Timeline: after the boys realize where Rowen is [episode 8] and after Talpa speaks those foreboding words "Doubt will be your downfall, Anubis" [episode 9]
CHAPTER 2:
Wildfire must die
It was a rare occurrence these days, which was why Kale savored every moment of it. Talpa's castle, albeit dark, gloomy and in less than perfect repair, came with a few small luxuries. And one of those were the hot springs that welled up from somewhere and filled several shallow bathing pools with strong smelling, almost scalding hot water that relaxed battle weary muscles and soothed stressed souls. A favorite retreat of all the Warlords, certainly Kale's. Taking over the mortal realm kept him busy and didn't leave much time for a leisurely soak, which was why he truly savored every moment of it, so much so that he promised harsh punishment to all intruders and usually went out of his way to avoid company. Usually.
The vision across from him hadn't done anything to disturb the carefully guarded peace and quiet, though. As a matter of fact, if only Kale could have closed his eyes, he would have forgotten that there was another body sharing the hot water. But closing his eyes was the very last thing on his mind. Instead he took advantage of the moment and stared. At first he had carefully glanced from beneath lowered lashes since openly staring was rude - Warlord or not, he had a minimum of manners - but Anubis hadn't moved a muscle in ... well, since he had shown up.
He was meditating, breathing evenly, face devoid of any expression, eyes closed, which gave Kale the rare chance to completely enjoy the vision his eyes were presented with. Red hair dark with moisture plastered to his forehead, a stark contrast to the alabaster skin. A face so young, barely older than those of the pesky 'Ronin rodents'. Kale chuckled to himself. Sehkmet surely had a way with words!
His eyes, alight with desire, traveled down that young face, taking in wet hair clinging to an exposed neck and shoulders. Ah, skin unmarred by imperfections. Slowly following the curve of that neck back up again, Kale noticed a sudden change. A slight frown, barely there, a tiny dip of elegant brows. Afraid Anubis might open his eyes and find him drooling, he began to study his toes through the hot water. He wondered what had disturbed Anubis' meditation.
"Doubt will be your downfall." Anubis could still hear Talpa's condescending voice prophesizing. Doubt will be your downfall. Over and over again. Like the mantra he had used to start his meditation: Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die. It wasn't his usual mantra, but soaking his aching limbs in water barely below scalding might have made him think of his all too close encounter with the volcano, which in turn got his tired mind hooked on Wildfire, that insolent boy. And since his mind already strayed, it had only been a few scattered thoughts later that Talpa's voice had entered the fray. Doubt will be your downfall. But he didn't doubt, did he? Did he?
Of course, he didn't. He couldn't. How could he? He had sworn himself to Talpa, had sworn to loyally follow wherever his master led him. He trusted Talpa, trusted his ability to lead them, to defeat those 'Ronin rodents.' Sehkmet! Annoyed Anubis reigned his thoughts in. Talpa was going to be Emperor of All and he, Anubis, would be there to see it happen. So long ago Talpa had seen in him ... what? A brilliant mind for war coupled with enough ambition to see him through the ranks, to make him Demon General, to lead those other three. They ... they weren't as devoted as he was. They vied for free time, spent it occupied with frivolous things. Fun, Kale called it. Ha. Distractions, that's what they were. He didn't care to spend time and effort pursuing trivial things; it took all he had to become the very best warrior he could be, to fulfill his promise to Talpa.
In the beginning he hadn't cared as much. He'd been young. He had enjoyed Kale and his fun, had enjoyed fooling around with the others, following their lead and partaking in their childish horseplay. But he could not suppress his ambition for long, could not deny his true nature. Being the youngest, the most inexperienced, he had to work hard to become who he was today. He was dedicated and eager. In his book there was no such thing as half-hearted devotion, which was exactly what Kale and his friends were trying to get away with.
No, there had never been any doubt in his mind. How could he doubt himself? That would mean to question Talpa's belief in him. And to question Talpa was ... well, that simply wasn't done. Yet his master had seen fit to ... 'Doubt will be your downfall, Anubis.'
Kale watched the slight frown deepen and was suddenly awash with emotions he had long thought forgotten. He hadn't always watched Anubis from beneath his lashes. There had been a time when the man who now commanded him had been only to willing to be a part of his fun. But ambition and a zealous devotion to his warrior's creed had slowly changed the young General. Kale forced his thoughts into another direction. He didn't want to analyze Anubis' need to starve himself of all that kept him human.
Getting his thoughts onto a different track was easy. All it took was one look really. Ah. He barely suppressed a sigh. That hair. Red as the blood that still ran though his veins. He could deny it all he wanted to, he was still human and his hair - to Kale, at least - was a banner of that humanity. Defying convention; as vibrant and alive as Anubis had once been. Soft as silk. He couldn't stop the quiet chuckle as he remembered Anubis' howl of anguish when he had noticed his singed hair after his battle with Ryo of the Wildfire. It was rather poetic, Kale thought. The silken strands, fiery red, nearly destroyed by Wildfire and his lava.
While Kale contemplated silk and Wildfire, so did Anubis. His thoughts had returned to his earlier chant. Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die. Because it was all his fault. Not enough that he had planted whatever doubt Talpa had spotted in him, no, there was another completely ridiculous notion running rampant in his brain, also Wildfire's fault.
Anubis couldn't quite remember who had asked the question. Hardrock, he thought, but he wasn't sure. His attention had been riveted by Wildfire's answer. Floating in space, sleeping among the stars, he had figured it might be like sleeping between silk sheets. His comrades had laughed. Anubis sneered.
Kale's eyebrows shot up. So much for meditation. Little did he know that Anubis fought hard to suppress the sudden urge to raid the castle for silk sheets. Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die...
