Chapter 33- the imprisoning of two more Arcobalenopods

Later

Crimsonandil's vision melted out of the depths of consciousness, the Vermillion Bird's sight being filled with nothing more than amorphous shapes. However, those amorphous shapes began to gain clarity and take on recognisable forms. One was a brownish furry creature while another was a green snake-like form with paler green stripes and legs, tusks like a Hog and a body shape like a Mustelid such as a Stoat or a Weasel, and another was a neon orange furry pompom on legs and with antennae.

"She's coming round," the green Snake-Stoat form said, his voice echoed. Crimsonandil stirred as her vision entered fully clarity but her head felt like it was made from a dense material and she felt generally unwell. A dull pain also shackled her body and she struggled to move.

"What... happened...?" she groaned, "Ow..."

As the pained Vermillion Bird, her red-orange plumage singed similar to from her exposure to the superheated airflow back in the Urulite Forging Chamber in Bism when she helped to cast her flywheel and her feathers out of place and unkempt, struggled to move, the green Snake-Stoat, Ophiuchus, took hold of her wing and put it back to her body's side.

"Take it easy, Crimsonandil," said he.

"You have taken quite some NASTY damage," added the orange pompom on legs and with antennae, Beric. The beige furry form, Scuttle also looked on. Soon Crimsonandil was fully alert and once she was this, she began to try and look around. However, she could not move much due to the dull ache her body suffered.

"Where are we?" she asked the Meerkat, Sunling and Ramidreju.

"We're on a Sky Cart on our way to Quaoar an' th' others," said another Meerkat, "However, our group 'as decided t' split as we 'ave had quite a few casualties from tha' battle wi' tha' group o' rogue Creatures when they went t' catch th' Green Arcobalenopod."

Confusion took hold of Crimsonandil. "What do you mean our group has split up? Who is with us?"

"Scuttle and ze remaining Meerkats are," Beric the Sunling replied, "Myself, Ozai an' his pet Falconfly Hayabusa, Iguana-I-Am, Stone ze Gnome, Ophiuchus are here, an' Digger-Quail an' his remaining Spinks. Draco-Blau an' his remaining family, the ozer two Ramidreju an' some of ze Spinks have gone back to Nuvola to report to Yong Bao and Cielo directly all zat has happened."

"An' also t' take th' severely injured casualties an' those tha' have died, such as our captain, back there," added Scuttle. He and the other Meerkats then took a moment to mourn the loss of their members especially the captain before continuing.

"However, I have already reported t' Yong Bao zrough ze crystal screen communicator zat ze Green Arcobalenopod has been captured," added Beric, "An' also to Quaoar an' ze ozers wiz him in addition to lettin' zem know we are on our way now zat you have your new flywheel."

"You tried going after the group when they made off with the Green Arcobalenopod but they retaliated with a deadly Electroshroom bomb," continued Ophiuchus, "However, Draco-Blau saved you in the nick of time from the deadly blast and it seems that the shockwave from the explosion was what knocked you and also Draco-Blau out. However, I and my Ramidreju have used our combined healing fur and saliva to heal most of your wounds including your ruptured hearing membranes."

Crimsoandil gazed at the long bodied green Weasel and saw that he had a few bald patches where he had removed some of his fur to treat her for her injuries she had sustained from the Electroshroom bomb blast, among them burns and ruptured eardrums. Then Ozai the Blue Basan came in with Hayabusa the Falconfly perched on his shoulder, a SERIOUS look on his face.

"You and Draco-Blau were EXTREMELY lucky to have come away virtually unharmed by that deadly Narnian Moon weapon," the Blue Fire Rooster said, "Had Draco-Blau SERIOUSLY not intervened; you'd have been in a FAR worse state than you are now."

As he said this, Stone the Gnome and Iguana-I-Am turned to Crimsonandil. They had been looking out of the window to pass the time.

"You are HONESTLY th' most RECKLESS Vermilion Bird Hen we had EVER met," said the latter, the Salamander, "Few Vermillion Bird Hens are willin' t' endanger themselves but you are one of them, an' an EXTREME one at that I bet."

"Absolutely," added the Gnome, "And I had been talking with Scuttle and his remaining Meerkat underlings about how that Peach Elf and his three Animal Friends had managed to escape that same deadly weapon when they attempted to try and rescue the Blue Arcobalenopod when he was caught by some rogue Creatures from Asgard. Your attempt at rescuing the Green Arcobalenopod and facing near death by Electroshroom bomb certainly is similar to that quartet."

"It's a wonder you didn't lose a limb or somethin' like how tha' Wapaloosie spy did," added Scuttle, his remaining Meerkats (he was now their captain, having taken over the previous captain's role for he was now deceased) nodding in agreement. Crimsonandil just gazed at her teammates and said nothing. Then Ophiuchus commanded, "You get some rest for the rest of the journey to Waknuk where Quaoar and the others are. We will have more battles to face so we have to be prepared."

