Silrock was a peaceful village, located amidst one of many great forests. For thousands of acres, the surrounding lands were all a part of this immense forest. Silrock used what nature provided them, clearing out as little as possible. For half the year, the land above head was covered in acres of green and vibrancy, while nature took on a more subtle and dormant state most of the rest of the year. Not much excitement arrived, no entities had ever threatened their land and, for the most part, life was simple.

The residents of Silrock lived in a very quaint stretch of land. Even at its highest point, a grassy clearing that overlooked some of the buried village hidden within the thicker webbing of trees, there was forest all around and further than the eye could see. Beyond the forest, far to the north of their lands, there rested a harsh mountainous terrain that only rumors ever reached the elfin castle of Notsurari. Amidst the forest, there were springs and lakes of water, a multitude of fauna and flora activities, other towns and villages, and, the citizens of Silrock knew for certain, there were many other creatures that lived amidst the world around them, some which they had never seen or heard the likes of before. But as long as they left them to their ways, the mostly troll community didn’t mind.

 It has been just over fifty years ago. Kurogane was a young troll, and had been watching the games the other troll children were playing, not actively playing with them, when someone had noticed Fai. Fai had wandered into their underground village, perhaps by accident and had been leaning against a tree root when she was spotted by one of the other trolls. She had been a filthy mess with her hair all matted and oily, her clothes soaking wet and ripped, and she was covered in scrapes, bruises and injuries which included a twisted ankle, a few large gashes in the other leg, a rather large bump on her head and the arm that was not leaning against the tree was dislocated. She looked quite different, maybe a magical human, not quite elfin as she didn’t have the trademark pointed ears, like the residents of the capital, but she was no troll either, and had looked about with a lost gaze, completely confused; yet, when she saw the children, she had smiled and asked if she could play with them. Kurogane had moved from his place, and was the first to approach her. But instead of allowing her to play with the other children, he picked her up with ease, hefting her over a shoulder, and brought her back to his home.

Their homes were built beneath the overgrown roots of the trees, with wooden plank bridges connecting pathways over the withstanding and thick vines and roots that existed in their subterranean village. Most of the homes were accommodating cottages, built of root and stone. Kurogane lived in one of those cottages with his mother and father.

Kurogane had come in, with Fai still confused and draped over his shoulder, which earned some concerned looks from his parents, Kurogane’s mother quick to turn her attention to taking Fai and caring for her needs, while his father scolded his boy. After the few slight misunderstandings had to be fixed, Kurogane’s family helped tend to Fai’s injuries, and ended up taking in the unusual blonde. Since then, their years were spent living together. Growing up together and the other troll villagers in the peaceful little earthen town.

Fai was definitely different, and it showed. It wasn’t just her foreign clothes she had worn, or how her eyes were two different colors, one a deep blue and the other a dark amber; it wasn’t just her memory with the only thing she could remember from beforehand was falling and landing on top of a tree, falling down, before crash landing into a large basin of water and soon getting up and walking, before managing to find the village, which explained most of her injuries and why she had been wet, but not how she wound up falling onto a tree. It was not just that she wasn’t anything they had quite seen before, or that apparently Kurogane was too hard for her to say – she could get as far as Kuro, before the rest became jumbled. They weren’t quite sure what she was exactly, but it wasn’t like she could say even if she wanted to tell them.

Even still, Kurogane’s family treated her as if she were their own birth child, and Kurogane treated her as he treated all his troll and elfin peers, although he did develop a small overly-protective brother complex at first, even though they were not truly related. He watched her, made sure she was safe, despite frequent fights and bickering with her because she could be loud.

When details about her became spread to the other villagers, that Kurogane hadn’t just stolen her, there had been talk that she might be a shape shifter monster in lieu of an injured human or a spy from some other tribe – which had been a bit disquieting to the blonde, and she began to shrink away, until Kurogane gripped her by the wrist and shut them up with his words, explaining gruffly, it didn’t matter if she was a monster or not because her heart wasn’t evil.  She was so surprised, and more so when he declared that she wasn’t a monster by nature, and if she had been, he would have killed her the day she showed up, so if they had a problem with her, then they had a problem with him. Ever since then, she had grown an inherent fondness for the male troll, and wanted to learn everything she could about him.

As she lived with them, Fai showed to have a very curious, energetic and rambunctious nature. She held a kind caring heart, but was also much of a trickster. She was quick to make friends, and the village ‘troll idiot’, Fuuma, their nearest neighbor, seemed to take quite a lot of delight in tag-teaming Kurogane with Fai. She was humanoid in build, and appeared weak, but she was a fast learner, cunning, sporty and considered magical, although she used no magic whatsoever. She loved playing games, almost any kind of game, just as much as she liked helping Kurogane’s mom in the kitchen, doing sewing and needlework, listening to stories, and always doing her best to make the people’s lives around her easier…happier. Well not entirely so with her ‘big brother’, but he was family and someone she loved to play with for her own amusement, mostly because it was so much fun and satisfying to watch him react to things.

Unlike Fai’s bright bubbling personality, Kurogane was usually the reserved and silent type, hard-working, modest, but with a vocal temper and a driving ambition. He also didn’t play much unless he was prodded. It was well known that Kurogane wanted to be a warrior when he was a full-grown troll. Their small village was peaceful, but it was no guarantee that someone or something that wished ill-will on them would not come and attack and terrorize them. Their elfin ally, Notsurari, saw some action recently a winged dragon set the place ablaze, stole some cattle, and raised their crops and it wasn’t that far away. There was also the always inherent risk of war as although the trolls and elfin kin got along, the dwarves were at war with the elves. He had a strong desire to keep safe those around him, those important to him, and someone had to be ready for war.

Kurogane often trained with his father or compelled to play games with his peers to hone his skills. And Fai would, on occasion, offer herself as his opponent. Unlike his brethren, she was shown to be sharp-witted and with her quick reflexes and willowy frame, she proved herself a hard target to even get a hit on as she could be very dodgy while smiling and making humor at Kurogane’s expense if she wished.  Although, when she actually applied herself, she proved extremely excellent at quarter and archery from an early stage, while Kurogane grew most skilled at using phallic weapons, swords and clubs and the likes. Sometimes, a whole session of practice fighting could go on between them, without either landing a single blow, and some consisted of multiple blows over and over and over. And sometimes, their fights and games ended prematurely because Kurogane’s mother called out about ‘fruit cakes’ and Fai would split so fast, the wind made noise behind her. After all, Fai just really, really enjoyed his mother’s fruit cakes.

But as the years passed, and small snippets of her past memories came, it became more than just adopted brother and sister, or even best friends. They would hang out with their peers, but Fai found herself doing what she could to spend more of her time somewhere if Kurogane was or would be there, anything at all. Sometimes, she’d pack a small picnic, most of it for Kurogane, and quietly lean on her hands and elbows, laying on her stomach, staring in his general direction, until he would complain he couldn’t practice like that and would come join her, or sometimes she would stay awake after he fell asleep and would work on some needlework for a while in the moonlight, or would read one of the few books they owned, just so she could listen to the sound of him breathing, and just faintly could hear the subtle beating of his heart, until she finished, and would then go to sleep. Sometimes she would intentionally provoke him into chasing her around the village, or would tease him just to watch him squirm. However, she would never hesitate to stand up for him whenever any of the others brought to the village or even the elfin castle folk had a problem with him.

Just as the blonde made reasons to be near Kurogane, to make him smile, to laugh, to yell, to be proud, passionate, to be emotional, to just be himself, Kurogane found himself making excuses to be with the blonde, sometimes flat-out indicting her or his parents as the reason for having to be with her, whether it was just sitting by her side, or listening to her talk or recall memories, or going shopping out to the local mart – Fai usually only wanted to if she could drag Kurogane along so he could carry the heavy stuff, or staying up late, climbing up the rolling hills nearby, spreading out a blanket to lay on and watching the night sky together –some nights it was silent while others were filled with youthful thoughts and some childish playfulness. They never got over the mostly harmless bickering, or when instigated, and Kurogane actually caught Fai, of him hefting her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, to the giggles, squirms, jests and or limpness of the blonde. Some nights, when Fai struggled in the dreamscape with vivid dreams, Kurogane would wake up at the slightest sound of a moan of distress, and quietly comfort her in her sleep. Neither mentioned their efforts aloud, but the adults and their peers were not so blind as to be caught unaware of this … thing between them.

Everyone in their village believed the two were an item, even if Kurogane and Fai would never admit aloud to anything more than siblings and really close friends, Kurogane denying being anything more if Fai hadn’t said anything about it, and Fai skilled at evasive answering; she would neither deny nor admit any allegations were true. It was little different than how everyone knew about Kamui and Kotori and Fuuma, and everyone knew about Hokuto and her twin sister, Subaru, and Seishiro. They were the town’s three most inseparable groups.

Every year, for the last forty or so years, after the summer solstice and during the week surrounding a full moon closest to the fall equinox, the Sun and Moon Festival was held at the elfin capital. It was a time of merriment and held much symbolic and celebratory value to the people of Notsurari and the villages nearby. Kurogane’s parents always took them there to celebrate, and they would play games there, with the other or against the other, or cheer the other on in their own ways, or play large group games. Games requiring strategy, aim or precision were games the blonde usually excelled at, yet somehow having a knack for always picking the wrong color at Queek, while games proving physical prowess were favored by Kurogane. Some games like Fox and Chickens and Barres were just great fun to play with a bunch of people. When they won the more competitive games, there was often prizes to be sought for being the best, and at the last festival they had each won a matching piece of elven jewelry; Kurogane won for himself a silver chain link necklace with a moon shaped pendant, a crescent shaped silver moon with an attached rounded moonstone, making it a complete circle, while Fai won a golden knot bracelet with a star and sunstone center to decorate the center of the jewelry. It wasn’t called the Sun and Moon Festival for nothing.

Like known groups and couples there, and due mostly in part to Kurogane’s life goals and Fai’s beginnings there, it was not long before there was the running joke about them, that one day Fai would get kidnapped and ‘Kuro-knight’ would have to come rescue ‘his damsel in distress’. Which sometimes, often, usually led to Kurogane claiming he had no ‘damsel’, and Fai loved to instigate him with a “I’ll be your damsel in distress,” and provoked him further with her actions, leading Kurogane to retort with “I’ll give you distress,” which always led up to hide and seek tag like games of chasing the smiling, usually laughing, idiot around the village, and the nearby forestry, trying to catch the giddy blonde. And most times, he was not successful in actually catching her, but the times he did, he would grab her by the waist and hoist her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes or would pin her down or tie her up somewhere private and tickle her. And the only reasons he ever did catch her always had to do with the blonde allowing it, or his ability to turn invisible, and catch her off-guard, which was not as easy as it sounded.

~!@#$%^&*

The beginning of spring, Kurogane received a letter, asking him to come to Notsurari for official business. Since paper was such a commodity, for them to send an actual letter, and not just a messenger, it had to be something important. He had his hopes up, but kept on a neutral façade, as he prepared to leave. The next night, before he could get far out of his village, he could hear the quick-paced echo of footsteps. He turned around, which led to him seeing what he knew was coming for him: bipedal and blonde.

