Chapter 34- Kurama's lack of care

"Three Arcobalenopods caught, four more to catch," Kurama gleefully uttered as he flashed one final look at the three captured Arcobalenopods, the Green, Blue and Indigo ones as they were now under guard by some of his cronies at the prison before leaving to somewhere else, "Thank Aslan for the catches and the progress we have made so far."

The rogue Kitsune, his nine tails sweeping behind him along with his cape continued walking along until he came across a small group of creatures. Among them were Eitri the Red Dwarf, Orlaya the Great Grey Owl, Butch the Capercaille, Mina the Fenghen, Astratus the Black Swan and Diambert the Löwenmensch. Also among the small group was a Shoebill Stork. This Shoebill had been part of Imhotep's team in capturing and imprisoning the Indigo Arcobalenopod but had fled when the Green Arcobalenopod managed to break out of her cage and cause chaos. When the Green Arcobalenopod unleashed her light flash, many of Kurama's cronies has been dazzled but a few of them, especially those closest to the Arcobalenopod had completely lost their sight. Those individuals had been lead away to Voldemort the Komainu to be dealt with as they, without their sight, were now seen as useless and ineffective for anything. The Shoebill which was a male had his sight intact, his wise decision to flee the Green Arcobalenopod's wrath having saved him from potential blindness and thankfully, his escape had gone unnoticed due to the chaos caused by the Green Arcobalenopod otherwise he would have been severely punished for cowardice. The Shoebill was gripped HARD with guilt over the catching and imprisonment of the Indigo Arcobalenopod and was weeping over it, his conscience biting at him. The Shoebill had done other horrible deeds during his outings with Imhotep and his team and each time, he had felt severely guilty but now, the thing with the Indigo Arcobalenopod had been the final pond lily. Sadly, he gazed at Kurama with the others as the Kitsune stopped and glared at them. Siveth had left to see to other tasks.

"What do you lot want?" asked the Nine-Tailed Fox in a low growl, clearly irritated by their presence.

"We have a question, Kurama," said Eitri the Red Dwarf. An eye-roll came from Kurama as he often found this UTTERLY irritating and he reluctantly replied with, "What is it?"

"Do we really have to go through with this with those Arcobalenopods?" asked Eitri.

"How we handled them was... not right," added the Shoebill.

"Not to mention the fact that more casualties and fatalities have resulted," added Butch the Capercaille, "For example, Imhotep was flung into a wall by the Indigo Arcobalenopod and suffered a broken shoulder. Your Black Tortoise official, Jetty, had his leg trapped under some debris caused by the Green Arcobalenopod."

"Additionally, Daffodil was killed by the Green Arcobalenopod," added Orlaya the Great Grey Owl, "When I saw the wrathful look in her eyes which had been aglow with a telekinetic aura when she had Daffodil in that mind-powered grasp and how it was aimed at the Leopard Water Dog, I felt my blood freeze solid."

"Look, you lot," Kurama irritably replied, "We are doing Aslan's will here and it should NEVER be questioned. Aslan wants me to catch the seven Arcobalenopods and that's that. You'll find out why once we've caught all seven of them."

"But if the König der Löwen (this is the Löwenmenschen's name for Aslan; it meant 'Lion King' in their native language which was similar to the Human language of German) REALLY commanded you to catch those Arcobalenopods, then why are they SO resistant and angry..." Diambert began but he cut himself off when he saw the right front paw of Kurama raise and light itself up in a ball of orange fire-lightning. The others also saw this and drew back, terrified and knowing what that could mean, especially as the evil Nine-Tailed Kitsune glared at them threateningly. However, he spoke in a low voice to begin with and he aimed his gaze at first to Eitri.

"Eitri, you are a fine high-ranking crony and official," he said, making Eitri just gaze at him nervously, "You do an EXCELLENT job in your tasks and missions WITHOUT question. And you, Mina," he turned to the teen Fenghen, "You are an excellent daughter to your mother Chroima Nerada though at times you are bratty. Despite that, you are disciplined, well-behaved and do as you're told WITHOUT any questions or backtalk. Orlaya and Butch," he turned to the Great Grey Owl and the Capercaille, "You two are also well disciplined and you've done an EXCELLENT job on your missions outside the city, especially in the Human hunts down on the Land Domain..."

