It didn't take long for restlessness to set in. There was no reason to assume that the wedding would be conducted in English, and yet Kaito was caught off-guard when the sour-looking fae opened his book and spoke the first words of the ceremony in the language of the Warm Isles. Soon it became apparent that the whole event would be carried out in the same manner. And I can't even bring out the dictionary, he thought while trying to keep his expression neutral. At least it would've helped as a small distraction.
Kaito searched for his father in the crowd below to see if he was disappointed. But Mr. Fuuga seemed pretty enraptured by the rites performed on stage, language barrier and all. The young man couldn't help but feel a bit of envy. If only he could enjoy the spectacle before him with that same innocent smile, without any other thoughts bouncing around inside his head!
With nothing else to occupy his brain, Kaito began to mentally catalogue the fae guests from his vantage point on stage. Most of the ones closer to the stage were wood and earth fae, which seemed consistent with common estimates of the remaining fae population. The group of furry fae Kaito met after his transformation were next to the tree line; their leader even waved a paw in the air when it noticed his gaze.
Farther away, he spied some stocky, dark grey figures under the trees: deep dwellers, Prima's mysterious servants. Their arms were covered by cracks shaped like the roots of a tree. The cracks shone in the shade like miniature rivers of lava, contrasting with the charcoal skin of the creatures and their sunken black eyes. From what he had heard, for many dwellers the visits to the surface were a very rare occurrence. He briefly wondered if they were uncomfortable with the bright sunshine.
Much closer to the stage stood two of the flowering giraffe-like creatures, making their petals dance around the officiant and the bride and groom. The air was brimming with their soft perfume, and the silky petals landed one after the other on Gakupo's and IA's held hands, like timid kisses.
Kaito was still staring at their interlocked fingers with badly-disguised envy when the sour-looking fae raised his voice a bit, and turned his gaze towards Yuki and Prima. The snow woman and dragon stepped forward and presented the crowns to the younger fae. Gakupo took IA's crown and turned towards the crowd. He chanted something, and the crowd responded with a short melody, the many different throats joined perfectly in synchrony. Even Kaito felt the need to open his mouth and hum with the others. On top of Gakupo's head shone a crown of feathers too bright for the naked eye to behold. A moment later the strange mirage disappeared. IA turned around and sang as well, and was acknowledged by her subjects. Her inmaterial crown was harder for Kaito to identify in the instant it was visible, but it seemed to be composed of crystals of some kind. Once it was gone, the pair placed the solid crowns on each others heads. Next to the phantoms of blinding-white light even those open delicate diadems seemed rough and heavy, at least in Kaito's opinion. But what were those crowns of light in the first place? None of his books had ever mentioned anything like it.
He had barely formulated the thought when the crowd exploded in cheers and more singing, probably making more of a ruckus that many had dared to produce in ages. IA and Gakupo joined hands again and closed their eyes. The sour-looking fae nodded in the direction of another fae waiting by the sidelines with a small bowl and a hand towel. The girl, an earth fae with russet hair and fox ears, approached the grouchy fae and handed him the bowl. The officiant repeatedly dipped two fingers in its contents and used the oily substance to trace figures in Gakupo's and IA's foreheads, eyelids, mouths, hands and feet. Then he returned the bowl to the girl and wiped his hand on the towel. Finally, he placed one hand over Gakupo's and IA's fingers and sang. The solemn notes were echoed by the crowd. Kaito hummed along as best as he could. In an obscure way, he sensed this was the weaving of a bond between the new sovereigns and their people. He had to be a part of it as well, the ogre inside of him whispered.
And it was done. Everyone cheered and IA and Gakupo bowed slightly to the crowd and one another, smiling. Kaito quickly turned away so Gakupo couldn't see him struggling to keep a polite smile on his face. Suddenly, he felt a cold, tiny hand land on his arm. He looked down and saw Yuki's understanding expression. To Kaito's great relief, she didn't say anything to make him feel better.
"Do you want to go stretch your legs? Oberon and Titania are going to take a small break before opening the door."
