Merendinoemilano: Their bond has been tested, and decisions may have been made that they will regret soon enough. Merry Christmas to you, and happy new years.
/*-*/
Blood pumped through Sonic's heart and head. They were finally getting to go smack Eggman into next week. No more waiting for him to come in and hurt people. No more bureaucracy forcing them to stay put while Eggman built more and more bots to screw them over. Sonic finally had the freedom to go nuts, just like old times.
That was another reason Sonic was pumped. They were going to mess up Eggman's mustache, just like when the Freedom Fighters first started. The only difference was instead of a hand full of freedom fighters…
Sonic turned back to see the lusters of tired soldiers walking with Sally. They didn't make rows or collumns, and they were exhausted after half a day of walking. Sonic wasn't one for military standards, he barely had table manners, but these guys made Sonic nervous.
They weren't exactly professional soldiers, and it showed. They looked so tired, pouty and angry. Sonic kept running from cluster to cluster, trying to keep everyone organized. The real reason Sonic was running around the mobian army was to get to the front of the line and look ahead. He'd go up, keep everyone together, see what was ahead, then come back.
They'd never needed the extra manpower before, and they didn't need it now. Sonic got to the front of line and ran ahead to a nearby rock. The clusters all seemed to be together. Sonic saw Johan herding groups of mobians that might wander off the path too far. He saw Tails talking with Sally, seeming to look frustrated and guilty at the same time.
Sonic ran down and went to talk with Johan while Sally and Tails had their little talk. Sonic didn't know a lot about Johan, and though he had his complaints about the wolverine, Sonic was still a little interested to hear about his home. The question of what could produce such a mean and angry beast had been picking at Sonic's brain for a while.
Johan noticed his presence immediately, turning his head while moving to face Sonic. Johan still didn't walk on two legs, which made him look like an animal… a full that is. Johan then turned to face forward and continued walking.
They were a fair distance from the Mobian army, so Sonic started with some small talk, "So… you don't like the new recruits?"
"I do not trust them to remain firm in battle. They are farmers. I do not hold a personal fued against them, but I know they are not warriors." Johan did not turn his head.
"Every soldier was a farmer at one point. " Sonic shrugged. It wasn't technically true, there more jobs than just farming, but Sonic didn't have time for semantics.
Johan shook his head, "My land had warriors. Our sons learned the art of warfare when they were old enough to walk on their own."
Sonic frowned, "Teaching kids to fight? Doesn't sound like a life."
"They need to learn. You never know when a neighboring tribe would launch a raid." Johan stated without remorse. He actually saw nothing wrong with that.
"You got invaded a lot?" Sonic asked, because the alternative slowly worked it's way into his head, and it was terrifying. It was also true.
"No, but two cities or tribes might decide they want the others resources and launch a raid." Johan dismissed.
"And you were fine with that?" Sonic asked, bewildered at how quickly and blandly Johan stated the fact.
"I made our empire that way. I ended laws within my empire as soon as I was crowned." Johan snorted. Moving to the left slightly to and snapping at a cluster of mobians who turned and back on the path.
"Why?" Sonic was confused. This guy was king.
"Laws exist to protect the weak and the wicked. A good man doesn't need laws, because he never cheats his neighbor, or breaks his oaths. Laws exist to let the cheater and liar get away unpunished. Laws allow weak people to exist." Johan began to foam at the mouth, before shaking himself.
Sonic waited for him to finish his thought.
Johan cleared his throat, "When I can kill you for breaking your oath, you won't break it." Johan stated clearly.
Sonic allowed him to keep going, slowing down a bit. He was somewhat disturbed, but a piece of Johan's words gnawed at Sonic's heart. Something did resonate within him. Sonic shook his head, trying to dissolve the idea that anything about that was a good idea. Sonic couldn't shake the truth: he loved freedom, and that idea sounded pretty nice, provided he never ever needed to make a promise.
Sally's voice came up from behind him, "So… did you enjoy your small talk with our new friend?" She sounded tense, but also like she was trying to laugh it off.
"Well… I found out he comes from a place where you can kill anyone for being annoying. Apparently he thinks it was a good place." Sonic laughed, still a little confused inside his head.
Sally laughed as well, hers seeming forced and uncomfortable. The two walked in awkward silence, Sonic not really sure how to proceed with the conversation. He could tell her how frustrated he had been with her, how much she had messed up in his life. But that didn't seem right.