CHAPTER 2:
Wildfire must die
It was a rare occurrence these days, which was why Kale savored every moment of it. Talpa's castle, albeit dark, gloomy and in less than perfect repair, came with a few small luxuries. And one of those were the hot springs that welled up from somewhere and filled several shallow bathing pools with strong smelling, almost scalding hot water that relaxed battle weary muscles and soothed stressed souls. A favorite retreat of all the Warlords, certainly Kale's. Taking over the mortal realm kept him busy and didn't leave much time for a leisurely soak, which was why he truly savored every moment of it, so much so that he promised harsh punishment to all intruders and usually went out of his way to avoid company. Usually.
The vision across from him hadn't done anything to disturb the carefully guarded peace and quiet, though. As a matter of fact, if only Kale could have closed his eyes, he would have forgotten that there was another body sharing the hot water. But closing his eyes was the very last thing on his mind. Instead he took advantage of the moment and stared. At first he had carefully glanced from beneath lowered lashes since openly staring was rude - Warlord or not, he had a minimum of manners - but Anubis hadn't moved a muscle in ... well, since he had shown up.
He was meditating, breathing evenly, face devoid of any expression, eyes closed, which gave Kale the rare chance to completely enjoy the vision his eyes were presented with. Red hair dark with moisture plastered to his forehead, a stark contrast to the alabaster skin. A face so young, barely older than those of the pesky 'Ronin rodents'. Kale chuckled to himself. Sehkmet surely had a way with words!
His eyes, alight with desire, traveled down that young face, taking in wet hair clinging to an exposed neck and shoulders. Ah, skin unmarred by imperfections. Slowly following the curve of that neck back up again, Kale noticed a sudden change. A slight frown, barely there, a tiny dip of elegant brows. Afraid Anubis might open his eyes and find him drooling, he began to study his toes through the hot water. He wondered what had disturbed Anubis' meditation.
"Doubt will be your downfall." Anubis could still hear Talpa's condescending voice prophesizing. Doubt will be your downfall. Over and over again. Like the mantra he had used to start his meditation: Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die. It wasn't his usual mantra, but soaking his aching limbs in water barely below scalding might have made him think of his all too close encounter with the volcano, which in turn got his tired mind hooked on Wildfire, that insolent boy. And since his mind already strayed, it had only been a few scattered thoughts later that Talpa's voice had entered the fray. Doubt will be your downfall. But he didn't doubt, did he? Did he?
Of course, he didn't. He couldn't. How could he? He had sworn himself to Talpa, had sworn to loyally follow wherever his master led him. He trusted Talpa, trusted his ability to lead them, to defeat those 'Ronin rodents.' Sehkmet! Annoyed Anubis reigned his thoughts in. Talpa was going to be Emperor of All and he, Anubis, would be there to see it happen. So long ago Talpa had seen in him ... what? A brilliant mind for war coupled with enough ambition to see him through the ranks, to make him Demon General, to lead those other three. They ... they weren't as devoted as he was. They vied for free time, spent it occupied with frivolous things. Fun, Kale called it. Ha. Distractions, that's what they were. He didn't care to spend time and effort pursuing trivial things; it took all he had to become the very best warrior he could be, to fulfill his promise to Talpa.
In the beginning he hadn't cared as much. He'd been young. He had enjoyed Kale and his fun, had enjoyed fooling around with the others, following their lead and partaking in their childish horseplay. But he could not suppress his ambition for long, could not deny his true nature. Being the youngest, the most inexperienced, he had to work hard to become who he was today. He was dedicated and eager. In his book there was no such thing as half-hearted devotion, which was exactly what Kale and his friends were trying to get away with.
No, there had never been any doubt in his mind. How could he doubt himself? That would mean to question Talpa's belief in him. And to question Talpa was ... well, that simply wasn't done. Yet his master had seen fit to ... 'Doubt will be your downfall, Anubis.'
Kale watched the slight frown deepen and was suddenly awash with emotions he had long thought forgotten. He hadn't always watched Anubis from beneath his lashes. There had been a time when the man who now commanded him had been only to willing to be a part of his fun. But ambition and a zealous devotion to his warrior's creed had slowly changed the young General. Kale forced his thoughts into another direction. He didn't want to analyze Anubis' need to starve himself of all that kept him human.
Getting his thoughts onto a different track was easy. All it took was one look really. Ah. He barely suppressed a sigh. That hair. Red as the blood that still ran though his veins. He could deny it all he wanted to, he was still human and his hair - to Kale, at least - was a banner of that humanity. Defying convention; as vibrant and alive as Anubis had once been. Soft as silk. He couldn't stop the quiet chuckle as he remembered Anubis' howl of anguish when he had noticed his singed hair after his battle with Ryo of the Wildfire. It was rather poetic, Kale thought. The silken strands, fiery red, nearly destroyed by Wildfire and his lava.
While Kale contemplated silk and Wildfire, so did Anubis. His thoughts had returned to his earlier chant. Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die. Because it was all his fault. Not enough that he had planted whatever doubt Talpa had spotted in him, no, there was another completely ridiculous notion running rampant in his brain, also Wildfire's fault.
Anubis couldn't quite remember who had asked the question. Hardrock, he thought, but he wasn't sure. His attention had been riveted by Wildfire's answer. Floating in space, sleeping among the stars, he had figured it might be like sleeping between silk sheets. His comrades had laughed. Anubis sneered.
Kale's eyebrows shot up. So much for meditation. Little did he know that Anubis fought hard to suppress the sudden urge to raid the castle for silk sheets. Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die. Wildfire must die...