"Sure. Five, ten minutes?" Kaito found himself saying in a surprisingly normal tone. It almost didn't seem to come from his mouth.
"Ten is fine."
Kaito nodded and jumped down the stage, almost crashing into some fae that were running closer to greet their new monarchs. He mumbled an apology and walked away quickly, threading his way through the non-humans gathered in many groups in animated conversation. The different dialects heard in passing only furthered his sense of disconnection from his surroundings.
The banner slung over one shoulder fluttered behind him like a comet's tail as his pace quickened. Soon the clearing was behind him, and the trees sheltered him from the heat of the sun. The crowd began to sounds of the woods became more noticeable, no longer hidden by the chatter and singing. Aside from the rustle of leaves and birds chirping, there was a slight rumble in the distance, a noise somewhat familiar and yet unbefitting of the setting. But Kaito was too focused on his own feelings to care.
Kaito stopped abruptly and stared downwards at his feet, surrounded by the rich soil of the forest. His head and chest were pounding. The rumble became a little louder.
"Time to go back," he told himself. He wasn't going to accomplish anything standing there, except making the others worry. A moment passed. A longer moment passed. Finally, Kaito turned around and looked up. With a sinking feeling, he realized he was considerably farther from the clearing than expected. The only sign he was even staring in the right direction was the hint of a few silhouettes in the distance. He let out a curse and ran.
By the time he got back to the stage, everyone was back in place. The crowd parted in silence to let him pass, and Kaito felt his cheeks burning as he took his place next to Gakupo, who shot him a worried glance.
"Sorry, I-" Kaito began to whisper into his ear, but the sour-looking fae cut off him with an angry remark in islander language. The fae hauled Kaito with surprising strength towards a corner of the stage, causing some murmurs and even laughter from the crowd. Gakupo and IA looked at them with similar looks of confusion, while Prima scrunched her face in annoyance.
"What the-!" Kaito exclaimed, confusion giving way to anger. He didn't mean to cause a scene, not at all. But was he supposed to let that crusty dog-faced fae keep him away from Gakupo? Never!
With a twirl, Yuki stepped between the two, extending her hands. She quickly mumbled something in islander to the old fae, then grabbed Kaito's sleeve and tugged it gently, urging him to stand back. "Come, come here Kaito!" She attempted to descend the stage still pulling at him, but Kaito stood unmoving. Even though a part of him felt enough embarrassment to last a lifetime, another side felt almost an angry satisfaction at the idea of making everyone as uncomfortable as he felt. But then Kaito met Gakupo's gaze and all his animosity fizzled out.
What am I doing?
Kaito bit his lip and followed Yuki down the stage's steps. Yuki continued walking until they were under one of the trees at the edge of the clearing. She sat down and patted the grass by her side. Kaito obeyed the silent instruction. On the stage, IA and Gakupo began to weave a complex song while the officiant and the fox girl traced symbols on the door's frame with the oil.
"I'm sorry, I should've explained this before," Yuki said. "There are many fae that will be angry if you act like that with Oberon or Titania."
"Act like what?" Kaito asked brusquely, though he didn't really want to hear the answer.
Yuki sighed. "You know what I mean. You touched his arm, you leaned in close enough to brush his cheek with your hair. You can't do that anymore, at least not where other fae can see you."
Kaito yanked the grass next to his foot in silence. What was there to say? He was back at the very beginning, once more staring at Gakupo from the other side of the bars. Yuki rubbed his back, which wasn't particularly pleasant, given the coldness of her hand. Still, it was a caring gesture.
His eyes were still firmly focused on the ground, when a pair of shiny black shoes appeared next to his blue sneakers. "Are you ok, son?"
Kaito craned his neck to look up at his father. "I think I committed a little faux paus." He tried to smile.
patted his head gently. "We don't have much experience dealing with royalty, do we?"
Kaito let out a sour chuckle. "That's right, we don't."
knelt next to his son. "Yuki, how long is this going to take?" He waved his hand in the direction of the stage, where Gakupo and IA were now tracing figures in the air between the wooden posts of the door with their staves. "Spell-weaving takes a long time to complete, right?"
