Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters and setting (oh, and a few of my own creations...)
Authors Beginning Note: I am sorry for the delayed update (um ya, like a week late...) The computer had a virus so I couldn't update. Please forgive me!
Shout it outs!
Auron-Um...okay...it will either happen the next chapter or the chapter after.
Aharah Musici-I'm ecstatic you think so!
Meyojojo-Ummm....sorry? Please don't hurt me!
Velf-Yes he should! Unfortunately I don't think he will directly, but other good things are gonna happen.
Shitza-I'm glad it's so good!
Chapter 24
Mistakes
Aikia's POV-
"Explain to me again. What happened? Because I could have swore you said something along the lines of 'we left the girl behind, because she wasn't worth risking our lives'." Ahrima said coldly, with much sarcasm and anger pouring from her lips. The two in question were bowing low, in shame and fear.
"Um...that is...ah..."
"In sentences you blundering fool!" Ahrima's hands were clenched tightly at her side as she jumped up from her hard throne.
She's been in a bad mood ever since she lost the image of that girl...that would be Yukio and Hiroshi's fault...since they were the ones carrying the weapons...leaving the girl nothing to have that reflects...hmm...she's proving to be quite a nuisance...
"I...we...were attacked." Ahrima folder her arms across her chest and walked to stand in front of them.
"You never mentioned being attacked. Go on." She said nicely, in a way that made shivers go up your spine and wonder if her intentions were just as good.
"You see. We were camping by a fire..."Hiroshi explained in his heavy almost nasaly dark voice.
Their first mistake...fires alert others that you're there...even in a thick forest..."We had the girl tied to the tree."
Mistake number two...the girl should be tied up, but not to a tree, no matter what way you tie...escape is possible...and in situations where there is danger and you need to flee...you won't free your captive in time and save your own worthless hide...
"We set up sentries. I would take the first watch, him the second. When a stranger came about and sat at our fire without invite."
Mistake three...being unalert..."He began to talk. A local living nearby the forest he said."
Mistake four and five...let the man live without questioning him thoroughly first...and believed his false story of being a local of a near village...the forest is dangerous...there are no villages close by...they're all too scared...
"We began conversing a little and drinking..." He said with a chuckle, remembering the good old time they were having.
Mistake six...drinking with a complete stranger...
"That's when he was telling us about a strange creature in the forest. A dangerous one."
"And what could be more strange and dangerous than you two?" Ahrima raised an eye brow.
"The Creppler." They said in unison.
"The Creppler?" Ahrima asked incredously.
Mistake seven...not knowing what a crippler is..."Yes. And we saw it too. After the guy left, we were sittin back, thinking about what a terrible creature this Creppler was, from what he told us..."
"And what did he tell you?"
"That it was a beast like you ain't never seen! Huge and slimy. Fangs as thick as a head, and long as a sword. It was deadly too. Almost impossible to detect, but you can hear it howling in the night. Howling like death itself." I nearly laughed out loud.
Mistake seven and eight...believing in a false story...and fearing it...the Creppler is nothing more than a small plant that produces thorns and berries...
"No more than a few hours, I was sleeping when Yukio woke me up. Said he heard something."
"And what did you hear?" Yukio shuddered.
"A long howl. A long howl that could send fear through anyone."
Mistake nine...fearing something you have not yet seen...
"Anyone?"
"Excepting you of course."
Oh...what a suck up...
"We stood up and were just about to untie the girl when we saw it."
"Saw what exactly?"
"The Creppler..." I couldn't help it. I began to laugh.
"Shut up!" Ahrima yelled. The two bowed their heads even lower in disgrace at my laughter. I stopped laughing.
Let's see...I believe that was...nine...no ten...the tenth without resistance...mistake eleven...leaving the girl...mistake twelve...leaving the girl without something reflective...like a metal bracelet...or coller...
"I have two of our fastest beast's waiting for you in the forest, along with seven bags of Scholep coins. I believe that should do nicely."
"But you said ten."
