Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Between Two Worlds ❯ Playing For Keeps ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou. Tomo Takabayashi does.

 Summary: Young Wolfram's world is thrown into chaos when his uncle Waltorana attempts to gain his custody from Celi.

 Title: Between Two Worlds

 

Ch.5 Playing For Keeps

 

Waltorana drifted in and out of consciousness. He was unclear on how long he remained sprawled out on the ground; all he could recall was the extreme harrowing of pain that racked through his body and the shining glow of the houseki crystals which imprisoned him. Through his blurred vision, he imagined they had sprung to life and were dancing around him jeeringly, tiny glimmering red sprites which tormented him with their whisperings.

 

“Death,” they spoke in shrill little voices, their faces stretched in wicked eager grins. “Death will soon come for you and ease your suffering!”

 

 Then merciful oblivion swept Waltorana away, away from their cruel taunts and malicious laughter, and when he again slipped into wakefulness, it was for the very briefest of moments.

 

 Dazed, he remotely realized that the pain vanished, and wondered if Death had come to collect him early as it had with his brother, however, wasn't Death supposed to bring eternal rest? Why were his limbs so weary and heavy-ladden? The surface beneath him felt hard and uneven…like a forest floor.

 

A shadow fell over him and Waltorana managed to lift his head long enough to catch a glimpse of the figure standing over him, before the darkness claimed him a third time.

 

Strange, was his final thought as he let himself be enshrouded in obscurity. I never once pictured Death with red hair…

 

Then Waltorana knew no more.

 

oOoOoOo

 

The next time Waltorana awoke, he had full reign of his senses and was in a bed. Just by the lumpy texture of the mattress and the scratchy feeling of the sheets, the mazoku instantaneously knew he was back in the decrepit inn from last night's stay without even needing to see the familiar crumbling walls.

 

The door to the room opened and a serving girl stepped in with a tray of food and gave a little gasp of shock when she noticed the occupant was awake.

 

It was the very same busy-body serving girl whom his nephew had bitten for disturbing his rest.

Well, if Waltorana really was dead, it appeared he was in the worst hell he could possibly imagine.

 

“Oh, my, you're awake, Lord vonBielefeld, sir!” the servant girl cried stating the obvious.

 

“Why am I here?” Waltorana inquired as several images flashed through his head: the houseki crystal trap, his men lying in the pathway, and Wolfram slumped over unconscious in his captive's arms.

 

Wolfram…he felt the panic, fear, anxiety and guilt all eating away at his heart. He had taken the boy away from Celi on claims she didn't look after him properly, and in the first twenty-four hours of gaining the child's custody, he had allowed some mere inferior humans to nearly kill him and steal away the one thing he held more precious to him than life itself.

 

The houseki stones would have dealt their magic on any mazoku caught off his guard just like he had been, he tried to tell himself, but his consciousness was not buying the pathetic excuse.

 

“We were brought word that you and your company had suffered an ambush and how your attackers had left you all for dead out in the road!” the serving girl explained, setting the dishes from the tray onto the bedside table. “So, we sent out a rescuing committee and brought you all back here! I'm afraid the bandits ran off with your horses though. Of all the nerve, assaulting one of the aristocrats!”

 

Waltorana frowned at her story. Something was out of place about it…

 

“But the houseki crystals,” the mazoku questioned. “How did you manage coming near us with the houseki crystals?”

 

An ancient, ram-shackled inn this place might be, with its even lesser owners, but however low their status was, Waltorana knew for a fact they were all full mazokus. One couldn't live in the Great Demon Kingdom and not be anything but a pure blood without people knowing.

 

So how had they avoided the stones' sapping power and retrieved him and his men unscathed?

 

“It was the boy that told us what had happened to you,” the serving girl said. “He came across you in the road and gathered up all the crystals, so there wouldn't be any problems for us.”

 

“A boy?” Waltorana asked, wondering for a split second if it could have been Wolfram, but no, of course not. Wolfram was a full mazoku and currently being held hostage who knew where…

 

“Yes, the boy was a half mazoku!” the serving girl stated, whispering the last part as if the word was cursed. Now, she spoke again, holding the empty tray over her mouth as she told the next bit of juicy gossip, “Apparently he lives in that village set up as haven for all half mazoku. Shocking isn't it? The likes of him daring to venture into decent folk's territory, but it was fortunate that he stumbled across you.”