"That's usually the case, yes. But Titania and Oberon aren't creating the portal from scratch like their predecessors did, they are pulling at the strands of the existing spell to reawaken it," Yuki explained. "The opening to the passage has to be relocated here and synchronized with the other end in New Arcadia, but most of the work crafting the road between the two worlds is already done." Yuki closed her eyes for an instant, and her expression reflected intense concentration. "I think… yes, it's very close now. Kaito, perhaps you should stand closer to the stage, just in case."
"Just in case?" Mr. Fuuga repeated, confused.
"It's probably nothing," Yuki replied pleasantly. "In a few minutes, Old Oberon's court will greet us with flower garlands and-"
"Something is happening. Dad, stay here with Yuki." Kaito rose to his feet, eyeing the space between the slim tree trunks forming the portal. It was hard to notice, but the air looked different, darker, as if he was looking through a dirty window. He had no idea why, but it made his chest tighten. He briskly approached the stage, bumping into fae without even noticing it. His father said something, but the words seemed to slip away.
He was a knight, and his king was in danger.
There was movement now, tenuous ripples warping the very air above the stage. IA and Gakupo traced a last figure before the portal and waited. The officiant and the fox girl retreated to a corner of the stage; at the same time, Prima took a step closer to the royal couple with her brow furrowed. The door seemed more and more like the rainbow-hued surface of a puddle of oil.
No more than a minute had elapsed, and yet in Kaito's perception it seemed like an eternity. His heart throbbed violently inside his chest, the fibers of this body exerted themselves to reach the stage. He observed in tortuous slow motion as Gakupo's smile faded and a perplexed expression set in. Kaito's mouth opened to warn him when the winged fae took a step forward...
And the sound of thunder ravaged the ears of everyone present before he could even form a syllable. Except it wasn't coming from the heavens: like a soap bubble, the many-colored veil of the portal expanded and exploded. Of the scenery behind it, Kaito registered nothing but a confusion of reds before a dark mass of something he couldn't even begin to identify lunged across the threshold, extending viscous tendrils towards the crowned couple.
"No!" It was a useless syllable, as useless as Kaito himself. He wasn't close enough, he wouldn't reach Gakupo in time!
Swifter than thought, Prima turned and without hesitation pushed Gakupo and IA off the stage. A heartbeat later, the tendrils whipped her figure with enough force to snap her in pieces like a china doll. The edge of the stage and the crowd below were showered with chunks of flesh and blood. On the other end of the stage, the fox girl jumped down screaming, barely escaping the touch of the monster. The sour-looking fae wasn't as lucky: before he could decide on a plan of action, the black mass touched his legs. He immediately sank into it; from Kaito's perspective, it seemed that the incomprehensible threat was gobbling him up. A second later, he was gone.
Most of the fae began to escape, except for Gakupo, IA, the fae they pushed to the ground with their fall, and a few others that stood gawking at them or the door with uncomprehending stares. But Kaito's adrenaline-fueled myopia registered only the winged fae on the ground, holding one shoulder in pain; anyone else was little more than a colorful obstacle. He pushed them out of his way, scooped up Gakupo and took off running as the black mass oozed and dribbled down the edge of the stage.
One of Gakupo's cheeks was smeared with Prima's blood. It was such an unimportant detail given the chaos surrounding them, but the image of his ashen face, his disheveled hair sticking to the wet skin and his wide eyes etched itself into Kaito's brain. It would stay with him for a long time afterwards.
"Wait! We have to help IA and the others!"
Kaito didn't stop. If anything, he pushed his new body harder. He didn't care if every fae remaining in the world cursed his name. He was traitor to Titania and he didn't care. She wasn't his queen, no matter what his ogre blood said. And Oberon wasn't his king, not really.
Gakupo was.
The wind fae began to struggle, but Kaito squeezed him harder, harder than he would've dared in any other circumstance. The added pressure, especially on his shoulder and wings, made Gakupo whimper in pain and stop resisting Kaito's attempts to get away.
