** disclaimer: Digimon does not belong to me. Takeru, Hikari and Cody doesn't belong to me. If they did, I'd be rich. So leave me alone you vultures!
Pilgrimage: Chapter Two
By: TK Takaishi
Even before Takeru had finished his first word, Kari already had her wakizashi drawn. The instant he thought "left", the girl was already turning to face the threat. And before the blond prince had finished his mental sentence, she was already summoning her stand.
And suddenly, instead of three travelers under attack, there were four.
With a blinding flash of radiance, white light cascaded in waves across the night sands. Beside Kari, a large, ephemeral cat-beast emerged, it's tiger's face snarling. Lethal claws burned themselves into the ground as great white wings spread out into the night, blazing with a luminescence that illuminated the entire scene. Of one accord, both stand-master and stand gestured sharply.
There was a high-pitched whirring noise, and a line of small explosions rippled rapidly across the sand of the left dune, throwing up a veritable wall of dust. Several screams and surprised shrieks rewarded Kari's attack as five black shapes were thrown back by the unexpected strike.
But Takeru was not looking. Even as Kari drove back the attackers to the left, the boy was already throwing himself backwards, launching straight into a back-flip from a sitting position, his katana clearing its sheath with breathtaking speed. Several arrows missed the twisting prince by a mile. Landing on his feet, Takeru broke out in an all-out sprint for Cody. "Cody! Wake up! We're under attack!!"
Jerking awake abruptly, the Taelidani boy took only a moment to reorient. Dark shapes were beginning to scale the dunes, closing in an ever-tighter circle around them. And for a horrible moment, he thought he was back in the caravan, about to witness his fellow travellers, father and sister get slaughtered all over again. "Takeru?!" he called out in a terrified voice. "Takeru?!"
"I'm here, Cody!"
In the dim starlight, all Cody could see of the mysterious attackers were dark silhouettes. The only details he could discern were the ragged dark robes they wore, and the motley array of weapons they wielded, from swords, to spears, to bow and arrow. And as the boy watched, several of the shapes stopped, and put arrows to their bows. Stretching the bowstring taut, they took aim at the running figure of Takeru.
"Takeru! To your righ-"
Hissing like angry hornets, three arrows whizzed across the night air. In slow motion, the desert boy saw Takeru turn, the blond rurouni's mouth opening in a savage cry of defiance. In horror, Cody covered his mouth, expecting to see Takeru impaled through the chest with the barbed missiles.
Instead, the arrows stopped dead in midair.
Cody was forced to shield his eyes as a blinding golden flash filled his vision. Just like Kari, another explosion of light blazed in the dark desert. A high-pitched humming could be heard above the confusion. The yells of surprised attackers filled the air as the charging men stopped in their tracks. For what had started out as an attack on three targets, had abruptly turned to five.
Takeru had summoned his stand.
Suspended in the air above the boy's shoulders, the humanoid stand spread its six wings protectively over the young stand-master, a golden staff clutched tightly in his hands. A steel visor covered the angel's eyes, and ancient runes and mysterious symbols burned and shimmered on the stand's armour, shifting like icy water until finally solidifying into recognizable script. A flowing blue sash was wound around the angel's arm and torso. With a slight hand gesture, the stand effortlessly snapped all three arrows in half. The severed pieces dropped to the ground like so much firewood.
Stunned, Cody sunk down onto his knees. What the hell just happened? Takeru and Kari have STANDS! Just like…just like…the T'rakuls…
To the left, Kari was still battling with the mysterious attackers, sparks flying from her whirling wakizashi. To the boy's eyes, a ripple of distorted air surrounded the steel as it struck a startled enemy's sword three times in rapid succession. The viciou blows wrenched the sword out of his grip, and before the man could blink, Kari neatly clipped his temple with the flat of her blade. Even before he had fallen to the ground, the girl flung her arm out to the left, and her stand charged straight into another startled group of men trying to surround her, hurling bodies left and right with animalistic strength. Nobody could touch her. Heeding Takeru's advice however, she struck with nothing but the dull side of her blade. And her stand's claws remained firmly sheathed.
One man sneaked up behind her, and slipped a greased wire around her neck. Kari choked as she felt it start to constrict, but she didn't pause. With a flash of light, her stand appeared beside her and dealt the man a mighty blow with its paw. As the man staggered, Kari turned around, and dealt him a swift blow to the temple with the hilt of her wakizashi. The man collapsed onto the ground, and did not get up again.
Cody could only stare numbly. Stands. Just like the T'rakuls. But they don't fight the same! I've seen both T'rakuls fight before. I've seen both of them summon their stands. If Takeru and Kari are anything like them, this fight would be over by now. Then why-
Suddenly, a diffuse golden glow flickered on the edge of his vision. Turning, Cody gasped as he saw Takeru standing right beside him, the snow white wings of the prince's stand sheltering the small desert boy protectively. Takeru's drawn katana shimmered lightly in the reflected light. "Are you all right?"
