Chapter Two: Part Six
What?
The power shot through Sasarai's body like a sucker punch. He shouted and stood up, knocking over his chair and a couple of books on the table. He gulped for air and grasped his chest with his right hand, hunching forward and gasping for breath.
"Bishop!" Dios and Pilika hurried to his side; Dios standing to his right and Pilika to his left. "Bishop," Dios said, sliding an arm around Sarasai to hold him upright. "What happened? What's wrong?"
Sasarai struggled to catch his breath to speak, but he knew. His mind was reverberating with the realization. A True Rune. He could sense the presence of a True Rune, but it wasn't the True Wind Rune. No…this Rune was very different. Very…horrifying.
This power. But…how…?!
Thankfully it didn't take him long to recover. He brushed himself off and straightened his posture. "We need to leave," he announced.
"Leave?" Pilika asked, her brow furrowing. "Bishop, are we leaving the country or the city?"
"The city," Sasarai clarified, looking between them. "You both know why we came here."
"To look for…him," Dios said. "Did he use the True Rune again, Bishop?"
Sasarai shook his head. "No. There's another True Rune user in this country."
"You felt them, Bishop?" Pilika asked.
"I felt the power of a True Rune in use." Sasarai looked at the back of his right hand. Underneath his glove, he knew that a golden rune symbol would be there. "I don't know how close…but the wielder is powerful."
"So we will seek them both out," Dios said. "That man…and this other True Rune user."
Sasarai smiled softly. "As citizens of Harmonia, it is our duty to try and bring any True Runes under the power of the Kingdom."
"Yes," Pilika said softly, but her expression became strained and she clasped her hands in front of her.
"I will follow you as I always have, Bishop," Dios promised, but there was a look of worry in his eyes. Sasarai knew that Dios understood that they were not in Zelant on official Harmonian business. No…they were there on their own.
"But that is not why we are here," Sasarai confirmed. "I came here to find him, and now that we know there are two True Runes here, we're not leaving until we meet the wielder of both of them."
"I will stand with you Bishop," Pilika said. "However, we will need to figure out how to leave this city. The Lordship here allowed us to leave our ship, but they will not allow us to leave Niebieska Brama. They have barely allowed us to leave this inn."
They were indeed given rooms at the inn, but only Sasarai, Dios, and Pilika were allowed to disembark. The rest of their entourage was made to stay on the ship, under the watchful eye of the Royal Army.
"Gather your things," Sasarai said. "I have a plan."
They packed their belongings and headed downstairs. Sasarai nodded to Dios, who approached the front desk and deposited a bag on the counter. "Bishop Sasarai thanks you for your hospitality. We hope that 5,000 Potch will suffice for our stay."
"Y-You're giving me 5,000 Potch?!" the innkeeper exclaimed.
Sasarai headed out the front door and into the city square with his two advisors. They were immediately approached by two Zelantan soldiers. "Are you departing today, mister?" one asked.
"Bishop," Pilika corrected him.
"I am," Sasarai told him. "But we will be fine. We don't need your escort."
The second soldier smirked. "I thought it was made clear to you that you're getting an escort wherever you go."
"I will not tolerate impudence against the Bishop," Dios said sharply. "Show him the respect he deserves."
"Or what?!" the first laughed. "We're not going to be intimidated by some pampered, privileged bureaucrat!"
The two soldiers burst into laughter. Dios and Pilika looked furious but Sasarai looked unmoved. He knelt down and pressed his right hand to the cobblestones. He didn't need a lot of power; just enough.
"What are you doing now?" the second asked.
Sasarai looked up. "It's coming. Don't you feel it?"
"Feel what?"
Sasarai smiled softly. "Earthquake."
"That should suffice," Dios said with a nod. "Minor property and infrastructure damage."
"And no fatalities," Pilika said softly.
"Yes," Sasarai said. "I needed to get us away, but not create an international incident."
Earthquake was a very powerful spell from the True Earth Rune, but the True Rune had been Sasarai's companion for as long as he could remember. He had near perfect control over its power. While Earthquake could be deadly in battle, he only used enough power in Niebieska Brama to simulate an actual earthquake and scare the populous to create a diversion for them to flee. The streets in front of the inn had been damaged, as were several buildings, but it wouldn't be enough damage to hurt anyone. The diversion had worked and they were able to flee Niebieska Brama without issue.
