Adeliea
Chapter Five: The Bandit Asato
Ken found himself once again lying on the scratchy cot. Kari was asleep on the one on the opposite side of the room, which apparently was more comfortable. Ken shifted his weight onto his side so that he was facing the wall. He'd been staring at the outline of Kari's sleeping form and was beginning to suspect that to be the reason he couldn't sleep.
A strange feeling overcame Ken and the air around him felt warped. He closed his eyes and rolled over again. A noise startled him and he opened his eyes to see what the disturbance was; a door slamming shut? What the hell?
Ken sprang up into a sitting position. His hands sank into the plush carpet that covered the ground. Usma's bedroom had vanished and now he was sitting in someone else's room. "Where am I?"
Ken stood up and took notice of his surroundings. There was a large fireplace against the wall behind him, with a small fire lit within it. The mantle was bare save for two small knives sheathed in their ornate scabbards.
Turning away from the fireplace, Ken's eyes fell onto the king sized bed in the center of the room. He took a step closer and saw that someone was asleep in the bed with a light blanket covering her petite body. "Kari?"
The young woman looked exactly like Kari except for perhaps a few years older. Her hair was long, wavy, and black with golden-brown highlights and it was swept over her shoulders. Ken stared in awe at the young beauty. Her skin was tanner than Kari's and he was willing to guess that Kari was a few inches shorter.
Ken was too absorbed in watching the young woman sleep that he didn't hear the noise of a door opening. Another presence walked towards him and Ken whipped his head up towards the stranger just as he stopped next to Ken.
Ken's jaw dropped. An older version of himself now stood next to him. "I, um, well…" he trailed off. The older Ken did not even see him. "Hello?" Ken watched as the older version of him leaned down and kissed the forehead of the young woman. It was like Ken wasn't even there.
There was a knock on the door. Ken's older self went to answer it and Ken followed to see who it was. A tall blonde was at the door. "Sir Ken-"
The older Ken pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh, she's finally asleep."
Sir Ken stepped out of the room and Ken rushed through just as it was being closed. "Sir Ken, Jagras has just returned."
"What does he have to report, Hayaki?" the older Ken inquired.
"What we already suspected: we are out numbered by men, weapons, magic, and strength. The enemy is a week away from the capital, at the most. They'll be coming after the queen."
Sir Ken started pacing outside the door. "How do we know for sure that he's coming after Hikari?"
"She's the queen of the capital; if he removes Hikari when she has no heir or family to take the throne, he'll be able to take it without worrying about fighting a successor. Besides, she is his strongest opponent."
Sir Ken opened his mouth to reply, but the door to the bedroom reopened. "Hikari! You should be asleep!"
"I thought I heard voices. What are you two conspiring about at this hour of the night?"
Hayaki bowed his head with respect. "Forgive me, Queen Hikari, I was just wandering through the halls when I ran into Ken. I apologize for waking you."
"You didn't wake me. I was actually about to come find you; has Jagras returned?"
Hayaki lifted his head and looked to Sir Ken. "Yes, Milady. He was tired from his long journey and already fell asleep from exhaustion. He will be prepared to speak to you in the morning."
Queen Hikari nodded her head slightly. "Very well. Perhaps you should be off to bed then, too?"
"Yes, Milady."
Sir Ken opened the door and held it open for Hikari. She walked into the room and Sir Ken followed; Ken barely snuck in before the door shut on him. "Did you have a premonition about Jagras?" he asked.
"Yes, and I must say that I'm disappointed that neither of you told me that Jagras had spoken to Hayaki. Why are you trying to deceive me?"
Sir Ken paused for a moment as the Queen stared at him with fiery eyes. "I want you to leave the capital," he said finally.
"Why in the name of the Goddess would I do that when the enemy is days away from here?" she demanded.
"They'll be coming to spill your blood!"
"Let them try," she growled.
"We're outnumbered in every possible way-"
"So you want to send away someone capable of fighting? I'm not going to abandon my people when they need me. I will not abandon the men who are willing to fight for me!"
"Please, Hikari, just hear me out." Sir Ken took the young Queen's hands and urged her come closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "I just don't want to worry about you getting hurt. Please, take refuge elsewhere in the kingdom and wait for me. When I have killed the enemy I will return to you."
"Do not ask this of me. I cannot agree to this. Besides, I can fend for myself."
"I know that you can, but we cannot risk losing you now. I cannot risk losing you now."
"Get up; you are wasting the day away!"
Everything around Ken went black. His senses dulled and all that remained with him was what he could feel from the man who looked like him. Concern and love wrapped around him until reality reformed and he opened his eyes to see Usma leaning over him.
"'Bout time. I was ready to throw you off the bed. The sun has been up for hours."
A slight throbbing pulsed through Ken's neck and the remaining effects of the dream vanished. That dream…it felt so real; like I've actually lived through that moment before.
Ken looked across the room to where Kari had been sleeping but the cot was empty. "Where is Kari?"