 

That must have been who was standing over him before he lost consciousness again, Waltorana mused, scoffing at his earlier assumption.

 

Death with red hair…really!

 

However, it was fortunate for him that a half mazoku had come along. Houseki crystals posed no threat to those who did not possess maryoku.

 

The boy had saved his life, or…more importantly, he had presented Waltorana with another chance to steal back what rightfully belonged to him and act out revenge.

 

The serving girl mistook his silence for disapproval and hastily tried to reassure him, “We sent him away as soon as possible! There's no half mazoku hanging around here to bother you about a reward of sorts!”

 

From the way, the girl was speaking so casually on the matter, it was clear she or at least her boss intended to receive such a due consolation prize for their troubles of retrieving and keeping him and his men an extra night.

 

Waltorana was hardly paying any attention to the thought of the avaricious inn-keeper's expectations or his surprising rescuer, though. No, he was planning out just how exactly each one of the three humans should die and quite painful, agonizing deaths too.

 

Oh yes, those humans would pay!

 

No one stole from Waltorana vonBielefeld and lived very long.

 

oOoOoOo

 

Gwendal supposed it was quite an ironic paradox that silence could be the worst sound in existence.

 

Covenant Castle's walls were void of its usual everyday bustle and chatter. The maids dutifully did their chores and for once tried to keep out of the royal family's business and way, speaking only in hushed tones. The palace guards avoided looking directly into his eyes whenever he passed them even the Bad Omen birds had ceased their relentless cawing.

 

It was as if a large gaping hole had been left in the place where Wolfram used to be before he was taken out of their lives, ripped from the seams of their very heartstrings.

 

Celi hadn't uttered another word after explaining to Conrart where his brother had gone and had barricaded herself in Wolfram's room, much like a Sand Bear burrows itself deep underground; and Conrart…

 

Conrart had returned during the night in a raging storm, thoroughly drenched and without Wolfram, but really, was the last part any surprise? Gwendal stubbornly squashed the memory of him foolishly hoping that his younger brother would be successful. Waltorana was a rather possessive victor. He had known the minute he had seen the aristocrat's face that near-tragic day when Wolfram butchered his element that nothing come hell or high water was going to change the determined mind to take the boy away. Conrart had never stood a chance.

 

Conrart, who had ever since he had come back, been practicing his swordsmanship skills in the soldiers' training grounds, paying no heed to the hazardous conditions of the outside. He had been at it in a fashion all night, disregarding the need for sleep, as if only he and his sword existed.

 

Gwendal wondered if he was imaging Waltorana on the other end of his blade. In any case, he was far too ashamed to try and console his brother or even face him.

 

Conrart's accusing words rang throughout his head like the repeated tolling of a bell and cut through him like a knife.

 

 “At least I'm actually going to try and do something about it, unlike you and mother!”

 

Gwendal rubbed a hand over his face and sighed wearily. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night either. It had been spent knitting furiously at a pace that even amazed himself, not that the finished outcomes looked any better than his usual ones. By the time the dawn had broken and raised it's fiery head into the sky, there were three new horribly deformed stuffed animals to join his massive collection: a purple pig which appeared to be crossed with a bear, a green whale which looked more like a roly-poly caterpillar and a blue dragon….which closely resembled the one which had been Wolfram's favorite toy…

 

A fist slammed itself against harshly the stone wall as the young mazoku vented out his frustration upon it. It wasn't the fact that Wolfram would grow up away from them, his real family, but that whenever they saw him again, he would be changed, utterly unrecognizable from the little brother they knew so well, both in features and in character. The vonBielefelds were arrogant, jealous, conceited and prone to hold grudges for anyone or anything that dared offend them. To realize that Wolfram would become one of them and one day perhaps stare at his brothers and mother with such deep-seated contempt…it was more than Gwendal could bear to think about.

 

Gwendal leaned his head against the glass of the window, the coolness of its surface feeling refreshing to his forehead.

 

That was why he was the first of the palace to see Waltorana and only one guard enter into the courtyard, without carriage and without Wolfram.