Sonic decided for some small talk, maybe to get to a topic they could both enjoy… hopefully without the awkwardness.
"So… what did you and Tails talk about?" Sonic asked not so subtly. He was kind of curious, and Tails had cut him off completely.
"He's young, and he's having doubts about everything. He won't tell me the specifics, but he's worried he made a bad wish… what ever that means." Sally sighed she sounded lost. She was curious, but also nervous about talking to Tails.
Sonic understood. Tails may have wasted a wish, and now realized he could have made a better choice. Sonic didn't blame him though.
"Tails got mad at me. I feel like he doesn't know where he belongs anymore. I'd like to say he's alone." Sonic couldn't stop his mouth as the words flowed out, like a stream of muddy water.
Sally stopped and Sonic almost moved out of earshot. He noticed she hadn't been keeping up with him, and Sonic turned to see Sally, with a fist balled. She looked angry, sad, regretful, and so many other emotions.
Sonic opened his mouth, "Um… are you ok?"
Sally steeled herself, "Yeah… I know. I haven't been great lately."
Sonic found the sky suddenly interesting. Things were getting personal, and Sonic didn't want that right now.
Sally continued, "I know, I've made some decisions that have made you angry with me. I'm sorry, and I don't want you to think that I don't want you around anymore. I love your jokes, and your confidence, and your smile, I love your presence and your company." She was being clear and blatant, walking closer to him, and wrapping her arms around Sonic in a hug.
Sonic wasn't sure how to respond. She whispered closely to him, "Please, put up with my bad decisions a little longer. I know I've made life hard for you, but I wasn't intending to. I've been focused on trying to get you back, and I've neglected you, along with everyone else. I'll be better, but please don't doubt yourself now."
Sonic laughed nervously. He felt uncomfortable. He couldn't dismiss this with a casual wave, and he couldn't out run the problem. Sonic had to face it, or attempt to justify a delay. Sonic laughed nervously, "Alright… I was just messing anyway." Sonic lied.
Sally frowned, "No you weren't. I could hear it in your voice. I know you're tired. We'll get through this, and maybe get some R&R."
Sonic smiled and they continued on. They arrived at Mobotropolis and Got set up in all of the hotels in the city, Soldier's discount of half off. Sonic had a feeling he was still paying a lot, but Sally went out to buy weapons to finish up equipping the men. Funny enough, Tangle got to be a roomie with Sonic.
"Oh wow, you and me huh? What should we do? Tell stories? Spookie stories? Funny Stories? Or maybe we should play twenty questions? Ok, where were you born?" Tangle jumped up and down.
Sonic blinked a couple times, and laid down, "Let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow. Breaking Eggman's toys and all."
"Yeah-Yeah. Hey, what's Eggman like? Is he as fat as they say he is?" Tangle churned over, bustling with energy.
Sonic actually found himself giggling at that question, "Oh, he's way fatter. He makes Hippos proud of their weight."
Tangle covered her mouth to stop the laughter, "That's not an ok joke."
"Eh, maybe not, you ready to sleep yet?" Sonic snorted.
"Ok… fine." Tangle giggled, unable to suppress the laughter inside her.
Sonic curled up under the covers…when low giggling struck his ears.
"Makes hippos proud of their weight….pwah ha ha ha." Tangles voice mumbled between laughter. She repeated the line, and got the same burst of laughter.
It was going to be a long night, Sonic knew that much, but eventually, he got to sleep. Morning came swifter than he'd like, and Sonic jumped out of bed to continue marching.
Sonic would like to say they had a well balanced breakfast. Instead, they only got biscuits… or rather, a biscuit. Sonic had ran on less, but he had a feeling that Eggman wouldn't sit by while he threw up a bit.
Sonic fortunately knew a quick place to get chilidogs. He took off out of the hotel and found the stand, with the old warthog sitting there.
"Ahh… there's my blue gold mine, been a while Sonic?" Ted snorted through his nose.
"Yeah, I've been busy. Had a lot of stuff happen recently." Sonic laughed, nervously.
"I was worried you might have been seeing another frank stand." Ted laughed and snorted.
Sonic smiled, "Yeah, alright you got me. I'll take two to go."