He barely had time to move before Fai jump tackled him in a powerful hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him. The hug threw him a bit off-balance and Kurogane let out a low grunt, as he fell some and his butt met the hard ground, while one hand came to rest on Fai’s back to support her.

“I’m going to miss you, Kurosama” Fai murmured into his chest after quite a few silent moments.

“Hey, it’s not like it’ll be for forever,” Kurogane said freeing his other arm to pat the other gently on the back of her head. “You’ll see; I’ll be back before you know it.”

Fai lets out a sigh, before pulling back a little. “Still…I wish I could come with you. You’ll get lost without me there.”

Kurogane grunted with a small blush and looked away. “…I’ll manage. Besides, they said they’d send someone to meet me halfway,” Kurogane said, as he sidled himself into a more comfortable sitting position and bracing himself with his hands and arms as he looks at Fai. Some things had changed about her. She had grown up with him, her hair growing out, and her human body filling out. She no longer was some doll in size compared to him but still much smaller. Some of her lost memories had returned yet her modesty never changed.

Fai shakes her head softly with a kind humored smile. “You are a lost cause.”

“What about you? Bet you’ll end up crying after a week of me gone,” Kurogane jeered back.

“That is terribly mean of you to say … maybe I’ll just have to play some really long terrible game of hide and seek on you, and I will be away from home when you come back and mother will make you have to come look for me to come home, and I’ll be really secreted and super hard to find.”

“Pft, like that’s gonna happen. Anytime someone has tried to get you to leave us, you become doggedly clingy with a whip tongue. Stealing the stars from the heavens would be easier than getting you to scat.”

“The same goes for you.”

Kurogane climbed up to his feet and Fai did too, before lightly dusting off her clothes. Rather the clothes she was wearing, because Kurogane recognized them as his own clothes from when he was much younger, a lot smaller. They didn’t fit him anymore, but they were still much too big on Fai – Fai could almost fit two of her selves in the shirt itself, and she’d laced the pants as high up and tight as she could to keep them from sliding down and tripping over. Kurogane stared at her, his gaze falling to her hands –delicate elongate fingers, soft pale skin, slightly calloused palms, where on one wrist, she wore her bracelet from the last Sun and Moon Festival they were at together.

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“May I see your bracelet?”

“My bracelet?” she says lifting her cuffed wrist, “Oh, sure.”

Fai gently removed it and handed it over to Kurogane, and he takes it between two fingers and holds it up, looking at it. “Do you mind if I borrow this for now?”

Fai thought a moment, “Alright, but you better take good care of it and give it back when you come home.”

Kurogane nodded, putting the bracelet on one of his own wrist –the same arm she always favored tucking herself under, the same arm he would wear a shield on, the same one that carried her on an infrequently frequent basis – before he reached behind him and unclasped the silver necklace around his own neck, and moved to put it on Fai. “In exchange, you do the same.”

Fai smiled, as she fingered the chain around her neck. “It’s a promise.”

“Right… And hey if I’m wearing this, maybe your good sense of direction will rub off on me,” Kurogane says holding his wrist up just a little.

Fai smiled, with a small breathy laugh poorly hidden behind a pale hand. “Right. So, I guess yours will bestow your persevering awaiting to me?”

“Anything’s possible.”

Fai gently cupped the pendant that hung around her neck now, quietly whispering, “I will wait,” before letting go and reached for Kurogane’s braceleted wrist, with both hands and a tender smile, slowly rubbing two fingers against the golden outlines of the star. “And may you always be able to locate that which you are seeking.”

“What was that for?” Kurogane asked, not quite meeting Fai’s gaze. He could feel his face flushing just barely.

“It’s a good luck charm,” Fai said with a grin, her hands slowly sliding from the bracelet to Kurogane’s hand itself, “I aspire to help keep you safe. Yet, they may be only words, but I’m telling you, you have to be safe and come back home. If you get yourself killed trying to save someone, myself covered, I will be impotent to forgive you.”

“Tough words, Fai.”

Fai smiled, before her gaze fell. “I … remembered a detail of my past. That’s why…”

“Yeah? What was it?” Kurogane asked curiously.

“I … I’m … “Fai began, before resigning, shaking her head, not wanting to burden Kurogane with it right now. Letting go of his hand, she moved back some, clasping her hands behind her back. “Tell you what. I’ll tell you after you get back … alright? I should stop causing you delay anymore as I already have caused you a copious deal. Faster you find out why Tomoyo has asked for you, the quicker you can come back home. After you get back, mother and I will make you something special for your homecoming, and later we will be able to talk more. Tell me all about your trip and I’ll tell you about … what I remembered.”

“…Alright,” Kurogane said, not pressuring Fai to speak her mind. “Then I’ll see you when I get back.” Kurogane began to walk off, heading down one of the tunneled out pathways leading through the forest.

Fai nodded, beginning to wave him off, “Take care. I’ll be waiting. Oh, and Kuro-go…”

“What is it?” Kurogane asked turning to face Fai.

“You’re required to go that way,” Fai pointed to Kurogane’s left, “if you wish to get to the capital.”

“I knew that,” Kurogane says pointedly, blushing faintly, before heading down the right pathway.

Fai chuckled softly, and watched and waved Kurogane’s departure, even long after she could no longer see his figure in the distance of those underground tunnels.

~!@#$%^&*

 After spending a full month away from home, managing not getting too turned about on the way over, getting officially knighted by the Royal Highness –more like royal pain in the ass, Kurogane is returning home yet, upon his return, his village seems a bit lethargic, even for a troll village, and he hadn’t seen a single sighting of blonde, which surprised him. That girl was so energetic, he was sure she would have been out and about by now. So not to see her cued him something was off, or perhaps she was just helping his mother cook or do needlework on a new dress, or was sitting near some incense. It couldn’t be that she had actually went through with that idea of playing a game of hide and seek, could she have? It’s not like she should know when he would be coming back.

As he walked slowly through the village, making his way home, he noticed a couple of black scorched marks on the ground and tree roots. One bridge was devastated and being repaired. After a few minutes, Kurogane comes up to his own home when one of Kurogane’s neighbors came out of his own house, walking out backwards before turning around and noticing Kurogane.

“Kurogane!” the male troll said rushing over to greet the other.

“Fuuma.” Kurogane greeted, “Why is your – no, never mind. What has happened here? Where did those black marks come from? There was even a bridge getting repaired.”

“Oh …” and there was some sadness in his voice, which was not typical, “Anyway! Kurogane, you won’t believe it! While you were away, your girl Fai got taken away.”

“She’s not my girl,” Kurogane instantly retorted, before the words actually sunk in, “And what do you mean she got taken away?” He could feel his emotions build up, but he kept himself as best under control. Still, he tightly gripped the other, yanking on him lightly so he could meet the other’s eyes. “I need you to tell me everything you know.”

*~*~*~*~*

Once Kurogane was inside his home and sitting down in his living room, his mother bringing over a drink, because he could probably use one for this conversation, Fuuma began to explain what he knew, and what Subaru had let the village know. Apparently, shortly after he had left, he guessed it had been about seven days, a large storm cloud appeared out of nowhere and when Fai saw it approach, she had gotten this strange look, before she visited the other villagers and asked them not to leave their homes, informing them a powerful thunderstorm was fast approaching. Since trolls feared thunder, most assured her that they wouldn’t come out until it passed, but after visiting everyone, she discovered Seishiro, Fuuma’s older brother and Subaru, Kamui’s older sister, were still above ground because Hokuto had set them up on another surface date, because she could, but they hadn’t come back before the storm arrived, and taking instructions from Hokuto, she ran out to find them. There was protest only once before the deep low rumble of thunder echoed and no troll dared leave their home.

Subaru and Seishiro were coming back from their surface date that Hokuto set up for them when the storm clouds hit. They had seen it come and began to head in earlier than they’d planned, but not soon enough. Passing over the village, an occasional sharp bolt of lightning would come from the cloud and strike at the ground in silence. Their minds told them to just find the nearest opening into their home below ground, but their being in the open is what got them seen by the cause of the storm. If this were any regular storm, it wouldn’t have mattered, but this was not just a regular storm.

When the cloud parted, a giant bird with unique markings, and feathers a faint blue like ice, appeared before them. They never heard it come, and the bird made no noise as it flew closer and lower to the earth, before without warning, it sent a bolt of lightning directly towards the two. Subaru had managed to survive thanks to Seishiro pushing her out of harm’s way, sending her flying backwards, yet not fast enough to avoid getting hit by the bolt of lightning the bird made himself. It was near instant death. Subaru had recalled to the village that Fai had climbed out of a tunnel entrance near them, and saw what had just conspired, and as if knowing the other would unleash another bolt at Subaru, she ran forward and got between the path of the bird and Subaru, using her body as a shield, and she pleaded with the beast, claiming “You’ve done enough. Please … harm this place no more. Leave them safe and alone.” The bird, now much closer, electricity sparking all over its body, struck at them again, but with a weaker type of electrical shock, the electricity causing a temporary paralysis to both Fai and to Subaru narby. Her body jerked for a moment, before she turned her head slightly, and with the vestiges of tears forming, she spoke to Subaru. “Sorry” was all she said, before the bird near landed, and easily snatched up Fai’s limp form in its claws, before it flew off… As the bird flew away, the cloud formed around it and they disappeared into the sky.

*~*~*~*~*

“I’m going after her!” Kurogane declared getting up, and heading for the door.

“Kurogane! Hold it; I knew I was a fool, but you’ve jumped off the deep end. That’s suicide…we always knew Fai was special, but that bird can shoot you dead. Do you want to end up like my older brother? Not to mention we have no idea where or what way it even took her.”

“Oh…I’m sorry – I didn’t decide to become a knight so I can give up on my friends and family. What do you expect me to do ~ sit on my hands and knees, and twiddle my thumbs, doing nothing while that bird goes and does whatever it wants with her, just so I can just stay safe and sound…!”

“Yoohoo … Kurosama.”

Everyone turned to face the voice, Kurogane wheeling defensively with a dark scowl before noticing a stranger waving at him in his own home, someone that slightly reminded him of Fai in that way the other was foreign and mysterious, and acted with an overly cheeriness, and couldn’t use the right name, dressed similarly to how Fai had been dressed when she first arrived, but was certainly not the same person. Fai was not a broad-build man and most certainly did not have two purple eyes. “Who are you and how do you know that name?”

“The name’s Kujaku. I’m a messenger, with a letter from Fai.”

“Where is she!? If you’ve done anything to hurt her, I swear I’ll—” Kurogane said, instantly starting to draw his sword as he drew nearer to the other.

“Whoa, whoa, easy does it Kurosama—” Kujaku says holding up his hands in an easily submissive posture.

“It’s Kurogane!”