 

And Gwendal knew somehow, without even being told, that his little brother was far beyond the reach of anyone now.

 

oOoOoOo

 

“YOU PIG-LOVING MONSTER!”

 

Waltorana tilted his head to one side and felt the rush of wind as the heavy-bound book sailed past him and connected to the wall behind. He had known what coming back to Covenant Castle without Wolfram and explaining what had happened would entail, and he had only returned there simply because it was closer than his own estate. If his nephew's abductors were to be found it must be done quickly before they crossed out of the Great Demon Kingdom's boundaries. He had sent two of his guardsmen out into the surrounding countryside in hopes of discovering the humans' trail and another ahead to Bielefeld to alert his house of the predicament which had arisen. His remaining guard had remained with him, however, it was not bandits who were currently assaulting him.

 

“YOU NO-ACCOUNT CUR! YOU-YOU-BASTARD!” Celi screamed, rattling off a few more shocking self-proclamations about his lineage, as she flung any object near her at him.

 

Waltorana felt a vein spring out upon his forehead. He did understand her frustration and rage. After all, it was her child that was missing and he had been the one that had lost him, but if they would get no closer to recovering Wolfram if the damn woman kept carrying on is such a fashion! They needed to be planning how many forces should be sent out to search and how many were needed at different locations on the boundary lines as blockades.

 

The mazoku dodged the next few bombardments at him and allowed his sister-in-law to vent out some more of her wrath, however, when she pulled out a whip seemingly out of nowhere that was the last straw.

 

“WHAT IN SHINOU'S NAME, DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, WOMAN?!” Waltorana roared at Celi across the room as he caught the end of her weapon in a tight grip, but not before it had grazed his cheek, leaving a thin slash mark.

 

“I'M GOING TO LYNCH YOU AND THEN HANG OUT YOU OUTSIDE THE WINDOW FOR ALL TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO MAZOKU COWARDS!” Celi shrieked, grappling with him over the whip.

 

Coward! That was going a bit too far, Waltorana thought seething. He had been no coward; he had merely been unable to act out against the attackers, that was all! Curse the woman and her stupid fit of female hysterics!

 

He didn't know how she did it. For one so slim with more curves than muscles, Waltorana really couldn't figure out how Celi managed to yank him forward and lasso the whip around him until he was tied up like a prized hog.

 

Shinou, the crazy dame was actually going to string him up like she had declared! Waltorana struggled in vain gaping at his captor incredulously as she tugged him closer and closer to wards the room's large pane glass window, however, the whip was wound so tightly about him, he barely could take a breath.

 

Well, fine then, he had always wanted an excuse to flambé his sister-in-law and she was giving him the perfect opportunity! Waltorana snapped his fingers igniting the first small flame of fire. Hopefully the Maou would be utterly unrecognizable under all the scorch and burn scars afterwards-even better if all her hair was seared off.

 

“MOTHER! STOP!”

 

Celi did refrain from her intent of strangling her brother-in-law and hanging his body out the window long enough for Waltorana to set the whip on fire, causing her to release her hold on the weapon with a startled cry. Waltorana extricated himself from his blazing bonds and pushed them to the floor where the fire hungrily devouring its prey simmered and died, leaving the whip's charred remains behind. Then the aristocrat looked up to view who had been the needed distraction for his escape.

 

It was Celi's first son, Gwendal vonVoltaire who had called out for Celi to halt, however, Waltorana did not fool himself into thinking the youth had done so for his benefit. No doubt, he was merely concerned for the welfare of his mother, who Maou or not, would face the consequences of the law by killing not only an aristocrat, but one of the heads of the houses as well. Either that, or her son wanted the pleasure of killing Waltorana himself.

 

Unfortunately, it seemed that neither of the two would receive satisfaction of slaying the person they so loathed, because the half-human Weller spawn decided the take the life of the mazoku in his own hands.

 

The boy darted past his brother and shot through the open doorway, a streak of brown hair and a dangerous glint of steel in his hands as he rushed towards his prey like a speeding arrow seeking its mark…

 

Waltorana felt the blade slice through the side of his uniform a hairs-breath away from his skin even as he turned sharply to one side to avoid the full intended strike.