Suddenly, the ground shook and seemed to shift in consistency under Kaito's feet, and he stumbled and fell to his knees. At the same time, a noise louder than any other he had ever experienced assaulted his ears. His yelp was completely buried under the shattering and creaking of ice. He turned around to find the landscape completely changed: A sea of snow covered the ground behind him, heavy and pristine, like an enormous white fan laying on the clearing. But unlike the winter fields he had seen throughout his life, the surface seemed to ripple and flow like an ocean of milk around a tall crystalline wall that now encircled the stage. Whatever had come from the portal was pounding on the crystalline wall with innumerable, unrecognizable appendages. Next to it, a white palanquin carrying Yuki and Mr. Fuuga bobbed just above the snow.
The snow woman made a wide gesture with her arm, and giant flowers of snow blossomed here and there, revealing IA, the fox girl and a couple more fae inside of them. "We'll take care of this, fly back to the hideout and check on Prima!" Yuki shouted at the top of her lungs.
Kaito stared in confusion, even as cracks began to form in the crystalline wall surrounding the stage. What did she mean? Wasn't Prima dead? He'd seen that black thing tear her to shreds. Gakupo took advantage of his distraction to wiggle out of Kaito's grasp and stand up on his own. "We can help you fight that thing!" The wind fae shouted back.
"No! Just get Prima!"
Gakupo bit his lip, visibly struggling with the idea of leaving the others behind.
"What does she mean…" Kaito started to ask, but suddenly his conversation with Prima in the depths of the hideout came back to him. The human body was only part of her, she had said. Did it hurt to lose it so violently? In any case, Yuki was right, they needed the dragon's power. They had to know if they could count on her. On the other hand…
Kaito turned away from Gakupo's frown and looked at his father. He was in the process of helping IA climb into the palanquin, but he seemed to sense his gaze and met it with a small nod.
"...Let's go find Prima."
"Huh?" Gakupo stared at him with surprise and a not miniscule amount of disapproval.
"She's the most powerful one of you guys, isn't she?" Kaito said, although he wasn't exactly sure if that was the case anymore. But they didn't have time to argue about it, so he pressed on. "That wall won't last for long, we need her here."
Gakupo's frown returned in full force, but after a second his shoulders dropped. "Right," he muttered. He grabbed Kaito and without preamble jumped into the air. He began singing the familiar tune, although his voice was opaque and lifeless.
The fae flew low, so low in fact that Kaito's feet almost touched the tallest trees in their path once or twice. Kaito debated whether to say something, but the forested plain was already transforming into the slopes of the mountains. Soon, they would reach one of the hidden entrances of the hideout.
Suddenly, something zoomed through the air towards them. That something turned out to be a harpoon connected to a thin metallic cable. The shiny point embedded itself into one of the fae's wings. Gakupo's song broke into a pained scream and they began to lose altitude. The branches reached out to them, hitting and blinding them. Kaito slipped from Gakupo's arms and fell seemingly breaking every branch in the forest under his weight. Finally, he landed on a bush, completely flattening it. Something else hit the ground close by with a sickening crunch.
For an instant, Kaito just laid there, too dazed to do anything. Then his eyes refocused and fear made his whole body tense up. Where was Gakupo? Was he okay? He sat up, ignoring the protests of his back and arms, and looked around. Then the fear inside him became almost suffocating.
Gakupo was laying on the ground, unmoving. As ignorant as Kaito was about the physiology of fae, it was easy to see that the fall had resulted in pretty severe damage, with both wings bent in completely unnatural angles. The parts of his body not covered by his now ruined wedding robes - arms, neck and face- were covered in cuts and ugly bruises.
But it wasn't the sight of Gakupo's injuries that made Kaito's blood turn cold, despite how heartbreaking a sight it was. It was the presence of a large man in camouflage crouched next to the fallen fae, cutting the line from the harpoon still stuck through one of his wings. Kaito didn't remember the man's name, but his gigantic frame was unmistakable: it was the winner of the auction at the Pale Line.