“Kurogane.” Kujaku says slowly, correcting himself. Kujaku rummages only for a moment before pulling out a singed piece of rolled-up parchment from within his tunic, and holds it out for the other. “Here, your letter. Fai took this paper from your home and prepared it for you, for just this instance.”

Kurogane lets his sword return completely, before he takes the letter from the smaller man, shifting to glare at the other, while untying the small drawstring and unfurling it. The paper was familiar, they would have to do a paper count to be sure it was originally from their place, yet the writing instantly recognizable as the blonde’s, scripty and flowing, with one of the names she’d favored using to start the letter. She never said Kurogane. Apparently never wrote it either.

[Kurosama…

What happens when the golden goose runs away? Well I guess you can take a gander… Jokes aside, I want to thank you and say I am sorry. I wasn’t native to your village, but you welcomed me there and I had grown attached to the places were we would play, to the trees we picked fruit from and how mother would made those wonderful fruit cakes; how the lands would become colorful during spring, and your village was so loving and kind to me –your family was the first to accept me regardless and care for me unconditionally, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I was so happy living there with all of you of Silrock - I should have known that – should have remembered – I just wish things had not come to this. I wish I could have had told you the truth and been kicked out before rather than be taken without giving you the chance to be angry at me. Please forgive me. I never meant for things to end up like this. I still have that necklace, from the Festival. Yknow the one – after all those late night jests together –we had compared each other, you the moon and I the stars amongst the night sky – those were some good times. I am keeping it close to my heart. If you are reading this, that means that while you were away, my other side came for me and that an old friend of mine had to give this to you because I could not. I pray this letter finds you in safety, and that you can find happiness, even if I am no longer a part of it. I am so sorry for not letting you know the truth about me before you left. I meant to tell you, but I chickened out. Instead, I only cast a family spell on the bracelet, as a way to help you, even from a distance. I hope you were able to fulfill your dreams of knighthood – bet you look dashing in your armour. Don’t worry, you don’t have to come rescue me; after all, I am truly just a bird now locked away in a cage. Once more, please pardon me. I will never forget you. Fai.]

 Kujaku was leaning up against the side of the home with his arms lightly crossed, waiting as Kurogane finished reading the letter, studying the other’s facial gestures. As it seemed he neared the end, he spoke back up. “Just so you know, Fai is locked up in a castle, far to the north of here, in a city made of stone. She is being kept alive by the one who keeps her. She won’t be killed, but I cannot guarantee the certainty of her state of affairs. And before you do anything to me, no I didn’t do it, no I won’t hurt her and no I cannot take you to her. I am but a simple messenger.”

“Is that so?”

“It is so.”

“Kurogane, can we really trust this guy? He seems… I dunno, like he’s keeping things to himself.” Fuuma says, peering over Kurogane’s shoulder.

“Fai seems to trust him. Says they’re old friends. How that’s possible, I’m not really sure, but…if Fai trusts him, that’s good enough for me,” Kurogane responded candidly as he rolled the parchment back up, tucking it into his clothes.

“Is there a message you wish to pass along to Fai?”

“Yeah, as a matter of fact there is…” Kurogane said.

~!@#$%^&*

 Fai glanced about her surroundings again. She had been quick to recall this place. The walls were a drab stone gray, and she guessed unlike stories told of princesses who are locked away in the highest room of the tallest tower or trapped in the dragon’s cave amongst the being’s gold, she found tiny amusement that here she was, tossed into a cage near the bottom of the dungeon. There were other like cages nearby, some bigger some smaller, but with the same basic design. They had golden bars, enforced by some kind of magic. She surmised she must have tried using magic before to try and escape, maybe, because something in the back of her mind was telling her not to. She didn’t know why she shouldn’t, but it was there and she would trust that tiny voice. A large chain connected them to somewhere higher, like a pulley system, but she couldn’t glance up high enough to tell exactly, rather there was this roof feature to the cage that permitted no sight above one’s head. It was probably enchanted too, perhaps with a non-magical way of working it as a backup plan. Stone pathways lined the wall to make catwalks beside arched doorways. From one of them, Fai could hear the echo of footsteps. All of a sudden there was a shift and she could feel the cage lower, just enough that she could see the entrance of one specific doorway clearly. There were stones there, a staircase leading somewhere else. She had no idea where, because no memory she had told her of the structure of the rest of this place. Perhaps she had not been but briefly elsewhere inside this place, maybe unconscious. The sound of a four-legged person walking came closer.

Fai turned her gaze to the other, unable to fully suppress the cold chill the other managed to evoke. She may have forgotten him for a long time, but her body hadn’t. This man evoked a sense of deep fear. He had a body similar to that of a centaur but with a black tail much more fitting of a scorpion than any horse. His eyes were harsh, cruel, sadistic, but he held himself like royalty. Perhaps he was. Quite a few of the details were still lost, and some in a state of fogginess. Some might not have ever existed.

“So…Fai … my precious little bird, how does it feel to be caged once more?”

“Who are you? Why have you brought me here?”

“Must I answer that?”

Fai remained quiet. Everything wasn’t entirely clear, but some things had been filing in before arrival. This man had captured her before. Maybe. Or at least she had been encaged before. She had a brother too, but he shared a similar fate. Captured by this man. Brother didn’t seem to recognize her, and they had lost their mother. She wasn’t quite sure. It seemed like something she shouldn’t have forgotten, but she couldn’t remember what had caused their mother’s death. The cage wasn’t helping. It made it difficult to concentrate on things, images in her mind swimming in a dull ache.

“My name is Taishakuten. For these past fifty years, I have been searching for you, and have waited for you to use your magic to pin you down with, and you finally did.”

“It was a couple harmless charms, hardly a trickle of power,” Fai countered.

“It was enough for me to have my other pet hone in on you and collect you. He has been looking for you for a very long time. It would have taken longer had you not, but fear not, we would have found you regardless. And don’t think you’ll be getting out like you did last time; I’m keeping your brother locked far away, in the bell tower, just in case you harbor any similar escape plans. It won’t be long now Fai. Soon, I’ll have all that I need from you. All I have to do is wait until this cage breaks you.”

Fai gripped the bars of her cage. “I’ve already told you… It is impossible to revive her back to life!” Who was this she, and why had she said that? Had she really told him this before?

“Silence!” Taishakuten snapped, and his whip-like tail struck the inside of the cage, and Fai flinched away from the poisonous barb with a quiet squeak, and after, he reaches in and grips her neck tightly, enough to be painful, painful enough to bruise and leave marks, not enough to break her windpipe, and pale hands reached out with a startled and pained gasp, trying to pry those fingers away, wide eyed and wincing in pain, “You will help me be reunited with my Lady Ashura, or you will stay here until you rot and die. Those are your only choices.” Taishakuten insists before he lets go, turns about and walked off with an air of dignity and defiance, leaving through the same arched entryway, and it wasn’t long before the clopping stopped and the cage began moving upwards to where it was before he appeared.

Fai sank onto the cage’s bottom, her legs surrendering underneath her, gasping and coughing a few times from the near strangulation; her fingers went to slowly massage her marked neck, and let out a pained sigh, breathing shallowly. “…it’s impossible…”

~*~*~*~*~

Fai sat there, brooding in silence. She had been there for some time, but could find no defensive breaks of the cage’s to exploit, and not like she could fit through the bars either to get out. Not to mention this person must know much about keeping a magical creature caged. For some reason, being inside the cage caused her a constant dull headache. He mentioned not allowing her to use the same method, and her brother was mentioned. She could only guess what had conspired that day. She still wasn’t clear as to what had transpired, but at least there was a sense of some carelessness in his character, but his ambition and dedication made him dangerous, someone to be feared. “I wonder if…”

“If what, Fai?”

Fai turned to where she heard the voice, eyes lighting up and smiling hopefully, “Kujaku!”

Kujaku moved in from the shadows, hopping from cage to cage, before he was hanging onto the nearest cage to the cage that confined the blonde. “I delivered the letter for you.”

“What word brings you?”

“Your Kurosama told me to pass along this message, and I quote, “Well you can tell that idiot that the Royal Highness did knight me, and I don’t care if it takes me a single day or the rest of my entire fucking life. I am going to hunt that stupid blonde down, and beat down anyone’s ass who gets in my way of kicking hers.”

Fai snickered once before she burst out into full-out laughter, “Bahahahahah… that’s Kurosama alright.”

Kujaku raised an eyebrow some, as a slightly concerned friend, “He sounds … questionable. Are you sure about this troll, Fai? I mean, he is a troll.”

“I am. He’s special… “ Fai began, a tender smile reaching her eyes, her hand subconsciously touching the place where the pendant rested, “He’s always treated what I looked like or what I am as less imperative compared to who I was and how I was; he’s direct, protective, grumpy but caring, hard-working, dedicated to his goals, fair and secretly has a really sweet side. If Kurosama says he will do something, then he will do all in his power to carry his words through.”

Fai then grinned playfully, “And he is so amusing to play with. We could play for hours on end.”

Kujaku watched Fai, especially how expressive her eyes were. “Do you plan to wait for Kurogane to come here?”

“Since Kurorama says he will come, I know he will; he’s a troll of his word. I know I can wait here, as long as it takes, for him,” Fai says full of conviction. “However…” Fai begins then pausing a moment, her facing growing completely serious, “…if there is a way to free all of us from that male afore Kuroroma arrives, and I discover it before, I might follow that through. I would hate if Kuroro became hurt because of somebody like me. It’s possible for me to live here; torture me all he likes, Taishaku will still live a life of solitude.”

Fai then shifted her expression, tilting her head some as she smiled with fondness and playful amusement, “I think… If we escaped before he arrived, Kuro-hero would be upset that he came all this way and worried about me when I was alright, relieved I was alive and okay, chase me for making his life harder than it has to be, gripe that I had some desire to be captured, and probably bop me over the head, asking why I had left, as if I had lost faith in him, as if I thought that he was going to give up his quest.”

Kujaku saw just how genuinely happy Fai seemed while talking about the other. He gently reached in and ruffled the other’s hair. “Alright Fai. I’ll see what I can do too.”

“Thanks Kujaku. I’m lucky to have you as a comrade.”

“What can I say?” Kujaku said with a quirked smile, “I feel a very close kinship with you.”

“I feel the same.” She distantly remembered something about the other. He was also without mother; she had died too. Who she was and why that was important eluded Fai. Kujaku just smiled before leaving, hopping lightly from the cages before disappearing into the shadows.

~!@#$%^&*

 Many moons were spent traversing the mighty forest by foot, wandering forward in what he assumed was north, when Kurogane finally makes it to a gnomish town where he can rest for a little while; however it would cost money if he wanted to rent a room. That was one of the perks about camping it out; it didn’t cost money. As Kurogane stays the morning to recover his strength, he makes his way to the local tavern, to see if he can overhear any stories floating about this dusty place, and to get a drink. Not one of the perks of camping out, alcohol is harder to come by and unless you run into others who are friendly with you, so is news. Finding an empty spot, Kurogane crouched down so as not to whack his head on the establishment’s roof, but he could overhear most everything that was being said in the tavern.

