!" Tepu said.
"Alright… got it!" Prim said, untying a rope. "That's the last of them."
"Thank you for helping us." The nuns said.
"Oh it was nothing." Tepu said. "I am simply just—"
"Hurry, make for the gates." Prim said. "I'll be safe with him."
"But Lady Prim…"
Tepu looked at the carnage before him. Men killed, blood everywhere, flames. This was…
This was horrible.
He heard Duga singing in his ears.
Euieya
A memory clicked into his head. The image of Duga's form manifesting before him. His shrilled up cries resonating in the air.
Nokonemo
The third eye of Duga, flashing. Belus suddenly reduced to nothing. Blood spilt, men dead or dying, flames across the village.
Mirini
He held the swords tighter.
'Duga… you wish to weave the song of death…' Tepu thought. 'Very well then. Let us share our pain together and inflict that pain onto those who have not atoned for their sins.'
Okujunoo
He cuts his cheek, drawing blood, before using that blood to draw a summoning circle.
Asanebo
'In order to summon Duga, the blood of the summoner must be offered.' Tepu thought. 'And when the circle is formed and the ancient chant of Duga has been recited, then the Heruka of Death and Pain shall ascend from Baaj, the land of the dead.'
Rokishimanate
He began to recite the ancient mantra of Duga.
Ieyui
Inner World
Duga wakes from his slumber. He heard his mantra. His hymn was answered. His summoner has formed the circle. A chain with an anchor came flying down. The anchor hooks to his lower jaw and slowly begins raising him up.
Feoh
His third eye opens with the eye of Duga, a light blue color with slit pupils. Chains came out of the circle and began to drag him down. An anchor fell from the sky. Alicia moves to the side as the anchor seemingly didn't crack the floor, but instead fell into a portal of some kind. The chain stopped before it began to slowly reverse. Then… just then, a mummified creature was being pulled up by the neck. Two blue folds like a venus flytrap framed the sides of the being. It's eyes opened as only half of the beast came out of the ground. It lets out a horrible shriek into the air.
Alicia didn't know why, but her body shook. Suddenly, she had seen for a split second, piles of corpses. Why she had that image was unknown to her and that… that terrified her. It was as though death just made itself known to the world. A horrid miasma surrounded the mummified creature.
"What the hell is that?" Volt asked.
"I don't know, but something tells me that we might be in for something bad." Kin said.
"Wait… three eyes! The damn monk's here!" Hicks said.
"Hicks,"
"Totally on it! Wanted to waste the bastard after pulling that damn cheap shot at you!" Hicks said as he ran off to the side.
Duga's third eye began to glow.
Oh, bringer of death,
Bringer of plagues,
Bringer of sorrow,
His third eye flashed. An invisible force came down on a group of Black Dog mercenaries behind several others. Suddenly, their bodies were completely crushed into nothing. A huge blast wave sent them flying.
Bring about the apocalypse,
Bring about the destruction,
Let there be pain and torment ,
For all deemed as great sinners,
Must now face great damnation,
By your crude punishments,
For sin has no place among the pure,
And the wicked will never rest.
The beast flashes his eye again, letting out a howling screech. Another blast of energy. He flashes his eye over and over again, destroying buildings and carving out pieces of the streets. Blood flowed from the third eye like tears.
Prim came up the walls to see Duga howling in pain. The beast began to stop. By the time Duga stopped, there was destruction. Parts of the city were obliterated and reduced to flaming rubble. Duga began to sink into the ground. Coming out was Tepu, being slowly risen from the ground. He had fully risen out of the ground and regained consciousness. Prim caught Tepu and held him up as he had lost his balance.
"Oh… so that is what it's like to not have legs…" Tepu said. "Now I wonder why Duga keeps his lower half around when it gives him no legs."
"Are you ok?" Prim asked.
"Yes… I just forgot I had legs just now." Tepu said. "Other than that, I'm fine."
A dagger came flying and Alicia was quick to knock it back. Hicks caught the dagger.
"Dang it, every time I do it someone just knocks it back. Am I doing something wrong again?" Hicks said to himself.
"I don't know, you tell me, treacherous mercenary dog." Alicia said. "Because you might be seeing the gallows very soon for this betrayal and for trying to take the life of a Princess Knight."
"What? I wasn't aiming at her, I was aiming for the three eyed monk over there." Hicks said. "But the plan's gone to hell, so I guess I'll have to force my way through."
A lightning bolt smacked him off the wall. He fell into a hay pile on a cart. He popped out of it. On the walls was none other than Olga Discordia holding aloft a staff with a glowing jewel.