The boy tried to speak through his dry throat. "I…I…I'm not hurt, if-"
"Good." Scanning the approaching desert bandits, Takeru swore softly under his breath. "Get ready to run…"
Something's wrong…Takeru and Kari don't have to run. If they're truly stand-masters, then they're not really in any danger!
Is it because of me? Are they trying to run, just to protect me?
"Takeru? Wha…what is that… thing above your shoulder…"
"Cody, I'll explain everything later." The blond boy replied tersely. Another volley of arrows sped through the night, aimed at Takeru. The attacker's charge had slowed drastically, but they were still firing missiles. Instinctively, Cody ducked, but the shafts were swept away effortlessly by one of the angel's wings.
"For now, you'll just have to trust me. This 'thing' as you called it, is friendly." Gritting his teeth, Takeru looked around wildly. The circle of attackers were slowly starting to close in again.
Dammit. If they keep coming like that, I don't think I can hold them off without killing them…
My thoughts exactly.
All of a sudden, Kari was beside the duo, her own stand blazing beside her. Squaring off back-to-back, Takeru and Kari faced opposite directions, with Cody safely sheltered between them. Takeru, I can't hold them at a distance. And if they actually manage to charge us, I don't think I can protect Cody without…
The boy interrupted her. "Wait, look! They've stopped!"
It was true. The people had stopped advancing, and were now standing in a silent circle around the three, beleaguered travelers. None of them showed any intention of letting them through alive, however. The grim, silent faces flickered in the light of the forgotten campfire. For a moment, nobody moved.
Takeru! Now!
A flash of sadness raced through the girl's mind, transmitted from Takeru. Almost like a mental sigh. Kari, he thought deliberately, as if the girl had not spoken. On my mark, fire into the ground in front of them. Throw up a smoke screen like you did before.
Then what?
"Then break right. I've got Cody."
We stand more of a chance of getting hurt than they do!!
"Kari…"
Looking back and forth between Takeru and Kari, Cody frowned deeply in confusion. "Huh?" Ignoring him, the girl gritted her teeth. Her silence was acquiescence enough.
Now.
In perfect unison, both Takeru and Kari's stands drew themselves up to their full height. The golden and white auras blazed even brighter as the stands launched their attacks; Takeru's stand a brilliant golden-white beam from its hand; Kari's stand a blazing white shower of jagged shards from its mouth. Both attacks streaked towards the ground in front of their attacker's feet.
They never reached it.
To both stand-master's utter amazement, two matching beams streaked out of the dark ranks of the surrounding men, and struck down their attacks in midair. A shimmering, crimson beam met Takeru's golden beam head-on, while a series of reddish-orange darts neatly clipped each one of Kari's explosive shards. As a small explosion rocked the landscape, and both Takeru and Kari recoiled sharply from having their attacks cancelled so neatly. Wide-eyed, they stared at one another.
"What the hell was that?!!"
**********
Praetor Caylor Ga'artred watched impassively as a dark army, not unlike his own, approached steadily in the distance. In the inky black night, their lighted fire-torches flickered in the distance, their soft blows akin to floating fireflies. Far ahead of those marching troops, a small entourage of mounted soldiers sped towards the Praetor's own division. Their flying hooves creating a cloud of dust that gleamed silver in the starlight.
"Looks like Praetor Karensky is eager to see you, sir." Locke commented dryly beside the dark lord. Both of them were dressed in full dress uniform. Locke, in his Centurion's armour, with the battle-mask tucked under his arm. Caylor was dressed in his usual dark tunic, cloak and mask. "Even in the middle of the night, he would insist upon a meeting."
Caylor grunted. "He hardly has to send cavalry out to meet me. If he would just be content to wait a couple hours, he would've seen me anyway. In the morning, when it's light. I certainly wouldn't have expended the effort."
"Yes sir. But Praetor Karensky has hardly been known to wait for anyone. It appears he hasn't changed."
Caylor smiled. "No, he has not."
Then they both watched in silence as the glowing fire-torches approached. The outlying sentries of Caylor's camp began sounding trumpets to announce the arrival of the Praetor. A steady drum-beat filled the air, the slow tattoo heralding the approach of the mounted officers. As Karensky galloped into the middle of Caylor's camp with his little entourage, soldiers stepped out of the way in respect. And as he neared Caylor himself, Caylor got his first good look at Karensky in more than a year.
He had not changed much. Karensky's wild mane of brown hair waved as he abruptly reigned in his war-horse. A cloud of dust was kicked up as his steed skidded to a stop. He too was dressed in the default dark tunic of the Praetor. Unlike Caylor however, the older Praetor had chosen to decorate himself with a golden sash across his chest, and a fine, jewel-encrusted scimitar hung at his side. As he dismounted, Locke saw that lightweight blood-red armour, so dark as to be almost black, protected Karensky's chest and shoulders.
As he saw Caylor, the larger man flung his arms out wide with a hearty grin. "Ah! Caylor! It has been a long time."
But something in Caylor's cool nod stopped Karensky from actually embracing him. In contrast to the flamboyant and brash man, his conservatism was even more pronounced. "We have not met since we left Akeldama together, more than a year ago now."