Crimsonandil nodded and obediently returned to resting while Ophiuchus and the others left to have a discussion on their plans once they arrived at Waknuk, the group's next destination.

Meanwhile, back in Asgard Sky City

The Narnian sun slowly sank towards the western horizon, its colour changing from yellow to orange as it made its descent. Evening was fading to dusk and the diurnal activities of the Sky Domain were soon to stop for the night until morning. In a particular large Sky city, the inhabitants and visitors trapped by a certain evil Kitsune's false Aslan cult were doing the same but as per the strict rules imposed on them by said Kitsune Kurama. Siveth was in the basement of a blacksmith's shop, overlooking a process. A heating of a large cauldron was taking place and the shop owner, a Yellow Homunculus and some of his assistants, among them an Orang Pendek, two Penguins and a Babookari, stood by and kept the fire below the large pot burning by adding fuel, Sky Domain plant material such as Sky tree logs (which burned like Land Domain plants) to the cluster of flames' base and using fire pokers to prod and manoeuvre the fuel items to ensure the flames consumed as much as the material as possible so as to keep burning. The cauldron continued to be heated, its underside where the flames licked glowing literally red hot and within its belly was a pool of glowing liquid. However, this liquid wasn't metal, it was rock. Sky Domain cloud-rock to be exact. Above the cauldron, one of the assistants, the Orang Pendek dressed in a special heatproof suit with a visor over his face to protect it from the extreme heat and light of the molten cloud-rock, stood from a stand above the pot's opening and stirred the melting cloud-rock with a special stick to ensure that the heat was uniformly spread throughout the contents. Cloud-rock, like Land Domain rock, could melt if heated enough. However, unlike Land Domain rock which became a glowing red, orange or yellow liquid depending on the temperature it was heated to, Sky Domain cloud-rock melted to a glowing bright purple, pink or vivid white-pink liquid. However, the hazards of heat and brightness were still the same so the appropriate safety equipment must be worn when dealing with molten cloud-rock. As the Homunculus blacksmith and his team continued to tend to the molten cloud-rock in the cauldron, the Homunculus blacksmith turned to Siveth and a few other creatures standing near her, among them a bipedal Humanoid creature called a Löwenmensch (plural: Löwenmenschen) or Lion-Man. Löwenmenschen were bipedal Humanoid creatures that resembled Humans but had leonine traits such as a vaguely Lion-like face, ears, mane (which was larger in males as it was in Lions) and paws for hands, and fur all over the body. This fur was commonly sandy brown or ginger but dark brown and even black were an occurrence though these were rarer colours. However, the Lion-Men did not have tails ending in a tassel of fur as Lions did.

"I hope that pot of molten cloud-rock will be enough for Lizard-I-Am and his family, Siveth and Diambert," said the small yellow rounded creature worriedly, "They're not well at all due to being deprived of bathing in molten rock for so long."

"How much longer will Kurama keep us trapped in this city?" the Löwenmensch named Diambert moaned, his paws covering his face, "Quite a few of us are degenerating both physically and mentally; Cloudy the Slugpup with his condition without his meds and Lizard-I-Am and his wife and five children without any access to pools of molten rock. Additionally, a LOT of us are missing our families and friends outside Asgard Sky City, me being one of them. Oh, how I miss my dearly beloved wife and two Löwenkinder." (Young Löwenmenschen were called Löwenkinder (singular: Löwenkind) and female Löwenmenschen were called Löwenfrauen (singular: Löwenfrau).

"I know and I certainly miss my twin brother Quaoar, Diambert, as well as my friends including Naihanchi, Crimsonandil and Moana," Siveth replied, before turning her gaze to the cauldron containing the molten cloud-rock, "But coming back to Lizard-I-Am and his family's need for a lava bath, the only best thing we can have for them here in the Sky Domain is a pot of molten cloud-rock."

"But is it enough?" asked Diambert, "Cloud-rock is not like the rock of the Land Domain and certainly not in Bism and the other Underland Domain areas."

"The pot of molten cloud-rock's nearly ready," called the Orang Pendek stirring the glowing bright pink liquid. Immediately, Siveth then turned to three Blue Homunculettes, one of them the wife of the blacksmith, standing near the entrance to the melting pot basement.

"Are Lizard-I-Am and his family ready to be brought into here, you three?" asked she firmly.

"Yes, Siveth," said the wife of the blacksmith.

"Then bring them in and quick," Siveth commanded. The three blue rotund creatures obediently left for the exit stairwell and disappeared up them to upstairs. As the three Blue Homunculettes left, the Orang Pendek assistant finished stirring the molten cloud-rock and signalled to the lead Yellow Homunculus blacksmith that the pot was ready for the Salamanders.

"Good work, Jackfruit," the lead blacksmith called before he turned to the fire stokers, "and good work to you lot feeding the fire with the Sky Domain plant materials too. That'll do for now."

Immediately the fire stokers put away the plant parts they were about to put into the fire as well as the fire pokers and left their positions while the Orang Pendek, Jackfruit, climbed down from the stand above the cauldron with the stirring stick.