Orlaya and Butch just gazed sadly down. Though they went on these trips, sometimes with Carpathi the White Tiger, they only pretended to go along with the hunts and at one time, Orlaya had actually injured an adult Daughter of Eve who had been a mother to a baby but when guilt seized her HARD, she spared her life and the life of her baby and helped her leave with her child while the backs of her comrades were turned. The guilt of hurting that innocent Daughter of Eve was still fresh within her now. Kurama then turned to Diambert and the Shoebill and continued, "Diambert, you are a fine officer and official. While it's true you want to be back with your Löwenfrau wife and two young Löwenkinder, Aslan has a FAR more important job for you to do so it's important to not let even the thoughts of your family distract you from the goals he wants you to pursue."

Diambert flinched violently and felt his stomach lurch. Then his Lion-like eyes welled with tears and sent a few drips running down his furry cheeks. Kurama then gazed at the Shoebill, "And Rockbill, you have done an EXCELLENT job in helping to get one of the Arcobalenopods imprisoned with your team," the Shoebill, Rockbill, flinched at this complement as it provoked his conscience into biting him harder like a crocodile. Then Kurama's impressed look melted away to a glare and his right front paw continued blazing with a ball of foxfire. His tone of voice also changed.

"And best of all, you lot believe in the TRUE Aslan and NOT the softy pussycat the outsiders believe... but you lot seem to have some sort of weakness that I do NOT like. I suggest you lot get your acts together, deal with that weakness and start focussing on the next tasks, especially in catching the other four Arcobalenopods. If you don't, the consequences will be DIRE!" to emphasize this threat along with his tone of voice's change to an angry, threatening one, he flung down his paw and unleashed a small zap of foxfire onto the floor in front of them and made them jump VIOLENTLY. Immediately, the group scattered and fled the short-tempered dictator and cult leader. Kurama looked on with satisfaction, hoping that Diambert and the others had got the message before leaving himself.

A little while later, Diambert, Orlaya, Butch, Eitri, Mina, Astratus and Rockbill walked along, glad to be well away from the evil leader and his foxfire though they were still shaken from seeing the brief outburst of Kurama's temper and lethal foxfire.

"That was close," Astratus said, "I thought for a moment he was going to zap some of us with that fire-lightning."

"He isn't hesitant on doing just that," said Diambert, his nerves still shuddering from Kurama's brief flash of rage. Though he was a naturally brave Löwenmensch, Kurama still scared him to death from time to time and he felt UTTERLY shamed by it, knowing he should be a brave individual. "Others have died instantly at his foxfire when they questioned him at an instant swipe of a Lion's paw."

"I just wanna get away from here," Orlaya moaned sadly and tearfully, "Especially from these trips Kurama keeps putting me on to the Land Domain to hunt and kill Humans. Ever since I wounded that innocent Human Woman when she was trying to protect her vulnerable baby, I have NEVER forgiven myself and it's likely that I NEVER will. I just wanna leave this place, not to go on a hunting trip but to freedom."

"Don't most of us, Orlaya," said Eitri, "But what troubles us in particular are these worship services we are forced to participate in involving the Golden Glitter Gas or as Kurama calls it, Glory Breath Smoke. That stuff is NOT doing ANY of us any good and it is making us behave in shameful ways."

"The REAL König der Löwen's breath would NEVER cause such effects," Diambert said in anger at the use of the Golden Glitter Gas, "I'd dread to think how much of an insult it is to the König der Löwen and what sort of image it is painting him to outsiders, especially to Humans who already may have a fear of us Magical Creatures and Talking Beasts as it is already."

"Another troubling thing is Kurama and his higher ranking officials' treatment of the weak, sick and the disabled," said Rockbill, "I'm especially worried about that Slugpup Cloudy and also Lizard-I-Am and his family and their inability to access a proper pool of molten rock. They've not been looking in good shape at all as of late."