It was true. None of the five mobile army corps had operated together since the beginning of their three year mission. They had been in infrequent contact, and rare but regular contact with Akeldama itself, through messengers. And for the first year, the Emperor had let his Praetors do what they wished, wreaking havoc in their little corner of Gaea. Never quite getting drawn out into a proper battle, but small raids and skirmishes along the edges of borders.
Preparing the way for the real invasion.
Just like it had been done five hundred years ago.
Karensky stared at Caylor. "You haven't changed. Still wearing that mask of yours, I see. Still as cold a fish as I've ever seen. Always so careful."
Caylor smiled thinly. "It has kept me and my men alive thus far."
Karensky's narrow eyes glinted as he smiled. His fine, blue cloak ruffled in the light breeze. "Indeed it has. And I trust the mission is going well?"
"All things considered, yes. We have not lost so far, I have not lost a single column yet, and the entire Novinha mountain range region is plunged into war."
The other's coal-black eyes narrowed slightly at the masked Praetor's words. "Yes, I did not believe you when your message told me you still had your full seven columns. For a young, starting Praetor like you, you are certainly making a name for yourself. The Emperor is pleased.
"Let us make this assault just one more success to add to our mission."
Caylor nodded politely, completely unflattered by the praise. He knew, better than most, how the Emperor felt due to his mindlink. By the time Karensky had heard of the Emperor's orders through messenger, the first real ones in an entire year, Caylor himself had already known for a month through his stand's ability to commune on the plane of thought.
But for a brief moment, he wondered why Karensky would feel it necessary to flatter him. He was at least ten years the other's junior, and certainly not that experienced yet. Perhaps my reputation is spreading faster than I thought, he mused to himself.
"Why don't we talk inside?" Caylor said instead, extending a hand towards his tent. "We need to discuss how much we have in terms of resources together. But most of all, we need to discuss how to take Sai Auia. Your entourage is welcome in my camp."
"The very reason why I came." Turning, Karensky dismissed his entourage, then strode with Caylor into his tent. Without hesitation, Locke fell into step with the two Praetors.
As the Centurion tried to walk into Caylor's tent however, Karensky stopped him. "Caylor, will you allow this? A junior officer has no place at high-ranking dealings like this. Go outside, soldier."
Locke seethed inside. This stranger was assuming to walk into Caylor's army, and decide that things were going to run according to his will only. But he kept his comments in check. He was, after all, a Centurion, and Karensky was Praetor. Turning on his heel, he prepared to leave.
But Caylor didn't stand for it either. "Centurion Locke is a trusted advisor of mine," he said firmly. "I have found his input and his advice invaluable on many occasions. I assure you he will not get in the way."
Karensky stared at Locke for a long hard moment with a cold, calculating glare. "If you say so," he agreed slowly. Without further invitation, he strode into Caylor's tent. "Let's get down to work."
Caylor and Locke exchanged a glance, then followed Karensky in. Caylor adjusted a lamp lifted on a pole, and a brilliant light flared up, driving the shadows in the tent away. Karensky pulled out a map and spread it out on the low bench within the tent.
"What do we know about Ichijouji thus far?" Caylor started as he sat down beside the bench.
Karensky rearranged his blue cloak as he spoke. "One of the greater kingdoms in Gaea, though the Ichijouji family is not a stand bloodline. Despite this, they were still one of the most
Caylor nodded, but as he opened his mouth to speak, Locke interrupted.
"But sir, I have a concern." Now that both Praetors were here, the Centurion felt it was time to ask the question. "What exactly is the point of simply destroying Sai Auia, and leaving? There is nothing vital in that city which would undermine Ichijouji's ability to wage war. Nothing really worth destroying. Certainly, it would be a huge blow to the people but not to their military."
Caylor and Karensky looked at one another. Karensky's expression was hard, but Caylor's face, or what Locke could see of it under his mask, seemed almost amused. "Centurion," Karensky began, "It is not your place to question- "
"It's all right Praetor," Caylor said softly. "Please…continue."
Locke began to feel nervous, but he pressed on anyway. "Sir, if we are trying to start a war, a full-scale assault with over a thousand two hundred soldiers is unwise. Sai Auia is a major target, and the outlying villages, outside the city walls…we would never be able to silence all the witnesses, and blame it on another country. With the stealth cloak, it is possible, but very dangerous. A series of small raids and skirmishes of outlying villages would serve the same purpose, with only one third the risk of being discovered."
He stopped, but Caylor still said nothing. Instead, the Praetor nodded. Encouraged, Locke kept on talking, his voice gathering confidence.
"The only other reason for an attack would be to gain territory – and that would be sheer lunacy." Locke began to tick off his fingers one by one. "We have no base camp, no platform in Gaea, only on Akeldama. We have no reinforcements. The closest friendly armies are at least a month away. We have no supply lines that extend that deep into Ichijoujan territory. We certainly don't stand a chance at holding the city for any appreciable length of time. Isolated, and without reinforcements, all Ichijouji would have to do to take the city back would be to lay siege to it again. The Ichijoujan army is hardly something to be ignored."