"She has been up since sunrise. Luther is teaching her a few things about using her weapon. 'Tis a shame that we couldn't find her sword; it would a great deal more affective."
"Sword?"
"Aye, but we couldn't find it in time. Your twin knives and the shields are also lost."
Ken walked out of the room with a confused look on his face. Maybe the knives I saw in the dream are what she's talking about; wait…? "Kari is doing what?"
"Practicing," Usma walked towards the doorway leading to a primitive backyard. It was really just a bit of grassy area fenced in. She leaned against one side of the doorway so that Ken could see properly.
Kari circled around Luther with her dagger drawn as Luther did the same with his sword. "Don't wait all day to attack," he chided.
"Right, sorry." Kari lunged in and Luther blocked, rounding out his blade in an attempt to remove her weapon. Kari followed the motion to keep the dagger in her hand and drew back. She faked forward before sidestepping so she was behind him and placed the tip of the dagger between his shoulder blades.
"Very well done," Luther complimented before taking a quick step forward, whirling in a circle and grabbing onto Kari's forearm. He pulled her and she collided with his chest. "But remember, most of your enemies won't stop with a blade against their back. There are too many ways to get out of it unless you have a firm grip on them."
"Kind of like you do on me?" she joked after he kept his grip on her forearm.
Ken saw a small blush creep onto Luther's cheeks as he released her. They reset their forms and started anew. "How long have they been practicing?"
"A few hours," Usma replied. "You were asleep. Did you sleep well?"
"Um, sure."
"Did you have any dreams?"
"What? Why do you ask that?" he demanded.
"Kari had a frightful dream about her brother and boyfriend-"
"Boyfriend?"
"Aye, Matt X Ishida, if I'm not mistaken. They found out that she was missing and tore apart this Land of the Digital in search of her. Did you have any dreams?"
"No," he lied. How did I not know that she was dating Matt? Idiot! "Um, hey, can I ask you something?"
"If you so desire," Usma replied.
"Can you see into the past and the future?"
"If there is something in either that I am meant to see. Why do you ask such a question?"
"I was wondering how you could tell which one you were seeing." That dream was far too real to not mean something.
"The past has no air of uncertainty to it. The future always changes so it is not as concrete. You can feel it around you when you see something."
Ken nodded slightly. How could have been the past if that guy was older than me? None of that stuff has happened so it has to be the future…no it definitely has happened. I just need to figure out where and when.
"Well good morning," Kari said brightly, pulling Ken from his thoughts.
Ken glared at her and her cheerfulness. She was unfazed however, and kept smiling. "What are you so freaking happy about?"
"Endorphins make you happy," she said. Kari took a deep breath and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She was sweating lightly and her skin glistened in the morning sunlight.
All Ken could think of was the young queen and her knight in the dream. It was them…but it wasn't. They were so in love and the knight was so worried about her. The throbbing in his neck returned and Ken pushed back all thoughts of the dream.
"You should have gotten up and learned how to use your sword. It's actually a lot of fun."
"Whatever," he growled.
Luther put his hands on Kari's shoulders. He gave his mother a meaningful look. "I know; I saw," she said.
Kari glanced up at him with slight confusion. "It's nothing," Luther said softly.
"I've put together some things for your travel. If you want to have a light breakfast before you go, Ken, there isn't much but please do help yourself."
Ken shrugged lightly. "Sure."
"Kari, why don't you show him where everything is?" Usma suggested.
Kari led Ken into the kitchen area and Usma ushered Luther back out of the small home. "I just do not understand; Kari had no dreams about her prior self last night and Ken is too consumed by darkness to listen or understand his!"
"We knew that Ken would be like this. It is as it was: Ken met Hikari when a Black Leech was inside him; there must be some equivalent that has a hold of him now or they would not have met this time around."
"I suppose you are correct, but that doesn't explain why Kari hasn't remembered anything about the queen. Being brought back should have been enough to trigger something."
Luther sighed deeply. "At least she is relearning fighting well enough. Perhaps they learn one thing before another can be unlocked." He rubbed his crooked nose in thought. "And they look like the stories say they should."
"I just hope they don't kill one another before they save Adeliea," Usma mused.
(0)
They'd been walking in silence for most of the afternoon. The occasional "keep up" was heard from Ken and a few choice words came from both of them. Usma had sent them into a forest, opposite of where they arrived the day before. The sun was starting to get lower in the sky and they were still more than a day from the next village.
All Usma had told them was to find the seamstress in the next village; the aging woman owed Usma a favor and would surely give them a place to stay and some clothes so they would not stand out so much.
Kari readjusted the bag and quiver of arrows on her shoulder and sighed deeply. "It will be sunset soon; we should start thinking about making camp for the night."
"There's no need to trouble yourselves with a camp," a voice said.
Ken looked back at Kari with an expression of concern. Three men jumped down from the trees to the space between the two trees. "Who are you?" Ken demanded.
"I am the bandit Asato. You are traveling in my forest and I demand a toll."
