The world was a haze, nothing in focus. Someone was saying his name. They sounded afraid.
"...mask." mumbled Kuon, "I need you... to mask it for me."
For a moment nothing happened, and Koun though no one had heard. Then there was a soft sensation. The spell surrounded Kuon, masking the now rampaging curse from being sensed by others. It had been exposed for maybe ten seconds. There were bound to be people who had felt it. He'd have to deal with the consequences later, but for now it didn't matter. The pain didn't matter. He had stopped the Djinn's plan. He had won.
Koun closed his eyes, a smile spreading across his face. For once, they hadn't been one step behind. For once, they had been able to protect the people.
When Koun opened his eyes, his surrounding came into clearer focus, and Hidehito's face sharpened. Fear and doubt clearly visible in his eyes, but Kuon didn't have time to explain. He muttered a quick, "thank you" and straightened, attempting his smile. As he did, the tumult finally reached Kuon, cheers and cries ringing through the stadium. Magic flared and popped. It was a mess of celebration. Koun hoped he waved or did something princely, but all he could think of was get out of the arena. He could not collapse here.
What did that idiot think he was doing? Was he trying to get himself killed?
Kyoko paced back and forth, the small room doing nothing to help alleviate the feeling of being trapped. She had told Kuon about the plan so he could surrender, not so he could charge forward and get himself killed. The man was too proud for his own good.
"Kyoko, pacing isn't going to help."
Kyoko shot a glare at Shin who was sprawled across his seat, not once ounce of worry visible. "She's just worried." Said Yukihito, who stood beside the door, arms folded. At least he looked concerned, though not as anxious as Kyoko. "We can't see what's happening. For all we know something could have happened to Prince Kuon."
"Nah, we'd know." Said Shin with a shrug. "We'd hear screams and things blowing up as people changed into monsters. Since it hasn't happened, it means Kuon is fine."
Kyoko stared at him, not sure if he was trying to help or make her more worried.
"Just sit down." Said Shin, patting the spot beside him. "I promise you'll feel better."
Still staring at him, Kyoko complied, taking a seat. Just then the door opened and Kyoko sprang to her feet, heart thumping. It was Lory.
"Duke Takarada." Said Kyoko. "Please, you have to let me go out there. We need to stop the fight."
"Calm down Kyoko." Said Lory, shutting the door behind him. "Tell me what is going on. The guards told me they had to escort you and Shin away from the arena."
Escort was the nice way of putting it. They had all but thrown her over their shoulder, and would not let her go back out there and tell Koun what an idiot he was for not forfeiting.
"We had a visitor while in the clinic." Said Shin. "Our little friend Reino showed up."
"Again?" Said Lory, looking worried. "What happened?"
"He wanted to play a game." Said Kyoko. "A guessing game. I figured out they tampered with the gem in Kuon's sword. He was... is supposed to get hurt during the fight and something's supposed to happen with his curse, and activate the seeds the Accursed spread."
Lory's face grew dark, eyes locking onto Kyoko.
"That's why he threw away his gem?" Said Lory. "Because he knew it was faulty?"
"Yes! When he should have just forfeited!"
Lory ran a hand over his face. "This is not good. We need to stop this. Is the fight still going?"
"In case you haven't noticed, we've been 'detained' for bad behavior." Said Shin, gesturing at the small room. "Though Kyoko was about to implement her escape plan."
"Then let's not waste any time." Said Lory, turning to go, but he paused, giving Kyoko a strange look. "Did Reino do anything to you? You have a bad aura around you."
Kyoko looked at him blankly for a moment, she had been brooding over the audacity of Koun to lecture her about not valuing her life, then going and doing something like this, but then she remembered.
"Oh! That's right."
She dug into her pocket and pulled out the pendant Reino had given to her. The second she unwrapped it, Lory's eyes went wide. The mad aura seeped into the room, making her hand twitch in the desire to drop it.
"Reino gave it to me." Said Kyoko. "Called it a bonus, whatever he meant. Anyway, this is what he kept pulling seeds from."
"And he just gave it to you?" Lory looked dumbfounded.
He walked forward, hovering a hand over the pendant. The fear and apprehension in his movements made Kyoko even more warry of the object.
"Kyoko, this is a very dangerous item. I hope you'll excuse me, but I must take it from you."
"Please do." Said Kyoko, wrapping it back in the veil. The dark energy lessened and she handed it to Lory who took it gingerly.
"What is it anyway?" said Kyoko.
"Dangerous." Said Lory, pocketing the veiled pendant. Kyoko let it slide when he didn't elaborate.
