Chapter 16, The least expected savior
On the deck five more ninjas were facing off Kevin and several angered sailors, and even though the half blood beastman moved slower than usual he was a threat. Another crash from a badly hit ninja making harsh contact with the deck proved that.
"Leave them out of this!" Lise growled as she stumbled up on the deck, painfully aware of what plans the demon could have for everyone on the ship.
"You're so caring that it's sickening," Rakadra snorted.
He turned back to the battle with a smirk.
"Besides, compared to your friend you don't even mean ashes to me," he added.
His awful eyes seemed to glow as Kevin sent another ninja stumbling into the reach of a sailor, who slammed the stick of a mop into the enemy's head. With a snort Rakadra raised his hand and sent a dark lightning bolt into the area between the three standing ninjas and the defenders.
Only to get attention. And it worked.
Several shrieks were heard as the unholy beast was spotted by everyone. But Kevin did not recoil.
"Lise!"
With a raging growl he passed the three ninjas, sending them flying out of the way.
"No, stay back!" the reason for his fury shouted, fear clutching her heart as Rakadra calmly straightened out his pointing finger towards the prince.
"Bad dog," the half demon sneered, "sit!"
Kevin stopped dead and fell to the deck, gasping for air and clutching at the black ribbon that snaked around his neck. As Lise tried to lunge forward the ninjas grabbed her arms again.
"Kevin!"
She wriggled and tore like crazy, but it was as if her arms were embedded in stone.
For a moment it looked like the beastman would be able to tear the darkness away, and Rakadra's smirk wavered in irritation for a moment.
"Roll over!" he growled, sounding more in need than amused this time.
Another dark bolt threw Kevin over on his back and he lost grip of the collar. He clawed to get a hold of it again, rocking back and forth as he desperately tried to breathe.
"Stop it, you're killing him!" Lise screeched.
Rakadra snorted but snapped his fingers. Coughing and gasping Kevin tried to get up, stumbling onto one knee with groans of pain between the rasped breathing. He groaned a powerless protest as his enemy suddenly stood beside him, pulling him to his feet with a violent hold of the red mane. The demon was at least one head taller than his prisoner.
"Killing you?" the demon hissed, and his eyes really flared with hate, "simply kill you, the son of Beast King and Arceia? What a laugh."
The hate disappeared and he looked at the struggling princess without releasing her weakly scratching friend.
"I have to thank you for bringing prince Kevin to me, your highness," he sneered, "you cannot imagine my delight."
"Leave him alone!" Lise shouted, desperately kicking at her non-flinching guards.
"Again, you make me si… ugh!"
Rakadra dropped Kevin and stumbled aside while clutching his jaw. The other half blood glared at him through eyes thin with rage, a dangerous growl growing in his throat. Then he threw up his arms to cover his chest and face when the demon snarled and raised both hands.
"That was not very wise, my pet," Rakadra hissed.
With a half strangled cry of pain Kevin was sent flying backwards, dark lightning bolts twisting around his crouching form as he crashed on the deck.
The humans were all staring in horror as the young beastman scrambled to his feet, stumbling but refusing to surrender. Even though his hair sparkled with black bolts and he doubtlessly would get bruises all over after the crash he stood up again.
Rakadra smirked.
"I'm glad that you aren't really that weak…" he said, soft as silk.
Kevin growled something inaudible and stumbled again when he tried to walk. But he managed to keep standing.
"I admit this is fun, but right now I need to get to business," the demon sadly said and raised his hand again.
"Ah…!"
"Kevin!" Lise shouted in despair, agonizingly unable to help in any way.
His back hit the mast and he fell to the deck again, limbless. Only a weak moan signaled that he wasn't unconscious. By Rakadra's snapping fingers his collar whipped out a dark chain that attached itself to the thick wooden pole.
"Much better. Now then…"
With a cruel smirk the demon floated upwards and turned around to come to the frozen captain's eyelevel, where the terrified man stood by the wheel. The feeling that burned in the shipmaster's eyes was shared by many.
"I know that you had other plans and all that," Rakadra softly said, "but me and my wares are awaited in Navarre. So I'd really appreciate if you'd change the course."
The captain swallowed hard and sent a wild glance over his crew and passengers, all too well realizing that their future wouldn't be too bright either if he agreed. But…
"Or would you like me to give everyone else a collar as well?" the demon thoughtfully said when the answer wasn't immediate.
"You disgusting spawn of Hell!"
