Chapter 23
The warriors rushed through the tunnel of the cave until they reached a small, cavern room. There were the Damsels, sitting in their cages, horrified at the sight and sound of the cave starting to crumble down all around them.
"We have to get them out, hurry!" Hotohori yelled. He ran over to Kristin's cage and used his sword to break off the heavy lock. Kristin immediately jumped into his arms, crying with joy and fear.
Tasuki banged his tessen on the lock on Caitlin's cage, and she bounded out happily, yet with worry in her eyes. Nakago ki-blasted Martha's cage apart, and the poor girl was shaking in fright, yet cowered herself inside Nakago's arms. Nakago also ki-blasted Kailein and Makiko out, and the warriors turned to run out . . .
The Lone Wolf Warrior was standing there, waiting, and behind him, stood Phil and Katie, hand in hand.
"Thought you could escape the great and powerful Lone Wolf Warrior, huh?" The Lone Wolf Warrior growled. "I will not let you escape - you will remain in this cave and die, even if that means my Damsels must perish with you! I will not let you change the fate of the Wolfdom, to which I shall become king!" And he gave a strangled cry, which was cut off abruptly by a large piece of rock falling from the ceiling and hitting him on the head.
"There's no time for this!" Hotohori cried. "Let's go!"
But, the tunnel caved in from behind Phil and Katie, and they both gave squeals of fear, and ran past Hotohori. The entrance had been blocked off, and there was only one thing left to do - follow Phil and Katie out of the cave.
The cave continued to crumble in upon them. They ran as hard as they could, trying to avoid being squashed by the cave disintegrating before them. Through a long and dark winding tunnel they ran, until they saw, far ahead of them, Phil and Katie emerge into light from the end of the tunnel. But the two were surprisingly quick, and Katie had pulled out her flute and gave one quick, sharp note that sent the tunnel exit crashing down, trapping the warriors inside.
"Damn it!" Tasuki shouted. "What do we do NOW?!"
Nakago's symbol began to glow and he tried to ki-blast the blockage out of the way, but just then, the floor beneath their feet gave way, and they fell for a long time in darkness, not knowing what was going on around them, just hearing each other scream and the falling rock beating against them.
Silence.
Everything was silent as the warriors and their Damsels slowly brought themselves back into consciousness.
"W-where are we?" Kristin stammered.
It was too dark to see. Tasuki muttered, "Rekka Shinen," and suddenly, there was light.
They were in a small cavern which appeared to have no openings whatsoever. A lump formed in Hotohori's throat as he choked out, "W-we're trapped!"
Mitsukake went around, healing all who were hurt, as the Damsels clung on to their beloveds, finally glad to be saved.
"Oh, Hotohori," Kristin cried. "I missed you so much! Everyday your song was stuck in my mind, and it would bring tears to my eyes. I'm just so glad to be here with you, even if we are stuck in this cave."
"So long as I can die with my love at my side," Hotohori said gently, "so long as I can have you in my arms again. I don't ever want to let you go, Kristin-sama! Promise me you'll never leave!"
"No, never," Kristin said, "make me your bride. Make me your Empress. Just make it be so that we don't have to be apart any longer."
And with that, they embraced and kissed longingly.
It was the same for the others, too. "Oh, Tasuki!" Caitlin cried, holding him tight. "I missed you so much! I knew you'd be able to pass those stupid obstacles! I knew you'd come to rescue me!"
"Of course I would!" Tasuki said. "I ain't gonna let my woman down, you know that. Come here." And they kissed for a long time.
Kailein and Tomo didn't need to say anything. There was just a "Oh, Tomo!" from Kailein and Tomo's response of "Oh, Kailein!" and they were all over each other.
Makiko cradled Miboshi in her arms, tears in her eyes. "My poor Mi- bibi," she moaned. "What did they do to your arm? My poor, brave Miboshi! I missed you so much! I'm so glad you made it, even with your arm severed."
"I'm fine," Miboshi said, though he looked paler than usual and sounded a bit faint. "So long as I'm with you now . . . everything's fine . . ." And they kissed.
"Martha . . . hi. Nice to see you alive."
"Thanks, Nakago."
Everyone turned to look at Nakago and Martha. There was a spazm of anger twitching in Tasuki's left eye. "At least hug her, you baka!" he said.
Nakago gave Martha a rather stiff hug.
Martha giggled in joy and stayed in his arms, though he seemed rather rigid. Chichiri had been looking around the cave, but no sign of escaping had come up. There were no openings, nothing. They were certainly doomed.
"I could magic our way out," he said, taking off his cloak and getting out his staff.
"Not now, Chichiri," Hotohori said. "It's been a rough day. Why don't we take the time to rest before moving on? It's safe here . . . and at least the Lone Wolf Warrior's convinced that we're dead." Kristin squirmed happily in Hotohori's arms.
"Hotohori's right," Tasuki said. "We oughta let that Wolf Lone Warrior think we're dead before moving out. Besides . . . it HAS been a long day. Let's go to sleep, okay?"
Everyone muttered in agreement. They all turned over on their sides to get some rest.
As soon as everyone had fallen asleep, Nakago gently woke Martha.
"You know I love you," he said in soft, quiet voice so that no one could hear. "You know I missed you. I'm just relived to see you alive again."
"Oh, Nakago," Martha breathed. He pulled her in and kissed her, certain that no one could see him going soft and kissing his beloved. Unfortunately for him, Mitsukake was still awake.