“Haven’t seen your kind around here,” the bartender says, bringing over a drink.

“Yeah, well I won’t be staying long; I’m looking for someone. A bird came to my village, and took one of my people away.”

“A bird strong enough to carry a troll, huh? We have had some bird issues too in the past. Occasionally when the weather had been fair, out of nowhere, a dark storm cloud comes from above. Inside is a bird that would attack anything moving in its path. You’re usually safe under shelter but out in the open, you’re fried.”

Kurogane didn’t bother correcting the gnome of a bartender. “Does it leave black scorch marks in its wake?”

“Why yes, as a matter of fact, it does…but we haven’t seen the storm bird in quite some years. There’s another here, who asked about the bird too. You might want to speak with her.”

“Who?”

“Her name’s Sharon. You missed her for today, but if you want more information on the bird, you might want to seek her out. Brown eyes, brown hair, a mul from Far East. If you come back later today, I’m sure she will be here.”

“Hmm…”

Kurogane asks about at the local housing place to see if she was there, but apparently not. Not bothering to waste any more time, he only stays long enough to gather some fresh supplies for the road. As he’s about to leave, he notices a smaller figure in the shadows, following him, and turns to it. It was a she, brunette with braided hair and dark brown eyes. Underneath layers of sturdy cloth was tanned skin, only dipping to a lighter tan, taller than any dwarf had a right to be, and built a bit more human. She seemed to match the description from the bartender.

“What do you want?”

“I heard you’re going after the storm bird. I’m coming with you.”

“What do you think this is ~ a picnic? I don’t have time to babysit you.”

“Unnecessary. What way are we headed?”

“North. Anyway. Didn’t you hear I word I just said?”

“Indeed. Now stop stalling; don’t you have someone you need to save?”

“I do, but what’s in this for you?”

“The bird that took your villager. I want him alive.”

“Yeah, well if you don’t get yourself killed by it first, brat, you can have him all to yourself.”

“You don’t have to worry about that; he won’t kill me.”

Kurogane let out a grunt, not bothering to discuss this anymore, and began to walk off.

“Hey.”

“What is it?” Kurogane asked, not bothering to turn around.

“If you’re already leaving for the north, you’re going the wrong way. That’s south.”

“…I knew that.” Kurogane was quick to turn around and start walking the other way.

“You’re lost, aren’t you?”

“No, just directionally challenged,” he muttered, quickening his pace, “Just shut up and hurry up; we don’t have all afternoon to lollygag.”

Sharon just smirked before following Kurogane, now that he was heading in a northward fashion.

~!@#$%^&*

As night fades and the sun comes out, Kurogane and Sharon make camp under a rocky outcropping. Sharon builds them a small bonfire while a nearby river provides a bounty of fish, and with practiced ease, Kurogane spears some fish for them to cook over the fire.

“So. Who’s the villager?” Sharon asks, once the fish are ready, before she bites into one of the roasted fish.

“Her name is Fai,” Kurogane responds, grabbing one for himself.

“And you’re risking your life to rescue her…why?”

“She’s just very important, okay, and I have to make sure she’s safe.”

“You’re ok…for a hatchling.”

“You’re one to talk, brat. You still haven’t said why you want that bird.”

“He’s a good friend of mine.”

“Oh really?” Kurogane asked with a raised brow, curious how she managed that feat. “What’s he like?”

“He’s actually pretty kind and quiet, obedient; he’s very giving although sometimes he can have an electrifying personality or be very dark and gloomy… he’s quick, a bit of a perfectionist and he’s a pretty good cook.”

“Is that some kind of joke?” Kurogane asked, wanting to be sure.

“Not at all. What he’s like in bird form is the same way he is in human form. The fundamental aspects about him never change, just his form, and how much power he can use. I heard he has a sister, but I’ve never met her. They were separated from each other before I ever met him.”

“Mind if I join you two?”

Kurogane recognizes the voice instantly, but the sudden intrusion still startles him a little into turning with a glare at the other.

“It’s you again,” Kurogane grunts.

“You know this man?”

“Sorta. More like he’s a friend of Fai’s. When I got back to my village, he was there.”

“Your Fai… is she actually a troll?”

“Like hell. But that don’t make her any less of one of ours.”

“She wouldn’t happen to have an amber and a blue eye now would she?”

“What would you know about that?”

“If she does, I may know her brother.”

“What do you mean … Brother?”

“You don’t know?”

“Fai wandered into my village fifty years ago injured and with a case of amnesia. Kinda hard to know she has a brother if she don’t remember she has one. Anyway, how do you know him?” Kurogane says gesturing to the purple-eyed male.

“I met him a few years after I met Yuui. He’d come up to Yuui with a cryptic message, and upset Yuui. So I kicked him hard for that.”

“I’m going to guess this Yuui – that’s the brother you mentioned?”

“Correct. Although… this is the first time in … how long has it been?” Sharon said, turning her attention to Kujaku, who was now eating one of their fish.

“Mm,” Kujaku looked at his hand as if doing some hard math in his head, “why it’s been thirty-six years I do believe.”

Cryptic message, that sounded about right. Still, “Who said you could eat that?”

“Cmon you can share one. After all, don’t you want to know about how your friends are doing?”

“Why would we want to listen to you?” Sharon asked crossing her arms.

“You’re not still mad about that thing, are you?”

“After what you did, why would I stop holding a grudge?”

“Here’s an interesting theological question. When I came to Yuui, I warned him that if he stayed there with you, going back and forth between being bird and being man, he would put the both of you in danger, and I informed him that if he wanted to stay with you, he should stay in human form and run away or continually stay in bird form. Instead of heeding the words spoken, he stayed there with you and did not continually assume one form. Now, assuming I had said nothing, did nothing, the two of you would have been in just as much danger as before, but caught completely unaware. Which would you prefer, being caught completely ignorant of the danger you were in or being warned of it yet stayed in the same amount of danger you were already in should you have stayed ignorant? The results are the same, but the reasoning why the outcome happened is different.”

“You…!” Sharon gritted out, raising a foot to kick the other, before letting out a breath and slowly lowering it, moving further away from him, to sit on an overturned log for a seat.

Kurogane took a moment to glance between the two, before his attention fell to Kujaku. “Hypothetically … whatmight have happened if they had heeded the advice?”

“Hypothetically speaking, most likely Sharon and Yuui would still be with each other right now, and you and Fai would be eating fruit cakes your mother baked up unless the revelation that Fai can make thunder would have scared you from caring for her.”

“Wait – Fai can~~!?”

“She was going to tell you, but thought to wait until you came back, except she got kidnapped by her brother before you showed up.”

“So she really is~~?”

“You catch on quick, Kurogane. While Yuui possesses the power of the clouds and silent lightning, Fai is in command of the loud thunder and the water works. Just took her a while to figure things out. Ever wonder why she had such a …loud and airy personality?”

“Never, but—”

Kurogane is quite shocked to hear that Fai is a magical bird and one in possession of thunder and rain, not so surprised that she hadn’t been human. He pretty much already knew that and considered it irrelevant until made relevant. But to be that close to the thing that terrified his entire race was … mind-blowing. It was almost like, an orc having a lover that made sunshine by smiling –except less lethal and neither orc nor lover knew that secret about the orc’s lover and the lover just never smiled.

“Now that we are all caught up, the message: Yuui is under the command of a powerful manticore. He is trapped in his own mind, and most of his powers restricted; he can only do the bidding of the one who holds him captive until set free.”

“Manticore? You mean one of those people who look like a centaur?”

“Indeed, albeit one with a venomous tail, and he’s the one who now holds both Fai and Yuui captive. Fai hasn’t succumbed to him yet, but that doesn’t mean she won’t. This is a very powerful and formidable manticore.”

“How would you know something like that?” Sharon asked from her log seat, still a bit suspicious of Kujaku.

“I’m just a messenger; really, that’s all I am,” Kujaku said innocently. “But I just happen to have recently come across Fai and Yuui.”

“You have access to where they are?”

“In a way, but I can’t help you find it more than I have. You’ll have to get there on your own.”

“In what way have you helped us find it?”

“He’s the one who told me, far to the north, in a city made of stone, that she was locked away in a castle.”

“Speaking of which, Kurogane, you still have that bracelet and the letter from Fai?”

“Yeah, what of it? Wait, how did you know about her bracelet?”

“Good. You will need those later on. Now I must go. I have a few other messages needing delivered. So then,” Kujaku says standing up, and beginning to step away from the two, “I’ll be off.”

“Wait.” Kurogane says as not quite an order

“Yes?” Kujaku says pausing, glancing over his shoulder.

“How… how is she? Is she alright?”

“Fai?” Kujaku says, studying the look on Kurogane’s face. From the tone alone, he could tell the other was concerned for the girl’s safety, even after finding out that she could wield thunder.

Kurogane nodded once.

Kujaku waited a moment, before turning around, “She told me that she would rather wither to dust than to see you become hurt for her sake, but she will wait for you, since you said you would come for her.”

“That idiot,” Kurogane grumbled in a somewhat self-reproving voice, fingers combing through unruly spiked hair. “Next time I see her, I’m gonna give her a piece of my mind.”

“By then, she might just need all the mind she can get,” Kujaku muttered.

When Kurogane looked back to where Kujaku had just been, he was already gone. That guy had a real way with being somewhere and then not being there as soon as he thought to leave.

~!@#$%^&*

“How do you reckon we go about this?” Sharon asked as she stared in the face of some underground labyrinthine passageway made entirely of stone. Some carbon based material, black and gray, and harder than diamonds, with the tresses of ingrown vines and ivy filtered on the walls. There was a torch, on each side of the wall, facing the entrance to the maze, as the roof was covered with the same material.

 “We could always just force our way through,” Kurogane thought out loud.

“Won’t we need that strength should we come across something? Not to mention the chance that doing such will cause it will come crashing down on our heads or have some magical backlash repercussions.”

Always the thinker, that Sharon. “Well,” Kurogane said, trying to remember what he was told about labyrinths, from the overgrown tree like mazes held at the festival. A memory came up.

He was much smaller, and Fai was smaller still. She was  playing the role of a sack of potatoes then, or perhaps a lumpy loaf of kneading bread in a garden sack, and doing her best to be absolutely squirmy as he was carrying her through the garden maze, finding their way to the central resting point, an ivory bench set out by a glistening fountain, and flowers bursting around them. He had set her down onto the bench, and took out his little sister from within the sack of sorts he put her in before carting her into the maze. She never really, truly, complained when he had done this; she might whine or pout or act melodramatic, call him names in the most provocative way, make a display of pitying performance … or giggle nearly the entire way, because, in jest, she absolutely enjoyed these games with her brother –although some had caused a slight misunderstanding and it came down to once or twice the Royal Highness had to get involved –Fai wriggled her arms while in her brother’s grip with a happy smile as she tried to poke him in the chest, but arms not long enough to reach where she was aiming for, before looking at the things around them with fascination. He set her down within plucking reach, before she ran over to the fountain and stared into it for a while with a toothy grin. `He walked over next to her, “I held up my end of the bargain; you hold up yours.” She smirked before scooping up some of the water , and causing a spray with it, most of the water hitting them, before she sat on the fountain’s edge, “So irascible, Kuro-dampen the mood. Alright, as promised ... a secret about mazes and getting out without getting lost is…”

“If you start at the start, touch the right wall, keep your touch directly to it, and follow it wherever it goes, and that’ll lead you out if it is has two access ways. If it just solitary, it will take you straight back to the basis.”

