Chapter 16 How the Term "Archenemies" Began
"You're finished!"
Unbeknownst to the others, Barleyo was shoved aside as Egomaniac eagerly took over the commands. He couldn't wait to finish off this nuisance who was somehow privy to his plans to take over the world. How had he discovered that? (Well, really, Egomaniac gave himself away…)
"I foresee none of this is going to lead to anything good."
That voice officially made Axel leap out of his cowardly skin. He was certain a ghost was inhabiting the walls. Clinging to Tanner, he looked at the young man's hard face and released him suddenly.
"Eh, you had a really scared look on your face…" Axel muttered.
Raising his eyebrows, Clothier went to the edge of the cell and peered into the gloom, avoiding the guards watching them with a universal bored expression.
"I think there's another prisoner in here."
"Of course. I've been here for longer than you have, and I had a feeling you would join me today. I also have a feeling someone else is about to join us."
Kun raced eagerly to the edge of the bars, trying to see the feminine speaker. He had never seen such a mystic-sounding voice. And he also wanted to see who was joining them.
A strange floating glow was the first thing the short guy saw. Then, he recognized the tall shape as a person.
"Wow, she was right!"
De Vlin narrowed his eyes. "I think she saw not at all but heard the footfalls!"
"And that means anyone would have known," Clothier added, looking just as suspicious.
The woman was silent in her cell where no one could see with the darkness.
Furious at being ignored, both Sama-san-dono and Egomaniac went over to the edge to see what took their limelight.
"Isn't that Put'oh Gruff?" Axel asked with a frown, squinting where one lone torch cast a faint light on the tall man.
And there, my friends, is when Kiaba began his utter loathing of The Sir Prince Axel.
Farther on the stairs, trotting along behind, Muggy shook his head and muttered, "Uh oh." When Blaydelot cast him a confused look, he whispered, "He hates being mistaken for his twin."
The tall figure went closer to the cell, looking down at those in it without moving his head. For some reason, just seeing the bits of his eyes was extremely intimidating. Together, as he moved closer, the five—well, six with the "djinni"—moved back. Muggy, having jumped and grabbed the torch, followed his brother far enough back so that the levitating cloak was in no danger of catching aflame.
And there, my friends, is when The Sir Prince Axel began his utter loathing of Kiaba, sorcerer with the floating cloak.
He wanted one.
He was a prince, and so he ought to look as regal as this whatever-he-was.
He wanted one.
And, he deserved one because he really wanted one.
So, that was the ex-knight's first thoughts on seeing this guy who looked like Put'oh but had a more kingly stance and a much eviler glare. Still, they had to be the same person.
"Are you here to let us out? Get on with it already! Some quack thought he had the right to lock us up because we knocked on his door. How insane is that?"
No, Kiaba's loathing of Axel was not about to fade after first impressions were over.
"Oh? Some quack? Who was insane?"
Now Axel was really confused. This had to be Put'oh, but his voice was lethally soft, soft and cold.
"Uh, yeah. Will you let us out already? We have to find that idiot Blaydelot before he makes off with our cash!"
"Um, Axel? I told you have the money. And Blaydelot is right there."
The knight was in view, giving a crooked smile to The Sir Prince Axel who never learned when to shut his mouth.
"Good! Let us out! I can understand you locking away your brother Muggy because you're so paranoid of him getting hurt, but we're the ones who do the hurting. We'd be prot—"
"Shut up," Tanner said, jabbing him at the same time Earl did from the other side. Sandwiched, with no air, Axel finally stayed quiet.
But it was too late.
"Let them rot in here. I see no reason they should be saved."
There was a moving sound from the other cell; someone had gotten up. "I predict you'll take those words back and all of us will be released from these cells tonight."
Kiaba, already back near the stairs, gave the woman a full seven seconds of his time as he paused. "And, just because you said that, Iheezu Yucktar, you'll all be remaining until morning at least."
Worriedly, Muggy looked at all the cells, but really, only the two were in use. Still, he waited once his brother was gone (why had he even come?) to talk to them all. The guards were still around to make certain Kiaba's orders were carried out.
But, Blaydelot never seemed to understand how close to death he was because he was still following Kiaba. And, once the sorcerer was back in his study and wanting to work, he ignored the follower and sat down.
Waiting with amazing patience, Blaydelot sat down on a stack of books high enough for a chair and crossed his arms, legs stretched out before him. The cloak still covered him well.
Irritably, Kiaba ceased the translation he was doing for a spell and glared at him, but just so we're clear, it wasn't a Glare.
