Chapter 9: Shadow of Doubt

A brutal confrontation leads to a new glow forming. Also, a much danger threat approaches

Chapter 9: Shadow of Doubt

 

           Of all the times to not have a weapon…or have her companions around by her side. Mentally, she kicked herself for wanting to go off on her own but she growled lowly and raised her claws to defend herself. The Imperial didn’t move.

“…you believe your small claws will harm me?”

“I’ll attack you with everything I got…even to my dying breath…” she threatened. “What do you want anyway? You here to finally capture me?” She was on edge for she had no idea what this feral wanted. If it was any other bandit or thief, she’d know to attack…but…Rial had helped her…by not capturing her and getting her out the city. So…it was clear they were still following her…or else he wouldn’t be here. The tiny hairs on her tail stood on end as she cautiously glanced around, expecting his friend to pop out any second now to knock her out.

“Yhisin is not here,” he explained, guessing her thoughts with her searching for something.

“…what do you want then?” She asked, her voice sounding a bit more pleading or demanding.

Rial stood still for a moment longer until he untied a small satchel on the side of his belt to toss it between them. She would have to come forward for it.

“I ain’t falling for that.”

“They are medicinal herbs…to ease your stomach.” Her hands froze and her heart beat a tiny bit harder against her chest. Stomach…? So…he knew…she had been sick…?

“Why does it concern you? The king wants me, right? And you serve him…so what game are you playing at?”

“…there is no game, mender.”

“But you are not answering any of my questions,” she slammed her foot down, growing more annoyed by the second.

“I informed you once before…the questions you have will never be answered…”

Fey gritted her teeth and couldn’t take it anymore. This feral was more confusing than anything she had encountered in life. She rushed forward with her claws raised high to try and slash at his face but she gasped when he gripped her wrist to stop it mere inches from his cheek. She struggled to be let go, digging her other nails into his forearm to draw blood but the Imperial swiftly, before she could even know what was happening, pinned her to a nearby tree. Her wrist was still in his grasp and his other hand ceased her attacks by pushing her other hand against the bark.

She whimpered and attempted to kick him but his tail blocked her blow to bind her legs together.

“What do you want?!” She cried out and struggled more but it was useless with his strength.

“…if you call for the cat…I will kill him. You know I can,” he threatened in a low voice that made her heart stop in fear as she clenched her eyes shut to try and remain strong. She couldn’t keep relying on Basil…and now Sid…

She could feel her energy swirling within her body…like how it was with the twins…but the attack never came.

‘Why…?!’ She whined quietly, a small tear sliding out from her eye to course over her cheek but she forced her eyes open to look up at him, pleading.

“…what do you want…? Who are you…?” She whispered. He still didn’t answer her questions…which was infuriating. She felt like a mouse being swatted back and forth by a cat in some…sick game. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her breaking, she closed her eyes again but she stiffened slightly. The hold on her wrist slowly moved until his long claws were curled around her fingers and his thumb rested on her palm.

He…wasn’t binding her…? Just as she asked that, his other hand slowly released the one that had damaged him but kept his touch on her forearm.

Nervously, she opened her eyes but it was…unnerving to see his silver eyes still staring down at her like some hawk. Fey swallowed thickly and could feel her heart racing.

“…w-why…can’t you…answer me…?” She questioned, her voice still frightened.

“…for you would despise me more than you do now…” he whispered, his words barely eligible and she felt her breath catch slightly.

“…d-despise…? Why…? You’re…trying to capture me…o-of course I…hate you…”

“I told you I would not…”

“…s-so…are you…what…? Watching over me? Just…tell me who you are…” She exhaled deeply with a frown and cautiously moved her hand a bit to let his claws slide down her arm harmlessly. His eyes watched her movement as if ready to pin her again if she tried to attack but she felt the Imperial stiffen when she touched the underside of his mask, her fingers brushing against the fangs of the dragon he wore.

“…why can’t…you take this off…and let me know…?” She asked and carefully slipped her thumb under to start raising the mask slowly. His nose came into view…along with more black scales on his cheekbones but he seemed to duck a bit, not wanting it to be removed.

“…I probably won’t despise you if I knew who you were,” she tried to appeal to him but he stopped her, not with force but just a gentle brush of his hand to push hers away.

“Brew the herbs in boiling water…it’ll help ease the vomiting.”