Within moments, Lizard-I-Am and his family were brought to the blacksmith shop on stretcher-like cloud-rock slabs. The six Salamanders which consisted of the husband, wife and five young Salamanders which were four daughters and a son were in a poor, sickly state. They were extremely lethargic and weak and their red-orange glow was dull and pallid like the glow of weakening embers. The six Salamanders in fact resembled cooling embers that had been isolated from their source of heat for too long and they were just this. With no immediate access to a proper lava bath, the Salamanders were deteriorating in their health. Fire Salamanders needed magma and lava like how amphibians, despite their ability to move about on land, needed water and without access to it, it was deadly to them. However, as the six Salamanders were taken into the blacksmith's shop with the guidance of the Yellow Homunculus blacksmith and his team, Siveth, Diambert and a few of the other creatures flinched when some new sounds, at first distance ones, reached their ears.

"What's that noise?" asked Jackfruit the Orang Pendek, now without his fireproof suit.

"Sounds like angry Sky Whale whistles," replied Diambert. Siveth, when she heard this, threw on a sceptical look and turned it to the Löwenmensch and the Orang Pendek.

"We haven't had any Sky Whales fly near our city for quite some time and there are no Talking Sky Whales that live here, you two," the Kitsumiho Vixen replied, "And there are no Talking Sky Whales present in this city when Kurama took it over and locked it into isolation to develop his cult and there haven't been since (which I am UTTERLY grateful for)."

Diambert and Jackfruit then slowly gazed at the ivory and white Nine-Tailed Fox with metallic markings, another conclusion welling within them upon realising these facts. Then the former, the Löwenmensch, felt his legs spring into action.

"I hope it's not what I think it is..." Diambert cried out and with that, he tore off in a certain direction.

"Diambert," called Siveth and she dashed off after him. Jackfruit went to follow but Siveth commanded him not to.

"You stay and help Lizard-I-Am and his family, Jackfruit," the Vixen yelled. Immediately, the Orang Pendek changed his mind and followed his boss, the Yellow Homunculus blacksmith and his team, into the shop, Lizard-I-Am and his family having been carried in. Siveth and Diambert continued sprinting through the streets as the whale-like calls and screams increased in loudness, the source of the sound getting closer. However, there was not just one source of the whale sounds. Then suddenly, Diambert stopped abruptly, promoting Siveth to do the same. Then the Nine-Tailed Vixen gazed at the Löwenmensch as he gazed in a particular direction, his Lion-like face laced with an unadulterated dread.

"Diambert?" asked Siveth but as she paralleled her gaze with his, the Vixen also flinched violently.

The whale noises Siveth, Diambert and also Jackfruit the Orang Pendek had heard was emanating from a certain creature but it was definitely not a Sky Whale. A female Water Leopard Dog, Daffodil and her group, flew in on their magic carpets. Several Yellow Homunculi and Blue Elves pulled on some special ropes attached to a set of circular C-shaped bars curved toward each other like ridges on a ball. These C-shaped bars, bubble cage bars, projected an invisible force field, spherical in shape, when combined and that force field enclosed a creature in an impenetrable bubble. That creature was the source of the angry whale-like cries. It had a large spherical head, large eyes, two short butterfly-like antennae, a slim body that split into three tails and two additional appendages resembling flat spatulas emanating from in front of the slim body and it was coloured lime green with darker green eyes and markings. This creature was EXTREMELY angry and was slamming its tentacles against the bubble force field and releasing bolts of lime green lightning. However, the creature']s capturers ignored her angry cries and continued hauling her like fishermen hauling netted fish in the direction of Asgard Sky City and to its prison. As Daffodil and her team continued hauling their catch, the Green Arcobalenopod and one of three female Arcobalenopods in the band of exclusive seven creatures (the other four being male), towards the prison, Kurama looked up with some cronies surrounding him, gleeful smirks on their faces. Some of the lackeys of the evil Kitsune were ready to help transfer the Green Arcobalenopod from the bubble cage to a force field cell with the Blue Arcobalenopod, the first of the seven Arcobalenopods Kurama's cronies also lead by Daffodil had managed to catch.

As Daffodil and her team of Yellow Homunculi, Blue Elves, Nestri Primi and Blue Homunculettes (or what's left of the group) descended with their successful catch, Kurama greeted them.

"Well done, Daffodil," the evil Kitsune congratulated the group, his evil gaze of glee on the writhing Green Arcobalenopod as she continued to bash her tentacles against the force field, angry whale-like calls escaping her, "You have caught the second of seven Arcobalenopods. Let's get that soon-to-be assistant of our group and our Lion King Aslan into a force field cell."