 

His blood boiling in anger, Waltorana drew both his hands into clenched fists, fire flaring up about them. He had had it with the entire ludicrous family! He had indulged them their right in accusing him as his fault the youngest prince had been abducted and taking out their temper out upon him, but he would not simply stand there and present himself as a defenseless target to a would-be assassin clan!

 

The first blast of fire caught Conrart in the chest and sent him flying backwards and crashing into the room's table. Then as if he was trying to prove how irritatingly stubborn and idiotic humans could be, the boy leapt up unfazed and sprung at Waltorana again.

 

Only Gwendal's quick thinking and action of rushing forward and gripping his brother firmly by the arms to halt his mad tirade against Waltorana kept the mazoku from charbroiling the whelp to a satisfactory crisp.

 

“Conrart, calm down!” Gwendal roared in a commanding voice, but Conrart was far beyond being consoled by reason now.

 

“HE WAS SAFE HERE! WOLFRAM WAS SAFE!” Conrart screamed at Waltorana, his face an infuriated red, struggling vigorously to escape his brother's grasp. “YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM US! IT'S YOUR FAULT! IT'S YOUR FAULT!!!”

 

Another pang of guilt flared up in the mazoku's chest as those words cut sharply to the core, however if Wolfram was to be saved, then merely wallowing in his own accountable actions would not help.

 

“Yes, it is my fault,” Waltorana agreed, taking the blame. “Now are you all going to assist me in getting him back or are you going to continue attempting on my life?”

 

“Don't assume once we rescue our brother that you have any claim to take him away again,” Gwendal warned, his face an impenetrable wall. “You had your chance.”

 

Waltorana eyebrows narrowed as he locked eyes with the youth.

 

“We'll discuss that matter later once we recover Wolfram,” the aristocrat stated, his tone issuing no room for arguing.

 

“Yes, we will,” Celi declared, her emerald eyes shining with a new-found determination as she stepped forward behind her two sons.

 

Waltorana took in the family staring unfaltering back him and scrutinized their austere expressions. All of a sudden, he realized it was not just a matter of rescuing Wolfram from his abductors. The game had spiraled down a new path and the prize was up for grabs again.

 

Both sides were playing for keeps now.

 

oOoOoOo

 

A pair of intense blue eyes observed its targets in silence from the tree above which they were currently passing by. The owner of them had been tracking and watching them closely for awhile now, making sure no sign of him had ever been seen or heard. They were an odd company, traveling through the forest on foot, lightly loaded, and steering clear of clear paths or open spaces. The company consisted of three adults and one child. The blue eyes paid extra special attention to the child…

 

“Valmira, how long am I going to have to carry this runt?” Hughes grumbled as the group wallowed their way through the dense underbrush and thick woods.

 

“What's the matter, Hughes? A big strapping man like you not strong enough to hold up a measly mazoku brat?” Valmira laughed mockingly back at him from her position up ahead.

 

“It's.Not.That,” Hughes ground out through his teeth in irritation as Wolfram scored another several swift kicks all along his upper torso, thrown over the man's broad shoulder as he was. “I'd like to break his legs off! Why can't we keep him sedated with the houseki stones until we get to Big Cimaron?”

 

“He's no good to us dead. You saw what a handful of those stones did to His Lordship back there, and that was a full-grown mazoku. The crystals will sap every bit of life the Prince Brat has before we even make it out of this forest if I do what you suggest, then where will our reward money be? Think with your head not with your bruised muscles, Hughes!” Valmira commented, earning an appreciative laugh from Falconer.

 

“Well can't we at least shut him up? He's going to bring the entire team of nosy noble mazoku combing the forest straight to us with his loud squawking!” Hughes said scowling as Wolfram drew in a deep breath and then released it with a bloodcurdling shriek.

 

“WHERE'S MY OJIIUE?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?! PUT ME DOWN AT ONCE! I WON'T BE TOUCHED BY FILTHY HUMAN HANDS!!!”

 

Valmira stopped and turned, walking over to where Hughes and his captive were, until she stood nose to nose with a beet-faced Wolfram.

 

“I'd be wise and stow your tongue, brat, unless you want it ripped out. You have two choices: you can be gagged until you almost choke or I can make you so nauseous you couldn't even manage to whisper. It depends on whether I feel merciful today.” Valmira offered, brandishing her staff threateningly. “I can use a small amount of the crystals' powers on you for a short time without endangering your life. So which will it be, brat?”