Obviously, the man recognized him as well. His smile turned sardonic as their eyes met, and with slow, deliberate movements he stood up and stepped on Gakupo's left wing, pressing down with his heavy combat boot until the bones cracked under the pressure. There was a horrid scream, which Kaito recognized —barely— as coming from his own throat. In contrast, Gakupo barely let out a groan before his eyes rolled to the back of his head due to shock. The man then easily picked the unconscious fae up and held him like a child cradling an oversized doll. Behind him, several men in similar gear emerged from their hiding spots behind trunks and bushes. Some of their thuggish, unfriendly faces seemed vaguely familiar; perhaps they were Pale Line employees present at the day of their escape. After a gesture from the large man, they pointed their weapons at Kaito.
"It seems we chose a good moment to make our presence known, gentlemen." The man finally broke eye contact with Kaito and examined the fae in his arms. He caressed one of Gakupo's cheeks with a finger, oozing self-satisfaction.
"Leave him alone!"
That ungraceful scream made the man focus his attention again on Kaito. A skin-crawling smile twisted his features as he said mockingly, "What possible reason would I have to back down now? I'm keeping this one, in exchange for funding this operation and getting new bodies for the Pale Line. I'm sure the owner would want you as a replacement, but...no. Nobody disrespects me and gets away with it. Nobody." His expression hardened. "Shoot him."
Time slowed down, and Kaito became very aware of the pounding of his own heart. His arms and legs were electrified, and for a second he didn't know if his body was ready to fight, or simply about to collapse. The prospect of dying, of deserting the ones left behind near the portal, was bad enough. But leaving Gakupo at the mercy of his man? Kaito launched himself forward, rejecting the very notion with his whole body. Some of the men, the ones he was now certain were enforcers for the Pale Line, showed hesitation at his approach. Either they were unaccustomed to use lethal force on fae or had orders to capture him. But others, employed directly by the large men, were ready to carry out his mandate. Kaito's panicked brain realized he'd be shot and killed before he could reach Gakupo. But his body refused to stop. He was so close—
A large figure jumped between Kaito and the armed men, just in time to receive a volley of gunfire. It growled in pain, but stood its ground firmly. On the contrary, Kaito bumped into it carried by his momentum and crumbled down ignominiously.
"It's the wolf-man!" The large man shouted, alarmed. "Stevens, shoot! Shoot!"
From his spot on the ground behind Goya, Kaito couldn't see with happened next very clearly. But he heard a loud bang and then another howl, distressingly similar to the whimper of a whipped dog. Then another bang, and the huge body of the wolf-man swayed, as if drunk. The human attackers shouted something, but Kaito's survival instincts decided to finally kick in, directing his full attention towards rolling away and getting behind a nearby boulder.
Goya took a lumbering step towards the men, then another. A third loud bang made Kaito's ears buzz. The wolf-man crumbled to his knees but immediately got up and kept approaching the humans, albeit at a glacial pace. From his hiding spot, Kaito saw a man with a massive rifle (presumably Stevens) gaze up at his boss with a look of uncertainty. The other thugs looked similarly unsettled. Only their boss looked more annoyed than nervous.
"Mister Averin, sir…" At that moment, a man that was a bit farther than the rest spoke up. A tall antenna poked from behind one of his shoulders, so Kaito assumed he was carrying a backpack outfitted with communications equipment. "We have visual. She's begun to move."
Averin made a face, but nodded. "Signal the retreat." Without any further words he turned around and quickly disappeared into the foliage. His men followed him, some casting a last look of disbelief at Goya's shambling form. One even met Kaito's eyes but looked away as if the young man was as much a part of the landscape as the boulder. Soon, they were gone.
In an instant, every sound Kaito had ignored during the confrontation returned to the forefront, demanding his attention. There were distant crashes and creaks coming from the direction of the stage, shouting and fighting from many points in the forest, and a deep rumbling from the mountains. And slightly to his right and in the distance, the sound he had heard earlier in the day. Now, his mind correctly recognized it for what it was: the roar of human machinery. Averin and his men were getting away with their captives in some sort of transport.