"Just say what you want and leave."
That was what the knight had been waiting for. Smiling, he straightened and leaned forward. Seriously, he began to say just exactly why he had come.
And if you think I'm informing you, just try to eavesdrop. It will avail you not at all.
He finished with a formal invitation, "So, how would you like to travel in our company?"
Kiaba Gruff was not pleased. In fact, he was never happy. Amused, often. Sarcastic, always. He worked all day and most of the night—slept for five hours every four days—and still had more to do. So, when someone asked if he'd care to join them on the travel, what do you think his response was?
He gave a little smile that was more of a taunt at the person who asked the question. Then, quietly, "Hmm. Yes."
Whoa! Do you know what this means? Do you have any idea what kind of plan he must be formulating in his mind that he is going to take off work to go gallivanting? Do you have any guess as to what Blaydelot must have just said to him?
And peering closely at the cloaked figure before him, the sorcerer for once was regretting that he had no light. Something about that face was…
"Are you going to let us out or not?" Axel demanded of Muggy.
The youngest Gruff shot him an annoyed glance. Of course he was going to let them out, but it didn't mean he wanted to be asked first. That took away all the fun and originality. In fact, now that the ex-knight had mentioned it, Muggy wasn't at all certain he was going to oblige them.
Instead of going to the cell where people were anxiously awaiting him, Muggy went to the room holding the calm Iheezu Yucktar.
"What are you here for?" he asked.
The figure in the darkness closed her eyes and gave a smile that was difficult to see from the lack of glowing flames. Still, he wondered why she smiled when she was within a jail cell that his brother had hinted would never release her.
"Your brother simply has a grudge against all of my kind."
That was no answer. Kiaba had a grudge against all sorts of people, the first being any who interrupted him. Most likely, this woman had done just that. Still, it wasn't right for her to be locked up interminably for that.
And, standing there in indecision, the boy suddenly smiled. Muggy doubted his brother would yell at him for being the one who did it—released the prisoners.
"Excuse me," Muggy said quietly to a guard. When the man ignored him, the youngest Gruff huffed and kicked him in the shin. When the guard bent over from the sudden pain and released a grunt, the boy grabbed the keys from his belt and muttered, "Thanks."
Then, he went over to Iheezu's cell and rattled the keys within, somehow having the luck to have the first key fit, and managed to open the door before the other guards made it over to him. The one he had kicked was recovered and coming toward him with a dark face.
Of course, knowing what you do about our favorite youngest Gruff, you know these guards are without a chance. The prisoners will probably be rounded up again, but certainly Muggy will manage to sneak through the grasps and cause all sorts of more mischief before someone gets him in line.
Yet, one Gruff is unaccounted for. Yesah is busy sailing and transporting his goods all over, and Kiaba was busily plotting all sorts of things, and Muggy, of course, was Squirming all around, but Put'oh? Where was the environmentalist speaker now? He had been working on his speeches, but then, once Muggy was gone with the knight Blaydelot, do you think he could sit still long enough without being worried his brother was going off on a quest bound to end in his death? Of course he decided to look for him. And, hearing the ruckus, he had gone down the spiral stairs in a panic, dreading whose mutilated body he'd find in a pool of blood.
Fortunately, Muggy was far from sitting in a bath of blood; indeed, he had not even a scratch on him. But still, the sight of the incensed guards chasing after his brother was too startling after his most recent worry and relief.
"CEASE!"
Words rarely mean anything or have an effect other than to cause someone nearby a headache. But, then, Put'oh Gruff was one of a set of twins, and his twin brother was a well-dreaded sorcerer. They both had inherited the genius of their ancestors and both had at least a hint of magic in the blood. Plus, being so emotionally affected, Put'oh's very yearning for his brother to be safe managed to draw out the flow of magical energy and transform its essence into a new shape. Tendrils of invisible power wrapped around all those in the jail, and within milliseconds of his word, everyone was frozen in place. Everyone. Even Muggy.
Even Put'oh.
His mouth having been open, Muggy tried to shout out his glee, but as his tongue could not move, it sounded something like this: "Coo rutha, ow oo goo gat?"
But, being the genius that he was, Put'oh translated his drooling words into: Cool, brother, how'd you do that?
I wish I knew, Muggy, I wish I knew. Put'oh, stuck staring straight ahead, sighed mentally (his own mouth partially closed, but more bared from forming the "s" syllable.). They'd all better get used to this because he had no idea how to undo it.