"Not even ashamed, alright." Ted laughed and wrapped the two dogs in paper. Sonic zipped back to the hotel and sucked down the dogs in his most undignified devouring yet. Sonic was not proud of how he ate, but they were on the march, so he had to eat quickly.
Of course as they walked, Sonic heard Sally call out, "Alright, we are sending in the old guard first, if you showed up a few days ago, stay back and provide cover fire. We are going to push deep into our old territory, and get it back, so stay back!"
Sonic wasn't sure how many heard that, but he kept moving forward. Once they were out of The Kingdom of Acorn's territory, they turned into the woodlands. Sonic got the idea: the woodlands were safer and harder to see through, meaning they might get the jump on Eggman.
The Army of Acorn continued to march, eight hundred men strong or so they hoped, through woods and brush. But they finally saw the wood houses, the clay bricks, the dirt roads of a city. Swatbots and Motorbugs patrolled the area.
Sonic was honestly more amazed that Eggman hadn't turned the whole area into a factory just yet. Still Sonic found some things to be disturbing. He was pretty sure he heard Eggman's hover craft roaming around, along with the sound of jet engine. Down on the ground, larger scale problems emerged. The roads they could see were covered in razor wire. For all Eggman's technology, Sonic's greatest weakness was going slow, and nothing slowed him down quite like sharp pointy things.
Sally cursed, "That's a lot of razorwire." She had grit teeth as the problems slowly made questions emerge in Sonic's head. How would a large scale army react to razorwire? If Sonic and Sally couldn't get through, who was going to advance?
Sonic already didn't like their odds.
Johan's snout parted the two, "Hmm, what is that shiny glint?"
"Razorwire." Sally groaned, balling a fist.
"Razor….wire?" Johan asked, seemingly confused.
"It's like a fence with knives all around it." Sonic explained, "Not fun to run into."
Johan seemed to squint at it, "I will crush it."
"It'll hurt a lot." Sally started to actually sound concerned, and Sonic couldn't blame her. He didn't exactly like Johan, but that was painful, to run over probably half a mile of knives.
Johan growled, "Life comes with pain and pleasure. I will break through."
"Ok, wait, first we'll send in Sonic to deal with any badniks on the outskirts of the town, then you go in and give us an opening." Sally commanded, looking to Sonic for approval.
Sonic nodded, "So…. Will the new guys jus sit back and watch?" Sonic wondered what they would do, because this was a complication that would make everyone's job harder.
"They will still provide fire support." Sally stated firmly.
Sonic nodded, but he had strange felt of dread lurch up in his stomach. Something was going to go wrong… he could feel it.
"Alright, let's do it to it." Sally smiled, giving a nostalgic look at Sonic.
Sonic smiled, "Don't keep me waiting."
Sally turned around and ran to do what she did best: lead. Sonic on the other hand watched for her to return, getting some last-minute stretches in. Then he got low, and got ready to run.
Sally came back, and gave him a quick nod.
Sonic bolted out as fast as he could, curling into a ball as the swat-bots began to chant, "Hedgehog alert! Hedgehog Alert!" Sonic tore through them so easily, he almost didn't feel the metal rolling off his back.
Sonic landed on his feet and continued with the Second pair.
A speaker system let out a cry, "We're what? Under attack? Well STOP THEM!"
Sonic slammed through the third and fourth pair with ease. Motorbugs scrambled out, spinning circles around Sonic. Where was Johan?
Sonic rolled through the Motorbugs, when the large grey Wolverine bounded out towards the town entrance from the road. The assault had finally began.
Sonic's joy was short lived, when his metallic copy slammed him into the dirt. "Oh, hey Metal, Nice to see you too."
The blue machine remained silent as always.
Sonic got up as more motorbugs began to circle around him. Then heard the sound of metal compressing. Sonic and Metal both turned to see Johan walking over the rows of wire.
Sally called out, "LET'S GO, MOVE, MOVE!"
Sonic saw the new freedom fighters scramble out, halfhearted and hesitantly. Sonic used the opportunity of the confusion to jump on Metal, repaying him for the sucker punch earlier.
Metal Sonic slammed into one of the houses, cracking the walls. He didn't seem too happy, because he immediately lunged at Sonic, but Sonic was faster.
Sonic bolted around him and slammed into Metal Again, "Getting kinda slow Metal. Your servo's rusty or somethin-"
Sonic was cut off as a Motorbug knocked him onto the ground. Sonic got up and curled into a ball, cutting the robot in half. Sonic followed up with a swift and sudden swing to knock Metal to the ground again.
