Solsae Kingdom - Part 9

 Previous Chapter [Current Chapter: 09] Next Chapter 

Episode 3: "Captivity"
[Demonix]

"I lost them..." I think, clutching my chest with my hand, breathing heavy breaths. That Rex was like an Okami... A natural born hunter. It was like he had my scent and he wouldn't let go no matter where I ran. I confidently enter a large, rustic looking building filled with chatter and laughter and-- Just then a body three times my size crashes through the saloon doors and splashes like a breaching whale into a lake-like puddle.

"Never a dull day." I say, taking my seat beside an individual I know as Kite.

"This place has always been the same!" he laughs, taking a swig from his glass. I throw the sack swollen to almost my own size onto the table. It spills some of its contents atop the table, golds and silvers, gems and precious commodities. Kite smirks.

"Yes, with this we can finally arm the rebel army." He says. "We can overthrow the tyrannical ruler of solsae and finally achieve our justice!"

"Not only that... We can feed the hungry, heal the sick... We can make that happen now." I toss the spilled goods back into the sack.

"Not just yet, my friend. We must not be hasty. Once we have wrest Solsae's reigns from the hands of tyranny, only then can the people be saved." Kite argues. I argue back,

"I... Don't understand. People are dying, now. Your sister is dying now..."

"And it pains me friend, it does... Everything I do is for her. For them... But what good would that do? It would be like sticking a plaster on an amputation! Futile! Pointless! The problem will never correct itself if we do not take action when we can!" Kite’s volume rose several levels as his anger intensified. I guess what I said reminded him of all he had lost. And somewhere deep inside me, I know... He's right.

"Then... We go to war." I secede.

Just then, a fierce crash rocks the whole of the Dogs Bollocks Tavern. I don't have time to grab my mask or cover my face as wood and debris crash down, because a hand fiercely squeezing my throat drains just about every ounce of strength I have in my body.

Kite has already fled. He took the sack too. Good. Even if I go down here, the rebellion will have what it needs to bring down the tyrannical king. I can see him now. His eyes glow like fireflies in the night. He’s so mad. Steam literally billows from his body and pours from his mouth in anger.

"All of this just to get to me?" I wheeze out what might be my last words. People like him disgust me more than anything else. People who don't give a shit about those whose lives they ruin. His hand is hot as a branding iron. I silently curse my powers sole weakness, and I spit at him. "You..." My world is going black. I can't breathe. "shouldn't... have." I give him my best grin, hoping it haunts him for the rest of his days. “Heh. That'll show him..."

Day 1 of captivity
I awaken uncomfortably to the warm chilly embrace of Ice cold water thrown over me. Shackles bind my arms and my legs, and chains hold me firmly In place.

“Who are you.” The man with the towering red hair asks. The dreadful King Rex...

“I go by the Devil Hood… My Liege” I spit hatefully. I knew it. He scorched me so badly I can’t even spit my ice darts. My throat still burns. I need to recuperate.

“No. Just who are you.” He repeats.

“I am… A black wing. Defender of the helpless. Menace to the wretched. Denier of false idols like you.” heh. That sounded cool.

His eyes are full of scorching anger and hatred. It's taking all he has not to bound over here and smack me with all his might. For a king, he sure wears his emotions on his sleeve.

“How can you claim that!?” he roars, “You enter my town, threaten my men, steal from my peasants, and now you're wasting my time!”

“The people of Darkside. Those with no money, and no livelihood, Downtrodden by your ruthless campaign to seize power for yourself. When I heard of their suffering, when they begged for my help, I had to see for myself… and when I see you and your lackeys partying it up, feasting and laughing In Spite of the pain and misery that your castle treads upon, I knew that the Devil hood could not stand idly by.”

“You know nothing, Devil Hood.” Rex snarled, turning his back and leaving the dungeon.

The young lady that followed him closer than his own shadow now chose to approach me. Good king bad king routine? Hah. Her wide, crimson eyes gaze deep into my own. It's hypnotic.

Then, she breaks the silence, “I can tell you're not a bad person, Devil Hood. What is your real name?” she asks in earnest curiosity.

“Wouldn't one normally introduce themselves first?” I smirk.

“Oh, you're right!” she reply sheepishly. “Amami is my given name. There's not much else to tell though. I became aid to our king just before you attacked.”

“Aid huh? And what does he have you aid him with?” I ask bitterly.

“Hmm… I suppose my job is to help make the people happy?” Amami responds. I notice the honesty In her eyes immediately. She hasn't been tainted by Rex yet. Maybe she could help the Darksiders...

“You… he has you wrapped around his little finger and you don't even notice it.” I say.

“I think you have the wrong impression of Rex. He might have a rough demeanor, but he cares about this place very much.” she says.

“Hmph”...

“have you met with Rex before? What makes you hate him so…” she asks.