Goya seemed to know what it was as well. He let out a long, pained howl and fell to the ground, panting. Kaito got up and ran to his side, feeling a sudden sense of shame. For all their mutual antagonism, Goya had just saved his life. Not only that, it was wolf-man who tried with all his might to save his son, while his so-called knight cowered behind a rock.
Pushing back tears, Kaito knelt next to the massive head. "What do I do?!" He asked miserably, like a small child with a runny nose. He felt utterly small.
Goya's snout and throat were wet with blood, the only real indication of his injuries thanks to the position he was in and his shaggy fur. More dark liquid came gurgling forth as he laboriously replied, "Get...him...back." Then, he closed his eyes.
Kaito stared for what seemed like an eternity. Part of him was screaming for him to move, to go in the direction of the fading engines. Another part urged him to go underground and find the dragon. Or anyone else. Anyone that would help him, anyone that would tell him what to do...
"Stop it!" He screamed out loud, wiping his face furiously. "Stand up, you useless idiot!" And he did, sobbing and shaking. He laid a hand on top of Goya's head, just a moment of silent prayer, then ran. The echoes of the struggle Yuki and the others were going through resonated behind him, but he couldn't hear the engines anymore. Was he even going in the right direction? He had to be, but the wild terrain around the hideout was unknown to him. Perhaps he was already lost.
But no, there was another big clearing up ahead, or even the border of the forest. He ran faster, leaving the shade of the trees in an instant. It could've been dangerous if the humans left anyone to cover their retreat, or even a boobytrap of some sort. Kaito himself realized this after he left any possibility of cover behind. But there was nothing but a large area of empty terrain before him. A pile of large wooden boxes surrounded by vehicle tracks stood near the tree line, that was all. Kaito stopped and scanned his surroundings desperately, looking for any clues on how to proceed. Finally, he chanced to look towards the skies in the direction of the city, and he discovered the black silhouette of a helicopter shrinking in the distance.
In a day of awful moments, that was perhaps one of the hardest. He had no way to catch up to the fleeing vehicle. No way to rescue Gakupo, or even know where he was being taken.
The helicopter grew smaller and smaller, its shape distorted and blurry. It was nothing but a speck when the rumbling Kaito had been experiencing spiked in intensity, shaking the ground like an earthquake. As Kaito fought to stay on his feet, a rush of hot air pushed him from behind and made the forest groan and mumble. The faintest smell of sulphur tickled his nostrils.
With his heart suddenly swelling with hope, Kaito climbed the stack of boxes until he had a better view of his surroundings. And there she was, the huge beast that couldn't be, heavy and muscular yet still gracefully traversing the skies with her huge wine red wings. Prima was tracing figure of eights over an area of the forest, likely the clearing with the portal. A moment later, several white shapes rose from the canopy of trees and glided towards the mountains. They reminded Kaito of doves, but their size in comparison to Prima revealed them as several of Yuki's ice palanquins. Black tentacles stretched from the clearing in pursuit of them, but Prima's claws and fire kept them at bay while the palanquins reached the overlook. Over and over again, tall pillars of that impossible mass shoot up trying to reach the dragon or the escapees, only for Prima to swipe them away or burn them. The thing seemed undeterred, if something so shapeless and alien could even be described with a word like that. Only when the palanquins reached Yuki's abode and their passengers disembarked the mass seemed to lose interest. Instead, it lazily reached out to grab Prima out of the air, but the dragon ascended until even the enormous tentacles couldn't reach it. The dark shapes retreated out of Kaito's sight, but their ominous presence could be felt even when hidden from view. He could almost picture the mass expanding outwards from the clearing, covering the ground like a massive oil spill.
As for Prima, she began to fly in increasingly wider circles. As absurd as it was, Kaito began to jump up and down atop the pile of boxes, shouting and waving his arms, hoping that eventually Prima would fly close enough to see him. He was beginning to grow hoarse when the beast changed direction and began to head towards him. The sheer relief Kaito felt at that moment almost made him lightheaded. He suddenly realized how badly the box he was standing on was creaking and decided to jump down before the whole pyramid of boxes collapsed under him. When his feet touched the ground, another gale of hot wind whipped his body. The sun seemed to hide behind a cloud, except it was a massive body blocking the sunlight. Then, Prima landed next to him, as terrifying up close as she had been since the first day. There was no getting used to a dragon, not even one that could be described as an ally.