“…are you just going to leave again until I need more help…? I mean…if…you’re truly helping me…why don’t…I mean…why travel against us? It’s as if you have a secret motive…it’s just making me confused…”

“Perhaps one day you will understand…but for now…” he started to speak but stopped. She thought he was going to pull away to let her return to her companions but she gasped audibly when his left cheek rested against hers to feel the hard scales and her heart wanted to break from her chest.

“…you’ve grown to be so beautiful…” His voice was barely a whisper but her eyes widened as far as they could go and her lips trembled. Fey moved her head away with a look of fear and disbelief on her face as he pulled his head away only just slightly.

“…S…S-Sa-“

“What in the hell are you doing to Fey?!”

That voice…belonged to Basil. Fear struck her heart again when she saw the Imperial’s silver eyes turning into slits as he removed his touch from her and unwound his tail from her legs to turn. Basil glared across the clearing with his fists already in flames and even Sid stood back but ready to jump in if needed.

“Answer me!” Basil roared out. “If you want her, you’re going to have to kill me!” The feline kicked off the ground at blinding speeds and Fey yelped at seeing him heading straight at them but Rial gently pushed the mender out of the way as he blocked the attack with his drawn sword.

Fey fell onto her rump and looked up at the dueling ferals while panting softly, still in a state of shock.

‘I-i-it…can’t be…he was…’ She thought and backed up a bit more when she felt the heat rising from Basil.

“What were you doing with her?!” He snarled out and swiftly used his legs to try and sweep the Imperial off his feet but he kicked nothing but air. “Face me, damnit!” He spun around, trying to pinpoint where he could had gone but heard rustling to his right so he quickly brought his arms up to fend off more attacks.

“Fey!” Sid avoided the fight by taking the long way around the outer edge to reach her, helping her to her feet. “You alright? Who the hell is he?” He asked, pulling her back when Basil skidded a bit near them before darting back in. Fey tried to catch her breath, watching each movement and hearing fire sparking against steel but tried to get closer. Sadly, Sid held her back.

“Are you mad? You can’t get between them.”

“I can’t let them fight!” She looked up at him with another tear falling from her eyes. “He wasn’t harming me.”

“What…?”

Fey turned around only in time to see Basil performing a backflip, hitting the Imperial in the face to knock him back some ways as well as having the sword fall from his clutches to impale the ground near him. Rial was kneeling and slowly breathing with his head lowered to hide his mask due to his long hair. Basil panted softly and growled lowly.

“I don’t know who the hell you are…but you stay away from Fey…I’m the one who is going to protect her!”

The words made the dragon’s long ears twitch slightly and a low rumble of a growl sounded from him. He grasped the hilt of his sword to stand slowly, his head rising to glare over at Basil.

“Protect…” he repeated with venom. “…you cannot even protect her from your own doings…” he whispered and rushed forward, the tip of his blade running along the ground to bring up blades of grass as he nearly sliced open Basil’s chest but he managed to leap back in time.

“…this has to stop…” Fey whispered, more tears running down her face as she forcefully ripped herself from Sid’s hold to dash forward toward the two ferals.

“Fey, don’t!” He called out and quickly went after her but the ground shook as the Imperial leapt back to raise his sword into the air. His lips parted to let out a resounding roar. A large shadow dragon emerged from his sword to slice away tree branches and darken the foliage of the canopy before swiveling in the sky to come back down, its mouth open to be ready to devour Basil. The feline’s lips parted and his feet wouldn’t move, even though he screamed in his mind for them to work…but…seeing this attack coming at him…

“Stop!” Fey yelled, pushing her legs harder at seeing the dragon growing closer with another roar to shake the ground. She bit her lower lip as more tears came. “SAEI STOP!” She pleaded in a yell and threw herself before Basil. The attack was inches from tearing her skin from her bones but the Imperial’s eyes widened as he skillfully swirled his sword away from them. The dragon roared in anger at being adverted but raced back to the sword to meld into the steel. Smoke rose from the weapon as he panted slightly and slowly sheathed it.

Did…Basil hear right…? His ears fanned back and his face lost a bit of its color as he looked down at Fey who was softly weeping and looking to the Imperial who stood still while looking down at the ground.

“…w-why would you do this to me?!” She took a step forward but the dragon had yet to move. “Why?! Answer me!”

