THE CAVE: CONTINUUM
Part Seventeen
Dawn emerges bringing more light, but the overcast sky is dreary with shapeless, dark-gray clouds lingering on the horizon. There is enough light filling the sky to cast a light shadow over the two young Exorcists from the tall Stone Warrior peering down at them.
A gasps comes from Allen, but Kanda stands straight and tall ready to defend his husband by placing himself in front of him. Allen is so close to him he can feel his breath on the back of his neck and smell of his sweet scent drifting to his nostrils.
The stone contender, once a Japanese Army soldier, easily reaches fifteen feet tall. Kanda looks at its waist that is even with the platform and observes the sword the warrior carries in its large hand. The old swords blade is slightly shorter than Mugen and has an uneven curve to it with the deepest part of the curve at the base. It is definitely a sword for battle, but Kanda is not worried with the innocence of Mugen and his own strength to fight this abomination.
The Stone Warrior's stance appears he is ready for battle and Kanda is just as ready, though he cannot speak for Allen.
"Bean Sprout, are you well enough to help fight this stone anomaly? Can you activate your Crown Clown? If not, find a safe place to hide until I crush this stone statue," Kanda says, not turning to look at Allen, but keeping his eyes on the stone statue looming in front of him.
"Yes, I can now and we'll fight this Stone Warrior together, Yuu," Allen says with conviction. At any other time Kanda might have had an argument with Bean Sprout over calling him Yuu, but right now it doesn't matter to him, he is getting use to Allen saying his name every now and then anyway.
"Here take the canteen and finish the water to help dilute what is left of the potion in your system." Kanda slowly lifts the strap hanging across his chest over his head and slowly hands it back to Allen.
Allen carefully opens the canteen keeping his eyes on the Stone Warrior. He brings it to his lips and takes a couple of huge swallows and then slowly places the canteen's strap across his chest.
"Okay Kanda, how do you want to handle this? We better be quick because I don't think he'll stand there forever," Allen whispers into Kanda's ear. At any other time, with Allen's warm breath teasing his ear, he would have taken him off somewhere to have his way, but this isn't one of those times.
"Well, I can't believe you're asking me for a plan, so unlike you Bean Sprout." Kanda can't help himself saying this offhanded remark in jest.
"We will both attack him at the same time. I'll keep him busy. Hopefully, you will be able to find some vulnerable place to strike him. And Allen …"
"Yes Kanda?" Allen whispers in his ear.
"Don't ever forget I love you," Kanda whispers firmly.
"The same goes for you. I love you too. Kanda and we will get out of this mess like always," he whispers into his lover's ear and gently kisses his neck.
Just then large spatters of rain drops fall. "I was afraid this might happen, but it doesn't matter we have to fight the Stone Warrior no matter what the weather is," Kanda's hush voice says to Allen.
"Bean Sprout, follow my lead," Kanda says, knowing the rain can pose some problems for them.
"So, you're the one they call the Stone Warrior," Kanda yells up at the stone statue. He doesn't even know if it can talk.
"What do you want with us? Your arrangement is with those tribesmen back at the end of the field and not with us," Kanda shouts, a dark scowl on his face.
"I am here to collect the White-hair god. Then I can go back to my abeyance for another couple of centuries," its loud voice bellows down to the young couple.
"Well, you can't have him! He belongs to me and no one else!" Kanda roars at the stone statue of a warrior.
"What is your name my little samurai swordsman?" The golem's voice rumbles down at Kanda.
"Kanda and you still can't have him," he shouts back, the rain still spattering drops.
"Well, my little Kanda, I am taking your mate away from you, so step aside or you too could be hurt," the Stone Warrior chuckles.
Allen invokes his Crown Clown as the Stone Warrior reaches his hand down to brush Kanda out of the way to retrieve his god.
They both swiftly spring into action. Kanda slashes Mugen on the stone hand with his incredible strength extracting a huge chip of stone while Allen simultaneously jumps up into the air etching his razor sharp talons into the stone only to leave superficial scrapes. 'This has never happened before. Did I not etch hard enough? Allen wonders as he is coming down from his jump.