The warriors rushed through the tunnel of the cave until they reached a small, cavern room. There were the Damsels, sitting in their cages, horrified at the sight and sound of the cave starting to crumble down all around them.
"We have to get them out, hurry!" Hotohori yelled. He ran over to Kristin's cage and used his sword to break off the heavy lock. Kristin immediately jumped into his arms, crying with joy and fear.
Tasuki banged his tessen on the lock on Caitlin's cage, and she bounded out happily, yet with worry in her eyes. Nakago ki-blasted Martha's cage apart, and the poor girl was shaking in fright, yet cowered herself inside Nakago's arms. Nakago also ki-blasted Kailein and Makiko out, and the warriors turned to run out . . .
The Lone Wolf Warrior was standing there, waiting, and behind him, stood Phil and Katie, hand in hand.
"Thought you could escape the great and powerful Lone Wolf Warrior, huh?" The Lone Wolf Warrior growled. "I will not let you escape - you will remain in this cave and die, even if that means my Damsels must perish with you! I will not let you change the fate of the Wolfdom, to which I shall become king!" And he gave a strangled cry, which was cut off abruptly by a large piece of rock falling from the ceiling and hitting him on the head.
"There's no time for this!" Hotohori cried. "Let's go!"
But, the tunnel caved in from behind Phil and Katie, and they both gave squeals of fear, and ran past Hotohori. The entrance had been blocked off, and there was only one thing left to do - follow Phil and Katie out of the cave.
The cave continued to crumble in upon them. They ran as hard as they could, trying to avoid being squashed by the cave disintegrating before them. Through a long and dark winding tunnel they ran, until they saw, far ahead of them, Phil and Katie emerge into light from the end of the tunnel. But the two were surprisingly quick, and Katie had pulled out her flute and gave one quick, sharp note that sent the tunnel exit crashing down, trapping the warriors inside.
"Damn it!" Tasuki shouted. "What do we do NOW?!"
Nakago's symbol began to glow and he tried to ki-blast the blockage out of the way, but just then, the floor beneath their feet gave way, and they fell for a long time in darkness, not knowing what was going on around them, just hearing each other scream and the falling rock beating against them.
Silence.
Everything was silent as the warriors and their Damsels slowly brought themselves back into consciousness.
"W-where are we?" Kristin stammered.
It was too dark to see. Tasuki muttered, "Rekka Shinen," and suddenly, there was light.
They were in a small cavern which appeared to have no openings whatsoever. A lump formed in Hotohori's throat as he choked out, "W-we're trapped!"
Mitsukake went around, healing all who were hurt, as the Damsels clung on to their beloveds, finally glad to be saved.
"Oh, Hotohori," Kristin cried. "I missed you so much! Everyday your song was stuck in my mind, and it would bring tears to my eyes. I'm just so glad to be here with you, even if we are stuck in this cave."
"So long as I can die with my love at my side," Hotohori said gently, "so long as I can have you in my arms again. I don't ever want to let you go, Kristin-sama! Promise me you'll never leave!"
"No, never," Kristin said, "make me your bride. Make me your Empress. Just make it be so that we don't have to be apart any longer."
And with that, they embraced and kissed longingly.
It was the same for the others, too. "Oh, Tasuki!" Caitlin cried, holding him tight. "I missed you so much! I knew you'd be able to pass those stupid obstacles! I knew you'd come to rescue me!"
"Of course I would!" Tasuki said. "I ain't gonna let my woman down, you know that. Come here." And they kissed for a long time.
Kailein and Tomo didn't need to say anything. There was just a "Oh, Tomo!" from Kailein and Tomo's response of "Oh, Kailein!" and they were all over each other.
Makiko cradled Miboshi in her arms, tears in her eyes. "My poor Mi- bibi," she moaned. "What did they do to your arm? My poor, brave Miboshi! I missed you so much! I'm so glad you made it, even with your arm severed."
"I'm fine," Miboshi said, though he looked paler than usual and sounded a bit faint. "So long as I'm with you now . . . everything's fine . . ." And they kissed.
"Martha . . . hi. Nice to see you alive."
"Thanks, Nakago."
Everyone turned to look at Nakago and Martha. There was a spazm of anger twitching in Tasuki's left eye. "At least hug her, you baka!" he said.
Nakago gave Martha a rather stiff hug.
Martha giggled in joy and stayed in his arms, though he seemed rather rigid. Chichiri had been looking around the cave, but no sign of escaping had come up. There were no openings, nothing. They were certainly doomed.
"I could magic our way out," he said, taking off his cloak and getting out his staff.
"Not now, Chichiri," Hotohori said. "It's been a rough day. Why don't we take the time to rest before moving on? It's safe here . . . and at least the Lone Wolf Warrior's convinced that we're dead." Kristin squirmed happily in Hotohori's arms.
"Hotohori's right," Tasuki said. "We oughta let that Wolf Lone Warrior think we're dead before moving out. Besides . . . it HAS been a long day. Let's go to sleep, okay?"
Everyone muttered in agreement. They all turned over on their sides to get some rest.
As soon as everyone had fallen asleep, Nakago gently woke Martha.
"You know I love you," he said in soft, quiet voice so that no one could hear. "You know I missed you. I'm just relived to see you alive again."
"Oh, Nakago," Martha breathed. He pulled her in and kissed her, certain that no one could see him going soft and kissing his beloved. Unfortunately for him, Mitsukake was still awake.