 

“YOU'RE AN UGLY OLD WITCH!!!” Wolfram screamed at the woman and then just for good measure, he threw in an insult he had heard his uncle say about the serving girl back at the tavern. “An empty-headed wench who enjoys spreading her legs!!!”

 

He had no idea what it meant, however it seemed to have scored a solid blow to Valmira's pride as Hughes and Falconer both sucked in their breath bated and the woman's face flared up green, red and then purple, before she regained control of her emotions.

 

“Fine, we'll do this the hard way Your Royal Bratness,” she said pointed her staff at the child's head and making it glow only once.

 

Even through the painful bouts of nausea he was experiencing and the feeling of his throat being squeezed, Wolfram mustered enough energy to boldly throw up all over the front of Valmira's robes as a final payback and took pleasure in the woman's enraged disgusted screeches.

 

From his position in the tree above, Yozak Gurrier chuckled quietly at the kid's spunk. So this was Conrart's little brother his friend talked so much about when visiting him. The Wolfram he had heard about had been described somewhat differently. Oh the blond hair and green eyes were correct no doubt, however from the way Conrart had characterized him, Yozak had imagined a perfect angel with adorable ethereal looks and a sweet charming personality that was irresistible. He did recall Conrart remark that Wolfram could be a bit of a handful when he got angry, but seemed to have missed the mark by a few more choice words. From what Yozak was seeing, it looked like his friend's younger brother was quite the unholy terror.

 

It had been sheer luck-or fate, depending on what one believed in, that he had stumbled across the fallen mazoku trapped within the houseki crystals' pentagram. He had been on his way home to the village where half-mazoku could live in peace, returning from one of his travels. He did the odd job every now and then; sometimes information was needed and he had a knack for wheedling it out and acquiring it. People tended to let their guard and loosen their tongues around kids. No one ever suspected he was a spy and he had collected a variety of disguises over the years just in case word carried of a kid that fit his description who was always hanging about when gossip or news was shared. Sometimes he did manual labor as well such as helping build structures or aiding farmers drive their herds across the land. Compared to mining esoteric stones from sunup to sundown, his jobs really weren't that strenuous, and his village needed all the income it could receive for supplies if it was going to continue its existence.

 

Yozak knew immediately what the stones in the pentagram surrounding the man were the minute he set eyes on the scene. He recognized their familiar glow, even if he could not feel their draining power, however from the looks of their victim, it appeared the mazoku could and if he stayed within the entrapment long enough, he would eventually die.

 

Yozak had pondered over why he had been so quick to pick up the houseki crystals and then rush to the inn and bring back help for the man, who was not only mazkou it appeared, but of a high-ranking class, perhaps a noble, one whom it was possible went about slandering half-mazoku and destroying any shred of hope or dignity they may have to join in the Great Demon Kingdom's society. He was certain if he had been in that situation back in Big Cimaron, with one of his guards from the mines needing aid, he would have left them there to rot. Maybe the Wellers' ideals and teachings were rubbing off on him. Maybe he had somehow acquired a soft spot for mazoku who at least tolerated half-mazoku instead of outright condemning them for being what they were.

 

He had stayed long enough at the inn to discover who the fallen noble was: Lord Waltorana von Bielefeld, leader of the Ten Aristocrats, who had been apparently heading back to his land with his nephew who was not among the others recovered from the scene. In fact, the small boy was nowhere to be found.

 

Yozak had taken his leave them, the wheels in his head turning. Well, he had rescued a mazoku, an extra unpaid bonus for his recent job. He could just simply return to his village now, however he had his suspicions about who the missing nephew was and if his assumption was correct, then Conrart would never forgive him for deserting his little brother when he had been given ample opportunity to locate the abductors, who no doubt thought they would have a few good hours head start before the search party set out.

 

The kidnappers had been surprisingly more difficult to find than he had given them credit for. They covered their tracks pretty darn well and were especially cautious of obstacles ahead and moving as quietly as possible. It was no wonder they had grown exasperated at the kid's extreme antics.