Locke took a deep breath. "I…I don't understand the purpose of this attack, sirs. It seems doomed to fail."
Karensky's eyes narrowed. "Caylor, I told you we should not allow junior officers in on this meeting. We should not have to justify our decisions in front of soldiers."
Locke felt his rage beginning to boil over. It was not Karensky's approval he wished to seek, it was Caylor's. And not for the first time, the Centurion reflected that he really didn't like this new Praetor at all.
Caylor however, shook his head. "I believe that soldiers work best when they understand what they are fighting for," he told Karensky calmly. "Secrets can only create divisions within an army." Turning to Locke, the Praetor fixed Locke with a piercing gaze. "Then why do you think we're mounting this attack?"
The Centurion drew himself up. "I think," he said firmly, "that for once, we are not trying to start a war after all. And that there is more to Sai Auia than meets the eye."
The corners of Caylor's lips curved up slightly in a small smile. "In any other situation, this would be an abysmally stupid move. But we are not simply spreading pointless mass destruction, despite what you think. In time, as inevitabilities tumble into place, the reason for this attack will become clear.
"The Emperor has decreed that this city be destroyed for a specific purpose.
"And it has to do with one very special person by the name of Ken Ichijouji."
**********
It was hard to tell who was more surprised, Takeru and Kari, or the two mysterious stand-masters that had stopped their attacks.
For a few seconds after the explosion of stand-attacks, stunned silence reigned on the battlefield. It was the first time Takeru and Kari had ever faced off against someone with similar powers. Likewise, the two startled stand-masters on the attackers' side had never met someone who could stop their attack.
As the dust settled, Takeru got his first good look at his opponent. A young woman with long, violet-coloured hair emerged from the dust about twenty meters in front of him, her rose aura flashing violently. In her hand, she clutched a long bow, with an arrow notched onto the bowstring. Her stand, resembling a beast with the upper body of a hawk, and the lower body of a lion, stood warily beside her. A strange steel mask covered is face, leaving its wickedly curved beak exposed. A griffin, the thought flashed through the boy's mind. She's got the stand of a griffin.
Then another flash of red light erupted from behind him. Turning, Takeru managed to catch a glimpse of the stand-master that had stopped Kari's attack, a young man with wild brown hair. For a fleeting moment, Takeru's blue eyes and the other's brown eyes met and locked, both of them stunned with surprise. The young man he clutched a peculiar set of weapons, one in each hand.
Nitou kodachi, the boy recognized with a jolt. The twin daggers. It was a distinctive Taelidani technique. Richard had never taught Takeru how to use such a combination, simply because the knight didn't know how to do it himself. The kodachi was designed to be used either by itself or in combination with a katana. Nitou kodachi was an unorthodox, but surprisingly effective and versatile combination perfected through necessity in the desert.
The Taelidani! That's a Taelidani weapons combination! Takeru thought as he gave his attacker a closer look. In the light of all four stand's auras, the twin steel blades were unmistakable. But then, why are they launching an unprovoked attack against us?
He put himself in their shoes, and in a split second, he had his answer. A sick feeling of dread settled in his stomach as his gaze settled on Cody. And in the middle of the heat of battle, against all logical reason, he took a huge risk. He dropped his sword, reigned in his stand, and took a huge step away from Cody.
"Wait!" he shouted as he waved his arms frantically in the air. "Wait! It's all a big mista- "
But the mysterious stand-master ignored him. Apparently recovering from his surprise, the young man's lips pulled into a frightening snarl. In one blazing instant, he had summoned his stand, a red humanoid dragon with a wickedly curved steel horn, gathering himself for one final strike against Kari. The stand's razor claws shimmered a cold, bloody crimson as dust began whipping around in a frenzy at the Taelidani stand-master's feet.
Suddenly, Cody dashed forward out of the protective circle of Kari and Takeru's stands. Startling Kari, the boy slipped under her arm before she could grab him. Standing boldly in front of the girl, he spread his arms out wide, as if to protect her.
"No!! T'rakul Davis, don't! These are friends!!"
But his voice was drowned out in the whipping sandstorm blowing around the four stand-master's confrontation. And in any case, he was too late. The young man with the dragon stand had already unleashed his attack, the fiery river of red streaking across the night air.
Time seemed to slow.
To Takeru's horrified eyes, the attack originally aimed for Kari sped inexorably towards the young, desert boy in front of her. The Taelidani stand-master's eyes widened in alarm, but it was too late to call back his attack. In slow motion, Takeru saw Kari desperately lunging forward, trying in vain to pull the young boy out of the way. But the blond boy knew that even a stand-master could never get there in time.
As the raging fire filled his vision, Cody saw a glimmer of white light erupt from the corner of his eye. And for a moment, he was confused. What could that be? But for Takeru, standing several paces away, everything seemed to unfold with crystal clarity.
Kari could not reach the boy in time.