"Let's go." Said Lory, nodding to the group in the room. "We need to tell the judge to stop this fight."
"I don't think that's an issue anymore." Said Shin, his words stopping Lory.
"Why do you say that?"
Shin closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall with a small smile. "Close your eyes and listen. It's over."
The group paused, reluctantly closing their eyes. Without her vision, Kyoko's other senses came to the forefront. The first thing she noticed was the sound. The people were cheering, shouting in glee or excitement or whatever else was going on. The other thing she noticed, with a jolt, was a subtle dark feeling. It was gone a second later, vanished as if being pulled away from her line of sight, but not before she had recognized the aura.
That... could not be a good sign.
"Sounds like it's over." Said Yukihito, his voice breaking her concentration. She opened her eyes, worry clouding them.
"Duke Takarada." Said Kyoko quietly, "Did you…feel that?"
"I did." Said Lory appearing grim. "Come, let's not waste any more time."
They hurried out of the room, walking the corridor to the entrance of the inner portion of the stadium. The guards shifted as they approached, eyeing Kyoko especially with caution. She only now noticed the extra gold insignia on their uniforms, indicating they were members of the elite royal guard. No wonder they hadn't even listened to Shin when he had protested.
"Duke Takarada." said one of the men. "What is the meaning of all this?"
"Not now." Said Lory. "Let me through. You all stay here while I go get him."
Lory swept past the guards, disappearing through the short tunnel. The rest of them stayed put as they were told.
Kyoko shifted her feet, anxious, dry washing her hands again and again. Why had she felt Kuon's curse? Had he been hurt? Why weren't there any screams if his curse had been revealed?
She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up. Yukihito gave her a kind smile.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Said Yukihito. "The man is as stubborn as they come."
That much was true.
A moment later, Lory came back into view, half carrying half dragging Kuon with him. Hidehito walked anxiously behind them, worry and confusion written all over his features. Kyoko's full attention zeroed in on the prince. His face was completely white, eyes closed and body covered in sweat. His aura was fluctuating, but she couldn't get a good read on it. It was obviously being hidden with a spell.
"Prince Kuon…"
"Shin, Kyoko, Yukihito you three with me." Said Lory, dragging him to a private room.
Kyoko hurried after, leaving behind the increasingly confused Hidehito and guards. The room was a small waiting area, decorated with a few wooden chairs and a long table. She shut the door behind her as Lory and Shin hefted Kuon onto the table. The man mumbled something, oblivious to the world around him.
It's the poison all over again. Thought Kyoko, watching him squirm. How did this keep happening to him?
Lory was moving quickly, pulling out items from his enchanted pouch, several magic circles lighting up around Kuon. They circled him, flashing for a moment before disappearing.
"So he was stabbed by a light sword." Muttered Lory, taking out a flat instrument. "Here Shin, you know what to do."
The man grabbed the item and pressed it against Kuon's chest and channeled. Light magic poured into the item and then into Kuon.
Kuon breathed in sharply, but didn't open his eyes. His face was scrunched in obvious agony.
"What can I do." Said Kyoko, unable to stand it any longer, her panic rising. "How can I help?" there had to be a reason why Lory had brought her here.
"You can't." Said Lory, withdrawing from Kuon slowly. The items he had activated still hung in the air, no longer circling and lighting up. "The only thing we can do is wait. This is something Kuon has to come out of himself."
Darkness.
That's all Kuon could register. Then sounds. Yelling. Lights. Fire. It was all mixing together. Forms blurred, sweeping past and disappearing into the darkness.
He looked down, his form perfectly visible to him, as if his body radiated light. But the darkness wouldn't let it spread. It suppressed the light, pushing it back into his body.
Where was he?
A scream.
Kuon's blood ran cold.
He turned, dreading what he would see.
A body fell in front of him, the brown garb of a soldier. Blood began seeping from beneath him, creeping towards Kuon.
He backed up, not wanting the blood to touch him. His heels hit something and he stopped. Another body lay behind him, and another. He was surrounded. He couldn't escape from them.
"Kuon…"
He spun around, heart thumping in his chest.
No.
He stood there.
The man turned towards Kuon, dark bangs obscuring his face. A red stain appeared on his soldier's garb. It spread, darkening his chest and dripping to the ground. Then he fell, revealing another man behind him, this one holding a stained sword.
"This was your doing." The man said, his face shrouded in darkness. "You did this. You killed him."
Kuon yelled. The scream ripped from his throat, tearing at his vocal cords. A sword was in his hand, his body moved of its own accord as he surged towards the man, sword plunging into his chest.