"Well shit…" Hicks said. "We are fucked..."
"Bullshit…" Volt said to himself. "That's bullshit!"
"Well… it would seem now her powers have been restored." Kin said. "But they haven't restored her full magical might, but in these circumstances right now, a retreat is in order."
Volt was gripping his sword tightly. He looked at Olga in anger.
'Don't you dare look down on me…' Volt thought. 'I… I won't let you end my ambitions!'
"Volt. Let it go." Kin said.
Volt looked to Kin.
"We've lost. We can't fight under these conditions. The kid had us beat from the start. And obviously, it seems our mole got found out." Kin said. "We stay, we die."
Hicks ran over to the two.
"So uh… what are we doing?" Hicks asked.
"I have nothing that can beat her, even while her magical power hasn't been completely restored." Kin said. "We're getting out of here."
"But what about Beasley?!"
"He failed, that's what." Kin said. "We have no choice."
"DAMN YOU!" Volt yelled. "JUST BECAUSE YOU BEAT ME HERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CRUSHED MY AMBITIONS! HEAR ME?!"
'Pitiful man.' Olga thought. 'You've realized that you have lost and yet you prattle on like your ambition is unbreakable… How utterly pitiful.'
"THE NEXT TIME I TAKE YOU BITCHES ON, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'LL BE WHEN IM DONE WITH YOU!" Volt yelled.
"And so his intentions are made clear." Alicia said.
The Black Dogs began to retreat. The demons were right behind them. Alicia raised her sword into the air, letting its blade shine forth, signaling victory. Tepu turned to Olga.
"It seems you surprise me at every turn." Olga said. "It is a good thing you came here when the Black Dogs stormed my Citadel."
"Huh?"
"If it weren't for you, I'd have been no more than a plaything to them." Olga said. "You should rest."
"Yeah… whatever you say…"
"Lady Olga, I found someone that I think has been acting rather suspicious." Chloe said, dragging Beasley up here.
"B-Beasley! What the—"
"He almost lit powder barrels near the inner walls of the Citadel, so I stopped him." Chloe said.
"Did he now?" Olga asked. "Beasley was it? Have you ever known how Braska is known to kill people who betray others?"
"E-Eh?" Beasley asked.
"Well get this, his son likes to kill people who are traitors too." Olga said.
"And I found this in his pockets." Chloe said, pulling a bag of money.
"Beasley! How could you! I—! The people trusted you! I trusted you! Prim trusted you!" Alicia said. "How could you—?!"
"YOU ARE THE CELERY STICK THAT BROKE THE BACK OF A SEA URCHIN!" A fully angered Tepu said, clashing his sword against one another.
Olga erected magical chains to hold Tepu back.
"Now if you don't want me to let him loose, start talking." Olga said.
"I… I…" Beasley said. "I'LL DO ANYTHING! JUST DON'T KILL ME!"
He cried a river of tears.
"Shut him up." Olga said.
"With. Pleasure." Chloe said before knocking the man out cold.
"You'd let a wicked traitor live?!" Tepu asked lividly. "Does whatever god you worship allow this sort of shameful action go unnoticed?!"
"We have laws here." Alicia said. "He'll be punished, but not with a sudden blade at his throat."
"Please… Tepu. Let him go. He's not worth it." Prim said.
"L-Lady Prim…" Tepu said. "I see… I was… wrong to believe that… but would Itia forgive such actions?"
"Trust me priest, he'll get his share of punishments. I'll see to it myself that he gets a fate worse than death." Alicia said. "And that's either imprisonment or exile."
She looked to the knight commander.
"Begin assessing casualties." Alicia said.
"Yes your highness." The commander said.
She sighed.
"Lady Lucross is not going to be happy with the news I bear." Alicia said.
"No need, I'll tell her myself." Olga said.
"Y-You're going to Ken? But what if—?"
"Chloe, why do you think I let the boy take us here?" Olga asked.
"You mean… you wish to…"
"Yes… better to make amends now than later." Olga said. "And boy, you get some rest. You deserve it."
"Y-Yes…" Tepu said.
And with that, the battle was over. Prim looked to Tepu. She could see signs of strain on his body. Such frightening power… and such a dastardly cost to use it.
A/N: And thus we bore witness to Tepu basically pulling Anima out of his ass and killing everything because hey Anima did that after the Blitzball tournament, ya?
Beasley's a dead mofo
Nuff said.
Rolf reference
I mean... it's hard to resist throwing them out there.
And... that's everything. Until next time folks.