“I can't abide any who would betray the people… those who would lord it over the weak while they suffer and die… people like that should be the ones who die! Puppet masters who manipulate and scheme and…!” I feel the tension welling up inside me. My breath catches in my throat, my eyes burn as scenes of my hateful past rush past me in a blur of angst. And then I feel something else. Something warm. I open my eyes, and the rabbit-eared aid has her arms wrapped around me tenderly. I take a deep breath. Her silvery white hair smells like fresh grass. I can feel her heart beating in tandem with mine. Her warmth… It's soothing. It's so soothing…

Day 2 of captivity
I wake up in a heap on the ground with the King's retainer tangled around me. It takes me a while to comprehend the situation but then quicker than you can say Blue streak, I shove away as far as the leash around my neck will allow me, a scarlet blush warms my ghostly complexion. She comes too groggily, brushing her eyes free of sleep. I clap my hands together and apologise for what ever happened last night. She smiles genuinely

“No need to apologise, Mr Hood. I stayed with you on my own anyway.” she replies.

“Then… nothing happened?” I ask, still all ablush.

“Nope. You passed out so I stayed with you for the night. I thought you would be lonely otherwise. That's all” she confirms.

“Why would you…” - before I can finish she interrupts me,

“On my world they have a saying - you can't know your enemy, before you share a bed with him.” she lectures.

“I'm pretty sure they don't mean that literally… But wait, your world? What do you mean?” I ask.

She changes the subject, “So, you look much better today… You can probably just phase out of this cell right?”

I nod affirmatively, and to demonstrate, I slip right out of the collar that chained my neck. She sighs.

“I thought so…” she responds meekly. “hey… can you stay for a bit longer?”

I raise a sceptical eyebrow.

“I'll tell Rex to let me interrogate you. Please. I must hear more... I wish to learn more about this world. It's all so new to me…”

“And so you want me to linger in the castle dungeons while you interrogate me. is that right?” I ask.

“mhmm…” she replies, her gaze falling to the tiled floor.

“my strength has yet to fully restore… I might need a few more days to recuperate after all.” I sigh, taking a cross legged meditation pose and breathing in deeply. “please, leave me now”.

“yeah! Um… Thank you Mr Hood!” she smiles back at me before leaving the dank subterranean cell.

Day 3 of captivity
This is far more troublesome than I ever imagined. Could Rex really be innocent? What does that mean for Kite? No… no… I don't believe for one moment that Kite is wrong… that the people are...using me…

How could they. Not again. Not again…

I clench my first around a small stone, crumbling it like chalk, and I take a deep breath.

Inhale….. Exhale….. Breath out regret. Breath out doubt.

The people of Aster Novus… it's not their fault for what happened. I was a tool of the government. I killed their loved ones. And when the regret beat me down into darkness and I couldn't suffer it any longer, I helped them… not out of compassion. To make amends. For my own selfish reasons. I deserve their hatred and if that's what it takes to amend for my hateful past, I'll shoulder all of that.

Still, these powers that I had forced onto me by the order… It might be my curse, but it can also be my purpose and my salvation.

I'm shaken out of my trance by a commotion. I open my eyes and see Amami struggling with a tray holding two bowls of soup, rolls of bread and two tall glasses of milk. Suddenly I'm aware of how thirsty I am.

“Oh, I'm sorry to wake you!” Amami says, stumbling into the cell with her tray. She flops down in front me on the cold, hard ground and places down the tray between us.

“I thought we could eat together!” she chirps with her usual sweet, rosey-cheeked smile. She takes a roll of bread and rips a chunk off, dunking it into the green soup, and then eats it, prompting me to do the same.

It tastes bad. Sweet and bitter at the same time. Burned vegetables and mushrooms blended with god only knows what else. But I continue eating in silence until both of us are finished and the tray is pushed aside.

“so tell me about yourself!” she asks.

“it's a long story…” I reply.

“I have alllll day!” she responds quickly.

I don't know what come over me.

I guess… I'm just trying to win this woman over. To our cause, away from that devious Rex. It must be that. I don't know…

But I tell her, from the beginning, my story. How the empire turned me into a killing machine.

Day 4 of captivity
“hey, Hood… It was that man, Kite - who you were with at the Dogs Bollocks, who told you that Rex was Evil, right?” Amami asks.

“Yeah. He told me everything.”

“But why did you belive him so easily?” she enquires.

“He showed me… The darksiders are suffering and have no access to the medicine that could treat them. They have barely enough food. They have no clean water or shelter from the biting cold and the scorching heat. Every day under Solsae, at the Darkside, children and women go hungry, and men are killed or robbed. It's a horrible place, just like the slums of Aster Novus. It's just like it was back home. If you saw the Darkside for yourself, I think you would understand why we black wings do what we must.” I say.

Amami eyes tear up. She shows clear concern upon her delicate features, but balls her fists in resolution toward her king none the less.

“it does sound like a tragic place to live… but do you really have the whole story? We are both new to Solsae and we both found ourselves at the opposite ends of a very complex community.”

“No. I don't. I only have fragments from those suffering the most. Yet, the twisted tales of those who don't concern themselves with the suffering of their brethren could never sway me.”

“I think we should ask around. Maybe the people of Solsae have something to offer us?” she smiles sweetly.

I roll my eyes dramatically. “I highly doubt it…”

“Nah, you're a very clever man. Don't let passion dissuade you from seeing the whole story! Let's go!” she cheers, grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet.

Looking at her so close, she really is a tiny thing… but in that small frame she holds the heart of a Shisa.

It can't hurt to get some fresh air… I sigh a dramatic sigh. “alright. Show me this Solsae that you love so much.”

 Previous Chapter [Current Chapter: 09] Next Chapter