The man gasped, eyes wide, face now visible. A face Kuon could never forget. It twisted in a dark grin, blood dripping from his mouth. He grabbed Kuon's hand, forcing Kuon to keep his grip on the sword, slick wetness soon covering them in crimson.
"That's right my prince." Said the man. "Accept the darkness. Listen to your soul. This is what you've wanted."
No. I don't want this. I never meant for this to happen…
The darkness began pressing in, bubbling, crawling up his arms and legs. His body was frozen, unable to resist as the sludge ascended. He wanted to scream, yell, resist, anything, but his spirit was broken. He was weary, tired of fighting. Tired of hurting. It was easier to end it, to let the darkness take him.
The dark blood moved faster, covering his arms and chest, it spread to his neck, reaching towards his face.
He closed his eyes, accepting his fate.
Warmth.
It tingled, spreading sensation into his finger, then his hand.
Kuon's eyes flew open. He gasped, staring down. A small light glimmered from beneath the sludge. It burned, pushing through the darkness. The sludge fell, unable to find traction. It couldn't penetrate the light that was slowly spreading, traveling up his arm, batting away the darkness it went.
The sludge thudded around him, falling in quick succession. Soon his body was glowing again, cleaner and brighter than before. The haze began to retreat, allowing light to seep in. His heart began to clear, the weight lifting.
Something shimmered. It covered his hand. Then it began to take shape. Two delicate hands covered his own that had been so filthy before, pressing lightly against it. His eyes followed the hands to find the person behind them.
Dark short hair, eyes closed, a round smooth face with mouth drawn into a tight grimace. He knew this face.
"K-Kyoko?"
The eyes opened, red rimming the gold that shone through them.
"Prince Kuon!"
Kuon blinked. The real world melted into focus around him. He was laying down in what looked like a small room. Three other people stood behind Kyoko; Lory, Yukihito and Shin. They looked as anxious and relieved as Kyoko.
Kuon went to move. Pain shot through him. He groaned, placing a free hand to his head.
"What… happened?"
"Your curse activated." Said Lory, coming to stand by Kuon, hovering an instrument above him. "After getting hit by the light sword, you blacked out."
That's right… I remember…
"Did I faint in the coliseum?" asked Kuon. It would have defeated the purpose of stopping panic if he had fainted in the middle of the stage. His fears were soothed when Lory shook his head.
"You managed to stay upright until you got to the tunnel. Me and Hidehito managed to drag you back here."
"That's good…"
He drifted, thinking about what he had seen. The memory, or at least a warped version of it. He hadn't dreamt of that night in a long time. He'd been actively trying not to think about it. Too many things had started to remind him of that night. The shame and guilt in his soul felt raw. New. Like the day it had happened. It threatened to press on his, drag him back into the darkness.
"What were you thinking?!"
Kuon looked at the girl next to him, her hands still clasped on top of his. Her body was trembling, and for a moment his shame was pushed back as alarm started to take hold instead.
"Kyoko-"
Her head shot up, tears in her eyes, but not from sorrow. Most likely from frustration if the glare was anything to go off of.
"When I said you could do it, I meant you could quit!" Kyoko almost yelled. The other three in the room gave her shocked looks, obviously not expecting Kyoko to react like this. "You just lectured me about being reckless and then you go and get yourself almost killed for a silly tournament. A stupid TOURNAMENT! What in the world were you thinking!?"
It was a good question. What had he been thinking? Of her mostly. Of his kingdom, his father, his people, the Accursed. How he didn't want to fail any of them.
"I'm sorry." Said Kuon simply, his spirit too tired to argue. After all, she was right. "It was reckless, but I had to do it."
"I know!" said Kyoko. Kuon blinked in confusion, wondering if he had misheard her. She shook her head, the frustration growing. "The kingdom needs to feel confident in its leaders. It's an opportunity to be like your father. The other countries need to see our strength. We had to stop the seeds form sprouting. I know all the reasons why you had to fight. But I also know you could have died! What would have happened to the kingdom then?"
"Kyoko." Lory said gently. "As much as I agree with you, I think now is not the time."
Kyoko closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She finally removed her hand, and Kuon's own twitched to grab them back. Instead he let them retreat, the soft warmth leaving with her. It was that light that had brought him from the darkness. Her care and concern, even the scolding that showed him she cared.
He let it retreat, because he'd just been reminded fully why he was cursed. Why he didn't deserve her.
It was only hours after the light tournament had ended. The festivities were winding down, finishing the celebration as the sun set beyond the horizon. There would be several late night shows. A last finale before everything went back to normal. Lory wouldn't be able to see any of them. There was too much to do.