Allen doesn't notice the large chip of stone Kanda had taken out of the giant statue's hand. The Stone Warrior's hand reflexes snap back striking Allen and sent him flying across the field into a pile of pillars.
"Bean Sprout!" Kanda shouts, his eyes darting to where he had landed in the pillars waiting to see if he moves.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kanda does see movement as Allen attempts to raise himself up onto his knees amongst the pile of ruins. Allen is dizzy and pain shoots through his entire body, but this isn't going to stop him from fighting next to his partner.
Back and forth the Stone Warrior's and Kanda's blades clash together until their swords crosses at a stalemate. Kanda struggles holding his blade against the stone blade using all his strength to push against it. Beads of sweat form on his forehead and over his lip he is putting so much energy into pushing.
With what strength he has left he pushes hard against the stone blade shattering it then jumps high into the air coming down at the stone giant with his sword straight down striking hard taking another huge chunk out – this time from its neck and shoulder. He lands a great distance on the ground from the warrior.
Kanda tightens his jaw to control the rage inside of him and the revulsion and hatred shooting through him, his bitterness prime to avenge his lover.
Allen staggers out onto the field getting his bearings as to where the adversary is. Kanda catches a glance at Allen and sighs with relief knowing his husband isn't severely hurt or worse – dead.
"Bean Sprout, over here," Kanda hollers to Allen.
Allen looks up and sees Kanda has had some success in fighting the huge monstrosity and rushes towards his partner to fight again alongside of him.
"Kanda, I'm coming," Allen yells at his partner.
"You arrogant man," the atrocity roars at Kanda, angry about the attacks on him.
Suddenly the creature develops a lightening sword he raises high into the air. It stabs the sword into the ground ripping up the earth like an earthquake, lifting and throwing Kanda into the air. But Kanda rolls in a somersault in the air and gracefully lands on the ground.
"What the hell was that? Fuck, I've never seen anything like it," Kanda spats nervously.
Kanda runs to attack the stone anomaly, once again their swords clashing making Kanda stumble backwards. Then the Stone Warrior strikes the lightening blade strong and deep into the earth again sending Kanda skidding backwards. He stabs Mugen into the ground to stop the momentum of being forced backwards – tearing up the earth.
The loud blast from the strike to the earth from the Stone Warrior's blade roots the earth and reverberates throughout the valley.
Allen reaches his partner, "Are you alright, Kanda?" he asks, with deep furrows on his brow from worry.
"Yes, let's go, I'm not sure what those lightning bolt are. I've never seen anything like it before," Kanda says, out of breath, panting.
"I grow tired of your game," the Stone Warrior bellows down to the two Exorcists.
"This isn't a game, idiot," Kanda shouts back.
The warrior raises his hand and points to the stone gargoyles sitting atop the cave. Magically they come to life. Their eyes glowing red they jump from their perch swooping down to attack the Exorcists.
Quickly, Allen calls out for his Crown Clown belt and releases the webbing of innocence-energy that grabs one of the gargoyles impaling it with the Clown belt spikes. Kanda is swinging his sword slashing off heads of the creatures when Allen releases the webbing from his hand snatching yet another gargoyle that is ready to attack his lover.
The Stone Warrior steps shake the earth and it cracks beneath its feet as it walks over to where they are fighting the gargoyles. Luckily these creatures took the form of living creatures, so in killing them, they will not come back to life.
"There is nothing you can do to stop me, mortals," the stone giant blares at them.
Kanda picks Mugen up ready to fight again. He looks at his husband who is weary and hurt blood running down his lovers face over his eye. Kanda vows that creature will not have his Bean Sprout, even if it costs him his life.
"Kanda, please, I don't want you to die …" Allen starts to say, but it's too late as Kanda jumps into the air swinging Mugen, slicing through the bright yellowish orange light streaking in the air. The lightening-energy from its blade hits Kanda in the stomach throwing him into the steep cliff walls – he crumbles to the ground.