"Now, where should we go?" Pilika asked. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a rolled up map. Sasarai knew it to be the more up to date map of Zelant that was available to Harmonians. "Which directions did you sense the True Rune, Bishop?"
"To the west," Sasarai said. "So we will head that way."
Astraea had witnessed feedings, but not the executions that she knew occurred in the Crypt. In truth, she had never had reason to feel fear. But when she saw the mouth snap down over Viktor's arm, and the crunching sound of bones being crushed, she understood why people feared him.
Bhayankar was, after all, a Sarcosuchus. A primitive beast that knew the taste of the flesh of man.
Bhayankar had not roared when he burst from the sea. Astraea was not even aware that he could survive in saltwater. She had thought that Sarcosuchus were freshwater crocodilian. But yet Bhayankar had somehow snuck up on them from the sea, and ambushed them.
Bhayankar's mouth closed tight around Viktor's right arm from the elbow down. His sword had even been taken into the jaws. Viktor's eyes widened when he suffered the bite, but he did not immediately scream. The color rapidly drained from his shock as shock quickly settled in. All he could do was puff out a breath of shock before Bhayankar suddenly surged backwards into the water, dragging Viktor with him.
"VIKTOR!" David shrieked, and without thinking he dove into the water after Bhayankar and Viktor.
"Bhayankar, STOP!" Astraea screamed, finding her voice. She yanked off her cloak and jumped into the water after them. She heard Denzel scream and Musashi yell, "STOP, PRINCE!", and Sigrun screamed, "WHO LET HIM OUT?!" before Astraea dove beneath the surface.
Blood was rapidly staining the seawater, but thankfully she did not have far to swim. Bhayankar was only a meter and a half beneath the surface and she could see that the Sarcosuchus was attempting to do a death roll with Viktor. Viktor was frantically punching Bhayankar around his left eye and David was raining blows down upon its head with closed fists. Bhayankar was unmoved. Astraea saw that Viktor and David's faces were turning blue and she knew that they were about to run out of air. She reached Bhayankar's snout and struck the nostrils with her fist but Bhayankar only shifted slightly as though in irritation. His gaze was glazed with a manic, blind rage and he started to twist his massive body to the left. He was trying to do a death roll again, and if he succeeded in rolling then he would crush Viktor with his body.
Astraea didn't think. She pressed her right hand over the snout and squeezed her eyes shut. THE SHREDDING!
She didn't know if the True Wind Rune's spell would trigger without her saying the spell out loud, but she felt a surge of power in her body. Her eyes snapped open and her hands glowed. The gusts of wind cut through the water slowly, but the spell nonetheless hit Bhayankar. Bhayankar stopped rolling, and a muted growl of pain rumbled in his throat.
Suddenly the Sarcosuchus surged upwards towards the surface of the water. Astraea found the front of her body slammed into the top of Bhayankar's snout, and David was slammed into the top of his head. Bhayankar broke the surface of the water with Astraea on his long snout, David on his head, and Viktor hanging from the left side of his mouth. Bhayankar opened his mouth partially and let out a loud roar before snapping his jaws shut. The teeth slammed down upon Viktor's arm once more, and this time the legendary warrior screamed in pain.
"BHAYANKAR, LET THEM GO!" Denzel screamed. He pushed away from Musashi and raced towards them, quickly followed by Sigrun, Musashi, and Ferdinand. Denzel crawled up Bhayankar's front right leg, Musashi quickly following him, and Sigrun crawled up his front left leg. Bhayankar suddenly launched himself from the water and began sprinting up the beach and towards the grass. Ferdinand, who could not swim nor climb with his heavy armor, was left throwing himself at Bhayankar's swinging tail and hanging on as Bhayankar lumbered at full speed away from the sea and into the countryside.
"Bhayankar, stop! STOP!" Astraea shrieked, staring him straight in the eye as she held on for dear life. Part of how she was able to conquer him at an early age was an unwavering held gaze. But the—madness that stared back at her was unlike anything she had ever seen in her life. She had seen animals infected with rabies have clearer gazes than this!