The grand counsel room wasn't full, but it felt stifling. Seated inside were men that had presence. They commanded a large amount of respect and power within the kingdom. Baron Hoshi Sanda, Ashuron's treasurer. Dyrus Amamiya, captain of the royal guards. Grad Archmage Hirotaka Ogata, head of the arcane syndicate. And at least one representative from six of the seven duke families. The table was filled with the most influential and important people in the kingdom. It was no wonder the room was restless. A gathering like this could not mean good news.
The seat next to Lory was pulled back.
"May I come sit by you Lory?"
"Please do." Said Lory politely.
That was seven, each of the Duke families were now represented.
The small lady beamed, taking the seat next to him with an enthusiastic plop.
"Oh wow, this must be really serious." teased the woman. She situated her chin between bawled fists, elbows resting on the table as she leaned forward and peered at him. The curls of her dark hair were pulled back, fanning out to frame her face from behind. "You didn't bring any of your strange creatures."
"You are observant as always Duchess Woods." Said Lory with a polite smile. The lady puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, making her baby face appear even younger.
"How many times must I tell you to call me Jelly." She huffed. "Duchess makes me sound like an old grandma."
Lory chuckled. "At least a few more times. Though I should note, we are the same age Duchess, despite your appearance."
The woman clicked her tongue at Lory, leaning back in her seat. "You should know better than to comment on a woman's age."
Kouki, who was sitting next to Lory, chuckled. "I'm afraid that my father will never learn that lesson. He was notorious for teasing mom about her own age, despite being younger than him."
"How unacceptable." Said Jelly, appearing affronted. "Someone should teach you some manners."
"I'm afraid my time for learning manners is over." Said Lory. "They had a saying in another kingdom. 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks.' You're stuck with me as I am."
Jelly opened her mouth to respond, but at that moment the door opened.
The room went quiet as the king strode in, closely followed by Kuon and Rosa. Kuu took his place at the head of the table, the phoenix followed him shimmering for a moment before taking on the appearance of Julie, the queen, with bright orange hair and eyes. Kuon went to sit at his father left side.
Lory's attention was mostly on the boy. He looked better, but still slightly pale. Despite both his and Kuu's insistence that he rest, he was determined to attend this meeting. He had also refused everything Lory had offered him, saying it wouldn't help, which was probably true. Willpower was the only thing keeping him upright. They would have to monitor him closely to know what exactly had changed in his curse.
"Please be seated." Said Kuu.
Lory and the rest took their seat, watching each other with a questioning eye. Kuu briefly looked at Lory before retuning his attention to the group.
"I'm sure many of you worried why you've been called here today." He said. "It's not often that the pillars of the kingdom come together in one place to discuss something unless it is significant."
There was a murmur of assent as those inside the room exchanged nervous glances.
The king took a deep breath and plunged forward, not bothering to beat around the bush. "I have gather you here to inform you that the Accursed are back. Vaith, the dark Djinn has been resurrected through his followers."
There were gasps, angry and scared exclamations as everyone tried to process this shattering piece of information. Jelly looked towards Lory for silent confirmation, eyes wide. That expression made it worse, but he inclined his head, confirming her fear.
Only a few in the room hadn't reacted to the King's statement. Dyrus, who already knew about the Accursed, was still leaned back casually in his chair, hand resting on his blade hilt. Kouki also didn't appear surprised. He had probably noticed some of Lory's behavior, and guessed what was haunting his father. Then there was Kuon, staring lifeless at his hands.
"You can't be serious your majesty." Said Hoshi, the sweat on his brow obvious even from here. "The Dark Djinn resurrected? Preposterous."
"I assure you, he is very much back." Said Kuu, voice firm. "I have seen and fought him myself, as well as some of his followers. Kuon and Dyrus here have also witnessed and battled with them."
"Is that what was going on earlier today?" said one of the duke family representatives, glancing at Kuon. "I've been hearing rumors… people have been talking."
"I will give you a full report on all that has transpired." Said Kuu gesturing at a stack of parchment on the table. "You may read it in your own time. Though I warn you, if anyone but the intended reads it, it will destroy itself. Also, you only have 24 hours before it is destroyed by the same spell."
The scrolls were passed down, and everyone opened the papers and began to read. Faces turned white, while others held the parchment in disgust. Lory couldn't blame them. It held detailed information about the seeds, the distribution of them, what they currently knew about the Accursed, and what had happened tonight. It also gave some details about the attack five years ago.