"Where's Oberon?"
"That way, we need to go that way!" Kaito blurted out breathlessly, pointing towards the city.
He half expected Prima to mock his quivering voice and ask for a proper explanation, but the dragon only extended one of her front legs. "Climb." Kaito scrambled upwards, likely only succeeding in his effort thanks to his changed physique. He hugged one of the many spikes rising from her back and held on as best as he could when she took to the skies.
"That black spot up ahead!" Kaito shouted, not knowing if Prima would understand him. The wind was slapping his face and getting his hair in his eyes. He was beginning to feel seriously nauseous.
"I see the metal toy," Prima spat. Kaito could feel the vibrations of her voice in his chest. "Are they the same group that slaved Titania?"
Averin did say they're working together… "Yes," Kaito replied. Prima let out a roar in response. She chased down the helicopter with even more fervor.
The contours of the city began to take shape up ahead. At first, Kaito wondered if the helicopter was going to take shelter somewhere downtown, but then realized it was going straight towards the property the Pale Line had outside the city limits. What were they planning to do? Just hide in the underground complex and hope Prima went away? What would he do in their position? He wasn't too sure of the answer, but perhaps they were praying for a quick military response to the obvious presence of a huge non-human near an important population center.
From the air, the Pale Line looked like a simple country club, barely distinguishing itself from other nearby properties that offered amenities for weekend visitors. They had a helipad, parking space, game courts and a rustic two-story building, all surrounded by verdant scenery. There was barely any indication that there were any constructions underground, aside from some ventilation shafts disguised in copses of trees and rose bushes. The most noticeable clue was a low rectangular shape that corresponded to the ceiling above the swimming pool. The metal beams had likely supported panes of glass once, letting sunlight reach the inside. However, at some point the glass had been replaced or covered with sheets of metal painted moss green.
"I'll grab their toy as soon as they land. Jump down and make sure no one escapes," Prima instructed.
"They have guns! What am I supposed to do?" Kaito replied. To his chagrin, his voice sounded scared and small against the wind.
"You're faster and have better reflexes than any human. Stop thinking you're like them and you'll feel the difference." Prima sounded almost surprised by his attitude. "Go directly for their leader and use him as a shield. The others will hesitate to shoot."
Kaito bit his lip. Easy for her to say. With her size, even the bullets that felled Goya were but a minor nuisance. But he mentally repeated her words over and over as they approached their prey, trying to convince himself they were true. He was faster, he could do it.
The helicopter began to land. Kaito examined the nearby building, expecting guards to come out brandishing weapons. So far, there were no obvious signs of life. But what if there were goons with sniper rifles hidden out of sight? His abilities wouldn't be of much use if didn't know he was being targeted.
Kaito had barely completed that thought when Prima took a deep breath and arched her head backwards. He felt a sudden increase of temperature underneath him, almost to the point of being unbearable. Prima jerked her head forward, as if she were sneezing, but instead a jet of flames surged forward and hit the building. If anyone was inside, they now had very pressing problems.
As soon as they helicopter touched the ground, the door at the side slid open and Averin jumped out, still carrying Gakupo in his arms. A couple of his men followed him. As promised, Prima pounced like an immense kitten on the helicopter before more men could exit the vehicle. The rotors made an awful whirring sound as they twisted under her weight.
Alright, just keep moving, Kaito thought and took a deep breath. Without allowing himself more time for hesitation, he jumped down and managed to land with a roll. A bullet hit the ground, almost grazing him. One of Averin's men had stayed behind to deal with him, while the other and his employer ran to the other side of the property. Kaito absorbed this in the blink of an eye as he stood and launched himself forward, screaming. He pushed the gun away as it went off, and the small-caliber bullet sailed past him and harmlessly bounced against Prima's scales. With his other hand, Kaito swiped at the man's face, leaving bloody trails across his cheeks and forehead and slicing his nose. The man screeched and covered his face, dropping the gun in the process. Kaito took the opportunity to knee him in the groin as hard as he could. The man dropped to the ground, mouth hanging open in silent agony.
