Chapter 3- Mysteries unending
When the young Sairu awoke, his eyes were disturbed by the harsh brightness of the shining sun; when he opened his eyes, he could tell by looking through the crack in the door that it must be exceptionally bright outside. In his mind, he felt this was rather unfitting given the events of the previous night. When his mind wandered back to the night before, he barely stifled a sob at the memory of the death of his mother. With that, the baby Sairu began crying hysterically as he fell back in his cot. As if in response, the door of his room was opened as Eraqus entered the room, his grey eyes red and puffy as he grieved the loss of a dear friend in the night. He approached the cot frantically, yet gently scooped up the weeping baby and began comforting him gently to quieten him.
After a few seconds, it seemed to have worked as Eraqus looked on the minute form in his arms, giving the boy an expression of sadness, which changed into a smile, albeit a sad one. "I know it must hurt, little one. Even when you can't understand what transpired last night, rest assured, no such torment will burden you again, not while I and your father are here to protect you. You understand, Sairu? I will always protect you, for your father and your mother" he said, as his sadness broke away into an ephemeral happiness. At that, a figure appeared in the doorway: the man was dressed in a similar attire to Getsuryu, but was a well-built man, with bulging biceps and his uniform appeared as if it were too small for him: his muscular physique was grotesquely evident at first glance. He had a relatively darker skin complexion, with a thick, bushy black moustache, and shaved black hair. His eyes were an unusual shade of orange, and just by his presence, the young infant in Eraqus's arm seemed to shrink, as if he were some danger.
"Master Eraqus, I have been searching for Lord Getsuryu, but he seems to have disappeared. Would you perhaps know where to find him? There is a matter of urgency that I must discuss with him" he said, in a rather impatient voice, which Eraqus was disappointed in considering the emotional state of his superior. "I am afraid I do not know, Captain Drahcir. But at present, owing to the previous night's events, I will seek out Lord Getsuryu myself. With Lady Siaren's passing-" "The Lady is dead, sir? Forgive me, I was never informed. If you see him, please give him my deepest condolences" the Captain hastily said, as he bowed to Eraqus who nodded, as he returned Sairu to his cot. "Of course, and I shall inform him of this urgency. What may it be, I ask?" At this, Captain Drahcir's posture seemingly shuddered, then relaxed and he responded automatically "We have heard rumours of rebel factions from the civil war having infiltrated the castle. However, we do not have reason to respond at present until this has been confirmed by a reliable source" he finished as he stood at attention. "At ease, Captain. I shall seek him out immediately. Can I trust you to keep an eye on the Lord's son in the meantime?" "Of course" he responded with a smile adorning his face. Eraqus gave him a nod, and before leaving, affectionately stroked the now peaceful boy's forehead before taking his leave.
After his departure, and once he was out of earshot, the Captain suddenly began to smile wickedly as he quietly spoke to himself "All is going according to plan. Soon, that which I seek will be rightfully mine. Getsuryu, your time has ended. Now it is time for someone with true power to step up, and lead our ravished nation back into stability!" he spoke triumphantly, as a dark portal suddenly appeared out of nowhere, yet despite this, the Captain was undeterred, as a figure emerged from the darkness. He had a slouching posture, his white gloved hands held behind his back. He had very tanned skin, pointed ears and golden yellow eyes; his face was devoid of any hair except for the small goatee of silver grey hair adorning his chin. His attire consisted of a dark grey and black coat with inner red lining, worn over a white shirt with two thin black belts, black trousers and calf-high black boots. There was a look of glee in his golden eyes as he emerged from the dissipating portal.
"So you have arrived" the Captain addressed the elderly man gleefully "Apologies for my late arrival. I was involved in some affairs with my pupil and lost track of time" the old man replied in a rather hoarse voice. "I take it things are going well with your plan, Captain" he added in an act of playful worship. "Indeed. Soon, this great land will have a worthy ruler in its place, but it is apparent that there is a component that interferes with its success" the captain explained "And what may that be?" the elderly man enquired. "That fool, Eraqus. He is a powerful combatant, and if he were to discover this plot, there's every likelihood of intervention to protect his dear friend" Captain Drahcir explained. "Fear not. Even if Eraqus were to interfere, there is one guarantee to achieve your goal" the old man replied confidently. "And what will that be?" Drahcir asked querulously. The old man simply turned to face the cot in that room, and the Captain immediately understood, as his wicked smile adorned his face again.