As Sonic went to recover, he was knocked on the ground again. The new Freedom Fighters had gotten really close, and Sally called out, "Take out those Motorbugs!"
Sonic heard the rounds of thunder as dirt churned up around them. A few Motorbugs went down, bursting into flames. Sonic held his arms out as he taunted Metal, "So, you ready to give up yet?"
Metal lunged forward at Sonic, who ducked, and kicked his feet up, activating Metal Sonic's thrusters. His metallic copy slammed into the dirt, scrambling to right himself, but ultimately exploding.
Sonic didn't have time to celebrate though, as more Motorbugs surrounded him.
Sonic spun around, cutting into the six encircling Motorbugs, before steadying himself, to admire his handiwork. Sonic turned around to see the flying hovercraft, and the clearly upset scientist ridding in it, "Come on Eggman, you'll need new or better toys if you want a different result-"
Sonic suddenly lurched forward onto the ground, with the growing silent. He saw the dirt rising from the mobian army firing their guns, before going still. It lasted for five seconds before it picked up again.
Sonic tried to get up, trying to figure out what knocked him onto the ground. He felt something drip down his left leg. It was kind of cold.
Sonic looked down and saw a lot of bright red down his body. His brain slowly pieced everything together. He had been shot… by a mobian rifle.
Sonic looked around, the world was still silent. Or maybe his ears didn't work right. Sonic was beginning to think he just fell kind of hard into some mud. He didn't hurt at all, so maybe he just fell into a muddy puddle.
Sonic's eyes landed on a mobian pig. His hands were shaking, the gun on the ground. His eyes looked so panicked. Sonic realized how it was an accident. None of these people had training with a weapon, they couldn't read the sights properly.
Sound gradually returned to Sonic's ears, and a light pain began to erupt in Sonic's lower body. As his hearing returned, so did the pain get magnified. Sonic's eyes landed on a horrified chipmunk running towards him, being outpaced by a Flying cyborg rabbit.
Bunnie swooped down and carried Sonic back to the bushes. Sonic's vision faded in and out.
"It was an accident. I swear!"
"Get back to your post!" Sally's voice shouted, filled with fear.
"Sally-hun… I don' like the look of this." Bunnie's voice was distant.
Sonic's head began to hurt from how much pain he was in.
"What happened!" Johan's snarl growled. His face came into view, and Sonic saw the blades that had gotten stuck in his fur.
"I don't know! He needs help!" Sally was…in tears? Sonic felt warm in his heart that she cared so much.
Johan cocked his head, at Sonic's wound. The eerie silence was broken, "He's a dead man."
Sally jerked up, "NO! I won't accept it! Do something!"
Johan growled back, "I am not a miracle worker. His body is seriously damaged. His blood is bright, the end is in sight!"
"DO SOMETHING" Sally screamed, clutching Sonic's head to her bosom.
Sonic felt something get jammed into his mouth. His eyes opened as his arms started to feel a little chilly. Johan had jammed a stick across his mouth. Sonic wasn-t sure how-
Sonic suddenly felt something course through his wound. A second stick? Sonic looked down and saw the branch that had been broken off and jammed into his bullet hole.
"I have done all I can." Johan asserted.
Sally turned to Bunnie, "GET HIM TO A HOSPITAL!"
Bunnie started, sounding hopeless, "Sally-"
"BUNNIE GO NOW!" Sally shouted.
Sonic felt himself go air born, just before he passed out.
/*-*/
Fiona lined up the center notch of the iron sight. Two shots for the clay pot.
"Deep breath, line up the shot." The captain of the guard, an old possum, commanded.
Fiona ignored the grass that was poking her stomach, with her prone body grinding up against the solid cold ground. She sucked in a deep gust of wind, before pressing into the trigger.
The flash blasted out the end of the muzzle, and the bullet struck the dirt slightly to the right of the pot. Fiona twisted her shoulder to help steady the weapon, pointing it to the right ever so slightly, and down.
"No, don't try to compensate for the sight, make the sight compensate for you." The guard commanded, grabbing her rifle.
Fiona jerked a little, not wanting him to help her out too much. She finally conceded and let go, as he held up the gun by the barrel, so Fiona could get a good look at the two knobs which were on the top of the gun.