 

Yozak debated whether or not it was worth the risk of a swift surprise attack to grab the kid and run away. He doubted he'd escape if he approached them that way though; not when they were awake then. He was fast, but he wasn't about to see if he could outrun the one called Falconer's knives or duck the hulking one, Hughes' gigantic fists. Even if he couldn't be harmed by the woman's, Valmira's houseki staff, he wouldn't put it pass her to have a couple of dangerous tricks up her sleeve. Besides, the kid looked like he was made out of strong stuff. He was a bit pale and pasty looking from throwing up, but he still managed to keep a sulky glare on his face aimed at his captors.

 

Yozak watched them start off again, only dropping out of the safety of his tree when they were a good distance away, and then settling into a low crouch before silently following, making sure to leave signs of his trail behind for others to spot and pursue.

 

oOoOoOo

 

Valmira sat herself down on the log and wondered on whether or not abducting the mazoku brat and hauling him halfway across the country's territory had been such a good decision. Not only had it brought practically the entirety of the Great Demon Kingdom's forces down upon them but the brat still found ways to get under her skin and put new emphasis on the term “demon”.

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

Valmira glared at the small blond who was smirking at her impishly despite his green-ish complexion from being under the houseki crystals' influence for most of the day. Valmira had relented as everyone had settled down for the night, assuming that the child wouldn't feel well enough to utter a syllable.

 

The brat had more pluck than she had realized. Now, instead of screaming and carrying on, it appeared the boy had opted on a new tact to rile his captors' nerves.

 

“Are we there yet?” came the annoying question again.

 

“No,” Valmira bit out, searching through her pack for the dried meat and wishing she could light a fire so she could have some hot stew instead. However that was out of the picture as that would only catch unwanted attention.

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

Valmira stopped her rummaging and glowered at the boy.

 

“Didn't I just tell you `no'?” she snapped out, hearing the irritation in her voice and wishing she hadn't demonstrated how much the kid was getting to her.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“None of your business.”

 

“How long will it take to get there?”

 

“That's none of your business, either.”

 

“Are these two men your pimps?”

 

“Shut up, you damn brat!” Valmira shrieked standing up, her face blazing red with anger and humiliation.

 

Opposite her, Hughes and Falconer guffawed heartily.

 

“Haha, I'm really starting to like this kid,” Falconer chuckled patting Wolfram's head and pulling his hand away quickly before Wolfram had a chance it bite it.

 

“Think of the money, think of the money,” Valmira chanted to herself as she ran her hands over her face stressed.

 

“You filthy humans are going to get it,” Wolfram said stoutly, crossing his arms over his chest. “My mother's going to send out the guard and they're gonna catch you. Then she'll have them tie to you all to poles and lash you with her whip until your filthy human blood gushes out into pools of blood. And then my Little Big brother is gonna cut off your fingers and toes one by one with his sword before Gwendal will bury you alive with his Earth element. Then I'll have him unbury you once you're dead so my Ojiiue can burn your corpses to ash!”

 

“You have a vindictive grim little mind for a runt,” Hughes stated, taking a swig from his canteen.

 

“You're uncle's dead, brat,” Valmira said smiling in satisfaction and feeling pleasure as she watched the boy's eyes grow wide in horror and shock. “I killed him myself and I'll do the same thing to the rest of your family if they get in my way!”

 

What happened next, no one expected.

 

Wolfram leapt at her screaming bloody murder, his face a mask of unbridled fury and hatred, but most surprising were the flames shooting off from his fingertips and flaring up larger than life…

 

Falconer strode forward swiftly and pinched the same nerve as he had before on the boy's neck, causing the boy to the fall to the forest floor unconscious, his element dying in the air above him, imprinting bright orange-red colors into the eyes of the trio due to the darkness around them.

 

oOoOoOo

 

Yozak watched the scenario below unfold out, gripping an upper tree branch in amazement and bit of awe when he saw the blond attack his captors and actually summon up quite a good amount of his fire element before he succumbed to unconsciousness.

 

The kid was strong, stronger than he or the captors had realized due to their startled reactions below. To actually find enough energy to use that much maryoku when the houseki crystals had been sapping his power all day…when he grew older, Wolfram would be a very formidable opponent.