“Where did that come from?”

“An old memory; the idiot loved when there were mazes at Notsurari; she told me that one time, and that even magic has to follow some rules, or the world would break… Following the right wall takes you to the end.”

“Alright; let’s go.”

~!@#$%^&*

Wandering down a stone pathway, located in the crisp ivy scenery of a low ravine, Kurogane and Sharon seek out shelter when a small echo of thunder reveals to them that they were dangerously close to a nasty band of rogue ogres. Although sure they could outmatch them, they didn’t need to take any unnecessary risks, if they could just go around them instead.

Sharon was the one to find it, a cavern hidden behind a waterfall. Ducking beneath the heavy water, they walk in a small distance, when they notice there isn’t a back to the cavern. With a destination but no map, they choose to follow through the path to where it leads, and as they approach an opening to the cavern, they merely stared for a few moments, partially allowing their eyes to adjust to the sudden amount of daylight splayed across the land.

Apar was a numinous city, accessible past the mighty waterfall. The travelers arrived at an outcropping just a few miles from the cityscape; hidden from much of the outside world, a land of splendors that was truly blessed spread and flourishing. The edge of the ledge would slowly decline down into the valley, where trees sprung in the crisping autumnal air. Leaves flashed in reds and oranges and gold, surrounding the valley and the castle town located between the tree’s embrace.

Kurogane and Sharon made their way down the ravine, and must cross a rickety bridge, making their way closer to the palace. At the entrance gates to the place, two like pillars stood on. The difference between them being the carvings of children, one a boy with curly hair and the other a girl with long hair bound near her sides. Sharon looks at the stone bridge, with pieces having turned to dust. Beneath the bridge, the fall would certainly be fatal.

“Don’t look down. We have something to do. Only look ahead.”

“Right,” Sharon says, shifting her gaze to where the bridge ended, leading into a castle of gothic stone architect.

Steping foot onto the stone bridge, the children of the pillars immediately become animated, and appear in the flesh before them.

“Guests! Guests!” the two children chant at the same time, beginning to dance on the air above the bridge. “All guests must see the Mistress.”

Kurogane is surprised, and nearly pulls out his sword at the sudden surprise. “What the hell?”

Sharon is surprised at first, but is able to recognize what the children were after a short minute. “Easy, Kurogane; these are servants of an Adhene.”

“A what?”

“A fairy spirit. They cannot harm you if you harbor an errand of mercy. But they’re about as trustworthy as most of your kin.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“Just saying. Anyway, we should follow them,” Sharon says following the spirits, who make merry as they dance in the air towards the end of the bridge. Kurogane grunts but does follow the children all the same.

Looking over a wide expanse of plateau, a round gazing table awaits the travelers where the children guided the two of them to see this ‘Mistress’ they had mentioned. The woman was lavished in finest of cloths, and showed off a lot more skin than Kurogane was used to seeing on a fully-dressed elf. Even on Fai’s more provocative days, this woman still exposed more. Black hair fell down her back, decorated at the top with an ornate comb piece; some hair nestled against her purple and black butterfly-like wings. At her feet shifted a smoky snake like fox creature, its spindly body stretching and prancing about the table she sat beside.

“I’ve been expecting you two.”

“Wait. How could you be expecting us? We didn’t tell anyone we were heading this way. We just found this place by accident.”

“And yet here you are. The fact that you were able to make it to this place means there is something you need.”

Sharon gave Kurogane a once over, before turning to the Adhene, and bowing. “Mistress, we each seek to reclaim someone important to us. Would it be possible that you can offer us some assistance on our quest?” Sharon asks politely.

“It is possible. However, help … comes at an equal cost.”

~!@#$%^&*

Fai found sleeping in the cage relieves her in a way. She can escape, if only for the time, the confines of her small prison. In the realm of her dreams, the world around her has become a vast forest with springs and birds fluttering in her mind and people, and people with birds, and of course she imagines Kurogane being there, imagines how he would react to things, but just above, always above, never really gone, are those golden bars, that form a birdcage around the place she is dreaming of. She has gotten accustomed to this dream, as it keeps recurring, sometimes a small detail is altered, something becomes a little unclear if she’d been there, but her mind was fine as if she couldn’t remember then she must not have been there before so she would explore it more and Kurogane would be there. She made sure he tagged along wherever it was in there, whether it was an amusing chase or just to watch the setting of the sun, and the sky cast in an irradiant display of fiery reds and light blues, and purples and greens, and flashes of other colors, as the land soon was steeped with a night. She imagined the sky was later filled with bright stars in its nocturnal otherwise blackness, with the moon. Sleep was welcomed because in sleep, she was safe. In sleep, she didn’t pay heed to the constant ache of her conscious mind and was still there in a world and with her was Kurogane, and sometimes, they would meet others, like Kujaku and all the people she recalled the best. Toriho and Tsubame, her adoptive parents. The twins Fuuma and Seishirou, and Hokuto and Subaru, and their younger sisters Kotori and Kamui, respectably. The Royal Princess occasionally appeared.

If there was a slight disturbance in the place around her, she would wake immediately, but otherwise, she found waiting there without anything to really do and sleep eased some of the wait away. The times it wasn’t boring, it was either hopeful or frightful, depending on which of the two males would visit her.

This time is was Taishakuten, and she stayed near the edge of the cage when he appeared before her. Especially with that malicious grin of his.

“I hope you have slept well, my precious bird.” His voice was full of false honey, that the sweetness seemed toxic.

“It would have stayed well had you stayed away,” Fai gaged back at him.

Taishakuten took the bite with ease. “Well perhaps this news will … help your spirits.”

Fai stared at him suspiciously.

“I have found your special someone…”

Fai’s eyes shot open and she could feel her heart beating faster, but she was not about to give in just yet.

“How could you be sure you have located my special one?” she asked halfheartedly, “Or maybe you’re just trying to trick me. You are the type that would deceive for your merit.”

“Perhaps. How about you take a look for yourself, and then convince me he means nothing to you. Turn around Fai, and look behind you.”

Fai glared at him before tentatively did as she was told, where Taishakuten has cast a projection of some marketplace. She studied the image as it was some subterranean market she didn’t recall ever going to, with glowing moss and well-placed lanterns keeping the place lit up with a soft glow, and she watched the image scouring the different movements for anyone she knew. However at the time, there was no one.

Fai turned to face the manticore. “Am I supposed to remember these people?”

“Keep watching Fai.”

Fai bit her tongue and resumed watching the scene before her with a bit of petulance. After a little bit, she did notice something. Near the center of the market, there was a young mul buying some traveling supplies by herself. Mild curiosity was it as the mul seemed so out of place there, but her attention was grabbed and her breath hitched as soon a very familiar figure stepped into view and walked near the mul.

“See them?” Taishakuten quizzed, his voice like the whisper of death.

Fai feigned innocence, “Who are you expecting me to be seeing here?”

“Well, Fai… why don’t we take a closer look…”

The projection magnified closer to the two. Kurogane was talking to the mul, and soon not only images but the voices came in clearer, and God, it hurt to hear Kurogane’s voice after all this time. It hurt in a most wonderful, painful way. Her chest ached for the other, wanting to be with him again, but at the same time, he was at a foreign market, and talking to someone from nowhere nearby their lands. Even the landscape of the soil was different, richer in iron; he really was coming, just like he said he would.

“…done yet? We need to keep moving or we’ll never make it there.”

“Pain as usual, hatchling; don’t know how she puts up with you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, brat. You’re the impossible one here.”

“Whatever. Still have that bracelet of hers?”

“Like I’d lose it; you sure that Adhene knew what she was talking about?”

“…you get what you pay for.”

“Recognize someone?” Fai said nothing but he could see the signs that her attention was fully there as her knuckles turned white from gripping the bars, so Taishakuten continued, “Those two have been causing me a small disturbance, and a little bird told me that they’re  trying to come this way.”

“I …”

“But you won’t have to worry about them making it this far.”

Fai turned to Taishakuten, unable to mask all her worries, “What will you do to them?”

Taishakuten smirked, “What do you care? You’re stuck here, and it’s not like you know them … right?”

Fai bit her lip before growing bolder, “Tell me. What do you have in store for them?”

“Well seeing as it won’t make a difference one way or the other, I think I will have one of my servants, Ascot, send her people to kill them. Don’t you think a few thousand ### ought to be enough to make sure they’re dead?”

Fai looked absolutely panic-stricken for a flicker of a moment, before composing herself, and then turning a dark glare to the other, “…you’re a behemoth.”

Taishakuten let out a laugh, “My sister said about the same thing about me; didn’t change a thing.”

“Yeah well what about that Ashura that is so precious to you that you would go so far for? Is your atrocity why she is dead, or is she dead because she too was the same as you?”

It was hard to goad Taishakuten with most anything; he was immune to taunts of the general class, but whoever this Ashura was, seemed to be his own weak joint. It proved to be very dangerous territory, but the only one where Fai found she could hold some control over Taishakuten. It would sometimes backfire but Taishakuten wouldn’t kill her; wouldn’t allow her to die just yet, but that didn’t mean he had to play nice either. In fact, he had already said that if she could not revive Ashura, then he already proved he was not above physical or psychological torture to get what he wanted.

“Ashura died not because she was a monster, but because I could not change the fact that she would die.”

“So you take it out on me and brother? It is impossible for us to be the reason Ashura died, you sadist. If you love and miss her so much, you should just die and go be by her side again or just leave us out of your pitiful life.”

“You’ve done more than you know, wench, just by being born,” Taishakuten says bitterly his face growing fiercer, before smiling malevolently, and causing Fai to shake in her skin, “That gives me a swell idea. You have the power necessary, but you wouldn’t use it under other means; let’s just see if you can protect your troll from me. I’ll even give you a front-row seat to watch, and the knowledge, if he dies, it’s because of you not saving him that he dies.”

She waited until he left her alone, until the projection was gone, until she was utterly alone and everything was perfectly silent, before she allowed herself to cry. At first it was just a single few tears, trickling down, a slow stream, before she burst into heavy tears, her body wracking with each sob. She sank to the bottom of the cage and curled into the fetal position, gripping her legs between her arms. “I’m sorry; I’m so sorry … Kurosama.” She cried until she could cry no more, and as exhaustion took its hold, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Outside, it rained for many days without pause.

