Chapter Eleven
By Genavere
"Yumemi!"
Her body went flying towards the wall.
In that moment, everything stopped and nothing else mattered. Not their enemy, whose body flew backwards away from them.
Not the hidden ship in their realm that raised security concerns and questions that he had no answers for.
Not even the kingdom or the heavens mattered in that moment.
All that mattered was protecting the very person he vowed to keep safe and to treasure. The mother of his child. The one who captured his heart and had shown him so many new things and made him realize all the hidden potential in the world.
A heavy weight pressed inward as he pressed down into the ground and used the force to propel himself faster towards her. It was that stone he had felt since the night of the nightmare and in those split seconds it felt like a boulder dragging him down, slowing the swiftness he needed.
Arms wrapped around her lithe body, pulling her in close as his feet hit the ground and he slid to a halt. He held her tight, chest heaving as he tried to control his breathing from both the rage burning in his chest and physical exertion.
He caught her…she was in his arms again. Even with the heavy copper of blood, he could smell her scent as he lifted her up as he stood.
"Munto…"
"I'm here," he kissed her forehead. Golden eyes snapped up and narrowed on Gntarl. "I am here."
The sound of her crying did nothing to smother the burn in him. "Shh, no more harm will come to you," he vowed. "Shuza will take care of you while I finish your fight. You won't be far from me."
He pulled her closer when he felt her take a shuddered breath and go limp against him. A moment passed as he held his own. Fate could not be cruel enough to take her from him now.
No, she still breathed, he could hear the raggedness with each shallow breath, and that gave him some dreaded relief.
"Shuza," The large healer appeared next to him and took her carefully from his king. "Take care of her, but do not leave the area. Rui will guard you both."
"Understood, Lord Munto."
A feral need to protect and remove any threats brought a growl from his throat.
His heart had nearly stopped beating when they watched the explosion from the outlining island and he had forced his body to go faster than he had ever gone before, leaving behind those who followed him.
Of course, it had to be the furthest island from the main land, and as he approached, he understood why no one had thought much of it during the search.
While he knew it was a ship from the vision, whoever had planned this had terraformed the island to fit the ship in it. The outside hull that would be visible had been completely transformed to look like the island, with trees, rocks, and even flowers growing on it.
Someone had done that without them knowing. They had taken the time to ensure a measure of security in their devices and stay hidden while in plain sight.
Several issues would be needed to be addressed to keep anything like this from happening again.
Where the explosion occurred, a dissipating dust cloud revealed a massacre of bodies slowly dissolving into crystals. Their mangled bodies were surrounded by the scattered debris that had been part of the ship. Other pools of blood showed where other bodies had previously been before dissipating.
From the crystals, he knew none of them were who he sought, and he ducked into the newly created hole to continue looking. The others could catch up. He would not wait.
Once his eyes adjusted to the dark, he immediately recognized the hallway and went to the destroyed cell to look inside. More puddles stained the floor, these ones with needles laying in them. If the stains were the bodies of those guards he had watched joke about having a queen, he felt little remorse that they were nothing but shards now.
From the destruction and not seeing his wife around, he had a feeling that she was the one that caused it and a sense of pride filled him. Now, if only he could find her.
Stepping from the cell, his eyes caught the sight of the bloody footprints. His heart clench. "Yumemi." He flew swiftly over the trail, determined to get to the owner of them before anything else could happen to her.
Sounds of a struggle perked his ears, drawing him to the bridge. The moment he stepped into the threshold, he briefly caught the sight of his wife and Gntarl struggling over a staff.
Then it exploded. The force from it was immense.
And her body went flying.
But he had caught her. She was safe and being tended to now by Shuza.
And he was able to challenge the enemy who dared take her from her home and injure her.
"Gntarl," he growled. "This will be the last time you will ever harm Yumemi."
The old commander pushed himself up and took an unsteady step back. Blood ran down his face. "Munto," he grasped for the railing to find his bearing. "You—you should not have been able to find this place!"
"Yet here I am," he stepped forward, bringing a swell of magic to his hand.
"I wouldn't!" Gntarl pulled himself forward and grabbed his sword from the command post. "This place, any surge of power could cause destruction to parts of the ship you don't expect." A crazed grin spread almost ear to ear. "That girl and you…are a blight on this world. Yet, you are predictable and I am certain she is close."
Munto did not know if what he said was true, but he could not risk her safety anymore than it already had been. He stared at the sword Gntarl gripped.
He had taken lessons for all forms of weapons and fighting, but it had been years since he had practiced sword fighting. Next time Lecia offered to spar with him, he would need to take up the offer.