A few minutes passed while The king allowed them to quickly peruse the contents, occasionally answering questions. Eventually it got to the point where they were having a discussion instead of reading the scrolls.
"There are a few reasons why this instance of the Accursed returning is so concerning." Kuu was saying. "In the past, the left over relics have popped up intermittently, but never all together like this."
Yes thought Lory, and just finding hints about those intermittent pop ups took me weeks of digging through the dusty library. He hadn't trusted anyone but himself with the task of finding out what he could of the Accursed. He had tried asking the Phoenix, which had produced little to no results. So Lory had presented the King with what he could.
"When you say relics." Said Hoshi slowly, "What do you mean? The Accursed have been a fairy tale for so long I admit that I'm ashamed how little I know about them."
Several in the room muttered in agreement.
"Honestly, we don't know everything ourselves, a lot of the details concerning the founding of the kingdom and the original fight has been lost." said Kuu. "It's the nature of time, even with good record keeping things get lost or tampered with. Thankfully we have a resource that can tell us in more detail about the Accursed."
Resource, right. Rosa had probably given him "important information" two times in his whole life. The phoenix continued to stand silently in the room, surveying the group with those inhuman eyes. Her purpose - which she continuously insisted when asked to provide opinions - was not to lead them, but to guide them. To prevent them from straying from the wrong path, which unfortunately did not require her giving them any decent information.
"The Djinn is a force of darkness." Said Kuu. "The thing itself has no real direction or goal, except to increase its power and spread destruction. Now, over the years it's possible it has grown some resentment towards this kingdom as it has yet to leave and go to another. That, or something may be holding it here. As it is, the Djinn gains power by fulfilling the dark wishes of his followers."
"So he becomes a slave to the Accursed whims?" said Jelly, looking confused. "I thought it was a god of death."
"Not a slave." Said Kuu. "A contractor."
"A person becomes an Accursed after they have obtained a relic and made their first wish from the Djinn. After that, they continue to make wishes. Each time one is fulfilled, the Djinn and the Accursed grow stronger."
"Just how much stronger?" said Hirotaka, eying the king with interest. "And can they make any wish they want? What if the Djinn can't fulfill it? How are they made?"
"We are not sure what the extent of its power is." Said Kuu, the image disappearing. "What we do know is that he is not all powerful. If he was, I'm sure we would not be standing here alive at this moment."
"Interesting." Said Hirotaka, leaning back and rubbing his lips in thought.
"It's not even close to interesting." Said Hoshi, round face scrunched in worry. "It's terrifying. What if someone wished to kill your whole family? Or to create some massive destructive magic?"
"Calm yourself counselor Sanda." Said Dyrus, hard eyes on Hoshi. "It's not like the Djinn can make these thing happen instantaneously. He is not all powerful. However, I did notice as I fought them, these Accursed have different abilities depending on their contract. The Accursed man I fought today was Reino, and he had the ability to create portals."
"Portals!" cried Hoshi. "How can you tell me to calm down after that! Teleportation magic should not be possible."
"It did nothing but delay his inevitable death." Said Dyrus, expression becoming hard. "The next time I see him he won't escape alive."
"Create portals you say?" said Hirotaka, ignoring the affronted look on Hoshi's face. "How did he accomplish this? Did you see him create it? What sort of circle did he-"
"That discussion can come at another time." Said Lory, cutting off the enthusiastic man. "We will fill you in on details later."
"Yes, but this is transportation magic Lory." Said Hirotaka, waving a hand impatiently. "We've been trying to create this spell for generations! It could change everything from simple trade to warfare. I think it's very important to address this right now."
"There is only one person that we know of that can use the spell." Said Lory. "And that is the Accursed Reino, who I doubt very much will last the night from what we've been told."
"What do you mean?"
Lory indicated Kuon, who was now watching the exchange silently. "The prince here dealt a blow he believes to be deadly to the Accursed. Later, when Reino showed himself to Kyoko and Shin, they reported his weakened state."
"Kyoko?" said Duke Matsunai. "You're talking about one of the prince's concubines? Wasn't she the one that found out my daughter could use magic through song?"
"Indeed." said the king. "Which brings me back to one my other points. She also managed to bring back this from the Accursed."
Kuu pulled a bundle of cloth from his pocket. In a swift motion he removed the cloth, revealing the thing inside. It was a pendant, silver runes inscribed into the obsidian gem embedded in the metal. The moment the cloth was gone, a hard pressure filled the room, emanating from the pendant. It was dark and felt of death. The aura was unmistakable, even to those who had never felt it before.
"This." Said Kuu, his expression dark. "Is a relic. Reino's old relic, to be precise."