"These adjust your sights to help line up with where the barrel is pointing." The captain pointed at the back, twisting the first knob, which made the frame of the sight move slightly to right, then to the left as he twisted the knob the other direction. He then chose the other knob, twisting it right and left, pushing the center stick forward and backward.
"Now, adjust it yourself." The captain handed her the rifle.
Fiona held the rifle, and twisted the first knob two degrees to the left, and the second knob three degrees forward. She then laid down, and leveled the rifle. She took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger. The sound reverberated, and the pot shattered.
"Excellent, you'll be doing great in no time." The possum chuckled.
Fiona to a breath through her nose, and pressed the button on the side of the rifle, popping open the two barrels. Fiona stretched out her arm, "Give me two more bullets."
"Two rounds, coming up." The possum reached into his coat and pulled out two copper bullets. Fiona loaded them into the empty barrels, and closed the chamber.
"Alright, let's try an standing shot." The captain stated, and Fiona got off the ground.
"What's the difference?" She muttered, wanting to move on.
"Well, when you're standing, you don't have your whole body compensating for the recoil. You have to put more effort into keeping your balance and the rifle steady." The captain explained, so, I'm going to set out some more pots, and you're going to try to shoot them."
He picked up two more brown pots, and walked out onto the field. He set on up where the other had been, and then walked a little ways further and set up the other one.
Once he got back Fiona aimed down the sights.
"Put your left leg forward if you're are shooting from your right, vice versa." The possum stated.
Fiona bent her knee, and fired. The first pot shattered, and Fiona felt it course through her body. There was a lot more power that she felt from the shot. Still, Fiona recovered and leveled the rifle at the second pot, but raised the barrel slightly, and fired.
The bullet clipped the second pot, causing it to shatter on one side.
The possum looked surprised, "Wow, you're a natural."
"Alright, what's next?" Fiona shrugged. She wanted to get through the course as quicky as possible.
"Honestly, you've got the basics. You're ready to go." The possum laughed, and looked of in the distance. Frederick came riding on a horse.
Fiona walked up to meet him, "Hey, I'm done with this course, what'd Nagus say?"
Frederick looked nervous, "He gave his approval. But I would like you consider otherwise. There are fine gentlemen who would happily be married to you. You'd never-"
Fiona snorted, "No."
"Come now, Lord Richard's son is a fine gentleman." Frederick stated hopefully.
"He's self-centered and fat." Fiona groaned. The guy was absolutely a no deal.
"What about Lord Adams. He's young and recently got his father's estate." Frederick tried desperately.
"Lazy and fat." Fiona snorted, "Also as bland as a biscuit."
Frederick looked down, "You will not conceded on this, will you?"
"Of course not." Fiona grinned, mischievously, "I'm going to have a good time and see the world I guess."
Frederick sighed, "You have been given penal code. I think you will find the army not as enjoyable as you would believe. Still… I would like you to stay a couple days, for me."
Fiona nodded slowly, "Alright."
/*-*/
The princess was disturbed, and slow to react. Johan could see it on her face as the rabbit flew off with the Garden Defender.
"It's my fault." She shuddered, clutching her arm, "I ordered them to clear off the motorbugs…"
She was in shock. Johan jerked around at the pig, who cowered back, "It was an accident, I swear!" Of course, the pig had no training, and had no discipline. Still Johan needed to be the one to kill the garden defender, no one else. If the pig denied him that honor, he would have his blood another way.
Still the battle was on going, and Johan needed to focus on the current situation, which was shifting in favor of the enemy as racketen seemed to shatter the morale of these farmers and weavers.
Johan growled at the Princess, "Give your men orders! We can still win this!"
She shook herself, still breathing heavily, "Tell them to dig in, Johan, I need you to end those rockets."
The pig and Johan scrambled toward the fortified town. Johan noticed several of the men who had advance were running in the wrong direction. Johan jumped in front of them, "Turn back! The battle is still going!"
"Are you kidding, we're getting bombarded by rockets and the A-team is leaving. We could die out there. I'm not staying to take my chances." Cried a wolf.
Johan snarled, "You have better chances with those racketen than with if I see you leave! Go back or I'll remove the possibility of survival!"
Johan was not lying, nor was he breaking an oath. If they fled, they were no longer citizens of the kingdom, they were deserters, criminals. Johan had no oath to protect criminals.