What happened to him?! I've never seen him like this before!
"Get it off, GET IT OFF!" Viktor shouted, punching at the jawline and teeth. His body swayed precariously as Bhayankar continued to run.
"Astraea, Denzel, hold on!" Sigrun shouted, clinging to Bhayankar's shoulder.
"Bhayankar, PLEASE STOP!" Astraea screamed. "Please let Viktor go!"
"Hey, YOU!" Musashi snapped at David, tossing him a kunai. "Stab Bhayankar in the eye!"
Astraea sucked in a sharp breath, but she knew she couldn't say no. She looked at Bhayankar pleadingly again. "Please stop, Bhayankar," she begged the Sarcosuchus. "Please stop this!"
David raised the kunai and stabbed it deep into Bhayankar's right eye. Bhayankar bucked back and roared, stopping briefly. He did not open his jaw, but a bright light suddenly erupted from his back. Astraea gasped in alarm as she felt the familiar, terrifying pulse of power again. She had felt it before Bhayankar had attacked Viktor.
This power…it's coming from Bhayankar?!
The kunai abruptly expelled from Bhayankar's eye, but the rage was magnified. He began running faster and more frenzied. He slammed his feet into the ground, leaving massive footprints in his wake. Bhayankar continued to growl and buck, trying to shake the seven people who clung to him off his body.
Astraea did not know how far they traveled, but they suddenly burst into a forest. She screamed and Viktor screamed as branches hit them mercilessly. Astraea slid down Bhayankar's snout, nearly falling off him, but David grabbed her shoulder to hold her steady. Astraea opened her eyes and found herself pressed against Bhayankar's eyes. The Sarcosuchus looked almost possessed with rage. His right eye was bleeding, but strangely…didn't look as bad as she would expect. Astraea grabbed the top of his eyelids and pressed her face between his eyes. "Bhayankar, STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Bhayankar did stop then. He stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of a grove. Astraea's breathing was ragged as she held Bhayankar's gaze. The madness was still there, but…strangely…it looked like it was waning. Clarity seemed to be returning to his eyes, and his body relaxed very slightly.
It didn't last. Suddenly Bhayankar shook his head violently. Viktor shouted as his body went flying and his back slammed into a nearby tree. "Viktor!" David shrieked.
Bhayankar continued shaking his whole body out, and one by one bodies went flying off him. Denzel, Sigrun, Ferdinand, Musashi…they all went flying in different directions. Bhayankar threw his head back and David hollered as he was sent rolling violently down Bhayankar's back. Only Astraea was left hanging on. "Bhayankar…Bhayankar!" she cried out.
The Bhayankar shook his head one last time and Astraea lost her grip. She fell and slammed into the ground, seeing stars. She lay in a daze for a moment until she felt something nudge her right arm hard. She blinked, and she realized that Bhayankar was hovering over her. He directed his mouth towards her right hand, opening his mouth very slightly, and a spike of panic brought her back to clarity. "The Shredding!" she shrieked.
The spell struck Bhayankar once more and the beast lumbered backwards. It staggered very slightly before he turned and tore into the trees running away. He flattened trees in his path and his footsteps shook the whole area. After a few moments however the tremors receded, and they no longer saw him.
"Astraea!" Denzel pulled her into a sitting position and looked her over. His eyes were filled with terror. "Astraea, are you hurt?! Is anything broken?! I tried to dive in after you, but—"
"I'm fine," Astraea lied softly, forcing a smile at her brother. "It wouldn't have been wise for you to follow. You're in armor, Denzel."
Denzel stiffened, and wheezed out an awkward laugh. "Oh…I forgot about that—"
"VIKTOR, OH MY GOD!"
Astraea quickly turned when she heard David scream, and she scrambled on all fours towards his shout. David was kneeling beside where Viktor lay prone, wringing his hair with both hands. Sigrun and Ferdinand quickly joined him, and both recoiled. Sigrun quickly knelt down beside David and grabbed for Viktor. "Elevate his arm! Elevate his arm!"
Sigrun lifted the limb, and Astraea felt her stomach drop in horror. From the elbow down…Viktor's arm was gone.