The reaction was expected. One would think they would have realized that talking about the accursed involved dark magic. But knowing something and being shown physical proof of it was completely different. The people in the room were torn between panic and disbelief.
"Why do we have it here?" said duke Shimada. "Put it somewhere safe! Hide it or destroy it. Do you want that Accursed to come barging into the castle?"
"The man will not be a concern anymore." Said Kuu. "An Accursed cannot live long without their relic, and as I said, he was dealt a deadly blow."
"How did she acquire it?" said another, narrowing their eyes at the necklace, their suspicions clear.
"Reino gave it to her and Shin." Said Kuon, the prince speaking for the first time.
"What?"
The people in the room began murmuring, confused.
"What?"
"Why would an Accursed willing give up a relic?"
"Can this Kyoko be trusted?"
"I'm not sure what that man was thinking." Said Kuon, and Lory noticed some energy in his words. Perhaps the boy had heard them question Kyoko. "But as many have reported, he was eccentric, causing mayhem for sport. He gave the Relic away already knowing he was dying, thinking it would be a great game to foil his masters plan."
"Also." added the king. "In the past several centuries, the goals of the Accursed were directly related to what they wanted. Their greed drove their wishes and actions, spreading evil and destruction as they pleased, usually fighting with each other as much as with us. But this time is different. They have been working together with a clear target in mind."
"Dare we ask, what their goal is?" said Kouki.
"Me and my family." Said Kuu quietly. "And destruction of the kingdom."
"Seems like a broad goal to me." Said a duke, looking unimpressed.
"Perhaps." Said Kuu with a grimace. "Unfortunately they have gotten closer to their goal then I would like. I think it's time for me to have Hirotaka explain the seeds to you all."
"Of course." Said Hirotaka, taking the lead in the discussion. Everyone's attention turned to the archmage. "A few years ago we discovered a dark curse that implanted itself into people. After further observation we discovered that it amplified a person's dark nature, and eventually turns them into a dark creature."
"What!"
The room was again agitated as people let this information sink in. Jelly herself looked ill.
"A curse that can transform someone into a dark creature." She muttered, turning to look at Lory. "What sort of dark creature?"
"It depends on the person." Said Lory quietly while the rest of the group talked. "The seeds, as we call them, sprout differently depending on the darkness inside a person's heart. Some become simple skeletal undead, while others have been reported to have turned into sand colossus."
"Skeletal undead." She whispered, looking at her hands. "And those are supposed to be the simple monsters?"
Lory didn't answer. It would do nothing more than spread panic if she knew the type of creatures a person could turn into. It was a good thing none of them had transformed inside of the city.
"…leave you in charge to continue researching the seeds Hirotaka." Kuu was saying "also, you will be studying the relic we have."
"Now hang on just one second." Said Hoshi, holding up a pudgy finger. "Why aren't we going to destroy the relic? Wouldn't that prevent another Accursed from being born and weaken the Djinn?"
"Don't be a fool." Said Hirotaka, "Why waste valuable resources? You heard the king, this relic can make the seeds. If we study the item and learn how they are made, it will lead us closer to how they can be destroyed. You're sacrificing the big picture for a small detail."
"You just want to know how it works you magic maniac." Said Hoshi.
"Baron Sanda, Archmage Ogata" said Kuu, cutting across their argument. "You both bring up excellent points. However, I agree with Hirotaka on this one. We desperately need to figure out how to destroy the seeds, else we will have an army of dark creatures formed from my own people. I refuse to let go of a resource that can save their lives, even if it is a little dangerous."
His expression grew darker, pulling another item from this pocket. "Perhaps this will explain to you why It is so important to purge these seeds. I mentioned that with time the seeds can sprout by themselves, but that is not the only way. They can be forced to sprout as well."
"What?"
Kuon raised his head, the boy finally actively listening. The king placed another piece of cloth on the table. It was swept away, and just like the first one, revealed a dark item. This time it was a jeweled dagger, blood and grime caked into the cracks of the metal. It seeped bloodlust, drenching the room in the stench of fear. Several people gagged, Lory's own nose scrunched in disgust.
"This, is yet another relic we have recently acquired." Said Kuu, his eyes hard. "It came from the man that led the rebellion we just finished surprising in the east. The man leading the group was an Accursed, and his relic can force the seeds to sprout."
These two relics alone were enough to keep Lory up at night. When placed together, it could make an army out of any unwitting town. Reino had infiltrated and infected the kingdom. They could only assume it had been the plan for the other man to arrive and activate the seeds at a given time frame. The results would have been horrendous.