"Kurama, Imhotep and his team are coming in with another Arcobalenopod," called one of the lackeys near Kurama, a Snowy Owl. Immediately, Kurama and the others with him turned their gazes skyward and soon enough, another group, most of them Birds and Griffins, lead by a male Sphinx melted out of the sky and descended towards them. They too had a catch but unlike Daffodil and her team who had the Green Arcobalenopod entrapped in a bubble cage, their catch was bound directly with special ropes. These ropes were designed to apprehend criminals of Magical Creatures that had powerful magical powers such as Magical Foxes, Nekomata or Elemental Birds under arrest and they absorbed the powers of the offender to prevent them from fighting back with them. However, some of Kurama's cronies had somehow managed to make some of the restraining powers of these ropes, called power-absorption ropes, powerful enough to subdue the powers of an Arcobalenopod for some time for easier capture and transportation. Sure enough, Imhotep and his band of mostly avian bandits descended towards Kurama and company with their catch, the bound Arcobalenopod who also writhed and emitted angry whale-like cries. This Arcobalenopod was a rich blue and had violet antennae clubs, tentacle tips and eyes and like the Green Arcobalenopod was female. Kurama's smirk widened all the more at Imhotep and his team's successful capture of this Arcobalenopod, the Indigo one.

"Oh RIGHT, double prizes! EXCELLENT work, Imhotep," cried the Kitsune wickedly. Then the cronies accompanying him, together with Daffodil and her group backed away to make space for Imhotep and his group, as they touched down with their catch, the bound Indigo Arcobalenopod as she continued to writhe and whistle angrily. As the Indigo Arcobalenopod continued to writhe, Imhotep's Griffin cronies beating the creature to get her to shut up, Imhotep walked over to his leader, a MASSIVE smug and triumphant look on his face.

"I can see Daffodil has caught another Arcobalenopod there," the wicked male Sphinx said.

"I know but let's get those two into those cells before they attempt to escape," Kurama said and with that, Imhotep nodded to his cronies, the Bird ones being Owls, Hawks, Falcons and some other Birds of Prey, to carry out the immediate task of transferring the Indigo Arcobalenopod to a prison cell while Daffodil's group sought to the Green one still in her bubble cage. As the Arcobalenopod catchers prepared to forcefully transfer their prisoners from their binds into the force field cells, some of them beating the Indigo Arcobalenopod to get her to comply and the Indigo and the Green Arcobalenopods writhing and whale-whistling angrily. While this happened, another group of creatures came by to witness the two Arcobalenopods prepare to get imprisoned. Among this group was a male Red Dwarf who was also a blacksmith, a teen female Fenghuang or Fenghen, a female subadult Great Grey Owl, a male Capercaile Grouse and a male Black Swan. As they turned up on the periphery of the prison and its surrounding grounds, Siveth and Diambert appeared, HORRIFIED and UTTERLY appalled looks on their faces as they gazed at the HORRIFIC and harrowing scene. The latter, the Löwenmensch, fell onto his knees with his hand-paws clasped to the back of his head and his face in UTMOST mortification at the sight of two giant glowing cephalopod-like Sky Creatures being prepared to be imprisoned. A Lion-like growl of distress escaped his mouth as well. As the Lion-Man released this growly cry, one of the members in the newcomers, a Cloud-Man similar to Ozone, turned his gaze to him.

"Oh, STOP whining, Diambert," the tall white fluffy Giant creature grumbled, "You know how important those Arcobalenopods are to Kurama and how much he needs them for his future plans especially for his cult. After all, Aslan told him that he will need those Arcobalenopods for something."

As he said this, the Red Dwarf, young Fenghen, Great Grey Owl, Capercaille Grouse and Black Swan looked on. However, their faces did not bear looks of disapproval towards Diambert's reaction upon seeing two more Arcobalenopods captured unlike the rest of their comrades, but sorrow. And they were especially dismayed at the sight of the Green and Indigo Arcobalenopods and how they were being treated.

"Oi, Eitri, Mina, Orlaya, Butch and Astratus," the Cloud-Man barked at each one respectively, snapping the five and seizing their attention to him, "Why are you looking so long faced? You're supposed to look joyful like the rest of us that two more Arcobanelopods have successfully been captured especially for Aslan based on his orders."

"Indeed," added another comrade, another Black Swan who was a relative of the Black Swan Astratus, his uncle to be exact, "This is an IMPORTANT milestone for Kurama and for us."

"But would Aslan allow and endorse such HARSH treatment of those..." Mina began but she was immediately and harshly rebuked.

"Do not, I repeat: NOT... question Kurama's need for those Arcobalenopods, young Fenghen," said the Cloud-Man in a low, severe voice, "Or do I need to bring your mother in and punish you severely for misbehaviour!?"

Mina flinched. A number of times before, her mother Chroma Nerada had imposed upon her punishments whenever she doubted or questioned the cult or misbehaved and those punishments had often been harsh. One time her mother had locked her out in the garden of their house for the night like a dumb dog for throwing a tantrum over something and she was forced to sleep like a homeless individual in the area. Her mother Chroma Nerada wasn't just a cruel Fenghen, a SHAMEFUL trait for such a noble Phoenix species but she was a cruel mother as well. Chroma Nerada had driven her husband away and he had disappeared and Mina missed him severely for he was a kind and noble Fengcock. However, Chroma Nerada, the feminist Fenghen she was, LOATHED having a Fengcock like him for a husband and had done something to get rid of him but that's another subject.