"Kevin the Yellow Homunculus Blacksmith has been lending his cauldron to them in the hopes of keeping them burning until we get out of this city," said Diambert, "It's not much with the molten cloud-rock but it's the best we have for them. And as for me, I miss my wife Leona and two children, Hansel and Gretel and I was only supposed to have come here as a few weeks' working trip but when Kurama took over this city with his evil cult, I have become trapped and forbidden from leaving. I have only had a few calls with them over the distance-verbal communicator during the first few months of Kurama's takeover of Asgard Sky City and eventually, Kurama has forbidden me from EVER contacting them again. Leona has support from her parents and mine in taking care of our Löwenkinder but they have been UTTERELY worried, distraught and even angry that I have not returned for so long. I just hope that when we get out of here or when Glitterwing and Ozone, the Cherub woman and Cloud-Man that have managed to escape, have brought help in liberating us of Kurama's entrapment of us so that we can get back to our families and friends, Lizard-I-Am and his family back to Bism and to the proper lava lakes and Siveth back to her twin brother Quaoar and her friends."

As the despondent and despairing Löwenmensch said this, Eitri gazed at him.

"Doubt not too much, my Lion-Man friend," said he, "Ozone and Glitterwing will have found outside assistance and don't forget that Aslan, the REAL Aslan that is and not the counterfeit Kurama has invented is rallying outsider groups from various Domains to do something about this cult, so there is already a rescue plan in progress."

"Are you serious?" Mina replied, "You don't know that."

Eitri gazed at the young Fenghen and the NASTY Chroma Nerada's daughter with an assured gaze.

"By faith in the REAL Aslan, I do," the Red Dwarf simply said.

Meanwhile, Kurama was approaching the library when he was faced with another small group of creatures and citizens. They were several Yellow Homunculi, Blue Elves, some Slugcats and a few Babookari this time. This group was a group of friends of a certain Slugcat family who had a very sick son.

"What do you lot want?" the irate Kitsune demanded when the small group blocked his way, "You KNOW full WELL I have important tasks to deal with, ESPECIALLY in preparing for this week's Gathering House service."

"Please, Kurama," said a Blue Elf, a male, "We've come to ask for your help regarding Cloudy the Sugpup."

"Yes," said a Yellow Homunculus, "Cloudy has used up all his medication and is now in DIRE need of more of them to help manage his deadly internal condition."

"Maybe some fire-flower cordial, like the vial owned by one of the Blue Homunculettes I overheard Tuna mention was used on him when he was struck with some flywheel and knocked off his magic carpet only to be caught by a medic and administered it to heal him of his burns would help," said a Slugcat. Kurama gazed at the little group of begging friends with a glare.

"I'm afraid I cannot risk wasting such a precious resource, you lot," said he, "My Arcobalenopod catchers need whatever meagre supply of that ultra rare red fire flower juice for their trips and it's important it's reserved only for medical emergencies..."

"But this IS a medical emergency," demanded the Babookari, "The fire flower cordial may not completely cure Cloudy of his condition but at least as much as a drop of it will delay its fatal consequences for a good few weeks or months until we can get him the proper medication he needs to keep his condition in check."

"His family's breaking down because of it," added another Babookari, "Primrose has kicked Slim out of the den and he is now sleeping outside in the garden... Cloudy's siblings are in turmoil..."

"Aslan will heal him, you lot," Kurama replied, "Just have faith in him. Now get out of my way. I have work to do," and with that, he continued his walk to the library where he had set up his main office, barging past the small crowd of Slim and his Slugcat family's friends in the process. Immediately, one of the Blue Elves lunged desperately for Kurama and seized the tips of two of his nine tails in his hands, begging Kurama PLEASE that he would help. Immediately and to the UTMOST fright and screams of the other friends, the evil and uncaring Nine-tailed Fox whirled round and blasted the blue Smurf-like creature with his fire breath, singeing the Blue Elf into releasing his tails and running away, screams of agony exploding from his mouth. The others, terrified also fled for fear that Kurama would roast them, literally, with his fire breath or worse, his foxfire as well. Seeing that they were no longer a bother to him, Kurama carried on to the library.