 

“You should have knocked him out like that a good while back, Falconer,” Valmira stated, hoping she didn't appear as flustered as she felt.

 

She had been caught completely unawares and hadn't even thought to use her staff on the brat. Then again, she had assumed she wouldn't need to as the mazoku had been subjected to its draining influence for a long while. The woman gripped it firmly now, taking comfort in feeling its familiar presence in her hands.

 

“Sorry, I didn't want to stop all the fun,” Falconer said, grinning lop-sided, referring to Wolfram's game of toying with Valmira's nerves.

 

“Think anyone heard His Royal Bratness scream?” Valmira asked.

 

“Well, we sure did,” came a new voice from the trees directly behind the trio.

 

Valmira whirled about, her staff pointed in front of her aggressively and the stone on top glowing threateningly. Beside her, Hughes and Falconer too up a similar stance with their weapons.

 

“Who's there? Show yourself!” the woman demanded.

 

“Calm down, it's only me. And you should be grateful for that,” said the voice as its owner stepped out from the shadows and into the crystal's light.

 

It was a man with olive green hair pulled back into a ponytail, dressed in forester clothes and a rug sack slung over one shoulder.

 

“Brackus!” Valmira exclaimed with relief and surprise, recognizing the figure and lowering her staff. “What are you doing out here in the Great Demon Kingdom?”

 

“I could ask you the same question and more,” Brackus stated, lowering his rug sack to the ground. “Why is half the Demon Army combing these woods, why did you leave an obvious miles long trail behind you and who is the kid with you?”

 

“What are you talking about? We covered our tracks very well and this kid is none of your concern,” Valmira spoke, motioning to Hughes to pick Wolfram up.

 

“Not that kid,” Brackus said, his face like stone, “the one who's eavesdropping above.”

 

Oh damn! Was all the coherent thought Yozak had time for before a figure unbeknownst to him on his left jumped at him and tackled him out of the tree to the forest floor below.

 

Before he even had time to blink, Yozak found himself face down in the dirt, his hands tied behind his back and his legs as well with the wind momentarily knocked out of him.

 

“Good work, Dart,” he heard the man called Brackus say above him and Yozak lifted his head to view the person who had gotten the better of him.

 

He watched as a slighter man with spiked grayish-brown hair wearing camouflage walked-no, more like slinked-over to where Brackus stood and remained silent.

 

“What-what-!” Valmira sputtered, pointing at Yozak in alarm.

 

“You have the Great Demon Army half a day behind you, Valmira,” Brackus explained, eyes narrowed showing his displeasure. “If you had stayed where you are now, you would have them stumble upon you by morning. You may have covered your tracks, but this kid here-” the man nudged Yozak with his boot “-left quite a trail of bread crumbs for them to follow. I don't know what you did to piss the mazoku off, but if it has something to do with that blond limpet over there, you could have had the decency to deal with your own problem instead of dragging Lord Jass into your mess.”

 

“What?” Valmira said, her face displaying a mixture of bewilderment, anxiety and frustration. “Jass? What's he got to do with anything? The last I heard of him, he got cornered and gutted by Svelera's guard.”

 

“That's the story he wanted everyone to think,” Brackus said. “He's alive and he's got a profitable business running…and now thanks to you and your blundering, you put it all in jeopardy.”

 

“I don't have the faintest idea of what you're talking about, Brackus. You better explain the facts fast. We don't have time to share our past wandering stories if the Great Demon Army really is right behind us like you say,” Valmira retorted looking extremely suspicious.

 

“You won't make it if you try and outrun them,” Brackus proclaimed, shrugging offhandedly. “It's a mass force and they're on horses, a commodity I note that you're lacking.”

 

“Told ya we should have kept them beasts of that aristocrat instead of turning them loose,” Hughes grumbled, looking gypped.

 

“Shut up, lubber-lip,” Valmira hissed, not wanting to reveal any more information than necessary.

 

“Well, since you have unwittingly lured the Demon Army right to Jass' front door step, I think it's only fair you pay him a visit and give him a head's up about his forthcoming guests,” Brackus remarked picking up hid rug sack and throwing it over his shoulder.