"No!" Allen screams calling upon his Crown Edge unleashing a barrage of projectiles of crown-shape rings from his claw fingers. Blindly, Allen runs and jumps in the air continuing his rampage, firing at the stone creature unmercifully, the blood running down over his left eye blinding him.
There seems no way Kanda and Allen, even together, can win over this stone ogre. Exhausting himself, the giant Stone Warrior's hand strikes Allen hard and sent him flying against the cliff wall falling to where his husband laid unconscious.
Allen lands on top of Kanda which helps break his fall so he didn't hit the ground hard. The sky releases a down pour of rain quickly soaking everything. They lay together unconscious and cold from the pounding rain.
The Stone Warrior, having won this battle with the Exorcists, stomps over to where the young couple lay. Allen is semi-conscious and Kanda is regaining consciousness. Awaken enough; they look at each other whispering they love each other, both knowing this could be their end. Allen's head drops back onto Kanda's body unconscious. Kanda feels a sharp pain stab his heart not knowing if Allen had just died. Then he hears a loud shout coming from what seems afar and the creature turns around.
"You will not kill my sons, Stone Warrior!" Tiedoll shouts from the sacred platform.
Kanda is thinking this must be a dream. He's hearing Tiedoll's voice, but this can't be possible. Tiedoll is far away from this area, off on his assignment for the Order. Kanda cannot move to be able to look at what is happening.
Loud stomps hit the earth shaking it as the warrior approaches the platform to where Tiedoll stands tall and furious.
As the warrior is close to the platform, Tiedoll has his head lower as if in prayer, calls out "Maker of Eden!"
"Art!" Tiedoll draws the cross and rod, the rod creates a spiritual chisel. He links the rod and the cross together. The cross knocks the chisel into the ground, creating a cloud of dust that gives rise to a massive creature which looks like a giant man-like anomaly.
This anomaly attacks the Stone Warrior and the Stone Warrior fights back, but as strong it might be it crumbles to the ground back to dust. Tiedoll is fatigued, but he doesn't waste any time in running over to his sons.
Tears form in his eyes at the sight he sees. Allen is lying atop of Kanda unconscious. Kanda has regain consciousness is already starting to re-generate healing his wounds. He looks up at Tiedoll never happier to see the man. He just saved him and his husband. Panicking, Kanda tries to move to check Allen to see if he is still alive.
Tiedoll gently pushes him back down to rest and he checks Allen's vital signs and looks up at his son and smiles. "He's alright Kanda, but we need to get him someplace safe to rest."
"The natives are they …" Kanda starts to ask worrying they might attack them.
"They left as soon as I destroyed the warrior. You do not need to fear them anymore," Tiedoll says quietly. A deep frown of worry shows on his forehead.
"Can you walk Kanda?" Tiedoll asks, gently pulling Allen off him.
"Yes", Kanda says and starts to stand up carefully. Once standing he feels dizzy, but Tiedoll grabs Kanda to steady him in a hug. Kanda winces in pain.
"I think I have some broken ribs, but they will heal soon enough," Kanda says, pulling away he glances at Tiedoll.
"It's Allen I'm worried about. He doesn't heal like I do which makes me worry more about him," Kanda says looking down at his husband.
"I'll carry him Kanda. We need to get you two settled someplace safe for awhile. You both need to heal."
Tiedoll picks Allen up into his arms and Kanda limps beside his General thankful both he and Allen are alive. Will this ever stop in their lives? Can they have a normal life together without it always being a life and death situation? Kanda isn't expecting answers to his questions. He is just happy Allen is alive and in his life. They will make it through all the trials and obstacles that might lie ahead for them.
"Tiedoll …"
"Yes Kanda?"
"Thank you."
To be continued …
A/N: I hope you all liked the chapter, it wasn't beta read. As I mentioned before I'm on vacation and was unsure when I would get another chance to submit, so I pray it meets your approval. Please let me know of any errors, it's how I learn. Thanks so much to the brave readers for your continuing reviews. But of course I thank all my readers for even taking the time to read my story!