Meanwhile, back at Kevin the Yellow Homunculus blacksmith's workshop, Siveth walked in with Jackfruit the Orang Pendek, one of Kevin's shop assistants and then entered the stairs to the basement. Lizard-I-Am and his family had just had their molten cloud-rock bath and were now out of the cauldron on special cloud-rock slabs to prevent their heated feet from singeing the floor. Though the basement floor of Kevin's shop was built to be fireproof, the heat of a Fire Salamander that had bathed in molten rock was still hot enough to burn its special covering. As Siveth entered the room with Jackfruit, they watched on as Kevin and his wife looked over Lizard-I-Am, his wife, four sons and daughter, examine them to see if the molten cloud-rock has somewhat quenched their desperate need for bathing lava. Two of the assistants, a Ninki Nanka, a type of Dragon that lived in swamps, their native home being the Marshlands on the Land Domain, and a female Aye-Aye who was a medical assistant checked the Salamanders, their hands and forepaws covered in heatproof gloves to avoid them burning when they touched their skins which would be super-hot shortly after their lava bath. Nearby, the cauldron continued to burn, its bottom red hot and the flames licking its surface.

"How are Lizard-I-Am and his family doing?" asked Siveth.

"They've just come out of the cauldron of molten cloud-rock," explained Kevin, his gaze on the Kitsumiho Vixen, "But... I don't think... it's been enough for them..."

As he said this, the Aye-Aye and the Ninki Nanka continued examining Lizard-I-Am and his wife and five children. To their dismay, the seven Salamanders were still weak and lethargic, their red-orange glowing bodies still dull and pallid. Siveth exchanged worried looks with Jackfruit and gazed back at the Salamanders.

"But molten cloud-rock is the best we have," said the Kitsumiho Vixen, "Can't we use anything else, like molten metal?"

"We tried that already, Siveth," said Kevin's Blue Homunculette wife, "It hasn't worked either."

Then the Aye-Aye turned to Siveth, a sad look on her face.

"Molten cloud-rock is not like molten rock from the Land or Underworld Domains," said the spooky looking Primate whose middle finger was long and bony, a characteristic of the animal, "And neither is molten metal. These Fire Reptiles need pools of proper LAND rock, from PROPER volcanoes, for sustenance."

"Yes, in other words, Lizard-I-Am and his family need the REAL lava lakes to bathe in," said the Ninki Nanka. Siveth came in and dismayingly gazed at the weakened Salamanders, their orange-red glow dull like fading embers.

"Kurama's NOT gonna be bothered about their deteriorating condition," said she sadly, "The only thing he cares about is his stupid cult and its aims."

"He kept telling Lizard-I-Am and his family to pray to Aslan for healing just like he's doing everyone else with a sick or disabled family member or members," said Kevin. The Aye-Aye then went away, tore off her heatproof gloves and threw them down in a flash of rage.

"Zathura," said Kevin but the Aye-Aye named Zathura began to ramble.

"Huh, 'pray to Aslan and he'll heal THIS condition'," she grumbled, "'Pray to Aslan and he will deal with THAT illness'. It's ALWAYS the SAME OLD, SAME OLD answer he gives to those with sick or disabled family members. I lost my dear husband Big-Eyes and my son and daughter to that EVIL Fox when they tried to protest for a Giraffe family with a crippled Calf... turned 'em into golden statues and then sold them outside Asgard, he did," then tears welled within the unsettling-looking Primate's large eyes and sent small drips running down her cheeks as thoughts for her husband and two children, who had been turned into golden statues by Kurama for questioning his cult and sticking up for said Giraffe family boiled within her mind. Since the murder of her family, Zathura has developed a BITTER grudge against Kurama but she daren't confront him for fear of facing his lethal foxfire. The Ninki Nanka then gazed at Siveth sadly.

"We have even tried begging Kurama to let Lizard-I-Am and his family to return to Bism via the Bifrost Transporter but he wouldn't allow it for the 'purity of his cult'," said the Swamp Dragon, "Another dirty excuse to keep us trapped and to prevent us from seeking help from beyond the boundaries of the city. Lizard-I-Am and his family would certainly do that shortly after diving into a lava lake for sure."