“…Fey…” Basil managed to finally regain his composure and gently stopped her from advancing, touching her shoulder. “…Fey, what’s come over you…? Why would you say something like that…?”

The mender shook off his hand to glare at him.

“Because I know what I feel! I’m not lying!” Her eyes were puffy and red, cheeks tainted with trails as she turned back to the Imperial who inhaled deeply before slowly turning away.

“Saei, wait!” She yelled and ran after him but the Imperial swiftly turned on a coin to send a small blast of air her way to stop from her advancing. She whimpered to see his silver eyes behind the mask glancing at her one last time before slipping into the woods. Unable to take it, Fey covered her face to crumble to her knees.

“Fey…?” Basil came over to her side and even Sid moved closer…but felt this wasn’t his business to partake in.

“…Fey…Saei is dead…why would you say that Imperial is him? Did he do something to you?” She shook her head and pressed her palms more to her face.

“…Basil…” Sid finally came forward with a serious expression to grab the feline’s attention. “…allow her to weep…we will figure this out once she has calmed down…” Confused, Basil frowned and kept his hand on her shoulder before looking up to see where the Imperial had vanished to.

 

“No word yet?”

“N-none your majesty,” responded a lowly guard who had his head lowered worriedly. He could feel the anger rising in the king who slammed his fist down onto the arm of his throne. “Damn those ferals! Send them out for one measly task and they cannot even show me the fruits of their labor. Nothing but mangy beasts.”

The guard backed up cautiously.

“…Yuon and Luon?”

“…n-no word, your majesty.”

“I cannot believe this. I ask for this one mender…and no one can bring them forth,” he stated. “I have lost more patience than I had…bring out the boy,” he ordered. The guard slowly lifted up their eyes in confusion.

“…pardon?”

“The feral’s pup! If he won’t return with what I request then his son is dead to me. Bring him out!” The guard nodded and scurried off to do as he was told while the king sighed, growing a headache and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“…what am I to do now?” He whispered but heard more footsteps approaching his throne to see two guards kneeling before him.

“S-sir, there is someone at the door to see you.”

“Send them away. I care not-“

“They said they could help.”

“…if it’s another feral then I want nothing to do with the-“

“Pardon me, your majesty…but I am not feral…” Came a calm and collected voice. The king looked up to see his throne room doors were wide open, not knowing who did it without his orders, but a creature stood there in the middle. It was the best he could describe.

They stood on two legs…like a human…but had dark fur covering their entire body. A long wolf like tail traveled behind them as they bravely took a step forward. This newcomer wore loose pants that were tied at the waist and his chest was left bare, except for a loop of gold around his neck. He showed no features of a human like most ferals did…this man was a full animal. The king stood from his throne angrily at the beast’s appearance.

“How dare you enter my throne room so boldly! Seize him!”

At the command, three guards rushed forward to try and capture the beast but when they got within an inch of him, their muscles stopped painfully as they cried out in agony. The wolf took another step forward with his hands behind his back.

“As I was saying, your highness…I am not feral. I am of the Asthei line…and I heard you had some trouble with ferals.”

The king looked to his men in concern to see their eyes starting to bleed and their muscles spasming.

“…who are you?”

“Forgive my rudeness,” he smiled a toothy grin. As soon as he did, the guards fell to the floor gasping for relief. “My name is Bylues…and I am at your service in helping you. What is it you need?” The king gritted his teeth and drew his attention away when he heard whimpering. The guard finally returned with the youngest pup of Yhisin who only seemed around the age of six. The boy struggled with tears streaming down his face in pure fear.

“…I am searching for a mender who fled this city not too long ago…perhaps a day by now. I sent my Imperials out to fetch them but have yet to return.”

“Ah yes…the one…a simple fox…” Bylues glanced over at the pup for a moment. “…the other…a Drysiohn.”

“…they’re both ferals…”

“No need to worry…I will return with this mender you seek.”

“…it sounds as if you want something in return…” The king narrowed his eyes but the wolf looked to him with a grin. “…I will have my reward. You want the ferals dead. It plays into what I want…”

“…which is?”

“…the drysiohn…or…dragon…to the human eye…is very valuable…I merely wish to do what I will with him. You get your mender…the ferals are dead…you are an immortal king with a mender who can make your men great. The plan falls into play.”