~!@#$%^&*

“Just what the hell is going on?” growled Kurogane using the nearest log to cut off the advance of some greedy-eyed goblins. They were running through a rusting passage beneath the ground, where only a few uptured roots and large stones gave obstacles forward.

“Hell if I should know. If I had to guess, I’d say someone wants us dead. You didn’t tell anyone else about where we were heading did you?” Sharon said, swinging her pickaxe into a low cut wall, to cause a small avalanche of rocks for them to use to give their chasers a harder time to catch up to them.

“You’re blaming me for this?” Kurogane bit out as he moved some more boulders to strengthen the pile of obstacles for the goblins, to try and get past, before making a dash for it.

“I’m not blaming anyone. I’m just looking for the facts. Who’ve you told about this mission of ours?” Sharon responded keeping pace with the male.

“Some of my fellow trolls and kinda the bartender at that gnomish place.”

“And I mentioned it to the Adhene while Kujaku already knew of it.”

“Yeah, but I can’t think of any of them who’d want us dead.”

“Then… perhaps it’s…”

“That manticore?”

“Who else has a reason?”

Kurogane mused for a moment; it did make some sense, but how would he know about them. Unless it was because of Kujaku. He had implied he had inner access to the castle and a messenger, but he wasn’t explicit where his own allegiances stood, or if he had any. “Let’s find out next time we see that messenger.”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

~!@#$%^&*

Kurogane stood in a state of shellshock. This person who had just crawled out of the bushes beside them, and dusting off twigs from their clothes… looked just like Fai, and the way Sharon had shown some interest, like she almost recognized her, cued her that their original guesses about brother and sister were right, and Kujaku had not misled them about it either.

“Well she certainly isn’t Yuui. Yuui’s left eye is blue not amber, but the colors are the same as Yuui’s, just reversed.”

However, something wasn’t right about this. Fai was supposedly locked away in a castle, and this person was wandering in the forest, and had met up with them. Something was seriously not right about all of this.

“Who are you?” Kurogane asked, glaring at the other.

Fai smiled, and shrugged off the glare, “I thought you would still remember me. Have you really forgot all about your precious little sister already?”

“I’d never forget her, but something doesn’t add up? How did you escape?”

“Escape?” Fai asked raising her arms in a shrugging gesture, “Escape from what?”

“You were taken by Yuui.”

“You are referring to the large bird?”

“What else would I be referring to?”

Fai grinned, “Kuro-tree, that bird freed me a while ago. I have seeked you out for some time.”

“What of Kujaku?”

“Who is this Kujaku? Besides, it appears Kuro-brother has made allies with a girl while I come for you; are you with her?”

“With this impossible girl? Never; she’s already claimed anyway.” The fact she didn’t know Kujaku tipped him off that either Kujaku was a lying manipulative bastard and the next time he saw him, Kurogane was going to hit him, or that this might not actually be Fai.

“Ah-ha, always irritable you are. Well, shall we head home?”

“Where’s Yuui?”

Fai pointed to the sky; “Up there. He led me here. He says he will follow wherever you go.”

Kurogane lets out a grunt, before leaning up against a nearby tree, crossing his arms. “We need to talk.”

“Yes, Kuro-bark. But before, will you please familiarize us?”

“Idiot; this is Sharon. Brat, this is Fai.”

Fai held out her hand for Sharon, “Pleasure to meet you Sharon; I’m Fai, and Kuro-grump here is my brother.”

Kurogane had been studying her, and until right then, her language, her gestures, everything about her seemed just like his Fai’s. But, then: Sharon. He took a moment to double check that it was indeed Sharon and nor Sharom or some other slight mispronunciation of the female’s name, that what Fai just said, his Fai should not have been able to say if it was really Fai.

“Brat,” Kurogane began, steel in his voice, “stay away from her. That’s not really Fai; she’s an imposter,” Kurogane accused with an icy glare.

“Weh, Kuropo… why would you say that?”

“Yeah, hatchling; how are you certain the woman before you is not your Fai? She is not Yuui, so wouldn’t reason…?”

Kurogane faced the mul. “This is not her; Fai would have asked if she too could call you Brat because she would not be able to say Sharon, same reason she cannot say nay or men or even my name.” Kurogane glared at the Fai before him, “You’re not the real Fai.”

“Things changed, Kurogane.”

Kurogane moved away from the tree, before moving to the Fai, “If you try and get in my way, I will kill you. You may look like her, sound like her, but you are not her. And I will get the real Fai back.” He let go before continuing the way he was going, hollering over his shoulder. “You still coming, brat?”

Sharon looked between Kurogane and the scorned woman. She followed after Kurogane. “If she is telling the truth, Yuui will follow wherever we go, so until you are reunited, I’ll help you out.”

The Fai stayed there, until they were no longer about, before shifting back to a different form, raven-haired youth with yellow beady eyes, and snake-like skin, before a small illusional portal opened.

“They didn’t bite, Lord Taishakuten. I’m sorry.”

“Then kill them.”

“Aye, milord.”

The portal closed and the boy sighed. This would likely not end well.

~!@#$%^&*

Kujaku comes in from the shadows as he watches the figure of Fai. Her body was slowly growing weaker by the day, and he could see the lost look she would give, confused as to where she was when she awoke. Her condition only worsened steadily faster the more she tried to use her power to keep Kurogane safe. He estimated she had only a few months left, at best, before everything would have left her mind, and she became easy prey for Taishakuten. And unlike last time, where she had little to lose, this time, she had everything to lose.

~!@#$%^&*

It was now the midst of winter when they finally reached the outskirts of the city of stone that Kujaku had mentioned, which proved to be almost two years since Kurogane began this adventure. They could now visibly see the castle looming there in the distance, but it was already late, and they would need all their strength to take on the castle and its lord. Walking through the small village, Kurogane emits a small growl as for the last while, he could feel some ones spying on them. He knew it wasn’t Kujaku because Kujaku didn’t leave that sense of being stalked until he was right there in the open, and then you have to wonder just where he came from.

“Just think. We’re almost at our destination.”

Kurogane nodded, “Yeah, soon we can get what we came here for and leave.”

“Hey hatchling…”

“What, brat?”

“You feeling what I’m feeling?”

“Yeah, and frankly I’m getting kinda annoyed by it…”

“We should take care of it then…”

“Indeed.”

The two continue to walk and cross paths with a large tree, but only Sharon emerges, and keeps on walking into a clearing. Kurogane doesn’t keep up with her. Sharon waits in the snowy clearing for the braver or leader of the trio tag team to show their face. She stands defiantly in the most open place of the clearing, and hollers towards where the stalkers were, “Show yourself.” She doesn’t have to wait long. A male human in light armour comes out of hiding with his hands raised above his head.

“You caught me.”

“What were you doing spying?”

“Strangers here aren’t common; we only wanted to make sure you weren’t with Lord Taishakuten.”

“Oh ymean the guy who stole our friends?”

The human turns around to see Kurogane holding up his two guards by the neck of their armour. “Please … put my guards down, and I’ll explain everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes.”

Kurogane drops the two humans back onto their feet, “Better be telling the truth or I’ll eat you all.”

“Are you…?”

“No that was a joke; he’s a troll not an ogre,” Sharon said assuring the soldiers, before adding on, “Instead, he would steal the strength from your bones, and then send you flying farther than I can heave a pickaxe. I might mention that in the slums of Saraba, I’ve never lost at Hammer tossing.”

If the humans weren’t thoroughly spooked by Kurogane, Sharon finished the job, and they gulped. “Please follow us,” the leader said, heading toward a split in a tree, disguising an entrance to some tunnelway beneath ground.

“Hammer tossing?” Kurogane asked as they followed the three.

“What did you expect I did to get this strong? Pick daisies?”

“Nah, more like … break a few rules of Skittles and kick the ball into the pins.”

“That was my twin who did that.”

Eagle, Lantis, and Geo escort the two to their secret chambers in the underground terrain. The place is painted like an infinite Queek board, of black and white squares. The only thing that shows that it is more than just an illusionist room to further distort one’s senses, was that the room had order. Hanging on the walls, portraits of a blonde with flowing wavy hair were hung up. Small stands were holding a ceramic caricature of her.

“Who’s the dames?” Kurogane asked gesturing at one of the paintings of her, a silhouette painting where she was seated beside a tree with a warm inviting smile and two blue eyes.

“Is that anyway to address a lady?” Sharon asked with mild exuberance.

“That… would be our late Lady Emeraude. Lady Emeraude passed away during the birthing of her children... And this one is Lady Emeraude’s lover, Lady Zagato. Lady Zagato was the Queen of these lands, but she loved Lady Emeraude more than her Kingdom, yet it was because of Lady Emeraude that our Kingdom prospered. Lady Zagato had a brother, who was crowned King of our land, and as such, they became the rulers of these lands and the castle.”

“Does this have anything to do with why you three were following us?”

“We’re getting to that.”

Going into a side room, the three paused, as it proved to look like some treasury. But more noticeable to Kurogane, “Hey isn’t that …?”

“…looks like…” quietly muttered Sharon.

“This is a small replica of the throne room where Lady Zagato and Lord Taishakuten ruled together in the castle just up ahead with Lady Emeraude. Lord Taishakuten kept Lady Emeraude caged, as his father before him had, because her tears brought the rain and made the lands flourish. Her lightning brought power to this land, her thunder warding off many who would try and take claim, and clouds that foretold just what kind of mood she was in would provide shade a. The confinement of one provided the benefit of many, but Lady Zagato… she fell in love with Lady Emeraude. But she was unable to convince her brother to let her be free, to let her explore the land that she made great. Lord Taishakuten claimed she would flee upon the first sign of freedom. Lady Zagato wished to find some way for Lord Taishakuten would understand their pain.”

“How did that turn out?”

“Oh, Lady Zagato was successful alright,” Geo added, “While touring her lands, Lady Zagato met upon our late Lady Ashura. However, Lady Ashura wasn’t all that different from Lady Emeraude, a powerful magical being, but she was a warrior, able to fend off any attack Lady Zagato’s men threw at her, without breaking a sweat. After talking to her, Lady Zagato confined Lady Ashura, the same as Lady Emeraude, the difference being Lady Ashura asked to for confinement. Lady Ashura was very powerful, but Lady Zagato found a way to keep her powers sealed. The same type of materials that made the cage used to trap Lady Emeraude placed a cuff on Lady Ashura that could not be removed through any normal means; it was used to keep Lady Ashura’s in check, only able to use a fraction of her strength and powers. However, Lord Taishakuten was quick to fall for the raven-haired beauty known as Lady Ashura.”

“However, this caused the royal fights to escalate,” Lantis furthered, “While Lady Emeraude benefited our lands by being confined, she had not chosen it; Lady Ashura was the opposite, and had chosen the caged life even though it did not benefit the lands for her powers to be confined. Lady Zagato and Lord Taishakuten raged over the freedoms of the two women before eventually coming to an agreement. Only Lady Zagato would be allowed to free Lady Ashura, just as Lord Taishakuten would be able to free Lady Emeraude. However, ”

“Lady Ashura and Lady Emeraude were not just typical magical beasts. By this time, they had lived very long lives already 780 years old and 900 years old. Through their death, a new life would be born. Lady Zagato wished to share her lover’s burden, while Lord Taishakuten wanted to change his lover’s fate. Because of their lover’s, Lady Emeraude and Lady Zagato both perished, and the birth of twins was hers, while with Lady Ashura, we couldn’t find her successor.”