But that didn't mean her stand couldn't…
Suddenly, Kari's stand was standing in front of Cody. In an instant, the great white beast turned its back to the attack, and spread its wings out wide, trying valiantly to shelter the small, frightened boy. Digging its claws into the ground, the stand visibly steeled itself against the incoming onslaught.
Then Davis' attack struck Kari's stand in the back. The stand roared as it took the blow for the boy, even as Kari's agonized scream rent the night air. And instead of Davis' attack, a shower of white, misty liquid splattered all over Cody, even as he covered his head with his arms and screamed.
And in one brilliant, horrifying instant, a white, actinic flash obscured everything…
When Cody could see again, Kari's stand was lying on the ground like an injured beast, slowly fading from view. Behind the fallen spirit, Davis stood warily, his fire stand crouched defensively beside him.
Before the boy, a single white feather settled onto the ground. It seemed to shimmer for a second, but then it slowly faded away into nothingness like a wilting flower. Numbly, he stared at his hands, and at the pure white substance, also fading like mist…
The blood of a stand…
Kari!!
The young boy whirled around just in time to see Kari collapse onto her hands and knees, her face twisted in pain. Through sheer willpower, she refused to fall any further. But even from this distance, Cody could see the bloody slash burned into her upper back. The wound was so deep, the young boy thought he could see the white of Kari's left shoulder-bone. Smoke was still rising from the wound, and Kari's wakizashi clattered to the sandy ground.
"Kari!!" Takeru was beside the girl in an instant, holding tightly onto her shoulder to stop her from falling face-first into the sand. The blond boy was heedless of Kari's blood staining his robe. "Kari! Speak to me!"
"Halse! Stand by me!"
The crimson griffin of the other stand-master leapt forward, planting itself firmly between Takeru and Cody. Then in another mighty bound, it leapt forward, snarling, its claws extended, its wicked beak open in a screeching cry.
Startled and defenseless without his sword, Takeru was knocked back, and pinned to the ground easily. The lethal beak stabbed down, and the young stand-master barely managed to jerk his head away as the thrust buried itself into the stand a millimeter from his face, grazing his cheek. All of a sudden, Takeru's instincts took over. Before the crimson griffin stand could try again, Takeru's stand emerged from his body, bracing its staff with both hands against the griffin's chest. With a mighty heave, the angel kicked upwards, and threw the griffin off. With a scream, the crimson stand landed awkwardly in the sand, tumbling onto its shoulder.
The griffin stand-master, the young woman, jerked backwards, her face paling as she clutched her shoulder. Panting, Takeru flipped upright. His blue eyes burning, he angrily wiped away the blood from the cut on his cheek, where the griffin's beak had grazed his face. "Tenshi1, stand by m-"
"STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!!"
The choked scream from the normally taciturn Cody stunned the entire assembly into silence. Tears were streaming down his face.
"T'rakul Davis, please! I beg of you, don't hurt these two anymore…"
Slowly, the young man who had struck down Kari allowed his stand to burn down. On the opposite side, the girl with the griffin stand also stood down. Takeru was the last one to reign in his stand. Hesitantly, the young man named "Davis" called out. "Cody? You know these people…?"
"Takeru and Kari saved me! If not for them, I would most certainly be dead by now." The boy's voice was pleading. "Please…don't hurt them…"
Behind the young boy, Takeru's voice, still tight with restrained rage, reached his ears. "Cody, who are these people?"
Cody turned around, and in the dim starlight, the blond prince could see a distinct expression of guilt and shame on the boy's face. "Takeru, this is T'rakul Davis Motomiya, and T'rakess Yolei Inoue, leaders of the Taelidani, my people…"
"Cody, we tracked you for two weeks!" Davis continued, giving Takeru a wary glare. "We knew you had been captured by slave-traders. And when we finally found you, you were with two strangers…"
"And so you assumed that we were the slave-traders that kidnapped Cody, is that it?" Takeru's face had assumed a frightening mask of cold anger.
Davis lowered his kodachis slowly. "I…I…"
It was Yolei that answered for him. "Cody, we didn't know…"
Takeru's voice was stinging. "Do you really think slave-traders would do what Kari just did? Take a blow like that for her 'slave'? Do you think a slave-trader would put the life of her 'slave' above her own?!"
Davis and Yolei had no answer for that. A terrible silence fell across the desert. Then Takeru started as Kari stirred in his arms, lifting her head. Her crimson eyes were beginning to cloud over with pain. "Takeru?" she whispered.
The blond boy quickly took off Kari's robe to expose the wound, wadded up the fabric, and pressed it against the slash. "Shh…," he said, his voice beginning to choke up. "Try not to talk…"
"I'm hurt," she announced in a matter-of-fact manner.
Takeru's hand on her shoulder tightened. "How bad?"
Kari's lips twisted upwards in a slight, humourless smile. "I guess when I drop dead a moment later, we'll find out…"
A small load lifted off Takeru's heart. If Kari was still conscious, and still making jokes, then she would be all right. Then the girl's eyes began to cloud over again, and Takeru felt her body going limp in his arms. She was going into shock. Alarmed, the boy shook her gently. "Kari," he said urgently. "Don't let go! You can't fall unconscious now! Look at me! Focus on my words!"
