Undying Love – Choosing Loyalties
Author's Notes: Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I've been super-busy with school work, and I've had little time to spend on writing this story. I'm really eager to keep on continuing this story, and hopefully… I might be able to fit in another chapter during Thanksgiving as well.
Anyways, I'm predicting that there will probably be around ten to fifteen chapters left, until this story is finished. I'm aiming for the 75000-word mark and 400 reviews, but things never go quite as expected. I apologize once again for the slow updating, and thank you so much for your constant support.
---------------------------------
A growl was emanated, as Crimson carefully approached the bleeding Raisuke. Piercing, cautious eyes stared at the blond slyly, eager to get on with the hunt. The alert Drayk could smell the slight stench of fear that coated the blond, and this gave Crimson a most pleasant thrill. Terror and darkness; these were the things that inspired the very essence of this malevolent and merciless dragon.
Meanwhile, Raisuke observed the Drayk with his tired eyes, murmuring soft words in his wake. He continued to do so, attempting to be as calm and collected as possible, as Crimson backed him up into a tree. The blond was trapped, with nowhere to retreat.
Suddenly, Raisuke started to glow in an eerie blue… as he braced himself for the transformation. He was going to fight Crimson with his own claws… the claws of a water dragon.
---------------------------------
Black… pitch black… that was all Raisuke's eyesight could see, as he continued to go higher into the night sky. Raisuke would have not been able to navigate away from the forest, if not for the small rays of moonlight that ruptured the veil of darkness. The injured dragon continued his ascent, trying to get Crimson off his tail.
Light-headed and dizzy, the transformed river spirit tried his best to ignore the nauseating effects on his body, as the air became thinner and thinner around him. With every meter traveled, Raisuke had become a little farther away from his bathhouse and the surrounding familiar landscape. Raisuke could already feel the unpleasant pain in his head, and he just hoped that Crimson would feel the brute of the airsickness as well. He remembered about the vicious side effects that resulted when Hikaru had been training Crimson to tolerate the dreadful experiences of high-altitude flying. Raisuke just hoped that he would have an advantage over the determined Drayk in this battle.
Without warning, Raisuke had stopped his ascent, afraid that any higher would make the queasiness too much for himself to bear. Meanwhile, Raisuke turned around, noting that Crimson was quickly approaching. In a few moments, the disoriented Drayk was within a minute distance from Raisuke, glaring with its acid stare.
In turn, Raisuke growled menacingly at the presence of his enemy, before swiftly charging at the unprepared dragon. Thick, dark gunk immediately spewed everywhere, once sharp nails penetrated Crimson's stone-hard scales. The scent of blood coated his surroundings, as Raisuke continued to slash into the Drayk without mercy or relent. Howls of agony echoed loudly into the night, as claws went deeper into Crimson's wounded body.
Raisuke pulled back his claws somewhat, before ramming them back into the withering creature. The water dragon smirked knowingly, as he felt his claws dig deeper into Crimson's chest. Raisuke was almost there… so close to the Drayk's most precious organ. All he needed to do was kill the heart, and Crimson would die instantaneously… like any other dragon.
Raisuke smiled smugly, knowing that he had the upper hand in the battle. He winced slightly at the withering creature's retaliation, as Crimson tried to pry Raisuke's claws away with a death grip. Raisuke could also feel the sharp tail that wrapped tightly around his body, as Crimson tried to suffocate him with the last bit of its power. Even so, Crimson was still losing the battle, its eyes fluttering weakly. The dying Drayk was endlessly pouring of blood, and Crimson could feel itself starting to lose its grip on consciousness.
Suddenly, primal survival instincts kicked into gear… as Crimson channeled its remaining energy to remove the fatal claws from its chest. Startled and unprepared, Raisuke was brutally pushed away from the Drayk, before he saw Crimson ram into him with its armored body. All Raisuke could see was blurriness, before the immense and sharp pain pierced into his body. A thick trail of blood was left in its wake; Crimson had vicious bit into Raisuke's neck.
With a shrill screech, Raisuke clutched roughly at Crimson's head, before forcefully removing the Drayk from the bleeding expanse of his neck. Burning with anger and the need to survive, Raisuke wasted no second before he charged at Crimson and shoved his jagged claws into the Drayk's heart. A piercing cry was heard, before silence engulfed the night once again.
Crimson was dead.
---------------------------------
A moan was heard… before two hands gripped on blond strands, gasping loudly at the massive headache that ripped through his head. Blue eyes tried to focus, blinking slowly as he noticed that he was back in the bathhouse. Looking around, the river spirit noticed that he was in the presence of a familiar redhead.
"Raisuke?" a voice asked, before he saw Hikaru walk over to his bedside. "How are you feeling?"
At this question, the redhead earned herself a death glare. Raisuke scowled restless, radiating his 'What the hell do you think?' expression. He was not pleased.