Mina continued gazing timidly at the Cloud-Man before Siveth decided to step in and intervene.

"I'll take care of these five," said she and with that, she commanded Mina, Eitri, Orlaya, Butch and Astratus to leave with her to somewhere.

"Make sure you give them a serious talking to, Siveth," said Astratus' uncle.

"Yes, we're getting UTTERLY sick of their silliness," put in the Cloud-Man. The other creatures with them also looked on with agreeing looks as Siveth lead the five away to somewhere. As the Nine-Tailed Vixen led the five to an alley, Eitri, the Red Dwarf shot her an ANGRY scowl.

"We CANNOT let that lot treat those poor Arcobalenopods THAT way," said he.

"Aren't they a part of Aslan's guardian group and are the most powerful of them!?" added Orlaya the Great Grey Owl.

"Surely the Lion King would NOT tolerate those creatures being abused like that," put in Butch the Capercaille.

"This is WRONG!" added Mina, the teen Fenghen's eyes welling with tears.

"Why aren't you doing something about it, Siveth?" added Astratus. Siveth opened her mouth to reply when the whale-like cries of the two Arcobalenopods exploded so much that they made the six flinch and shoot stunned gazes in the direction to the alley's entrance.

The Indigo Arcobalenopod writhed violently in the clutches of Imhotep's Avian cronies, the variety of Birds and a few Griffins beating and clawing at the blue and purple Cephalopod-like Air creature mercilessly to get her to comply as they tried to force her into the a force field cell. The Arcobalenopo0d tried releasing bolts of lightning which were coloured blue but the power-absorption ropes binding her absorbed her electrical powers and rendered her attempts to shoot them and zap her rotten handlers futile. Seeing that her powers were restrained, the Arcobalenopod tried alternative methods such as using her tentacles to whack at her handlers.

"C'MON, YOU LOT," cried Imhotep as he struggled on one of the ropes, "We MUST get this Arcobalenopod into a force field cell before these power-absorption ropes' magical power restraining ability wears off!"

Suddenly, a tentacle coloured blue and dipped in violet flew in and before the male Sphinx could react, he was swiped by the appendage like a ball by a club in a human sport called golf. Imhotep's cronies flinched violently when they saw their leader fly at a wall and crash HARD into it. Then he flopped onto the floor, dazed. However, one of Kurama's cronies, Carpathi the White Tiger, darted in to take his place while Imhotep struggled to his feet. Some Blue Elves gathered around him as the Sphinx then clutched his left shoulder with his right paw with gritted teeth, agony clearly ripping through the injured shoulder. Imhotep had impacted the wall SO hard from the Indigo Arcobalenopod's tentacle whack that he had suffered a broken shoulder.

"I'm fine," the Sphinx told the concerned Blue Elves, "Go help my group and Daffodil's team deal with those two stupid Arcobalenopods."

The Blue Elves hesitated at first but then obeyed Imhotep's command and resumed the task. The Indigo and Green Arcobalenopods continued writhing, screeching and thrashing in an ANGRY attempt to get free but their handlers fought back with force. From the sidelines, Kurama stood with some of his cronies, some of them high ranking such as Jetty the Black Tortoise.

"That's it, get those two into their cells," the evil Kitsune called out. Nearby him, Nicholye the Vermillion Bird and some other cronies operated the switches that turned the force fields to the cells on or off and got ready to switch the force fields to the cells on once the Arcobalenopods were in the room. From his cell adjacent to the one the Green and Indigo Arcobalenopods were to be imprisoned, the Blue Arcobalenopod looked on furiously. Then after a few more moments of struggle and several more casualties, the Indigo Arcobalenopod was flung into the cell. Nicholye immediately turned on the force field and the Indigo Arcobalenopod, battered, bruised and clawed, managed to shake off the power-absorption ropes and tried to fly out of the cell only to crash into a near-invisible wall and receive a NASTY shock which threw her painfully back into the cell. The liquid force field shuddered from the impact, fizzled and then returned to being uniform and transparent. The Indigo Arcobalenopod then tried to zap the force field but even that didn't break the invisible barrier. The Arcobalenopod tried again but to no avail. While the Indigo Aecobalenopod tried in vain to zap her way out of the cell, Daffodil and her team, now together with Imhotep's cronies and Carpathi, struggled with the other Arcobalenopod, the Green one, as they prepared to free the creature from the bubble cage and quickly transfer her into another cell. At the cell's control panel for its force field, Nicholye readied himself once again. However, the task of transferring the Green Arcobalenopod into her cell was going to be more challenging as unlike the Indigo Arcobalenopod who had been bound with power-absorption ropes which absorbed her powers enough so that she could be imprisoned, the Green Arcobalenopod had been trapped in a bubble cage and thus had no direct restraint on her powers so that meant that her handlers will have to deal with these once she was free. Kurama stood on the sidelines with his cronies and watched on as Daffodil and company prepared to transfer the ANGRY Green Arcobalenopod from the bubble cage to her cell. Nearby, Imhotep was lead away by some nurses, his damaged left shoulder rendering him too disabled to enable him to help.