"The relics must not be as bad as the stories if we already have two." Said one of the dukes. The thoughtless comment made Lory's expression darken. He saw Jelly give him a concerned glace, Kouki's own hands bawled into fists.
"This relic." Said Kuu, voice hard. "Was acquired by the blood of our men and the sacrifice of Eltra Duris. He died fighting the monster that led his nightmares against us."
Jelly put her hand to her mouth, tears instantly filling them. "Uncle Tiger…" Her hand came out and grasped one of Lory's. He gave her a nod and a smile, indicating he was fine. It still hurt, the death of one of his best and oldest friends, but he was fine. He had to be for the king's sake.
The duke that had spoken up turned red and instantly apologized for his thoughtless comment. Kuu recovered, sighing out a year's worth of stress.
"The situation is indeed dire." Said Kuu, his voice low, head bent. The room went still, the anxiety in Kuu's statue pulling their attention unwavering onto him. "They have already spread the seeds far through different parts of the kingdom, the capital included… and then the Djinn, has already managed to curse Kuon, my son."
Lory saw Kuon stiffen, but he didn't look up from his hands. It had been abrupt, quick, but it had to be done. They knew about the boy's curse. Kuu continued before someone could interrupt.
"I'm sure many of you felt the moment of darkness at the end of the fight this evening. I wish to dispel any rumors here and now. This is secret information that if spoken outside of these rooms will be counted as treason. My son has been fighting this curse for five years, and the Accursed are doing everything they can to take advantage of it. They can try their best to take my life, but I will not let them have my son."
The king shone with determination, the weight upon him vanishing into strength.
"It is time for the seven families to select their champions." Said Kuu.
They had seen it coming. With the arrival of the Accused, there was only one possible conclusion to this meeting. It didn't stop the visible ripple of fear that swept through. The selection of the champions made it real.
"The duke families." Continued Kuu. "You have two weeks to return to the castle with your champions. I will also address the people around that time about the Accursed. It is time for them to know, and to be prepared. It is time for us to go to war."
"Quite the speech your highness." Said Lory, handing the king a goblet of wine. The king sighed, running a hand through his bangs. He took the cup gratefully, sprawled onto the chair in Lory's office. Kuu could only hold the dignified ruler act for so long before he descended back into childishness.
"One week." Said Kuu, holding up a finger. "I just wanted one week of calm before everyone got back and it all went crazy again. Apparently the Accursed don't believe in vacations."
"You should set up a meeting with your generals." said Lory. "We'll need to start training as many paladins as we can."
"Julie's going to kill me. I was supposed to be resting."
"And how are we going to catch the informant?"
Kuu let out a sigh, finally sitting up and looking marginally serious. "I'm not sure." He said. "We'll have to try weeding them out. Spread out the information we have and see what leaks."
It wasn't a perfect strategy, but it would have to do for the moment. They needed more information. It didn't matter how much power they had if they enemy could just swipe the rug out from under their feet.
"I've got an idea of who it is anyway." Said Kuu, grumbling. "I hope I'm wrong, but the possibility is all too likely."
"I believe I'll have to agree with you on that one." Said Lory, equally as grim. "Unfortunately, without real evidence it just makes this all the harder. We can't be sure, nor can we confront him about it directly."
Kuu hummed in response, running his finger along the grooves of the goblet, evidently distracted.
"I want more security on Kuon." Said Kuu. "And also on his concubine Kyoko. I think it would be a very bad thing in this war if we lost either of them."
"Indeed." Said Lory, frowning in thought.
The king glanced at him, curious at Lory's short answer.
"What's on your mind?"
"It's the girl honestly." Said Lory rubbing his chin thought. "I feel like she wasn't planned. Like her presence is a wild card."
"Uh, isn't that backwards from what the Accursed told her? He said the Djinn had something planned for her."
"Perhaps." Said Lory. "But think of what's happened since she came her. Kuon's curse had recovered exponentially, not including the relapse from his recent injury. He was almost killed by a poison meant for her, and now this event with the stadium and the seeds. I have to wonder if they truly have a plan for her."
"If that's what you think, I'll trust you on it." Said Kuu with a shrug. "Anything that disrupts the Djinn's plans is a plus for me. Besides, I'm starting to like the idea of having her as a daughter more and more."
Lory couldn't help smirking. Yes, if anyone could handle Kuon, it was her. She was strong willed, intelligent, determined, and loving. She had the strength to stand up to Kuon when he was being childish, but also the tenderness to care for his weaknesses. Her presence here had been completely random, but it had changed things.