Ken sized up the man. He was slightly taller then him and tan and clad in a brown vest over a long sleeve white shirt. His pants were the same shade of brown and were tucked into his boots. A thin mustache crept over his lip and he had wild black hair that spiked out everywhere. The other two men wore white shirts and brown pants. One had nearly no hair on his head, save some light brown fuzz. The third man black hair and bangs and a ponytail with a single lock of hair tied back.
"We have no money," Ken said calmly.
"That's just fine," Asato said with a laugh. He snapped his fingers and before Ken could react, two men jumped down behind him and grabbed onto his arms. They pulled his arms behind his back and constricted his movements.
"Ken!" Kari screamed with alarm. Two more men jumped down and grabbed her as she tried to run to Ken's aid. One yanked off her bag and weapon and threw it to the ground. They grabbed her shoulders and held her still.
"Let her go," Ken warned.
"Since you have no money, I shall have to take your woman and your life," Asato explained. He waltzed over to where Kari was fighting the two bandits.
"I'm not his woman," Kari mumbled.
"If you touch her I swear I will kill you!"
Asato looked back at Ken with an eyebrow raised in amusement. He gave Ken a mocking smile before turning back towards Kari. Grabbing onto her throat, Asato forced Kari's head upward and licked her cheek.
His lips moved down to her throat and passed her collarbone. Kari screamed as he bit down into her flesh, drawing blood and licking it up greedily.
Ken could barely hear Kari scream. His eyes hurt to stay open so he blinked but found it hard to reopen them. His body felt weightless and the men holding onto him reacted as he slouched in his arms. "Boss, the boy isn't with us anymore."
Ken reopened his eyes to see the older version of himself and Queen Hikari walking along the forest trail. They were walking hand-in-hand in a comfortable silence. Suddenly, Hikari stopped and looked around.
"What is it?" Sir Ken asked.
A man jumped down from the trees and drew his sword. "A fine young lady and a man with a fancy weapon; it must be my lucky day."
"Bandits," Sir Ken hissed with irritation, "they love showing up at the worst times."
"I won't be long," the bandit promised. "Just give me the woman and your sword and I'll be on my way."
"Do you have any idea who you are trying to pick a fight with?" Hikari inquired.
"Not a one," the bandit admitted. "Not that it matters."
Hikari pulled an arrow out from her quiver and aimed her bow at the threat. "Leave us be and I will spare your life."
A sharp pain erupted through Ken's stomach starting at his stomach and he felt his body cave from the impact. He blinked several times and returned to reality; Asato had kneed him in the stomach to awaken him. Why was I shown that now? Maybe it could have helped.
Ken readjusted his weight back on his feet. "Stay awake, I want you to see what I do to your woman," Asato growled.
Ken looked over towards Kari. She was staring at him intently, obviously worried by what happened. He saw two puncture wounds just below her neck which were seeping out with thin trickles of blood. "Kari! Let her go," Ken pleaded.
Laughing deeply, Asato shook his head. "I'm gonna use your woman and then I'm gonna kill the both of you. You just be sure to stay awake and watch."
He returned to where Kari was and licked up the lines of blood trailing down her exposed flesh. "What are you?" Kari questioned. She felt a demonic aura seeping through his skin.
"You don't want to know," he whispered before nipping her ear. "I gonna make you scream loud enough to keep the boy stirring. How does that sound?"
Panicking slightly, Ken's thoughts began to race. Oh God, we're going to die! I didn't get sent to this world just to be killed. I have to free myself and help Kari! I can't just stand here while he…oh God, would he? Maybe Usma saw this and sent Luther to save us…no, we're a good half a day's walk away from the village. Maybe someone will come along and save us.
Kari yelped in pain as Asato bit down on her ear again, drawing blood. "Please, let me go," she whispered softly. Tears flooded her eyes and clouded her vision. "Please," she repeated.
"Don't worry, Pet. This won't take too long. Men, why don't you tie the boy up and get in line?"
The two men gripping Ken's arms dragged him to the nearest tree and tied him too it. Ken tried to escape as one loosened his grip to get the rope, but the other smashed his head against the bark, dulling Ken's senses.
Kari sent a pleading look to the man with little hair. "Boss?" the man said, rubbing his head. "Why don't we let her go? There are plenty of girls who take this path. We can get another by this time next week."
Asato drew a deep breath and exhaled in the man's direction. A thin knife shot out of his mouth and struck the man right between the eyes. He fell down dead with a heavy thud.
Kari screamed and tried to pull herself out of her captors' grips.
We really are going to die! Ken thought as the knot was tied, binding him to the tree.
(00)
CLIFFHANGER!
I don't know if knives go in scabbards too, but I'm gonna guess and say sure!
I learned something a while back that I thought I'd share with you. Almost every Takari lover will use the episode where Kari gets transported to the Dark Ocean to support the pairing. TK confessed that he really cared about her and blah, blah, blah. The only problem is that the translators added that part in when they made the dub. The Japanese version doesn't say that! I just thought I'd let you know.
Chapter Started June 30, 2006
Chapter Completed and Posted July 3, 2006