Daffodil and company got prepared to break the bubble shield cage bars to free the Green Arcobalenopod as she continued to writhe and unleashed lime green lightning bolts in an attempt to get free, ANGRY whale-like screeches exploding from her, and then transfer her to her cell quickly, knowing that they had a few seconds to do this. The cronies with power-absorption ropes also got ready to throw these ropes at the Green Arcobalenopod the moment she was out of the cage. However, unbeknownst to Daffodil and company, the bubble cage had suffered damage and had already begun to come apart prematurely as the Green Arcobalenopod continued to struggle, the result of Crimsonandil's aggressive attacks on it with her new Urulite flywheel. She had delivered the last strike to the cage in time before Daffodil's group drove her away with an Electroshroom bomb during their escape. As the Green Arcobalenopod was prepared to be transferred to a cell, Siveth returned with Eitri, Butch, Mina, Astratus and Orlaya and they rejoined Diambert as he continued to look on tearfully, too rooted to the spot by fear to intervene, especially with Kurama about. If the Löwenmensch DARE intervene, he would be put to Kurama's deadly foxfire immediately. However, the Lion-Man noticed something off about one of the bars of the Green Arcobalenopod's force field cage.

"Looks like one of the cage bars used to project that bubble field around the Arcobalenopod has sustained some damage," said he to Siveth in a low voice. Siveth looked harder at one of the C-shaped force field projection bars and saw that it was distorted to almost breaking point, indicative that it had indeed taken some damage. However, the Vixen could not tell how this bar had taken that much damage but she believed that someone must have tried to rescue the Green Arcobalenopod by damaging the force field bubble cage but had been unsuccessful. However, that 'unsuccessful' status was about to change as the damage has not only put the bar to breaking point but also affect its ability to project its part of the force field around the Green Arcobalenopod as well. During Daffodil and her group's journey back to Asgard Sky City with their catch, the damaged bar had managed to barely hold up this ability but now, it was reaching the end of its tip metaphorically. And Daffodil and company had not noticed and we can bet what's going to happen next.

"Right, ready, guys," called Daffodil the Leopard Water Dog as she and the others with her including Imhotep's team and Carpathi readied their power-absorption ropes once the Green Arcobalenopod was out of her cage and were in their positions. Some others also held the cage bars and got ready to switch off the force field to release the Green Arcobalenopod who continued to writhe and thrash angrily in the force field bubble and unleash lightning bolts. However, one of the Arcobalenopod's tentacle strikes unintentionally lashed at the damaged cage bar and without Daffodil and the others noticing, the arm-tentacle which was coloured lime dipped in darker green, smashed into the broken area where Crimsonandil's flywheel had struck and finished the job in breaking it completely. Siveth, Diambert, Eitri, Butch, Mina, Astratus and Orlaya flinched violently when all chaos broke loose as the bubble cage holding the Green Arcobalenopod suddenly shut down prematurely and before Daffodil's signal and the C-shaped bars ceased projecting the force field and collapsed like building structures.

"GET TO SAFEY QUICK!" cried the Vixen when she saw this and immediately, Butch, Astratus, Eitri and Orlaya launched into a sprint or flight to the nearest building while Diambert scooped up Mina and darted after them with Siveth not far behind.

"GET THAT ARCOBALENOPOD RESTRAINED!" called Kurama as the Green Cephalopod-like creature, the moment she saw that she was free, then began to unleash her wrath on her capturers. An explosion of lime green bolts and energy blasts erupted from the Green Arcobalenopod's location and began to send Kurama's cronies as well as building material around her flying everywhere. Her eyes aglow with lime green, her signature colour and her lime body glowing brightly, the Green Arcobalenopod flung out her arm-tentacles and began to send many of Kurama's cronies flying to their horror. However, some of the cronies fought back and began to try and bind her with the power-absorption ropes. Kurama and the others with him backed away as the Green Arcobalenopod then began to fight back. She turned her FURIOUS glare to some Griffins and Bird assistants of Imhotep, enclosed them in a lime green aura, lifted them telekinetically off the ground and sent them flying backwards. Telekinesis was one of the Arcobalenopods' powers and unlike most telekinesis users whose mind-powered auras that flare in their eyes, one their hands, wings or paws and the aura enclosing their targets were neon blue, the telekinetic auras of the Arcobalenopods matched their main colours. The Green Arcobanelopod's telekinetic aura was lime green like her body while the Red Arcobalenopod's aura was red. Unlike evil telekinesis users whose aura was also red, the Red Arcobalenopod's telekinetic aura did NOT have an evil aspect to it as it was just his natural colour.