"Get some rest your highness." Said Lory, noticing the king staring to doze. "You've been pushing yourself again."
Kuu shook his head, but got up all the same, moving towards the door. The king left, leaving Lory in his office, feeling tired. He rubbed his hands across his face, about to take his own advice and get some sleep. But first he had something to do.
"Sebastian."
The corner of the room shimmered, and out came a man. Only his eyes showed through the wrap, fixed on Lory.
"Sir?"
"I need you to investigate someone."
Everything was on fire. Reino hated the feeling. Hated pain. Pain was the bane of his existence. Boredom and pain, two things he avoided with all his might. At least the former had been kept at bay for this long.
He shuffled towards the small hut, dragging one of his feet across the uneven stone. He ignored the aura of death hanging around the building. It was a broken down dying little place, much like himself.
The door fell as he pushed it open, sending a cloud of dust into the air as it hit the ground. He kept limping before finally collapsing against the wall. His breathing was heavy, and labored. Each one sent sharp pains through his body. His time was almost up. Here was as good a place as any to end it.
A certain presence brushed against his soul, and he opened his eyes, unaware he had closed them. It was right before him, the silhouette outlined by the moonlight shining through the open doorway.
"Sup." Said Reino.
The Djinn shifted, obviously irritated.
"You told the girl of our plan."
It wasn't a question.
"I did."
"There will be consequences for your actions." It said, the anger seeping from its voice, low and full of power. Full of promises of pain.
"There's not much else you can do to me." Said Reino, wincing as he shifted his position against the wall. "My soul is already claimed by the darkness, and I'm not long for this world no matter how much you want to heal and torture me on repeat. I'm afraid you plan of revenge will be wasted on me."
"Perhaps, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the time we do have."
The Djinn grabbed him by the throat, hauling Reino to his feet. He chocked, feet dancing from beneath him to find a base.
Reino pulled from within his cloak an item he had stolen from the kingdom's treasury. He sunk the white dagger into the Djinn, the spell programmed into the gems activating. The grip burned in Reino's hand, and he let go quickly. The Djinn, however, was not so lucky. It squirmed, writhing in pain as the light magic continued to double from the dagger, slowly killing this form of the Djinn.
Reino fell backwards, thumping against the stone as he sat down again, watching.
"I was saving that, just for you." Said Reino, rubbing his throat. "Not that I don't appreciate the power you gave me, but what I never liked was you and your favorite Accused thinking they owned me." He continued to watch, fascinated as the creature tried to pull out the knife, melting its hands in the process. The screams from the monster were shrill, echoing in his ears.
Reino's eyes sharpened in joy at seeing the Djinn squirm. "Tell your master, I don't need help finding my way to hell. I can get there myself."
Tendrils of light spread from the contact, engulfing the form in hunger, devouring the specter. It screeched, bested for the second time today by light, both Djinn and knife vanishing. The afterimage burned into Reino's retinas.
He slumped back, a small smile crossed his features as the world fuzzed out of existence. That... had been fun.
So ends the second major arc/book.
And of course at the end of an arc, here comes the inevitable announcement:
I am taking a break.
I doubt that I'll post another chapter before I graduate in May. Huge tests are coming up that I need to pass to get licensed, then find a job, move, etc. Also, I need to outline and review what I've written. I hope to see you all again when I return! Let me know what you thought about this arc. And as always, thanks for reading and reviewing!
After reading some of your comments I realized I didn't fully explain my comment about reading it in Spanish. I don't know about you guys, but I can't highlight any fanfiction stories and thus, can't copy and paste stories in other languages into a translator. Since I've had several reviews in Spanish, I assumed they only spoke Spanish and found some way to translate the story without needing to know English. XD
A.K: I would be very willing to give you some tips. Just PM me with your account and we can start a dialog there instead of communicating through the story.
Guest: You're not the only one that doesn't like the addition of Kyoko's father to the story, but I claim my full right to artistic license. I decided early that I wasn't going to follow canon with Kyoko's family because we didn't know anything at that point when I was writing. What I've got planed was definitely not what happened in canon. Oh and yes, Ushio was a guy from the original manga. I believe he was in the Curara arc.. thing.
See you all in a few months!
-Blushweaver
Hey peeps, hope you enjoyed this arc. I know you are all sad that you won't be going on adventures with Kyoko in Asuron for a while, but let me tell you, this will not be a wasted break. I fully expect daily calls from Blushweaver as she comes up with cool ways to spin the plot (or I guess you could say weave the plot haha… nope wasn't funny). Anyway, point is we'll be back.
-Imouto