"Keep going, they are getting away!" Prima warned him from behind.
Kaito took off running without bothering to reply, only vaguely registering the sound of her claws tearing metal. As soon as the men realized he was back in pursuit, the second goon began to stop from time to time and shoot in his direction. This forced Kaito to dart from place to place in zigzag, taking advantage of whatever cover the landscape provided. Frustrating as it was to allow Averin to get further away, Kaito jumped from place to place taunting the shooter until the man was forced to load his gun. At that moment Kaito again leaped forward, hitting the man in the stomach with enough force to knock him off his feet. Before the man could catch his breath, Kaito kicked the gun out of his hand. The man tried to grab his leg, but Kaito jumped to the side and delivered another kick, this time to his head. Blood gushed from the man's nose, but he still seemed able to continue the fight, so Kaito dodged again his grabs and sweeping leg motions, making sure to kick him a couple more times for his troubles.
Despite his favourable position, Kaito began to worry. It was taking to long to incapacitate this man, and that meant a higher chance of Averin getting away. Even if he was stronger than before, he wasn't sure getting on top of the guy and punching him would be a good idea. Another possibility came to mind, though admittedly it was even more of mystery if it would work.
I can't hesitate. With that thought, Kaito jumped back to use a nearby tree trunk to get more height. Then, before the man had time to recover and get out of the way, Kaito dived, using his weight to hit his chest with his elbow. The goon let out a strange breathless croak, and his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, like a fish. Kaito scrambled to get out of grabbing distance, but the man's main concern now was to get air back inside of him. It seemed quite likely that Kaito had managed to crush his sternum or puncture a lung, despite his small size. It was a rather atrocious sight, but Kaito pushed it aside for the time being and set out running. He had to catch up to Averin.
Fortunately, he soon saw the unmistakably wide figure trudging through some bushes at the other side of a field. Averin's massive body didn't lend itself to a speedy retreat, after all, and carrying Gakupo in his arms wasn't exactly helping.
On the other hand, those factors also made things more difficult for Kaito as well. Averin was heavier and taller than either of his guards, so it was hard to tell if knocking him off balance would even work. And what about Gakupo? How was Kaito supposed to get him away from the human without any further injury?
The distance between pursuer and pursued decreased; Kaito was no close to formulating a strategy when Averin suddenly stopped and turned around. He had a gun on his hand, seemingly pulled out of thin air. He pressed the barrel against Gakupo's temple.
"Stop!" He barked. "Or I'll blow his damned brains out!"
Kaito came to an ungraceful stop, like a puppet with cut strings. He stared at Averin in complete shock. He couldn't possibly do that, could he? Not after spending all this effort to capture the winged fae.
"Get down on your knees! Now!"
"You wouldn't do it!" Kaito's mouth said, despite his hunch that calling the man's bluff was a very bad idea.
That hunch became a certainty when he saw Averin's expression. In all his years on the planet, no one had ever looked at him with such arrogance, malice and hatred. His next words were almost a superfluous addition: "Killing him is a waste, but if it means you lose…"
And that was all it took.
Kaito sank to his knees, instantly defeated. Even if it meant his death, even if it meant Gakupo would be this awful man's possession for years to come. He simply couldn't allow his endling to die.
Relief washed over him when he saw the gun pointed in his direction, instead of Gakupo's. It was okay. Prima and Yuki would find a way to save the fae and make everything right again. He was only sorry he wouldn't be able to apologize to Gakupo and his dad for bungling everything.
Kaito focused his gaze on that face he loved, so it was the last sight his eyes saw. The breeze slightly tousled his hair, bringing forth the sweet smell of roses, the freshness of country air. Averin smiled widely, finger on the trigger.
A sensation not unlike vertigo constricted Kaito's chest. The great chasm was before him, and it was time for a last, vertiginous drop.