Rakadra looked down at Lise with a raised eyebrow. She clenched her teeth violently to hold back a tortured scream when the ninjas holding her changed their grip.
"No touch Lise…!"
She blinked through the pain, vaguely seeing Kevin getting up on one knee once more. Where did he find such strength?!
"How plucky one is…" Rakadra said, almost bored.
He floated down on the deck beside Lise, and she yelped of surprised pain as he grabbed her hair.
"Let her go!" Kevin growled in rage, hoarsely.
"What, jealous?"
Rakadra sent another smirk at the bound half blood and then bent his neck to crouch his lips over Lise's. She wriggled in disgust and shock, but could hardly move at all. The demon didn't kiss her; he sucked all air out of her lungs while his tongue… his tongue wasn't…!
She whimpered in anguish, desperately trying to clutch air for her burning chest, to bite the demon to make him let her go. But her jaw was frozen by his dark magic; she couldn't force her teeth against each other.
The princess was almost unconscious when he finally released her, blue stars flaring before her eyes. And when she looked up, gasping so wildly that it almost sounded like violent sobs Rakadra's thin, forked tongue danced between his lips in mockery.
Lise's stomach was about to turn inside out with everything she ever had eaten.
A growl arose in Kevin's throat, rising and burning with nothing but hate. He threw his head backwards and a roar of pure, hopeless rage dashed over the ocean.
From the top of the castle Beast King looked out over the Moonlight forest, his beautiful kingdom. Forever blessed with serene night. The treetops whispered as the soft wind caressed them, glowing in the moonlight while they sang their song to Luna and all the creatures she protected with her divine darkness.
But despite the peaceful, wondrous view before him there was a frown in the old warrior's forehead. It had appeared just a few minutes ago, and kept growing deeper. Even though he tried to ignore it… something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
"Arf!"
He pursed his mouth. Then a resolute, small growl led the lips away from his sharp teeth.
No.
"Whimper… arf!"
Beast King's claws furiously tapped against the stone fence of the rooftop. Normally he did most things with a bit of a fury, but this was more than usual.
No!
"Arf, arf!"
He looked down as the small wolf pup eagerly pulled the king's cloak, whimpering heartbreakingly.
No, I said!
Karl scratched the roof with his claws and watched the beastman with pleading eyes. The frown suddenly grew deeper.
"Arf?"
"I know, Karl!"
Beast King turned around and started pacing, irritated. The small wolf tried to keep up with the long, fast steps while barking and whimpering.
"By the Mana tree, I know! But I will not investigate. It would be interfering."
The king of beastmen stopped and glared at the starlit sky and its three sacred moons. Karl sat down by the beast's feet, worriedly looking up at him.
The frown got even deeper, though he hadn't believed it to be possible.
"He has to fight his own battles!" Beast King angrily stated, "he'll never become strong if he gets help every once in a while."
He looked down at Karl, frustrated.
"I promised his mother that. If he can't get out of his own situations, how will he ever be worthy of the throne? I won't ever be a savior, that won't do any good."
"Whimper…"
The frown… how could it possibly get worse than it already was?
Curse these instincts…! Something was wrong with Kevin, he knew that only through his natural intuition as the boy's father.
"It can't be impossible to solve…"
Beast King grimaced.
"Arf!"
Karl turned his nose towards the sky and howled, like a true wolf. Of longing and… worry. A plea.
"Now you listen to me; it goes against everything I've ever believed in!"
Gruffly the beastman glared at the wolf.
"And why am I trying to reason with you, anyway?" he grunted.
Frown…
The old king sighed.
"Oh, alright. I'll take a look, but that doesn't mean that I'll help."
He turned to the south and reluctantly began to mutter the only spell he had ever learned; a blessing of Luna that allowed him to watch over the people he was to rule and protect.
Now let's see here…
…
W H A T!?
"Ouff!"
Lise somehow managed to fall so that she didn't hurt herself too much. Her left arm burned and she gritted her teeth, but it would only be a bruise.
For now.
Cold snakes crawled around in her chest as Rakadra smirked down at her.
"I'll take care of you later," he softly announced, "for the moment I crave to teach my pet some respect and your shouting is boring me. Bye for now."
Lise growled, unable to put her detest and rage into words. The door to the cabin closed behind Rakadra, the two ninjas that had captured her standing before it in their lifeless manner.
