Chapter 25, Demon and beast
"Gh… ugh…"
Lise heavily rolled/fell over on her back, without any strength pressing both hands against her pulsating head. Ow…
The floor she laid on felt hard and cold, like stone.
It took a moment before the pain eased enough for her to become confused.
'Where… am I?'
She managed to get up on her knees, blinking at the complete darkness around her. Her jaw clenched by itself and she automatically reached for her spear.
It wasn't there. And neither was her armor, she only wore the long tunic.
'What the…?!'
She forced the panic back, desperately trying to think.
'Where am I? And Kevin? What had happened?'
The last thing she could remember was that screeching voice coming through the bushes, which had made Kevin dash forward in blind rage. Then… something had…
She lifted her hand to her cheek, feeling the thin scratch icily sting. Something had cut her, doubtlessly with some kind of poison. Most certainly magical poison since it had worked within a second.
Don't panic!
Lise struggled to keep her head safe from the rising fear. That just wouldn't help one bit.
'Why shouldn't I be scared?!' the already panicking part of her screamed in protest, 'I don't know where I am, I can't see, I have no equipment, I'm obviously trapped by something and Kevin is gone!'
Keep calm!
She tried to take in a deep breath. Which came straight out as a shriek when an ice cold finger touched her cheek, its claw cutting into her already cut skin. Lise threw herself backwards deeper into the darkness, hit a wall and slumped to the floor, dizzily groaning.
"As noisy as ever, aren't we?" a slightly hoarse, cold voice sneered.
Lise managed to almost muffle a second shriek of horror and fumbled over the wall as she fought to get up.
A sudden dirty light cut straight through her eyes and blinded her for a moment. She violently blinked and tried to shadow her face with one hand.
Against the light a silhouette was standing. A tall silhouette with wings.
Lise's teeth screeched against each other.
Faster than she could react to the shadow shot forward and grabbed her upper arms, ripping her from the ground. The light almost blinded her again even though the warden's head was before hers.
"Let me go!" she hissed and desperately kicked at his stomach.
It was like hitting a rock, yet he dropped her with a snort. The landing wasn't very soft, but the amazon suppressed the pain and threw herself further away.
"Now, now. What kind of worshipping of hospitality is that?" the harsh voice sneered, "stand still, you little rat."
"Ah!"
Lise crashed on the floor, her right leg burning from the inside. Felt as if the bone itself was on fire and the flesh was made of ice…
She could hardly move, paralyzed by the agony.
So this was… what Kevin went through…? So many times…?
"There, much better."
The footsteps closed in, but she couldn't move away. The clawing pain crippled her, long enough for the silhouette to grab her wrists and tear her up in a sitting position against the wall. Lise shivered in agony, fighting another scream.
"Let go, Rakadra…!" she hissed, trying not to give him the pleasure of clearly seeing her pain.
"If you insist."
To her surprise his cold hands fell away from her, but the surprise died as she found her arms locked against the stone behind her. Even though she couldn't look around very well Lise knew that there would be black ropes.
The painful light subsided a little, only to let her see Rakadra properly. She cringed as he grabbed her chin in an iron grip. The only thing coming from her violent struggle was that her leg started flaming again and she thumped back against the wall with a pathetic moan of pain.
"Be careful, you might hurt yourself," the half demon smirked.
"Leave me alone…" Lise groaned, "where's Kevin…?"
"Oh, you think I've got him too?"
Rakadra sighed.
"Sadly, not at this point, I'm afraid. But there are a couple of demons on their way from Navarre to bring you to my master Jagan, and once that's taken care of I'll tend to your so called friend."
"He'll break every damn bone in your body, do you hear me?!" Lise spat out, trying to get her chin free.
"Hah…"
The princess yelped as the demon's icy hands snaked up on both sides of her face, completely locking her head so that she couldn't turn away even the slightest. Her mouth went completely dry.
Oh yeah, I'm afraid now…
She tried to swallow, to cure her drained throat. But every muscle in her body was frozen in horror as the sharp, unholy eyes stared down into hers and laid icy chains around her soul.
"Do you really think he'll come to save you?" Rakadra smirked.
The mere obscurity in that accuse lit such an anger in Lise that the fear fled back to the depths of her mind, at least for a moment.
"Why wouldn't I know?!" she growled.
Rakadra cruelly chuckled.
"Oh dear… the pretty little princess prays for her brave prince to come and save her," he gleefully smirked, "and I thought you were a warrior. Shame on you."
"Kevin will come because he is my friend!" Lise snarled, in rage over the demon's mockery.