“Lord Taishakuten believes that it is Lady Zagato’s fault for cursing her lover to die without being able to continue, and has seeked a way to revive Lady Ashura, and have revenge against his sister, claiming Lady Zagato has left her children orphans in this world, yet has stolen his lover and her bloodline from him.”

“Who’s at the castle now?”

“Only our Lord Taishakuten, and our late Lady Emeraude’s children.”

“What of Kujaku?”

The three exchange a look as if confused, “Who is this… Kujaku?”

“Yknow…purple eyes… broad-built human with magic, dressed in the same kind of clothes you are wearing. He‘s a messenger.”

“Sorry to say, but no one here has purple eyes, and certainly none with magic; perhaps you were mistaken.”

“Perhaps.”

~!@#$%^&*

“Go ahead without me; I have some things here I need to take care of.”

Kurogane had fought against Sharon before. He gave the other one look, studying her for a minute, before responding, “Don’t get yourself killed fighting your bird, brat.” Sharon may well be a fighting veteran, but she was still a brat as far as Kurogane was concerned.

“Don’t you worry about me. You bring our sister out safe and sound, you hear, hatchling?” Sharon said taking on a martial arts stance.

Kurogane smirked before running towards the entrance of the castle. “Just try and stop me.”

Yuui sends a bolt of lightning careening towards Kurogane, who uses his shield to protect and deflect the bolt’s power to around him, putting black scorch marks into the stonework.

Yuui didn’t get another strike at Kurogane before Sharon delivered a sharp kick to Yuui’s leg, against the cuff, to get his attention. “Sorry, love, but I can’t let you kill him. I need you to come back to your senses, Yuui.”

~*~*~*~*~

While Yuui fights with Sharon, Kurogane runs inside, and looked about. The place was enormous. High windows of stained glass creating beautiful artwork were displayed between monumental stone columns. If it weren’t for the coldness that came from the lackluster life to the castle, Kurogane thought it might just pass for a warm, inviting place. But that invitation fell cold and assuming now. His eyes quickly darted over the place, searching for a door, stairs, a hallway, anything that would lead to where Fai was. The first hallway he sees, he runs down it.  It seems to go on for a very long time. Kurogane lets out a low growl, as he’s getting nowhere fast, as the hallway had no doors and no windows, it just seemed to go on forever, and hasn’t he seen that pot before, well maybe the owner just liked that pot, and he keeps running, and running. When he meets that pot again, he decides to test something, and move it just barely, to see what would happen. No booby trap popped out of nowhere to strike him dead, nothing tried to come and attack him, and the pot remained where he shifted it. He then began running again, until lo and behold when he saw the same pot show up, this time he could confirm it was the same pot as it had retained the same movement, and not just some lookalike because whoever had a thing for placing those all along their never-ending hallways.

“Argh, this is getting me nowhere!” Kurogane roars before hitting the nearest column hard with a fist.

The wall groans in protest, as the strike damaged the wall itself. Somehow, that punch caused a small chain reaction as the room began to shimmer, like a summer haze. Kurogane notices, as the fake eternal room seems to fade, but is still there, and he punches the wall once more, going right through the column. The shimmer disappears, and he notices he’s still right where he started. One part of him can’t believe he wasted all that time and energy and never even got anywhere. Seeing a doorway branch off, he tries going down it, and isn’t entirely surprised when out of nowhere, he hears Kujaku’s voice behind him.

“Wrong way, Kurogane” the other male says.

Kurogane turns to see the male, standing there with his arms crossed and leaning against one of the supporting stone pillars. A different one than the one he just smashed a hole through.

“Tell me …where’s Fai? How do I get to her?” Kurogane asked.

Kujaku studies Kurogane for a brief moment, having noted the small pleading note in his gruffness, before unfolding himself from the pillar, “Fai is locked away in the dungeon. Your compass won’t do you much good right now. Follow me, and keep an eye out for other magical traps.”

“Right,” Kurogane says following the other male.

~!@#$%^&*

Fai stirs from her dreamscape when she felt a sudden movement with the cage, and before long it settled beside a particular platform. There was noise coming from behind the arched doorway, then the hurry of footsteps. Fai thought it odd that there was footsteps coming down this platform as they sounded heavy and quick-pace, instead of the clop against stone. Fai turns her attentions to the doorway, watching it, when she notices someone moving in from there. She watches the figure as it comes into clear view. The other is covered in some kind of black cloak and armour and for some reason, her mind tells her she knows the person, even though she has no idea why. Her head throbbed in her wake, and made nearly everything hard to recollect properly.

“You … seem familiar,” Fai said as she watched the other and used the bars to pry herself from off its floor, yet still unable to place her finger on why this person jogged a small note in her waning memory, but her mind kept trying to tell her that he was there somewhere, that she was supposed to know him. She should, but conscious like this, she just couldn’t remember why. “Have I met you?”

Kurogane pulled off his head armour. “It’s me … Kurogane.”

“Kuro..gue?” Fai asks in a weak confused voice, trying to say the name, failing to get the last part right, before collapsing into to a seated position, “I… I’m sorry…Should I be recalling that?”

Kurogane felt his heart drop. “I…you…”

“I’m waiting for somebody. I’m here because I promised myself I’d wait because … he … he said he would come for me,” Fai said, her hand managing to slowly travel toward the pendant hidden under her clothes, right above her heart.

“That was me. You said you would wait for me, and I’m here… I’m here! I came, just like I said I would.” Kurogane could feel tears threatening to escape, but he didn’t know if it was from anger, or bitter, or hurt. He didn’t know, and he just didn’t care. However, as Fai winced, and used her hands to hold her head as if pain, he was quick to lower his voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Sorry, my head…thoughts make it hurt worse.”

“Do you remember me?” Even with issues of memory loss, this Fai was still so much realer, so much the right Fai that just how wrong it felt that she had nearly forgotten, hurt more than having an imposter pretend to be his Fai.

“I…remember…” Fai repeats slowly, trying to think past the ache of the cage, before a hand fell to her neckline, pulling out the silver necklace. “This ... I received it for safekeeping … I kept it. I’ve kept it safe with me all this time, and you … I wish to say I remember you somehow… you seem familiar, like I’ve seen you before, but I just… my head hurts so much.… Ah, … there’s this place I’d … I’d really like to go to…”

“Yeah? What…what’s it like?” Kurogane asked, knocking away those tears from blurring his vision.

“There’s rolling hills and lots of colors but mostly greens and some homes, and the bottom is made of dirt and tree bark. There were lots of places of hot water coming out of the floor, and everywhere there is really tall trees. I’m sorry, that’s probably hardly helpful. I’m sure it seems silly, but every time I sleep, that’s the place I imagine, it … by some logic, that place makes me happy, and I crave to go there. Like I’m safe there.”

“That reminds me of a place I know…It’s really nice…The people there  … they are all really kind. And there’re these trees there – they make the best fruit you’ll ever have. Mother often turned the fruit into fruit cakes; you always loved those.”

Fai’s attention followed each word he said, but especially at the mention of fruit cakes; for some reason, it made her more eager to go with him and she didn’t know why. “That sounds ideal. Do you… will you take me to go there?”

“You can, you definitely can; you can go anywhere you like, anywhere at all. Just, let me get you out of there.”

Fai’s attention seemed to wander, her head tilting to the side, before the obvious signs of withdrawal and wide-eyed fear registered, and Kurogane wheeled to face where her gaze had wandered, narrowing his eyes, and he could hear the clopping of feet.

“You.” Kurogane says darkly, “What have you done to Fai?”

“So…you’re her Kurosama; it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, face to face.”

“It’s Kurogane!” Kurogane retorted automatically; if nothing else, he didn’t like how this manticore said that name –like a cobra, poised to strike and poison its prey. He didn’t need an ounce of magic in his blood to sense a chill about this guy that made his blood run cold. “Now answer me! What have you done to her? She can barely recognize me!”

Taishakuten lightly flipped some hair of his, and gazed straight at Kurogane, “That should be obvious; if she cannot restore my Lady Ashura, then she will share her mother’s fate, so I’ve been having her locked away in one of my special cages in order to break her spirit, by breaking down and destroying her mind. She is no good if she has attachments to freedom or to others. However, she’s been desperately clinging onto her pathetic belief that her precious little knight would come for her and rescue her, even after almost all of her memories were taken away, thanks to her confinement. And to hasten her declining process, I enticed her with reason to use her magic, by using the person most important to her as bait. I should thank you; getting her to use her magic was not possible until she learned I was sending my people to kill you. The more you didn’t die, the more she felt she had to do whatever she could to assure your safety, and the more she used her powers until she became what you see now. ”

Fai was sitting at the front with her hands on the bars, and casting a bit of a glassy uneasy look at Kurogane while hiding as best she could from Taishakuten’s view behind the troll.

“Bastard!” Kurogane gritted out, glancing back at Fai who gazed up to meet his gaze.

“Kuroguu?”

“I’ll figure out some way to get you out of there, Fai; just … just wait a little bit more. I promise...”

Fai stares at him, “Oh…” A pause, then a small light in her otherwise lost eyes. “I’m good at that. I would wait forever.”

“I know. Don’t worry; it’ll only be a little longer.”

“That is impossible, troll. Only one of my bloodline is capable of releasing her from her imprisonment. Unfortunately for you, her brother is unable to, and I refuse. She will remain the prisoner of my kingdom until the day she dies.”

“We’ll see about that,” Kurogane growls as he charges Taishakuten, sword at the ready, while Taishakuten draws a rapier out of thin air, and grips it.

“AH, Kurogumi! He makes trickeries, but they hurt just as real…! Be careful.”

Kurogane heeds Fai’s words, as a fight between him and Taishakuten ensues. Kurogane strikes at Taishakuten with swings and jabs and thrusts and slashes, while Taishakuten parries or dodges each blow, while Kurogane had to also watch out for the poisonous barbed tail.

With the two lovers busy fighting, Kujaku carefully slinks over from within the shadows over to where Fai is, still trapped inside. Hearing the subtle noise, Fai turns her eyes away from the fight, and notices him. Kujaku holds a finger to his lips, silently asking Fai not to say anything.

“I can help get you out, but only if they don’t find out, understand?”

Fai nods slowly, before staring out of the cage, towards Kujaku. “What should I do?” she asked quietly, in that weak voice.

“I will break the spell, and that’ll stop the thinking pains, but you must wait for the knight in black to win or crash into your cage before you get out, otherwise this won’t work; still with me?”