The swirl of Akuto in his hand spread over his forearm and extended over his elbow and formed down into a long blade passed his fingers. It offered a guard and weapon in one arm while the other could be used for offense, if he was able to get in close.
Gntarl face fell at the sight of the weapon. "No, you lay down and die as the curse you are!" Spital flew from his lips as he snarled. "Without you, your parents would never have sacrificed themselves and I would still hold my power, I would be absolute!"
"You would be a dead fool," he answered coldly and looked at the old man with dark eyes. "But you already are."
Gntarl's eyes widened only for a moment before letting out another snarl. He settled into a well-known sword pose and inhaled. Feet pushed off the ground towards his enemy. The sword was thrusted out and aimed at the mass of the target. It was time to remove this blight from the Heavens.
Munto stepped to the side elegantly and avoided the attack for his stomach. Defense was simple, like a dance, and was the same as fighting against bullets or magic attacks. The next blow sent sparks around them as the magical weapon blocked steel. They maneuvered together, continuing their deadly ballet.
Though aged considerably, he knew the ex-commander had been a well-trained soldier before he made it through the ranks. If he underestimated him, it could turn the fight in the other's favor. That was something he could not allow to happen.
He had to be smart about this as he continued to block attacks and managed to get in a few himself.
Using his full power was out of the question, not with Yumemi so close and her condition. Another blow came down from above, he caught it against the blade along his forearm and shoved back. It sent the other reeling back several steps.
Yumemi…
How many days had she screamed in pain?
His lip curled up in a snarl. Stepping forward, he brought his blade down hard in a counterattack designed to push the enemy back.
What unseen damages had he inflicted upon her?
Another blow was blocked, but the confidence in the commander's eyes shifted.
A thought entered his mind that truly terrified him. What if after everything that had been done to her under Gntarl's orders their child had been lost? The protective spell and her body could only endure and do so much.
Summoning all of his anger, he brought his sword down hard against Gntarl's stance. They both pushed back against each other, straining their bodies and weapons to the max. But he was done with this.
He let up just enough to give the man a sense of satisfaction of pushing him back…as his other hand came up and released a small burst of Akuto that sent the commander flying back. His sword scattered across the floor several feet away.
Charging another attack, he looked at the old fool and felt little sympathy. He was not a worthy opponent, and in that moment, he was clearly outmatched. But his crimes were too great. He had ruthlessly kidnapped and tortured a pregnant woman, who happened to also be the reigning queen of the Magical Kingdom and of the Heavens. While he sought the destruction of the forementioned kingdom.
"Ex-Commander Gntarl, as King of the Heavens and of the Magical Kingdom, I deem your actions to be an offense worthy of death and deem your life forfeit," he proclaimed. "What are your last words?"
Gntarl stared up at him with wild eyes. "Do not feel comfortable, boy, your world will only crumble around you. Having such power will only attract more to come. The talons have been set and already taken hold, and she will be ripped from you again."
He pushed himself up, his arms outstretched. "My power will be absolute, and you will forever look over your shoulder because neither of you will ever be safe. The Magical Kingdom will fall because of your foolishness!"
"You promised that when I was a child," he raised his arm and stared at the man who had tormented him since his parents' sacrifice. "Yet, here I stand."
He released the bolt and watched him crumpled to the floor. There was no relief at his death, just a quite calm. He turned to some of his mages as they entered the bridge now that the fighting had finished. "I want this place investigated fully. No piece of evidence is to be left behind and I want all of it present to me."
He looked at the staff he had seen Yumemi holding before it exploded. "I want every piece of that gathered, as well. Leave none of it here."
He hurried out of the command post and quickly found Shuza tending to Yumemi in the hallway. Blankets had been found and wrapped around her tightly. Before he had not been able to actually see her. His chest constricted at the sight of her bruised and cut face, it was easy to tell she had been starved by her hallow cheeks. "How is she?"
Shuza and Rui turned to him, both gave him a somber look.
"Her condition is critical, milord," Shuza answered. "We need to get her back to the palace immediate and begin an intensive care treatment on her."
He did not need to hear anymore. Pushing passed them, he carefully gathered Yumemi into his arms and cradling her against his chest. Her head rested on his chest and his heart tightened. "Rui, stay here and ensure the investigation is handled properly. I want someone I can trust here."
"Of course," he bowed.
"Shuza, with me." He flew up, pushing himself through the hallway quickly feeling that each second that ticked by was precious and not one to be wasted. He would not lose her now that he had just gotten her back.