"Oh really? You don't know beastmen that well, do you?"
The demon watched her flaming eyes with amusement.
"Those muscle freaks are cold thinkers," he said as a matter of factly, "haven't you realized that yet?"
Memories of Kevin's coldest, most ruthless sayings invaded the princess' mind.
"Not good, living enemy… won't be weak next time… avenge…"
Oh no you don't!
"Stay out of my head!" Lise snarled, "those things prove nothing!"
"Just trying to break your illusions, they aren't good for you," Rakadra sneered, "now that he had his chance against that one you call Deathjester, don't you think he's done with your help?"
Deathjester… Kevin!?
"Where is he?!" Lise harshly asked.
"Probably resting somewhere in the forest. Accept facts."
"If you think I'm going to believe you then you're not evil, just an idiot!" the princess snarled.
Rakadra tilted his head, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm hurt," he claimed, the sneer speaking against his words.
"Just stop it! Leave me alone!" Lise growled.
She fought back a yelp as his grip of her head tightened.
"Now let's not be rude," Rakadra hissed, soft as silk, "do remember where you are, princess. I find these mind games amusing, but they bore me in the long run."
She more heard than felt his claws zip further out from his fingers, since they only brushed by the fine hair on her neck. The sharp sound was deafening.
Rakadra's hands moved down to her shoulders, his claws cutting into the fabric of her tunic. The razor-sharp tips icily teased her skin and caused snakes of terror to crawl into Lise's chest.
"Stay away…"
Her dry tongue and lips could hardly produce the whisper.
Rakadra sneered, hungrily. Lise desperately struggled against her chains, only getting more torture for her leg.
"You see, my master wants you alive, for him to kill in order to release the Mana stone of Light," the demon whispered in her ear, his breath like icicles, "and alive is my only restrain."
'Dear goddess, no, PLEASE!'
His hands clenched, the claws about to rip the tunic into pieces…
"Lord Rakadra!" a hoarse, female voice screeched.
He spun up and around with an angered hiss of being bothered in his delight. Lise slumped back against the floor and wall as her muscles lost all violent tension. She couldn't stop something that sounded like a sob of relief.
"I said that I wouldn't be disturbed!" the half demon snarled.
What looked like an extremely pale woman in a crimson cape bowed nervously, floating about a feet above the ground. The light changed again, revealing that she floated in an opening carved out from the stone wall.
"Yes my lord," she stuttered, "but the son of the accursed Beast King has found the entrance and is wreaking havoc…"
"Told you…" Lise whispered in an unsteady voice.
"Hmm. I stand corrected. But it doesn't matter."
Lise groaned in surprised pain as the ropes on her wrists shot upwards on the wall, tearing her into standing. The right leg screamed and she let all weight off it, leaning on her left.
A blessed familiar roar shook the underground room and the undead woman dashed inwards, fleeing the source of the sound.
Kevin busted in, halting just inside of the room momentarily only to take in the scene in order to get a vague idea about how he could attack.
Lise's whole being was a mix between indescribable relief and darkest horror.
'He's here, he really came… oh goddess, what if Rakadra is too strong for him!?'
'Do you really fear that?' some deep part of her asked with soft sarcasm.
For she had never, ever believed that Kevin could seem that powerful. He had always been strong, much stronger than anyone else she had known. But now it was something almost eerie over-worldly about him. Like a pure explosion of strength.
His whole transformed body moved by his heavy intakes of breaths, as he stood there with his burning eyes locked on Rakadra he was crouching slightly. But not as he used to crouch when he walked, nor in exhaust. It was as if he was holding back, building up for the attack.
There was dark blood on his hands, on his torn tunic, in his fur, everywhere. His teeth were bared in a murderous growl. And his fingers twitched, pieces of bloodied cloth still hanging in the claws.
Slowly he straightened up and began walking. Like an embodiment of Death.
"Say before…" he growled, his voice unsteady and indistinct with ultimate rage, "no hurt Lise!"
The undead woman tried to attack him, but he waved her off like a fly. With a shriek she crashed into one of the walls and became still.
"You're late," Rakadra smirked and left the ground, "I already have."
Kevin's breath halted for a second and his eyes flared up with at least double hatred.
"I'm alright, Kevin…" Lise tried to counter, but her voice wouldn't obey her and it became just another whisper.
"She's good at screaming, your princess," the demon cruelly said, sneering.
"Raahhh!!"
The beastman rushed forward and jumped. Rakadra dashed aside, but Kevin was ready for that. In the same second that he touched the floor he shot upwards again and spun around in the air, this time managing to plant a heavy blow straight into the demon's stomach.