As if they had been earthquakes the princess heard Rakadra's footsteps as he walked back to the deck. Back to…
A roar of pain from above rang in her ears and she struggled against the dark threads that locked her arms behind her back.
'Kevin!'
She couldn't get loose, she couldn't help… there had to be something she could do! Kevin!
Up on the deck passengers and sailors stared in horror as the bound half blood twisted around, clutching at his chain and changing between growls and roars of pure agony as dark lightning bolts whipped at him. They surrounded his body and cut up light soars on his arms, for no other reasons than torture. Not leaving very grave soars, but killing was not the motive and the power was not truly physical.
"I'll tell you one thing," Rakadra hissed while Kevin's nails clawed deep into the planks of the deck, "this is yet another reason for you to despise your father."
The half blood beastman tore at his chain, stumbling to his feet with his eyes burning with rage. Not a single piece of normal speaking passed his lips; only growls.
Rakadra sneered. Another storm of dark energy threw the beastman painfully back into the mast, but even though he trembled violently he forced himself back to standing on one knee without cutting back his snarling.
Beast King watched in disbelief.
'Is that Kevin?'
He flinched as his son was thrown down again, the natural instincts telling of his offspring's danger causing more than a frown now that he watched the ordeal with own eyes. Or with his spirit, to be exact.
'My Kevin?'
The young half beastman groaned, shaking his head as he tried to regain his senses after the last blow.
"Giving up?" Rakadra sneered.
"No!" Kevin snarled, standing on his knees and hands but far from defeated.
"Good."
Not a whimper, not a sob… growls and roars, refusing to serve the demon the delight of victory.
'Where does he find that strength?'
Beast King turned from his son to the torturer, his metaphysic lips drawing back in a deep growl of his own.
'And who are you?'
"… This is yet another reason for you to despise your father."
The old beastman frowned again, swirling down so that he could take a closer look at the demon. But not too close, those creatures could sense magic like beastmen could smell feelings.
'What are you?'
He watched the yellowish lips move into a new smirk as Kevin roared again.
And Beast King's memory twitched.
'Impossible!'
The mere idea, the theory, the possibility caused a fury of a depth that the king of beastmen hadn't felt in years.
"You're sturdier than I thought. How amusing," Rakadra said with a cruel laugh.
The laughter sealed the truth, for it was similar to the chuckle of the half demon's mother.
'They had a child… the two devils had a child?!'
Beast King's sharp teeth screeched against each other, and had he been left in his body his palms had been badly cut by his claws.
'We didn't clean up well enough, Arceia…' he thought in bitter rage.
Then get to work and make it properly this time, Beast!
It was like hearing her cold snort.
What are you waiting for, you old idiot?
A worthy helper, first of all.
In disgust Beast King watched the terrified humans. Completely worthless!
Kevin's chest hit the deck, and his arms were trembling like trees in storm as he tried to get up again.
"Lise…"
The whisper wasn't strong enough to be heard by any of the people on the ship, but the growl that followed it was.
And Beast King's sharp spirit ears caught the single word.
'What?'
Frowning he swept over to his son, lightly touching Kevin's mind with his own. The force of memories, fragments of thoughts and burning pain almost sent the father hurling backwards. Vital information Iwas/I provided, however.
'The princess of Rolante? How could you two ever meet…'
But what surprised the full blooded beastman the most was the fact that his son found almost all the power to withstand Rakadra in his friend. In the knowledge that if he lost his consciousness or gave up to pleas of mercy then the demon would move on to the princess. And Kevin would rather die than allow that.
Beast King was surprised, and he couldn't help but find pride for his son's strength.
And most importantly…
'Smirk on,' the beastman thought with one last glance at Rakadra before diving into the depths of the ship, 'we'll claw that out of you soon enough.'
He found her tied up and lying on the floor inside of a cabin, guarded by two zombie-alike ninjas. But despite her situation she didn't act like a terrified princess in distress. She was a princess and in distress, true… but terrified she was not. Her eyes flared with anger, for each roar that was heard from the deck she painfully grimaced and twisted even wilder; trying to free herself from the dark ropes. In her rage born from Kevin's pain blind to the fact that Rakadra was too much of an opponent for her.
Beast King almost smiled.
'Courage and will like Arceia, no doubt…' he thought with uncharacteristic fondness, 'that's a fine woman you have found, son.'
But the short moment it took him to think that faded away and he turned back into his usual self. No time for that now.
He floated down and reached out for the princess.
'Here, take it. All of it.'