"Like I've said, Moss," Zathura grumbled angrily, "The ONLY thing THAT Fox cares about is his STUPID cult and his STUPID incarnation of this FALSE Aslan. The wellbeing of his followers do NOT matter one little BIT!"

Siveth then sadly gazed at the weak and pallid family of seven Salamanders. If they did not bathe in a pool of proper molten lava soon, they will eventually die, just like Cloudy without his medication to keep his internal condition in check. At one point the Kitsumiho Vixen considered asking Kurama for fire flower cordial but Kurama had strictly forbidden her from EVER accessing the ultra rare resource that so few of his cronies had in their possession, the evil Fox stating that it was ONLY for groups out on special missions outside the city and ONLY them. Siveth also mentioned getting some rainbowberries from the nearby Rainbowberry Orchard but even that gate has been blocked by the evil Fox who stated that access and entry into that forbidden Sky garden of the Sky Domain's Nine-Realms Potion ingredient was ONLY permitted by (his) Aslan. As for Zathura the Aye-Aye, her festering grudge against Kurama was based on his treatment of the sick and disabled Talking Beasts and Magical Creatures and the final stick had come following the demise of her husband and two children who had tried to protest for the Giraffe family with the crippled Calf. The removal of Zathura's family and their turning into golden statues by Kurama had been it for Zathura and since then, she cannot STAND the Fox and ABHORRED him with EVERY fibre of her body. Then as Zathura began to weep and break down, the grief over losing her family taking hold once again, Kevin sent his wife to take her back upstairs to calm down. as she lead the grieving Aye-Aye widow away, Siveth resumed her attention to the deteriorating Lizard-I-Am and his family, Kevin commanding that they be returned to the cauldron of molten cloud-rock once more, having decided that staying in that pot was the only way the Salamanders were going to survive at all. As long as they remained in the cauldron and the cloud-rock kept molten, Lizard-I-Am and his family will remain alive. Immediately, Lizard-I-Am and his wife and five children were taken up the stairs and the stand leading to the cauldron's mouth and one by one were dropped into the molten cloud-rock. The fire stokers continued keeping the flames burning in order to keep the cauldron hot and the cloud-rock within molten because if the flames were allowed to go out, the cauldron would cool down as will the molten cloud-rock and that can be bad for Lizard-I-Am and his family.

As soon as the last child of Lizard-I-Am and his wife was back in the cauldron, the Fire Lizards glowing a bright yellow (as opposed to white when submerged in a proper lava lake like in the Underland Domain), Kevin turned to his assistants, a stern glare on his face.

"Make sure that that cauldron continues burning around the clock," he said firmly, "And also make sure that the job is carried out in rotation as the last thing I want is tired assistants lapsing in their concentration in keeping the flames alive which would result in the cauldron cooling and the cloud-rock solidifying," then turning to Jackfruit, he commanded, "We will need a steady supply of fuel for the cauldron's flames if we are to keep them burning so I will need anything that's flammable and burnable, be it Sky Domain plant material, Sky Whale oil or any other combustibles, constantly brought here. Can you and some other assistants scout around the vicinity of our shop and ask for any of those supplies or better, any citizens with fire abilities to come and tend to the fire with them please?"

"Can I help?" asked Siveth, "As a Kitsumiho, I can breathe fire."

"No, Siveth, you're needed in other areas," said Kevin, "Especially the Gathering House where Kurama wants you to deliver those sermons."

Siveth exhaled and left, disappointed. As she left for the stairwell, she turned and gazed back at Kevin as he continued issuing orders to his assistants and helpers to gather any burnable materials or enlist the help of any creature with fire abilities to keep the fire of the cauldron burning and Lizard-I-Am and his family alive, a worried look on her face. What about the mandatory attendance of the Seventh Day services Kurama has commanded that EVERYONE attend? How long will Kevin and his team be able to keep up with keeping the flames alive to keep Lizard-I-Am and his family from death? After all, those Salamanders will not be able to leave the cauldron for more than a few minutes at a time. Additionally, Kurama and his cronies will NOT care about the health of ANY of the oppressed followers and it wouldn't matter if the Salamanders perished from lack of access to a proper lava bath. Distraught, Siveth left.