Rakadra harshly snarled, almost loosing control of his wings along with his breath. But he managed to stay up, backing away from the growling warrior on the ground.
"That wasn't very smart, boy…!" the demon snarled and threw out his hand with a storm of black lightning bolts.
Kevin leaped aside and around to avoid the blasts, ending up just before Lise. She stared up into his flaring eyes for the second that he stood still, as she was crouching in pain and he had transformed he was hovering over her. Protecting when she didn't have any chance to defend herself…
Just before he spun around to face Rakadra again his warm breath brushed by her pale, freezing cheek.
"Let's see you handle this one…" the demon sneered and unclenched his right fist.
A lightning erupted from his hand, shattered and turned into a swarm of black needles. All floating in the air, pointing at the prisoner and the werewolf.
Kevin growled.
Rakadra straightened out his pointing finger.
"Move!" Lise croaked.
Kevin didn't reply.
Rakadra bent his wrist and the claw on his finger pointed straight at the two foes of his.
The prince of the Beast Kingdom moved his feet into a secure position as he threw up his arms to cover his face, staying where he was in order to protect the one who couldn't duck.
And the needles shot down.
"No!" Lise screeched, but even before she had finished the short word Kevin hoarsely yelped and staggered.
The needles disappeared, but left hundreds of tiny wounds.
"Gah… rgh…"
Kevin swayed.
"How typically you…" Rakadra said, coldly smirking.
With a weak, hateful growl the beastman turned a little without taking his burning eyes off the demon. But the warrior of the Moonlight forest had to reach out an arm and lean against the wall to keep standing.
"Kevin…"
Lise tried to call, but like before her voice didn't obey. Lame with despair just as the rest of her felt. There was nothing she could do to help him, now he was doomed too only because of her being captured…
"Just like your mother once did to save your father," Rakadra sneered.
Kevin swayed again, Lise couldn't see his face. She didn't care about what the demon said, far too drained of all feelings except the darkest ones. There was no confusion to use.
"Speaking of which, allow me to kill that hope as well," the demon cruelly went on, "this time the great Beast King can't send his mind down to save you either. Not down here."
He was well aware of his victory, but still stayed by the roof. Not stupid enough to risk the mistake that had brought him down on the ship.
And he snapped his fingers, a black circle appearing in his hand.
"Please Kevin, run!" Lise whispered, her eyes dashing between her crouching friend and the collar Rakadra held.
"No."
His voice was shockingly calm. Was he… smiling?
Rakadra drew back his hand with a smirk, about to send the collar through the air.
"Luna, I call upon your brother Wisp!" Kevin shouted, startling both his friend and his enemy with the sudden power.
A rain of stars fell from thin air and showered over Kevin, enveloping the beastman in a pure, warm light. Lise had to turn her eyes away, but she thought that she saw a transparent, white flame with two bright eyes flash by Kevin's shoulder for a second.
"Son of a…!"
With a screech Rakadra dropped the collar, in raw disgust and pain turning away from the holy power being displayed all too close to him.
Big, big mistake.
Kevin straightened up, not all but many of his wounds healed by the sacred elemental's magic. With a roar he leaped, grabbed Rakadra's waist with both hands and tore his enemy out of the air. The demon screeched in rage and horror as he fell with the beastman's claws cutting through his tunic. The son of Beast King drew back and smashed both arms downwards just before the impact, doubling Rakadra's crash.
And Kevin had time to get his shoulder and knees into a tactical position during the last tenth of a second.
Lise turned her eyes away, but it was impossible to escape the disgusting sound of crushed bones and guts. The demon's last, short screech pierced the air, unearthly and fading as if Rakadra had been falling out of reach for the ear. Filled with anguish, hatred and most of all offended dishonor.
The dark ropes disappeared and the princess heavily fell to the floor, letting her unhurt leg take all the impact.
"Li… Lise…"
Kevin stumbled away from the repulsive corpse and more fell than sat down as Lise reached up to give him support. She found her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him as his furry warmth closed the relieved embrace. That he was a bloody mess didn't matter the slightest to her.
The beastman's whole body buzzed softly as he exhaustedly turned back into his human form. The only difference was that all the blood and remaining wounds became properly exposed on his skin, unhidden by fur. And his usual clothes were torn like the tunic; his shirt hanging helplessly only on one shoulder. He didn't care.
"I was so worried…" he whispered, sighing of relief from the knowledge that she was safe.
The soft, warm smell of her tired joy stroke his nostrils and pushed the throbbing pain away from his body.
"Thank you so much…" Lise mumbled back with her cheek on his shoulder.