Lise's growl suddenly turned more animalistic, though she hardly heard it herself. For her the world became dimly red, as if a bloodied mist filled it. And she felt power streaming into her, even more than when she had been by the Mana stone. There wasn't even time for her to become surprised. When the sudden strength filled her it also came with a trance alike confidence and no questions found any room in her mind.
Her wrists turned by themselves, and the magic rope that Rakadra had bound her with broke like a thread of hair. Before she knew it she was up on her feet and the two ninjas crashed into the wall on the other side of the room.
'Hey, I hardly touched them!' she swiftly thought.
Kevin roared again.
Lise's eyes narrowed.
Just you wait, Rakadra!
It was her and the half blood's cabin; her spear laid on the floor since the ninjas' crash had shook the wall it had been leaning against. She grabbed her weapon and jumped.
Without notable problems she shot through the roof and landed gracefully on the deck between Kevin and Rakadra. Even the demon stared at her.
Lise couldn't know that those that could see her face stared not only because of her sudden appearance, but also because of that her eyes shone with a sharply pure light. Without a word, without a smile or grimace she charged at the demon, who almost reacted too slowly in his surprise. But he managed to leap aside, flapping with his wings to get out of reach.
"Now what is this?" he growled, obviously not fond of the sudden attack.
"Can't you sense that?" a voice coldly said, using Lise's lips.
It sounded partly like her, but that was only because the words were born from her tongue. The main part of the speaking was a deep, growling voice that she had never heard before.
But strangely enough it didn't scare Lise that somebody spoke through her.
Rakadra frowned, irritated. While he was slightly distracted the part of the princess that still had control looked around.
"Are you alright, Kevin?" she harshly asked, fully using her own voice.
He was sitting on his knees, leaning on one hand and clutching his carrying arm with his other fingers. Even though he wasn't less surprised than anyone else there was a relieved glistening in his eyes.
"Yeah…" he gasped, heavily working on his breath, "look out!"
But the warning was not necessary since whoever it was who helped Lise already had been ready to jump aside.
'No feelings in battle!' she automatically reprimanded herself as her body was still in the air, moving away from Rakadra's lightning bolts.
'Exactly,' a grunting voice in the back of her head said, 'keep working on that.'
Grunting? Like that? Wait a…
But she had no time to be confused, because Rakadra had gotten over his surprise.
The rest of the ship's population stumbled aside as the demon sent storm after storm of black thunder at the princess. He never hit, because even though the situation wasn't in her expertise Lise found that her and whoever it was who helped her could combine their strategies to avoid their foe.
However Rakadra wasn't frustrated anymore. He floated around above the ship, out of reach and smirking at that knowledge. Playing.
'I have to say, he's skilled,' the grunting voice thoughtfully admitted.
'How can we attack him?' Lise wondered, 'I can't risk to throw my spear, I'll surely miss. And I don't know any magic either.'
'He won't come down if he doesn't have a reason to,' the voice said, sounding a bit amused.
The reason for his amusement escaped Lise. Perhaps he found it funny that she actually was talking tactics with somebody who was more or less possessing her.
Come to think of it, that was bizarre.
"You still haven't told me who you are," Rakadra said and almost cut off Lise's left arm with a dark half moon.
The projectile disappeared into the ocean instead.
'Ha…'
"I had awaited a little more intelligence from the son of Haldor and Scheree," the voice said aloud, using Lise's lips in a small, bored smirk.
But the princess felt anger within as the names were spoken, a raw rage that came from the other mind in her body.
And Rakadra's reaction was rather shocking. His wings stopped flapping for a second, almost causing him to crash as his face turned nearly completely gray.
"You!?" he screeched, pressing both wrists against each other for an immense dark blast that burnt a hole in the deck.
"Normally I wouldn't interfere," the possessing mind continued with less hidden antagonism, "but seeing that you use beastmen's weaknesses to beat Kevin I have to act."
What the…?
"Oh really…" Rakadra hissed.
Suddenly his shock disappeared and he straightened up again with a smirk.
'Hmm…' the voice grimly thought.
The demon raised his right hand and with a twitch of his eyebrows he twisted his wrist violently, as if he grabbed something and pulled hard.
Lise spun around as she heard the half strangled choking sound from Kevin. Her soul froze in horror.
He was weakly scratching at the collar, his eyes bulging and lips shaking apart as his face mercilessly caught a bluish tone.
"No!" Lise screeched, alone.