Once Fai made a sign that she understood, Kujaku began to act. Using his own magic, Kujaku unlocks the cage for her, but as she can barely stand in her current state, once freed from the binding spell, Kujaku moved away, disappearing back into the shadows, where he could watch without being seen. “Try to remember…why did you stay all this time? I know you still remember, Fai … what was it that you thought was so important and worth waiting for?”

Once the spell is removed from the cage, the headache is quick to vanish, but the memories are still being elusive, and her power very weak. Fai’s gaze drifts back to the men fighting, focusing on them, trying to remember why she had somewhat recalled the troll because she knew it was there … somewhere, in those few close memories she’d clung onto. He said he had come there for her, that he had promised he would come for her

“…o …sa…?”

Taishakuten dodges Kurogane’s thrust, before his whip like tail slashes low, at Kurogane’s leg. Kurogane avoids critical damage, but was still injured  by the strike. Kurogane grit his teeth, cursing under his breath, going on a more defensive side.

Panic sinks into Fai’s chest, as Kurogane clasps a hand over the wound, blood spilling over his fingers, and she tries to pull herself up, and reach for him. She didn’t want to see him hurt; her chest ached to see him bleeding, and for her.

“o-sa…ma. …Kur-o…sama…”

The name slipping from Fai caught Kurogane quite unprepared, and Taishakuten sent him flying backwards, straight into the cage that held Fai.

“osama…Kur rosama…Ku-Kurosama….” Fai began in a begging voice, reaching to touch the other, tears beginning to fall from her face. Kurogane gently reached in and cupped her face with one hand, using the pad of his thumb to push away stray tears. She found comfort in that hand, wanting to just sink into that palm of his, warm, safe, familiar, protective. It was scarred and calloused, but wholesomely comforting, “Kurosama, … I…I’m so happy. Please…”

But her eyes trailed on the form of the manticore, followed with some fear as he made his way for a silent approach, aiming to silence Kurogane. She knew what she was, could hear the voice, reminding her to not use her powers, that she was too weak already, but she chose to once more ignore that small voice, and clapped her hands once hard, so hard it hurt, but enough it pushed the Lord away, away from her savior, and as consequence the large blast knocked him away and over the ledge, and with the large blast soon came the echo bellowing off the walls of the dungeon and rang in each person’s head. Kurogane sheathed his sword before he pried on the bars of the cage, more surprised at anything at how easy they came off for him, and he tentatively picked up Fai in his arms, before rushing out of the place. He was careful with Fai, and did his best not to jar her frail body only become weakened from the blast. Finding Sharon, she was still in a stalemate with his bird. It seemed that at least, his bird was coming to his sense by them. “Oi, brat!” Kurogane hollered over.

Sharon glanced over from her position, “I need to get this accursed cuff off of him.”

“Fai can do it.”

Kujaku again, Kurogane thought, turning to the voice and how had he got there. Damn efficient stalker or whatever he was.

“Can’t you see how weak she is?”

“She is the only one who can. Yuui could if he was human, but he can’t switch forms with that cuff on. Only Fai can remove it.”

“Can you get yer bird to follow us?”

“Probably.”

“Good; we need to go to town and get some fucking incense.”

~!@#$%^&*

Fai looked about, as if everything was new to her. And currently, everything was. It was like walking through the playground of her dreams, one of those few things Taishakuten had not been able to take from her. The one memory of a place somewhere lost beyond the trees. A place without stones walls and gold-barred cages. A land that beckoned, like tall trees, and clean air. Currently, the ground was covered in snow, as the season had shifted to winter. Yet the chill of the air did nothing to dim the female’s enthusiasm as she smiled brightly with wide eyes, admiring everything about her, with a youthful glee in her step, running off short distances when something new caught her eye, crouch by it and admire it before returning back to Kurogane and gripping his hand in hers, and just smile at him.

It was like a first date, Kurogane thought, except it wasn’t. Behind them, Sharon was with Yuui, who had taken on his own human form. Blonde with opposite eyes, and a similar thin frame, just a bit more masculine than his counterpart. And Kujaku, well, he was probably somewhere. Kurogane was sure he would show up eventually.

 Kujaku was nearby, and watching the two couples, far enough of a distance away where the non-magicals could not reach, but he could still observe. Of course, being the last of his own, he wanted to ascertain that his comrades of the skies were in good hands. If not, it would be so much kinder to kill them and let them be born anew. But watching the dwarf and the troll with their respective bird companion, he knew … they were in good hands.

“Those two. They’re exactly the same and yet not the same at all.”

~!@#$%^&*

“Kurosama … I want to say something.”

“What is it?”

“The place was familiar, but the place was where I thought I would be safe because it had you there … I could be at your village, or sleeping above a cliff, or completely lost, or locked away such as the castle; if it allowed us to be together, that’s the place I really covet to be.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Kurogane said, fighting a blush.

Fai smiled, “True. But if you’re still with me, it’s impossible for me to care how ridiculous it is.”

Kurogane made a small grunt.

“Kuro-….carry me,” Fai cooed in a sing-song voice.

“Tch. What for?” huffed Kurogane.

“Please?”

“…fine.”

Kneeling on the ground, Kurogane paused beside Fai, gesturing for her to climb on, “Go ahead.”

Fai watched him for a moment before smiling and climbing on, piggy-back style, wrapping her arms around his neck, and he used his arms to better support her, “Let’s go home, Fai.”

Fai nuzzled her face closer, holding on a little tighter, quietly murmuring into his neck fondly spoken words, “I already am.”

“What was that?”

“… So my brave knight, which way shall we go?”

“You have the compass now; you tell me.”

Fai looked at her wrist where her bracelet was now clasped on again, before smiling, and letting out a soft puff, “I think it’s destroyed.” Before her voice perked to a happy tone, “Let’s just follow your travel guide.”

“You know I don’t have one…!”

“Perfect,” Fai stated, “let’s go.”

Kurogane shifted his gaze to barely glimpse Fai’s face with a small smile, before hefting her to a little more comfortable position, and just began walking.

Trolls of Silrock: Slightly misshapen beings that live inside hills. They are very tall and are also very into valuables. They can be friendly but should not be entirely trusted, as they are known to steal women and children poison men and other bad habits. They like to drink and dance but dislike loud noises such as church bells drums and are terrified of thunder. Some can go invisible, see the future bestow wealth or take it away and grant superhuman strength to anyone. They aren’t considered the brightest on the block, but by no means are they stupid. Kurogane as a troll is naturally a very tall folk, with morals. He loves treasure as much as the next troll but has a higher ambition for strength. He’s also very protective of what is ‘his’. They can live to be 150 – 300 years.

The Elfin Race of Notsurari: Elves are creatures with magical powers, humanoid with pointed ears. They tend to be slender, graceful, and artistic. Although smaller than the trolls, most of the elves here are not to be considered puny as some can reach as high as six feet. Their skin ranges here between ghostly pale and a deep tan. Some of the elves are of a different class, a female class of nymph, protectors of the land of Notsurari. The Royal Highness of Notsurari is a dream seer elf, able to communicate through dreams. They can live to be 250 – 800 years.

 Roc Raicho (not exactly but they’re one of a kind so nyeah): Both Yuui and Fai are gigantic birds that is said to favor life in harsh climates. Due to their size in bird form, the friction of their bird’s wings while in flight cause the air particles around them to become highly charged and can create an enormous storm cloud. They are very protective of the area around their homes. When their mother lived her life, she settled down somewhere arid before she allows herself to lay down and burn to ash. After three days, Yuui and Fai were born together, and as such, their powers were split between them. Instead of having purely blue eyes in human form and amber eyes in bird form, like their mother, they each always have one amber and one blue eye. And while Yuui is able to wield electricity such as his silent lightning bolts, Fai is able to make the echo of thunder, oft through screeching or clapping. They mostly would eat grains and fruits, but don’t actually need to eat. Being human and around the scent of lit incense is a rejuvenator and restorative for Fai, while using his powers in bird form gives Yuui the same effect. Yuui and Fai have the ability, under certain circumstances, to share their longevity with one other. Fai specifically cannot say words with “n” in them. They can live to be 800 – 1200 years.

Gnomes and Dwarves: Short, hard-working folk who live underground in their communities. Many gnomish and dwarfen communities are miners, which puts them at odds with many of the draconic folk, who are known for plundering their hard work. Many would define the different between these two folk by their relations and their community’s physiological traits. Dwarves are more known for their ego, and never giving up, whereas the gnomes oft know when to cut their losses. They can live to be 250 – 450 years.

Adhene of Apar: The Mistress is an Adhene. She is a 5’ fairy-like creature with butterfly wings. Although considered mostly good, she is not known to favor specific people. There is a delight in the Adhene to cause mischief to those about them, but cannot harm one on an errand of mercy. Most Adhene are female, and located anywhere and everywhere, but mostly waterfalls and the tops of mountains. Their size can range from tinier than a gnome’s hand to a full grown humanoid, and can have any type of wings or no wings at all. They can live to be 100 – 1000 years.

Pipe Fox at Apar – a small filmy creature in the vague form of an elongated fox. He can be seen from the corner of the eye, appearing as a smoky specter, or to those the fox allows to see him. They can live to be 200 – 1000 years.

Manticore of City of Stone: Taishakuten is much like a manticore, with the top half of a man, the bottom half of a lion and a tail like a scorpion’s. However, the only way to fully defeat him is to destroy the castle, as a spell made his life-chain connected to the castle. He has powerful illusion and fighting powers, and the barbed end of his tail is highly toxic, able to kill a pure non magical human within one minute after poisoning. Depending on race, other races have different defensive/immunities to the toxins. Most magical races have stronger immunities against the toxins while most of the taller non-magicals have longer durations to survive poisoning, but still quite vulnerable. They can live to be 200 – 400 years.

Ogres: Okay so think of the basic description of a troll. Now think of taller, rock-hard skin, meaner, nastier, and usually slow-witted beasts that don’t mix with sunlight. Okay, this is your typical ogre. They are vicious and enjoy ripping your limbs off and eating you for breakfast lunch and … what comes after lunch? Oh right their next meal. They can live to be 100 – 300 years.

Dark Angel:  The enigmatic figure, Kujaku, like the twins, is of a race that ‘reproduces’ by the death of the parent. His mother was Ashura. He has the known powers of dream seer, flying through the use of his black feathered wings, and is unable to be tracked should he choose to disappear.

Human: They’re pretty weak and vulnerable, but most are considered more agile and taller than a good assortment of the other non-magical and magical brethren, and reproduce the fastest, easiest and most, able to mate with just about any other race, thus creating a lot of Halfling races, if they aren’t human. They can live to be 50 – 200 years.

Mul: A specific type of Halfling. Half Human and Half Dwarf, they are often taller and agile coming from their human parent and strong and enduring coming from their dwarf parent. Most muls are looked down upon or used as slave labor. They can live to be 150 – 350 years old.

MENTIONED TERMS AND GAMES:

Queek – Checked cloth game with toss and guess

Quarter – staff contests

Fox and Chickens – j

Barres – j

~the end.

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