The men saw this turned around. Johan heard a weapon firing from off in the distance. He made note of how far the target was.
Johan, however, had more pressing matters, to destroy the weapons that were bombarding the troops. Then… Johan had an idea. The town was well fortified, and the delaying defense were destroyed.
Johan ran behind the men who had started to retreat, "Storm the town! Give them no quarter!"
The men looked confused, but ran forward, the survival instinct taking over. Johan was perfectly happy to charge ahead, to re-enforce their courage at seeing his.
He tore through the gate, and cut into the fleshy red Garden Defenders. His powerful claws tore through the chest of one, and he smashed another's head against the wall of a house. The new soldiers stormed into the town, firing at close quarters into the mechanical soldiers who were scrambling to stop Johan.
Johan charged forward, taking down as many as he could that stood in his path, before arriving at a racketen emplacement. It had four tubes that seemed to launch racketen quickly.
Johan ran forward on all fours and tackled the emplacement, knocking it over. Johan scrambled around, smashing what ever he could. He felt his energy course into the world, creating a light snow.
The Eggman sat in a strange ball, hovering over the second emplacement, which Johan ran to tackle. As he was running, however, he saw a brick in the house break apart, alerting the Eggman to his presence.
The Eggman quickly shouted, "Intruders, get them!" he flew up high and soared away.
Johan ran to get him, and jumped. Unfortunately, he fell short as the Metal ball flew away. Johan snarled, watching it retreat in the distance. The sound of racketen firing off reminded Johan that there was still work to be done. He would have to get the enemy commander later.
Johan ran and took down the second emplacement, cutting into a handful of wolves with metal parts, which he assumed were enemies. The third emplace was the furthest away, and had no guards.
Johan jumped on it, and howled into the air. The emplacements were destroyed, and the sound quickly followed, "CHARGE!"
Johan ran back to the town center, and joined in the fighting, only to find that the army had moved in, and the enemy had quickly surrendered. His allied had charged in, and the enemy, realizing they had lost all of their strategic advantages, had chosen to accept defeat before death.
Their shame was his gain, however, and Johan made it clear, "I will take a portion of the prisoners."
Sally, seemed distant, distracted, "That's fine. Everyone, fortify the town, get ready for a counter attack. I'm going to mobotropolis. Johan you come with me."
They set out, and after night fell, they set up camp. While they ate, Johan noticed how she lacked focus.
"What troubles you?" Johan demanded. He was not one to follow a mentally incapable commander. He wasn't one to follow anyone.
"What you said… is Sonic going to die?" She asked, sounding terrified. Did she not understand the costs of war?
"Yes. Everyone will die. Some sooner than others." Johan snorted, "Still, to die on the battlefield is a glorious way to die."
"Will he die?" She demanded, "Will his wounds' kill him?"
She was seeking comfort. Johan once again found the lack of preparation in these people somewhat terrifying. "If God wills his death, he shall die, if not, he shall survive." Johan resigned. He would give her no more comfort.
"God? You keep mentioning a god. Why do you keep doing that." Sally asked, sounding agitated.
"I call of the power of the only God who could not make me kneel. Tor and Wotan fell to my strength and wisdom. The mighty God is the only one who I call for his strength is the only strength that can bolster my own." Johan roared with pride. Indeed, the gods had tried to displace him when he first rose to power… although his memory was lost in certain details. He wasn't sure why.
"Well… I hope he'll keep Sonic safe. I don't want things to end like this." Sally muttered.
They set off in the morning, Johan being fully aware of the princess's lack of sleep in the night. However, When Johan entered the city, guards came up to him, stoic as always, but their bodies betrayed their nervous nature.
"The king requests your presence." The guard stated, tapping his foot nervously. The metal armor seemed to create an appearance of a mechanical warrior. Still, there was nothing reprehensible about wearing armor, aside from the lack of faith one exhibits, and the arrogance of control they believe.
Johan continued with the princess, "I am occupied, I will perhaps attend him later." Johan didn't much care for the troll.
Sally turned to Johan, "Actually, would you give me some alone time with Sonic? Please."
Johan heard her request. She did seem to need closure, but Johan could not chase off Death from afar. The miserable coward would see Johan's absence, and go to deny him his quarry. Johan couldn't let that happen. "I will accompany you."
"The king was quite insistent." The guard muttered. Johan quickly grew tired of attempting pleasantries.