“…they are both Imperials and highly skilled…how is a simple beast like you going to handle them?”

Bylues’ ears twitched at the taunt as he slowly faced the boy who whimpered at the sight.

“…do you wish for this boy’s death?”

“…of course. He’s no use to me anymore…with his father about to die.”

“Good…” Bylues raised his paw to face his palm toward the youngest pup of Yhisin. His whimpers grew in terror but within a second, he howled in pure agony as blood poured out from his eyes and his limbs exploded to have blood splatter across the room. Bylues placed his hand back behind his spine.

“…a good day to you, your majesty,” he grinned and stepped around the corpse of the boy, leaving the entire throne room in a state of shock…but giving the king…high hopes.

 

“…what do I even say…?” Basil sighed with a frown, finishing up with the last of their packing and tied the satchel off on his grioek.

“Tell her how you feel…it’s the best you can do…” Sid replied, finishing up his own packing to glance over to see Fey smoothing back the mane on the rashein who grunted at the feeling. “…go on…she needs it right now more than ever…”

The feline raised his red eyes to look over at her as well with another soft sigh and left his mount to walk over to her slowly. “…Fey?” The mender’s hand came to a stop as she glanced back at Basil, eyes still a bit red from her crying earlier. “…Can we…talk?”

She took a quick look back at the rashein before lowering her eyes with a soft nod. Remembering what Sid had told him earlier, Basil cautiously reached out to gently take a hold of her hand to guide her away from their campsite so that they could talk in private.

Fey didn’t even fight the hold he had on her hand, too worn out from the events that happened earlier but Basil stopped them when he felt they were far enough away. He released her hand to turn and face her.

“…Fey…I want you to listen to me…okay…?” He began. Her eyes were lowered, hiding them from his view but the thief frowned and placed his claws under her chin to lift her face up to be able to look at him…and to his surprise…there was a soft glow forming.

“…I…don’t know what happened…back there. We don’t know who that feral is…what his true intentions are…he could be manipulating your mind…making you see him as Saei…” he forced himself to say the name of his brother, a knot forming in his throat but he swallowed it. “…you could had been really hurt…or taken from us. I…I was scared…when I saw him that close to you. I don’t like seeing you hurt…or sick. I…want to protect you…okay?” The glow grew worse as she shyly turned her eyes away to find a swaying flower interesting but Basil’s hand cupped both of her cheeks to block her view of anything but him.

“…I don’t want to be mean…but…Saei…he’s gone. If he was here…don’t you think he’d come find us…? He’d probably punch my face in…and apologize to you. That’s what Saei WOULD do…the real Saei…that Imperial…played tricks on you…”

It hurt…to hear those words…for Fey knew they weren’t false. Saei would come running to them…at all cost…then why…did her heart ache…? Why did it hurt…? She sniffed back more tears that wanted to fall but Basil pressed under her eyes to stop them.

“…that doesn’t mean you should be unhappy. We’re taking you home…nothing is going to stop us from doing that. I’ll carry you if I have to, Fey…” He smiled softly. “…this journey…our journey…is going to end happily…I give you my promise,” his voice started to turn into a whisper as his face leaned in closer, making her shrink back slightly but she stiffened in surprise when she felt his lips on her forehead. “…I’m going to take care of you…we’re not just friends, Fey…” he pulled away to look down into her eyes which swirled with confusion and even more nervousness. “When we get to Treaish…let’s have fun. We’ll eat…laugh…dance…gamble…just you…and me…thief and mender…I’m going to get you the biggest prize as well.”

Her tail curled shyly behind her. “B-Basil…I’m…no-“

“You want to know why I stopped talking to Saei…those many years ago…?” His question drew her attention to look into his eyes that swirled with something she hadn’t seen before…but it was soft…and welcoming. “… because you always looked at him…even when I was there. Well…I’m not the little boy Basil that I was…I’m the grown male feral Basil…and I want you…to start seeing me…for me…only me…” Her heart stopped for a moment as he leaned back down to rest his forehead against hers, eyes closed.

“…start seeing me…” he whispered and Fey closed her eyes shyly as his tail wound around hers slightly. Behind a few nearby trees, Sid just smiled with a knowing look and headed back to their camp. “Didn’t need to teach him anything.”