After sending some of Imhotep's cronies flying backwards, the Green Arcobalenopod turned her wrathful glare towards more cronies and prepared to seize them in a telekinetic grasp. However, those cronies scattered but one of them, Daffodil, did not move in time and was seized in a lime green aura. Daffodil, ABSOLUTE terror seizing her as the lime aura enclosed her and she was levitated off the ground, tried to flee but could not. She rose higher until she was level with the eyes of the wrathful lime green and darker green Arcobalenopod, her eyes aglow with lime green light matching the colour of her main body colour. Terrified, the Leopard Water Dog turned and connected her eyes to the Cephalopod-like creature and uttered a PIERCING scream as she saw the WRATHFUL lime green fires in the creature's glare. Then the Green Arcobalenopod twitched her head a little and a click was heard with Daffodil's screams getting cut off. Kurama and the others looked on as a pale yellow body with black spots then collapsed to the ground like a piece of cloth, the lime green telekinetic aura gone. Immediately, one of the Blue Homunculettes who had been one of Daffodil's assistants, and also a Nestri Primus named Tuna rushed over to their fallen comrade to check on her while the others continued trying to re-catch the Green Arcobalenopod only to be swiped away by her tentacles, zapped by her lightning or energy blasts or sent flying by her telekinesis. Then after checking over Daffodil's body, the pair reached a harrowing conclusion.

"She's DEAD!" cried Tuna. Suddenly, another Nestri Primus was sent flying via telekinesis from the Green Arcobalenopod in the direction of the Blue Arcobalenopod's cell where he crashed into the force field in a frazzled zap. The invisible wall shuddered with a zap from the impact and the brightly coloured Aquatic Striped creature fell to the floor, knocked out. Then suddenly, a MASSIVE blinding flash of lime green light erupted from the Green Arcobalenopod as she unleashed another power, the ability to release a flash. Immediately, everyone including Siveth and her group shielded their eyes to protect them from the immense flash. Cries of stun and pain erupted from some of the cronies as their eyes were roasted by the lime green light of such horrific brilliance which lit up the entire area like a mini sun. However, the flash lasted only for a few seconds and it soon dimmed as the Green Arcobalenopod withdrew it. However, using this power was costly to the Arcobanelopod and its power and it weakened them. Then seeing that everyone was blinded, the Green Arcobalenopod began to try and make her getaway but Kurama, despite being dazzled by the Arcobalenopod's flash, then took action. Seizing a large piece of pillar that was destroyed by the Green Arcobalenopod's explosive use of telekinesis with his own telekinetic ability, his eyes glowing neon blue and the target surrounded by an aura of the same colour, Kurama thrusted his head and gaze the Green Arcobalenopod's way and sent the lump flying at her as she began to fly away. The lump rocketed at the Green Arcobalenopod and struck its target on the head, knocking the lime green creature out of the sky and sending her crashing into a small white grass clearing. After this, Kurama, barking some orders to some of his cronies to seize some power-absorption ropes and follow him, darted towards the downed Arcobalenopod. Siveth, Diambert, Eitri, Butch, Mina, Astratus and Orlaya tried to follow but their path was blocked by a wall of some of Imhotep's cronies who commanded them NOT to intervene or else. Immediately, the seven stopped and were forced to watch on as Kurama and his helpers, among them Nicholye, approached the downed Green Arcobalenopod. Then as soon as they were close to the creature, Kurama flared his left front paw with a ball of orange fire-lightning and without hesitation, flung that paw forward and fired a blast of fiery bolts, foxfire, at the Green Arcobalenopod. The seven Arcobalenopods were immune to the foxfire blast even from Nine-Tailed Foxes but zaps from them still incapacitated them and caused them agony. Siveth and the others with her flinched as they heard agonised whale-like cries explode from the Green Arcobanelopod as Kurama mercilessly zapped her with his foxfire. Tears then welled within Siveth's eyes as IMMENSE horror and sorrow at Kurama's such treatment of such important guardians created by Aslan overtook her. Then as quick as a flash, the Green Arcobalenopod was bound by the power-absorption ropes to restrain her powers from Kurama's cronies and she was hauled back to the force field cells. Then she was stuffed into a cell and a force field activated to prevent her from escaping. She was in too much agony to fight back this time. This done, Kurama gazed gleefully at his three catches as the Blue and Indigo Arcobalenopods glared ANGRILY at him at what he had done to their Green sister. From nearby, Siveth and Diambert looked on tearfully while Eitri, Butch, Mina, Astratus and Orlaya looked on both fearfully and disgustedly. Eitri even shook his head with the latter emotion at the sight. He was really beginning to turn against Kurama and seeing how he treated the Arcobalenopods had been the final leaf for him. Then as soon as things had settled down and Kurama had finished admiring his catches, he turned to his cronies. Nearby, Tuna and the Blue Homunculette carried Daffodil's deceased body away while the other cronies sought to the other casualties among them Jetty who had been zapped by the Green Arcobalenopod's lightning and had a leg trapped under a lump of debris from the Green Arcobalenopod's telekinetic outburst. The Green Arcobalenopod had purposely snapped her neck telekinetically to kill her as payment for mistreating her like that and also killing an innocent individual with an Electroshroom bomb although that victim has managed to survive.