Johan snapped, baring his frothing teeth, still bloody from the foes he had bitten into, "I shall attend to him when I choose!"
The guard shrank away, revealing his cowardly demeanor. A better man would have stood his ground.
"W-what shall I tell the king?" the guard asked.
"Exactly what I told you!" Johan growled, tired of wasting time.
Sally seemed quite shocked at his stance, which he would expect from a weak and submissive people.
Johan turned back to her, and continued on, basing his location on memory. He then remembered where they kept their sick and dying, and followed a mental course he had planned.
Johan found the healer's ground of "Hospital" and entered in, following the scent of his prey. The partially dried splotches on the ground proved to be a better guide, which Johan followed. He tasted the blood, and found bits of liver… or another organ. The blood was not Geoguth in nature(minor) rather, it was Theign, which reaffirmed his belief that the wound was serious.
Johan followed the blood to a doorway, and tried to open the door, but the door handle was stiff. Johan growled, and pressed firmer on the handle, forcing it down, which opened the door with a light jingling. He was pretty sure he broke something, but he didn't care.
Johan walked inside, and found his target, Sonic on the table. He was surrounded by men and women with strange clothing. They shouted, "You can't be in here!" and "Get out!"
Johan ignored them, and crawled onto the table, commanding in the tongue of the Saxons, "Death, you miserable insolent coward, you dare come for my prize? Our agreement stands! Do not dare violate it, or I will have you work without sleep for years! I will wrestle you down and torment you!"
Johan didn't feel the room change, and he snarled, "DEATH, FIGHT ME IF YOU ARE SO CONFIDENT!"
"Johan! Get off him!" the princess commanded, running in.
Johan felt the room brighten slightly. Death would leave, and hopefully know better than to break an oath with a Saxon. He crawled off, his paws leaving blood on the cloth and ground from where he had stepped in puddles of it.
The men in strange clothes, doctors as they were known, seemed to calm down, and returned to working.
Sally frowned, breathing heavily, "I think it would be best if you went to see Nagus."
Johan cocked his head at her, but his work was done, hopefully. "I will visit the king."
His feet wandered towards the palace. Johan saw it, a build made form stone at the base. Johan found it to be rather smart in design. What he despised was the roofing that rose over the stone walls. Gold topped cones and ornament railings. Saxon had little use for gold outside of trading.
Still he entered the massive building. As he entered, Johan expect the household to be bustling with people, the sons or grandsons of the royal family. Instead, he was met with silence. His own great hall perhaps matched the size of the build in width and length, but was not as high, and far more active. The faces that Johan remembered seemed blurry, and he couldn't put names to them.
Still as he entered the main hall, where the king resided, he saw the shameless display of wealth, as if it somehow projected power. The gold that resided everywhere, the purple decorations. Saxons much preferred silver for fine decorations.
The king was sitting on his throne, surrounded by six empty seats. He seemed quite frustrated, and outraged by Johan's presence.
"I summoned you, and I receive word that you rejected my summons…" The king growled.
Johan growled back, "I am no slave, I answer no summons except when I choose."
"Your arrogance will be your downfall." The troll snarled, clutching his throne angrily.
Johan sat down on his back legs, "Tell me why you have summoned me? Stop wasting my time."
Nagus sighed, and relaxed, "I invited you here because your single piece of advice has helped secure my foundation as king. My assistant Rosemary has told me of my subject's displeasure, and how quickly things could have become dire, both for me and the kingdom. I was skeptical at first, but now, my spies have informed me of just how tense things are."
Johan growled, "What do you want?"
Nagus's veins popped out, which actually gave Johan hope. Perhaps this king could be somewhat courageous, or at least quickly driven to anger, and eager to respond. At least he did not seem to be a coward. Johan had to remind himself that the king did serve a purpose in his plans.
Nagus growled, "I would like to have more of your advice. I want to rule these lands with less interference from these minor powers. I want to live as a king, not a simple member of this damned republic."
Johan sat up. The troll was finally ready to cooperate. "Very well. You will lose before you gain, but your position will be fortified, and your power will be greatly increased."
Nagus nodded, "Very well, tell me what I need to do."
/*-*/
So, a lot has happened in this chapter. Unfortunately, I won't be posting a chapter next week.
Please leave a review to help keep morale up and tell me what you think. Your reviews help me improve the story, and help me know what I need to work on.