"Now what will you do?" Rakadra's voice said from above.
Kevin shook his head violently, and it was not because of the oxygen loss.
"Don't…" he groaned, hardly audible.
'Keep calm,' the voice said through clenched teeth.
'But…!'
'This moment is vital. You mustn't fail your single chance by worrying too much.'
Lise lowered her spear so that the point hit the deck, clenching her free hand. As her shoulders fell Kevin screeched in a deep breath, his eyes wildly open with anguish. There was a whooshing sound of wings from behind as the demon of the battle slowly lowered. Secure in his upper hand.
'Now!'
With a snarl both the princess and the possessor spun around and leaped forward. Rakadra's triumphant smirk froze completely and was murdered by the spear point in his shoulder. The roar exploding from his mouth shook the air.
"You forgot a few important details about me," the voice coldly said as the demon leaped backwards, inelegantly freeing himself from Lise's spear before she could hit him with her fist.
'Now, while he's still suffering the most!' it silently commanded.
Lise spun around and dashed at Kevin, raising her spear again. The dark chain was tough to cut through, but with her momentum and the sharp edge it broke. As it dissolved into eerie green smoke it twisted like a wounded snake, and its death brought away the half blood beastman's collar as well.
As the princess met her friend's gaze he was still forcefully gasping, but behind the pain and puzzlement in his eyes was a glistening, relieved triumph.
'Good…' the voice mumbled with a tiny scent of pride.
Lise spun around again as she heard a sound, but it had only been Rakadra stumbling. He stood crouching, pressing his hand against the bleeding shoulder with his eyes flaring of rage.
The blood was deeply red, on the brink of black. Which wasn't much of a surprise, really.
"We were not destined to fight, old man!" he hissed.
"Oh really?" the voice coldly replied, "more demon honor?"
"I have no business with you. You are of the past, but Kevin is my bounty for being of the future."
"Scared, are you?" the possessor said with anti-veiled loathing.
Rakadra snorted and flapped with his wings. A bit clumsily he gained height, still holding on to his shoulder.
With a grimace promising revenge he turned and soared away from the boat, soon nothing but a spot in the sky.
'Weakling.'
'Who are you?' Lise thought as she carefully lowered her spear.
'You're on your own now.'
Before the princess had time to protest against the sudden leave all the power she had been granted as a loan left her. But with carefulness so that she wouldn't crack of the weakening. Still it left her cold and shivering. The spear fell from her hand and she had to heavily sit down.
"Lise…"
She turned her head and managed a small smile when she met Kevin's gaze. He was bleeding, pale and haggard. But he was also safe and alive.
"Thanks," he said in a low voice.
Before Lise could reply a shadow fell on her and both she and her friend looked up.
Seemed like Rakadra's mind control still worked on his ninjas…
But even before the two warriors had time to react in the tiredness their enemies were attacked by Ivery/I irritated sailors and passengers. With their controlled minds confused with the begun awakening process the desert warriors had no chance against the seadogs and merchants.
"Wait, don't kill them!" Lise shouted to halt the berserking.
Her voice was weak, but still she was heard by a few.
"Hold it, mates!" one of the sailors boomed out after a look over his shoulder at the call, "Her Highness said stop!"
Her highness… oh great. Rakadra had given them that truth… thanks a lot, mister demon.
But for the moment it served a purpose as it saved a few lives. Reluctantly the fighters stopped beating their preys and just grabbed their arms to keep the ninjas at the spot, waiting for the princess' judgment. The desert warriors hardly struggled; their greatest movements were confused head shakings.
"They were being controlled by the demon," Lise said and slowly got to her feet, "there's no guarantee that they really wanted to fight us."
"But Your Highness…" the warmongers protested but then fell silent.
The captain came down on the deck and bowed to the princess.
"An honor to have you onboard, Your Highness," he gravely said, "and you saved us as well. What do you suggest we do about these devils?"
"Tie them up and stock them somewhere, those that were left in Rolante were too dizzy to do anything at all after the hypnotizing spell left them," Lise tiredly said, "right now Kevin needs help."
"Ah…" Kevin began.
"Not another word, you're in no state for being strong," the princess fondly lectured.
He gave the shadow of a smile and nodded. One of the sailors helped him to his feet and supported him in the walk back into the depths of the ship while the rest of the crew handled the prisoners. Lise could walk by herself, but it wasn't too easy. She was exhausted after being drained of the borrowed strength.