Cody also turned around and hurried to the wounded girl. When he reached Kari's side, he tore a strip of bandage from around his arm and gently wiped up the trickling blood from her mouth with his trembling hands.
"Somebody get help, please…," the dark-haired boy whispered plaintively.
Yolei turned and snapped her fingers at several nearby Taelidani. "Run to the camp, and get some healers out here. Tell them we have wounded. Most of them aren't serious, but one of them might be fatal." Without another word,
Davis made a quick gesture with his arms, and his twin kodachis disappeared into hidden sheaths on his forearms. Slowly, he stepped up to the trio. Takeru didn't seem too inclined to kill him anymore, so the Taelidani deemed it safe to approach. "Is she-"
A blinding explosion of golden light overwhelmed Davis' vision, and abruptly he found himself gazing along the staff of Takeru's angel stand, inches from his face. Although Takeru himself was kneeling on the ground, his sword out of reach several meters away, he still managed to exude a deadly, killer's aura. The boy's voice was low, steady, and colder than glacial ice.
"Take another step, and I'll kill you. The only ones I'll allow near Kari are the healers. And definitely not you."
Wisely, Davis advanced no further, and took a couple steps back. Takeru's stand did not back up an inch, and remained frozen in an attack stance, guarding the two of them. He made a mental note to himself
Kari spoke up herself, "Takeru, it's all right, don't hurt him…" Biting her lip to stop from screaming, she suddenly braced herself against Takeru's arm, and carefully pulled herself up. Her legs trembling, leaning heavily on the blond boy, she stood up. "I'll be all right. I…I don't think he wants to kill me anymore…"
A long silence ensued. In the distance, the light of flame torches lit up the desert as several Taelidani healers crested the dunes.
"Takeru?" Cody said sadly. Takeru slowly turned his head at the young, timid boy.
"You were right. If things worked the way I thought it does, this world would be a miserable place indeed."
**********
**many hours later**
Dawn is coming… Takeru thought tiredly as he sat within the tent. He could see the pale gray glow shining through the thin fabric. His knuckles were white as he gripped Kari's cold hand tightly. Kari herself was lying on her side on a small pallet of furs, mercifully asleep. She had shed both her robe and tunic, and her chest and upper body was bound in bandages.
Takeru rubbed his face, trying to keep himself awake. The slash had been so deep, it had exposed bone. Kari's wound had had to be sewn shut, and the Taelidani had only the most minimal of pain killers. The boy knew it had to have been excruciating for her, but to her credit, Kari had not screamed, or struggled.
Her lower lip however, was still bloody from where she had bitten down on it.
Slowly, he let go of Kari's hand, and placed it on her bare shoulder, feeling the reassuring warmth. The girl's chest rose steadily up and down in blissful unconsciousness. If Kari had been conscious, she would have noticed the sparkling tears that now fell upon her hand. At least she can't feel anything for a couple blessed hours, Takeru reflected bitterly as he angrily wiped away the tears. Again, unthinking rage began clouding his mind, and he closed his sword hand into a fist. Kari had had to go through all this because of one, abysmally stupid man…
He assaulted Kari, the thought flashing across his mind like crimson lightning. He called down the thunder. Now he should damned well reap the lightning…
But even as the vengeful desire filled his thoughts, a smaller voice seemed to sound from deeper within. Sometimes, Kari was an unending source of mystery and surprise. And before Kari had finally taken the sleeping herbs designed to make her sleep, she had impressed one thing on Takeru's mind. Her own brand of wisdom, tempering his own.
If you hurt Davis on account of me, you'll fall into the same trap he did. The same trap he and this entire generation of Taelidani did. And the entire cycle of suspicion, conflict, hatred, and death will repeat itself again.
Please, Takeru…for my sake. Don't. You're stronger, and you're better than that.
Takeru sighed as he forced himself to unclench his fist. With a tremendous effort, he pushed aside his anger, locking it away into a distant corner. If there was one thing he had learned from the past year, it was that a stand-master could not survive without discipline.
He didn't know why he felt so angry. The last time he had felt such unthinking fury had been a year ago, when the Khaydarin soldier had dared put his filthy hands on Kari. And back then, he had flown into a killing rage. Takeru took a couple deep breaths to calm himself. He was not anxious to repeat that experience. After all he'd gone through, to give in to his emotions would be to condemn himself to insanity.
He would restrain himself.
But Davis had better prove himself worthy.
"Mr. Takeru sir?" a young voice said.
Turning, Takeru saw Cody standing in the doorway to the healer's tent of the Taelidani. He offered the young boy a weak smile. "Yes?"
"T'rakul Davis wants to speak with you."
The smile abruptly left Takeru's face. "About what?"
Cody gestured helplessly. "About…about Ms. Kari
"Really? Where I come from, maiming each other doesn't count as 'help'. Of course, it might be different here in the desert…." Takeru's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Cody looked pained. "Takeru, wasn't it you that told me this world would be a miserable place if we all assumed the worst about each other? Just…just listen to what he has to say. Give him a chance. If only for my sake."