"Underhanded, but effective" he added in a wicked voice. "What if we're to move up our invasion to tonight? Given the death of his darling wife having made him vulnerable, surely the best time would be now. Once he's out of the way, I'll be in control" "If you act rashly, your plan will surely fail. Eraqus will surely remain at his side through this time of need. Once Eraqus has departed, we will strike, you can count on that" the old man said as he turned to leave. "Until I have the knowledge that I desire, you will not make a move against him. Afterwards, you're free to do as you wish" he said as he conjured a dark portal and took his leave. At that, the Captain approached the still groggy infant in the cot before him, gazing at him with a greedy gleam in his eyes, then relaxed in a nearby chair.
Little did he know that the baby knew much more than it appeared to, but considering his age, there was no hope for escaping what the two men had planned. With his inner self, Sairu immediately understood the danger his father was in. 'So... this Captain and his accomplice aim to usurp my father. I knew that Master Yen Sid said his power was envied, but to think that this Captain, a subordinate of my dad, has such a lust for power that he would betray him. And that other man, he said he needed some knowledge from him as well. But what was it? Does my father's power have anything to do with it? But in this body, there's nothing to be done: I can't fight back, just be taken to be used as a winning tactic for power. Dad... I know you can hear me, but please... be careful who you trust'
Elsewhere, in a beautiful, secluded area of the forest, complete with trees gently swaying in the wind under the purest blue sky that blended beautifully with the white of the clouds, sat a despairing figure, which seemed to clash with the serene beauty of the area. Under the shade of a huge oak tree, gazing upon the crystal clear water in the pond before him, sat Getsuryu, or what was seemingly left of him. He looked worse for wear: his eyes were red from crying which had long since ceased, bags underneath his now vacant emerald eyes, as if he did not register the tranquil environment around, staring ahead at something that was no longer there.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end when he heard rustling behind him. As he turned warily to look behind him, he inwardly relaxed when he noticed who it was. Eraqus approached his friend, with concern and relief blended into his grey eyes. "Thank goodness I found you. I was rather worried" he said with a smile, at which Getsuryu grimaced and turned away, setting his vacant gaze across the water before him again. Seeing this, Eraqus arrived in the shade of the oak tree and opted to sit alongside him, facing the crystal clear water before him as well. "Why would you come all the way out here?" Getsuryu asked, his voice even emptier than his gaze, which unnerved Eraqus, though he retaliated with "Exactly what I said before. I am worried about you, and felt you needed some company" "Well, your intuition has failed you. I only desire to be by myself" Getsuryu retorted in an icy tone of voice. Eraqus felt unnerved again, yet he recovered and replied "Do not shut out the world for the sake of your wounded heart, Getsuryu. I understand that you need time to grieve in solitude, but you must also learn to turn to your friends and family in your time of need"
At this, Getsuryu lifted his head and looked at him with an angry scowl. "My son is now my only family. How can he comfort me at this point, when he barely knows his own name?" he said angrily. "Regardless, if that is the case, then you need only turn to me. You and I are friends, and we always will be. And what's more, Lady Siaren would not want you to wallow in mourning over her passing. Do not look back, look forward, with your head held high, and focus on bringing up your son. He will need you, now and forever. Believe in the future..." "... and persist in the present" Getsuryu replied, with a small smile adorning his face. At this, Eraqus smiled and clasped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "That line gets me every time" he said in a slightly amused tone of voice, as his vacant gaze disappeared, replaced by understanding. "Now, Captain Drahcir had some information to share with you" Eraqus spoke again, after a moment of silence. "What is it?" Getsuryu asked, his gaze now focused on his companion. "The Captain has reported hearing rumours of remnant factions from the civil war having infiltrated the castle. Although it has yet to be confirmed, he clearly felt you had to know, to prevent any attempts on your life" "... I see" Getsuryu said and rose to stand. "Come, Eraqus. We must return to the castle. I have to ensure Sairu is safe from any threats. If they are indeed after me, it's likely they will involve him in some way or another. I cannot take any chances" he added, sounding determined, yet pained. "Then, I shall protect him, whilst you protect your people" Eraqus responded with equal determination as he too rose to his feet. Getsuryu nodded and the two friends made their short trek back to the castle.