Mistake fourteen...thinking you are worthy enough or in such a position to complain...and mistakes fifteen through twenty...because you both are suck ups...I don't like to look at you...and I hate to hear you talk...
"I said ten, when I see the girl. Look around. Do I see her? No. Be grateful then that you even have so much as a single corb to call your own. Now leave!" The two stood up, bowing, backing away from Ahrima than finally fled out the doors.
"Aikia, I know you were counting. How many mistakes?"
"Twenty." I yawned. She seemed to brood on this.
"How many mistakes more is that than I allow?"
"Twenty." She thought about this further.
"Kill them."
Hmm...I would never have seen that coming...
"As you wish." I said bowing and disappearing. I walked slowly through the halls.
"You can come out." I said, and a nearby shadow transformed into a cat-boy.
"Sorry." I continued walking with him by my side.
"You were listening I take it."
"Yes." He seemed nervous.
"Well, if you're going to ask a question, do it." He jumped slightly but nodded.
"Why do you want this girl dead?"
"Because, as insignificant as she is, she has proven to be a problem. Her quest, should she succeed, will ruin Ahrima's plans, and she intends to have every obstical, no matter how minute, anihalated." He seemed to ponder on this.
"There's more." This took me by surprise, but I showed no indication of it.
"Yes. There is." He looked up at me and seemed to wait for the answer. When I wasn't supplying, he opened his mouth again.
"Well, what is it?"
"An obstical we hadn't counted on." And I would offer no more.
When we were in the empty courtyard I looked around. No sign of life existed. Flower beds that were once beautiful , are dead with nothing but sticks coming out of the ground, the stones were chipped, swaying lights broken. Lifeless.
"They're gone."
"I can see that." I said a little irritated.
"They have a fast start." I nodded. I had expected this. Those cowards would try to leave as fast as manageable.
"Do you know how far?" Since he seemed to know, I might as well ask. He sniffed the air once. Nothing, then even deeper.
"They're 7 legions gone already, heading towards the ice region." I smirked. They're probably feeling safe right about now...sure that Ahrima hadn't sent anyone after them to kill them...sure of their safety...and of the loot in their bags...
Without word, I took off into the air, leaving Katsu behind, as I traveled over the grimy unchartered forest.
I flew swiftly, and in no times beat, I found them. Whooping for their four legged black scaly beasts to go faster. I let them see the end of the forest first before I made any move. I could see their excitement and relief.
I let out a high whistle, one that only the Shinzys could hear. They stopped in their tracks, their long scaly tail swaying. The spirits looked puzzled.
I whistled again, and the two Shinzys dumped their riders to the ground and took off through the forest back to the castle...with the seven bags of Scholeps.
I loward myself right behind them. They spun around and backed up in terror.
"Have no fear. I merely came to collect the Shinzys we loaned you. I see you've lost them though, and your payment. Well let me be a gentleman and replace that for you with something you really deserve. .
The two looked warily at each other but the lust for money was too great.
I held my two palms flat against each other, then separated them. A bubbled with swirling green lights inside appeared in each hand and I tossed them in the air.
"Catch." I said, and the two reached up and caught one. They thought they were getting more money, but what they got was acid that spread over their bodies and covered them.
They screamed and screamed. Their skin and shell being eaten away. Their eyes burning in the deadly liquid. Their guts hanging open and slipping to the ground, only to disappear into a pile of gooey mess as acid dripped on them.
I laughed at their dieing bodies and left.
Authors Ending Notes: Reminder of the money system, with there abriviations, name, description, and equivalence to one another. (Or you can look at Chap 3) They are all coins remember.
(c)Corb-Has snakelike designs on it, the smallest coin in the money system, 18 corbs 1 Krinklet
(k) Krinklet-Black with a silver sun printed on it. 10krinklets 1 Scholep
(Sc) Scholep-marroon with an orange sword printed on it, 3 Scholeps 1 bril
(Br)Bril- Soft blue colored coin that looks like fragile glass, with a clear teardrop in the center. Equivelent to a human c-note (or i hundred dollers)