A long, ugly pause settled down between the two of them. Then Takeru sighed, and slowly got up. Taking his katana, he buckled it swiftly onto his belt. "All right," he said softly. "For your sake. I'll listen to what Davis has to say."
Cody looked relieved. Taking Takeru's hand, he led him out of the healer's tent. "He's just out here. He wasn't sure how you'd react, and he didn't want a scene in the tent where it might disturb Kari…"
"So he sent a messenger instead. One he knew I would trust." A smirk appeared on Takeru's face. "How considerate of him." Then the two were silent as they walked past the numerous Taelidani desert tents, most of their occupants still asleep. The few sentries that were still awake nodded at Takeru as he passed. The blond prince ignored them until Cody finally led him to the edge of the encampment.
"And here he is."
In the gray light of dawn, Davis's brown eyes looked haggard with anxiety. It was the first time Takeru had taken a good look at him, with proper light. And on closer inspection, Davis couldn't be much older than him, if at all. The Taelidani was a little shorter than himself, and his brown hair was recklessly tousled. Takeru stopped within ten meters of him, and refused to come any closer.
"Takeru, this is Davis. Davis, Takeru," Cody said uselessly. At a slight nod from Davis, Cody retreated back into the fading darkness. Silence fell like a suffocating cloak as both stand-masters regarded each other warily.
"How is she?" Davis asked hoarsely.
Takeru tilted his head. "Your healers were very helpful," he conceded. "Kari's back is not broken, thank goodness. But the slash was powerful enough to nick a small chip off her left shoulder-blade. She'll be all right in a day or two. Well enough to be up and about anyway. Stand-masters generally heal faster."
"Thank God," Davis said as he closed his eyes in relief. Takeru's eyes narrowed.
"What's it to you?"
"Cody told me the whole story. From beginning to end. If Kari had died…I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."
Davis sighed as he looked down at his feet. Then he looked back up, and met Takeru's gaze firmly.
"But I…uh…I still want to apologize. I want to say sorry, however inadequate that may be…"
The two lapsed into silence again as a light wind whipped up sand all around them. Takeru did not acknowledge the apology. Instead, he drew his cloak tighter around him as the chill passed. The sun was beginning to peek over the eastern dunes.
"Is your cheek all right?"
Takeru self-consciously touched the bandage on his cheek. "It's just a small gash. Not even deep enough to leave a scar. How are your men?"
Davis offered him a weak, but grateful smile. "Most of them have nothing worse than some nasty bruises and cuts. I believe the worst injury was a sprained ankle."
Takeru answered with a nod, but his face remained stony. He knew he was being difficult, but he didn't care. Davis should consider himself lucky as it was.
"I have an offer to give you," Davis continued doggedly. If for nothing else, Takeru admired his tenacious efforts. "I offer you two sanctuary with the Taelidani until we get to a major city. You're welcome to travel with us. The desert is a dangerous place."
Takeru frowned. "Why on earth would I trust you? After what you've done!"
"It was a mistake!"
"Like hell it was." Takeru raised his voice, his eyes flashing in anger. "I called out to you! I asked you! Before we fought! In the middle of the fight, I took a huge risk and dropped my sword! And what did you do? You took advantage of me! You attacked me when I had my hands up in surrender! Why didn't you answer me? Why didn't you try to negotiate?"
"In the desert, there is no negotiation. It's kill first, and ask questions later. If you really had been slave-traders, you would never have listened to me. And you would have killed Cody before you even thought of giving up. Asking for surrender is considered an insult!"
The two of them paused at that, staring at one another.
"You know, Cody doubted my intentions when I saved him," Takeru said finally in a quiet voice. The fire in his voice faded away to a mere spark. "He couldn't believe that I would do something that wouldn't benefit me. He said something about the 'way of the desert'. In fact, you just repeated him, except not in so many words. At the time, I thought it was the philosophy of a child that had just lost his entire family. But now…"
Takeru's eyes looked sad, and for a moment, he looked much older than his fifteen years. "I see that it's true. You people really do believe in that."
Davis sighed. Looking out to the east, he gazed at the rising sun. "The desert…is a dangerous life. After generations of living here, my people have become hardened. Death is nothing to us now." His eyebrow twitched. "After seeing it for several hundred years, people begin to get numbed, y'know?
"That…way of thought I just described, I try not to believe in it. I try to believe that somewhere out there, life is not so cruel. Life is better and more compassionate. And above all, life is more valuable. My ideas are not popular ones with the Taelidani, they think such ideas are idealistic folly, so I believe in secret. But it's getting harder to believe in every day."
Takeru blew out a breath. "So why don't you leave? Go seek a better place? Because let me tell you, it's true. There are such places out there." He stopped before his voice turned bitter. I used to come from one of them…
Davis shook his head. "The desert is my home. My father lived here, my grandfather lived here, and all my ancestors before them. And so…I don't leave. Instead, I try to change this place for the better."