The blond wasted no time displayed his discontentment. "What the hell were you thinking, sending Crimson over to attack us? To attack Chihiro?" the blond bit out menacingly, clenching his fists. "Your goddamn Drayk almost killed me!"
Immediately, a finger pointed accusingly at him. "Why do you always have to interfere in everything?! Why couldn't you let my darling Crimson do its job?!" she screeched angrily, huffing. "You saved the bitch… and you slain my most prized pet! You wouldn't have gotten hurt if you just push aside that inflated ego of yours, and stop protecting that slut!"
"Oh… so now it's my fault?" Raisuke said disbelievingly, looking offended and thoroughly pissed. "The agreement was that I'd get Chihiro in perfect condition, in exchange to help you win the affections of that Haku! You broke your fucking promise! And why the hell did you sent Crimson, anyways? For your sick pleasure, is that it?"
"It's none of your damn business!" Hikaru replied snidely, turning away from him. She had no intention of telling Raisuke about any of her other plans.
"The hell it isn't! Anything concerning Chihiro is my business, especially since we had that agreement!" Raisuke spat bitterly, before roughly grabbing Hikaru's chin, forcing her to look at him. "If you ever try doing anything behind my back again… don't think I'll hesitate reporting you to the authorities! You know as well as I do, that the stupid stunt you tried to pull off with Crimson is punishable by death!"
A wry laughter was heard. "You tell the authorities, and you are going down with me, cousin. Don't think you can just try to blackmail me here. I always have the upper hand." Before Hikaru turned to leave the room, she threw a round object to Raisuke, smirking. "And don't think I don't have more of those… where they came from. Remember that if I go down, I'm taking you with me… so you better get your loyalties straight."
In Raisuke's hand was a small, black marble… and he sighed remorsefully in recognition. It was a memory crystal; Raisuke tapped the top of the round crystal twice, before watching the familiar scene play in front of his eyes…
---------------------------------
"I really do not see what you find so great about this… this Chihiro, you speak of. I got a real good look at her today, and she looks like nothing more than a stuck-up whore…" an arrogant, feminine voice drawled.
Raisuke smirked at her fiery, red-haired cousin, Hikaru… who had arrived to work at the bathhouse since yesterday. As usual, even after months of not seeing her, she hadn't really changed… she was still a bitchy and envious woman. It was quite amazing, to say at the least, how far Hikaru's ambition and deception could go. Even with Hikaru's sexy and delicious looks, her alluring black eyes, her silky crimson hair, and her rich and reputable family background… she was still quite the bitter and cunning river spirit. And right now, she seemed absolutely jealous of Chihiro, not that he really cared.
"It seems like someone is jealous! But then again… you always reek of the foul odor of envy 24/7…" Raisuke taunted evilly, smug with the irritated look that appeared of Hikaru's face.
"Oh please. Me… jealous of someone like that?" Hikaru spat disapprovingly, not even bothering to call the "whore" by her name. "She can't even compare to me… much less make me jealous. Besides, what do you see in her… anyways?"
"Well, you shouldn't be one to talk. And besides… I could ask the same thing of you. What do you see in some bastard like Haku? Have you forgotten the fact that he is my sworn nemesis, not to mention, that he already has a girlfriend? Not that I don't want to get my hands dirty with someone like Chihiro…" Raisuke exclaimed cockily, licking his lips eagerly.
Seeing Raisuke's actions, Hikaru immediately made a face of disgust; Raisuke definitely had bad taste. How could he like that slut… and say that she had false opinions of Haku? But then again… it did not really mattered whether or not she or Raisuke was right, after all, Haku and Chihiro were both dating each other; they were both taken. Hikaru frowned at this detail with a great dislike; that slut didn't even deserve Haku… that Chihiro simply wasn't good enough to satisfy someone like Haku. Oh… if only Haku was single, then someone, such as herself, who was way more superior to Chihiro, could have her own chances with Haku…
"Oh. My. God! That's it!" Hikaru squealed maliciously, rubbing her hands together.
"What's 'it'?" Raisuke asked tiredly, wondering what new, sadistic ideas Hikaru conjured up now.
"I've got the perfect plan to split up that slut from my Haku!" the red-head professed confidently, grinning like a banshee.
"Hmm… a perfect plan, you say?" Raisuke asked, interested in what Hikaru had in mind. It was no secret that often, Hikaru's plans were in no doubt… flawless and successful… most of the time.
"Yes… a perfect and effective plan to split up the "dream" couple, which is another one of my ingenious ideas. But, as you've probably guessed… I need you so this plan can be completed properly."
"I'm not doing anything without a reward. What do I exactly get in return for my wonderful services?" asked the blue-eyed river spirit, very interested in his cousin's offerings.
Hikaru glanced contently at Raisuke, knowing that he would definitely like his reward… "In exchange for services rendered, you'll get Haku's own girlfriend… Chihiro."
---------------------------------
'Oh hell…' the blond thought, hearing Hikaru's fading footsteps, while gripping at the dark marble in his hand. 'I'm screwed.'