 

“Are you trying to intimidate me, you washed up mercenary?” Valmira inquired, arching her eyebrows incredulously. “Even if I had some shred of intuition of why keep dragging Jass into the equation, what makes you think we would do anything you say? Are you planning on brute force?”

 

Hughes and Falconer brandished their weapons in warning and behind Brackus, in the shadows, Dart pulled something halfway out of his clothing which glinted silver in the crystal's light.

 

Maybe if I'm lucky they'll all kill each other in a crossfire, Yozak thought from his position in the ground.

 

“Oh I think you'll come of your own accord, especially when it's to a location that will keep the Demon forces at bay long enough for you to slip away. Jass meant to engage the mazoku in a little bit of sparring anyway. All you three did was up the timing and place for him. Of course, you'll have to let him know what sort of game you are playing at. Protection doesn't come free, after all. Sound tempting yet?” Brackus asked.

 

“Let's go with his suggestion, Valmira. I don't want to end up as a skin on the wall for some demons all because you became blinded with greed and strayed from the original plan,” Falconer spoke up, voicing his opinion.

 

“The runt's brought us nothing but trouble,” Hughes put in.

 

“I don't recall you or Hughes complaining before, you turncoats,” Valmira snapped testily, before turning back to Brackus and relenting. “Fine. I'm listening. Where is this ideal location?”

 

Brackus grinned, his teeth flashing white in the darkness, “Just a through the woods behind me and between two hills. It's a wonder you didn't trip over it, though I guarantee you, the Demon Army won't be as distracted as you three goons tomorrow. Follow me.”

 

Hughes growled low in his throat at the insult.

 

“Just a minute. I want to deal with the little rat that's been tailing us,” Valmira stated, whirling on Yozak with an aura of vengeful fury, jabbing the end of her staff until the houseki crystals were almost touching the boy's face. “This is what you get for poking your nose into other people's business, vermin. When the cavalry reaches the end of your happy trail, all they find are your remains.”

 

The crystals began to glow and Yozak wondered when the woman realized they weren't working on him, if she would resort to messier, painful measures to finish him.

 

“Stop. The rat's ours. We noticed him. We caught him. We decide his fate,” Brackus stated, snapping his fingers.

 

Yozak found himself picked up from the ground and hoisted over the man called Dart's shoulders where he hung like a sack of grain.

 

“You're not going soft now that you've retired from your merc days I hope, Brackus,” Valmira said, sneeringly.

 

“I just think Lord Jass would be interested in seeing him, that's all,” Brackus said and starting forward, he called over his shoulder, “And I'm not as retired as you think.”

 

From his position looking backward, Yozak watched Hughes sling the still unconscious Wolfram over his shoulder similarly. Falconer smiled grimly when he saw the boy observing them, drew his knife across his throat and pointed at him in indication; and by the icy glare Valmira was giving him, he could tell the woman had no qualms about plotting a convenient “accident” for him.

 

Well, looks like you've really stepped into this time, Gurrier, Yozak thought, not sure whether to laugh or curse at himself for ending up in his current predicament.

 

He only hoped Brackus was right in his prediction of the Demon Army finding this Lord Jass's place by tomorrow sometime. He highly doubted he'd live longer than that. Who knew that his friend's little brother could cause so much trouble?

 

 Conrart, you owe me big time for this.

 

To Be Continued…

 

A/N: (finishes playing game of Solitare; looks at chapter again) Hmmm, this was supposed to be the last chapter but as you can see, my muse finally woke up, got carried away with the plot and now there are too many things to fit into the final chapter and who knows how long it will take me to write the rest of the scenario I have dancing around in my head. It's already long, plus I made you guys wait two months for this so I won't punish you anymore :cries: Sorry! So what did you think of the newest development? Yes, Brackus and Dart are my own characters like Valmira, Hughes and Falconer. Who is this Jass person and what did Brackus mean when he said “Jass meant to engage the mazoku in a little bit of sparring anyway”?

 

Next chapter will have us meet Jass himself, his domain, and his plans unveiled. What will happen to Yozak and Wolfram? Only I know that…hehehehe! It'd make me extremely happy if you reviewed, especially when you tell me your favorite parts, and it inspires me to write faster! (That and I'm afraid Conrad and everyone is going to be after my hide if I don't allow them to rescue Wolfram soon…help!)