The desert native gave Takeru a weak smile. "I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. Maybe I'm more shaken than I thought. But it's true. Yolei believes as well. Like me, she's an idealist. We…we try to leave the world a little better than we found it."
"But as I am constantly reminded, there is little that two people, stand-master or not, can do."
A flicker of surprise flitted across Takeru's face as Davis almost quoted Kari exactly. Despite their differences in race, in language, and home, the blond boy could sense a kindred spirit. Despite himself, he could understand that numbness. He could understand the cruelty that the desert had bred into these people. They had to. Their survival depended on it.
A trap. Kari's words suddenly made that much more sense. The desert is a trap to abandon all that was good and just. Takeru suddenly saw Davis in a new light. This Taelidani boy, despite his young age, already had the wisdom to recognize that trap, and resist it.
"Look, I'm really sorry…," Davis finally said softly.
"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Kari, when she wakes up."
"I'll do that. But in the meantime, are you going to accept my offer or not?"
Silence.
"She won't last, you know. Not out in the desert, even with you to protect her. My healers have the herbs and the bandages she needs. My men can provide all the protection she needs."
"I know."
"Well, I can offer you two sanctuary with the Taelidani. You're heading east, aren't you? We're going east as well, to do a spot of trading with the Ichijoujans. You're welcome to come with us."
"I thought you didn't welcome visitors. Bit of a hermit streak in your people."
"It's not often when we're so obviously in debt to someone. Twofold. Think it over."
This time, the hostile silence was almost interminable.
"All right," Takeru said softly. "I accept your offer." He was not that petty to be blinded to logic by mere anger.
"Thank you." Davis looked relieved.
"But forgive you?" Takeru's voice was icy cold as he turned around and began walking away. "We'll see about that."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going back. If that's all, I don't want to leave Kari's side for long."
"That's not all."
Takeru stopped, and glanced back.
Davis' piercing brown eyes met Takeru's blue ones. "Who are you?"
"I told you already. My name is Takeru Takaishi, and the name of the girl is Kari Kamiya. We're both simply wanderers from Kurtal- "
"Really? So tell me, do all the folks at Kurtal possess stands? If so, I simply must visit it sometime. It must be very special," Davis commented lightly.
Takeru's hands tightened into fists at the seemingly innocent remark. Davis frowned. "It was a joke Takeru. Joke."
"Kurtal was razed more than a year ago. There's nothing left but ashes, dirt, and a lot of corpses." But he bit his tongue, resisting the urge to add a scathing remark to the end of the sentence. Davis had had no idea.
An almost tangible pause settled down between the two. "I'm sorry…"
This time however, Takeru waved his arm. "You didn't know." He brushed away a lock of blond hair that had been blown into his face by the wind. "And for your information, no. Kari and I are the only stand-masters Kurtal ever had."
Davis tilted his head. "So…it was the same for you as it was for us, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Yolei and I, we grew up together, were also born with our stands. The only ones in the entire history of the Taelidani. That's why we rose to the station of T'rakul and T'rakess so fast. We're the youngest to have ever risen this far. Because of our stands, and because we were competent enough to do it. We Taelidani may keep to ourselves, but we still know that stands are passed down through inheritance. And none of our parents or grandparents had ever shown the slightest hint of stand-powers. No-one has ever been able to explain why Yolei and I have stands."
So…none of them know about Cody yet. Takeru thought to himself. "Yes…that's kind of like our situation," he said cautiously. "Kari's ancestors never possessed a stand either. She did not inherit hers."
He carefully didn't mention his own ancestors.
"So…it's not just us then. We're not an accident," Davis mused.
"Excuse me?"
Davis looked up, and met Takeru's gaze with his own. "Takeru, things are changing, times are shifting. Nothing is the same anymore. There are strange things happening in the land.
"And let's face it. We are among the strangest of them all."
** Author's notes: This is…I believe…the first time we see a true stand battle-scene. The stands are one of the distinctive things about this fic. I don't believe I've ever seen it on ff.net before, and that's good, 'cause I wanted something other than the DBZ style fighting of "Out of the Ashes". Just in case you missed the descriptions, or have never seen digimon before, here's some things that might help you picture the action unfolding:
- TK's stand is Angemon. (I love that digimon. MagnaAngemon and Seraphimon as well. And it has nothing to do with the fact that they're TK's digimon)
- Yolei's stand is Halsemon
- Davis' stand is Flamedramon
- Kari's stand. (small exception here). You might think that I was referring to Nefertimon, but I'm not. I really don't like Nefertimon. That digimon looks stupid. I mean, a sphinx?! If you really want to attach a picture to the name, go look up a pic of Cerberus, or Kero, from Card Captors. Not the stuffed animal Kero. I'm talking about his original form. The guardian beast of the seal. That is Kari's stand.
- Cody's stand has yet to be revealed. ^_^
As always, please review. I'm especially anxious to hear your thoughts on the stand concept.
- Tenshi. In case you don't know, that's "angel" in Japanese. So when Takeru says Tenshi, he's referring to his stand. Much like how Yolei refers to her stand as "Halse". (Geez…I wonder where that came from? *rolls eyes*)