She straightened up and fell into the golden crystals of his eyes, which now only burned with relief just like hers. Her right hand moved up to Kevin's face and stroke away a few drops of almost black blood that had splashed onto his skin.
"You came in time," she whispered, calming, "he didn't have time to do anything worse than hurt my leg."
For a moment his arms squeezed her even tighter before relaxing a little again.
"Sorry, bring you here," he bitterly grunted.
Lise's hand stopped, on his cheek.
"You're sorry?"
For some reason it made her want to cry.
"Kevin, you're the one who got really hurt, you didn't even want to bring me to the forest!" she said in a choked voice, tender and bitter at the same time, "it was all my fault!"
He shook his head, his eyes falling away for a moment.
"Should have been more careful," he gravely said, "rushed off, didn't see you get caught. I was so worried…"
Lise watched his face, feeling his pulse against her chest and in his arms that held her so defensively. His eyes were still turned away, it felt as if it had been eternity since she lost his precious gaze.
Slowly she bent her neck the little bit needed and pressed her lips against his.
Kevin froze and drew back, staring at her. Lise's soul turned to ice in new horror, afraid to have made a terrible mistake.
What if she'd been wrong, it was stupid, he probably only saw her as a friend, well she had thought so too just a couple of seconds ago… maybe he wasn't… didn't…
Carefully he leaned forward and his lips tentatively caressed hers. Completely new to the concept, but Lise had no experience either so it didn't matter… why would such a detail ever matter…
"This… love?" Kevin mumbled, almost whispering as his breath ran over her cheeks like a warm river.
"I th-think so…" Lise replied, battling tears of the overwhelming mix of relief and tenderness.
They straightened up a little and looked into each other's eyes, tentatively somehow.
Lise's hand moved by itself as she watched the warmly yellow irises. The pointing finger reached out and lightly touched the tip of Kevin's nose, causing both of them to smile.
"What does it smell like?" she asked in a low voice.
Kevin tilted his head for a moment before bending forward to lean his forehead against her so that his mane swayed on to almost create a small room for their faces.
"Smells like Lise," he said.
She warmly smiled and hugged him tightly at that. Not sure what she had believed he would reply but knowing that whatever she could have thought of it couldn't have been sweeter wording.
'But I'd say it smells like you, Kevin.'
'So that's what the sad happiness is…' Kevin tenderly thought while his strong arms drew Lise even closer, with only a tenth -if even that- of his true strength not to harm her.
The joyful sadness was so powerful that he felt dizzy. But it wasn't painful or bothering, only asking of him to be right there and finally hold her close to him. It was nice to at last understand.
And heaven to be there in her embrace.
She felt so incredibly soft and warm, yet her grip of his neck was a strong one. Kevin tenderly smiled back at her, the warrior princess who could love a stuttering half blood beast like him.
Their loving peace was torn to pieces by a sudden screech of rage and they both spun around.
Not again, not now!
Five more floating, pale women were examining Rakadra's dead body, their black eyes flashing with rage and hatred. They turned to the two warriors with "revenge!" written all over their faces.
"Worse time possible…" Kevin growled and tried to get up but stumbled with a groan.
His whole body screamed of the pain he had forced away.
"Call upon Wisp, hurry!" Lise harshly said, with bitter anger trying to stand up as well.
Never ever a moment's rest and happiness, something always have to ruin it…
She had no weapon, no armor, but she was angry and she wouldn't allow herself nor Kevin to get hurt. Especially not now!
"Luna, I call…" Kevin began with harsh frustration, obviously sharing Lise's bitterness.
But he never got further. Neither did the vampire ladies. The only thing they had time to realize was that the two insects that had killed their master suddenly turned completely paralyzed with slightly wider eyes, staring at something behind…
"Enough!"
The howl was as powerful as Kevin's raging roar earlier, shaking the entire cave.
With one single sweep of his thick arm the enormous werewolf slammed the whole group of demon servants out of the way and into the wall, where they crashed on about the same spot that their friend had fallen on after the prince's hit a few minutes ago. They turned to gray smoke and disappeared as they hit the floor.
"I think that's quite enough," the werewolf added, much, much calmer.
He disappeared in a strong light and turned out being an older beastman. His long, body dominant hair had begun to turn grayish, showing that he was a bit above middle age. Wearing a fine shirt and a blood-red cloak, he was obviously not a regular beast.
And he was even bigger than Lugar.
Lise heard Kevin's growl while she still was staring at the sudden appearance, easily coming to a conclusion she wasn't sure she liked.
Beast King calmly watched his hateful son.