As the casualties continued to be sought to, Kurama turned to Daffodil's group, demanding answers as to why their bubble cage bars was damaged such that the Green Arcobalenopod had almost escaped.

"You lot almost had one of our MOST important tools for our cult escape," the evil Kitsune yelled, making the group of Blue Homunculettes, Yellow Homunculi, Nestri Primi and Blue Elves flinch, "How did it happen!?"

Immediately, Tuna handed Daffodil's lifeless body to another Nestri Primus and went before the Nine-Tailed Fox cult leader to answer his question.

"When we found the Green Arcobalenopod using the tracker your assistant Nicholye gave us and went to catch it," he explained, "We came under attack by a group of interlopers who tried to stymie our task."

"You came under attack from WHOM!?" Kurama demanded, his temper flaring. As this happened, some of the now-deceased Daffodil's cronies surged back, expecting the bad tempered Kitsune to flare a paw with lethal foxfire to shoot at them. Timidly, Tuna tried to reply, stammering as he did.

"We-we-we d-d-d-don't know," the Nestri Primus replied, "B-b-b-but we m-m-m-managed to escape fr-fr-from them with the Green Ar-Ar-Arcobalenopod."

"The Vermillion Bird armed with a flywheel came after us but we managed to kill her with an Electroshroom bomb," said a Yellow Homunculus. He then exhaled, "This is the SECOND time we have had to deal with a group of stupid interlopers. First it was that Peach Elf and his gang when we caught the Blue Arcobalenopod, and now that flywheel-wielding Vermillion Bird and her group while we were catching the Green Arcobalenopod."

Kurama, when he got this answer, cooled his rage, especially as the identity of the Vermillion Bird described to him made his familiarity senses tingle.

"Crimsonandil, one of Quaoar's little friends," he spoke in a honeyed voice. As he said this, Nicholye, after taking some rest after dealing with the Green Arcobalenopod, came in.

"That Vermillion Bird Hen who REFUSED to marry me a few years ago is still alive!?" he asked.

"You intended to make Crimsonandil your WIFE!?" Tuna blurted out in shock but the Blue Homunculette elbowed him in the arm to get him to shut up. The Nestri Primus uttered a pained cry and seized his arm. Then she answered Nicholye. Close by, Siveth, Diambert, Eitri, Butch, Mina, Astratus and Orlaya came in but they were commanded to leave by a Cloud-Man and to see to their tasks. However, they overheard Crimsonandil get mentioned in the conversation as the Blue Homunculette answered Nicholye's question.

"Not anymore, she ain't," said she, "We've dealt with her with an Electroshroom bomb."

The moment Siveth heard this, tears trickled down her cheeks once again but she was forced to leave as the Cloud-Man commanded her to get moving or else the Dragon Lizard, Budzo, will give her a venomous bite again and THAT got her moving. However, Siveth was at the same time glad that Crimsonandil was no longer alive as she remembered how she was pestered severely by the rogue Vermillion Bird Cock to marry him in the past. Crimsonandil, seeing what kind of Bird Nicholye was, had wisely refused and rightly so as Nicholye was such a wicked, anti-real Aslan Vermillion Bird and one of the banes on the noble Cardinal Bird of the South's species. ANY individuals of ANY noble creatures that turned to evil were seen as UTMOST blots by their brethren and rightly so as they were supposed to be Aslan-loyal creatures. And Crimsonandil was wise enough to NOT marry a Vermillion Bird Cock with such an attitude, and she wouldn't want to now especially since Nicholye was now a loyal part of Kurama's egregious cult. Nicholye's beak formed an evil smile.

"You got her REAL good, you did," said he, "That Vermillion Bird Hen has ALWAYS been so stupid, especially turning down my multiple demands that she marry me time and again."

"Okay, enough on that stupid Vermillion Bird Hen with the flywheel," said Kurama, "You lot have done well in capturing and imprisoning those two Arcobalenopods and I thank Aslan for his help in enabling us to do that even if it cost lives and caused casualties."

As he said this, some of the cronies of Daffodil began to weep as they saw her as a friend. Then as soon as Kurama said, "Dismissed," they scattered. Tuna and the Blue Homunculette, together with some other of Daffodil's cronies, then began to take their leader's deceased body away but Nicholye told them that Daffodil's body will have a better use and he directed them to take the body to another of Kurama's high-ranking cronies, Voldemort the Komainu, to deal with. Voldemort the Komainu was in charge of dealing with the deceased bodies of those that had died mostly in the sickening games organised and run also by himself and he used the bodies as a food source and also other materials such as their skins for clothing, a HEINOUS business that went against Aslan's command that Talking Beasts and Magical Creatures NOT be used for food or materials unless those materials were sheared or shed, such as the Talking Sheep's wool for example.